10km - 747m Ascent - 2 Wainwright Summits
A short mountain run with enough climb to hurt the legs, or a half day walk that will provide stunning views, an opportunity for a swim after all your hard work, and that sense of satifsfaction that naturally accompanies reaching not one, but two Wainwright summits.
Instructions:
Your walk should start from Walna Scar Car Park. I say should, but if you are staying in the village, you may prefer to walk up the hill rather than drive and park in what can be a very busy car park. There are a couple of options for this but I wouldn't recommend heading straight up the road - there is a footpath that joins at another point on the route - this is very clear on an OS Map (I recommend downloading the app, subscribing for the year and downloading the map of this area before you set off).
From the car park, you want to head West to continue along Walna Scar Road. The first couple of kilometers will see you skirt gently uphill around the base of the Old Man of Coniston, the second and higher summit on this walk. For now, enjoy the gentle gradient and views that start with an elevated perspective on Coniston Water and eventually extend out to Morecambe Bay and the West Coast of Cumbria as enough elevation is gained.
Keep following the main track, keeping the Old Man on your right, for just under two kilometers. At this point, you will have to make your first obvious choice of path. Branching off to the right is a path which takes you up past Goat's Water and towards the pass between Dow Crag and the Old Man. This is a good option if you are feeling tired or not up for the full circuit - but it is not the route we will take in this walk. You want to take the left fork (the clear track that you have been following since the start) which leads towards Torver Bridge.
As you reach and cross the beautiful Torver Bridge you will notice that you can see where the climbing starts to ramp up towards the ridge, a series of hairpins visible on the track ahead. Stop and have a drink and a breather if you need it - it's a great spot for a photo. Then lift up that rucksack again and prepare for the climbing to begin.
Keep following Walna Scar Road all the way to the pass between Walna Scar (to your left) and Brown Pike (to your right and where you are heading next). This pass can be windy, but on a calm and clear day is an absolute treat for the eyes. Suddenly, your proximity to the west coast becomes clear as large areas of coastline become visible. Sweeping around to the right you see the dramatic peaks of the more northerly southern fells (and beyond) and further round still, at 90 degrees to the right of the track you have been following so far, is the path you will take up on to the ridge. Though the path looks steep, from here it is a short sharp climb (with clear and stable footing the whole way) to the top of the ridge. So, try to enjoy it, and keep in mind that you will have done the majority of today's climbing when you reach the top.
Brown Pike Summit 682m. The first summit of your climb, bravo, enjoy! There is a shelter here that makes for a great place to stop for a cup of tea, looking over at the Old Man and down at Coniston Water in the valley. This is a real chance to look back on how far you have come. Give yourself a pat on the back, and when you are ready, follow the ridge and clear path along the ridge to the next summit.
Buck Pike Summit 744m. Your second summit of the day. Though the views are great the whole way along this ridge, there is a pleasing symmetry (when looking west) between the summit cairn and pointy Harter Fell in the background. If matching shapes are your thing, then what a treat. If not, then the views across to the Old Man should suffice.
Dow Crag Summit 778m. Your first Wainwright summit of the day - great job! The path skirts the west side of the summit, but for completeness I always like to go a little off-piste at this moment and climb up the rocks to the true summit. This isn't a difficult climb in the slightest, it is very steady underfoot and there is enough room at the top for a couple of people to stand and admire the view. Dropping down behind the summit you can find a few places to sit and admire the view - which on a clear day are breathtaking. The greys and soft greens of the steep slope opposite, the dramatic dark drop down the face of Dow Crag and the vivid blue of Goat's Water down in the valley. It really is a spectacular sight. Drink it in and enjoy.
Having sat on the summit of Dow Crag, you will have noticed the path you have been following descends into a pass between the two ridges, with the option of descending to Goat's Water and returning to the car park if today is not your day, or if you are worried about the time taken to reach this point (this route down is around 1.5km shorter and has less climbing as it is all downhill from this point). If you are still feeling good and strong however, cross straight over the pass and begin your final climb of the day, sticking to the obvious path and following it to the summit cairn which will soon come into view.
Old Man of Coniston Summit 803m. Your second and final Wainwright summit of the day - awesome work! This summit can get busy, so I would recommend walking out on to the Old Man Breast (the gently sloping bit extending towards Coniston Water), finding a quiet spot to sit and take a moment to recover from the climb and reflect on the walk so far.
When you are ready to carry on, it is time to begin the descent. Going in this direction, the path is very clear, but time and care should be taken on this top section as it is particularly steep and in places can be slippery (especially if you are moving fast or if it has been raining). Follow this path all the way down to the tarn, Low Water, where you can look back up to the summit and if it is a warm day, take a dip in the beautifully refreshing (cold if you're not a regular wild swimmer) water. As always be sensible in the water, know your limits etc. But most importantly, enjoy.
After admiring the tarn from whichever direction you want to (personally, I think the best way to view it is from the water) it is time to round off this walk. Start this by heading away from the tarn (again on the obvious path you have been following from the top and descending through the signs of historical mining (of copper and slate). Though the remnants of mining activity may excite you, personally I think the best part of this section of the route are the views down to a minute Coniston village, and more so the views across to Levers Water and the surrounding peaks.
As the path starts to level out, you are faced with your final route choice. If you started at the car park, you want to stay on the main path (this is clear as it is as wide as a track) and follow it as it curves around to the right and passes through two small hillocks, often patrolled by sheep. There are two other path options here, the path breaking off and back on itself at a sharp angle twists off to Levers Water (a lovely addition to see a nice waterfall) and the second option, that forks more gently left but follows the same general direction as the path you have been on, descends all the way to Coniston without needing to walk on the roads. To reiterate, to get to the car park, stay on the main track, bend around to the right, and continue.
This is the final, well paved section of the route. If you are running it is worth giving it full gas back to the carpark as you have over one kilometer of gentle descent to enjoy. If you are walking, just enjoy the steady finish. It won't be long until you can see your car and start to celebrate all that you have achieved and enjoyed. Chapeau.
