The Coniston fells

We hadn't been doing much walking recently, largely due to the low cloud-base - I'm not one for walking in the clouds, my navigation is not up to it, and the views are somewhat limited. So I was a bit worried when we turned up in Coniston village on a day when good visibility was forecast - and not a fell-top was visible! Having got that far, however, we set off more in hope than expectation, and lo! the clouds parted before us, as you will see. This was a tour of all the Coniston Wainwrights, and a great day it turned out to be! And my camera worked, unlike the previous walk, so...

here are the pictures (click on any picture for a larger version):

	We encountered this array of pipes just outside Coniston village, on the way to Miners' Bridge. They look like storm drains to me, anyone have any better ideas?
The becks were still pretty full after the recent rains. This is Levers Water Beck, just by Miners' Bridge.
	Looking up towards Red Dell and the old copper mines. No high fells to be seen...
The view back down towards the village, from one of the old mines.
	Further up Red Dell.
The first top, Wetherlam, at 2500 ft - and the clouds are in retreat! Even a streak of blue sky...
	And we could see even higher, up to the Coniston ridge where we were going. Swirl How is at the top of the climb, with Coniston Old Man around to the left.
From Wetherlam you drop down first to Swirl Hause, where you catch sight of Levers Water. The climb to Swirl How is on the right.
	The view south from the top of Swirl How towards the Old Man.
The impressive cairn at the top of Swirl How.
	To the north of Swirl How is the top of Great Carrs, from where you get this view down to Little Langdale Tarn, in the far distance. Wetherlam is on the right.
Here is Sophie at the top of Grey Friar, which is off to the west of the Coniston ridge, visible in the background. The pointed fell is Dow Crag (soon to be visited).
	The view to the north-west of Grey Friar, straight up Mosedale to the Scafell range on the left.
And further round to the west is Harter Fell.
	We are now back on the Coniston ridge, travelling from Swirl How south. This is the view over Levers Water from Great How. Coniston Water is in the distance.
Looking west from the ridge down to Seathwaite Tarn, with Harter Fell in the background.
	The ridge in retrospect: the furthest point is Great Carrs, then Swirl How, then Great How and Little How. We are near the top of Brim Fell, the next stop.
The top of Brim Fell, with Coniston Old Man not far away.
	The view down towards Coniston Water from Brim Fell.
Approaching the Old Man, you see the path up from the village. Heavily used, and today the top was seething...
	Looking back along the ridge from the Old Man.
The monster construction at the summit of the Old Man. Sophie has been trumped...
	The impressive ramparts of Dow Crag, with Goat's Water down below. Dow Crag was where Harry Griffin, who wrote a column about the Lakes for the Guardian for over 50 years, climbed as a youngster. Read "The Coniston Tigers" for suggestions on how to spend your youth.
We declined the opportunity to climb Dow Crag's crags, approaching instead from the right of the previous picture. But the top of Dow Crag is quite a scramble, and Sophie is looking pretty pleased with her accomplishment. The Old Man is in the background.
	One of the precipitous gullies on the northern side of Dow Crag.
We dropped off the ridge beyond Dow Crag, down to Blind Tarn. The way back, Walna Scar Road, is just down to the left.
	Dow Crag, to the right, and Buck Pike from the Walna Scar Road.
Nearing Coniston village now, you can see Wetherlam, on the right, and Swirl How on the left.

If you would like to sponsor me and Sophie in our quest to walk all the Wainwrights for the Great North Air Ambulance Service, please click here - and thank you for your generosity!