Walney Island

Local highlight

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles · data from OpenStreetMap · terrain Mapzen/AWS

Running about 11 miles down the Cumbria coast, Walney Island sits between Barrow-in-Furness and the Irish Sea, joined to the mainland by the Jubilee Bridge, built in 1908 to replace a ferry. Vickerstown, the main settlement, was built from 1898 for Vickers shipyard workers and still has the feel of a planned garden village.

Each end of the island is a nature reserve. North Walney has dunes and dune heath where natterjack toads breed, among the loudest and rarest amphibians in Britain, while South Walney, run by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, has Cumbria’s only grey seal breeding colony, gull and wader colonies, and eider ducks breeding about as far south as they get anywhere in Europe. In between are open beaches on the Irish Sea side, including West Shore, and views across the Piel Channel to Piel Island and its castle.

More places to visit near Walney Island

King Charles III England Coast Path

National Trail

One path around a whole country — beach, clifftop and seawall the entire way round England's coast, opening stretch by stretch.

adjoining · spans 24 counties

Highlight

Piel Island

Island near Roose

Small island with the ruins of Piel Castle, built by Furness Abbey's monks, and the Ship Inn, whose landlord is crowned King

1.1 km SE

Iconic

Furness Abbey

Abbey · Monastery near Ulverston

Vast red-sandstone monastic ruin in a wooded vale.

3.7 km N

Bow Bridge, Barrow-in-Furness

Landmark near Ulverston

Narrow three-arched 15th-century bridge over Mill Beck, built by the monks of Furness Abbey to carry packhorses to their mill.

4.2 km NE

Iconic

Lake District

National Park near Grasmere

England's highest mountains and deepest lakes — the fells that invented British hillwalking.

8.1 km NW

Cumbria Way

Long-distance path

Through the Lake District's heart at valley level — Coniston, Langdale, Borrowdale and Caldbeck between the old market towns of Ulverston and Carlisle.

11.3 km NE · Cumbria