Long Crag, Wetherlam

1

SD302976 Take the Coppermines road from the Black Bull pub to a cattle grid just past the end of tarmac. Leave the road here and rise up through bracken-clad hillside past a single oak tree. Head left then pick up a series of short and broken rocky ribs to a band of gorse-covered scree. On one of these outcrops, don’t attempt a holdless mossy top direct, instead sidle left of the direct approach then take it more directly once the awkward front is bypassed. Break right through a small gap in the gorse to find better rock on an improvingly clean slab with good holds until level with and just right of a holly tree.

2

SD298981 Easy holds lead to a much more committing area of steeper rock above. However, lines of good, grippy and reasonably angled rock are quite easy to find; avoid the mossy bits, don’t rush it and keep your cool with the exposure and lack of escape options. Rise up a continuous slab, then edge left on a ledge just below a steep, short and slightly overhanging wall. Now climb its left side back onto the ridgeline. Cross a short grassy terrace then head right to a gentle more continuous rib.

3

SD298982 Rise left of a mossy damp groove then slightly left of a steep bluff. Where the holds run out sidle left along a ledge to pick up an easier way up using grippy friction footholds and good fingerholds. This ends at another welcome grassy terrace! Head right to gain a leftwards trending slab, then head to its right edge to escape difficult rock above.

4

SD298982

Cross another small grassy gully, dropping slightly to an awkward initial step up onto a quartz veined section. Trend right then left on a blocky slab following worn slightly orangey rock. The scramble now fades to enjoyable but broken rock walking to about 330m.

5

SD298984 The ridgeline is very broad and undulating with multiple small outcrops to walk around or over here. Roughly speaking you’re heading north to the far end of an elongated knoll between High Wythow and Kitty Crag at about the 410m contour, then north-west past Kitty Crag to a crossing path along Hole Rake. However, any track on the vague lumpy ground is both intermittent and takes a weaving course.

6

SD294992 Cross the stony path and ford a small stream on stepping-stones. Rise up on a faint path wiggling back and forth through a series of outcrops to gain the narrower, grassier ridgeline of Above Beck Fells, where you finally escape the side-slope. It’s now a long but gentle ascent over undulating ground to the summit rocks of Wetherlam.

7

SD288011 Head westwards off the summit – a faint path bends right towards the Tilberthwaite valley, before joining a clear path along the ridge towards Swirl How. Pass north of the Red Dell Head Moss and Black Sails knolls then drop to a large cairn in the Swirl Hawse col.

8

SD278007 Fork left by the cairn, on a mostly good path down to Levers Water. Walk along the reservoir’s eastern bank to the overflow spillway, then descend the track to a hairpin bend.

9

SD285988 On the hairpin, continue straight ahead on a path (easily missed!). Cross a leat line, then descend to a giant waterwheel. Bend right around this and down into the former mining area. Fork left by the Youth Hostel, then take the Coppermines track back down to Coniston, rejoining your outward route at the cattle grid.