Brantwood
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The former home of artist and writer John Ruskin is perched high above Coniston Water. Brantwood offers a fascinating insight into the world of John Ruskin and the last 28 years of his life spent at Coniston. Filled with many fine paintings, beautiful furniture and Ruskin’s personal treasures, the house retains the character of its famous resident. Famous as a writer, artist and social reformer, many great thinkers have been influenced by Ruskin’s ideas. Brantwood remains a place of inspiration. Displays and activities in the house, gardens and estate reflect the wealth of cultural associations with Ruskin’s legacy – from the Pre Raphaelites and the Arts and Crafts Movement to the founding of the National Trust and the Welfare State. With its many contemporary exhibitions, concerts, courses and special events, together with its education work in the wider community, Brantwood continues in the Ruskin tradition today.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • Richard B
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brantwood Lodge, 6 day visit
    The accommodation in the Lodge was just what we needed: quiet (very), well equipped (the kitchen met the specification of the best cook in our party) and clean, Everyone working on the Brantwood 'site' (holiday lettings - but only three, of which this is the largest...and they're not attached to each other... shop & museum / gallery, adjacent cafe) was friendly and welcoming: a good experience, well away from the often ultra-overcrowded Windermere / Ambleside / Grasmere strip. Both Liitle and Great Langdales, and further west, all easily accesssible...no traffic jams. Recommended.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 October 2023
  • HelenB
    Weston-in-Gordano, United Kingdom13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great lakeside retreat
    Idyllic lakeside retreat with stunning views. So peaceful. Wonderful scenery on doorstep, gardens to explore, lovely dog walks, even ventured into the lake for a swim! On site Terrace cafe is excellent. Coachman’s Quarters were comfy and equipped to a very high standard. Couldn’t fault our welcome and stay here. Would wholeheartedly recommend.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 October 2023
  • Mike A
    Southampton, United Kingdom104 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great day out
    Fascinating insight into the life and works of John Ruskin. Great walks round the grounds as well. We loved the cafe too, good food with creative elements and great quality. Lovely cakes too.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 October 2023
  • shanhar
    Ulverston, United Kingdom17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Brantwood
    A very warm welcome from Steve as we parked our car. A warm smile and very friendly words. Set the tone for a lovely return visit. Everywhere looked so well cared for and loved the walk to the new jetty. Highly recommended
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 November 2023
  • Candj9173
    North West England, United Kingdom832 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ruskin-tastic!
    We finally arrived less than an hour before Brantwood closed. Staff were very keen to point out how we could make the best of our short window and all the 'must sees' of the house and grounds. A lot of it is not accessible for anyone with mobility issues so just a heads up about that. The house is spotless and very well laid out. The views from there are stunning and it was a clear day when we visited so we got to see the very best of Coniston Water. The grounds are well kept and a lovely path winds its way through them. I wish the weather had been better so we could see it all at its best. Currently, if you Gift Aid your entrance fee you can re-visit the house over the following 12 months. A great idea and one that we hopefully will take up.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 13 April 2024
  • Art lover
    Ramsey, United Kingdom679 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A tribute to John Ruskin
    Near to the shore of Coniston Water, this house is a fitting tribute to John Ruskin. Telling the story of his life with some fine examples of his work and collections. Some interesting examples of Arts & Crafts designs. The gardens are not accessible for those with mobility issues as most of it is quite steep and slippy when wet. Lovely views across Coniston Water. Welcoming staff. The Terrace Café had a good selection of food and drink. I enjoyed the chicken fajita and my wife enjoyed the Rarebit. Both very good. Refreshing local beer. Staff very pleasant and welcoming.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 May 2024
  • boyd1952
    Newton Aycliffe, United Kingdom913 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great house
    This beautiful house from the outside is magnificent. A short talk from a guide sets you on your way to see how Ruskin lived. The turret room has the most magical views over the lake. The gardens where very wet due to all the bad weather so as they are quite steep we didn't explore. We did explore the loft above the cafe which house the most informative rolling programme about the wildlife in the grounds. Finished with drinks & cake sitting outside overlooking the lake.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 18 June 2024
  • Jennifer C
    Cumbria, United Kingdom1,655 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely view and gardens
    Visited for the 1st time yesterday, pleasantly surprised that the ticket price was £15 yet with My Cumbria card it was 2 for 1 and the ticket lasts a full year. I had a stroll around the house as dogs obviously not allowed in the house my friend stayed in the cafe with the dogs. He wasn't particularly impressed with the staff in the cafe. We then had a walk around the beautiful gardens and down to the lake side. Can't wait to return in the autumn as I assume the colours will be beautiful. Great toilets and good size car park
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 20 June 2024
  • Cosmicdiva
    53 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden gem, great rainy day house
    We enjoyed a couple of hours here, wandering through the house and poring over the various exhibits. The temporary textiles exhibition was excellent. Lunch at the cafe was good quality but a bit pricey (£70 for four) and no lower cost options such as pasties or sandwiches. Sadly the weather was too bad to even consider the garden walk but hopefully we can return as the ticket is valid for a year.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles524 reviews
Excellent
315
Very good
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Average
37
Poor
12
Terrible
6

Laura T
Middlesbrough, UK7,667 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
There are lower and upper gardens. The Lower Gardens are located near to the jetty and are what you would expect from a garden, with plants and flowers in borders. It is small and there was not a lot to see in early September, we maybe spent around 5 minutes here then walked to jetty for another 10 minutes to look across the water.

The Upper Gardens have several routes you can walk to explore a lovely wooded area. The Upper Gardens are located on a hill so the paths are very steep and narrow with some steps, definitely not pram accessible but we had our baby in the carrier and enjoyed exploring the woods. We walked most of the routes on the map and this took us around 45 minutes, so a lot smaller than it looks at first on the map (see attached photo).

We read that there is a nice cafe and a gift shop, but we did not visit. Open daily from 10.30am to 4pm. Tickets to House and Gardens are £14. We were able to use our 2-4-1 Gardening World voucher, so a very good price, especially as tickets can be used again within 1 year.

The house is quite small but picturesque and has nice views of Coniston waters. We enjoyed looking around the rooms for around 20 minutes before the baby woke up. Ruskin had many collections, we were most impressed by his collection of gems/stones. No doubt those with similar interests could spend hours here.

Staff were all very friendly and helpful. Randomly I was most impressed by the toilets! Yes I actually took photos of the fun 'under the sea' toilet seats and mosaic style nature-themed walls.

While we enjoyed our visit, in our opinion there are far better houses and gardens to explore nearby. This was our second visit to the area, which is why we have moved onto our secondary choice activities. So would really only recommend this to those who know about Ruskin and want to learn more, or those like us who have
Written 20 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cosmicdiva
Cosmicdiva53 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
We enjoyed a couple of hours here, wandering through the house and poring over the various exhibits.
The temporary textiles exhibition was excellent.
Lunch at the cafe was good quality but a bit pricey (£70 for four) and no lower cost options such as pasties or sandwiches.
Sadly the weather was too bad to even consider the garden walk but hopefully we can return as the ticket is valid for a year.
Written 21 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Campbell R
Billericay, UK215 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2021
Spent a very nice few hours walking the grounds of Brantwood.
Good views across Coniston and some very interesting and quirky things to see in the grounds.
Nice sights and smells and particularly nice to get down to the water on the jetty.
Art display open in The Studio and extensive selection of rock samples also open.

Good value and nice walks, worth a visit if you’re in the area.
Written 2 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

rdjones687
Agadir, Morocco43 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
While staying in Coniston, we were interested in John Ruskin's home, gardens & spectacular views of Lake Coniston, but after orthopaedic surgery 7 months ago we doubted if we could manage steep slope from carpark to house. Staff kindly allowed us to drive up to front of house & then drive down a little to the cafe before leaving. We found the house fascinating and views of the lake spectacular. Staff explained the story of the house clearly; there were ample exhibits and some chairs to rest on, particularly in the last room set up as a reading room with wonderful views of the garden and lake. The house has been conserved very much as Ruskin left it, with his extensions & work explained. Many Ruskin artworks and some of WM Turner's, too. Fascinating family story which we are following up with books bought in the Brantwood House shop. Thank you to Brantwood House staff for your help.
Written 26 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Faith K
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2022
Having paid in advance for my trip by boat I travelled the day before I'd booked and was welcomed all the same! Amazing Coniston with such fabulous views had a profound effect on me, and I couldn't wait to see Brantwood House. Going around on my own I was absorbed in the recreations of his life and times - along with so much valuable material on display that he collected. Things like shells, feathers and stones - that he drew in minute and glorious detail, using his big drawings for talks and lectures on the huge range of topics he knew about. Such an intent eye for beauty, no wonder he became so authoritative a critic who influenced his times. Paintings by visiting artists and relatives enhanced the sense of a man with compassion who welcomed guests, students and explored the world in a special way.
I popped into the convenient eating place and was served a nice snack to fill me up, met the kind gardeners and a passing artist doing photographs at the landing place on her residency at Brantwood. Truly a place of delights and surprises.
Written 1 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maddi
31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 • Family
We had a lovely day at Brantwood.

The house was well preserved and informative (with excellent Covid-19 procedures)! And staff were helpful and friendly.
You can look around the house at your leisure, beginning at the slot time.

The Terrace serves lots of drinks and food. Coffee and a variety of cakes (including gluten free and vegan options).
The lunch menu is amazing- also has gluten free and vegan options!
The cauliflower cashew curry was divine- the best meal out I’ve had… ever…
Good portion sizes and amazing food! Would definiltey recommend.

There are walks that go down to Lake Coniston, and up to Craig’s Head (very top of the mountain). The views are so beautiful and walk was beautiful through John Ruskins gardens.
Written 29 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris U
Sunderland, UK173 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Friends
I visited Brantwood with my elderly parents. We used the launch to visit. On the launch We were able to buy discounted tickets to. After a nice boat trip around the lake, we walked through a small garden to gain access to the house. The house was interesting and nice to wander around. The surrounding area has an artist studio which can be visited and gardens to explore, we didn't see most of the gardens doe to my mother's mobility issues, but I would like to revisit later. Cafe is worth visiting and the lavender cake was nice. During the visit, I recognised part of the building where I had a photo taken when I was 4.
Written 23 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JoolsJohn
Manchester, UK41 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2021
We learned quite a lot about John Ruskin - but it wasn't perhaps the best curated museum. However, staff and volunteers were knowledgeable and helpful. It's a bit of a palvaver visiting with a wheelchair user - but we managed!!
Written 20 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

alisdair t
Workington, UK6,340 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2022
John Ruskin was born in London in 1819, where he was tutored at home by his foster sister, Mary. Later he went to Oxford, and was acquainted with Darwin. He first became a writer, and also a landscape painter. He purchased Brantwood, at the time a much smaller cottage in 1871. He renovated it, and extended it vastly. He also amassed a massive collection of minerals . After illness, his cousin moved in to look after him. He died in 1900, without any children, and is buried in Coniston graveyard. In 1931, most of the contents of the house were sold most to Howard Whitehouse. In 1996, the collection came back to Brantwood, and the rooms restored to their former glory. There are also many woodland and garden walks
Written 26 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jean R
Batley, UK2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
We were fortunate to be able to stay at Brantwood Lodge, a 5 bedroom house sleeping 9 people, (although there were only 6 of us on this occasion). The Lodge is well furnished, very clean, beautifully positioned above the Lake and the staff are amazing, such kind and friendly people for whom nothing seemed too much trouble. I don't know how they managed to arrange such wonderful weather though. We didn't need to use the provided hot waterbottles, nor the log burner which had endless supplied of logs. The gardens are well worth seeing and give direct access to the Lakeside. Such an enjoyable 2 night stay, we hope to be back.
Written 22 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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