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!

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.

...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.

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.