DAY 2 - Wednesday 13th July
Stayed in a B&B in Coniston (called Lakeland House -
http://www.lakelandhouse.co.uk/)
- very reasonable and comfortable, but could do with redecorating) -
great view out of my window of the Old Man of Coniston. I had an
evening meal in the Black Bull, washed down with a couple of beers from
their own micro-brewery - Coniston Bluebird - excellent (had it many
times in bottles from Waitrose). I took a piccy from my window when I
got back to the B&B - see final photo on:
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=85
I woke up to bright sunshine, and clear blue skies above the Old Man,
and set off after breakfast for a walk around the Coniston Fells (great
not to have to use the car). I headed out of the village up the Old
Station Road, which was quite steep, and fairly dis-heartening after
nearly a mile of slog to come to a gate and a car park - still, at
least I wouldn't have to come back this way for the car. Took a
panorama shot of the Coniston Fells (see 1st photo on above page), then
carried on to join the Walna Scar Road, ignoring the path heading for
the Old Man. After a long trek around the base of the Old Man, my main
target for the day, Dow Crag, came into view (see 2nd photo).
At the top of the pass - see:
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=401
I took a small diversion Southwards to bag Walna Scar and White Maiden
(both on the Nuttalls list). White Maiden, only just topping 2000ft,
turned out to be a fine summit with great views:
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=439
Retracing my steps back to the pass, I then continued up Dow Crag.
There is a minor top en route called Brown Pike, which doesn't quite
qualify as a Nuttall, but being a sad-bagger, I touched the top of the
cairn "just in case". See:
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=446
Dow Crag is a worthy aim for a day's walking, being away from the
crowds, and having a little scramble to do at the top. There were
great views in every direction, but it wasn't until another walker
pointed it out to me that I saw, on the horizon beyond Morcambe Bay,
the shadowy outline of the mountains of Snowdonia! I'd heard it was
possible to see them from the LD Southern Fells, but didn't think
there'd be a chance on such a hot day. There looked to be a flatter
bit to the West of the mountains, with a small bump at the end, which I
took to be Anglesey and Holyhead Mountain. The Isle of Man was also
plainly visible to the West, beyond Sellafield. None of this came out
in my photos, but see:
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=116
I now had to decide which route to take back - I could continue
North-West to the col, then continue down to Goat's Water and back the
way I came, or I could go up and over the Old Man. It was still only
early afternoon, and from the top of Dow Crag, I could see a path
heading North-West from the col, which angled gently upwards to the col
between Brim Fell and Swirl How. I'd visited all these hills before,
but beyond were the only two remaining hills in this area I hadn't
bagged - Black Sails and Wetherlam.
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=221
The path I'd seen from Dow Crag turned out to be very easy going, with
views over Seathwaite Tarn and Harter Fell. At the end there was a
steeper, but short climb to the top of Swirl How (where I took the
photo I used in the quiz I set you last week). See:
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=89
There now followed a long and scrambly drop down the strangely-named
Prison Band, losing lots of height, but the re-ascent for Black Sails
and Wetherlam was mercifully shorter. See:
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=151
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=N&rf=131
There were fine views towards the Helvellyn range, and the Far-Eastern
Fells where I'd been walking the day before. My water supply was
getting low, so I decided to return via Red Dell with its stream,
rather than keeping to the ridges. The route was pathless, grassy and
steep, but I found a place to fill up my bottle, where the stream
trickled through some overhanging moss (I figured that it would be
acting as a good filter). The water was crystal clear and icy cold -
fantastic (and no subsequent ill effects).
I finally found a path when I got to the valley floor, and followed
this past the quarry and youth hostel back to Coniston. The route
fortuitously passed by the door of the Sun Inn on its way back into
Coniston. So I had to stop for a couple of pints (Hawkshead bitter,
even better than the Coniston Bluebird - though I suppose anything
would have tasted good after an 8hr30m walk!). There was steak and ale
pie on the menu, so I enquired as to whether it was a proper pie (can't
stand those casserole dishes full of gravy and hardly any meat, with a
puff-pastry lid that explodes when you stick your fork into it). Good
news - it was a proper pie, surrounded in shortcrust - delicious. The
barmaid said the steak and ale was very popular with the men (chicken
and leak for the ladies).
I woke up the following morning to pouring rain, with the Old Man
shrouded in cloud, so was glad I'd done the prolonged route the day
before. Too knackered for another walk, so took a leisurely drive back
home to Gloucestershire.
Cheers, Simon
website: The Mountains of England and Wales
http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk