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'{{Infobox mountain | name = Old Man of Coniston | photo = | photo_caption = The Old Man of Coniston and [[Levers Water]] from the Lad Stones ridge | elevation_ft = 2634 | elevation_ref = | prominence_m = 416 | prominence_ref = | listing = [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]], [[List of Wainwrights|Wainwright]] | location = [[Cumbria]], {{ENG}} | range = [[Lake District]], [[Southern Fells]] | coordinates = | grid_ref_UK = SD272978 | topo = [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] ''Landranger'' 90, ''Explorer'' OL6 | map = United Kingdom Lake District | lat_d=54.370 | long_d=-3.119 }} The '''Old Man of Coniston''' is a [[fell]] in the [[Furness Fells]] in the [[England|English]] [[Lake District]]. It is {{convert|2634|ft|m|0}} high, and lies to the west of the village of [[Coniston, Cumbria|Coniston]] and the lake of the same name, [[Coniston Water]]. The fell is sometimes known by the alternative name of '''Coniston Old Man''', or simply '''The Old Man'''. The mountain is popular with tourists and fell-walkers with a number of well-marked paths to the summit. The mountain has also seen extensive slate mining activity for eight hundred years and the remains of abandoned mines and spoil tips are a significant feature of the north east slopes. There are also several flocks of sheep that are grazed on the mountain.<ref name="coniston-old-man.net">[http://www.coniston-old-man.net Coniston Local History Group website]</ref> ==Highest Fell in the Range?== The Old Man is the highest point in historical [[Lancashire]], though following the 1974 revision of county boundaries in [[England]] it now lies, for administrative purposes, within Cumbria. This assertion rests upon its being higher than its near northern neighbour, [[Swirl How]]. There appears to be some [[Swirl How|doubt]] in the current literature over whether the height of Swirl How is 802576 or 804&nbsp;m, following resurveying. If modern measurement has not added 2&nbsp;m to its rival then The Old Man of Coniston is the highest point in the [[Furness Fells]], and the twelfth most [[topographic prominence|prominent]] mountain in [[England]].<ref>http://www.peakbagging.com/Peak%20Lists/Eng50.html</ref> ==Topography== [[Image:Old man of Coniston.jpg|thumb|left|'''Old Man Coniston''' from [[Coniston Water]] lake side.]]The Coniston (or Furness) Fells form the watershed between Coniston Water in the east and the Duddon valley to the west. The range begins in the north at [[Wrynose Pass]] and runs south for around {{convert|10|mi|km}} before petering out at [[Broughton in Furness]] on the Duddon Estuary. [[Alfred Wainwright]] in his influential ''[[Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells]]'' took only the northern half of the range as Lakeland proper, consigning the lower hills southward to a supplementary work ''The Outlying Fells of Lakeland''. Later guidebook writers have chosen to include the whole range in their main volumes.<ref name="richards">Richards, Mark: ''Southern Fells'': Collins (2003): ISBN 0-00-711367-6</ref><ref name="birkett">Birkett, Bill: ''Complete Lakeland Fells'': Collins Willow (1994): ISBN 0-00-218406-0</ref> The central part of the Coniston range can be likened to an inverted 'Y' with [[Brim Fell]] at the connecting point of the three arms. The main spine of the ridge runs north over Swirl How and [[Great Carrs]] and south west to [[Dow Crag]] and the lower hills beyond. The third arm is a truncated spur, running only half a mile to the summit of the Old Man before tumbling away south eastward to the valley floor. This ridge end position gives the fell a sense of isolation and increased stature, with steep faces on three sides. To the west is the deep trench containing Goat’s Water. This elongated [[tarn (lake)|tarn]] has a depth of about {{convert|50|ft|m|abbr=on}}. and contains [[trout]] and [[Salvelinus|char]]. Enclosed by high ground, it has an outlet to the south through a field of boulders.<ref name="blair">Blair, Don: ''Exploring Lakeland Tarns'': Lakeland Manor Press (2003): ISBN 0-9543904-1-5</ref> This is one of the headwaters of Torver Beck, which passes a disused quarry near the Tranearth climbing hut, keeping the workings topped up via an artificial but extremely picturesque waterfall. The stream finally issues into Coniston Water to the south of Torver village.<ref name="richards"/> The southern and eastern flanks of The Old Man are composed of rough ground, deeply pockmarked by slate quarries. One of these quarries, Bursting Stone, is still operating to produce an olive green slate. Across the southern slopes runs the [[Walna Scar]] Road. This was the original trade route between Coniston village and the settlements of the Duddon Valley and is a public [[Rights of way in England and Wales|byway open to all traffic]].<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = |title= Rights of Way Orders by Lake District National Park Authority 2009 |url= http://www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk/pins/row_order_advertising/councils/2009/lake_district_national_park_authority.htm |accessdate= 2009-12-31}}</ref> The first section rising steeply from Coniston is a metalled road, maintained partly to provide access to the quarry. This leads to a carpark at an altitude of {{convert|740|ft|m|abbr=on}}, a popular starting point for climbs. Beyond here motor vehicles are prohibited, but the track continues to its summit at {{convert|2000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, crossing the ridge to the south of Dow Crag. Coniston Old Man has no connecting ridges other than that to Brim Fell, but a discernible rib falls due east via Stubthwaite Crag and Crowberry Haws. Below the tourist route path, this rib climbs again to The Bell, a fine rocky top (1,099&nbsp;ft) with excellent views of the lake and village.<ref name="richards"/> Nestling beneath the northern face of The Old Man, and cradled between it and Raven’s Tor, is Low Water. This fine [[Cirque|corrie]] tarn has been dammed in the past to provide water for the quarries, but all of its water now issues via a fine cascade of falls into the Coppermines Valley. This area, shared with the neighbouring fells of Brim Fell and [[Wetherlam]], is heavily scarred by historic [[copper]], [[nickel]] and [[cobalt]] mining, particularly in the latter half of the 19th century.<ref name="blair"/><ref name="adams">Adams, John: ''Mines of the Lake District Fells'': Dalesman (1995) ISBN 0-85206-931-6</ref> ==Summit and view== The summit of the fell carries a unique construction, a combined slate platform and [[cairn]]. The popularity of this climb has resulted in the resident sheep being quite tame, and they show no fear in rifling unwatched bags for food. The extensive view from the summit on a clear day includes much of the southern Lake District, [[Morecambe Bay]], [[Blackpool Tower]], [[Winter Hill (Lancashire)|Winter Hill]], the Lancashire coast and the [[Isle of Man]]. Perhaps the highlight is the close up view of Dow Crag.<ref name="richards"/><ref name="wainwright">[[Alfred Wainwright]]: ''[[A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells]]'', Book 4: ISBN 0-7112-2457-9</ref> [[Image:Top of Coniston Old Man.JPG|thumb|150px|left|Cloud shrouded summit of Old Man of Coniston]] ==Ascents== The fell is normally climbed from Coniston village via Church Beck and the mines (the tourist route). Alternatives include the south ridge and the path to Goat’s Water, both ascending from the Walna Scar Road. The carpark at the top of the metalled section provides a headstart for these routes. The Walna Scar Road can also be reached from Torver, or from Seathwaite in the Duddon Valley, although the latter results in an indirect climb via Dow Crag. ==Slate & Copper Mining== Coniston has been Lakeland's centre for slate and copper mining for 500 years. The well known ‘Coniston copper mines’ are reputed to be some of the largest copper mines in Britain, with a vertical distance of around {{convert|2000|ft|m|abbr=on}}. The nearby slate mines on the North East flank of the Old Man, are known as "Old Man Quarries", though sometimes given the individual names of: Brandy Crag, SaddleStone and Moss Head. These slate mines have been worked since at least the 13th century. All the workings are more or less underground, apart from Low Brandy Crag, which was opened out into an opencast quarry in the 1980s by Burlington Stone, and is still operating today. Most of the lower levels in Saddlestone are blocked, though the Moss Head Quarries are still open.<ref name="coniston-old-man.net"/> ==Geology== A band of the [[dacite|dacitic]] [[lapilli]]-[[tuff]]s of the Lag Bank Formation crosses the summit. The southern slopes show the [[volcaniclastic]] [[sandstone]]s of the Seathwaite Fell Formation, while the [[rhyolite|rhyolitic]] tuffs of the Paddy End Member stretch from north of the summit toward the Coppermines.<ref name="BGS">[[British Geological Survey]]: 1:50,000 series maps, ''England & Wales Sheet 38'': BGS (1998)</ref> ==Influence== The Old Man of Coniston is the inspiration for ''[[Kanchenjunga]]'', the mountain [[Arthur Ransome]]'s Swallows and Amazons climb in the [[Swallows and Amazons series|Swallows and Amazons]] novel ''[[Swallowdale]]''. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * Computer generated summit panoramas [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/CUM/Coniston-North.gif North] [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/CUM/Coniston-South.gif South] [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas.html Index] *[http://www.lakedistrictwalks.net/old-man-of-coniston-walk Lake District Walks - Old Man Of Coniston Walk] {{Southern Fells}} {{Marilyns N Eng}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Old Man Of Coniston}} [[Category:Wainwrights]] [[Category:Marilyns of England]] [[Category:Hewitts of England]] [[Category:Fells of the Lake District]] [[Category:Nuttalls]] [[Category:Furness|Coniston, Old Man of]] [[Category:Highest points of English counties]] [[it:Old Man of Coniston]]'