Old Man of Coniston stretch from north of the summit toward the Coppermines. The Old Man of Coniston is the inspiration for the so-called "Kanchenjunga", the Lake District mountain Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons climb in the Swallows and Amazons novel "Swallowdale". The slate quarries and copper mines inspired "Pigeon Post", a later novel in the same series. Old Man of Coniston The Old Man of Coniston is a fell in the Furness Fells in the English Lake District. It is high, and lies to the west of the village of Coniston and the lake, Coniston Water. The fell is sometimes known by the
Winter Holiday (novel) Nansen's books about his crossing of Greenland in 1888 and his Arctic expedition from 1893–1896 in the "Fram" and by sledge, which are extensively referenced in the novel. Brother and sister Dick and Dorothea Callum meet the Swallows and Amazons during the winter beside the lake. Whilst observing the stars in an isolated barn, Dick and Dorothea encounter the other children and shortly become firm friends. They become part of the group, and join in their play of Arctic expeditions. The holiday is extended when leader Nancy Blackett catches mumps and the group is quarantined and cannot return to their