Dow Crag

When does summer end and autumn begin? Well for me, the August Bank Holiday signals the start of the transition between the seasons. September is the end of the school holidays and the prospect of a busy time at work is on the horizon. So the Bank Holiday weekend is the last shout of summer, but also a time when everywhere is busy, the motorways are jammed and half the rail network is shut down due to engineering works. So definitely not a time to be heading out. This year, though, I managed to extend the Bank Holiday by a couple of days and book a place in the Youth Hostel in Coniston. So on the Tuesday, when most people were back in work I took the direct train to Windermere and then caught the bus (an entertaining ride between Ambleside and Coniston on little wiggly roads encountering cars – how the driver didn’t hit them I’ll never know!). It took longer than it would if I’d driven, but I enjoyed being able to look out of the window and appreciate the scenery for once.

I arrived in Coniston about 12:30 and set out on the walk I’d planned, by passing the Old Man and heading up Dow Crag. The village was busy but I was soon away from the crowds, setting up across the fields that would take me up to the Walna Scar Road. I had thought I might follow the shore of Coniston Water down to Torver and cut up from there, a route I’d fancied trying for a little while, but I wanted to get to the hostel around 6 o’clock and I reckoned that would take me a little too long to achieve that objective.

Crossing the field of Belted Galloway cattle – there was a bull at the other end of the field!

Looking towards the Coniston Fells

and back down to Coniston Water

On the Walna Scar Road

Reaching the old track, about a mile after the quarry car park, I carried on climbing gradually and the Dow Crag ridge with Brown Pike and Buck Pike came into view .

I turned off a short distance before the Torver Bridge taking the path towards Goat’s Water and Goat’s Hawse. As I climbed the path, i started to encounter people coming down the path. A popular return leg from Coniston Old Man for those who park up at the Walna Scar Road quarry car park.

I eventually reached the foot of Goat’s Water with Dow Crag, a mighty wall of rock, popular with rock climbers, looming over the tarn.

It’s a tricky walk along the shore of the tarn, over the boulders. The ascent up to the Hawse started at the top of the tarn.

Looking back to Goat’s Water from the top of the Hawse

over to Dow Crag

and over to the north west I could see the Scafells, although the summit of the Pike was obscured by cloud

Looking over to Swirl How and Grey Friar

and looking to the east, there’s the Old Man

It was a grey afternoon and I could see rain falling over to the east and also over the Scafells. I was keeping my fingers crossed it wouldn’t blow over and although there were a few drops, it never really started to rain over my chosen route.

Looking across Goat’s Water down to Coniston Water. Looks like it’s raining over Grizedale forest.

I stopped for a short while for a bite to eat and then started my climb up towards Dow Crag

Dow crag is the first of three summits on a ridge to the west of Goat’s Water. It consists of steep, rocky crags that plummet down to the bottom of the valley, the west side is a much gentler slope. It’s a much quieter along this ridge than on the old Man. There was a couple taking the same route but that was it, although I saw a walker and three mountain bikers coming the other way after I’d reached Brown Pike.

Approaching the rocky summit of Dow Crag

Looking back to Swirl How and Grey Friar

and across to the Old Man.

Getting over the summit of Dow Crag is a bit tricky but it’s easy walking after that.

A good view down to Coniston Water opened up. Definitely some rain falling over that way

After the summit I passed the steep gullies beloved of “crag rats”. They’d be a quick way down but that’s not exactly advisable!

can you spot the “crag rat”?

zooming in

I couldn’t help keep looking back towards the Scafells

The next summit along the ridge was Buck Pike. After crossing over the summit I could see down to Blind Tarn. It got its name as it has no apparent inflow or outflow

As usual, there were quite a few Herdies up on the fell

The summit of Brown Pike where I met another walker tackling the ridge from the opposite direction

Starting my descent down Brown Pike, the last of the three summits

I was soon back on the Walna Scar Road heading down towards Coniston

There’s the Torver Bridge

Carrying on I eventually reached the Walna Scar Quarry car park. They’d done it up a bit since the last time I was there and had started charging. A lot of people start their ascent of the Old Man from here, where they’re already getting on for 200 metres above the lake saving some climbing.

This was the view over to the fells.

After the car park I was walking on tarmac for a while, before taking a path down towards MIner’s Bridge at the bottom end of Copper MIne Valley.

Looking down to Coniston village

The view along Copper Mine Valley

After crossing over the Miner’s Bridge, I followed the track down towards Coniston

looking back to the bridge

and then took the path along Yewdale, passing the hostel and then doubling back to check in. It was about 6;30 pm, only a little later than planned.

This time I’d reserved one of their land pods – a kind of cross between a pod and a tent. I think they look like some sort of alien spaceship – but I didn’t end up getting abducted!

A Coniston Round

Last Friday I managed to get out again for a walk. This time I decided to go up to Coniston with the intention of climbing Dow Crag and then on to the Old Man of Coniston. I ended up walking a little further than that!

I parked up in the village and then cut across the fields to join the Walna Crag road just after the old quarry car park.

I crossed the old pack horse bridge after which the path started to steepen

My first objective over to the right!

Dow Crag is at the end of a ridge with two other peaks – Brown Pike and Buck Pike. As I started up towards the first of these there were great views over to nearby fells and valleys – last time I was up here just over 12 months ago I couldn’t see a thing as the fells were covered in low cloud.

I carried on, reaching the top of the pass turning right to start climbing up towards the ridge. Looking west to the Duddon estuary

The Duddon Valley

The Scafells over to the northeast. They would soon be shrouded in cloud.

I carried on along the path towards Buck Pike. Although the east side of the ridge consists of steep, rocky crags that plummet down to the bottom of the valley, the west side is a much gentler slope, so the walking wasn’t difficult .

Looking across to the Old Man

and down to Coniston Water

As I climbed up to Buck Pike, looking down I had a view of Blind Tarn. It got its name as it has no apparent inflow or outflow

Dow Crag ahead.

Unlike during my last walk up here, I could see the rocky crags, a favourite haunt of rock climbers. But none were evident.

Looking down one of the gullies

The summit of Dow Crag is crowned with a pyramid of rocks. Despite my dislike of heights I clambered up carefully, gritting my teeth and being careful not to get too close to the edge – I’m no crag rat!

Looking down I could see Goat’s Water, the large tarn in the valley below

I’d seen a few people as I’d made my way up from Coniston following the same route as me. Some had passed me and raced ahead while with others, walking at a similar pace and occasionally stopping to take in the view (an excuse for a rest?) we kept overtaking each other. As I reached Dow Crag a large party were coming up from the other direction.

After a brief break for a bite to eat I carried on. The path initially descends to Goats Hawse before climbing up to The Old Man. Last time I’d descended down into the valley and then back to Coniston but this time I carried on climbing. There were plenty of people coming down the other way, most taking the path down to Goat’s Water.

Looking back to Dow Crag from the hawse

and down to Goat’s Water

Climbing the path up the Old Man from the Hawse – I could see a lot of people ahead.

It was very busy on the summit. The route up to the Old Man from Coniston is very popular. It wasn’t as crowded as when I’d climbed Snowdon a few weeks ago – there isn’t a train! – but there were plenty of people who’d made it to the top.

I stopped for a while to take in the view and snap a few photos. The weather was improving as the cloud that had been threatening was clearing.

Looking down to Coniston and Coniston Water

Copper Mine Valley

Down to Low Water

The cloud hadn’t cleared from the Scafells

Dow Crag

Looking along Brim Fell and the path to Swirl How

My original plan had been to descend down the “tourist path” to Coniston and have a brew in a cafe, but with the weather being so good and the fells looking so inviting, I decided to carry on along the ridge over Brim Fell to Swirl How and then descend down via Lever’s Water.

I didn’t have to walk too far from the summit to get away from the crowds. Very few people were straying this way or coming from the opposite direction.

Looking down to Lever’s water

and, on the other side of the ridge, down to Seathwaite Tarn.

It had taken less than an hour to reach the summit.

Time to take in the views!

The cloud had cleared from the Scafells by now.

Looking over Lingmoor and Little Langdale (where I’d walked the previous week) towards the Helvelyn range and the Fairfield Horseshoe.

Looking back along the ridge to Brim Fell and the Old Man

and then there was Weatherlam, the last fell on the ridge.

I didn’t quite have the summit to myself, but almost. I chatted to another, younger, walker who had been following the same route as myself and there were a couple of other walkers taking various routes. But it was very peaceful compared to the Old Man.

With the weather so good – it’s rare to get such a good day in the Lakes – it looked very inviting, so another change of plan. I had to descend down the “Prison Band” which is a slightly tricky route, to Swirl Hawse and had then intended to follow the path down to Lever’s Water and then down Coppermine Valley back to Coniston. Instead, I decided to carry on and tackle Wetherlam to complete the round.

Loooking towards Little Langdale , Pike o’ Blisco and the Langdale Pikes from the hawse

Onwards and upwards to Wetherlam

I passed a mother with her two young sons coming up the Prison Band as I was descending and an older couple with their dog coming from Wetherlam and when I reached the summit I met the young man who I’d been talking to on Swirl How. But that was it.

Here a a few photos of the views from the summit of Wetherlam. They just got better as the day went on!

Looking across to the Old Man

I took the path heading southwards along the ridge of the fell which descends fairly gradually towards the Yewdale fells, turning down Hole Rake to Coppermine Valley and then back to Coniston. It’s a fair walk, about two and a half miles to the village

There were outstanding views to Coniston Water

The path down Coppermine Valley

Looking back up the valley towards the fells.

By the time I made it back to the village, all the cafes had closed for the day. The pubs were open, of course, but were very busy with lots of people sitting outside enjoying the sunshine.

It had been probably the longest walk I’d done for a long. I gone a lot further than I’d originally intended, but when the going is good, the good keep going! And I’d thoroughly enjoyed it.

And I hadn’t quite finished. When I’m in Coniston I have to go and have a look at the lake. Especially on such a sunny evening.

Dow Crag

Breakfast on the morning of the second day of my break in Coniston and the rain had gone. The weather forecast threatened it would return mid to late afternoon so straight after breakfast I packed my rucksack and made an early start.  I’d decided to walk over Dow (pronounced Doe) Crag, a mountain with towering crags beloved by “crag rats” (rock climbers) but which has a gentler side for the less adventurous. It’s on the opposite side of a col from The Old Man of Coniston with a large tarn, Goat Water, in the bottom of the valley.

I walked through Coniston village and set off up Walna Scar road, an old track that connects Coniston and Seathwaite and would have originally been used by pack horses transporting slate from the many quarries in the fells. Today the first section is a narrow metalled road leading up to a car park in an old quarry. Used by many walkers to save some climbing. I, however, was walking up and it was hard work as it was very steep before levelling off.

I passed through the car park and continued on along what was now a rough track. I was soon up on the lonely fells and on my way up only saw two other people – both fell runners – one running in each direction.

Climbing up towards the summit of the pass I crossed over the beck taking water from Goat Water tarn down to the valley via this attractive little stone bridge (listed as Torver Bridge on the OS map).

I had a good view over to Dow Crag by now, but could see low cloud starting to threaten.

I carried on, reaching the top of the pass turning right to start climbing up towards the ridge when, sure enough, the cloud rolled in.

The path took me up towards a ridge with several summits – Brown Pike, Buck Pike and, finally, Dow Crag itself. A good walk and although the east side of the ridge consists of steep, rocky crags that plummet down to the bottom of the valley, the west side is a much gentler slope. So the walking wasn’t too difficult but for the entire period of my traverse I was in low cloud and visibility was poor. However, the path was well defined so there was minimal chance of getting lost or falling over the edge of the crags.

On a fine day there would have been excellent views over towards the Old Man and the other fells, but I could hardly see a thing!

I descended down into Goat’s Hawse and out of the cloud. And, for short while, the cloud lifted from Dow Crag

and the Old Man.

Looking down to Goats Water

However, the tops of the other nearby  fells were still shrouded in mist

I was tempted to climb up the path to the summit of the Old Man, but I’d be up there the next day so took the path down into the valley and then along the east shore of Goat’s Water. Looking back I could see that the cloud had returned, covering the top of Dow Crag and the Old Man.

As I descended good views down to Coniston Water opened up

Reaching the Walna Scar Road and set off back down towards Coniston.

On reaching the car park, rather than retrace my route down the metalled road I cut across country descending through the fields towards Consiton Water.

Looking back across to the fells where the cloud was starting to lift.

I cut across to Bowhamstead, a small hamlet to the south of Coniston Village, then walked across the fields to the Jetty

where I stopped for a brew at the Bluebird Cafe.

Oh, and a slice of cake.

I rested for a while looking over the lake then set back to Sheperd’s Bridge. I hadn’t been back long when the “promised” rain arrived, a couple of hours later than forecast.  So  although it was a grey day and visibility was poor on the top, (so not so good for photos), it was a good walk.