DARREN KELSO and his family enjoy a cottage holiday in Coniston. I’VE enjoyed many a trip to the Lake District, every time being happily reminded of its beautiful combination of majestic mountains and wonderful waters, with picturebook villages offering warm welcomes. But almost all of my visits have been day trips, with well-worn routes through Keswick, Windermere and Kendal and points in between . . . including the obligatory stop at Grasmere, if just for the traditional gingerbread. So when the chance came to spend a weekend in a quaint cottage in Coniston, I jumped at it. Not only would I be visiting the village for the first time, but it would open up other areas of the Lakes to me. Coniston immediately evoked thoughts of Donald Campbell and how his attempt to break the water-speed record claimed his life. However, having been asked to collect our keys between 4pm and 10pm, we didn’t plan to break any speed records ourselves in getting there from Newcastle. Instead, after a pleasurable trip in bright autumn sunshine up Kirkstone Pass and through delightful Ambleside, we arrived in Coniston in time to enjoy an early evening walk through the village. This busy Saturday evening saw plenty of people wandering the streets or supping Lakeland ales in the beer gardens of the pretty pubs. But it was the view above and beyond the village which caught our eye. Coniston is nestled at the foot of the Old Man, one of the most popular Lakeland peaks and a big draw for walkers. It provides a dramatic backdrop, especially when shrouded in low cloud as it was that first night. After all the driving and an early start to pack the mountain of equipment every eight-month-old needs for a weekend away, we opted for a low-key takeaway and a bottle of wine inside our cosy cottage, just a short walk from the centre of the village. We could have cooked a meal in the well- equipped kitchen, as the modern interior of the cottage proved a sharp yet welcome contrast to the rustic appearance of the outside. Part of a row of four 100-year-old cottages, varying in size, our home from home — the smallest of the four — boasted two double bedrooms, (one with a four-poster bed), a colour TV and DVD, and a log fire. The next morning provided a sharp but unwelcome contrast to the previous day’s blue skies. Undeterred, we walked down the hill to a choppy Coniston Water. There, as well as drinking in the pleasant views across the water, we enjoyed hot chocolate and a truly glorious Cumberland sausage sandwich with apple sauce outside the Bluebird Cafe. The changeable weather saw the mountains at once dappled in sunlight and wreathed in low cloud, but evidence of the night’s rain was clear in the waterfalls cascading down the slopes, causing the river to rush through the village down to Coniston Water. Such is the draw of Beatrix Potter that we could not resist a trip to Hawkshead where, despite it being a wet Sunday in late autumn, the village’s car park was packed. This pretty village with intriguing shops and welcoming pubs serving excellent Hawkshead Brewery ales, is home to the National Trust’s Beatrix Potter Gallery, housing many of the author’s original illustrations. No visit to Hawkshead would be complete, however, without a visit to Potter’s Hill Top home at Near Sawrey, also owned by the National Trust and open to visitors. It is hugely popular and entries are timed, so you may need to buy a ticket and return later. But it’s great to see where the author penned her famous books about the likes of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Peter Rabbit. After visiting both we headed south to Lakeside, offering excellent views of Lake Windermere, boat trips and even the chance to ride on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway’s steam train. We then headed back to Coniston, completing our circular trip. The day still allowed us time for a hearty evening meal in the village and the chance to sample yet more local ales, and I for one was glad that the car was parked up for the night and that a pub selling great beer was right next door to the cottages. But before long we were curled up in front of a roaring log fire . . . well, as roaring as I could make it with the logs and firelighters provided. Just as well I have gas central heating at home! The next morning saw us packing up to leave. We had planned to visit nearby Wastwater — recently voted Britain’s favourite view — with a return trip via the west coast and Cockermouth, but that idea was quickly scuppered by the increasingly wet weather. Instead, we opted for a more direct route . . . stopping off in Grasmere for gingerbread, of course. | 
