The easiest way to recommend routes would be to call in at Biketreks at Ambleside,they will advise you on great routes in the area and like all the bike shops in the area have laminated maps you can buy,or I think they can email you some via memorymap.
My Coniston route would be
1 from the town old railway cycle path south to spoon hall
2 Road climb towards Broughton Mills but at the summitt turn right into the forest,forest road for about half a mile turning right onto a Bridleway over Appletree worth beck,(easy to miss,look for a small post)
3 Road climb, to Stephensons ground farm
4 Right through wooden gate, heading uphill onto a narrow lane,ford the beck,and carry on until you reach the fell,cross over a boggy area on your left (covered in moto x bike ruts) and join a exellent singletrack following a wall but climbing to Stainton ground.
5 Head towards the mine in the distance, joining a road near stickle pike top
6 drop downhill slighly but before going over the cattle gridd turn sharp left, this is an exellent decent to Birks wood.
Turn sharp right at the house through a gate and join another Bridleway to Far Kiln Bank Farm,Turn right back up the road climb to the cattle grid again and this time, (at the summit) go back (left) onto the stainton ground BW but staying (left) and climb to the col at Brown How,on your right is a faint singletrack that follows the contours around the fell joining the BW back towards Stephensons ground.(avoids a breif downhill to come back up)
7 stay left here and head up the valley to Nanny Bridge (cow moss) eventuall coming out at the Walna Scar road,big climb to the top!
8 The highlight of the day is this decent,I prefer it West to East but turning right to Torver and following some great paths to the Pub at the road,join the old railway back to Coniston.
Its well wrth studying the Map at 25.000 scale for this last decent as its very easy to go wrong, enjoy! 🙂
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