Holiday rentals in Coniston

The small village of Coniston, situated in the shadow of the mighty fell known as The Old Man of Coniston, is at the heart of Cumbria’s Lake District National Park. Surrounding the village is a patchwork of farmland, separated by dry stone walls and occupied by the native Herdwick breed of sheep.

Many of the traditional stone houses, as well as St. Andrew’s Church, are constructed with materials from the nearby slate quarries and copper mines. The Church Beck and Yewdale Beck rivers run through the village, feeding the eight-kilometre-long Coniston Water, one of the largest lakes in the region. Many Britons remember the lake as the place where athletes broke the world water-speed record over 50 years ago, but these days athletes are less plentiful than leisure boats and canoes, as well as anglers fishing for perch, trout, and pike.

Many hikers and cyclists head to Coniston during the summer holidays in July and August, when temperatures are generally at their highest and longer daylight hours allow for longer walks on the fells and around the lakes. The marked trails will be at their busiest during these months. Public holidays during the year also bring more visitors to the area. If you visit the Lake District during its peak travel season from April to October, you’ll find all the facilities open as well as a greater variety of boat trips on Coniston Water. But walkers head out into the countryside around Coniston throughout the year, even during the autumn and winter months, when stronger winds and high levels of rainfall can occur. Snow also falls in the Lake District during the colder months, covering the land in soft, thick white blankets.

Ruskin Museum

Dating back to 1901, the Ruskin Museum sits in the heart of the village. It traces the history of Coniston from the Stone Age through the 20th century: its farmers, slate quarry workers, copper miners, the record breakers on Coniston Water, and other important historical figures who have had an impact on this village. The museum paddock features a model village, with the Old Man of Coniston as a backdrop.

Coniston Coppermines Trail

From the Ruskin Museum, you can head out on the nine-kilometre Coniston Coppermines Trail, which will take you through the countryside to explore this area’s industrial past. Starting along the old Coniston Railway route, you’ll discover remnants from many different copper mining sites, including a waterwheel, old mine workings, and miners’ cottages.

Tarn Hows Circular Walk

Located only 10 minutes from Coniston, Tarn Hows is an artificial lake circled by a three-kilometre walk that will lead you through woodland, either on foot or on one of the all-terrain mobility scooters the park provides. The route offers views of Langdale Pikes and Coniston Hills, with a soundtrack of birdsong and the lowing of Belted Galloway cows grazing nearby.