TR - Old Man of Coniston via Goat's Water19th September 2020Just a quick photo report of a family walk we did yesterday; my two sons, Tess and I. Weather was glorious, sunny with a cooling breeze, but we were a bit late away, which meant that our plan to park at the Walna Scar Road car park ended in gridlock and frustration! We parked in a handy layby just north of Torver; there were still a few spaces in this and other nearby laybys. Not being able to park at Wlana Scar turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as our Plan B turned out to be a lovely route, pretty quiet lower down, too.
A very short walk along the road took us to the foot of the bridleway that climbs up from Torver to the Walna Scar Road and beyond. We climbed up through woodland and fields into more open country, arriving at an old quarry which had a waterfall tumbling into it. We started meeting more people once we had crossed the Walna Scar Road, but the path around the rugged western shoulder of the Old Man was very pleasant, with dramatic views of Dow Crag ahead - several climbers were at play.
After lunch amongst the boulders at Goat's Water, observing the antics of the climbers, we continued on up to the head of the valley, a steep climb. A stiff breeze was blowing; this kept us cool.
Quite a lot of people on the path from the col, and even more on the summit! But what views!
After the obligatory summit photos, we returned by the same route, not liking the look of the crowded zig zags of the tourist path down to Low Water, and my youngest not fancying a promenade over the ridge to the north, or Dow Crag to the west. Despite returning the same way, I thoroughly enjoyed the descent - it is a lovely route - around 8 miles there and back.
EDIT - the landscape photos can be enlarged by clicking on themhttps://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MzQxNDE5Mw==The bridleway above Torver
First glimpse of the Old Man
Dow Crag and the Old Man of Coniston
A lovely waterfall tumbling into the quarry
Dow Crag - the bracken had turned a gorgeous colour
Dow Crag from our lunchtime stop amongst the boulders
Goat's Water
My sons climbing the steps above Goat's Water
Tess sunning herself on a rock
The crowded summit - what this photo doesn't show is the dozens of people picnicking on the sunny grass slopes just over the brow of the hill
Northwards to Scafell - I had to wait quite a while for the Trig Point to clear of people
Small Water far below, a glimpse of Levers Water too. We didn't fancy the zig zags
Dow Crag with the Isle of Man beyond - look closely!
A last look