coniston, tarn hows, tilberthwaite & torver...
Coniston, nestling between Coniston Water and the Coniston Fells, owes its early prosperity to copper mining and slate quarrying.
Today, the village's proximity to dramatic landscapes has given rise to a thriving economy based on sightseeing, water sports, mountaineering, horse riding and the consumption of real ale!
Tilberthwaite is where quarrying on an industrial scale has created a distinctive landscape of huge spoil heaps and gaping rock chasms. To the south is Torver, a quiet rural hamlet that hosts a Lakeland Country Fair in August every year.
About the area
History & heritage
Coniston developed on the back of copper mining and slate quarrying and later became an attractive destination for early tourists.more history
more heritage
Arts & culture
From John Ruskin's home, 'Brantwood' to Andy Goldsworthy's 'Tilberthwaite Touchstone' sheepfold.
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Natural environment
'From the tranquil beauty of Tarn Hows and Coniston Water to the rugged backdrop of Coniston Old Man there is a wealth of dramatic landscapes and environments to explore'.read more
What's on
From the Water Festival and fell racing to the country fair there are plenty of events taking place across the year, with something for all the familyread more
Oddities
Steam yacht gondola
The Steam Yacht Gondola (built by the Furness Railway Company) was launched on 1 December 1859. After being taken out of service in the late 1930s and converted into a houseboat it was sunk in 1963, before being rescued by the National Trust.Simon's Nick
Simon's Nick, ‘a fearsome crack in the rocks below Levers Water', was where a seam of copper was worked by a miner called Simon Puchberger. He was blown up by his own explosives. His ghost is said to haunt the mine to protect what remains of the copper ore.Swallows & amazons
Peel Island was the setting for ‘Wild Cat Island' in Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons, and ‘Kanchenjunga' was based on the Old Man of Coniston. The Gondola became Captain Flint's houseboat.Where to stay
Using this search
This quick search allows you to search for accommodation within 2 miles of Coniston. For more detailed searches click on the advanced option.Eric Robson's Coniston
Chair of gardener's question time on BBC radio 4, acclaimed writer and broadcaster Eric Robson gives his own unique introduction to Coniston.
Plan visit tool
Download free Coniston guide
Download a guide to Coniston and the surrounding area.
