Whitehaven and the Borough of Copeland have seen many changes over the centuries, but the pace of their transformation has been breathtaking over the past decade. Whitehaven’s one-time commercial harbour, tied to the needs of local industry, has been wonderfully restored, and now boasts a new sea-lock and marina dedicated to the needs of the leisure industry. Gone are the coal and iron ore mines, the iron- and steel-making industries and the great chemical works. Of the large employers, only the nuclear facility at Sellafield and the West Cumberland Hospital remain.

These changes have pushed the people of West Cumbria toward alternative professions, largely within the tourist trade. This should not be surprising, as about a third of the district lies within the Lake District National Park, the home of England’s highest mountains and deepest lake. Whitehaven’s nearest lake, Ennerdale, is the subject of an imaginative scheme ‘Wild Ennerdale’, which will allow all future development within the valley to occur in a sustainable way. Apart from the lakes, mountains, castles, villages, rivers and museums, there are over 40 miles of coastline, including some fine sandy beaches and high, precipitous cliffs. Whitehaven and District Through Time is the perfect introduction and guide to this beautiful land.