A potted history...

The Ulverston canal is famous for being the shortest, deepest and straightest canal in England at one and one half miles long.  The architect was John Rennie who also designed Waterloon Bridge in London.

The canal was completed in 1796, in order to provide the town of Ulverston with a port.  At 15 feet (4.6m) deep and 66 feet (20m) wide, it was intended to accommodate large ships.  The canal is listed under the Reservoirs Act 1975 and is now cut off from the estuary following the sealing of the sea gates at Canal Foot.

The Ulverston Canal was once the starting point for steamers to Liverpool, passesnger ships to Scotland and London, anmd for cargoes of local slates that made their way to coastal towns around the UK.

The opening of Furness Railway in 1846 seriously affected the profitability of the canal, which was eventually bought by the railway company.  It was used commercially up until the First World War and was officially abandoned at the end of the Second World War.  It was until 1974 maintained by Ulverston District Council following which it was acquired by GSK primarily as a source for water for emergency use.

                               

There is a public footpath, following the towpath on the eastern side, with the western side being intensively used for industry including the extensive GSK works.  The Furness Railway on route between Grange-over-Sands and Barrow-in-Furness crosses the canal on a viaduct, and a dismantled branch line also crosses the canal en route to the GSK works site.

                                    

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