During the Coniston Walking Weekend 10-12 March 2017, it was wonderful meeting new guests coming on their first Country Adventures guided walking holiday, together with people on their multiple Country Adventures walking trip. That's what always makes our waking tours special, the chance to introduce new walkers to some magical places, and seeing good friends from previous tours. The Old Man of Coniston was our first mountain guided walk of the weekend. Standing at 803 metres above sea level, Coniston Old Man is as synonymous with the history and heritage of the Lake District, as Kendal Mint cake is. Alfred Wainwright said it best (1958), "Best known of the Coniston fells is the Old Man, a benevolent giant revered by generations of walkers." Wainwright was absolutely right, and whilst there are higher and more strenuous Wainwright Lake District mountain summits to tackle, Coniston Old Man is a classic walk, with waterfalls, hidden mountain tarns, remnants of the famous Coniston Copper Mines and stunning viewpoints. And in spite of not having clear blue skies for the day's hike, there is so much to enjoy and see at close hand on this walk, on good mountain footpaths and trails. It's a pleasant, steady walk from the centre of Coniston village, up alongside Church Beck where you'll occasionally find Country Adventures groups gorge scrambling and canyoning down waterfalls. The walking route reaches the Miners Bridge and from there, the old copper mining landscape is laid out in front of you with distinctive slate quarry houses and mounds of slate deposits. It's a tranquil setting, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, all very different activity from the 16th and early 20th century when it was a working landscape, as miners mined the rich deposits of copper deep in the mountains. The beauty about the walk, is that you get to see dismantled machinery and tunnels in the mountainside, reminding all that see it, that this is the heritage of Coniston and an important time in the history of Cumbria. Reaching the summit of Coniston
During the Coniston Walking Weekend 10-12 March 2017, it was wonderful meeting new guests coming on their first Country Adventures guided walking holiday, together with people on their multiple Country Adventures walking trip. That’s what always makes our waking tours special, the chance to introduce new walkers to some magical places, and seeing good friends from previous tours. The Old Man of Coniston was our first mountain guided walk of the…
Our 2017 walking holiday programme began in February with a memorable Pendle Hill and Simon's Seat walking weekend, within Lancashire and Yorkshire respectively, with two very enjoyable guided scenic walks and a lovely group of customers, some who'd been on previous Country Adventures walking tours and some joining us for the first time. The base for the weekend walking holiday was Clitheroe, in the heart of the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, where on Friday evening there was an opportunity to meet up for a drink and discuss the walks. Then on Saturday morning, Joe, the Country Adventures guide, took the group over into Yorkshire to the Bolton Abbey estate, owned by the Duke of Devonshire, to start the day's Simon's Seat walk. Simon's Seat is a rocky outcrop, made up of millstone grit, sitting 485m above sea level, with extensive views across the neighbouring countryside and makes for an interesting hill walk amongst impressive rock formations. Starting the walk from the Cavendish Pavilion tea room on the Bolton Abbey Estate, there was no sign of snow that had been forecast for the day as we made our way along the River Wharfe heading for another highlight on today's guided walk, the waterfalls at the 'Valley of Desolation'. The waterfall was in full flow and even without the summer array of flowers & greenery, the Valley of Desolation always looks picturesque and peaceful. We continued up by the waterfall along a track leading into the forest that leads onto the open moorland of the Bolton Abbey Estate. Once out on the moorland there was snow all around...quite impressive really, to have such an immediate change in scenery from the green forest trails we'd just stepped out of, to a wintery landscape with every bit covered by snow. It's moments like this when it's good to have a walk leader with you to guide the way and keep you heading in the right direction, even when the trail is hidden. It really was magical scenery
Our 2017 walking holiday programme began in February with a memorable Pendle Hill and Simon’s Seat walking weekend, within Lancashire and Yorkshire respectively, with two very enjoyable guided scenic walks and a lovely group of customers, some who’d been on previous Country Adventures walking tours and some joining us for the first time. The base for the weekend walking holiday…
