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• Raymond Priestley Centre
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• Location

Location

Sitting on the western shore of Coniston Water in the Lake District is the University of Birmingham’s Raymond Priestley Centre for Outdoor Pursuits and Field Studies. To the east is Grizedale Forest Park, to the north Coniston Village and Central Lakeland; directly south a beautiful coppiced woodland managed by the Lake District National Park.

The Lake and Peel Island (which was the inspiration for Wild Cat Island in Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons) provides a fantastic setting for sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, rafting and canoeing. Across the water stands Brantwood, the magnificent home of John Ruskin, the Victorian writer, art critic, architect and reformer.

Surrounding Lakeland fells offer superb opportunities for climbing, abseiling, gorge walking and hill walking. Towering above the Centre is the Old Man of Coniston – the highest of the Coniston fells (803m), with views of the Isle of Man, Yorkshire Dales and the rest of the Lake District fells.