Start point: Walna Scar road (SD 289 970)
Walna Scar car park – Boo Tarn – The Old Man of Coniston – Brim Fell – Brim Fell Rake – Low Water – Below Beck Fells – Walna Scar car park
Distance: 4.3 miles Total Ascent: 630 metres Time Taken: 2 hours 15 minutes Start Time: 09:20
Weather: Cold and clear. 2C
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 route map.
All clear on top of The Old Man.
The summit of The Old Man from the Walna Scar Road.
Coniston and the head of Coniston Water.
The view to the south.
Dougal strikes a typical Beardie pose.
Buck Pike and Dow Crag from Little Arrow Moor.
Brown Pike and Blind Tarn.
The Cove panorama.
Little Dougal looks at the big fells.
Casper and Dougal.
The climb to The Old Man.
Panoramic Old Man.
Dow Crag.
Brown Pike and Buck Pike.
The sun shining on Morecambe Bay and Coniston Water - the Crake Valley is still frosty.
The view over Bursting Stone Quarry towards Windermere (Bursting Stone is a type of slate).
Black Combe beyond Walna Scar.
Of course, we had to visit our old pal up here.
The view from the top of The Old Man.
Windermere from the summit.
A Remembrance Day poppy on the column.
Wetherlam above Levers Water with the track below snaking down to Low Water.
The deserted summit of Coniston Old Man.
Dougal and Casper on the summit.
It was a beautiful day up here today but with a cold wind.
Brim Fell, Swirl How and Great Carrs from The Old Man. The person of Brim Fell was a Striding Edge fan - he recognised us from that distance! Nice to meet you up there.
Harter Fell.
The Scafells and Langdales in the distance are clouded over.
Looking back to the summit.
Walking the icy Brim Fell ridge.
Great Carrs, Swirl How and Great How Crags from Brim Fell.
An icy descent of Brim Fell Rake.
Brim Fell from Raven Tor.
Levers Water, Black Sails and Wetherlam.
Swirl How and Wetherlam across Levers Water.
Wetherlam and the Coppermines Valley from the descent.
I had a little wander off the beaten track across Below Beck Fells on the west face of The Old Man on the way back. Unfortunately two young ladies on their way to The Old Man summit decided to follow me as I must have looked as though I knew where I was going. I set them back on the right path when I realised they couldn't be going the same way as me - remember, if you see a bloke with a couple of dogs, don't follow him as you could end up anywhere!
The Old Man from the Walna Scar Road.