October Walks Outing No. 314

Our next walking will be on

Saturday 9th October

and will be from 

Coniston in Cumbria

we last visited Coniston in May 2007

 Furness Fell looking across the bowling green and the tennis court.

Looking along the lake

Quite a few years ago at the top!

The vast bulk of Coniston Old Man dominates Coniston village. Its flanks are scarred by huge slate quarries, two currently being worked. The combination of scenic grandeur with Victorian prosperity brought several eminent characters to Coniston. John Ruskin, the artist, writer and social reformer, lived at Brantwood, with its superlative views of the Old Man. His neighbour the historian Collingwood had four grandchildren who were taught to sail on Coniston Water by Arthur Ransome, inspiring the writing of Swallows and Amazons. While the Old Man is an objective of pilgrimage for most fit visitors to Coniston, there are numerous walks at all levels to thrill and excite walkers of all levels of fitness.

 More information about Coniston

There will be 3 walks;

• A Walk led by; Tommy Ryder
• B Walk led by; John Hanney
• C Walk led by; Les Gibson

A Party Walk from Coniston

Walk Leader: Tommy Ryder

Total Distance: 9 mls approx

Total Ascent/Descent:3000ft

Proposed route

Starting with our first part of the walk from Coniston the walk passes the slate quarries and heads towards the higher ground of Coniston old man. The summit looks over the most fantastic views even showing the English coastal positions. The walk is a little less strenuous than walking directly towards the Old Man of Coniston, However this is not an easy walk and at times can be quite challenging, in that an obvious accent to the summit will be more gradual but steep. The sensible advice of warm and waterproof clothing and walking boot/shoes is strongly advised with packed lunch for a stop at a pleasant strategic position.


Leaving from Coniston by the tourist information centre we pass the road at the side of the Black bull pub ( Not Walton vale Liverpool!) and via right up to the YCA house. Keeping the house on the right and Levers water reservior on the left, Follow the track to Swirl House, and then turn and head for the summit of Coniston. Keeping Levers water on the left and low water head down past disused quarries, This is the winding track back to Coniston 

Guess where this is!

B Walk from Coniston

Walk Leader: John Hanney
Total Distance: 7 mls
Total Ascent/Descent:1270ft

B Party route to Tarn Hows

 
The walk to Tarn Hows includes part of the Cumbria Way and soon reaches a renovated stone building which houses information boards. A steady climb through Back Guards plantation and Tarn Hows wood, andwith kissing gates, affords romantic opportunities. Tarn Hows cottage is passed before reaching the highest point overlooking Tarn Hows. 

Tarn Hows

The undulating anticlockwise walk round the tarn is about 1 ½ miles. From the tarn outflow, the path down Tom Gill follows a series of waterfalls and the path is rocky, tree rooted and steep in places. 

Tom Ghyl Falls after recent heavy rain

A short main road walk to Yew Tree Farm leads to the footpath back to Coniston. The height climbed is 880 ft.

Tarn Hows reflections

C Walk from Coniston

Walk Leader: Les Gibson

Total Distance: 6.5 mls

Total Ascent/Descent: 400ft

C Party Route - Click to enlarge

 
This 6.5 mile walk has lots of variety, beautiful lakeside walking, accompanied by some fantastic scenery, giving many photographic opportunities.

Approaching the lake at the start of the walk

We start by walking from the car park down to the lakeside to enjoy our morning coffee/tea and toasted teacakes etc. ( there are toilets in the car park and the cafe by the lakeside ) while at the cafe, enjoy the atmosphere of the steam boats, yachts, and small motor launches going to and from the jetties.

Sunny Bank Jetty

A Nice view point

After leaving the cafe we walk along the lakeside with some breathtaking scenery, passing Coniston Hall, continuing on to Torver-Common wood, where we make a steady climb past Brackenbarrow farm, through a lovely wooded area to an old defunct railway line making our way back to Coniston, again taking in the scenery from a higher level.
There are no stiles, only 'kissing' type gates, all easy to pass through.

Through the woods alongside the lake

A Walk up Red Screes

Red Screes from Ambleside (Fell Club)

Click on the picture to see them all.

C Walk photo's at Ambleside

'C' Walk approaching High Sweden Bridge for lunch stop

after lunch climb view from Low Sweden Bridge

All seemed to really enjoy the walk. joan

Photographs by Joan

Our next walking will be on

Saturday 11th September

and will be from 

Ambleside, Cumbria

Ambleside, at the head of Windermere and the foot of the
Kirkstone Pass, lies in the very heart of the Lake District,
with easy access to Grasmere, Keswick, Windermere
and the Langdales. A vibrant, busy town, surrounded
by magnificent Lakeland fells, it is the ideal location for
a rural break. Although Ambleside has its roots in the
medieval woollen trade, it is predominantly a Victorian
town, built of dark grey slate.

Ambleside’s history reaches back at least as far as Roman
times. At nearby Waterhead the Romans built a stone fort on
a trade route through South Lakeland (now in Borrans Field).
Medieval Ambleside had a thriving woollen industry centred on
the fast flowing Stock Ghyll which powered the fulling mills
that pounded the newly woven cloth. When the town was
granted a market charter in 1650, the Market Place became the
commercial centre for agriculture and the wool trade. The 17th
and 18th centuries were a major period of rebuilding, initiated by
yeoman farmers and landowners made wealthy by the profits of
the woollen trade. Many houses date from this period, notably
at the pretty village of Troutbeck nearby. One particularly fine
example, Townend 1 , is owned by the National Trust (open
March–October).

The iconic Bridge House 2 is a tiny house over Stock Beck
in the centre of the town and one of the most photographed
buildings in the Lake District. Originally built as an apple store
by the Braithwaites of Ambleside Hall in 1723, the building is
now owned by the National Trust and is open daily from Easter
to October.

As a gateway to the spectacular Langdale Valley, Ambleside is
deservedly popular, both with leisure visitors wanting a relaxing
break and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a challenge. The town
offers easy access to a range of water sports, walks, climbs
and cycle routes, and has plenty of great pubs and cafés. It
also has a wonderful literary and artistic heritage, which can be
explored in the town’s galleries and museum.

Ambleside’s specialist retailers offer everything from outdoor
clothing to interior design. Other shops specialise in unique pieces
inspired by the landscape, including slate ornaments, watercolour
paintings and pottery – look out for the Made in Cumbria logo,

which shows you are supporting local craftspeople.

More information about Ambleside here;

We last visited Ambleside in September 2007

There will be three walks;

• A Walk led by; Jenny Matthias
• B Walk led by; Keith Scott
• C Walk led by; Joan and Shirley

Walking at Ambleside


Tourist Board Site on Ambleside


Weather Forecast for Ambleside here: