Saturday 16th March
The forecast is not great for today. So DW and I change plans, saving our big day out for better times. We head to Coniston and familiar ground. Or so we thought. Heading up the main path there are spots of rain but as we leave this and turn for Wetherlam we are in snow. Also the first to pass this way today. We break trail happily moving along the ground seeming familiar.
The light is very flat and it becomes hard to define the ground ahead. Soon we arrive at a large cairn. At first I thought it was the summit but not so. It just doesn't look right. We press on. Finally the true summit arrives. Descending we pick up the cairns again but the path is obliterated by hard snow so out with map and compass. On a bearing we stay high to avoid the steep ground. This work well and we find ourselves on the familiar approach to Prison Band.
Again breaking trail, then half way up we meet a party descending. Now with easier going Swirl How comes quickly. As does the main path to Brim Fell. In the cloud everything looks the same, thankfully the line of cairns and footprints combined with our sense of direction keep us on the right route to Coniston Old Man. Retracing our steps then following a couple of pairs of fell shoe prints as we head to Doe Crag. Then on to Brown Pike and our return to Coniston via the Walna Scar Road.
A very enjoyable run.
Russell
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