Lowick Bridge to Kendall Ground to Coniston

From the Red Lion we retraced our steps to Everard Lodge (being watched by cows) and then up through Park Wood and along the road back to the route of the Cumbria Way at Kendall Ground. We turned right across the scrubland, then followed another road for a distance, passing highland cattle with wonky horns. Where the road turned right we were instructed to take the farm road to Kiln Bank. It was somewhat offputting, with private signs and another path heading off the left from the same point. However, the correct route is indeed along the tarmacked road to Kiln Bank Farm. Then the Cumbria Way turns right just after the buildings, now with most attractive Lake District scenery in all directions.

The attractive whitewashed farmhouse at Tottlebank came into view in the distance and for some time we meandered our way towards it, then we turned right just before the farmhouse and climbed even higher. After a brief spell of following a track near Cockenshell we returned to open access land and arrived at the beautiful Beacon Tarn. A group of three female walkers had arrived before us and were sitting down by the water; they were most apologetic that they had taken the best spot but in fact we found an equally good place to stop for a break slightly further on. The path took us along the western shore of Beacon Tarn, then climbed further into the Blawith Fells and around the edge of Stable Harvey Moss. The walking was a bit tricky in this area, initially in avoiding particularly wet patches underfoot and later, as we skirted a hillside, also because of the rocky nature of the path.

The walk from here to Coniston Water was easy, down a lush valley and eventually over a bridge over Torver Beck and so to the busy A5084. A track on the other side of the road led down to the lake, close to the jetty at Sunny Bank. However the jetty looked pretty broken and we discovered later that the Coniston launch is not currently stopping here. The path continued along the tree-lined shore of Coniston Water until we reached the campsite at Coniston Hall. The hall itself has enormous chimneys, and can’t be described as pretty, but apparently the building dates back to the 16th Century, and the chimneys were deliberately fashioned to provide extra draw for the fires below. We skirted the sailing club and a track some distance from the shore brought us to Lake Road. The route of the Cumbria Way turns left here, to the centre of Coniston, but we turned right, back down to the Lake, as we had decided to go on a trip on Coniston Water on the steam powered Gondola. First there was time for an ice cream.

We ate our ice creams watching the activity at the landing stage, from people, ducks and swans, and then the Gondola came into view as it sailed around the Coniston end of the lake at the end of the previous trip. There followed a quick scurry as I attempted to finish my ice cream, put on a fleece and find my National Trust card in my purse which had migrated to the bottom of my rucksack. I needn't have worried, initially at least, there were very few people on board the Gondola with us.

The Steam Yacht Gondola was originally launched in 1859 as an attraction for wealthy Victorians who were visiting the Lake District on holiday. After a varied life including a spell as a houseboat, she was abandoned at the far end of the lake in a half sunken state. However in 1979 the National Trust restored the yacht and she has been operating again for 40 years. She has an elegant panelled interior, and as soon as we left the landing stage, we were immediately impressed by the speed generated by the very quiet steam engine. We were invited to explore (including looking down to the fire that powers the engine) then later, we were invited up to the Bridge. Only Richard and I and one other person took up this offer, then when we got up there we got the opportunity to steer. I leapt at this opportunity and it was a real highlight of the holiday.

I actually turned the boat around from heading parallel with the shore towards the middle of the lake, over the spot where Donald Campbell's "Bluebird" crashed, and on towards Brantwood (John Ruskin's home). Now being steered by the captain again, we stopped at Brantwood to pick up people from previous tours who had been visiting the house, then continued our tour around the end of the lake, with lots of connections to Arthur Ransome and "Swallows and Amazons" (Bank Ground Farm is the original "Holly Howe") and Beatrix Potter (Monk Coniston is one of 14 farmhouses in the Lake District that she owned).