Walks from Coniston
The walks you can reach from Coniston — the routes that start within about 5 km, and the Wainwright and Outlying fells within the same radius, ranked nearest first. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Coniston guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
2 of the fells here are rated good to climb on 11 September — see live conditions →
A prediction from our daily fell score, not a guarantee — always check the mountain forecast before you go.
Map
● routes · ● fells within ~5 km
An interactive map of the route start points and the fells within about 5 km. Each marker links to its page; the same routes and fells are listed below.
Walking routes near Coniston
- The Sun Pub Walk (Coniston) 0.1 km away6.4 km~202 m~1.6 hEasy🏞️ EasyA short circuit straight from the door of The Sun, climbing out of Coniston village toward the old Coppermines valley beside Church Beck before dropping back with the Old Man of Coniston at your shoulder and Coniston Water opening up ahead. Around 200 m of gentle climbing over 6.4 km — enough to earn a pint, not enough to spoil one.
- North of Coniston Birketts 0.2 km away7.7 km~458 m~2.3 hModerateThree quiet Birketts on the Yewdale fells north of Coniston — Long Crag, High Wythow and Low Wythow — on a short but steep loop that most walkers pass over for the Old Man across the valley. Moderate for the legs, harder for the map: faint paths and a clear-day-only navigation challenge, rewarded with rarely-trodden tops and a fine view over Coniston Water.
- Coniston Old Man Round 0.2 km away17.4 km~1148 m~5.4 hModerateA satisfying round of the Coniston fells, and a simpler approach to the Old Man than my longer outing. From Coniston it climbs to the Old Man itself, then follows the high ridge over Brim Fell and Swirl How and back over Wetherlam, with Grey Friar an easy extra along the way. You can extend it further by adding Dow Crag. Big views over the southern fells and the sea, old copper-mine history underfoot, and a proper mountain feel without the biggest mileage.
- The Coniston Horseshoe 1.4 km away20.8 km~1279 m~6.3 hThe full Coniston Horseshoe — the grand ~21 km, ~1,280 m round of seven Wainwrights above Coniston: Wetherlam, the steep Prison Band onto Swirl How, Great Carrs, Grey Friar, Brim Fell, the Old Man of Coniston and Dow Crag. The big day out; for the shorter version see the [Coniston Old Man round](/routes/coniston-old-man-round.html).
- Holme Fell and Black Fell 3.1 km away13.7 km~604 m~3.8 hTwo low wooded tops between Coniston and Tarn Hows, and a fine half-day when the high fells are under cloud — nothing above 315 m, though 50 path junctions near the line mean it pays to keep track of which one you are on.
- Tarn Hows circuit 3.2 km away2.9 km~61 m~0.7 h🏞️ EasyA gentle, near-level circuit of one of the Lake District's prettiest tarns, ringed by pines with the Coniston and Langdale fells beyond. Easy underfoot and genuinely pushchair-friendly, with National Trust parking, toilets and a seasonal refreshment van.
- Top o' Selside 4.8 km away8.7 km~369 m~2.4 hThree quiet tops in the woods east of Coniston Water — Top o' Selside, Arnsbarrow Hill and Stang Hill. 8.7 km and 369 m, easy for exposure but rated hard to navigate. About 2.4 hours.
- Carron Crag from Grizedale 4.9 km away11 km~388 m~2.8 hThe high point of Grizedale Forest, out and back in 11 km with 388 m of climbing and nothing steeper than about 9%. Easy for exposure but rated hard to navigate — forest tracks all look alike. Under three hours.
Fells within about 5 km
- The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man) 3 km away802 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inThe Old Man of Coniston at 803m (2,635ft) stands guardian over the Coniston valley, its summit the finest viewpoint on the Coniston fells and one of the most popular destinations in southern Lakeland.
- Brim Fell 3.3 km away796 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inBrim Fell at 796m (2,611ft) is the intermediate summit between the Old Man of Coniston and Swirl How on the main Coniston ridge, a broad, grassy top that most walkers cross without pausing.
- Holme Fell 3.3 km away316 m~2 h🚌 BusCracking · 76Dry, firm underfootHolme Fell at 317m (1,040ft) is a delightful, craggy little summit above Yewdale near Coniston, its rocky outcrops of Uskdale Gap and Ivy Crag providing surprisingly varied and interesting walking for such a modest height.
- Wetherlam 3.8 km away763 m~3.5 h🚌 BusDecent · 63Dry, firm underfootWetherlam at 762m (2,500ft) is the eastern buttress of the Coniston Fells, a broad, craggy summit that Wainwright described as giving some of the best views of the Helvellyn range of any southern fell.
- Dow Crag 3.9 km away778 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40Summit likely clagged inDow Crag at 778m (2,552ft) is one of the great rock climbing crags of the Lake District, its eastern face dropping in a series of buttresses and gullies to the dark waters of Goat's Water below.
- Carron Crag 4 km away314 mCarron Crag at 314m (1,030ft) is a Birkett top in the Grizedale Forest above the Furness Fells, its summit now partially cleared of conifers and giving views across Esthwaite Water and south to Morecambe Bay.
- Swirl How 4.2 km away802 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 35Poor visibility — nav riskSwirl How at 802m (2,631ft) is the central hub of the Coniston Fells, from whose summit the ridges radiate like spokes to the Old Man, Wetherlam, Grey Friar and Great Carrs.
- Walna Scar 4.6 km away621 mWalna Scar at 621m (2,037ft) is an Outlying Fell above the Duddon valley near Seathwaite in the South Lakeland group, its position on the ancient Walna Scar Road giving views across the head of Dunnerdale and towards Coniston Old Man.
- Great Carrs 4.6 km away785 m~3.5 h🚌 BusMarginal · 35Poor visibility — nav riskGreat Carrs at 785m (2,575ft) is a Wainwright summit in the Southern Fells, forming the rocky northern arm of the Swirl How ridge above Wrynose Pass.
Distances are straight-line from the centre of Coniston — ‘within ~5 km’ means as the crow flies, not that the walk necessarily starts there. Always plan your own route and check the bus before you travel.