Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant Whitehaven's Mount Pleasant area has gone full circle in the past 300 years - from the pleasant gardens which gave it the name, to 19th century slums and now back to ornamental gardens.
After the building of the Beacon there had been landscaping of steep banks either side of the Mount Steps, which rise up from the harbour-side, adjacent to the pumping station, towards the Duke Pit fan house off Rosemary Lane. Where houses once clung to the hillside had been transformed into terraced seating areas with great views across the harbour. However, neglect, vandalism and overgrowth of plants had resulted in the area becoming less than attractive.
Now the area has been rejuvenated with gardens and some new railings and seating areas.
The banked gardens extend up the hillside with slate used to supppress weeds between the planting.
The railings have a style reminiscent of a cruise liner and are set into shaped sandstone.
An upper gallery with attractive seating provides a sheltered area to sit and look across the harbour.
When you finally get to the top breathless, but fitter, there is a new viewing area with more seating which surrounds a signpost indicating points of interest.
Decorative paving in the form a compass spells out how Whitehaven used to import goods from around the world.