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.

There are a number of hills near Coniston including Cartmel Fell, White Pike (Seathwaite), The Knott, Broughton Moor, Catbells, Orrest Head, and Haystacks.

There are a number of hiking areas near Coniston including Cartmel Fell, Coniston Coppermines Valley, Borrowdale, Styhead Tarn, Troutbeck, Orrest Head, and Wild Boar Fell.

Coniston has some unmissable villages nearby like Eskdale, Coniston, Seatoller, Troutbeck, High Borrans, Kentmere, and Brigsteer.

Don't miss Hardknott Roman Fort, The Hawk, Sunkenkirk Stone Circle, Castlerigg Stone Circle, High Borrans Romano-British Settlement, Mayburgh Henge, and Gunnerkeld Stone Circle's ancient sites if visiting the area around Coniston.

There are a several good ruins in the Coniston area like 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.

Coniston has some unmissable old mines nearby 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.

There are a several good rivers and streams in the Coniston area like River Lickle, Appletree Worth Beck, Styhead Gill, Crowdundle Beck, Aira Beck, Hell Gill, and River Kent at Kentmere.

Coniston has some unmissable lakes nearby like Tarn Hows, Thirlmere Reservoir, Derwentwater, Styhead Tarn, Windermere, Wastwater, and Ullswater.

Coniston's best nearby woodlands can be found at Broughton Moor, Brigsteer Park, Cow Close Wood, Jeffy Knotts Wood, and Grubbins Wood.

Coniston has some unmissable towns nearby like Sedbergh, Bowness On Windermere, Ulverston, Penrith, Kendal, Ambleside, and Kirkby Stephen.

There are a number of mountains near Coniston including Scafell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Skiddaw, Hartsop Dodd, Stony Cove Pike [Caudale Moor], Place Fell, and Wild Boar Fell.

Don't miss Brough Castle, Lowther Castle, Pendragon Castle, Lammerside Castle, Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, and Castlesteads (Lowther)'s castles if visiting the area around Coniston.

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 great places to visit near Coniston if you like historic buildings.

Fairy Steps is a great place to visit close to Coniston if you like historic monuments.

There are a number of caves near Coniston including Cathedral Quarry, Fairies Cave, Holy Well Cave, and Buttermere Tunnel.

Bluebell Woods to visit near Coniston include Cow Close Wood, and Jeffy Knotts Wood.

There are a number of nature reserves near to Coniston including Smardale Gill Nature Reserve.

The area close to Coniston boasts some of the best disused railway lines including Smardale Gill Nature Reserve.

Airports to visit near Coniston include Barrow/Walney Island Airport, and Carlisle Lake District Airport.

Piel Island is one of Coniston's best, nearby islands to visit in 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

    Wild Roe Deer

    Brett Gregory is an award-winning filmmaker based in Bolton whose production company, Serious Feather, is currently making a documentary about autism and poetry.

    As a part of this production, Landscape Britain was asked to advise with regards to the location of specific areas of outstanding natural beauty throughout the region.

    Visit www.seriousfeather.com for further information.

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