Old Man of Coniston

About Old Man of Coniston

The Old Man of Coniston stands as one of the Lake District's most iconic and accessible peaks, dominating the skyline above Coniston village and its namesake lake. At 803 metres, it ranks amongst the higher southern fells, yet its true distinction lies not merely in elevation but in the extraordinary industrial heritage scarred across its slopes. Eight centuries of copper, slate, nickel and cobalt mining have transformed this mountain into an open-air museum of Lakeland's industrial past, where every climb weaves through the ghosts of quarries, mines and abandoned machinery.

Alfred Wainwright captured the mountain's character beautifully: "Although cruelly scarred and mutilated by quarries, the Old Man has retained a dignified bearing and still raises his proud and venerable head to the sky. His tears are shed quietly into Low Water and Goats Water, two splendid tarns, whence, in due course... find their way into Coniston's lake, and there bathe his ancient feet."

Despite—or perhaps because of—its industrial wounds, the Old Man has become one of the Lake District's most popular ascents. Wainwright noted that "there are few days when the Old Man does not play host to visitors and in summer the blazed path to the top carries processions of pedestrians young and old, and there is often a noisy congregation at the summit."

Industrial Heritage

The Old Man's mining history stretches back approximately 800 years, making it one of the most extensively worked mountains in England. Coniston copper mines are reputed to be amongst Britain's largest, with a vertical distance of around 610 metres. The area, shared with neighbouring Brim Fell and Wetherlam, was particularly active during the latter half of the 19th century, extracting copper, nickel, cobalt, malachite, chalcopyrite, iron pyrites and arsenopyrite. The mines and quarries now constitute a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Slate quarrying eventually replaced copper mining as the primary industry. The Old Man slate quarries, believed to have started in the 12th and 13th centuries, became some of England's largest. By the 1500s, quarries working silver-grey volcanic slate were well established. Major workings included Low Water Quarry near the summit (opencast extraction), Scald Kop Quarry (a large cavern formed from surface extraction), and Saddlestone Quarry (underground 'caves'). One quarry, Bursting Stone, continues operating today, producing distinctive olive-green slate.

The evidence of this frenetic activity becomes immediately apparent to walkers. At Miners Bridge, roughly 400 metres up the valley from Coniston, stands a terrace of old mining cottages, with more buildings beyond—one now converted to a youth hostel. Throughout the ascent, remnants of pulley systems, building foundations, machinery and vast mounds of slate spoil create an atmospheric industrial landscape that makes this climb unique amongst Lake District fells.

The Classic Route

The most popular approach starts from either Coniston village or, more commonly, from Walna Scar Car Park at the end of the metalled section of Walna Scar Road. Starting from the car park provides a significant head start, avoiding an unnecessarily steep initial climb up a narrow lane from the village.

From the car park, a gravel and rock track heads northwest, initially gentle and easy underfoot for the first kilometre before steepening considerably and becoming rough. The track winds through old quarry workings—abandoned buildings lending an eerie atmosphere in poor weather—before reaching Low Water. This corrie tarn, nestled beneath the northern face of the Old Man and cradled between it and Raven's Tor, was historically dammed to provide water for quarries. All its water now cascades via dramatic falls into the Coppermines Valley.

From Low Water, the path zigzags steeply southward up the final slopes—a sustained pull that tests legs and lungs. A few steep steps and loose ground sections punctuate the ascent, but nothing technically difficult. At the top of the zigzags, the path bears right to the summit cairn and unique trig point—a combined slate platform and cairn marking the fell's highest point.

The Summit Experience

The extensive summit platform offers commanding views on clear days. Morecambe Bay stretches southward, with Blackpool Tower visible on the Lancashire coast and even the Isle of Man on exceptional days. Winter Hill in the Pennines appears eastward, whilst westward views encompass the Duddon Valley. Perhaps the highlight is the dramatic close-up of Dow Crag's imposing crags. Much of the southern Lake District spreads before you—a panorama well worth the effort expended.

Ridge Extensions

Ambitious walkers can extend the basic out-and-back route into magnificent ridge walks. The classic Coniston Round links multiple Wainwrights: the Old Man connects easily northward to Brim Fell, then Swirl How, with possibilities to include Grey Friar, Great Carrs and Wetherlam. This extended horseshoe can bag up to seven Wainwrights in a single day—a serious undertaking rewarded with constantly changing perspectives and dramatic mountain scenery.

Alternatively, a shorter circular route ascending via the Old Man can descend via Goat's Water to the west—an elongated tarn approximately 15 metres deep containing trout and char, enclosed by high ground and exiting south through a boulder field.

Literary Connections

The Old Man of Coniston inspired Arthur Ransome's fictional 'Kanchenjunga'—the mountain climbed by the Swallows and Amazons in the novel Swallowdale. This literary association adds another layer of cultural significance to a peak already steeped in industrial and social history.

Route Variants

Whilst the via Low Water route represents the classic approach, alternatives include: the south ridge from Walna Scar Road, the path to Goat's Water (also from Walna Scar Road), approaches from Torver, or the more circuitous route from Seathwaite in the Duddon Valley via Dow Crag. Each offers different perspectives on this multifaceted mountain.

The Walna Scar Road itself—a public restricted byway crossing the southern slopes—was originally the trade route between Coniston village and Duddon Valley settlements, adding historical depth to any journey across these fells.