Coniston Water
Coniston Water is a beautiful stretch and was chosen by Arthur Ransome as the setting for his
world-famous novel Swallows and Amazons. Once known as Thurston's Mere,
Coniston Water has been used for transporting people and goods since Roman times. More
recently, Coniston Water was used by Donald Campbell to set the world water speed record in
1955. Sadly, Campbell lost his life on the lake several years later when trying to regain the
record in his boat Bluebird in 1967.
Although a somewhat slower way of travelling the lake, the elegant steam yacht Gondola is a very pleasurable and luxurious method of enjoying Coniston Water. Built in 1859, the Gondola served the lake from 1860 to 1940. It was then converted to a houseboat, but sank in 1963. Fortunately, the National Trust managed to salvage the Gondola and restore it to its original condition and purpose. The Gondola was the inspiration for Captain Flint's houeboat in Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons.
On the eastern shore of Coniston Water is Brantwood, once home of poet, philosopher and painter John Ruskin, who is buried in the churchyard in nearby Coniston. With unrivalled views across the lake and over to the impressive Old Man of Coniston, Brantwood is open to the public and well worth a visit.