Hidden gems to find in Coniston

Coniston can be a busy place filled with tourists, so why not escape the crowds for the day and find these hidden gems…

• Banishead Quarry

A disused quarry from the area’s slate mining history, Banishead Quarry is a deep hole in the fell-side beside Dow Crag filled with a glistening clear pool of water fed by a waterfall flowing from the scree above. When approaching the quarry, is it is almost hidden within the moorland and becomes visible the closer you get. One of Coniston’s hidden gems you can reach only by foot, heading to up into the hills from the nearby village of Torver.

• Ulpha Village and Duddon Valley

Ulpha is a tiny village in the stunning moorland of Duddon Valley. The village is home to an ancient church, which is said to date back to the reign of King Henry III in 1216.  The Duddon Valley is a remote, peaceful place once a favoured subject of famous poet William Wordsworth; he descried the valley as a ‘peaceful retirement’ with ‘nature everywhere’. A hidden valley away from the crowds only a short distance away from Coniston.

• Seathwaite Tarn

Seathwaite Tarn is a picturesque reservoir sitting between the ridge of the Old Man of Coniston and Swirl Howl. In 1904, the tarn was extended to create a reservoir to provide a source of drinking water. This tarn is an idyllic place for a walk and a picnic but wild swimming is forbidden in Lake District reservoirs, including this one and can be very dangerous. The tarn is also nearby the remains of Seathwaite Tarn Mine, which was worked for copper in the 19th century.

• Levers Water

Placed in the upper Coppermines Valley, Levers Water is a beautiful reservoir reflecting the Coniston fells upon its crystal clear water. The tarn was extended to a reservoir in 1717 to provide water for the village and mines below. The shoreline offers plenty opportunity for a peaceful rest or picnic. The water is crystal clear and tempting for a swim, but wild divers must resist, as swimming in reservoirs is dangerous and forbidden.