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Coniston Walking Festival will provide an optional activity for those staying in holiday cottages in the Lake District this weekend.

The annual event will feature the a six-mile hike taking in a variety of famous landmarks, including Pudding Stone, Levers Water and Coppermines Valley.

Known as the Coniston Classic, the walk will be led by the chief executive of Lake District national park Richard Leafe, who suggested he was looking forward to the occasion.

"It”s a privilege and pleasure to share my passion for the fells," he remarked. "It”s also a good chance to talk about our vision for the national park."

Everest champion Rebecca Stephens and extreme adventure enthusiast Leo Houlding will join Mr Leafe at the event, which is taking place for the third time.

Coniston is among the best known parts of the Lake District and is centred around the 475-hectare body of water that bears its name.

It is particularly famous for the water speed record attempts of Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald between the 1930s and 1960s.

Written by Ben Webster

Environmentally-conscious holidaymakers may be even more interested in staying in Lake District cottages this year following news that the local national park authority has made a number of achievements with regards to reducing its carbon footprint

The organisation announced this week that there had been more than a four per cent cut in carbon emissions during 2009 so far, with electricity usage down by 12 per cent.

And its efforts are being noticed by others. It has been shortlisted for the Fleet Hero Awards run by the Energy Saving Trust and has also picked up an accolade from the Carbon Trust.

Charlotte Smyrl, national park carbon reduction adviser, commented: "Our long-term aim is to position ourselves as leaders in managing climate change while working with a range of partners to cut carbon emissions and anticipate the effects."

The Lake District national park is the largest of its kind in England, covering approximately 885 square miles.

Written by Toby Lawrence

Holidaymakers with an adventurous side may wish to join the search for a mysterious creature which some people believe is lurking in the depths of Lake Windermere.

Over the weekend, a number of people, including celebrity and sports psychic Dean Maynard, scoured the lake in an attempt to see the monster, speculation over the existence of which has been ongoing since July, the Westmorland Gazette reports.

According to the publication, local hotelier Thomas Noblett was hit by a three-foot wave while swimming earlier this summer which he believes was generated by an animal.

Photographer Linden Adams said: "Since the original sightings more and more people have been coming forward claiming to have seen something."

Film crews from ITV and Sky TV were present to film the search.

For people on holidays in the Lake District seeking more traditional pursuits, a new visitor attraction recently opened.

The revamped Grizedale Forest features a variety of walks, a Go Ape area and the North Face Trail, among other things.

A conservation project aimed at reversing the decline in the number of breeding wader birds in the Lake District is celebrating success.

Organised by the RSPB, Lake District National Park Authority and Natural England, the Lake District Breeding Wader Project is run by Catriona Glendinning, the Cumberland News reports.

Now, one of the participating farms has become home to the curlew, redshank and snipe.

Responding to the development – which means people on holidays in the Lake District may be able to see more bird life – ecologist with the Lake District National Park Phil Taylor said it was positive.

He commented: "We are very pleased with the early results of this project and look forward to working with other farmers to carry out similar management to benefit wading birds elsewhere in the National Park."

Protected under legislation, national parks each have their own managing authorities to conserve and enhance their natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage.