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Coniston Water is the third longest stretch of water in the Lake District , after Windermere and Ullswater. It is five and a half miles long and about half a mile wide. Although both ends are fairly shallow the main basin is about 140ft deep whilst the deepest point is 183ft.

There are three main becks feeding into the lake, two at the Northern end and one nearly opposite Peel Island. The outfall of the lake - the river Crake - is at its Southern end.

The lake is just over 140ft above sea level - although its height can vary by as much as five feet due to rainfall. It is relatively rare for the lake to freeze over although the ends of the lake do get an ice covering during most winters.

The Lake was originally called 'Thorstein Mere' after a Norse chieftain who, supposedly, had his camp on Peel Island. From early times it was seen as the transport link and source of food that held the valley together. Latterly, with the coming of the Motor Car it has been seen more as a barrier to easy access but also as a recreational facility.

The lake is a public highway but the bed of the lake is owned by the Rawdon Smith Trust who control moorings, jetties, etc. They are generous in giving surplus funds for local charitable purposes.

HISTORY OF WATER TRANSPORT ON THE LAKE

Although commercial craft in the form of fishing coracles and mineral barges used the lake for many centuries the first public transport service was not started until the middle of the C.19th with a paddle steamer called Queen of the Lake. This was short-lived but a reliable service was established by the Furness Railway Company with their steam yacht Gondola in 1860.

A second boat 'Lady of the Lake' was bought in 1908 and ran up to the Second World War. The original Gondola was taken out of service in 1937, was used as a house boat until 1964, and scrapped by the National Trust in 1979 when they built the replacement Gondola that established a service in 1980.

There had been an attempt in the late 1950s to start a launch service from the head of the lake, but this barely lasted one season. In 1992 Coniston Launch established a service around the North of the lake with one boat (M.L. Ruskin), and a second boat (M.L. Ransome) was added in 1995.

There is a thriving sailing club based at Coniston Hall, a number of Outdoor Education establishments that teach water sports to schools,etc, there is a small cruising yacht club based at Lake Bank, and various small craft can be hired by the day from Coniston Boating Centre.