The Coniston Horseshoe

Coniston village → Wetherlam (6.2 km, 689 m)

Climb of about 689 m over 6.2 km (around 11% average).

Wetherlam → Swirl How (1.9 km, 176 m)

Climb of about 176 m over 1.9 km (around 9% average).

Decision point: From Wetherlam follow the clear ridge path NW, descending to a col then rising over knobbly Black Sails (modest cairn). Continue toward Swirl How; the ridge soon steepens sharply — this is Prison Band — a rocky descent of short, steep, eroded steps; zig-zag carefully, hands for balance, down to Swirl Hawse. From the saddle take the main path rising NW, steep on broken stone, in short pulls to Swirl How's large, crescent-shaped summit cairn.

Easy to get wrong: Prison Band is the crux of this leg — rocky and eroded with the ground falling away on both sides; in mist or wind take extra care and keep to the main (safest) line. Swirl Hawse is a path junction — make sure you take the NW climb to Swirl How.

Swirl How → Great Carrs (0.6 km, 1 m)

Undulating section of about 0.6 km.

Decision point: A short, airy ridge: from Swirl How follow the obvious path NW along the curving crest above Greenburn, dropping slightly then rising. You pass the memorial and wreckage of the 1944 Canadian bomber just below the crest, then a small cairn marks Great Carrs.

Easy to get wrong: Stay on the crest — avoid the narrow trods that drift right toward the steep ground above Greenburn.

Great Carrs → Grey Friar (1.2 km, 69 m)

Climb of about 69 m over 1.2 km (around 6% average).

Decision point: From Great Carrs retrace a few metres, then bear W/SW on a faint path over open grass-and-rock moorland to Grey Friar — a rounded dome with rocky tops and several cairns near the summit, including the main cairn and the distinctive 'Matterhorn Rock'.

Easy to get wrong: The path fades here. In clear weather Grey Friar is obvious ahead; in mist take a bearing and keep slightly left of the steep drop back into Greenburn — stay on the broad upland, not the edge.

Grey Friar → Brim Fell (3.0 km, 149 m)

Climb of about 149 m over 3.0 km (around 5% average).

Decision point: The trickiest navigation of the round. From Grey Friar head back E/SE to regain the clearer path toward Swirl Band, then leave it to contour across pathless ground around the upper rim of Calf Cove — above its wet ground but below the rocky rim of Swirl Band — aiming to intercept the distinct path that drops from Brim Fell to Levers Hawse. Follow that down to Levers Hawse (a narrow rocky col, big drops to Seathwaite Tarn one side and Levers Water the other), then take the cairned path SE — steep at first on broken stone, easing along the ridge — to Brim Fell's huge summit cairn.

Easy to get wrong: This is the leg to get wrong in clag. After Grey Friar you leave the path to cut across Calf Cove — keep Levers Hawse and Seathwaite Tarn to your right-front (SW) and don't drift too high back toward Swirl How. Aim to pick up the Brim Fell–Levers Hawse path; that's your handrail to the col.

Brim Fell → The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man) (0.8 km, 2 m)

Undulating section of about 0.8 km.

Decision point: An easy, well-cairned link: from Brim Fell's big cairn follow the wide path south along the ridge, gently undulating over minor rocky steps, to the Old Man's rocky summit plateau (the column, big cairn, usually crowds).

Easy to get wrong: Low Water and the scarred mine zig-zags are below to your left (east) — stay on the broad ridge path, not the mine descents, until the summit.

The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man) → Dow Crag (1.9 km, 187 m)

Climb of about 187 m over 1.9 km (around 10% average).

Decision point: From the Old Man summit take the path SW dropping toward Goat's Hawse — eroded stone and steep zig-zags first, then gentler — to the well-defined col (paths converge from Old Man, Brim Fell and Dow Crag; Goat's Water below to the west). Cross it and take the clear path climbing south up the ridge to Dow Crag; it steepens with short scrambly steps near the top (hands helpful, exposure moderate if you stay on the path) to the rocky summit cairn above the great east face over Goat's Water.

Easy to get wrong: At Goat's Hawse, orient before climbing — three paths meet there. Near Dow Crag's summit keep slightly left (west) to avoid the gullies and crags dropping right (east) to Goat's Water — a serious edge.

Dow Crag → Buck Pike - Seathwaite Fell (0.6 km, 1 m)

Undulating section of about 0.6 km.

Decision point: Continue south along the ridge on the main worn line over small ups and downs to Buck Pike, a small rocky rise with a modest cairn and a fine view back to Dow Crag.

Easy to get wrong: The path keeps a sensible distance from the steep eastern edge above Goat's Water — don't drift right toward the gullies, especially in mist.

Buck Pike - Seathwaite Fell → Brown Pike (0.7 km, 0 m)

Descent of about 73 m over 0.7 km.

Decision point: Keep on the ridge path south; it descends gently then rises slightly to Brown Pike's small summit cairn, where the ground begins to feel less severe and Walna Scar Road comes into view below to the east.

Easy to get wrong: Straightforward — keep to the crest line over the gentle drop and rise to Brown Pike.

Brown Pike → Finish (3.8 km, 5 m)

Descent of about 425 m over 3.8 km.

Decision point: From Brown Pike continue a short way south; just over the crest, look for the clear path branching right (east) descending toward Walna Scar Road over grass and stone. Follow it down as it curves to meet the broad Walna Scar Road track and turn left (east). Follow the track east — wide and stony, gently undulating past Cove Bridge and a small stone shelter — back to the Fellgate gate and car park. (To finish in Coniston instead, carry on down Coppermines Lane past Miners Bridge into the village.)

Easy to get wrong: Take the right-hand (east) branch just over Brown Pike's crest for Walna Scar Road — don't carry straight on south down the ridge. Then it's left (east) onto the track back to Fellgate.