The Coniston Fells

Monday 30th April 2018

While coming back from the Outer Hebrides last autumn I had an idea of spending two weeks in the Lake District visiting the summit of all the High Fells, that is all the Wainwright Fells that are more than two and a half thousand feet high. Almost immediately after getting home I began planning the route on an old one inch to one mile Ordnance Survey map plotting all fifty-three fells and this holiday is the result. I spent the night at the Coniston Holly How Youth Hostel and as I set off it was very cold, however patchy sunlight promised warmer weather despite a bitterly cold wind. When out of the wind, the weather was fantastic and on these great fells that inevitably leads to a great day. I was heading north along the bridlepath that follows the main road, before branching off onto the minor road that climbs to Tilberthwaite and eventually came off that onto a narrow path that gently climbs below Goat’s Crag. This is one of those great paths that the Lake District abounds in and so is not viewed as anything special, but if it were anywhere else it would be hailed as the best thing ever. After a long absence from the Lake District I was really moved to be back where I love to be on a path that typifies all that is best about the Lake District.

The path hugs the side of the hill below crags as it wades across the streams that come off the tops while stunning views opened out across the top of the trees towards the distant fells that drew my eye with the promise of great walking to come. I already loved this walk as I climbed the path beside the precipitous drops down to Tilberthwaite Gill and at the top my first High Fell, Wetherlam, lay resplendent in the sunshine before me. Coming off the path I headed to the foot of Steel Edge, which is a route up Wetherlam that Wainwright failed to mention and is possibly the most famous of his omissions. I have been keen to do this ascent for many years and came close in 2012, but I came from the wrong direction, now I was in the right place. At first, as the ridge slowly developed there didn’t seem much to it except for what seemed to be an unclimbable cliff face ahead of me. Wainwright could have been forgiven for thinking a route up here wasn’t possible and it is only in more recent years that a path has been forged. As I slowly ascended, the weather seemed to be getting colder as the wind began to bite forcing me to don both gloves and a woolly hat before continuing the climb.

On reaching the foot of the cliff face I found the path that leads you up Steel Edge is climbable following a shallow gouge up the ridge with an abundance of handholds, which made for a relatively easy scramble all the way up. At the top I was able to enjoy the fabulous views over the top of Steel Edge that led all the way over to Helvellyn, but ahead of me was a wide undulating ridge with a considerable distance left to climb before I could reach the top of Wetherlam. An indistinct path brought me up to the summit of my first High Fell on this challenge that is coincidentally not only the smallest High Fell, but also the first high fell I ever climbed, back in 2002 on my second ever day in the Lake District. I have fond memories of Wetherlam where I first saw that wondrous view that can see from the top of a high fell in the Lake District. Turning my back on the views to Helvellyn I headed towards the rest of the Coniston Fells taking the clear path that follows the top of Keld Gill Head bypassing the top of Black Sails, which is neither a Wainwright or high enough to count as a High Fell. Passing Swirl Hawse I climbed Prison Band to reach my second High Fell, Swirl How.

My original plan for this first day saw me descending at this point, however it was only twelve o’clock and the weather, although cold, seemed to be improving. Descending from the top of Broad Slack I crossed the grassy plain of Fairfield before climbing up to my third High Fell, Grey Friars, where, after seeking shelter behind the summit from the cold wind, I had my lunch while gazing out over the southern views. I may have planned to climb this fell the next day, but with views like this I was not about to stop walking. I had planned to descend from Dow Crag to Seathwaite Tarn and from there climb all the way up to Fairfield, but now that I could see it I didn’t fancy the long, pathless and futile descent, in either direction. Instead, after eating, I wrapped up against the bitterly cold wind and crossed the top of Grey Friars down to Fairfield where I took a convenient little path that crosses the slopes of Swirl How. This path was a lot more pleasant than it had been on Grey Friars as it was sheltered from the wind and brought me to the main path that came down Swirl Band to Levers Hawse and up the ridge to reach the top of Brim Fell, High Fell number four.

Dropping down the steep western slopes of Brim Fell I picked up the clear path that comes down from the Old Man and followed this craggy path across Goat’s Hawse up to the airy rock pinnacle at the top of Dow Crag. This summit is a little unnerving for someone like me who is uneasy in exposed locations, but it is an awesome place to stand. I was making up my route as I went on this walk and I still wasn’t sure of my next step. Should I descend from Dow Crag to the Walna Scar Road and leave the Old Man for the next day? Considering that it was still quite early I turned around and descended the craggy path back to Goat’s Hawse and from there I climbed the clear path all the way up to the top of the Old Man of Coniston. The weather at this point was sensational since I was sheltered from the cold winds and basking in the warm sunshine. The views across the Coniston Fells were amazing with the rest of the Lake District beyond looking fabulous in the sunshine. This is exactly what I had come to the Lake District to experience and I was excited at the idea of having another two weeks to enjoy it. I was overwhelmed by the sensational views before me and the prospect of great walking for the rest of my holiday in this walker’s paradise.

I did not want this walk to end, but I had run out of fells, so after gazing out over the view for ages and after taking loads of pictures I eventually left the summit heading south onto another route that Wainwright never mentioned. Instead he eulogises over a path that is a “delightful, well-graded and ingenious route” but no longer exists due to the re-opening of Bursting Stone Quarry. I think this south ridge route was developed by people looking for something similar to Wainwright’s south-eastern ascent route and they have done a very good job. A faint path descends the long southern slopes with amazing views stretching all the way to Morecombe Bay before I turned east on a wonderful route across the slopes to eventually reach the Walna Scar Road at Boo Tarn. With plenty of time left I had a wander around the ruins of the Coniston Coppermines to make the most of this glorious day in the fabulous Coniston Fells. Despite the cold wind, the sunshine more than made up for the cold temperatures and when sheltered from the wind it was glorious. I wished I could have stayed on these high fells as long as possible and made the most of the sunshine, but I had made good progress on my challenge having reached the summit of six High Fells just on my first fabulous day.