{"id":17615,"date":"2026-01-13T22:23:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T19:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hikeriderun.com\/a-wild-walk-and-dip-on-the-horseshoe-circular-route-at-old-man-of-coniston-%f0%9f%8f%9e%ef%b8%8f%f0%9f%92%a6\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T00:07:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T21:07:48","slug":"a-wild-walk-and-dip-on-the-horseshoe-circular-route-at-old-man-of-coniston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hikeriderun.com\/en\/a-wild-walk-and-dip-on-the-horseshoe-circular-route-at-old-man-of-coniston\/","title":{"rendered":"\u062a\u0645\u0634\u064a\u0629 \u0648\u063a\u0637\u0633\u0629 \u0628\u0631\u0651\u064a\u0629 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u062c\u0648\u0644\u0629 Horseshoe \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0627\u0626\u0631\u064a\u0629 \u0641\u064a Old Man of Coniston"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Instead of going straight up and down Coniston\u2019s most famous mountain, the Old Man of Coniston circular route \u2013 walked anti-clockwise \u2013 takes you over three of the Coniston Fells before you reach the Old Man himself. <\/strong> \ud83c\udfd4\ufe0f
Expect plenty of \u201cwow\u201d and \u201coh wow\u201d moments along the way \u2013 and not just from the glute workout \ud83d\ude05<\/p>

Old Man of Coniston (803 m \/ 2,634 ft), the highest point in historic Lancashire, welcomes walkers of all abilities when they visit the Lake District. <\/p>

And on a ridiculously sunny July day during a family holiday, the iconic mountain drew me in too. \u2600\ufe0f<\/p>

Dominating the skyline, the Old Man of Coniston is a challenging yet accessible mountain. <\/strong>
The reward? Sweeping views that make you forget the effort \u2013 including Coniston Water, the surrounding mountains, and even Morecambe Bay and the Irish Sea stretching towards the Isle of Man <\/strong> \u2026if the weather is clear. \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udfde\ufe0f <\/p>

The mix of small lakes (tarns), dramatic peaks, old mines, sea views, and open valleys <\/strong> creates a truly classic Lake District landscape.<\/p>

There are many routes up the mountain, but lots of people keen to reach the summit quickly choose the direct out-and-back route from Coniston or the Walna Scar car park. \ud83d\ude97 <\/p>

Sure, you get a great workout and iconic views of Low Water and Coniston Water, but honestly, the route is a bit direct and dull.
You\u2019ll miss the stunning surrounding fells.
The best part? The real reward comes when you gain height and walk the ridgeline from Swirl How to the Old Man. \ud83c\udf04<\/p>

So if you want to stretch your day in the fells, I recommend the Old Man of Coniston Circular (or Horseshoe Walk).
The route is roughly 10 miles (16 km), starting from Coniston, and heads anti-clockwise eastwards, passing by Wetherlam, Swirl How, Brim Fell, and finally reaching the Old Man itself. <\/strong> \ud83e\udd7e<\/p>

Although it\u2019s a long day of walking, the first part is peaceful and enjoyable.
And since it was a clear day during school holiday season, we didn\u2019t see anyone until near the end of the route. \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>

So if you\u2019re looking for a quiet, slightly challenging route over the Old Man of Coniston that makes you feel like you\u2019re walking above the world, keep reading! \u2728<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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