Coniston Old Man

I think it’s fair to say that the Old Man was the first mountain I knew the name of. I don’t know why but it was. So this was a bit of a pilgrimage for me and parking at the end of Walna Scar road I was excited. We set off in good sun but lowish cloud skimmed the tops of Wetherlam and Swirl How. This is a brilliant walk, taking in the man made Coppermines Valley alongside the plunging crags of Dow Crag.

Start – Walna Scar car park
Route – Low Water – Coniston Old Man – Brim Fell – Goat’s Hause – Dow Crag – Buck Pike – Brown Pike – Walna Scar Road – Walna Scar car park
Distance – 6 miles    Start time – 9.10am     Time taken – 6 1/2hrs    Highest Point – Coniston Old Man 803m
Weather – Fair bit of sun, some cloud, got a tan anyway!!
© Crown copyright 2014 Ordnance Survey FL 2014 SF

© Crown copyright 2014 Ordnance Survey FL 2014 SF

At the start of the walk with The Bell looking sunny and Wetherlam behind

At the start of the walk with The Bell looking sunny and Wetherlam behind

Coniston Old Man

Coniston Old Man

Coppermines Valley with Wetherlam above

Coppermines Valley with Wetherlam above

Looking back along our path to Coniston Water

Looking back along our path to Coniston Water

COM 5

Lovely views to Wetherlam from the ascent to Low Water

Mine workings as we climb to Low Water

Mine workings as we climb to Low Water

The mine workings again from higher up

The mine workings again from higher up

Low water with Coniston Old Man above

Low water with Coniston Old Man above

Lovely views along Coniston Water to Morecambe Bay

Lovely views along Coniston Water to Morecambe Bay

Coniston village next to Coniston Water

Coniston village next to Coniston Water

From the summit a view down to Low Water, with Levers Water peeking out

From the summit a view down to Low Water, with Levers Water peeking out

Me and the boys at the summit

Me and the boys at the summit

Again that view to the estuary

Again that view to the estuary

Brim Fell from Coniston Old Man

Brim Fell from Coniston Old Man

Across to the craggy looking Dow Crag!

Across to the craggy looking Dow Crag!

Brim Fell summit looking back to Coniston Old Man

Brim Fell summit looking back to Coniston Old Man

And looking the other way to Great Carrs and Swirl How with the Scafells beyond

And looking the other way to Great Carrs and Swirl How with the Scafells beyond

Goat's Water

Goat’s Water

COM 20

Grey Friar left with Great Carrs and Swirl How right

Coniston Old Man from Dow Crag summit, it was windy here so I didn't hang around!

Coniston Old Man from Dow Crag summit, it was windy here so I didn’t hang around!

This view was a constant throughout the middle part of this walk

This view was a constant throughout the middle part of this walk

The Duddon valley with Black Combe far left

The Duddon valley with Black Combe far left

Looking down one of the rakes (South?) with Goat's Water at the bottom

Looking down one of the rakes (South?) with Goat’s Water at the bottom

Blind Tarn with Brown Pike above

Blind Tarn with Brown Pike above

Dow Crag left and Coniston Old Man right across The Cove

Dow Crag left and Coniston Old Man right across The Cove

COM 27

Torver Bridge with Brown Pike behind as we walked the Walna Scar Road back to the car