Coniston Water
Getting there, parking, where to stay and the fells you can walk straight from Coniston Water.
Summit forecast
The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man) summit, verdict for 27 October: Save it for another day · Too windy for the tops
10°C at the summit, gusts 57 mph
Weather on the tops, not whether a route suits you. One summit, the highest within 5 km, not the valley · scored for 27 October by the site’s own scorer · all 214 ranked · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab)First light
The sun reaches the Dodgson Wood car park start about 09:39 in October · sunrise 07:41
From the terrain around the start (Copernicus GLO-30), mid-month · how we work it outConiston Water at a glance
Coniston Water is the most storied of the lakes — a long, quiet sheet of water below the great fell of the Old Man of Coniston, and the stage for some of the Lake District's best-known stories. This is where Donald Campbell died chasing the world water-speed record in Bluebird K7; where Arthur Ransome set much of Swallows and Amazons; and where John Ruskin lived out his last years at Brantwood, looking across the water to the Old Man. Add the Victorian Steam Yacht Gondola still cruising its length, and few lakes pack in so much.
It's the third-longest of the lakes (after Windermere and Ullswater), about five miles long, and — unlike the busier Windermere — it stays relatively peaceful. You can swim, kayak and sail here (within a 10 mph limit), and the walking, from the Old Man to the gentle east shore, is superb.
Quick facts
| What it is | The third-longest lake in the District, below the Old Man of Coniston |
|---|---|
| Size | ~8.7 km (5 miles) long, up to ~56 m (184 ft) deep; a 10 mph speed limit |
| Famous for | Donald Campbell & Bluebird, Swallows and Amazons, Ruskin's Brantwood, the Gondola |
| On the water | The Steam Yacht Gondola (NT) & the Coniston Launch; hire from the Boating Centre; swimming & kayaking allowed |
| Lake or village? | Coniston Water is the lake; Coniston is the village at its head |
| Getting there | The 505 bus from Windermere/Ambleside to Coniston village; no railway (Windermere station) |
Donald Campbell & Bluebird
Coniston Water is bound up with Donald Campbell and his quest for the world water-speed record. On 4 January 1967, attempting to beat his own record, his jet hydroplane Bluebird K7 flipped at over 300 mph and Campbell was killed; he is buried in Coniston, and the lake has been a place of pilgrimage for enthusiasts ever since.
Bluebird K7 was raised from the lakebed in 2001 and painstakingly restored over many years. It is now cared for in the Bluebird Wing of the Ruskin Museum in Coniston village — the place to see the boat and learn the full story. And in a long-awaited moment, Bluebird K7 is due to return to Coniston Water at the Bluebird K7 Festival, currently planned for 11–17 May 2026 at the Coniston Boating Centre — the first time the boat will be on the water here since 1967, with runs planned daily if conditions allow. Dates and plans for live events can change, so check the festival's official site nearer the time.
Swallows and Amazons
Coniston Water is one of the lakes that inspired **Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons (along with Windermere). The wooded Peel Island, near the southern end, is widely taken to be the model for "Wild Cat Island"** with its secret harbour. It's a lovely thing to look for from the water or the shore — though landing is sensitive, so treat the island gently.
Ruskin & Brantwood
On the lake's quieter eastern shore stands Brantwood, the home of the Victorian thinker, critic and artist John Ruskin from 1872 until his death in 1900. The house and its hillside gardens are open to visitors, with a fine view back across the water to the Old Man. Ruskin's wider legacy is told in the Ruskin Museum in Coniston village (also home to the Bluebird wing).
Boats: the Gondola, the Launch & hire
Getting on the water is one of the joys of Coniston:
- The Steam Yacht Gondola — a beautifully restored Victorian steam yacht, now run by the National Trust, glides silently up and down the lake on scheduled cruises (it's a destination in itself).
- The Coniston Launch runs regular hop-on, hop-off boats around the shore, linking the village, Brantwood and the southern end.
- The Coniston Boating Centre hires rowing boats, motor boats, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, and is the hub for getting afloat under your own steam.
Powered craft keep to the lake's 10 mph speed limit (suspended only for record attempts in the rare "Records Week"). Timetables and prices change with the season — check the operators' official sites.
By boat
The Launch and the Gondola as shapes: who runs each, where it lands and the season, read from the operator on the date shown. Times and fares live on the operators' pages and nowhere on this site.
Coniston Launch
passenger launch
Runs all year: daily in summer, a reduced winter timetable, and some routes in summer only; the operator publishes a service status. Read from the Coniston Launch timetable page on 17 September 2026.
Lands at Coniston, Brantwood, Torver, Sunny Bank.
Steam Yacht Gondola
heritage vessel, weather-dependent
A rebuilt Victorian steam yacht run by the National Trust: seasonal, sailing on the days its calendar shows and not in bad weather. A way across the water on the day it sails, and an attraction first; do not plan a walk home around it. Read from the Steam Yacht Gondola timetable page on 17 September 2026.
Lands at Coniston Pier, Brantwood.
Walks from Coniston Water’s piers
From Coniston
- West Side of Coniston0.1 km on foot from the pier to the start; the walk itself 5.8 km, 27 m of ascent. a circuit: back to Coniston pier, where you need the boat home; check its last sailing for your date and direction
- The Sun Pub Walk (Coniston)1.1 km on foot from the pier to the start, 32 m up; the walk itself 6.4 km, 202 m of ascent. a circuit: back to Coniston pier, where you need the boat home; check its last sailing for your date and direction
- The Old Man of Coniston, up and down from Coniston1.2 km on foot from the pier to the start, 33 m up; the walk itself 8.8 km, 759 m of ascent. a circuit: back to Coniston pier, where you need the boat home; check its last sailing for your date and direction
- North of Coniston Birketts1.3 km on foot from the pier to the start, 72 m up; the walk itself 8.0 km, 494 m of ascent. a circuit: back to Coniston pier, where you need the boat home; check its last sailing for your date and direction
- Coniston Old Man Round1.3 km on foot from the pier to the start, 72 m up; the walk itself 16.1 km, 1155 m of ascent. a circuit: back to Coniston pier, where you need the boat home; check its last sailing for your date and direction
Take the boat out and walk back. A walk that overruns is a walk home; a boat that has gone is a problem, and from the far pier the problem is a shore path in the dark. The Lake District by boat has the other lakes and the reasoning.
Swimming, kayaking & fishing
- Swimming — open-water swimming is allowed and popular at Coniston, with gentler shores than some lakes; take the usual care with cold water and boat traffic, and keep clear of the launch and Gondola lanes.
- Kayak, canoe & paddleboard — all fine on the lake; hire from the Boating Centre or launch your own.
- Fishing — Coniston holds pike, perch, trout and the ice-age Arctic char; you'll need an Environment Agency rod licence (and usually a permit), so it isn't free.
Walks & fells
The fells above Coniston are good walking:
- The Old Man of Coniston — the shapely giant above the village, with old copper and slate workings on the way up; our Coniston Old Man round Walked August 2024 is the classic ascent.
- The full Coniston Horseshoe Walked in part links the Old Man with Wetherlam, Swirl How, Great Carrs, Brim Fell and Dow Crag — a grand high-level round.
- For something gentle, Tarn Hows and the wooded east shore are lovely easy walking — see our easy & family walks.
Check the live "Best Fells today" conditions before the tops. The Fells & walks nearby box below lists the closest summits with a full guide.
Routes that start near Coniston Water
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top o' SelsideStart 1.3 km away (straight line) · not yet walked | 8.71 km | 381 m | ~2¼–3¼ h |
| West Side of ConistonStart 3 km away (straight line) · not yet walked | 5.8 km | 27 m | ~1–1¾ h |
| Low Light HawStart 3.1 km away (straight line) · not yet walked | 5.63 km | 247 m | ~1½–2¼ h |
| The Old Man of Coniston, up and down from ConistonStart 3.5 km away (straight line) | 8.81 km | 759 m | ~3–4¼ h |
| The Sun Pub Walk (Coniston)Start 3.6 km away (straight line) · not yet walked | 6.42 km | 202 m | ~1½–2¼ h |
| North of Coniston BirkettsStart 3.5 km away (straight line) | 7.96 km | 494 m | ~2¼–3¼ h |
More routes that start near Coniston Water: Coniston Old Man Round
Routes starting within about 2 km of Coniston Water, or on its doorstep at one of its car parks. Each time is the whole route’s, from a fast to a steady pace, and takes no account of stops, conditions or daylight — a guide, not a schedule.
Fells & walks near Coniston Water
- Top o' Selside (Wainwright summit)
- Carron Crag
- High Light Haw
- Low Light Haw
- Beacon Fell
- Unnamed top (Top o' Selside)
Straight-line distances from the centre of Coniston Water — the nearest summits with a full guide on this site.
Places nearby: Coniston · Tom Gill waterfalls (Glen Mary) · Esthwaite Water · Hawkshead
All walks by Coniston Water → — the routes we have mapped and every Wainwright and Outlying fell within about 5 km, ranked, with today’s conditions.
Lake or village? (Coniston Water vs Coniston)
Like Windermere, the name does double duty — so to be clear:
- Coniston Water is the lake — five miles of water below the Old Man.
- Coniston is the village at the lake's head — the shops, pubs, the Ruskin Museum and the foot of the Old Man.
If you're booking a boat, a cruise or the Bluebird festival, you're heading for the village and its lakeshore Boating Centre.
Getting there & parking
Without a car: The nearest stations as the crow flies are Windermere (12 km away) and Foxfield (13 km away). The bus map has every stop we hold.
Coniston village sits at the head of the lake. There's no railway (the nearest station is Windermere), but the 505 "Coniston Bus" links Windermere and Ambleside with the village in season. By car it's reached on the A593 from Ambleside or the south. For the Old Man, use the village car parks and walk in.
Parking, toilets and buses: Parking near Coniston Water
Where is Coniston Water?
Coniston Water near Coniston, in the Lake District. Zoom and pan to explore — or see all the Lake District lakes & waters on one map.
Parking near Coniston Water
All the car parks around Coniston Water on the parking map →
Straight-line distances from the centre of Coniston Water. We publish whether a car park charges, and who runs it, but never the price — tariffs change and a stale one is worse than none, so check the sign or the operator’s own site on the day.
Vehicles are left entirely at their owner’s risk. We list places people park; we cannot vouch for any of them. Judge it on the day: take valuables with you, leave nothing on show, and if a spot feels wrong when you get there, park somewhere else.
Can you stay overnight?
- Machell's Coppice car park, Grizedale (FE, paid) — run by Forestry England, which does not permit overnight parking. “Campervan overnight stays are permitted at selected forest car parks only” (checked 2026-08-05)
- Coniston Boating Centre (LDNPA, paid) — run by Lake District National Park Authority, which does not permit overnight parking. “The only legal places to park are on formal camp sites.” (checked 2026-08-05)
- Brown Howe (LDNPA, paid) — not permitted. Westmorland and Furness Council’s own wording: “No person shall position any vehicle, campervan, motorhome, caravan, tent or any other temporary structure designed or intended to provide shelter or accommodation for the purpose of an overnight stay or stays, within the areas listed in Schedule 2A and Schedule 2B, unless prior written consent has been obtained from the Council or National Trust.”
These are the land managers’ and the council’s own published rules, quoted. Where a car park is not listed here we have found no published rule for it, which is not the same as permission.
Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat
Where to stay & practical
Coniston village is the natural base — hotels, inns, B&Bs, holiday cottages and campsites, with everything a short walk from the water. The quieter east shore (toward Brantwood) and the southern end are more rural. For more choice, Hawkshead, Ambleside and the Windermere towns are all close by.
Easy day trips from the lake take in Coniston village, Brantwood, Tarn Hows, Grizedale Forest and Hawkshead, with Lake Windermere just over the hill to the east. We keep boat timetables, prices and event dates off the page deliberately — they change — so check the National Trust (Gondola), the Coniston Launch, the Boating Centre and the Ruskin Museum for the current details.
Frequently asked questions about Coniston Water
How big and how deep is Coniston Water?
What happened to Donald Campbell on Coniston Water?
Where is Bluebird K7 now, and will it run on Coniston again?
Is Coniston the Swallows and Amazons lake?
Can you swim, kayak or launch a boat on Coniston Water?
What is the Steam Yacht Gondola?
Sources: National Trust — Steam Yacht Gondola (opens in new tab)
What are the best walks from Coniston Water?
What's the difference between Coniston Water and Coniston?
How do you get to Coniston Water, and where do you park?
What fish are in Coniston Water?
Events across the Lake District
Planning a trip around a show or festival? See our Lake District events & festivals guide for what's on near Coniston Water — traditional Lakeland sports, agricultural shows and seasonal events, month by month.