The National Trust

Guided walks and school holiday activities. Join us to explore the estate, find out more about it's past and future, or just go in search of some wildlife. Contact the estate office for more information.

A fantastic place for the whole family to discover nature: from short walks and pushchair-friendly paths around Tarn Hows, to paddling on the shores of Coniston Water.

A varied network of walking trails for all abilities, including a wide, circular route around Tarn Hows and a stretch of the Cumbria Way from Coniston. Paths vary from the popular to more remote and secluded, taking in ancient woodland, tumbling streams and heathland.

Walks leaflets are available in local tourist information centres and staff at Tarn Hows car park, March-Oct.

Off-road cycle tracks can be found along the west shore of Coniston Water, through Yewdale, and from Coniston to Tarn Hows. These offer both less energetic routes for families or novices and more challenging trails for mountain bikers.

Some of these routes have been recently created by the National Trust and are not shown on Ordnance Survey maps; a new leaflet guide to the network can be viewed here.

Alternatively, you can download a guide to 3 family-friendly cycle rides here. Both leaflets are available at Coniston Tourist Information Centre.

Coniston Water is a great lake to explore by canoe or kayak, free launching is permitted from any public access point.

Due to sensitive wildlife habitats, boating is not permitted on Tarn Hows and Yew Tree Tarn.

Coniston Water, Yew Tree Tarn and High Arnside Tarn are all popular spots for fly-fishing. A license or permit is required for anglers at each site.

A network of bridleways cross this estate.

Come and try the Trail Orienteering (Trail O) course at Tarn Hows!

'Trail O' is a navigational challenge suitable for anyone - regardless of physical ability. The whole course is completed without leaving the high quality footpath that loops around the lake. The challenge lies in working out which of the marker posts at each point is the one on the map.

The maps for the course can be downloaded from the links below or can be collected from the National Trust Landrover in the main Tarn Hows car park, March-Oct.

Map for Standard Skills course (recommended for all abilities)

Map for Extended Skills course (recommended for experienced orienteers)

Check your answers here

Launching and boat hire on Coniston Water is available from the Lake District National Park's Coniston Boating Centre.

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us restore Monk Coniston garden; clearing vegetation, path building, researching the property and family history and much more.

Get in touch with our Community Learning Officer to find out more.