Description

Coniston – it’s Village, Lake and Mountains

Access to Coniston’s fine mountains is usually achieved from Coniston village, at the foot of the fells and on the shores of  Lake Coniston – made famous in Arthur Ransome’s novel, ‘Swallows and Amazons’.  This beautiful lake and village also has a close affinity with its mountains – the Coniston Fells are flanked by disused slate and copper mines dating back to the reign of Elizabeth I, making this area an interesting archaeological site.

Saturday 31 August 2024 – Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man

The Route:  The magnificent summits of Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man are the main fells visited today.  We leave Coniston Lake via quiet meadow paths that take us onto the Walna Scar route – the ancient miners’ track linking Coniston with the Duddon Valley.  We then climb steeply onto a fine ridge, over Brown Pike and Buck Pike, to reach Dow Crag.  At 2552ft/778m, this is one of the Lake District’s finest summits – it’s cliff looms high above Goat’s Water, a rock climber’s paradise with a dramatic face that descends almost to the tarn’s shores.  Our ridge route to Goat’s Hawse again reveals Dow Crag’s dramatic face before we ascend to the Old Man’s summit, the range’s highest fell at  2635ft/803m. As with Wetherlam on Sunday’s walk, far reaching Lakeland views abound – the seascape reveals the coastal hills of Black Comb and even the Isle of Man.   Our descent passes Low Water – a small, corrie tarn nestled below the Old Man’s towering rock face.  We descend through the intriguing remnants  of the mountain’s slate quarries on our descent to the shores of Coniston, where we can enjoy a well-earned cuppa at the lakeside café.

Sunday 1 September – Wetherlam Via Tibblethwaite

The Route: This is a lesser-known route to the summit of Wetherlam (2500ft/762m), via the lovely, quiet valley above Tibblethwaite.  The steady climb out of Coniston, takes us through a high valley to the top of Tibblethwaite  Gill before we head up onto Wetherlam Edge with striking views into the corrie below.  Wetherlam’s stand-alone summit reveals great views on a good day, including the other Coniston Fells and Lake, the Scafell, Langdale and Helvellyn ranges, Morecombe Bay and even Ingleborough in Yorkshire.

A descent via Swirl Hawse takes us to the expansive corrie tarn of Levers Water with the high cliffs of Great How Crags behind.  We pass Simon’s Nick – a huge cleft in a high wall of rock.  Our descent continues into the  Copper Mines Valley.  Mining here dates back to the 16th century and continued until the 1950s; restored buildings and the mill wheel are fascinating legacy of Coniston’s relationship with its fells.  We finish our walk alongside the lovely Church Beck as it tumbles its way down into the village where café’s and pubs are plentiful!

Please note:  On both days, to maximise your enjoyment and safety, it’s possible we may have to alter routes according to weather conditions and party ability.  Alternative routes will be in the same area.