THE FOOTNOTES
Every print from Marking The Wild comes with its own trail story, this is yours.
Here you’ll find sketches, route details, reflections from the walk, and a few extra notes I couldn’t quite fit on paper.
Think of it as a companion to the artwork; a small way to step into the moment with me, and maybe take the journey for yourself.
Old Man of Coniston: A King Shaped by Work and Weather
The Old Man of Coniston is a mountain built to be climbed. A king with a steady, grounded pride. A king you don’t want to be on the wrong side of.
The paths are solid, the terrain is blunt, and the whole fell has that unmistakable “you’re here to work” kind of energy. You feel the mining history all around: the old tracks, rusted remains, cut edges in the stone. It’s not decorative, or softened. It’s part of the mountain’s muscle; the kind of strength that comes from years of labour and the slow sculpting of the elements.
The climb has a rugged frankness to it, this king was forged through effort, not ease. Every section asks a little more from you; steeper steps, rougher textures, the landscape opening and closing as the rock pulls you higher.
At the summit you get a moment where everything lines up — the lake below, the layers of hills, the weight of the sky and the scars in the earth. It’s a place that lets you feel connected to something larger without needing to say what that something is.
You’ll notice this route starts nearer Coniston itself, rather than the higher car park. I’d like to say it’s for romantic reasons, but the truth is that Pika (the dog) and I came here having just learned how to drive. We were also in a little banger which found the climb just as much hard work as our legs did. Walna Scar Road defeated us with a sudden steam ascent, but I’m pleased to say that the Old King did not.
Waypoints Through The Wild
Start: We started our journey from the Old Station Car Park in Coniston itself (but you could start at car parks further up Walna Scar Road). Whether by wheel or by foot, ascend the road. Instead of turning right to follow the slate track up, walk through the car park until you come to a winding track road (but don’t head up it) instead walk slightly past it and up a path with Braidy Beck on your right. Fair warning, these paths are not as well trodden and there will be moments you wonder whether you’re on a path at all, so keep an eye on your map or GPS if you can.
This is a slightly steeper incline, but offers more variety and means you approach the summit from the west, giving some views and spaces not experienced by most.
Snake your way up through a mass of ferns, crossing Hussey Well Beck and another unmanned brook (excellent watering stops for Pika). There are also some striking rock structures around to admire. Be warned, sheep roam this area too and can pop up in any direction. I’d recommend dogs on lead (we actually saw a dog attack a sheep that startled it). Eventually, at the next track crossing, continue straight on, winding around the backside of the summit. It will feel counter productive but you’ll start veering right and know you’re heading in the correct direction when you step up through a short rock structure.
Now it’s just a case of climbing up, veering to the left path to save the views for the moment you reach the trig point. At the top take some time to savour your achievement and have a good mooch around. You're going to descend down the zig-zagging, more traditional pathway, and no doubt pass lots of people who have been climbing this slate pathway. Head down for a stop at Low Water tarn before continuing down the “miner route" which goes through the historic Coppermines Valley. This will bring you back to the upper car park where there is a refreshments van.
Finish: Make your way back down Walna Scare Road to the Car Park. As you’re so close to Coniston village you can easily pop into the pub or a cafe without a long walk back to the car.
Sense The Scene
See: rugged slopes, sheep peeing round rocks, mining scars in the earth.
Hear: wind over stone, echoes around old workings, the call of a ring ouzel.
Smell: fresh mountain air, damp moss, sulphurous smell of slate underfoot.
Feel: feathery ferns, rugged volcanic rock structures, slipping slate shards.
Taste: cool beck water, a Knoppers Nut Bar (first time I had one of these on route and it was amazing), Coniston Brewing Co. Bluebird Bitter.
Practical Parts
Parking: Available in Coniston Village and across Walna Scar Road - charges apply.
Facilities: Toilets, cafés and shops in Coniston.
Hazards: Steep and uneven ground, slippery rock near water, shifting slate underfoot, local livestock free on route.
Have you been here? What's Your Story
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