Today I had a walk with Clive Hutchby who is currently updating his 4th Wainwright Book ‘The Southern Fells’…
Coniston Old Man and Brim Fell Rake
Coniston Old Man
What a gorgeous morning, the sun was certainly shining this morning and the fells were glowing with it – time for one of our favourites.
Coniston (again!)
The same fells on a different day…
Coniston Old Man
The weather turned out much better than I thought it would today – it was a proper winter’s day up on The Old Man, all blue sky and snow, just lovely. That was a good choice Casper lad!
Coniston Old Man
I was glad to get out anywhere this morning having been deliberately staying away from the rough stuff after sustaining a bit of an injury. I took it easy on this one and made it more of a recuperative stroll. I think I should be in my shorts by now but no, it was back to the winter gear again with quite a heavy snow shower when I was on the summit.
Coniston Old Man
The cold winter days continue and ‘down below’ the freezing fog hangs in the valleys for most of the day at the moment. Up on high it is a different story with more blue skies and clear views making these excellent walking days.
Coniston Old Man
It was beautiful and sunny today so I headed up to The Old Man for a quick walk. I expected it to be cold up on the top as there was snow on Fairfield the previous day and I was right – once on the climb there was areal cold blast and my hands and face were numb by the time I made it to the top. Great to see lots of people enjoying the clear views up there though including lots of family groups.
Coniston Old Man
Once more the weather completely changed from the last time I was out – today was a proper summer’s day again and it was just lovely (and quiet!) up on The Old Man. We ascended using the now well trodden McMahon route but descended using the direct and steep route. I did take a little time to hang around up there today and sit with Angus for a while.
Coniston Old Man
The weather seemed much better than predicted early on this morning and the views along Coniston Water as I drove past were stunning enough to stop me in my tracks and make me turn around to grab a few photos at Lake Bank and Brown Howe. From there I could see The Old Man was clearing whilst further north in the Lakes looked a bit murkier. It did eventually cloud over but I think I caught the best of the weather today following the McMahon route to the summit.
The Old Man of Coniston
Everywhere looked to be covered in cloud when I set off from home this morning, especially further to the east. When I was driving towards the Coniston fells they had a big cloud cap on them too, but I thought it would clear when the sun rose a little and thankfully this turned out to be right. It was really clear up there today and it was superb walking the ridge to Brim Fell in those conditions, beautiful and crisp with virtually no one around.
Coniston Old Man
I was up early this morning for a walk to The Old Man – it was quite novel that there were no cars in the car park when I set off and none there when I returned! It was beautiful up there this morning with the sun shining and only the sound of silence and that, thinking of yesterday’s events at Whitehaven, is the way it should be.
King of the Fells
It was a beautiful morning once more after a cold and frosty start; at low level there was a haze layer but I managed to get above this on the climb to The Old Man. There was a reason for climbing up there today other than it being a great walk…
Coniston Old Man
It was so clear and sunny today you would hardly think it was the same time of year as the rest of the previous week when it has been raining almost incessantly. I found time for a late afternoon walk and with those blue skies I was confident of seeing a decent sunset so tried to time my walk accordingly. I must admit I thought I had left it too late when I was walking beneath Dow Crag, it was so dark and cold there. Dougal joined us today for his first ‘bigger’ walk at 7 months old and of course we were recognised (along with Casper, the two of them together are unmistakable!) and then he was fussed over at every opportunity by passing walkers. He took the whole thing in his stride of course and he is turning out to be a great pretender to the fell masters throne.
Coniston Old Man
Today was the third StridingEdge group walk which was up to The Old Man of Coniston via the now officially named (well, it is in our house!) McMahon Route, a brilliantly graded walk across Little Arrow Moor and then up the south ridge of the Old Man. Joining me on the walk were StridingEdge viewers who expressed an interest in coming for a walk with me and Casper and it was great to meet everyone – some new faces and some old stalwarts of our walks. It was a good walk in great company, pity the weather wasn’t kinder to us today…maybe next time.
Coniston Old Man
Although it was sunny and warm this morning, I set out with a heavy heart for The Old Man for it was to be Angus’ final journey onto the fells and the place he will rest forever. I know he loved this walk as we have done it often enough and this is the final chapter in the Angus story.
Coniston Old Man
The freezing mist was all around at low level today for my first walk up to Coniston Old Man this year. Yesterday and last night saw fresh snow falls in the area and everywhere around quiet Coniston was covered this morning. This was winter walking in different conditions to last week with no views and the eerie silence that walking in heavy mist brings and an overwhelming feeling of solitude.
Coniston Old Man
It was bitterly cold again last night and there was a decent fall of snow on all the high fells that I could see. I had a walk up to the Old Man of Coniston after lunch today and the snow on the southern slopes of the fells had melted somewhat but on the northern sides there was still plenty and there were some angry looking snow clouds about. The wind at the top was biting, which is no less than you would expect I guess but I think Casper was wishing his hair was about a foot longer!
Coniston Fells
The conditions were a little strange up on Coniston today, oddly cold – yet warm and clear – yet hazy! I never quite got above the haze layer today but the sun did manage to break through at times. The temperature was below freezing when I set off and when I returned yet in the sunshine it was really warm with the temperature only seemingly plummeting in the breeze at the top.
Coniston
The brilliant weather continued for this morning’s walk to the deserted Coniston fells. Blue skies and sunshine all the way today with it being really warm despite what the temperature gauge said! It is a real joy to be out on the fells in these conditions and there is supposedly even more to come – can’t wait!
Coniston
No blue skies today, it was back to grey and it all looked a bit ominous at the start of the walk up to The Old Man of Coniston. Things magically cleared up in the space of a few minutes on the climb though and whilst the sun didn’t shine, it was still clearer than we could have expected at the start.
Coniston Old Man
Another temperature inversion was predicted for today, so Connie and I set off for the summit of Coniston Old Man in the mist to try and get some sunshine above the grey, murky conditions below. This was also a milestone for 5 year old Connie – her highest fell yet – by far, and a great achievement for her. Alas, the conditions were not as good as yesterday as the temperature in the valleys had warmed up, so although we got above the hazy, mist layer into the sunshine, there wasn’t the great waves of thick cloud that I witnessed yesterday. Eskdale looked the place to be – there was plenty of inversion going on over there.
The Old Man of Coniston
The sun was shining on the Coniston fells this morning so I couldn’t resist another snowy walk up to The Old Man. We were the first up that way this morning and blazed a trail through the newly fallen snow; a great feeling.
A Coniston Round
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.