Coniston Park Coppice Site
After having to cancel a couple of bookings due to family issues we're finally (cross-fingers) off to Coniston next week. I've read the reviews and mostly they're extremely positive.
So, any tips on making the best of our 5 days away? Best pitches? Pitches to avoid?
I've already noted that Coniston Country Fair is on whilst we're there and there's also the Hawkshead Beer festival.
Anywhere else that is a must visit for two adults and two dogs?
Thanks in advance for any tips.
Kevin
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We parked up in the upper left hand area of the site in what the warden described as "the quieter area." We liked our pitch. ( Starting from reception area downwards. )There are a few very dark pitches top right. Hope you get the chance of a boat trip on the lake, I'd recommend doing that, hope you enjoy your stay.
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Kev - that's not by any chance a pair of Irish Setters I can see in your avatar is it?
There's no shortage of things to do in that area with your dogs. Depending how much time you intend to spend on site, we actually stayed right down near the bottom of the site where you can walk straight down to the lakeside in the morning/evening or along through Coniston Hall campsite into the village.
A good, fairly strenuous all day walk is into the village and then up past The Sun inn signposted Walna Scar Road. Just after the highest point a path leads down to Torver village from where you can walk back along the lake shore to the site. Or you can take the road next to the Black Bull up the Coppermines Valley. Tarn Hows is definitely worth a visit and gives a gentler walk - allow about an hour or longer if you want to stop and take pictures ( which you'll definitely want to!). Hawkshead is another good village to visit, plenty of walks from there and then you can head on through Sawrey (Beatrix Potter country) and take the ferry over to Windermere.
There's so much to see and do in the area. How long are you staying for? (You're boundcto wish you had longer!)
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Been there a few times, you can tell from the site plan here that there are plenty of trees, but what you can't tell from the site plan is that its slopes downwards to the lake (past pitch 117) and there is access to the lake as well. If you want an area fairly clear of tress and open then go for the pitches 51 to 63, There is a short cut to the toilet block. As you can see some of the pitches can a trek to the toilet block. There are pitching areas and some quite private pitches so you should be able to find one that suits.
The village is, I think, great, not too crowded and a good supply of pubs and shops.
Things to do, like M says lots of walks, a walk to the top of the Old Man, is straight forward and according to A Wainwright (recommended his book - Pictorial guides the Southern fells) its impossible to get lost.
On the lake go on the launch around the lake and they'e dog friendly.
Take the car to the Haverthwaite steam railway, (13 miles) then the train to Lakeside then the Windermere streamers to Bowness. you can buy an all in ticket. Again very dog friendly.
Have a great time
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Thanks for the responses so far.
Moulsey - it is a pair of Irish setters. We actually have three, but the youngest who's 11 weeks old is going back to the breeder for the five days we're away as she hasn't finished her jabs and isn't even housetrained yet let alone caravan trained 😀
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If you're up for a fairly strenuous day out, the summit of Old Man is worthwhile up via the copper mines and Swirl How. Pick a nice day though, the last time I did it, was horizontal rain and only just above freezing at the top. By the time I got back down to the village for a pint in the Black Bull, I was completely goosed and fell asleep in a quiet corner of the pub, to the amusement of the locals and tourists.
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If you want to walk to Coniston village there is, or at least used to be, an access gate out of the bottom of the site onto a public footpath which leads to the village, avoids walking along a rather dodgy road.
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Do a circuit of the lake. Leave the site from the bottom and turn right
Grizedale forest is brilliant for both Biking and walking. I did a 12 miles walk last year and was great. Stopped at the visitor centre for lunch as had started the walk in Hawkshead.
Is is a brilliant site
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It's still there, it's a pleasant walk through fields.
It is a large site so I think it worth parking at the bottom of the hill furthest away from the entrance if you want access to the lakeside. It's also trying to find a pitch not covered by trees otherwise the rain never stops.
I should add that there is also a footpath from near the office that uses the old railway line to give access to the village.
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Hi, I've stayed there a couple of times. As it's a very popular site so there's only a certain amount of pitch planning you can to. There's some open area's to pitch and plenty of pitches tucked away. We prefer the latter as some of the more open pitch areas can be a little like pitching up in an overflow car park as it's just all gravel - we prefer to be amongst the flora and fauna.
The bottom of the site (where the path to the lake is) is where the main childrens play area is so can get quite noisy and there's plenty of kids racing around on their bikes. About 150yds before you get to this there is a clearing on the right where they have felled some trees so this offers more of a view around you from an elevated position. Unfortunately you can't see the lake from anywhere on the site as it's such a wooded area.
Personally I found the two main pubs in Coniston a little touristy (unsurprisingly I suppose). Our favourite pub was The Ship Inn which is half way towards Coniston if you take the top path next to Reception. It's about a 15 minute walk. We didn't try The Sun Inn (above Coniston) so can't comment on how good this is.
As mentioned before, Tarn Hows, Hawkshead, Bowness and Ambleside are all great places to visit. The Hawkshead ferry (near Sawrey which is home to Beatrix Potter) is a nice way to get to Bowness and on to Ambleside.
You certainly won't be short of things to do!
Cheers,
Andy.
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If you feel like undertaking a challenge I can send you two detailed routes (with text commentaries) that I've recently produced for a motor club that will take you over most of the Lakeland passes and visit many of the lesser known parts of the area. The routes visit the most stunning scenery in the Lake district but they avoid the main 'touristy' areas. The routes are not for the faint hearted but you will not be disappointed.
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Hardknott and Wrynose passes by any chance?
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Yes, my wife drove me over them the first time as she had done them before, wow I thought, can such roads really exist in England?
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I'd have thought the Hardnott was the more difficult of the two although I wouldn't try either of them in snow.
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Old film
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https://youtu.be/hL9TQtpnrGo