Canny Coniston (built for beer lovers), the Cumbria Way through Lakeland farmland and woods, beautiful Tarn Hows, Skelwith Force, Elterwater (swan lake), former copper mines, a huge hole in the ground, and pubs galore.

This walk is very adaptable ... from about ten miles to 13, different starting points and different pubs to sample. All that and the beauty of the Lakes...
We think the best place to start is Coniston village, but you could also try any of the car parks marked on the map, including Tarn Hows [below] and Elterwater.

In Coniston, use the public car park and on leaving it, turn right along the B5285 to a lane on left. Take the turning and then go right over a narrow bridge (FP sign), and follow the Cumbria Way, which forms a large part of both walks, through fields.
On reaching Tarn Hows woods, follow the path climbing up and, using the map, eventually reach Tarn Hows near the NT car park.
Head down for the lake, and keep it on your right as you skirt round it. After a pleasant stroll through the trees, take a footpath on the left (going north) and follow it until reaching a walled lane. Go over the stile and follow the lane to the left. Follow it as it travels north until it reaches a junction with the A593.
Cross the road, and still travelling north, take the footpath alongside it.
At Tongue Intake Plantation, it's decision time ... Elterwater for the longer walk, Little Langdale for the shorter one.

ELTERWATER: cross the road again and follow the footpath alongside the road. Go back to the road for a short distance before taking the minor road on the left and following it down a winding hill.
Before the stream, take the Cumbria Way footpath on the right and follow it through fields to Skelwith Bridge, where you rejoin the road, cross the River Brathay and turn sharp left through a car park and the yard of a stone company that sells heavy ashtrays and other stuff people in clean boots like to buy.
This is still the Cumbria Way as it passes beautiful Skelwith Force Waterfall and gos north west alongside the Brathay and Elterwater itself before reaching the village of the same name, and the Britannia.
This is a very busy pub, but the beer is good, and the food isn't bad either.
From Elterwater, follow the minor road south past the car park (on your left) and after passing some houses, fork right up a stony track and follow it roughly south west, then take a left fork for the minor road at Wilson Place.
If you want another drink or if the Britannia was too busy, turn right and find the Three Shires just up the road on your right. Again, a nice pub, but not as busy.

●ABOVE: some members of the cast near Coniston.

LITTLE LANGDALE: from the A593, turn left with the Tongue Intake Plantation on your right and follow the track until the Cumbria Way turns right. Here, take a path on the left and quickly reach Stang End, where you turn right after the cottage and cross a large field to the minor road into Little Langdale and the Three Shires.
From the pub, return to the minor road ands follow it east, passing the place where you joined it and taking as stile to the right for a footpath south towards Stang End.
Here, turn left in front of the cottage then sharp right for a climb along a great path featuring woods, streams, former quarries and assorted other attractions.
Stay with this track and you'll eventually have to tear youself away when you reach the A593. Either turn right follow footpath alongside back into Coniston or turn left then right onto a path back to the village through fields.