Striding Edge

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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.

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The setting moon.

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

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Fletcher watches as the light hits Walna Scar.

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

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Crepuscular rays...

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...light up Coniston.

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A sky of two halves.

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Blue sky on the approach to The Old Man summit.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

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Brim Fell and beyond.

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Dow Crag.

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Barrow Offshore Windfarm visible today beyond Brown Pike.

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Buck Pike and Black Combe.

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Dow Crag above Goat's Water.

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Goat's Water from Goat's Hawse.

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

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A rare burst of sunlight;ight on Grey Friar.

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Dow Crag's rocky summit.

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The south rake.

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Looking back along the summit ridge.

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...and again, further along.

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Buck Pike summit cairn.

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Brown Pike above Blind Tarn.

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Patiently waiting (for a biscuit I expect!).

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

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Brown Pike summit.

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'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

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Cove Bridge across Torver Beck.

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Boo Tarn.

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

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Comments

  1. John Atherton (and the bunny) says

    29/02/2024 at 1:19 pm

    A very familiar route with an excellent set of photos. Nice touch at the end with the string of sheep!

    Reply
    • Sean McMahon says

      01/03/2024 at 11:15 am

      Thanks John, yes a familiar route but still a good one! There was a lot of shouting and whistling going on with the shepherds trying to round up the errant sheep.

      Reply
  2. Ian A says

    01/03/2024 at 12:30 pm

    Nice one Sean.

    Reply
    • Sean McMahon says

      01/03/2024 at 2:37 pm

      Thanks Ian 🙂

      Reply

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