Start point: Coniston (SD 304 976)

Coniston - Walna Scar road - Brown Pike (48) - Buck Pike on Seathwaite Fell (49) - Dow Crag (50) - Goat's  Hawse - Coniston Old Man (51) - Brim Fell (52) - Levers Hawse -  Great How (53) - Grey Friar (54) - Little Carrs (55) - Hell Gill Pike (56) - Great Carrs (57) - Swirl How (58) - Prison Band - Swirl Hawse - Black Sails (59) - Wetherlam (60) - Coniston

Route Map

Weather: Overcast with sunny spells. Very windy.

A long Coniston round today taking in all the highest tops and some of the less well known ones. It was a drizzly start but this soon cleared and there were lots of sunny intervals with some cloud coming in. There was a strong breeze all day growing to gale force by the end of the walk.

The initial ascent was via the Walna Scar road which is a good hours trek from Coniston before the highest point is reached. The picture on the left is Cove Bridge across Torver Beck and on the right, a shelter on the roadside 'just big enough for one person or a honeymoon couple' - AW.

A sharp ascent from the Walna Scar road to the summit of Brown Pike. The furthest fell is Black Combe with Caw visible behind Walna Scar. 

An easy traverse to Buck Pike. Dow Crag is the next fell along the path, in the distance Great Carrs, Swirl How and Great How Crags coming round to Brim Fell on the right.

Another short walk to Dow Crag summit. Left: looking down easy gulley to the pinnacle. Right: Looking through Swirl Hawse to Dunmail Raise in the distance.

From Dow Crag, it's a descent to Goat's Hawse and then a steep ascent back up to the Old Man of Coniston. Here are two views of the summit.

Dow Crag from the Old Man.

An easy, grassy ramble to Brim Fell, left and then another descent/ascent of Levers Hawse to the summit of Great How, right.

Off the beaten track now to a fairly long trek contouring round to Grey Friar, left, looking out towards Eskdale and the Scafell range and then another contour round to Hell Gill Pike and Little Carrs. On the right is Little Carrs summit looking towards Little Langdale Tarn.

The summit of Hell Gill Pike. Harter Fell is on the left and Hard Knott on the right. The Hardknott - Wrynose road can be seen on the bottom right of the picture.

An easy ascent again to Great Carrs summit and the memorial to the World War 2 Canadian Air Force bomber that crashed there.

Into the mist and gale force wind now up to the summit of Swirl How, left. Then a steep descent of Prison Band before ascending Black Sails. The picture on the right from Black Sails summit shows Coniston Water and Levers Water.

The sun shines over Langdale from Black Sails. Right of centre, Pavey Ark can be seen overlooking Stickle Tarn with the distinctive shape of Pike O' Stickle to the left.

Another easy traverse to Wetherlam. Pike o' Blisco and The Langdale fells are seen here from Wetherlam summit.

Mine workings on The old Man seen from the sharp descent of Wetherlam and Miners Bridge on the way back to Coniston.

You may have noticed a distinct lack of Tarns on this walk. This is because there were so many to be seen, I have given them their own page and they can be viewed here.

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