The Old Man of Coniston Route Information

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The Old Man of Coniston

Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

1085 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

4 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

10.53 km

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

96	Barrow-in-Furness & South Lakeland

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A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

A circular route on broad ridges and disused slate miners’ tracks, which traverses the summit and the 1-metre-lower subsidiary top of Swirl How. Part of route near crags..

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Coniston

From Coniston park off A593 near town centre on W side of Church Beck.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,085 metres. Allow 4 hours to complete this 10.53 km route.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Park in Coniston on west side of Church Beck.
		SD30109757	Distance	Altitude 66 m

1	Follow minor road then bridleway NW beside Church Beck, up to old miners’ bridge.
		SD29379807	Distance 0.93 km	Altitude 155 m

2	Ascend winding path W to Low Water tarn
		SD27589821	Distance 1.92 km	Altitude 550 m

3	Ascend zigzag path SW to summit of The Old Man of Coniston
		SD27259779	Distance 0.68 km	Altitude 803 m

4	Follow ridge N to the North Top
		SD27049859	Distance 0.86 km	Altitude 775 m

5	Descend N to Levers Hawse (col).
		SD27049945	Distance 0.88 km	Altitude 682 m

6	Ascend winding ridge NE to Great How Crags (Or descend E to Levers Water for a shorter option).
		SD27279994	Distance 0.57 km	Altitude 760 m

7	Continue ascending NNW on ridge
		NY27190022	Distance 0.29 km	Altitude 775 m

8	Climb N to the summit of Swirl How
		NY27250054	Distance 0.30 km	Altitude 802 m

9	Descend NE to Swirl Hawse (col).
		NY27810074	Distance 0.61 km	Altitude 618 m

10	Follow path SSE down valley to Levers Water Reservoir, remaining East of outflow stream.
		SD28179921	Distance 1.61 km	Altitude 412 m

11	Continue on track SE to Youth Hostel then by road to old miners’ bridge
		SD29429812	Distance 1.79 km	Altitude 177 m

12	Cross bridge and follow ascent route back to Coniston
		SD30109757	Distance 0.09 km	Altitude 66 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Cumbrian Fells
by MWIS (PDF format)

Lake District
by Met Office

Coniston Old Man
by Metcheck

Images of The Old Man of Coniston

The Old Man of Coniston seen from Dow Crag, with Goat's Water below.

Image by David S Brown

View across Levers Hawse (col) to Swirl How, from Brim Fell.

Image by David S Brown

Birds-eye view from the top of The Old Man of Coniston, showing Low Water and the zigzag ascent path. Levers Water, with Wetherlam beyond, seen in the distance.

Image by David S Brown

Brim Fell (rounded), with The Old Man of Coniston beyond on left and Dow Crag on right, seen from above Great How crags, Swirl How.

Image by David S Brown

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

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Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

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