Coniston Water

About

Coniston used to have its own railway line with a terminus station in the village just up from the Sun Hotel. It was connected to the Furness Railway at Foxfield but sadly it was abandoned in 1958. The track bed has since then been unused (apart from a section near Torver which carries a new road). Recently though, some sections of track bed on the approach to Coniston have been converted into a cycle path. The sections of cyclepath are a little disjointed but nevertheless can be utilized to make a pleasant mountain bike ride which explores the low fells and woodland on the western side of Coniston Water.

The cycle path can easily be linked to a series of permissive routes through Waterpark and alongside the shores of Coniston Water. All the cycling is very easy and this route is perfectly suited to beginners and those looking for a gentle ride. However care should be taken particularly with very young cyclists on the outward sections along the A593. These are narrow in places and unfortunately traffic can move quite quickly along these sections.