Few towns in England are named after fish, but Flookburgh is – probably. Most sources think the town takes its name from the ‘flukes’ – flat fish found in abundance in the sea nearby. An alternative theory is this was originally a Norse settlement named for a chieftain called Floki – the old name for the place was Flokeburg. The first known mention of the town was in 1246, but by 1278 Edward I was granting it a market charter, confirmed subsequently by Henry IV and even later by Charles II in 1663. These days Flookburgh, situated at the southern end of Cumbria’s (once Lancashire’s) Cartmel peninsula, is an out of the way place, but in the 12th and 13th centuries when Cartmel Priory was powerful it was on the route across the sands of Morecambe Bay, safer for monks and merchants than the perilous route through the forests to the east. In medieval times a guide was needed to cross the dangerous sands, just as it is these days – they are extremely perilous, and the tides across the flat bay can come in incredibly quickly, a site worth seeing from the safety of the shore. Visitors today don’t face forest bandits in the half hour drive from junction 36 of the M6, but an even better way to reach Flookburgh is by train, arriving across the Arnside viaduct, through genteel Grange-over-Sands, and alighting at Cark station a very short stroll from Flookburgh. Flookburgh was once a busy fishing port, and cockling and more importantly the raking of brown shrimps by special tractors are still significant. The shrimps are turned into Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimps with the addition of unsalted butter and some spices (particularly mace) in Ulverston. Another foodie treat here is the Flookburgh-made sticky toffee pudding. Buildings of note in Flookburgh include the 1686 Manor House in the centre, and the Romanesque St John the Baptist’s church, designed by Lancaster’s Paley and Austin at the end of the 19th century. Other attractions include a miniature village, a petting-farm with llamas and other more conventional farm animals, a holiday park with extensive leisure facilities, and the limestone cliffs of nearby Humphrey Head, now a nature reserve but rather ironically also reputedly the place where the last wolf in England was killed.
Attraction
Holiday Park
Pub and Bar
Crown Inn
Hope & Anchor Hotel & Public House
Shops
Paul Butchers
Flookburgh Pharmacy
Southern Lakeland Nurseries
Activities
Lakeland Riding Centre(Riding)
Places to Stay near Flookburgh
Abbot Hall Hotel (1.81 miles)
Priory Hotel (1.84 miles)
L'Enclume (1.90 miles)
L'Enclume gastronomic restaurant with rooms is beautifully located in Cartmel, a traditional Cumbrian village, and offers a tranquil base from which to explore the Southern Lakeland.
Chef owner of L'Enclume, Simon Rogan, has developed his style ... More | visit website
Corner Beech House (2.30 miles)
Clare House (2.52 miles)
The Lymehurst (2.56 miles)
Set within a classic Victorian building, this small hotel boasts a central location in Grange over Sands, on the outskirts of the Cumbrian Lake District. Retaining many of its original period features, ... More
Aynsome Manor Hotel (2.61 miles)
The age of elegance is not passed - it still lives on in this beautiful old manor house nestling in the tranquil and historic Vale of Cartmel.
Personally managed by the Varley family for over 20 ... More
| visit website
Hampsfell House Hotel (2.84 miles)
A Lake District gem, nestled in nearly 2 acres of private grounds surrounded by woodland and a few minutes' walk from town and sea. Hampsfell House Hotel is renowned for great food ... More
Grange Hotel (3.14 miles)
Built in 1866 in classical Italianate style, the Grange Hotel sits in its own beautifully-landscaped grounds. We enjoy panoramic Bay views in the unspoiled Edwardian town of Grange-over-Sands, described by noted travel ... More
Cumbria Grand Hotel (3.45 miles)
The Cumbria Grand Hotel is set in 25 acres of garden and woodlands. This comfortable hotel is located 10 miles from Winderemere. You will receive a warm, friendly welcome at this charming ... More
Brit Quote: |
|
On this day: |