Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
She bought acres of land to protect it from development, much of which she donated
to the National Trust in her will.
Main Street.
&
01539/436355.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-beatrixpottergallery. £4.60 adults,
£2.30 children 5-17, £12 family ticket. Discount for Hill Top Farm with ticket. Mid-Feb-Mar Sat-Thurs
11am-3:30pm; Apr-end May and early Sept-Oct Sat-Thurs 11am-5pm; end May-early Sept Sat-Thurs
10:30am-5pm. Last admission 30 min. before closing. Take bus no. 505 from Ambleside and Coniston
to the square in Hawkshead, or the boat from Bowness to Ferry House and the shuttle bus to Hawks-
head.
Brantwood
HISTORIC SITE With acres of garden and views across
Coniston Water to the fells, Brantwood is the perfect place for a picnic lunch or cof-
fee in the former stables, now converted into tearooms. The house was made famous
by John Ruskin, poet, artist, and critic, and one of the great figures of the Victorian
age, a prophet of social reform. He moved to Brantwood in 1872 and lived here until
his death in 1900. Visitors today can see Ruskin's memorabilia, including some 200
of his pictures; the visit is made more fun for younger ones with quiz sheets.
Outside, part of the 101-hectare (250-acre) estate has nature trails. Look for the
Coach House Gallery, which follows the Ruskin tradition of encouraging contempo-
rary craftwork of the finest quality. You may want to visit the graveyard of Coniston's
village church, where Ruskin was buried; his family turned down the invitation to
have him interred at Westminster Abbey.
East shore of Coniston Water.
&
01539/441369.
www.brantwood.org.uk. £6.30 adults, £5 students,
£1.35 children 5-15, £13 family ticket. Mid-Mar-mid-Nov daily 11am-5:30pm; mid-Nov-mid-Mar Wed-
Sun 11am-4:30pm; closed Dec 25-26.
Coniston Launch
CRUISE These are traditional timber boats that oper-
ate a circular route calling at Coniston, Waterhead, Torver, and Brantwood. Discounts
are offered in combination with admission to Brantwood house (see above) and you
can hop on and hop off, or choose single fares if you're planning on walking back.
Other cruises explore the more tranquil part of the lake to the south, again with cruise
or single-fare options for walkers. In the summer they also run special “Swallows and
Amazons” and “Campbells on Coniston” cruises.
Coniston Pier/Boat House.
&
01768/775-753.
www.conistonlaunch.co.uk. Northern service £8.90
adults, £4.95 children 5-16, £22 family ticket (including Brantwood £15 round-trip for adults, £6.20
children, £34 family ticket). Southern service £13 round-trip for adults, £6.25 children, £28 family ticket
(including Brantwood £18 adults, £7.50 children, £39 family ticket). Northern service mid-Mar-Oct daily
10:15am-5:40pm first/last boats from Coniston; round-trip approx. 50 min.; Nov-mid-Mar daily
10:30am-2:30pm first/last boats from Coniston (late Nov-Dec Sat-Sun only), no sailings Jan; Southern
service mid-Mar-Sept 10:50am and 2:50pm from Coniston, round-trip approx. 1
3
⁄
4
hr.
Coniston Water
NATURAL ATTRACTION This is one of the most beautiful
lakes with the Old Man fell rising over it and the waters stretching south from Conis-
ton for around 5
1
⁄
2
miles. It's easy to drive along the western shore, with picnic places
and lakeside paths dotted along the route, while roads on the eastern side are narrow,
becoming clogged with tour buses in peak season. The more relaxing option is to
travel by boat, taking in the fells from the water and imagining yourself a character in
Arthur Ransome's
Swallows and Amazons,
inspired by Coniston Water.
Gondola
HISTORICAL SITE/CRUISE The more romantic option is to cruise the
lake in an original Victorian steam-powered yacht. The
Gondola,
launched in 1859
and in regular service until 1937, was rescued and completely restored with uphol-
stered seating by the National Trust. Since 1980, it has become a familiar sight on
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