Coniston in Cumbria

Coniston is a Village in the county of Cumbria.

Coniston is a Village in the Lake District. The Old Man of Coniston rises dramatically behind the houses in the centre of the village. Coniston is a good place to start, for walking and climbing in the Lake District. It is also the place to start your walk if you want to investigate Coniston’s Copper Mines and Tilberthwaite Slate quarries.

In 1871 John Ruskin bought Brantwood, just across Coniston Water from Coniston Village. He lived there from 1872 until his death in 1900. He is buried in St Andrew’s Church graveyard and his grave is marked with a large carved cross, made from green slate, from the local quarry at Tilberthwaite.

The Ruskin Museum’s Ruskin Gallery holds the most comprehensive display in the Lake District about the life and work of John Ruskin.

Coniston is also famous for John Campbell setting the water speed record in Bluebird on Coniston Water in 1955. Campbell was killed attempting to regain it again in 1967. He is buried in the churchyard and there is a memorial to him on the Village Green.

Coniston Water is the location for Arthur Ransome’s book “Swallows and Amazons”. There is information about Arthur Ransome’s inspiration for “Swallows and Amazons” in the Ruskin Museum.

The Monk Coniston Estate, owned by Beatrix Potter, stretches from Coniston to Skelwith Bridge. It includes the famous beauty spot, Tarn Hows, now owned by the National Trust.

The National Trust’s Steam Yacht Gondola runs cruise’s on Coniston Water, with stops at Brantwood and Monk Coniston.

Coniston postcode: LA21 8

Retail in Coniston

There are great places to visit near Coniston including some great hills, hiking areas, villages, ancient sites, ruins, old mines, waterfalls, rivers and streams, lakes, woodlands, towns, mountains, castles, historic buildings, historic monuments, caves, bluebell woods, nature reserves, disused railway lines, airports and islands.

The area around Coniston boasts some of the best hills including Cartmel Fell, White Pike (Seathwaite), The Knott, Broughton Moor, Catbells, Orrest Head, and Haystacks.

Hiking Areas to visit near Coniston include Cartmel Fell, Coniston Coppermines Valley, Borrowdale, Styhead Tarn, Troutbeck, Orrest Head, and Wild Boar Fell.

Coniston's best nearby villages can be found at Eskdale, Coniston, Seatoller, Troutbeck, High Borrans, Kentmere, and Brigsteer.

Coniston has some unmissable ancient sites nearby like Hardknott Roman Fort, The Hawk, Sunkenkirk Stone Circle, Castlerigg Stone Circle, High Borrans Romano-British Settlement, Mayburgh Henge, and Gunnerkeld Stone Circle.

Bonsor East Mine Workings, Bonsor Dressing Floors, Penny Rigg Copper Mill, Appletree Worth, Stephenson Ground Limekiln (ruin), Water Yeat Limekiln (ruin), and Hebblethwaite Hall Gill are some of Coniston best ruins to visit near Coniston.

There are a several good old mines in the Coniston area like Penny Rigg Quarry Adit, Three Kings Mine, Tilberthwaite Gill Head Waterfall Level, Horse Crag Quarry, Tilberthwaite Deep Level Adit, Cathedral Quarry, and Parrock Quarry.

There are a number of waterfalls near Coniston including Tilberthwaite Gill, Rydal Falls, Hebblethwaite Hall Gill, Styhead Gill Waterfalls, Taylorgill Force, Aira Force, and Hell Gill Force.

Coniston's best nearby rivers and streams can be found at River Lickle, Appletree Worth Beck, Styhead Gill, Crowdundle Beck, Aira Beck, Hell Gill, and River Kent at Kentmere.

The area around Coniston features a number of interesting lakes including Tarn Hows, Thirlmere Reservoir, Derwentwater, Styhead Tarn, Windermere, Wastwater, and Ullswater.

Broughton Moor, Brigsteer Park, Cow Close Wood, Jeffy Knotts Wood, and Grubbins Wood are some of Coniston best woodlands to visit near Coniston.

There are a several good towns in the Coniston area like Sedbergh, Bowness On Windermere, Ulverston, Penrith, Kendal, Ambleside, and Kirkby Stephen.

The area around Coniston features a number of interesting mountains including Scafell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Skiddaw, Hartsop Dodd, Stony Cove Pike [Caudale Moor], Place Fell, and Wild Boar Fell.

There are a number of castles near Coniston including Brough Castle, Lowther Castle, Pendragon Castle, Lammerside Castle, Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, and Castlesteads (Lowther).

Acorn Bank, Acorn Bank Watermill, Church of St Peter Askham, St Michael’s Church at Lowther, Lowther Mausoleum, Askham Hall, and Smardale Gill Viaduct are some of Coniston best historic buildings to visit near Coniston.

Coniston is near some unmissable historic monuments like Fairy Steps,

The area around Coniston features a number of interesting caves including Cathedral Quarry, Fairies Cave, Holy Well Cave, and Buttermere Tunnel.

Coniston's best nearby bluebell woods can be found at Cow Close Wood, and Jeffy Knotts Wood.

Smardale Gill Nature Reserve is a great place to visit close to Coniston if you like nature reserves.

Smardale Gill Nature Reserve is a great place to visit close to Coniston if you like disused railway lines.

There are a number of airports near Coniston including Barrow/Walney Island Airport, and Carlisle Lake District Airport.

Don't miss Piel Island's islands if visiting the area around Coniston.

Coniston History

There are some historic monuments around Coniston:

Walks in Coniston

Appletree Worth and River Lickle

A scenic walk with an interesting lost village, returning along a section of the River Lickle.

Length: 7Km (approx.)

Difficulty: Easy

Let's Go

Map of Appletree Worth and River Lickle Walk

Hodge Close Explore

A short but deadly explore around Hodge Close and Parrock Quarry with flooded quarry tunnel and dangerous cliffs.

Length: 1.45Km (approx.)

Difficulty: Dangerous

Let's Go

Map of Hodge Close Explore Walk

Places to see near Coniston

Lakes near Coniston

    Rivers near Coniston

    Things to do in Coniston

    Where to Eat in Coniston