A picturesque Lake District village and rippling waters, steeped in fascinating history
The beauty of Coniston can be seen far and wide, from the rippling reflections of its glistening waters to The Old Man of Coniston, a picture postcard fell reaching the highest point of the historic county of Lancashire.
It is said that 19th century writer John Ruskin loved the views from his house in Brantwood, on the eastern shore of Coniston Water, so much that he declared it to have ‘the best view in all of England’.
You see, its location makes it a fascinating place for walkers and adventurers; it’s an ideal base to explore the beauty of the fells, mountains, waters and forests on foot, boat, bike or horse.
The village history is one famed for its Herdwick sheep – the face of the Lake District, you could say – and you can even enjoy a cuddly meet and greet ‘Herdwick experience’ (count me in).
Just above the village sits the unique Coppermines Valley, an industrial landscape formed by hundreds of years of copper mining. There are slate quarries, too, on the north east flank of the Old Man, which have been worked since the 12th and 13th century. Low Brandy Crag, which was re-opened as an opencast quarry in the 1980s for silver-grey slate rock, still operates today.
The Ruskin Museum has told the story of Coniston since 1901, from the first Stone Age fell walkers who traded stone axes to the Jet Era of the 50s and 60s, when racing car driver Donald Campbell set four world water speed records on Coniston Water in his speedboat Bluebird K7. He died in 1967 attempting his fifth, travelling at 320mph, and his remains were only found in 2001.
An afternoon exploring the village’s rich history will work your legs and your brain, and the reward will be the cherry on top: a refuel in one of the many, fabulous places to eat. From locally sourced pub grub, dog-friendly cafes and your classic fish ‘n’ chips to wood fired pizza, award-winning comfort food and a taste of India, there’s something for everybody.
Whatever brings you here, it’s a place to take a moment, breathe, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District.
Coniston Water
Combine history with outstanding views on a relaxing ride on an open-air deck or opulent saloon on Coniston Water's Steam Yacht Gondola, a rebuilt Victorian steam-powered yacht operated by the National Trust. Enjoy commentary from the crew about the area’s interesting heritage, which includes the pioneering of hydro-electricity in 1932.
Coniston Water is the third largest of the region's lakes at file miles long and half a mile wide, and Coniston Boating Centre offers every type of way to explore it, from motor boats and rowing boats to paddle boards, kayaks and canoes.
In the warmer months it’s over to open water swimmers: Chillswim Coniston End to End Swim 2023 on June 24 will mark 10 years of the popular swimming event – where swimmers cover the 5.25 miles of the lake – and this year it will host a second day on June 25.
The Aquasphere Epic Lakes Swim will meet at Monk Coniston Car Park on August 13 for its third event of the Open Water Swim Series, inviting swimmers to take part in a 500 metre, one mile or 3.8-kilometre Iron distance swim in Coniston Water.
