Coniston sits between Coniston Water and the impressive peak of the Old Man of Coniston, an area rich in slate quarrying and copper mining history. The lake witnessed Donald Campbell's fatal attempt on the water speed record in 1967, commemorated in the Ruskin Museum along with the life and work of John Ruskin who lived at nearby Brantwood. The Steam Yacht Gondola, restored by the National Trust, offers elegant lake cruises. Arthur Ransome set Swallows and Amazons on these waters, ensuring Coniston's place in children's literature.