MARYPORT. On The Cumbrian Coast.

The town’s lighthouse, an octagonal tower on a stone base. Though no longer used for navigation the light still shines though towards the town now.

Well here’s a photo bombardment from a weekend trip to the Cumbrian town of Maryport. It feels like this year someone has forgotten to put the order in for a Summer. Either that or the delivery guy has left it safely behind a dustbin in the next street or even the next town.

Senhouse Street, the main street of the town, rising up inland from the harbour area.

Anyway the forecasts for the weekend looked reasonable, if you didn’t look too closely so I put together a trip. I took the train up to the border town of Carlisle and then the bus it down the coast to Maryport.

The history of the area dates back in part to Roman times, being near the end of Hadrian’s Wall it acted as a supply base. The Senhouse Museum above the town has a display of artefacts from this time in the towns history.

An old capstan stands br the side of the entrance to the Senhouse Dock.

A major expansion and a name change for the town came in the mid 1740’s when Humphrey Senhouse raised and act of parliament to build a dock and change the town’s name from Ellenfoot to Maryport.

A more modern arrangement for lifting the dock gates, yes the gates lie flat and are raised up, took me a few moments to puzzle that one out.

The inshore rescue boat returns to the harbour.

About now I went in search of something to eat and had a hearty plateful at Annabell’s on Senhouse Street. Ham and cheese toasty with rosemary chips. A few more steps added to the afternoon’s target after this.

Carefull where you walk, there may be history at your feet.

A little careworn but I imagine the Sara Maria has tales to tell.

Plenty vessels of all shapes and sizes still use the harbour here. A note for your future reference, one of the buildings behind the blue hulled boat is home to The Wharf, who do really good ice cream. Just saying.

See, I told you. I didn’t shar, the dog was unimpressed.

Iron and shipbuilding industries followed on the back of this and the railways arrived in the 1840’s. As is the way two world wars, the depression of the 1920’s and 30’s together with the closure and moving away of industries did the town few if any favours. There are some signs of revival, tourism as ever is being used to lift Maryport’s profile. It is well placed for access to the coast and for the northern stretches of the Lake District and the transport links are decent. Let’s see what the future holds.

https://visitallerdale.co.uk/maryport/

https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/places-to-go/explore-buttermere-crummock-bassenthwaite

https://www.facebook.com/the.wharf.maryport/

https://www.facebook.com/AnnabellsCafe/

https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/imagesbylachlan

https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Lachlan1