Coniston and Crake
- Total Area: 92km2
- Coniston Water is 8km long, 800m wide with a maximum depth of 56.1m
- The catchment has a population of approximately 3000 people
- Main settlements: Coniston and Torver
- Majority of the catchment is mountainous, including The Old Man of Coniston (803m) the highest point in the catchment
- Catchment Issues: Diffuse pollution, invasive species, physical modification
- Historic influence from the copper mines
- Donald Campbell broke the water speed record on Coniston water in 1955
- Active Coniston and Crake Catchment Partnership who initiated the current Heritage Lottery Funded Conserving Coniston and Crake Project.
- Arthur Ransome based his children’s book ‘Swallows and Amazons’ on locations around Coniston
- View a map of the Coniston and Crake Catchment
Coniston and Crake is a relatively small catchment whose mining history has left a legacy across the catchment. Since 2014 Coniston Water has seen a decline in condition from ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’ under the Water Framework Directive classifications, attributed to a variety of factors. Furthermore, it is a popular tourist destination with ever increasing numbers putting the environment a greater risk. The Coniston and Crake catchment partnership is very active and along with SCRT is delivering a Heritage Lottery Funded project to improve water quality and habitat whilst engaging with the local community.