Top Family Friendly things to do in Coniston

The Lake District is a great place for families and children, and Coniston is no exception. From boat trips, to little hikes and museum visits, here are some of the best things to do in Coniston as a family… 

  • Camping

Coniston offers a great selection of family friendly campsites with plenty of space for kids to enjoy ball games and a night under the stars…

  • Coniston Hall Campsite 

Adults £11 per night, Children £5.50 - price is the same for both tents and campervans.

A large, open field campsite along the picturesque shores of Coniston Water, Coniston Hall Campsite is a great place to enjoy a family barbecue on the lakeside, launch a canoe or have swim and play ball games on the grass. The site only accepts cash and a £20 deposit is required for a card to access the campsite, which is refunded on departure.

  • Hoathwaite Campsite 

Minimum stay of 2 nights, open April- September. Prices start at £20 a pitch

A National Trust campsite close to the shore of Coniston Water, Hoathwaite Campsite is an ideal base for walking around Coniston, cycling along the lakeshore or taking a boat trip. The campsite has 60 pitches and welcomes both tents and campervans and provides access to the lakeshore for launching kayaks and canoes. 

  • Coniston Park Coppice Caravan Club Site

Prices vary during seasons, starting at Adults £7.70 per person, per night, Children £2.00 per night.

A beautiful campsite set within 63 acres of National Trust woodland and in close proximity of Coniston village and Coniston Water. The site is great for children and offers its own mini adventure playground. A short walk from the campsite brings you to the shoreline of Coniston Water where you can launch boats and kayaks. The campsite is large with plenty of space for activities, welcoming both tents and campervans.

  • Little Walks for Little Legs

Coniston offers a variety of shorter walks for families and children, from lakeside strolls to adventurous woodland trails, these routes have all you need to your little ones occupied and interested along the way!

  • Coniston Boating Centre to Torver Common Woods

A picturesque, straightforward walk along the shores of Coniston Water, this is a ‘miles without stiles’ route making it suitable for young children and pushchairs. The route starts at the boating centre and explores the lakeshore and woodland paths whilst enjoying mountain scenery towering over the water. The walk ends at Torver Common Woods where you can jump on a boat back to Coniston Boating Centre; an exciting end to the day.

  • Yew Tree Farm to Tarn Hows

An exciting walk for all the family, this route follows a scenic, rocky path alongside tumbling waterfalls before emerging at the iconic Tarn Hows. The route begins at Yew Tree Farm; if your children are fans of Beatrix Potter, they may recognise the farmhouse from the popular kids film ‘Miss Potter’. The famous author once owned the farm along with Tarn Hows before later passing it on to the National Trust.  To access Tarn Hows with a pushchair, alternatively start the route from the National Trust Tarn Hows car park.

  • Grizedale Forest

Grizedale Forest offers a range of short gentle strolls through the woodland, with some pushchair accessible too. The forest has a number of interesting features for children to enjoy including miniature houses, unique wooden sculptures and a Go Ape activity centre.

  • Museum visits

There are a few museums in and around Coniston for a cultured family day out including the Ruskin Museum and the nearby Beatrix Potter Gallery in Hawkshead. Children who are fans of Beatrix Potter will enjoy seeing the author’s original artwork and pages including the historic Squirrel Nutkin manuscript. For little history lovers, the Ruskin Museum is home to Stone and Bronze age artefacts and the sailing boat ‘Amazon’ from the popular children’s book ‘Swallows and Amazons’. Children may recognise the boat from the film adaptation of the books, which featured locations around Coniston.