Lake District Walks
Old Man of Coniston
Date: 23rd July 2008
Distance: 10.1 miles
Ascent: 4003 feet
Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: SD303975
Walk Summary:
My second visit to the Coniston Old Man was even more disappointing than the first as once again hill fog shrouded the summit.
Route Summary: Coniston - Church Beck - Low Water - Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Swirl How - Great Carrs - Grey Friar - Great Carrs - Swirl How - Prison Band - Levers Water - Church Beck - Coniston.
Pictures:
1. The Copper Mines Valley
2. Yewdale Fells
3. Low Water
4. Looking back at Low Water before heading into the cloud
5. The trig point on the Old Man
6. The Halifax Bomber Memorial on Great Carrs
7. A brief glimpse of Grey Friar
8. Looking across Swirl Hause towards Black Sail
9. The cairn marking the top of Swirl Hause
10. Levers Water
11. Levers Water Beck
12. Red Dell Beck
Walk Detail: With the promise of good weather I booked a lieu day off I was owed and headed to Coniston with high hopes. The weather looked promising with some patches of blue sky. However this was a tease and contrary to all forecasts low cloud got stuck on the fells until mid afternoon by which time I was well on my way back down to Coniston.
So for the second time I’d seen virtually nothing from the Old Man, Brim Fell and Swirl How. I can now add Great Carrs and Grey Friar to that list. This was such a disappointment as I know these fells are fantastic. The only real views I got were the odd glimpses of the valley scenery. The only place I got any real visibility was on Fairfield the link between Great Carrs and Grey Friar.
Perhaps the saving grace was that I returned via Levers Water so towards the end of the walk I was able to at least appreciate the scenery alongside the beck. There is not really much else I can add. To have walked over 10 miles and climbed over 4000ft without actually seeing much was frustrating beyond measure. Even nearly four years later I still haven't forgiven the Met Office for this one.
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