what's it like to live in barrow?

Great places to eat in Barrow

• Salvana’s – An intimate and authentic Italian restaurant at the heart of Barrow’s town centre, Salvana’s offers a delicious array of antipasti, pizza, pasta, and traditional Italian meals – they also have Happy Hour Lunch with reduced pasta and pizza combos!
• Industry Kitchen – Voted the Best Café in Cumbria in the 2023 Cumbria Food Awards, Industry Kitchen serves up fresh local ingredients across a selection of vibrant and diverse breakfasts, brunches, and lunches.
• Kapadokya – A traditional Turkish restaurant offering tasty Mediterranean cuisine including pizzas, kebabs, hot and cold mezes, grilled dishes, burgers, and pides. Kapadokya’s interior is also utterly unique and is designed to look like the inside of a cave – not to be missed!
• The Duke of Edinburgh Hotel Bar and Restaurant – The Duke of Edinburgh is a subterranean restaurant and cask ale bar serving a mouthwatering selection of dishes created by Head Chef Darren Anderson.
• The Crown – A family friendly pub with a beer garden. Serving home cooked food, The Crown is located at North Scale, a small (but easily accessible) village on Walney Island.
• Oscar’s – Based inside the beautiful Abbey House Hotel and Gardens, Oscar’s is a Rosette-acclaimed restaurant offering a scrumptious seasonal menu with locally-sourced ingredients.

Absorb Barrow's culture

• Furness Abbey – Visit the site of what was once one of the richest Cistercian monasteries in England. Destroyed during the Reformation under the orders of King Henry VIII, Furness Abbey’s magnificent red sandstone remains are situated in a woodland area on the outskirts of Barrow. There is also a small museum on site – the perfect day out!
• The Dock Museum – A local museum with exhibits focussed on the history of Barrow and its surrounding areas. There is also an Art Gallery and exhibition space on site featuring work from local artists as well as family and heritage events.
• Piel Island – Dating back to the 14th century, the fortress was built by the Abbot of Furness to defend the local area against pirates and Scots raiders. Piel Island and Castle are only accessible via a ferry boat from Rampside – but it’s worth it! Piel has a campsite, a pub, and even its own King!
• The Forum – A music, theatre, and live arts venue in the heart of Barrow town centre! The Forum hosts a variety of plays, musicians, comedians, films, talks, charity events and interactive games nights so there is always something for everyone.
• Barrow Library – A public library and archives which also hosts community events, shows, and exhibitions.

Barrow is located on the doorstep of the Lake District National Park, providing easy access to a wealth of fantastic activities – from paddle boarding on Windermere to climbing England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike.

Ulverston, Morecambe, Lancaster and Kendal are only a short train journey or drive away too, offering more interesting days out as well as great transport links to other areas of the UK. You could even spend a weekend in the picturesque Isle of Man, with regular crossings from nearby Heysham Port.