The much-loved fell above Coniston village, its slopes seamed with old copper mines and slate quarries all the way to the top
Open accesson open access land, where the right to roam applies
The Old Man of Coniston rises straight up behind Coniston village to 802m, and it’s one of the best-loved fells in the southern Lakes — popular partly because the summit is a proper mountain top with a big cairn and huge views, and partly because the way up is such an interesting walk. The whole hillside was worked for centuries for copper and slate, and the usual route from the village climbs through that industrial past: spoil heaps, ruined buildings, old levels and the dark tarn of Goat’s Water tucked under the crags. It’s history you walk right through rather than read about.
The standard ascent starts in Coniston and heads up through the Coppermines Valley, a steady pull on good paths to the summit. It’s a there-and-back for many people, though strong walkers often carry on north along the ridge over Brim Fell and Swirl How to make a round of it. The old mine workings mean it’s worth staying on the paths and keeping children and dogs close, as there are unfenced shafts and steep quarry edges off to the sides. Lakeland weather can close in fast, so take a map and warm layers even on a bright morning.
Back in the village, the Ruskin Museum tells the story of Coniston’s mining and its links to John Ruskin and Donald Campbell, and there’s no shortage of pubs, including The Black Bull, for a sit down afterwards.
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