Coniston Fells
Distance: 8.5 miles (13.5km)
Ascent: 1105 metres
Start/finish: Sun Hotel, Coniston
Set off on the footpath beside the pub to the bridge over Church Beck. Don’t cross but stay on the path following the beck, which then bears to the L west to the path junction with the Walna Scar route at Crowberry Haws. Continue up the path through old mine workings and to the south of Low Water to reach the summit and trig point on the Old Man of Coniston (2.4 miles/3.9km). Take the path north along the ridge over the 796m cairn, above Little and then Great How Crags and onto the Swirl Band to the summit of Swirl How. Turn R and follow the Prison Band north-east down to Swirl Hawse then up, and trending R, to Weatherlam. Head south-east above Hen Tor and Hen Crag and down to a small tarn then continue south down the fell to join the bigger path in Hole Rake. Turn R and follow it down past the old mining works to the large track in the Church Beck valley. Turn L onto this down then across the bridge to join the outbound route. Turn L to return to Coniston.