A large part of this linear walk, Elterwater to Coniston, was my inspiration to create a long-distance walk that celebrates the history of Lakeland. This extended version starting from Grasmere, is now Day 9 of the Lakeland Way, a twelve-day walk that takes you through some of the finest Lake District scenery. Personally, it is the best walk in Lakeland.
It is this ‘Route 34’ entry on the website that will be the beginning of a new format, where I will be doing less writing and researching for all future walking route posts. Now that the Lakeland Way project is well underway, most of my researching time will be spent on the ‘points of interest’ for that website. I will still continue to write local history stories for this website, but my intention is to provide more walking routes with many photos, and quotes from the great man himself, Alfred Wainwright.
A recommended way of making this linear walk achievable, is to park in Ambleside, catch the 555 bus to Grasmere, walk to Coniston, and then catch the 505 bus back to Ambleside.
GPX route: Download
PDF maps: Download
Grasmere > Red Bank Road > The Wyke > Dow Bank > Chapel Stile > Elterwater > Wilson Place > Slater Bridge > Cathedral Cavern > Hodge Close Quarry > Quarry Wood > High Tilberthwaite Farm > Low Tilberthwaite > Penny Rigg Quarries > Tilberthwaite Gill > Moor Quarries > Hole Rake > Coppermines Valley > Coniston
Silver How seen from the village green at Grasmere
Leaving the village of Grasmere along Red Bank Road
Grasmere seen from The Wyke
Old packhorse track leaving The Wyke
Beech trees above Wyke Gill
Looking back to Heron Pike over Grasmere
Access gate leading to Dow Bank from Wyke Plantation
Dow Bank Tarn at the summit of the pass
The Vale of Grasmere from the summit of Dow Bank
Wetherlam over Elterwater Quarry from the summit of Dow Bank
Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and the Langdale Pikes from the summit of Dow Bank
Helvellyn and Fairfield groups from Dow Bank Tarn
Looking down to Chapel Stile from Dow Bank
Bowfell seen from the traverse down to Chapel Stile
Approaching Walthwaite, Chapel Stile
Lingmoor Fell from Walthwaite
Holy Trinity Church, Chapel Stile
Great Langdale Beck on the approach to Elterwater
The Britannia Inn and the village green at Elterwater
Elterwater Hostel (formerly YHA Elterwater)
Old lane leading to Little Langdale from Elterwater
Wetherlam seen from the approach to Howe Banks
Wetherlam from the access gate leading to Wilson Place
Three Shires Inn, Little Langdale
Great Intake seen from Birk Howe
Slater Bridge and Lingmoor Fell over the River Brathay
The tunnel leading to Cathedral Cavern
Cathedral Cavern, Little Langdale Quarries (dis)
Looking back to Lingmoor Fell from Stang End
Lane leading to the hamlet of Hodge Close
Wythebank Cottage in the hamlet of Hodge Close
Descending the Parrock Incline into Parrock Quarry (dis)
Approaching the entrance to Hodge Close Quarry (dis)
The two great arches connecting Parrock Quarry with Hodge Close Quarry
Access gate leading to Quarry Wood
Crossing Pierce How Beck in Quarry Wood
Looking across to the Hodge Close spoil heaps from the lane to Tilberthwaite
Lane leading to Tilberthwaite
Blake Rigg from the approach to High Tilberthwaite Farm
Former farmhouse, spinning gallery and store at Low Tilberthwaite
The Tilberthwaite Touchstone Fold sculpture by Andy Goldsworthy
The eastern wall of the fold
The miners’ path leading to Penny Rigg Quarries
Entrance to Penny Rigg Quarry
Looking back to High Tilberthwaite
Tilberthwaite Gill from an old miners’ hut
Looking back into Penny Rigg Quarries (dis)
Swallow Scar, Hen Crag, Hen Tor and Wetherlam over Tilberthwaite Gill
Looking down into Tilberthwaite Gill from the miners’ path
Flooded level beside the miners’ path
Wetherlam Edge and the head of Tilberthwaite Gill from the miners’ path
Looking back to Holme Fell over Tilberthwaite Gill
Approaching the head of Tilberthwaite Gill
Looking back to Birk Fell and Blake Rigg from the miners’ path
Hole Rake (pass) seen from Little Crook Beck
Looking back to Blake Rigg and the eastern spine from Moor Quarries (dis)
Hole Rake Tarn
Looking back to Fairfield from the summit of Hole Rake
Windermere seen from the descent into Coppermines Valley
Looking back to Red Dell and the miners’ path
The Coppermines Valley from Blue Quarry (dis)
The Bonsor Dressing Floors over the ‘Irish Row’ cottages
Coniston Waterfall, Church Beck
Coniston Waterfall Level
The Ruskin Museum at Coniston
The Yewdale Inn at Coniston
Thank you for visiting.
Richard
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Thanks, sources and further reading: