The Old Man of Coniston
802m (2633ft)
The Southern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
The summit of The Old Man of Coniston is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5ml (8km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,935ft (590m) |
| Time: | 4 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Walna Scar Road - Goat's Water - The Old Man of Coniston - Low Water - Walna Scar Road - Coniston
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7.5ml (12km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,762ft (842m) |
| Time: | 5.25hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Walna Scar Road - Boo Tarn - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Water - Boulder Valley - Crowberry Haws - Miners Bridge - Coniston
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.25ml (13km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,778ft (847m) |
| Time: | 5.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Walna Scar Road - Goat's Water - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Prison Band - Levers Water - Walna Scar Road - Coniston
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.5ml (15km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,523ft (1,074m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Walna Scar Road (nr Seathwaite (Duddon Valley) - Long Houses - Brown Pike - Dow Crag - Goat's Hawse - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Great Carrs - Grey Friar - Seathwaite Tarn - Walna Scar Road.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.75ml (15.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,664ft (1,117m) |
| Time: | 7.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Church Beck - Levers Water Beck - Crowberry Haws - Low Water - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Swirl Band - Swirl How - Prison Band - Swirl Hawse - Keld Gill Head - Black Sails - Red Dell Head Moss - Wetherlam - Furness Fells - Coniston
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 12.75ml (20.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,191ft (1,277m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Coniston - Walna Scar Road - Boo Tarn - Torver Beck - Cove Bridge - Goat's Water - Goat's Hawse - Dow Crag - Goat's Hawse - The Old Man of Coniston - Brim Fell - Levers Hawse - Grey Friar - Great Carrs - Swirl How - Prison Band - Keld Gill Head - Black Sails - Wetherlam - Swirl Hawse - Levers Water - Crowberry Haws - Walna Scar Road - Coniston
See The Old Man of Coniston and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See The Old Man of Coniston and the surrounding tops on our downloadable Peak Bagging Maps in PDF format:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers' Maps might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks.
You can find The Old Man of Coniston & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged The Old Man of Coniston
Melfyn Parry walked up on November 16th, 2025 [from/via/route] Started at the Walna Scar car park (pay & display £6.50 for 4 hours or £9 for the day), walked up to Boo Tarn & then followed a grassy path around the quarry to reach the summit of The Old Man of Coniston, from here we headed over to Brim Fell, an easy walk. Then dropped down to Goat's Hawse before making the ascent to the top of Dow Crag. The top is reached by a short scramble & then return to the path to lead over to Buck Pike & then Brown Pike. Drop down from here back to the Walna Scar Road & return to the car park. [with] With DS [weather] A glorious day with long spells of sunshine, quite cold when the breeze got up, which wasn't often. - Lots of people out today, taking advantage of the weather. A clear day with good views over towards Scaffell in one direction & Morecambe Bay could be seen over Coniston Water.
Nick Tippins climbed it on September 26th, 2025 [from/via/route] c306: The Old Man of Coniston & Wetherlam from Coniston [with] Fran
Sarah Gunn bagged it on July 27th, 2025 [with] Martin Gunn
Clare Tait hiked it on August 11th, 2024 [from/via/route] Our no:98 Wainwright on the most beautiful day.Up from the high carpark. [with] Charlie [weather] Sun 🌞
Martyn Atherton summited on June 2nd, 2024 [from/via/route] From Coniston Old Man Coniston & Brimm Fell [with] Martyn and Kath [weather] Dry & Very Sunny
Tim Winn conquered it on September 30th, 2023 [with] Barry, Paul and Andy [weather] Wet Day
Christine Shepherd scaled on May 27th, 1994 [from/via/route] Coniston [with] My husband Peter [weather] Fine walking weather - I remember being struck by the amazing turquoise colour of Low Water on this walk. Have climbed The Old Man on two other occasions as part of the Coniston Round on 31.7.07 & 1.10.11. using walk c420. Did the Coniston Seven again on 4.8.23 in wonderful walking weather.
Martin Woods walked up on March 4th, 2023 [from/via/route] Old man of Coniston to Swirl How, Black Sails & Wetherlam c306 [with] N/A [weather] Overcast, 7 degerees in the valley cold on the tops - Be careful of navigation towards Swirl How easy to forget where you are up to
James Hughes climbed it on February 27th, 2023 [from/via/route] Coniston, Old Man Coniston, Prison Band, Black Sails Wetherlam [with] Solo [weather] Cold, cloudy with sleet showers, icy on paths - Cold, cloudy, sleet & drizzle. Completed within 5 hours. Pint of Bluebird at Black Bull Inn.
Emma Simmonds bagged it on August 13th, 2019 [from/via/route] Goat tarn to top the onto Swirl How's & down past the copper mines [with] Kevin, Sam, Dad, Keith, Margaret and Joe [weather] Dry, low cloud at the top, cool.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of The Old Man of Coniston
The Ordnance Survey Triangulation Piller on the summit of The Old Man of Coniston
High Light Haw (Top o' Selside) summit cairn with the Coniston Fells: White Maiden, Walna Scar, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How and Wetherlam in the background
Low Light Haw (Top o' Selside) summit cairn with the Coniston Fells: White Maiden, Walna Scar, Dow Crag, The Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How and Wetherlam in the background
My wife Imogen, my two boys Jonathan and Matthew and me on Coniston Old Man
. . . see all 75 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of The Old Man of Coniston
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from The Old Man of Coniston
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