The Magic of Walney Island, Cumbria (Travel Guide), featuring Artist Hannah Willetts

Discover why Walneyites love their little known island in the far south west of Cumbria. From the unspoilt nature reserves that book-end the island to the distinctive architecture of Vickerstown, this island at the tip of the Furness peninsula will surprise you. It is not, repeat not, simply a suburb of Barrow in Furness!
This short film takes you around the island and also catches up with local artist Hannah Willetts to find out where she gains her inspiration and why she wouldn't live anywhere else!
Filmed August 2021
Jonathan Wheeler
www.travelobscurer.com

[@sofy7914]

I'm from Brazil. My father was a mariner office,and we lived in Walney in late 70's. I love Barrow in Furness,and I loved ,the house at Black Butts lane n° 27 ( or 28)...at that time,I just loved my feeling of freedom! I use to walk lonely in the beach...at 6 years old! 😁 it was so great! I miss you Barrow in furness and walney island! A big kiss from Brazil,Rio de janeiro! You will be always in my ❤

[@christopherevans3927]

Hi good to hear you used the word freedom with regard to the island I grew up on and returned to and live now. I to enjoyed roaming around all of it as a child to, but as you remember Walney I remember Vitoria (just down the coast from Rio) and I miss your country .

[@user-rv4mt8yz9g]

Very fond memories of Walney.

[@alexandersunter4899]

Loved it.

[@FERNweh101]

I went to school with a Harvey Willetts in the 1940s.He lived in Verdun Ave.

[@rambaby23]

Thankyou for this film. There are so many negative things said about the area, in all honesty its the Best place to live! It truly is a unique little island

[@TravelObscurer]

Thank you Dawn. If Walney was in Hampshire the beachfront properties would go for a million!

[@michellehughes5990]

What a beautiful film-you have captured the area perfectly. I didn’t know about Hannah-I’ll definitely be looking up her artwork!

[@ododargo]

hi i was born on walney at far southend farm bk in the 50s my father had it as a chicken farm i rember it burning down when i was very young it was never rebuilt i keep meaning to have a road trip bk and film it with my drone might do it this year

[@Geoffreytomlinson24]

Lots of Family from Walney. love the place visit the place & pubs when I can.

[@the-selfish-meme7585]

Used to live in Loppergarth, and my extended family lives in FLookburgh now. Stuck in Vietnam and missing home. I'm really loving these videos. Thank you! x

[@TravelObscurer]

Two villages I know well given that I currently live in Bardsea. Thanks for the feedback. As the temperatures drop here I'm sure plenty of us would swap for Vietnam.

[@FazbearEntertainment414]

There is a fictional island called sodor and is based on walney. All of sodor is a railway. The railway is called the North Western Railway. That’s where Thomas lives.

[@onanysundrymule3144]

Nice documentary Sir.

[@allanh53]

stunning !

[@joycestones643]

Brilliant will visit tomorrow

[@borderreiver3288]

just across the bridge for me...love it over there....

[@simplysrilankancooking6983]

Look amazing video my dear ❤️ Have a blessed day Simply 🇱🇰

[@virtualtrip4K]

nice video☺️

[@Psmith-ek5hq]

I wonder how long it took Hannah to do the mural in The King Alfred.

[@TravelObscurer]

I should have asked! It's such a fun piece.

[@mranderson3564]

Thinking of moving here but people keep saying barrow is bad

[@londonfoodfatty2770]

Hannah seems like such a lovely lady

[@TravelObscurer]

She is!

[@mrcubbsey]

No work there though

[@119hellyeah]

say what...you mean the 10,000 direct jobs currently active at BAE systems. Or the other big employers in the area. Then there is Ulverston with Siemans and the now to be built Biomanufacturing Plant. Then there is Sellafield just up the coast, another 10,000 jobs. Nobody struggles around here for good jobs. Then there is the high number of self-employed businesses and other limited companies. To say there isn't work here is widely wide of the mark. Don't forget the high number of new build projects that are supporting even more construction jobs.

[@mrcubbsey]

@@119hellyeah dead end town, no nightlife, social life, divorce rate through the roof, the bae jobs are mostly out of town contractors. Trapped in a timewarp village..

[@peternaylor6448]

Having been shown by Steven to be completely incorrect on 'no work', mrcubbsey then moves on to the KZbin equivalent of playground name-calling with further inaccuracies. Oh dear...

[@mrcubbsey]

@@peternaylor6448 enjoy your small minded village, god help your children. No future in that village.. 👍💃🛒

[@119hellyeah]

@@mrcubbsey You couldn't be more wrong, again. Around 70% of the employment at BAE is drawn from the local area now. BAE and the local council have worked hard over the last decade to get it to that stage. Barrow has around 70,000 people so isn't classed as a village. In fact, it was probably the size of a village back in the late 1700s. Ironically perhaps someone else is stuck in a time warp? I would love to know your source for the divorce rate? As a small business owner over the last 5.5 years I've had nothing but clients who are either happily married or just happy as a couple. Investment in Barrow and the surrounding areas is doing very well. A new university campus is on the cards now too. That is in addition to the new £25 million training facilities that BAE recently built. Again, brand new housing developments are on the go constantly. A dead-end town wouldn't need additional housing stock, would it? I'm beginning to wonder if Barrow just didn't get along with you. I hope your place of current residency does.