Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag

Walked on 26/02/2024

Walking Diary 2024

Start Point: Walna Scar road (SD 289 970)

Walna Scar car park – Coniston Old Man – Goat’s Hawse – Dow Crag – Buck Pike – Brown Pike – Walna Scar car park

Distance: 10.4 km Total Ascent: 700 metres Time Taken: 3 hours 50 minutes Start Time: 06:40

It was a case of getting a walk in on a decent weather day again between not so decent weather day! The days are drawing longer with sunrise now at 07:10 so at least I managed to get halfway up The Old Man before that time and even then the low cloud blocked it out for a short while. There was a reminder that we are still in winter with snow on the tops and a bitingly cold wind.

Note: Route map is for indication purposes of general direction only.

The setting moon.

There was lots of low cloud around blocking the light from the sunrise.

Fletcher watches as the light hits Walna Scar.

Gradually the sun started to break through during the climb up The Old Man.

Crepuscular rays...

...light up Coniston.

A sky of two halves.

Blue sky on the approach to The Old Man summit.

Fletcher. We sat with Angus, Casper and Dougal for a short while (they were our older fell walking Bearded Collie companions, their ashes were scattered here) before moving on. The wind was strong and icy now brrr.

Looking across Levers Water, there is a lot of cloud over the eastern fells and it looked as though there were snow showers fleeting through too.

It looked very similar to the north too and the Scafells were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps I struck lucky with this little south western corner of sunshine.

I was all allone on the frozen summit of Coniston Old Man.

The view over Brown Pike, Walna Scar and Black Combe.

Brim Fell and beyond.

Dow Crag.

Barrow Offshore Windfarm visible today beyond Brown Pike.

Buck Pike and Black Combe.

Dow Crag above Goat's Water.

Goat's Water from Goat's Hawse.

Swirl How and Great Carrs, looking back from the path to Dow Crag from Goat's Hawse.

A rare burst of sunlight;ight on Grey Friar.

Dow Crag's rocky summit.

The south rake.

Looking back along the summit ridge.

...and again, further along.

Buck Pike summit cairn.

Brown Pike above Blind Tarn.

Patiently waiting (for a biscuit I expect!).

A view right through to the west Cumbrian coast, but I think Fletcher is sheep spotting.

Brown Pike summit.

'A shelter alongside the Walna Scar road, east of the pass , just big enough for one person or a honeymoon couple' A. Wainwright 'The Southern Fells' Dow Crag 4

Cove Bridge across Torver Beck.

Boo Tarn.

The animals went across one by one. There were lots of shepherd calls and whistles today with the sheep obediently obeying their masters commands.

Coniston Round

Walked on 21/12/2006

Start point: Walna Scar road (SD 289 970)

Walna Scar road – Brown Pike – Buck Pike – Dow Crag – Goat’s Hawse – Coniston Old Man – Brim Fell– Levers Hawse – Great How – Grey Friar – Great Carrs – Swirl How – Prison Band – Swirl Hawse –Wetherlam – Red Dell – Boulder Valley – Walna Scar Road

Distance: 11.8 miles Total Ascent: 1320 metres Time Taken: 5 hours

Weather: Cold and windy. 4oC.

That wasn’t supposed to happen! The weather was predicted to be the same as yesterday, blue skies and general loveliness above the clouds – however, rule #1 is there is no accounting for the weather. There was a strong wind and grey skies above the low lying fog with the upper clouds only clearing at the very end of the walk. This was a good long walk on the shortest day of the year and the fells were surprisingly busy today.

Walking along the Walna Scar road, we were quickly above the low lying cloud, here looking to Torver High Common.

At Cove Bridge, it was fairly obvious that this wasn't going to be a still blue sky temperature inversion day. Brown Pike is in the cloud beyond the bridge.

Coniston Old Man, the cloud sticking to the summit.

Once onto the Brown Pike - Buck Pike ridge the icy wind was really blowing up a gale. A fleeting gap in the clouds reveals Harter Fell.

Casper sticking his tongue out to the wind.

Looking back from Dow Crag to Buck Pike.

Descending from Dow Crag, the cloud clinging to Brim Fell.

Clear on The Old Man - for now, anyway!

The mist still hanging in the valleys to the south.

Grey Friar, Great Carrs, Swirl How and Brim Fell - all to be visited today.

Looking south over Goats Water in the lee of Dow Crag.

Looking south, Beacon Fell centre.

Approaching the summit of The Old Man.

The Old Man of Coniston.

The easterly view to the Furness Fells over Low Water shortly before being engulfed in cloud again. It was a cold, strong wind that blew walking along to Brim Fell and beyond.

Levers Water from Little How Crags after walking through the worst of the storm - but it was back into the mist for the climb to Grey Friar then Great Carrs and Swirl How.

Descending Prison Band to Black Sails and Wetherlam from Swirl How.

On the way to Wetherlam, the clouds parted and blue sky and sunshine appeared to the east. Behind, Coniston remained under brooding skies.

Pike o' Stickle from Wetherlam.

Looking north-east over Little Langdale.

The Langdales under a thick blanket of cloud, Blea Tarn centre.

The mist still clinging to the valleys.

Angus.

Casper.

The sky is ever clearing.

Looking back along the furrowed path to Wetherlam.

The southern end of Windermere still under a blanket of cloud.

Red Dell.

Crossing Levers Water Beck.

The Pudding Stone, Boulder Valley.

Looking over Coppermines Valley to Black Sails and Wetherlam.

Seathwaite Fells

Walked on 27/07/2006

Start point: At the bottom of the Walna Scar road (SD 239 968)

Walna Scar road – Seathwaite Tarn – Raven Nest How – Far Hill Crag – Near Hill Crag – Dow Crag –Buck Pike – Brown Pike – Walna Scar road

Distance: 5.5 miles Total Ascent: 650 metres Time Taken: 3 hours

Weather: Warm and sunny, sometimes overcast. 23oC.

This afternoon’s objective started out as Grey Friar, that outpost of the Coniston fells. As I made my way up to Seathwaite Tarn, I could see it was looking decidedly gloomy up there whilst everywhere else seemed to have blue skies. Instead, I opted to climb up to Dow Crag using a pathless route of ascent from Seathwaite Tarn – a good decision I think!

Harter Fell looking a bit gloomy across the Duddon Valley on the way to Seathwaite Tarn.

Looking back along the Duddon Valley to Whitfell and Hesk Fell.

Grey Friar living up to its name, left, with Great How directly ahead.

Seathwaite Tarn.

Its certainly looking a bit dull now, Casper manages to catch a ray of sunshine on the dam wall.

Looking back along the dam wall.

Further along the dam wall.

Seathwaite Tarn from the opposite end to the dam.

Looking across to Grey Friar from the climb up to Dow Crag. Oddly enough, Grey Friar stayed like that all afternoon, even though other fells put in an appearance from their cloud cover.

Harter Fell across a small tarn on the slopes of Dow Crag.

Casper has a lie in the grass near the tarn, the Scafell range behind.

Approaching the rocky turret of Dow Crag.

Harter Fell from Dow Crag.

...and a close up of the summit.

The clouds are starting to lift from the moody Scafells.

...and a close up of Scafell Pike. Mickledore can be seen to the left whilst the prominent Esk Buttress with Pen atop is to the right, overlooking Upper Eskdale.

Green Crag and Crook Crag over Dunnerdale Forest. Notice the thick band of cloud hanging over the Irish Sea beyond.

A regal looking Casper on the slopes of Dow Crag.

It was like a different day to the south and east with fluffy clouds and blue skies. This is The Old Man of Coniston from Dow Crag, it looked like there were lots of people on the summit today.

The ridge from Brim Fell to Swirl How. The prominent path is rising from Goat's Water from the right to Goat's Hawse and then bears right again to The Old Man.

Looking down on Goat's Water from Dow Crag.

Goat's Water and The Old Man.

The Scafells and Dow Crag from Buck Pike.

Blind Tarn and Brown Pike from Buck Pike.

Coniston Water.

Buck Pike and The Old Man from Brown Pike.

Looking east over the top end of Coniston Water - nice and clear over that way!

Sky over Coniston.

Casper on the summit of Brown Pike.

Looking over Walna Scar and White Pike to Black Combe.

Harter Fell and the Scafells from the Walna Scar Road.

The clouds have turned fluffy and white and nearly lifted from the Scafells now. Grey Friar was still grey, however!

Coniston Round

Walked on 24/11/2005

Start point: Walna Scar road (SD 289 970)

Walna Scar road – Brown Pike – B uck Pike on Seathwaite Fell – Dow Crag – Goat’s Hawse –Coniston Old Man – Brim Fell – Levers Hawse – Great How – Swirl Band – Top of Broad Slack –Great Carrs – Swirl How – Prison Band – Swirl Hawse – Levers Water – Boulder Valley – Walna Scar road

Distance: 10.5 miles Total Ascent: 2670 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Very cold with gale force winds. 3oC, but much colder with the wind chill.

It didn’t look too promising when I set off along the Walna Scar Road and sure enough when I reached Brown Pike the wind was gale force and the hailstones were shotblasting my face. Magically, when I reached Dow Crag, the clouds cleared (blown away presumably!) and there were lovely blue skies. The wind was ever present and made the walking difficult at times; full winter gear was required today. Today was the first time I have ever been recognised on the fells from this website (okay, Angus was recognised to be technically correct). He’s famous that dog!

So that's what that little shelter on the Walna Scar road is for!

Gale force wind and hailstones (they hurt!) on Brown Pike, Buck Pike ahead. I thought Angus was a goner walking across here, it was that bad.

Looking back to Brown Pike and Blind Tarn from Buck Pike.

The path to Dow Crag.

Now it's blue skies - the Coniston fells from Dow Crag.

The view from The Old Man of Coniston - Low Water below and a glimpse of Levers Water with the Black Sails ridge and Wetherlam beyond.

The route from The Old Man with Brim Fell in the centre and Swirl How and Great Carrs visible to the right. The Scafell massif is in the left distance.

Angus on the summit of The Old Man - phew, made it!

...but it's still a bit windy!

Levers Water from Great How Crags, Coniston Water in the distance.

Great Carrs from Top of Broad Slack.

Grey Friar.

Wetherlam.

The view from Great Carrs, annotated version below.

The memorial on Great Carrs, complete with plane wreckage.

Swirl Hawse across Levers Water.

The Coppermines Valley and Coniston from Boulder Valley.

Dow Crag

Walked on 12/05/2005

Start point: Torver (SD 285 945)

Torver – Bleaberry Haws – High Pike Haw – White Maiden – White Pike – Walna Scar (OF) – Walna Scar Road – Brown Pike – Buck Pike on Seathwaite Fell – Dow Crag – Goat’s Haws – Tranearth – Torver

Distance: 8.9 miles Total Ascent: 992 metres Time Taken: 3 hours 20 minutes

Weather: Sunny and hazy. 17°C.

The sun was shining again today, with temperatures up to a pleasant 17°C at valley level, although at times it was quite chilly in the cold breeze on the tops. I had a walk up to the Coniston fells from Torver, using the gradual ascent up to Walna Scar via the ‘ignored by Wainwright’ south western fells. The view becomes increasingly better using this route with unrivalled views of the southern Coniston fells and great views along the Duddon Valley to Harter Fell and the Sca Fells beyond.

Dow Crag route map.

Brown Pike, Buck Pike, Dow Crag and The Old Man of Coniston from the Torver path.

Caw with Stickle Pike behind from White Pike. In the distance is Black Combe.

Harter Fell from the approach to Walna Scar. In the distance, behind Scafell on the right, is Pillar, the depression of Wind Gap, Scoat Fell and Haycock.

Dow Crag, Buck Pike and Brown Pike from Walna Scar.

There was a stiff breeze on Walna Scar!

Blind Tarn.

The path to Dow Crag.

The view towards the Sca Fells from Dow Crag.

Goat's Water from Dow Crag.

Looking back along the ridge from Dow Crag, the Duddon Estuary in the distance.

The rocky face of Dow Crag from Goat's Hawse.

Goat's Water.

The big hole, Banishead Quarry.

Torver Beck.

Bluebells in the woods near Torver.

Coniston Tarns

Walked on 10/06/2004

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.