Height: 745 metres / 2443 feet Grid reference: NY 28292 00757
Walking the Black Sails ridge
Black Sails
Wetherlam
Start point: Tilberthwaite car park (NY 306 010)
Tilberthwaite – Tilberthwaite Gill – Birk Fell Man on Birk Fell – Wetherlam Edge – Wetherlam – Black Sails – Red Dell – Hole Rake – Tilberthwaite
Distance: 6 miles Total Ascent: 880 metres Time Taken: 3 hours
Weather: Clear at first, mist and drizzle later. 19oC.
Everywhere but Wetherlam seemed to be in cloud this morning when I set out; it was basking under a lovely blue sky, but that quickly changed during the ascent of Wetherlam Edge. I thought it would be an interesting addition to drop down to Red Dell following the Black Sails ridge but it proved to be a tough climb back up to Hole Rake and over to Tilberthwaite.
First glimpse of Wetherlam from the sheepfold above the bridge across Tilberthwaite Gill.
Wetherlam from Dry Cove Bottom.
Steel Edge.
It looks nice and clear on Wetherlam at the moment.
Heading for Birk Fell.
A profile of Wetherlam Edge, today's route of ascent.
Again, from the climb to Birk Fell.
Casper on Birk Fell Man.
Pike o' Blisco catches a few rays of sunshine in between cloud cover across Greenburn.
The Langdale Pikes and Blea Tarn.
...and closer up.
Angus in the sunshine.
Wet Side Edge across Greenburn.
Wetherlam Edge.
Climbing Wetherlam Edge - these two seem to know the way!
Looking back down Wetherlam Edge to Little Langdale Tarn as the clouds start to roll in.
Made it! Angus and Casper have a rest in the eerie light on the summit of Wetherlam. We were to be in the clouds for a little while now.
Red Dell suddenly appears from the mist whilst walking the Black Sails ridge.
Looking down on Levers Water.
Coppermines Valley and Coniston Water from the ruins of the Red Dell mine workings.
A thick band of cloud on The Old Man.
Heading east back to Tilberthwaite along Hole Rake.
A final view of Wetherlam from Tilberthwaite Gill.
A Coniston Round
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
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.
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.
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 is of Cove Bridge across Torver Beck
and 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. Looking down easy gully to the pinnacle.
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.
Dow Crag from the Old Man.
An easy, grassy ramble to Brim Fell
and then another descent/ascent of Levers Hawse to the summit of Great How
Off the beaten track now to a fairly long trek contouring round to Grey Friar, Looking out towards Eskdale and the Scafell range and then another contour round to Hell Gill Pike and Little Carrs.
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
Then a steep descent of Prison Band before ascending Black Sails. The picture is from Black Sails summit showing 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
Miners Bridge on the way back to Coniston.
Coniston Tarns
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
It was amazing how many tarns and stretches of water could be seen on this Coniston Round; they are shown on this page.
Boo Tarn, just off the Walna Scar road. This was nothing more than reeds and marsh.
Blind Tarn seen from Buck Pike. It is named blind because there is no outlet.
Goat's Water from Goat's Hause. Coniston Water and Morecambe Bay can also be seen.
Low Water from The Old Man of Coniston with a glimpse of Levers Water to the north east.
Levers Water and Coniston Water from Great How Crags.
Red Tarn between Cold Pike and Pike O' Blisco from Grey Friar summit.
Seathwaite Tarn from below Swirl Band.
Esthwaite Water and Windermere from Wetherlam.
Greenburn Reservoir and Little Langdale Tarn from Little Carrs.