A Walk Along The Old Railway Line

Coniston used to have it's own railway branch line. What an asset that would be today, but short terms lead to it's closure in 1962. It closed to passengers in 1959 and then finally closed altogether shortly afterwards. It had been built in 1859 to ship copper and slate away from the village. The passenger trade and the delivery of goods to the village being something of a spin off, but imagine what a tourist attraction it would be now.

However what it has left us is a very nice, unchallenging walk, because in this country railways don't really have much of a gradient. Unchallenging but nevertheless rewarding. The signs of past railway activity are very few. The bridges are still there, but the route has returned to nature. One of the frequent reminders however, is the occasional sight of clinker beneath your boots. Only steam engines ever operated on this route, apart from a one week trial with a diesel engine just before closure.

From the site of the old station the path leaves the village and is a pretty straight forward walk through to Torver village, two and a half miles away to the south.

The old railway line has returned to nature.

One of the signs of it's past life is the bridges that remain.

Torver, the church and the old school building. When the school closed, the children would go to Coniston school, using the train to get there. When the railway closed, the school bus took over.

Just beyond the church is The Church House Inn and then the old station building that has been converted into a house. The old platform is still clearly visible in the garden.

The return to Coniston, along the lake shore.

A view of Coniston Hall. Behind the hall, Guards wood and the Yewdale Fells can be seen.