Went on my (becoming) traditional birthday jaunt today. It was another stunning day for my birthday, so Andy and I went and climbed Coniston Old Man. It's 2635 feet high, and we ascended the vast majority of that. It was a good 4.5 hour walk (with one 20 minute break). It's one of the most stunning walks in the Lake District. Unrivalled views in my opinion.

The first hour is a bitch. Absolutely beast yourself going up an incredibly steep ascent, through slate mines which make the footing very tricky. My heart rate was consistently 70-75% for most of that first hour. And damn my legs were burning! But the view from the top is well worth it. Fantastic.

(plus it means I didn't feel guilty about the bit of homemade lemon cake I had at the top or the Lakeland Sticky Toffee Ice Cream at the bottom! ).

PICTURE 1

This first picture is actually of Coniston Lake itself. I've never seen it this calm! I took this pic because this is MY lake, and I so wanted to get in and swim! It's the loveliest lake to swim in. So clean and fresh, and beautiful.



PICTURE 2

This shows the winding path as you are nearing the top...



PICTURE 3

View from the top looking towards the next part of the walk.



PICTURE 4

If you can see in the distance the village...that's where we started!

I used to do loads of walking way back when. Mainly north and mid Wales. I wish I could get the boss (girlfriend) to give it a go but no matter what I try she just cannot see the point going up a hill to look at a view lol.

What a lovely way to spend your birthday.

simon m wrote:What a lovely way to spend your birthday.

So the old man is really an incurable romantic under that smutty shell

That looks great
Also a good excuse to eat lots of cake as you must burn serious calories doing that walk

Now thats a nice back yard to have, I have the M25

Wow they're stunning pictures. Reminds me a bit like Bodmin Moor back in Cornwall when i used to walk the tors. Topography seems to be harsher though which makes for a good walk. Good chance ill be down there next year for a mapping project.

Resurrected wrote:

simon m wrote:What a lovely way to spend your birthday.

So the old man is really an incurable romantic under that smutty shell

I'm on pain killers, so anything nice I say is not immiscible. I'm still grumpy - so there!

beautiful pics. I have some from the way up and top of ben lomond the other April there when there was stil a lot of snow. Ill need to dig them out.

Im trying to get my boss to start walking aswell Rez. Its one of those things that once you do one time you will defo do again.

I certainly am lucky to have this in my back yard...one of the reasons I love being here!

Res and Rab ... keep trying!!! There's nothing like these sort of walks. Fantastic for the soul. We stood at one particular point and closed our eyes, all you could hear was the wind. Absolutely nothing else. That is magical in such a busy, noisy world.

Legs definitely feel beasted today though!