Wild Camping, Wild Swimming and Coniston Old Man

[BigShot]

Hi folks.
If the weather looks like it's going to play nicely, I plan to have a bit of outdoors time with my girlfriend this coming weekend.

The plan would be to drive to the Windermere/Coniston area on Saturday morning, wander around a little and then head up towards the Old Man in time to pitch camp pretty high in the hills late in the day (maybe an hour before sunset so we can eat and watch the sun go down before hitting the hay).

The following morning, eat and break camp nice and early heading to some water for a swim, maybe a peak or two (Old Man if not bagged on Saturday, Dow Crag (maybe)) and then head back down.
Nothing in the route (except the old man) is fixed.


This will be my first time doing any of the three things in the subject line so any advice is much appreciated. I've read a few "good practice" things about wild camping (carry everything back out - any "business" to be buried witha trowel if not carried out - leave no trace and all that) but have no idea where to go for it in that area.
I'll be taking a small 2 man tent.
I'll also need a good place to park the car for a couple of days. I don't fancy having to pay a fortune for parking if I can at all help it.

Also, with the swimming part, what sort of water temperatures am I likely to find up there at this time of year? I surf a fair bit so have a wetsuit if I need it, though I'd much rather not have to carry it for a couple of days and would prefer to swim in shorts (at most ) as long as that doesn't mean I'll be getting colder than I should be.


So - any ideas for routes, camp spots, times to start out and finish, swimming holes and so on would be greatly appreciated.
Also, as I've got a small cook set (stove, 2 saucepans, a frying pan, cutlery and not a whole lot besides) any ideas for a nice evening meal and a hearty breakfast would be appreciated. Maybe a (Sunday) midday meal at a push too.


All input much appreciated.

 

[Wayland]

I used to park and camp up on the Walna Scar road but I gather access for vehicles has now been withdrawn.

There was a car park just beyond the last wall, I don't know if that is still available, perhaps someone else might have more up to date knowledge on that for you.

It's an interesting area for walking, lots of old workings to look around.

 

[Tadpole]

Also, with the swimming part, what sort of water temperatures am I likely to find up there at this time of year? I surf a fair bit so have a wetsuit if I need it, though I'd much rather not have to carry it for a couple of days and would prefer to swim in shorts (at most ) as long as that doesn't mean I'll be getting colder than I should be.

All input much appreciated.

it's going to be about 7 degrees C

 

[shep]

it's going to be about 7 degrees C

... air temp. The water is going to be COOOLD. And you will need a fire/ warm car when you get out.

 

[Lithril]

Keep an eye on the weather, I went up last weekend with plans to walk the helvellyn range and camp up there, the forecast even on the day said sunny spells, v light showers. I got up to St Sunday crag in torrential rain and gusts of wind that I had a job to walk into (and it was getting worse) so I bailed on it for another day.

Sunday had gusts forecasted up to 70mph by the time I got back down.

This time of year is very changeable I'd definately have a contingency plan if it does get bad.

 

[Walks with dogs]

Wild camping and swimming I can tell you not one thing about. As for the walking , what Lithril said. I don't know if you are a regular hill walker ,so forgive me if I am teaching you to suck eggs, but this time of year no matter what the weather report says, take adequeate clothing for deepest darkest winter.

 

[EdS]

the water temp will similar to that at on the Yorkshire - would you be surfing in that with out wettie.

5mm and gloves are now out for me.

 

[Intertidal]

Park on the road just up from the Sun Inn in Coniston (just after the junction - free and not as out of the way for overnight parking as the Walna Scar road carpark). Go up the v.steep tarmac road which leads on to the Walna Scar track and follow it uphill for about 2 miles towards the col W of Brown Pike. There is an excellent wild camp site by Blind Tarn (OSGR SD262967). Next day a good walk is over Dow Crag, down to Goats Hause then up to the Old Man (say Hi to my father in law - his ashes were scattered up there). Continue N along the high level broad ridge to Brim Fell then on to Swirl How and descend the Prison Band to Swirl Hawse. If you've energy, carry on over Wetherlam and descend to the Miners Bridge and back to Coniston. If not, take the track from Swirl Hawse to Levers Water and descend on of the many routes back to the car.
If the weather is not so kind, maybe just do Dow and the Old Man and descend the tourist route E of the Old Man summit.
The full route is one of our favourite 'easy' Lakeland walks.
Have a pint or few in the Sun Inn afterwards tho' the food there is pricey nowadays.
Can't tell you anything about swimming in the tarns there - I've only swum in Sprinkling Tarn (Wasdale) one summer and it was bracing then!
Have fun!
Nick

 

[BigShot]

Thanks a million for the input folks (and keep it coming if there's more )

I've not done a huge amount of hill walking - but I have done a fair bit of hiking while snowboarding in the French Alps – Chamonix actually. I'll have snow gear (well, not crampons and axes - but warm and dry clothing) with me so I imagine most eventualities will be covered.

I'll definitely have a Plan B. I always think it's crazy when people say "I'm doing route X on that day" and they are hell bent on it despite conditions. I'll be more than willing to give it a miss if the weather looks like it would be trouble.


EdS - I've surfed for about 2.5 hours at Cayton Bay at Easter (not long after coldest water) in a 3:2, no hood, rubbish gloves which made almost no difference and 3mm boots. It was only right at the end that I got cold.
I wouldn't surf without a wettie in that kind of temp, but then, I wouldn't be sitting on a board waiting for a set when in a tarn somewhere. I reckon the moving around would make the cold more bearable. Sorta like those nutters you see swimming in the sea wearing nothing but their togs at Christmas and New Year.


Intertidal - thanks for those routes. That's exactly the kind of info I was after. I'd been thinking about the route around by blind tarn actually. Nice to have it confirmed without prompting.


Thinking about wild swimming in tarns and the like... since the water doesn't stay around for long in them - how much does the temperature vary? I always feel that moving water is usually a lot colder than (say) the sea. When crossing a river after a surf, the water always feels bitterly cold compared to the sea. Would it really be that much colder in a tarn in autumn than it is in summer?

 

[WoodWildling]

i think it would be colder - water temperature is affected by land temp, so in summer when the surrounding land has had sun on it for days (yeah right in this country!!), the water will be warmer. but when the land hasn't seen the sun for a while there is no stored heat in the ground so yeah the waer will boneshakingly cold mate lol, but hey when you get out you will feel VERY warm and refreshed, so i'd say go for it just look out for the signs of hypothermia :&#172

 

[BigShot]

Yea, I don't think I fancy having to deal with hypothermia on what should be a nice weekend outdoors. Could happen, but then it always could if things go awry.

I imagine the water will be considerably warmer now than it will be come March next year, but yea, I would expect it to be nippy at best.

I won't be lugging a wettie so it'll either be a case of "get cold" or "don't swim". I'd hope for the latter, but it'll probably depend how I'm feeling that morning. I'll give it a miss if I'm not on top form and already cold.