Sailing
It is still possible to Coniston Water on Gondola, which makes regular trips from Coniston pier from Easter to the end of October. The basic tour is an anti-clockwise voyage down the western shore of the lake, turning off Torver Common and steaming northerly up the opposite shore to Brantwood where it is possible to disembark and visit the home of John Ruskin.
Other trips include the Explorer Cruise, which goes to Lake Bank – the extreme south of Coniston Water – the place from where Gondola originally picked up her passengers in 1859. The waiting room is still to be seen, recently restored by the Rawdon Smith Trust to the Furness Railway's livery. Alternatively, the Wildcat Island cruise shows the relevant points around the lake upon which places in the book are based; Peel Island (Wildcat Island in the book), and Bank Ground Farm (Holly Howe in the book) being a couple included in the commentary.
The 'Engineer for the Day Experience' gives members of the public the opportunity to join the crew for the day. Arriving first thing in the morning, partakers will shadow the engineer: lighting the fire to raise steam, polishing the engine and copperwork, oiling round, tending the fire and keeping steam during the day, following the shutting down procedure at the end of the day, interacting with passengers, and even helming (steering) the boat, although this is optional.
Read more about this topic: SY Gondola
Famous quotes containing the word sailing:
“Come, cuddle your head on my shoulder, dear,
Your head like the golden-rod,
And we will go sailing away from here
To the beautiful land of Nod.”
—Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1855–1919)
“O western orb sailing the heaven,
Now I know what you must have meant as a month since I walked,
As I walked in silence the transparent shadowy night,”
—Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
“The Colonel went out sailing,
He spoke with Turk and Jew
With Christian and with Infidel
For all tongues he knew.
“O what’s a wifeless man?” said he
And he came sailing home.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)