Beaten By The Old Man

I left home at 5.45am for the 120 mile drive to Coniston. Dawn broke on a rather breezy cold Cumbria.
The weather forecast was giving gusts of 50mph and a wind chill factor of around -20 but mostly clear in the southwest of the park, with occasional snow showers. so I was quite optermistic of some good views from up high.

My plan was to bag Wetherlam, Swirl How, Great Carr and if the going was good, Brim Fell and the Old Man himself.

Parking at the Coniston tourist information centre initially, until I realised it would cost £9 for the day, so I quickly moved the car to the nearby Ruskin Ave for free.

I decided to take on Wetherlam first, and set off just before 9:00am crossing the bridge in the village, up to the Sun Inn then following Church Beck taking the route along the Coppermine Valley and Red Dell.

Church Beck waterfall

Looking back down the path towards Coniston

A view of the Old Man Of Coniston, and the YMCA standing at the foot.

The path up the valley follows Red Dell Beck and is a steady climb,

This route was working out well, as the wind forecast for the day was building steadily, so while I was in the valley I got some protection.
At 300 metres the accumulating water flowing off Black Sails and surrounding crags started to freeze, making the path and large areas a skating rink.

With microspikes on, the ice was no longer a problem, but the wind was starting to pick up

Red Dell Beck and a part frozen waterfall

Reaching the snowline at about 400 metres, the bitterly cold wind was getting stronger, snow showers had begun and I was in need of a sit down for a hot drink. and a bite to eat. 

I'd found the going tough through the boggy valley, then ice, and now frozen snow

Slurping hot vimto, and munching a chicken barm with a boiled egg, I sat on a rock, cushioned by my home made mat, looking back down the valley and Coniston water in the distance.

My gloves only came off for a couple of minutes, just to sort my pack out, putting food and flask away, but it was surprising just how quickly my hands started to get cold in the wind. 

At the head of the valley I took the steep route up to Red Dell Head Moss.

The snow surface was frozen but soft snow underneath, so each step would either stand my weight or crash through or it would be the next step, I wouldn't know until the snow was halfway up my shins, having dropped 15cm or so.

Wetherlam summit area was almost down to zero visibility with it snowing and low cloud, I don't think the gusting wind got to 50mph as forecast, but it wasn't far off that speed.

Just to give an idea of the conditions at 760m, on Red Dell Head Moss this was three directions of view, in wind I could only just stand up in and sub zero temperatures, I did wonder what the hell I was doing here all alone, but I was loving the challenge and the small risk.

I believe there are few paths here without snow, but certainly none to be found today, and it did take a few minutes to find the summit as it would appear to have a few lumps and bumps.     The going was much harder than expected and it had taken almost 3 hours to get to the summit.

I knew at this point the plan needed changing, as I'd just got behind time on the route, but rather than return down the valley, I headed for Swirl Hawse along Keld Gill Head on much firmer frozen snow.

This was the first sign of life up here today, footprints before me.

I sat looking up at what I could see of Prison Band at Swirl Hawse having dropped out of the cloud. At this point in the day I had about 2 hours walk (for me) back to Coniston from here which would take the days walk to 8.5 miles. I felt climbing 'Prison Band' for Swirl How and Great Carrs would just take too long in the weather conditions, there wouldn't be a view, and I didn't fancy a decent in the dark, plus I was knackered. That climb up the valley really took it out of me.

So reluctantly I headed for Levers Water while looking over me was a stunning Old Man of Coniston.

A last look back at Church Beck and the Old Man

I was back in the village of Coniston a little earlier than planned, so decided to skip an evening meal, and head the 120 miles home before night fall.