The village of Coniston is a popular base for walkers. The walk from Coniston village to the top of ‘The Old Man of Coniston’ is a favourite and it offers some fabulous views of the Cumbrian coast, Langdale, Windermere and Coniston itself. 

The lake is famous for the death of Donald Campbell in 1955 when he was attempting to break the water-speed record in his boat ‘Bluebird’.  The boat and his body were only retrieved from the lake in 2001 and he was reburied in the Coniston Cemetery. 

Nearby is Brantwood House, the previous home of the 19th century art critic and social reformer John Ruskin.