Plan your walk |
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DISTANCE: 3 miles (4.8km) TIME: 1½ hours START/END: SD321998 Layby parking south of the little tarn on the roadside between Coniston and Skelwith Bridge TERRAIN: Moderate; some steep sections MAPS: |
Park in the Glen Mary Bridge car park at the bend in the A593 Ambleside to Coniston road 440yds (400m) after you pass Yew Tree Tarn. Start the walk by ascending the path on the north side of Tom Gill.
There are several paths – keep close to the gill to get the best view of the waterfalls, but be careful if it is very wet.
Pass a lovely little waterfall in an intimate setting.
Come up to the tarn near the dam. Turn right onto the track that crosses the dam, go through the gate and then bear left on the well defined path which goes round the tarn, signposted at various points as ‘Circular Path’.
Just after you cross a footbridge at the north end of the tarn you come to a seat and another viewpoint for the tarn. The stone records Sir James and Lady Scott, who gave Tarn Hows to The National Trust in 1930.
As you are coming down the hill to complete the circuit of the tarn, you have the option of taking one of the small paths up the hill to your right. This will take you up to the cairn and viewpoint on Tom Heights.
There are glorious views from all points on this ridge to Coniston Water, through the high fells to Helvellyn and across to Windermere. This is a place to linger. The extraordinary variety-of scenery here occurs because this point is in a geological complex. This is the junction between the Borrowdale Volcanic series which characterises the high fells, and the Silurian slates landscape which is lush with woodlands and without harsh crags. Examples of Silurian slate lie to the south and east of Coniston Water. In between is the narrow band of Coniston limestone, a grey limestone which geologists might have spotted en route.
If you have been up to Tom Heights retrace your steps back down to the circular path. Then continue on this to complete your circuit of the tarn, crossing the dam for a second time. Then carry straight on for 55yds (50m) before turning right onto a stony track which descends through a gate.
At the junction of paths at Lane Head carry straight on.
After another 220yds (200m) go through a gate and turn right onto a larger track, which is followed down to the starting point.
