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• Spa Hotels In Windermere The Lake District
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Coniston

Situated between Coniston Water and the Coniston Fells, Coniston owes its successful past to copper mining and slate quarrying. The area was also famous for Donald Campbell´s failed attempt to beat the world speed record in his boat Bluebird, in 1967 on Coniston Water.Today, the village´s closeness to dramatic, natural landscapes has attracted tourists from far and wide to enjoy a host of outdoor pursuits, including: mountaineering, horse riding, walking, climbing and water sports.

Take a trip to Tilberthwaite where the massive quarries have created a landscape of huge spoil heaps and deep rock chasms. The nearby quiet hamlet of Torver is also well worth a visit, which hosts the annual Lakeland Country Fair in August each year.

Ruskin Museum

The Ruskin Museum pays homage to the life and work of John Ruskin, who died in 1900, and was one of the most influential social reformers of his day. Ruskin was said to have inspired Tolstoy, Oscar Wilde, plus a host of the first Labour MPs. Ruskin revived the local linen industry, and was disgusted by mass industrialisation and capitalism throughout England.

The museum houses the finest collection of Ruskin Lace in the world, and other exhibitions show the history of the mines and slate quarries in the Lake District, plus the area´s Herdwick sheep husbandry. The museum also pays tribute to Donald Campbell, another local hero, who broke the world speed record on Coniston Water four times before a fatal crash in 1967. The remains of Bluebird K7 were reclaimed from the lake in 2001 for restoration.

Coniston Water

Coniston Water is one of the largest lakes in the Lake District, Cumbria, at around 5 miles long. The lake has been used for the transport of copper, iron ore and slate, and the relic fish – the Arctic Char – still lives in these waters.

The Old Man of Coniston

The ´Old Man of Coniston´ is one of the highest mountains in Cumbria and rises 803 metres behind Coniston. The ´Old Man´ provides a challenging climb for the more adventurous visitors to Coniston, and the area is also popular with walkers, hikers and lovers of the countryside.

Brantwood

Situated on the eastern shore of Coniston Water, and boasting spectacular views over the lake, Brantwood was once the home of John Ruskin, the local artist, writer and social reformer mentioned earlier, who lived in the area from 1872 to 1900. In addition to the actual house, you can also find art and craft exhibitions, workshops, outdoor theatre and concert events and family fun days around the house and grounds. John Ruskin believed that his house in Coniston had the ´best views in England´ and few visitors to the area would dispute his claims.  Many of author, Arthur Ransome´s books, Swallows and Amazons were also set in Coniston and Windermere.

The history of Coniston

When copper ore was first discovered in Coniston in the 16th Century, German miners had to be brought in to share their mining expertise and extract the copper from the mines. The highest output was recorded in the mid-19th Century, when copper lined the hulls of wooden sailing vessels. Overseas competition meant that prices fell and the mine was closed in 1915. The old copper mines have left a legacy of abandoned shafts and open workings which can no longer be entered.

Much of the Coniston area was formerly owned by Furness Abbey as monastic land. One of the estates owned by the Abbey was at Monk Coniston, and the area is famous for its Herdwick Sheep, which have distinctive grey fleeces and short legs. Particularly suited to grazing on the harsh open fells of the Lake District, Herdwick Sheep are still farmed in the area.

Slate quarrying developed during the 17th Century when there was an increased demand for building materials, including roof slates. Quarries were mined at Tilberthwaite and on the ´Old Man´ for around 200 years, and a few are still operating today. A railway was built in 1859 specially to distribute copper and slate, and was later used to bring tourists to the area. It closed in 1964.

Coniston is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful regions of the Lake District, and if you are looking for boutique hotels, five star luxury hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation, guest houses or holiday rental cottages or organic hotels in Coniston, Windermere, Grasmere or Ullswater you can find some great weekend deals online.

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