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763 m · Wainwright — Southern Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Wetherlam - the rocky summit with its cairn in clear early light, looking north to the central fells hazy on the horizon
Wainwright — Southern FellsAlso a Birkett

Wetherlam

Wetherlam 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.

763 m
Height
~3.5–4.5 h
Typical time
+17
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX → Parking & buses →

Home › Fells › Wetherlam

Written and walked by Lee McCoy

763 mWainwright — Southern Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+17 bonus Birketts within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

Is it worth going? — Today’s conditions & 7-day summit forecast

Modelled guidance for the 763 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Fri 11 Sep): 11° to 7°C, gusts to 32 mph, 2.1 mm of rain forecast.

Fri 11 Sep
🌦️
11° / 7°
💨 32 mph
🌧 2.1 mm (100%)
Sat 12 Sep
🌧️
13° / 8°
💨 46 mph
🌧 41.1 mm (100%)
Sun 13 Sep
🌦️
12° / 6°
💨 18 mph
🌧 0.2 mm (62%)
Mon 14 Sep
🌧️
13° / 5°
💨 29 mph
🌧 15.5 mm (100%)
Tue 15 Sep
🌦️
12° / 7°
💨 34 mph
🌧 5.8 mm (89%)
Wed 16 Sep
🌦️
9° / 7°
💨 29 mph
🌧 2.8 mm (78%)
Thu 17 Sep
🌦️
10° / 7°
💨 36 mph
🌧 6.4 mm (92%)

Forecast snapshot from 11 Sep 2026, 08:30 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 763 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

Wetherlam at a glance

Wetherlam

Wetherlam - the rocky summit with its cairn in clear early light, looking north to the central fells hazy on the horizon
© Lee McCoy

Wetherlam 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. Its position above the Tilberthwaite and Yewdale valleys gives it a unique perspective looking north-east. The ascent from Coniston or Tilberthwaite Ghyll is excellent — steep in places, with interesting mine workings on the approach. Combined naturally with Swirl How and Black Sails for the full Coniston circuit, or climbed alone from Little Langdale for a shorter outing. A fell of real character and outstanding views.

Field notes

Most people visit Wetherlam as part of a circular route from Coniston over to the Old Man and back down again, and given there's not much of a resting spot between the start and this summit, this is a great place to take a breather. It's very much a craggy affair, so you'll be able to find a spot to perch and admire the views down to Castle How, or into Dry Cove Bottom - which by all accounts isn't all that dry.

Routes up Wetherlam

Hand-mapped, with GPX to download — full maps further down.

The Coniston Horseshoe
20.8 km · ~6.3 hr
The 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).
Coniston Old Man Round
17.4 km · ~5.4 hr · Moderate
A 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.

Classifications & hill data

Wainwright
Southern
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
HuMP
763 m
Height
2,503 ft
In feet
NY 2881 0111
Grid ref

The short answers

Is Wetherlam a Wainwright?

Wetherlam is a Wainwright. It is also on the Birkett list, the Synge list, the Nuttall list, the Fellranger list and the HuMP list.

Where do you park for Wetherlam?

The nearest car park we hold is Blake Rigg car park (free), about 1.8 km from the summit in a straight line. The next is Tilberthwaite (paid), 1.8 km out. We only look within 2.5 km, measured straight-line: over longer distances a road may cross a pass and the drive bears no relation to the line.

My hikes over Wetherlam (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

Interactive route maps and photos load here for visitors with JavaScript. Data from Strava.

Parking & buses for Wetherlam

Best parking to hike Wetherlam

Where we have the data, each parking spot also shows the nearest public toilets and facilities (cafés, pubs, shops).

Blake Rigg car park (free) — 1.8 km from summit (straight line)
Community walk pages start here for 'Steel Edge and Wetherlam Edge, from Tilberthwaite' and 'A visit to Cathedral Cavern from Tilberthwaite' (community walk listings). Free (OSM-tagged). Compacted surface (OSM-tagged).
Directions Something changed here?
Tilberthwaite (paid) — 1.8 km from summit (straight line)
Quarry car park for Wetherlam and the Tilberthwaite fells. It runs a long way along the road with no single entrance, so pull in wherever there is room rather than looking for a gateway. Fees: pay by app only (no cash) (LDNPA, checked Aug 2026).
Directions Something changed here?
Wrynose Fell Long Crag (verge, west) — 1.9 km from summit (straight line)
1.2 km from Wrynose Fell Long Crag.
Directions Something changed here?
Wrynose Fell - Long Crag (verge, west) — 1.9 km from summit (straight line)
1.2 km from Wrynose Fell - Long Crag.
Directions Something changed here?
Wrynose Fell - Long Crag (verge, east) — 1.9 km from summit (straight line)
1.1 km from Wrynose Fell - Long Crag.
Directions Something changed here?

Positions are approximate — zoom the map to confirm. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

Tip: pan and zoom the interactive map at the top of this page to spot other potential parking near your route.

Vehicles are left entirely at their owner’s risk. We list places people park; we cannot vouch for any of them. Judge it on the day: take valuables with you, leave nothing on show, and if a spot feels wrong when you get there, park somewhere else.

Getting to Wetherlam by bus

The 505 stops at Coniston, outside The Ruskin Centre, 520 m and 39 m of ascent from the start of Coniston Old Man Round — a route we rate Moderate. The last bus is 20:24 towards Kendal (505) and 18:44 towards Ambleside (505), every day. Checked against the operator’s timetable, 7 September 2026. Times here are a guide, not a promise — leave yourself more than the minute.

Stagecoach 505 “Coniston Rambler”
Windermere – Ambleside – Skelwith Bridge – Hawkshead – Coniston
Catch it from: Windermere · Ambleside
Daily in season (reduced winter service). Best access for the Coniston fells (Old Man, Wetherlam group).

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

Hazards on Wetherlam

Hazard & Incident Information for Wetherlam

Hazard: Moderate

The most heavily mined mountain in Lakeland, riddled by centuries of copper and slate working on its Coniston and Tilberthwaite flanks. The walking is rough rather than technical, but the fell is dotted with open shafts, levels and unstable spoil, and its sprawling shape — with several ridges fanning out from the summit — makes it a genuine navigation puzzle in cloud. Coniston Mountain Rescue Team covers it and is regularly involved with incidents around the old workings.

  • Disused mine shafts, levels and spoil: Open and partly hidden shafts, adits and quarry holes are scattered across the fell, especially on the Tilberthwaite and Coppermines flanks. Some are deep, unfenced and concealed by grass or heather. Never enter a level or approach the lip of a shaft, keep children and dogs close, and don't wander off-path among the workings — particularly in mist or fading light.
  • Complex ridge navigation in cloud: Several ridges (Wetherlam Edge, Steel Edge, Lad Stones and the link toward Swirl How) radiate from the broad summit. In cloud it is easy to start down the wrong arm and end up cliffed out or in the wrong valley. Take and trust a compass bearing off the top.
  • Steep, rough flanks and Tilberthwaite Gill: The flanks are steep, rocky and broken, with crags above the Greenburn and Tilberthwaite sides. Tilberthwaite Gill is dramatic and slippery. Loose ground near old quarry edges can give way — keep back from edges.
Who should attempt this fell: Wetherlam is a rewarding rough walk, but treat the old mine workings with real respect: stay on the paths, never enter a level or peer into a shaft, and keep clear of unstable spoil edges. Its biggest navigational trap is the descent — pick the correct ridge by compass before leaving the summit, especially in cloud. The flooded quarries lower down have killed people who jumped or fell in; admire them from a safe distance.

Most common causes: Falls into or near disused mine shafts and quarry holes · Wrong-ridge descents off the sprawling summit in poor visibility · Slips on steep, loose or rocky flanks and around old workings · People exploring flooded quarries and mine levels coming to grief

Local Mountain Rescue: Coniston Mountain Rescue Team · Reviewed 13 Jun 2026

Safety: Hazard guidance compiled from published Mountain Rescue reports and well-documented accident history - editorial background, not a live feed of callouts. Always check current conditions, carry proper navigation equipment, and seek qualified instruction before heading onto the fells. In an emergency, call 999, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Report incorrect information

A note on Church Beck (with Red Dell Beck & Levers Water)

Church Beck (with Red Dell Beck & Levers Water) runs below the old Coniston copper mines and carries mine-derived copper and zinc — enough to matter for river life, though the lead and cadmium that would harm a person stay below the drinking limit here. Treat any hill water before drinking (a filter won’t remove dissolved metals); don’t single this beck out as a clean fill-up.

What’s actually in this beck — we mapped every mine-fed one →

Metal-mine water data © Environment Agency (Open Government Licence v3.0).

Navigating Wetherlam in cloud

Straightforward

Walkable ground sits close to a lethal drop — in cloud it’s easy to walk straight onto steep ground. Navigation here is relatively straightforward even in cloud — but carry map and compass and know how to use them; a low score never means “safe”.

In winter — snow, whiteout, cornices, buried features — every top demands full winter navigation skills whatever its band, and a broad, gentle summit can be the worst place of all. See walking in bad weather and the navigation guide.

How Wetherlam compares with all 214 — the Clag Index: navigating in cloud. A relative, deliberately cautious guide; the site can’t navigate for you.

Map & nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right). Parking positions are approximate.

Nearest parking: Blake Rigg car park (free), about 1.8 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Wetherlam (within 3 km)

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits — detour to them on this walk and they are pure profit. Distances are straight-line; allow extra for terrain.

0.6 km SWBlack Sails745 m · Southern
0.9 km NEBirk Fell Man - Birk Fell528 m · Southern
1.2 km ENEHawk Rigg441 m · Southern
1.3 km ENEHaystacks (Tilberthwaite)423 m · Southern
1.3 km EBlake Rigg (Tilberthwaite)423 m · Southern
1.3 km ENEHigh Fell (Hawk Rigg)428 m · Southern
1.8 km NEGreat Intake - Low Fell408 m · Southern
1.8 km WNWLittle Carrs692 m · Southern
1.9 km SWGreat How (Swirl Band)775 m · Southern
1.9 km WNWHell Gill Pike662 m · Southern
2.0 km SEBrackeny Crag364 m · Southern
2.3 km SSEKitty Crag435 m · Southern
2.3 km SELow Wythow372 m · Southern
2.4 km SSELong Crag - Yewdale Fells421 m · Southern
2.4 km SSEHigh Wythow410 m · Southern
2.8 km NBlake Rigg (Little Langdale)535 m · Southern
3.0 km NNWWrynose Fell - Long Crag547 m · Southern

Routes over Wetherlam

The Coniston HorseshoeRevised
20.8 km · ~1279 m ascent · loop · ~6–8.5 h
Summits: WetherlamSwirl HowGreat CarrsGrey FriarBrim FellThe Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man)Dow CragBuck Pike - Seathwaite FellBrown Pike

✎️ Walked and described first-hand by Lee, Wetherlam-first — the full Coniston round over all the major tops, a long and serious mountain day. The trickiest navigation is the Grey Friar–Calf Cove–Levers Hawse traverse and the Lad Stones ground; carry OS Explorer OL6 and a compass for the clag.

⬇️ Download GPX

⚠️ Warnings: Prison Band, the rocky descent from Black Sails to Swirl Hawse, is steep and eroded with the ground falling away both sides — care needed in mist or wind. Dow Crag's summit sits above a serious east face over Goat's Water — keep slightly left (west) of the top and well back from the gullies and edge, especially in poor visibility. The Grey Friar → Calf Cove → Levers Hawse leg is largely pathless and the round's hardest navigation — careful map-and-compass work in clag. The short final climb to Dow Crag from Goat's Hawse has scrambly steps with moderate exposure — stay on the path and away from the edge.

Full route guide ↗

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass. How to use this guide.

Coniston Old Man RoundRevised
17.4 km · ~1148 m ascent · loop · ~5–7 h · Clockwise · Moderate
Summits: The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man)Brim FellGrey FriarSwirl HowWetherlam

⬇️ Download GPX

Best season: Any season in good conditions; rough and rocky, with old mine workings to keep clear of.

⚠️ Warnings: Disused mine shafts and quarry spoil on the flanks, especially toward the Coppermines valley — keep to the paths. The high ridge is exposed and the broad tops need care in cloud.

Full route guide ↗

🥾 Walked in part — Lee walked this ground in August 2024; km 10.6–13.2 of this line is from the map.

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass. How to use this guide.

On the hill: terrain and water on Wetherlam

Water & shelter on the way up

On the The Coniston Horseshoe route:

🛖 map (7 m)

On the Coniston Old Man Round route:

💧 possible water source (6 m)🚌 The Ruskin Centre (321 m)🚌 John Ruskin School (W bound) (345 m)🚌 The Crown Inn (353 m)🚌 The Crown Hotel (367 m)

💧 Treat water from the fell before you drink it. A mapped point is usually a tap or public supply, but never drink untreated from a beck, stream or tarn — even clear-looking hill water can carry giardia or cryptosporidium from livestock or a carcass upstream and leave you seriously ill. Run it through a filter or purifier (a LifeStraw, Sawyer Squeeze or HydraPak) or bring it to a rolling boil first.

On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors, per route — an absent marker doesn’t mean none.

The view from Wetherlam

The 360° skyline from Wetherlam

A computed 360° skyline — every visible named top labelled by distance and bearing, from the terrain model in perfect clarity, not photographed. Drag to pan; reveal the far four-nations horizon.

drag to pan · arrow keys
Computed 360-degree skyline from Wetherlam36 labelled tops shown (10 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 10 kmScafell · 10 kmHelvellyn · 15 kmSkiddaw · 28 kmGreat End · 10 kmFairfield · 13 kmBlencathra · 27 kmGreat Dodd · 20 kmGrasmoor · 22 kmHigh Street · 18 kmThe Old Man of Coniston · 4 kmBrim Fell · 3 kmDove Crag · 13 kmGrisedale Pike · 23 kmHarter Fell · 19 kmGrey Friar · 3 kmSlight Side · 9 kmSeat Sandal · 12 kmCodale Head · 8 kmRed Crag · 21 kmPike of Stickle · 6 kmTarn Crag · 21 kmIllgill Head · 12 kmBlack Combe · 22 kmGreat Carrs · 2 kmGreat How · 2 kmLittle Carrs · 2 kmIngleborough · 52 km · clear daysWhernside · 49 km · clear daysWard's Stone · 52 km · clear daysThe Calf · 38 km · clear daysSwinklebank Crag · 22 kmBlake Rigg · 1 kmBaugh Fell · 46 km · clear daysIrton Fell · 14 kmBrackeny Crag · 2 kmBroad Crag · 10 kmCrinkle Crags · 5 kmCrag Hill · 22 kmHart Crag · 13 kmHigh Raise · 20 kmAllen Crags · 9 kmMardale Ill Bell · 18 kmSergeant Man · 8 kmClough Head · 22 kmUllock Pike · 28 kmHigh Spy · 16 kmGreat Yarlside · 25 kmSwirl How · 2 kmBlack Sails · 1 kmDovenest Top · 11 kmWhite Howe · 24 kmWild Boar Fell · 47 km · clear daysPen-y-ghent · 62 km · clear daysSwinescar Pike · 6 kmGreat Knoutberry Hill · 52 km · clear daysLow Wythow · 2 kmFair Snape Fell · 62 km · clear daysTop o' Selside · 10 kmBirch Fell · 16 kmBurney · 16 kmHigh Light Haw · 11 kmBeacon Fell · 10 kmNewton Fell North · 20 kmnameless · 11 kmHampsfell · 24 kmCunswick Scar · 21 kmBigland Barrow · 19 kmHumphrey Head · 29 kmAran Fawddwy · 184 km · a handful of days a yearMoel Siabod · 158 km · a handful of days a yearTinto · 137 km · a handful of days a yearGreen Lowther · 118 km · a rare clear dayPendle Hill · 79 km · a rare clear dayMoel y Gamelin · 155 km · a handful of days a yearDivis · 191 km · a handful of days a yearGreat Whernside · 76 km · a rare clear dayWinter Hill · 94 km · a rare clear dayBillinge Hill · 102 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Wetherlam, by direction
  • North: Helvellyn (15 km), Helvellyn Lower Man (15 km), Watson's Dodd (19 km), Little Dodd (20 km), Great Dodd (20 km), Knowe Crags (26 km), Gategill Fell Top (26 km), Skiddaw Lesser Man (26 km), Blencathra (27 km), Skiddaw Little Man (27 km), Skiddaw South Top (28 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (28 km), Skiddaw (28 km), Skiddaw North Top (28 km)
  • North-east: Dove Crag (13 km), Fairfield (13 km), Hart Crag (13 km), Dollywaggon Pike (13 km), High Crag (14 km), Nethermost Pike (14 km), High Street (18 km), Rampsgill Head (20 km), High Raise (20 km)
  • South-west: Brim Fell (3 km), The Old Man of Coniston (4 km)
  • North-west: Crinkle Crags South Top (5 km), Crinkle Crags (5 km), Crinkle Crags (6 km), Crinkle Crags (6 km), Shelter Crags (6 km), Bowfell (7 km), Ill Crag (9 km), Allen Crags (9 km), Scafell Pike (10 km), Broad Crag (10 km), Great End (10 km), Scafell (10 km), Crag Hill (22 km), Grasmoor (22 km), Grisedale Pike (23 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Aran Fawddwy (184 km, Wales), Moel Siabod (158 km, Wales), Arenig Fawr (170 km, Wales), Tinto (137 km, Scotland), Green Lowther (118 km, Scotland), Pendle Hill (79 km, England), Moel y Gamelin (155 km, Wales), Divis (191 km, Ireland).

Computed from terrain in perfect clarity, not photographed · distances are straight-line.

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

Sunrise and sunset on Wetherlam

Wetherlam sits close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its longest wait of the modelled year (on 1 August) first light is only 1 minute after almanac sunrise, so the published sunrise time is a fair guide here.

0°30°40°50°60°04:36
Midsummer. The filled shape is the skyline as seen from the summit; the line is the sun’s path. Where they meet is first light — everything left of that point is the wait.
Times for 2026, in Lakeland clock time (GMT in winter, BST in summer) — and model outputs rather than observations.
First lightAlmanac sunriseDifference
Midsummer04:36 BST ±5.0 min04:38-2 min
Equinox06:13 GMT ±5.0 min06:15-2 min
Midwinter08:26 GMT ±5.0 min08:32-6 min

A low, open northern horizon — the ground falls away northwards (mean 0.01°).

Last light — when the sun leaves Wetherlam

The evening here runs close to the flat-horizon case. Even on its earliest evening of the modelled year (on 1 June) last light is only 12 minutes before almanac sunset, so the published sunset time is a fair guide on Wetherlam.

The evening of the same three days. A negative difference means a ridge takes the sun before the valley loses it.
Last lightAlmanac sunsetDifference
Midsummer21:42 BST ±5.0 min21:52-10 min
Equinox18:32 GMT ±5.0 min18:26+6 min
Midwinter15:58 GMT ±5.0 min15:50+8 min

Computed, not photographed. First light is the first minute the sun’s upper limb clears this summit’s own skyline and last light the last minute it is still clear of it, both solved against the 360° horizon profile behind The View from Wetherlam. Almanac sunrise and sunset are the flat-horizon convention. Every time carries a ± band from the 30 m elevation model — it smooths arêtes and cornices, so nothing here claims better than five minutes. These are daylight figures, not a descent plan: the light goes on fading for a good while after the sun leaves, and going down in it is a decision about your own ground and party, not about this table.

What you can see from Wetherlam

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
97Wainwrights in view+14 marginal
53 kmFurthest sightlineIngleborough
2Sea in viewIrish Sea, Morecambe Bay
Far horizons
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesESE · 53 km clear
  • Cross Fell North PenninesNE · 52 km clear
  • Whernside Yorkshire DalesESE · 49 km clear
  • Irish Sea open waterW · 49 km in view
  • Morecambe Bay bay/estuaryS · 27 km in view
All 97 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Swirl How, Great Carrs, Holme Fell, Grey Friar, Brim Fell, Pike of Blisco, Cold Pike, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man), Lingmoor Fell (Brown How), Black Fell, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Hard Knott, Loft Crag, Harrison Stickle, Pike of Stickle, Silver How, Pavey Ark, Bowfell, Thunacar Knott, Blea Rigg, Loughrigg Fell, Rossett Pike, Sergeant Man, Tarn Crag (Easedale), Slight Side, Allen Crags, Nab Scar, Helm Crag, Calf Crag, Gibson Knott, Scafell Pike, Great End, Scafell, Heron Pike (Rydal), Stone Arthur, Glaramara, Steel Fell (Dead Pike - Steel Fell), Low Pike, Ullscarf, Great Rigg, High Pike (Scandale), Seat Sandal, Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot, Baystones (Wansfell), Illgill Head, Dove Crag, Fairfield, Hart Crag, Dollywaggon Pike, Red Screes, Grey Knotts, Middle Dodd, Whin Rigg (Wasdale), Sour Howes, Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn, Middle Fell, Sallows, Stony Cove Pike (Caudale Moor), Yoke, High Spy, Ill Bell, Hartsop Dodd, Froswick, Thornthwaite Crag, Robinson, High Street, Mardale Ill Bell, The Knott (High Street), Harter Fell (Mardale), Kentmere Pike, Watson's Dodd, Rest Dodd, Shipman Knotts, Rampsgill Head, Kidsty Pike, Great Dodd, High Raise (High Street), Causey Pike, Wandope, Tarn Crag (Sleddale), Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Grey Crag (Sleddale Fell), Clough Head, Grasmoor, Grisedale Pike, Lonscale Fell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, Skiddaw Little Man, Carl Side, Long Side, Ullock Pike, Skiddaw, Bannerdale Crags, Great Calva, Knott, Binsey

How Wetherlam’s view compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

Sightlines from a bare-earth terrain model (forests and buildings not included), corrected for the Earth’s curvature and average atmospheric refraction. “Distant” sightlines and any over 100 km depend on exceptionally clear air. Modelled from Copernicus GLO-30 open elevation data — a guide to the view, not a guarantee of any single one.

Places to stay near this fell

Bank Ground Farm guest house

about 2.7 km from the start, in a straight line

The strongest single sentence for a family in the whole cluster — "High chairs, cots and stair gates are available on request" — paired with a stated breakfast time, chefs cooking dinner on site, six en-suite B&B rooms plus cottages sleeping 2 to 16, and two EV chargers. The stair gates matter: nobody else within 3 miles mentions them.

Worth knowing: “Pets are more than welcome on the farm, we have purpose built five star accommodation so that you can bring the whole family along, however with the exception of assistant dogs, no pets are allowed inside the cottages and farmhouses.”

Arthur Ransome used the farm as the model for Holly Howe in Swallows and Amazons, and the 1970s film was shot there.

  • Dogs “Pets are more than welcome on the farm, we have purpose built five star accommodation so that you can bring the whole family along, however with the exception of assistant dogs, no pets are allowed inside the cottages and farmhouses.”
  • Family rooms “The traditional farm buildings have been converted into cottages of different sizes, sleeping two to sixteen.”
  • Evening meal “Let our fab chefs prepare you lovely meals, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner.”
  • Children “High chairs, cots and stair gates are available on request.”

Coniston Holly How YHA hostel

about 1.7 km from the start, in a straight line

The cluster's best wet-walker-plus-family combination inside 2 km: a shared drying room, a highchair, all-you-can-eat cooked breakfast with under-10s at £1, a licensed bar, a self-catering kitchen and a bus stop nearby — and unlike Coppermines you can book a single private room rather than the whole building. Carries two restrictions a reader must see before booking: dogs only in the Camping & Cabins, and under-12s barred from dorm rooms.

Worth knowing: “Pets are not permitted at YHA Coniston Holly How, except in our Camping & Cabins accommodation.”

It is a working Mountain Leader training and assessment base, not just a hostel.

  • Drying room “Shared drying room”
  • Family rooms “Bed in a shared room is offered here Private room is offered here Camping & Cabins is offered here”
  • Evening meal “With tasty breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, groups are sure to find something delicious to eat at YHA Coniston Holly How”
  • Packed lunch “With tasty breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, groups are sure to find something delicious to eat at YHA Coniston Holly How”
  • Parking “The hostel car park is controlled by an ANPR parking system and is free for guests and patrons from check-in at 17:00 to 10:00 on the day of departure, charges apply outside of these times.”
  • Children “People of all ages are welcome at YHA. Guests aged under 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 years or older.”

YHA Coppermines hostel

about 1.6 km from the start, in a straight line

A whole building for one group 500 feet up the Old Man, with a shared drying room, a shared laundry room, a cot, a highchair, ground-floor rooms and free parking — the best answer in the cluster for a large family or a walking group who want the place to themselves. Two conditions decide whether it works: it is exclusive-hire only, so there are no single beds to book, and dogs are only allowed if you take the whole hostel.

Worth knowing: “Pets are not permitted at YHA Coniston Coppermines, except when hiring the whole hostel through YHA Exclusive Hire.”

It sits 500 feet up the mountain already, and they warn that the postcode alone will send your sat nav to somebody's private house.

  • Drying room “Shared drying room”
  • Family rooms “Entire place is offered here Bed in a shared room is not offered here Private room is not offered here”
  • Evening meal “With tasty breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, groups are sure to find something delicious to eat at YHA Coniston Coppermines”
  • Packed lunch “With tasty breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, groups are sure to find something delicious to eat at YHA Coniston Coppermines”
  • Parking “Free parking is available onsite.”
  • Children “People of all ages are welcome at YHA. Guests aged under 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 years or older.”

What each place says about itself, quoted from their own site. We have not stayed at any of them, and there are no prices, no booking and no affiliate links. Distances are straight lines from each route start, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions about Wetherlam

Is Wetherlam hard to climb?

Wetherlam (763 m / 2,503 ft) is a rough, sprawling Coniston fell that's not too strenuous by its gentlest route, but it isn't a casual stroll either — there's quickly-gained height, rough rocky ground, and some steeper rocky steps on the Tilberthwaite 'Edges'.

The real challenges are navigation off its broad, complex top, and the old mine workings on its flanks rather than any difficult climbing.

Sources: Coniston Mountain Rescue Team

What is the easiest route up Wetherlam?

The gentlest line is the Lad Stones ridge from Coniston (via the Coppermines Valley) — fairly well-defined paths and little rock, climbing steadily to the summit. The Tilberthwaite approach over Steel Edge and Wetherlam Edge is shorter but steeper and rockier.

It's also a fine part of the bigger Coniston round over Swirl How and the Old Man.

How long does it take to climb Wetherlam?

Allow around 4–5 hours for a round from Coniston or Tilberthwaite (roughly 7.5–12 km depending on route). As part of the full Coniston horseshoe over Swirl How and the Old Man, it's a longer 6–7 hour mountain day.

Are the old mines on Wetherlam dangerous?

Yes — Wetherlam is the most heavily mined mountain in Lakeland, and its flanks (especially toward Tilberthwaite and the Coppermines Valley) are dotted with disused copper levels, slate quarries, open shafts and unstable spoil, some deep and unfenced.

Stay on the paths, never enter a mine level or approach the lip of a shaft, keep clear of quarry edges and spoil, and keep children and dogs close — particularly in mist or fading light.

Sources: Coniston Mountain Rescue Team

Is it easy to get lost on Wetherlam?

It can be — the summit is broad and several ridges (Wetherlam Edge, Steel Edge, Lad Stones, and the link to Swirl How) fan out from it, so in cloud it's easy to start down the wrong one and end up in the wrong valley or above steep ground.

Take a compass bearing off the top before you descend, and don't rely on following a vague trod. The flanks are steep and rocky in places.

Sources: Coniston Mountain Rescue Team

Is Wetherlam suitable for beginners?

A fit beginner can manage Wetherlam by the Lad Stones ridge in good conditions — it's rough but not technical. The things to watch are the old mine workings on the flanks and the navigation off the sprawling summit.

Pick a clear day, keep to the paths and away from the mines, carry a map and compass, and choose your descent ridge carefully. Save the steeper Tilberthwaite Edges for when you're surer of rocky ground.

Sources: Coniston Mountain Rescue Team

What should I wear and take up Wetherlam?

Wear proper walking boots for the rough, rocky, sometimes boggy ground, and carry warm and waterproof layers — the summit is exposed. Take a map and compass (essential for choosing the right ridge off the broad top), water, food and a charged phone, and check the mountain forecast.

Keep clear of the old mine workings, and treat the rocky ground and Edges as full winter terrain when there's snow or ice.

Sources: MWIS — Lake District forecast

Questions drawn from real Google “People also ask” searches; answers written and fact-checked by us. · Reviewed 2026-06-14 · Suggest a question or correction

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