About Coniston


Coniston and the Lake District is unrivalled for its mountain and lake scenery. It has many other attractions which will take you through wonderful countryside.

Coniston, and the lake which takes its name, Coniston Water, are one of the jewels of the Lake District. In Anglo-Saxon the name means “kings village”. It is not known which king chose the village, but he found a setting between mountain and lake that is unrivalled, even among the beauties of the Lake District. Nestled between the lake and the “Old Man of Coniston”, the highest mountain in the valley, the village is a picturesque mix of whitewashed houses and rows of workers cottages built on the hillside, and fashioned from the local green slate traditionally mined here.

Our self catering apartments are ideally situated on the road leading up to the mountains, giving our guests great access straight from the doorstep to a wonderful array of walks. You won’t even have to take the car out of the park.

If rambling or mountain climbing is not your thing, you can take a voyage with one of the boating companies on Coniston Water. Travel in Victorian splendour on “Gondola”, a beautifully restored steam yacht operated by the National Trust, or one of the Coniston Launch Company’s traditional lake boats. Stop off at “Brantwood”, the home of the Victorian writer and social reformer John Ruskin, and enjoy the food and the view from their terrace cafe, before catching the next boat back to Coniston.

The Ruskin Museum, in the centre of Coniston is a place not to be missed. Apart from telling the story of John Ruskin, it also records the history of many other aspects of Coniston and the Lake District, including the story of the Coniston Copper and Slate Mines, to which the village owes much of its early wealth and employment. You will be able to use their interactive displays and slide shows to learn about sheep farming, the coming of the railway, lace making, fishing in the lake, and a host of local historical knowledge.

In more recent times Coniston Water has become synonymous with speed records, and in particular with Sir Malcolm & Donald Campbell who raced their famous “Bluebird” boats on the lake, and set many World Water Speed records here. Donald Campbell was sadly killed in an accident here in 1967, when his “Bluebird K7” crashed at over 300mph. Many artefacts from these record attempts can be viewed in the museum. A completely new wing has just been added to the museum to house this hydroplane, which was recovered from the bottom of the lake in 2001. It will be returned to Coniston in the near future and put on display in this new extension.

The world famous Ravenglass and Eskdale miniature railway will take you on a delightful seven mile journey from the Cumbria coast to the heart of the Lake District at the foot of England’s highest mountains. The Romans had a port settlement at Ravenglass, and a fort high up on the wild slopes of the Hardknott Pass at the head of the Eskdale Valley, the remains of both are preserved and are open to the public.

Your hosts, Anthony and Elizabeth, are experienced fell walkers who will be pleased to provide you with advice and guidance. For more details about any of the above and the many other fabulous tourist attractions here in the Lake District and on our doorstep, please contact Anthony or Elizabeth for more information.