Coniston Old Man - Route Four

 

Start - Coniston (Fell Gate) SD 288 970 Distance - 1.6 miles Ascent - 1,950 feet Time - 1 hour : 35 minutes

 

 

The parking area beyond the fell gate on the Walna Scar Road at the start of the walk
Coniston Old Man from the Walna Scar Road
The road is followed south-west for about 750 yards, past Timley Knott, to the start of the Bursting Stone Quarry track
Looking back along the Walna Scar Road
The Bursting Stone Quarry track and the start of the Diamond path.  The quarry has increased in area since AW's wrote his guide in 1960 and much of the lower part of the original path has been obliterated by the workings.  A sign directs walkers onto a path to the left of the quarry track which, higher up, diverts away from the quarry over Limestone Haws and Little Arrow Moor, to enventually join the south ridge below Crag o' Stile
Looking back along the Walna Scar Road, Timley Knott on the left with the Ill Bell ridge in the Far Eastern Fells on the right skyline
Coniston Water from the start of the Diamond path
Initially the path runs parallel with the quarry track until the track curves away below Booth How
The lower section of the path below Booth How (on the right)
Coniston Water from the path below Booth How
The point where the path splits.  The left branch traverses left across Limestone Haws towards the south ridge, a less well defined path continues straight on towards the slate spoil heaps of Bursting Stone Quarry
Booth How and Coniston Water
The path climbs alongside the spoil heaps and then traverses across onto an old quarry road which lies above them
Looking down onto the top of the spoil banks from the the old quarry road
Looking back from the top of the old quarry road
Bursting Stone Quarry
Just before the road enters the quarry a faint path leads off it up a steep bank and follows a line of fence posts
Coniston Water from the top of the quarry boundary fence
Continuing on from the fence the path crosses a narrow depression and climbs to a level shoulder below the south ridge
Looking south-east from the level shoulder
The head of Coniston Water from the level shoulder
Wetherlam from the level shoulder
The way ahead continues on a well defined path running below the south ridge
Coniston Water from the path below the south ridge.  Bursting Stone Quarry can be seen on the lower left
Eventually the path reaches the ridge line above the disused east face quarries and joins the popular path which comes up from Low Water
The summit of Coniston Old Man comes into view
Swirl How on the left and Black Sails on the right
Looking down the north-east combe to Low Water
Looking back to Windermere and Coniston Water
The path to the summit ridge
Blencathra, Helvellyn and Fairfield on the horizon
Approaching the summit of Coniston Old Man
The summit cairn
Looking back to Coniston Water
The foot of Coniston Water from the summit of Coniston Old Man
Brown Pike and Buck Pike from the summit of Coniston Old Man
Dow Crag from the summit of Coniston Old Man
Harter Fell, Whin Rigg, Ilgill Head, Seatallan and Haycock
The summit cairn from the west
The Scafells from the summit of Coniston Old Man
Brim Fell, Great Carrs, Swirl How and Wetherlam with Skiddaw, Blencathra, Helvellyn and Fairfield on the skyline
The Coppermines Valley and Windermere from the summit of Coniston Old Man
Low Water and Levers Water from the summit of Coniston Old Man

 

 

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