Getting to and around Coniston and the South Lakes
Hop on a bus to Coniston Village, explore Coniston Water by boat and follow the coast on steam train.
The South Lakes is well connected by public transport. Travelling by bus, boat or steam train is stress-free and sustainable, and you and the family can take in the incredible landscape views as you arrive.
Boat
On this page, find out more information for exploring Coniston Water by boat. With many stops, the Coniston Launch and Steam Yacht Gondola are a fun way to experience the Lake District from a different angle.
Coniston Water
In central southern Lake District, Coniston valley and its linear, glacial lake, Coniston Water, is guarded by rugged fells of Coniston Old Man and Wetherlam.
Coniston Water is about five miles long and half a mile wide. The lake is half a mile down from the village, where you can hire boats from Coniston Boating Centre.
Boat travel across Coniston Water is a unique experience to add to your visit. Not only is it a scenic tour of the Coniston Valley, but a stress-free and sustainable way to travel.
Coniston Boating Centre
Have family days out on Coniston water. Hire motorboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and more. Our friendly staff will help you make the most of your adventure, and the Bluebird Café has delicious food and drinks.
Heading out on the water? Familiarise yourself with the swim safe code, some simple guidelines to help keep you and others safe.
Coniston village
There are shops, pubs and places to eat in the village, a range of guest houses, B&Bs and holiday cottages in Coniston and nearby.
You will find the fellside legacy of mining and quarrying weaved into the busy village of Coniston, all come together in this striking and characterful working landscape.
Coniston Information Centre
Located in Coniston village, our Information Centre is here to help you make the most of your visit. Whether you’re looking for leaflets, guides, or expert local advice, our friendly team is ready to assist. From exploring Coniston’s stunning landscapes to venturing across the Lake District National Park, we’ll help you discover the best things to see and do and how to book them. Pop in and let us help you plan your perfect Lake District experience!
Ruskin Museum
The museum, in the centre of Coniston village, tells the story of Coniston from the first Stone Age fell-walkers, who made and traded stone axes, to the Jet Era when the 1950s speed ace Donald Campbell used Coniston Water as Bluebird K7’s race-track.
Image credit: visitlakedistrict.com
Hawkshead
Nestled between Windermere and Coniston Water, at the north of Esthwaite Water, Hawkshead is a charming village of white houses and cobblestone streets.
Famous writer, William Wordsworth, was a pupil at the grammar school in Hawkshead and wrote of Coniston and its people in his poems, most notably in ‘The Prelude’. JMW Turner created ‘Morning among the Coniston Fells’ one of his key oil paintings here, and in the later 19th century leading art critic John Ruskin took up residence at Brantwood, directly looking over the lake.
Hawkshead village
This pretty village’s cobbled lanes are best explored by foot. There are many pubs, shops and cafes. You can see Wordsworth’s schoolboy signature carved in a desk at Hawkshead Grammar School. Tabitha Twitchit’s Bookshop occupies rooms once used by the solicitor William Heelis, Potter’s husband.
Windermere ferry to Hawkshead
The Windermere Ferry links Ferry Nab on the eastern shore of Windermere with Ferry House, Far Sawrey on the west. It’s a handy shortcut for Hawkshead, Grizedale forest and Kendal. It is a drive-on, drive-off service where car passengers stay in their cars, with space for 18 cars.
Hawkshead Information Centre
Hawkshead Information Centre is at the heart of this charming village, ready to help you make the most of your visit. Whether you need leaflets, guides, or expert local advice, our friendly team is here to assist. From exploring Hawkshead’s hidden gems to discovering the wider Lake District National Park, we’ll help you find the best things to see and do and how to book them.
Hawkshead bike hire
From Hawkshead there are many trails to explore for a range of abilities. There is a network of cycle routes that take you to famous locations such as Windermere, Hill Top and Wray Castle. For the more experienced rider, there are fantastic routes towards Coniston and the Langdales. Visit the Hawkshead bike hire page for more information and booking.
Haverthwaite
Once a Viking settlement, the small village of Haverthwaite is at the southern tips of Windermere and Coniston near the mouth of the River Leven.
Haverthwaite is connected by steam railway and close by to boat trips, walks and family-friendly adventures.
Haverthwaite Heights to Abbots Reading walk
This ‘Greenwood Trail 2’ walk around Haverthwaite Heights follows woodland paths, fields and a small amount of road. The paths are quite rough in places and often muddy (appropriate footwear recommended). The walk involves a few steep sections which gain the best viewpoints. There are 2 routes; 3.5 km and 4.8 km.
Grizedale
Grizedale is a hub for outdoor adventure.
Located in the middle of Coniston Water and Windermere, the forested landscape of Grizedale is excellent for biking, walking and experiencing a different side to the Lake District between the fells.
Duddon
The Duddon catchment and estuary is an undiscovered area with a wealth of local businesses, attractions and historical sites.
The Duddon valley is one of the thirteen English Lake District World Heritage Site valleys, running south-west to meet the Irish Sea. The River Duddon runs through the narrow, enclosed valley and at its head is the rugged high fells of Harter Fell, Ulpha Fell and Grey Friar, with mountain passes at Cockley Beck.
Duddon
Sustainable Duddon is a community led organisation of volunteers passionate about protecting and enhancing the natural landscape, including the Neolithic Swinside Stone Circle.
Esthwaite Water
Esthwaite water is a small lake, just two miles long, near Hawkehead. It is privately owned and designated as a site of special scientific interest.
However, there is a footpath to the lake from the road just south of Hawkshead which follows the shore for a short time. There is also a small public access area by the lakeshore just before Sawrey.
Esthwaite Water
Esthwaite Water is home to rich wildlife, including ospreys, and water lilies bloom in the summer.
Routes
The Southern Lake District is a great location for a range of walking, cycling and accessible routes for everyone.
Learn about the mining and industrial past of Coniston, join one of our guided walks or explore on one of our accessible Miles Without Stiles route.
Coniston Copper Mines
See the remains of Coniston Copper Mines. Get a glimpse into Coniston’s past and learn about the geology, how the copper mining industry developed, and the miners and their families who earned their livelihoods from it. Download a self-guided trail.
Accessible Miles without Stiles routes
The Coniston area has 5 easy-access routes suitable for those with limited mobility, wheelchairs, trampers, pushchairs, visual impairments, young children and legs that need care. The routes have no stiles and are graded for some, many or all with descriptions on length, terrain, path type and facilities.
The Greenwood Trails
A collection of walks in Rusland, an area that stretches between Windermere and Coniston Water to the south of Grizedale forest.
- Trail 1: Old Hall Farm to Rusland Moss and Hay Bridge – 2.5 km / 6.7 km / 8.7 km
- Trail 2: Haverthwaite Heights to Abbots Reading – 3.5 km / 4.8 km
- Trail 3: The Bobbin Mill to High Dam, Yewbarrow and Finsthwaite – 4.3 km / 10 km
- Trail 4: Oxen Park to Bethecar Moor – 6 km / 9.5 km / 11.5 km
- Trail 5: Rusland valley and Yewbarrow – 7.5 km / 13.7 km
- Trail 6: Grizedale West multi-user accessible trail – 10.5 km with optional extra loops
- Trail 7: Finsthwaite Tower and The Knott – 5.6 km
- Trail 8: Satterthwaite and Rusland – 7.5 km / 9.5 km
