Coniston - Here we Come!

From the deep south we came. Some arrived mid-afternoon by train. Some came very late by train. Others came by car - quite a few hours along the motorways. We met up in "The Black Bull" for a natter about our plans for the Easter Weekend, and for an initial taste of Cumberland fare and ales.

"Holly How"

We stayed at the north end of "town", nestling in the shadow of Long Crag on the edge of the Yewdale Fells. Our accomodation was well sited, for there was ready access to the start of many of our walks just a short way behind the hostel. The hostel was a Victorian building with, as you might expect, a fair bit of history. The house started life as Holly How Cottage (how = hill), which was bought in 1843 by William (1817-1881) and Sarah (1817-1888) Barratt. They had 6 children, 5 of whom survived to adulthood (not so common in Victorian times). William was general manager of the Coniston Copper Mining Company. By 1880 the house had assumed its present size and appearance.

"Holly How"




"Holly How" up close




The lounge reflects something of the past Victorian splendour ...




... and looks out onto the garden with its exotic trees. Such a garden was a sign of affluence in Victorian days, but the present day garden seems to have lost some of its erstwhile glory.




A new-age copy of "Saxton's Map of Westmorland and Cumberland, 1576" hangs in the lounge and provides a further historical ingredient to the surroundings.




And here is another view of the lounge.




An arch connects the ground floor "living spaces".

"Black Bull"

In the evening, we met up in "The Black Bull", in down-town Coniston, for a natter about our plans for the Easter Weekend, and for an initial taste of Cumberland fare and ales. There are about four or five pubs and inns in Coniston, admittedly all with similar, and similarly priced, menus carefully honed - Cumberland Sausages and all - to the assumed wishes of visitors and tourists.

"The Black Bull", in down-town Coniston, dates back to the 16th Century.




Shadows were lengthening when we arrived.




It was a popular venue and we had chosen well for our first evening in Coniston.