Start point: Walna Scar road (SD 289 970)
Walna Scar road – Brown Pike – Buck Pike on Seathwaite Fell – Dow Crag – Goat’s Hawse –Coniston Old Man – Brim Fell – Levers Hawse – Great How – Swirl Band – Top of Broad Slack –Great Carrs – Swirl How – Prison Band – Swirl Hawse – Levers Water – Boulder Valley – Walna Scar road
Distance: 10.5 miles Total Ascent: 2670 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes
Weather: Very cold with gale force winds. 3oC, but much colder with the wind chill.
It didn’t look too promising when I set off along the Walna Scar Road and sure enough when I reached Brown Pike the wind was gale force and the hailstones were shotblasting my face. Magically, when I reached Dow Crag, the clouds cleared (blown away presumably!) and there were lovely blue skies. The wind was ever present and made the walking difficult at times; full winter gear was required today. Today was the first time I have ever been recognised on the fells from this website (okay, Angus was recognised to be technically correct). He’s famous that dog!
![c 24.11.05-184 c 24.11.05-184](https://www.stridingedge.net/wp-content/gallery/2005-11-24-coniston-round/cache/c-24.11.05-184.jpg-nggid043627-ngg0dyn-0x0x85-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg)
Gale force wind and hailstones (they hurt!) on Brown Pike, Buck Pike ahead. I thought Angus was a goner walking across here, it was that bad.
![g 24.11.05-067 g 24.11.05-067](https://www.stridingedge.net/wp-content/gallery/2005-11-24-coniston-round/cache/g-24.11.05-067.jpg-nggid043631-ngg0dyn-0x0x85-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg)
The view from The Old Man of Coniston - Low Water below and a glimpse of Levers Water with the Black Sails ridge and Wetherlam beyond.