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.