Stories from the town
History, food, walks and the people behind our independent high street.
New Green Space Planned for Dalton Town Centre as Pocket Park Designs Take Shape
Plans for a brand-new community park at the heart of Dalton town centre took a significant step forward this week, with £570,000 from the Borderlands programme agreed in principle to purchase the land at the former Brocklebanks site and create a welcoming new green space for residents and visitors.
Dalton Gets Its Own Outdoor Library as the Town Council Launches a New Reading Garden
Dalton with Newton Town Council has transformed the town's Sensory Garden into a new Reading Garden, complete with a free outdoor library box stocked with preloved books that anyone is welcome to borrow, swap or donate.
A Brand-New Long-Distance Trail Ends at Furness Abbey This Autumn
A 120-mile walking route called the Westmorland and Furness Way is set to launch in September 2026, running from Alston in the North Pennines all the way to Furness Abbey, placing one of England's newest long-distance trails right on the doorstep of Dalton-in-Furness.
New A595 Bypass Opens at Grizebeck, Easing Journeys Across the Furness Peninsula
A new 0.8-mile road at Grizebeck on the A595 opened on 2 August 2026, bypassing the notorious pinch points at Dove Bank and Dove Ford Farm and delivering safer, more reliable journeys for communities across the Furness peninsula.
Walking the Furness Coast: King Charles III England Coast Path Opens on the Peninsula
A 34-mile stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path opened across the Furness peninsula in July 2026, bringing walkers from Foxfield to Greenodd along a route that passes through Sandscale Haws and takes in sweeping views across Morecambe Bay.
A Library Card from Day One: Westmorland and Furness Launches Newborn Membership Scheme
Babies across Westmorland and Furness can now receive their very first library card at the same appointment where their birth is registered, thanks to a new partnership between the council's Libraries and Registrars services launched in August 2026.
George Romney: Dalton’s Master Painter
Born at Beckside in 1734, Dalton’s own George Romney went on to become one of Georgian London’s most celebrated portrait painters, and he came home to rest in the town.
Dalton: The Town That Iron Built
For centuries a quiet market town, Dalton and the wider Furness peninsula were transformed by the rich red haematite beneath their fields and the railway that came to carry it away.
Furness Abbey: Eight Centuries in Red Sandstone
Founded in 1123 and once among the wealthiest monasteries in England, the romantic red-sandstone ruins on Dalton’s doorstep have drawn pilgrims, poets and pioneering photographers alike.
The Cistercian Way: A Pilgrim Route Through the Heart of Dalton
A waymarked long-distance walk runs right through Dalton, tracing the footsteps of the Cistercian monks from Grange-over-Sands to Piel Island by way of Furness Abbey. Quieter now than it once was, it is one of the finest ways to see the peninsula on foot.
The Story Behind Dalton Castle
How a modest pele tower became the beating heart of medieval Furness, courthouse, gaol and symbol of the Abbey’s power.
5 Best Sunday Roasts in Dalton
Crispy potatoes, proper gravy and Yorkshires the size of your head, our entirely subjective ranking of the town’s finest roasts.
A Spring Walk to Furness Abbey
Bluebells, birdsong and red sandstone ruins, why the Castle to Abbey Trail is at its very best in May.
Meet the Maker: Country Candles
We sat down with the team behind Gifts by Country Candles to talk scent, sustainability and small-town making.
What’s New on Market Street 2026
New shopfronts, a refreshed market square and exciting plans for the autumn, here’s what’s changing in town this year.
Five Free Things to Do in Dalton-in-Furness
You do not need to spend a penny to have a brilliant day in Dalton. Here are five of our favourite free days out in and around the town.
The Story of St Mary’s Church
Its soaring spire crowns the Dalton skyline. A short look at the grand Victorian church at the heart of the old town.
A Perfect Weekend in Dalton-in-Furness
Two days, one historic market town, and the southern gateway to the Lake District. Here is how to make the most of a weekend in Dalton.