Distance 4.6 miles (7.5km)
Classification Moderate
Duration 3 hours
Begins Coniston Pier
OS grid reference SD307970
Walk in a nutshell
You can begin or end this walk with an antique chug across Coniston Water on a restored Victorian steam gondola, then walk in wonder among the fells and woodland. Expect to see breathtaking views, historic buildings and some rare wildlife. This is the Lake District, so there are some hills.
Why it's special
How many other walks have you taken that begin and end with a ride on a steam-powered gondola? The gondola leaves more or less hourly from 11am until teatime each day, and costs £9.90 per adult and £4.90 per child, or £24.70 for a family ticket.
Keep your eyes peeled for
Along the route, you'll pass Lawson Park, first built by the monks of Furness Abbey in the 14th century, who leased it out for iron smelting. And near the end there's Brantwood House , John Ruskin's former home.
Recover afterwards
Beside Brantwood House you'll find the Jumping Jenny coffee house and restaurant, . Back in Coniston, there's the Black Bull Inn , or you could try the Bluebird Cafe, near the gondola pier.
If it's tipping down
Wray Castle is about 7 miles away at the edge of Lake Windermere. Perfect in wet weather, it has an indoor activity room for kids and daily guided tours. And there's lots for kids in Ambleside: from Rufty Tufty's indoor adventure play area for under-13s to the Ambleside Climbing Wall
How to get there
The Stagecoach 505 goes from Windermere railway station and Kendall bus station.
• This article was corrected on 14 June 2012. The classification was changed from "easy" to "moderate" and the duration from 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours to allow for the 300m climb in the first 1km.
Step by step
1 On leaving the jetty, turn left, following the lane to the car park at Dodgson Wood. Turn into the car park and exit from the rear left-hand side. Follow the broad track that swings to the right, leaving the small barn to your left before starting to climb. Pass over a stile and on through the wood with a stream to your right-hand side. At the white marker post bear left, cross the beck and shortly after bear right at the next marker post. Cross another small beck and, ignoring the gate and stile to your left, continue ahead on a narrow path. Pass through a single gate and on up the path with the wall to your left. Keep climbing on to a major track where you should turn left, pass through a gate and on to Low Parkamoor farm.
2 Leaving the farm on your left, pass through a gate into a field and follow a grassy path with a fence to your left until you reach the next gate. Passing through the gate, the path becomes stony, and a steady but gentle climb follows. Be aware – this path is shared with mountain bikers. Pass over the crest and descend to the viewpoint, a grassy ledge on the left.
3 Pass through the gate on to a narrow track with forest on either side. Again, this path is popular with bikers so stay alert. On reaching a major forest track, turn left at the sign for High Cross and Moor Top. Ignore the first track to the left for Coniston and, likewise, the footpath going left at the foot of the hill. Just before the crest you will reach the Lawson Park bridleway. Turn left off the forest track and follow the rocky, and often muddy, firebreak through the pines and down to Lawson Park.
4 Turn right and descend on a narrower track and through a gate. Pass through another gate and, still descending, cross another beck. After a short climb pass a barn and soon afterwards, a seat. Still descending, pass Brantwood estate gates (the first are metal, the second wooden) and continue on to the road.
5 Turn left and pass the entrance to Low Bank Ground, followed by Black Beck Cottage and Thurston. Return to the gondola by crossing the road and passing through the lower gardens to the jetty.
