Holiday Homes in Coniston

For a quieter corner of the southern Lakes with an outsized story to tell, make for Coniston. This former copper-mining and slate village sits at the head of Coniston Water beneath the great whaleback of the Old Man of Coniston, and it rewards a slower, more thoughtful kind of holiday. The lake, the fells and the village's rich history give it a character all its own, a little off the busy central-Lakes track but all the better for it.

The water is the obvious draw. You can sail the lake aboard the restored Victorian steam yacht Gondola, now in the care of the National Trust, or cross to Brantwood, the lovely home of the artist and thinker John Ruskin, who spent his last thirty years here. In the village, the Ruskin Museum holds the story of Coniston, including the rebuilt Bluebird in which Donald Campbell chased his water speed records on the lake. Above it all, the Old Man of Coniston, a little over 800 metres, gives a grand half-day climb with old mine workings and a glorious summit view.

Walkers, families and lovers of literary history will all feel at home here, and the surrounding fells and tarns reward exploring on foot. This is the countryside that inspired Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons, yours to roam at leisure. Choose one of our Coniston holiday homes and let this characterful village, its lake and its legendary fell become the backdrop to your week.