February
8:00 Start with 17:00 (5:00pm) Return
10 miles (16km) with 3609ft (1100m) Total Ascent.
Our walk today, weather and conditions permitting, takes in the classic circuit of seven of Coniston’s finest hills.
A very steep climb out of Coniston gets us onto the Walna Scar Road which we follow to Brown Pike. After the short climb to Buck Pike we make our way to the summit of Dow Crag. For those A walkers with long memories Dow Crag has somewhat of a reputation for being slightly breezy along the summit ridge – let’s hope its not too bad today!!
Once over the summit we have a descent to Goats Hawse and a re-ascent to gain the summit of the Old Man at 2635 ft / 803 metres.
Our route takes us north along the ridge to Swirl How, the last hill of the day, and then down the Prison Band to Levers Water. We return to Coniston via the Coppermines Valley.
9½ miles (15km) with 1200ft (366m) Ascent.
I have decided to lead a different walk to the one given in the programme. Having had four weeks of struggling to cope with the snow and ice around Preston I have planned a low level walk to try and avoid more of the white stuff.
Startiing from Skelwith Bridge, we follow the Cumbria Way in a north easterly direction to Elterwater. Heading south to Stang End we then rejoin the Cumbria Way at High Park and continue along this route via Tarn Hows to Coniston.
7½ miles (12km) with 1200ft (366m) Ascent.
Starting from Yewdale on the A593 just south of Yewtree Farm we take a track by the side of the farmhouse, used in the Miss Potter Film as Hilltop, and make our way north, following the minor road around Holme Fell, to Hodge Close. This is an area with many old quarries and spoil heaps but it is still very beautiful scenery and, according to Wainwright, one of the best square miles of Lakeland.
We now turn west and make our way back to Coniston via Tilberthwaite Gill: this involves nearly all the climbing, approximately 950ft /290m. After following the side of the Gill the path eases off to follow Crook Beck and then over the ridge where we can see practically the full length of Coniston Water. It is now all downhill into Coppermines Valley and the track back to the coaches in time for a brew.
6miles (9.7km) with 400ft (122m) Ascent.
Starting from Coniston Coach Park (toilets!) we leave by the lanes to reach Shepherd’s Bridge and join the Cumbria Way field paths. We have a short climb up Back Guards Plantation before dropping to pass the cottages at Low Yewdale and continue through fields to the A593. A short walk along this road brings us to Yewtree Farm known for the Beatrix Potter stories.
From here we make our way to Lane Head Coppice where, after a short climb through woodland, we come to the tarn. We follow the path round the tarn to Howgraves where we descend through Hill Fell Plantation. Shortly after this we reach the shores of Coniston Water which we follow back to the village for the coaches and cafés.