Parking
Start at The Ruskin Museum in central Coniston. Use Ruskin Avenue Car Park in the village centre or Old Station Car Park, about 200 m southwest of the village centre. The trail itself has no vehicle access.
Overview
About Land of Power and Ore
Why go
- Distinctive copper-mining heritage
- Engine houses, mine ruins and fell scenery
Heads up
- One-way route needs a return plan
- Rough, steep track with exposed mine workings
You are walking the physical story of Coniston's copper industry, from the edge of the village into working ground high on the fell. Expect ruined engine houses, mine entrances, spoil heaps, slate, leats and watercourses set against real mountain scenery. The landscape is protected as a Scheduled Monument and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so keep to paths, do not climb ruins, and leave stonework, artefacts and spoil exactly as you find them.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy it is worth the climbMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation58–325 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Lake District alerts
- ClosureChapel Stile footpath closed for retaining-wall riskPart of Footpath 543030 between Chapel Stile and Baysbrown campsite is closed because a retaining wall beside the path could collapse and material it supports could fall across the footpath.Official details
- ClosureStanley Ghyll Lower Falls footpath closed for rockfallThe section of Footpath 408037 leading towards Stanley Ghyll Lower Falls is closed because severe rockfall damage has made the path unstable and further rockfall remains a danger.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lake District Tour Guide
Your drive to Land of Power and Ore, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lake District National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Coniston: Old Man and Coppermines0:00 / 1:23
“You're approaching Coniston village, a starting point for the Old Man of Coniston and walks into the Coppermines Valley.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Coniston Water: Gondola and the Shore
- Walna Scar: Dow Crag and Goat’s Water
- Monk Coniston: A Gentle Lakeside Walk
- Brantwood: Ruskin’s House and Gardens
- 298 audio storiesacross Lake District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Eurasian Otter, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 265 trails, 89 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Land of Power and Ore
The route in shortThis is a one-way, point-to-point walk of 3.5 miles (5.5 km), with a published time of about 3.
This is a one-way, point-to-point walk of 3.5 miles (5.5 km), with a published time of about 3.25 hours. It starts at The Ruskin Museum in central Coniston and finishes in the Coppermines Valley, so it does not loop back to the museum. Plan your return logistics before you set off, or simply retrace the route back down to the village.
The sequenceThe walk follows the official order from village access up into the fells:
The walk follows the official order from village access up into the fells:
- Paddy End Mill
- Simon's Nick viewpoint
- Thriddle Incline and Shaft
- Old Engine House and Bonsor Mine Entrance
- Bonsor East Engine House
- Miners' Marks and the lower Coppermines Valley
How hard it is, in practical termsRate this strenuous and challenging.
Rate this strenuous and challenging. The route climbs on a rough fell track that is steep in places, with loose stone and uneven ground, and mine workings beside the path. It is not an accessible route and is not suitable for wheelchairs or mobility scooters, and there is no vehicle access on the trail itself. Wear proper walking boots.
Getting there and parkingStart at The Ruskin Museum in central Coniston.
Start at The Ruskin Museum in central Coniston. Nearby parking is Ruskin Avenue Car Park in the village centre and Old Station Car Park roughly 200 m southwest of the village centre. Buses also serve Coniston, which can help with a one-way walk if you would rather not drive.
Permanent hazardsThere are hidden shafts and sudden drops across this landscape.
There are hidden shafts and sudden drops across this landscape. Never enter a mine, do not climb on ruined structures, keep to paths, and keep children and dogs close throughout. Expect rough, loose and uneven ground, rock that is slippery when wet, and exposed weather.
Dogs are welcome on this public footpath route. Keep them under close control or on a short lead, particularly near livestock and around open workings.
Who it suitsThis one is for people who genuinely want industrial heritage and mine archaeology with their…
This one is for people who genuinely want industrial heritage and mine archaeology with their hill walking. If you are after a classic summit or an easy lakeshore stroll, other Coniston walks will suit you better, but if the copper workings interest you, the detail here rewards the effort.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Lake District
81 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
13 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
76 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
51 sightingsEuropean BadgerMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
233 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
176 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
