Great Walks in and Around Coniston

If any place epitomises the Lake District it’s Coniston Water. Not only is it a great place to relax and bring the whole family, but it has some of the best walks in the UK. This includes the popular route that rises above the village to the Old Man of Coniston and its amazing views of the surrounding lakes and countryside, very near to many of the Coppermine’s Lake District Cottages.

While there are some steep climbs in and around the village, there are also plenty of accessible walks if you want something less challenging. Here we take a closer look at some of the best routes for your holiday hikes.

The Old Man of Coniston

All through the year, you’ll find plenty of people hiking up and down this fell, not just because it’s such an iconic location in the Lake District but for the views of Scafell and Blencathra as well.

The most direct route is from the Walna Scar car park and the route stretches for about 4 miles. While it’s a stiff climb, it’s suitable for hikers of all levels and all you need is a good pair of walking shoes.

Tarn Hows

Another popular beauty spot is Tarn Hows which is a small lake amidst woodland where you can spend practically the whole day trying to spot different kinds of wildlife. There are two popular routes to this amazing location.

The first is to take a ferry from Coniston Pier to Monk Coniston which brings you to an estate with a walled garden. From there you’ll find an accessible footpath that leads to the tarn. The second is to start from the Glen Mary National Trust car park which takes you past the Tom Gill falls – a slightly harder hike but which includes Yew Tree Farm where Beatrix Potter used to live.

Top O’Selside

This is another peak with spectacular views. Top O’Selside lies between Coniston and Lake Windermere and the best route runs for about 4 miles from the small, sleepy hamlet of Nibthwaite. It’s a moderately difficult climb but worth it for the views. Long Light Haw and Brock Barrow are a couple of peaks along the route and the panoramas of the Coniston Fells once you reach the top are perfect for budding landscape photographers.

Coppermine Valley

Like many areas of the Lake District, Coniston once had a thriving copper mining industry. This is a relatively short hike of about two and a half miles and the best place to start from is the Black Bull Inn. If you love your history, you’ll find lots of mine entrances along the way. There are also strange rock formations such as Pudding Stone and the Levers Water dam which is a great place to have a picnic.

Hawkshead

If you fancy a longer hike, taking the route from Coniston to Hawkshead, about 6.5 miles, is perfect if you’ve got kids and the odd dog in tow. The route takes you around the base of Tarn Hows and there’s plenty to see on the way, including an old school where the poet William Wordsworth used to live.

Grizedale Forest

This is another very popular location in and around Coniston and has numerous different walking routes ranging from just a mile up to about 10. The Silurian Way is probably the most challenging of these and takes you up Carron Crag with more amazing views.