Interesting Things You Need to Know About Your Coniston Holiday Destination
Every year thousands of people book a holiday to stay near Coniston Water in the Lake District. This amazing lake is one of the most attractive locations in the UK, with clear blue waters and wonderful countryside and the Coppermines Cottages has some amazing places to stay in this area.
If you’re booking a cottage for a week or two in the area, however, there are some interesting things you need to know about Coniston as a holiday destination.
1. Coniston and World Speed Events
Because of its flat, glassy waters, over the years Coniston has been the site of numerous speed record events. Way back in 1939, Sir Malcolm Campbell set the first speed record of more than 141 miles an hour.
The reason Coniston is such an attraction for speedsters is that it’s so large – it’s five miles long and about 1 mile wide. In the 1950s, Sir Malcolm’s son Donald broke no less than four records for both land and water.
Unfortunately, Coniston has also been the scene of a tragedy. In 1967, Donald Campbell tried to set a new record in the Bluebird K7. The craft reached a speed of 320 mph before Campbell lost control and crashed, losing his life in the process.
2. Swallows and Amazons
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransom remains one of the classic children’s stories of the last 100 years and is much loved by both kids and parents. Many people don’t realise that Coniston was Ransom’s inspiration for the children’s novel and, if you reread the book after a visit to the area, you’ll be able to spot some of the landmarks that he used.
Should you be visiting Coniston with your kids, it can be worth taking a copy of the book with you. Written in 1930, it’s an amazing adventure tale that includes a trip to Wild Cat Island that was based on Peel Island on Coniston Water. You can get to this location by hiring a kayak and it makes for a fun-filled adventure for all the family.
3. Slate and Copper Mines
The appeal of Coniston is not just the water itself but the surrounding area. Coniston was famous for its slate and copper mines in the 18th and 19th centuries, and these have recently been preserved under the Coniston Copper Project. It means you can get up into the hills and get a true feeling for the history of the place.
There are still active slate quarries in this location, and you can see people working as they did hundreds of years ago when Coniston was in its prime.
4. Walks and Hikes
One of the great things about Coniston Water is the number of different walks for people of all abilities. There are some brilliant views of the surrounding countryside, particularly if you head up the almost 2,600 feet to the Old Man of Coniston. There are several different routes and it’s spectacular, especially towards sunset or at sunrise. One of the places you might like to visit in Coniston is Brantwood House which was home to artist and art critic John Ruskin. The museum set up here not only celebrates Ruskin’s life but has a good deal of information about the surrounding area of Coniston and its history
