The Bell (and Old Man)
1
SD288970 Follow the Old Man track northwards (this turns right off the Walna Scar Road by the gate into the car park). On your right is a small peaklet (The Bell) with a craggy southern end. Cross a stream (Braidy Beck) then immediately fork right onto a grassy path through bracken, towards a dry stone wall. Pass a ruined building (Bell Cottage) then cross a stream on stepping rocks just right of a sheepfold. A narrow grassy path through bracken leads to the base of the scramble.
2
SD288976 Start by a lone tree at the base of a prominent broken rocky ridge. Climb the short slab just right of the main ridgeline then move left. Step left and slightly down to gain the main broken ridge, with an initial 10m outcrop. Stay right of the true ridge on this lower section until a step left gains easier rock. Move slightly left to continue up a harder slabby face then escape left onto easier rocks towards its top and up to a small grassy terrace.
3
SD288977 Now you are following polished steps – rise up the face of a blocky slab with a couple of juniper bushes, then left up steps past the juniper to a small grassy terrace (NB avoid harder moves right here). Broken rocks lead to a slabby wall, take this direct. Where it becomes hard, escape right, or search for the sneaky but excellent left handhold that makes the exposed and inelegant step up possible to gain a small grassy ledge. Then take the left side of the ridge past another juniper bush.
4
SD288977 A larger grassy terrace leads to a steeper slabby wall. Follow the worn steps up a blocky gully towards the right. This feels awkward, exposed and the rock pushes you out awkwardly (slight overhang) until you find the helpful holds! Above this the rock becomes more broken and easy-going until a final set of ribs lead to the top of the scramble. Avoid the leftmost (exposed) but take the one just right of this, leading fairly easily to broken ground, then the small summit.
5
SD287979 From the top backtrack very slightly, then angle easily down a grassy ramp to the right of the summit blocks. Head round under the nose of the summit on a grassy path through bracken, right of a lower knoll, then out to join the main
Coniston Old Man path.
6
SD284980 Head straight uphill along this constructed track and up to the summit of the Old Man.
7
SD272978 Head south from the summit cairn/trig-point, and about 50m below the cairn, pick up the start of a track heading down the broad grassy southern ridge. After a while it veers noticeably west as
if it is going to end up on the Goat’s Water path below Cove Hut. But stick with it.
8
SD273970 In an area of small slabby boulders take a narrow path zagging back east towards the quarry/ Walna Scar track. Contour over a slight crest then about 50-60m after the junction, descend steeply downhill to the east of the slight rib you’ve just crossed. Head across the hillside on a narrow and occasionally intermittent path towards a prominent rocky knoll at Limestone Haws and the quarry workings.
9
SD278970 Bear right and under the prominent knoll, the grassy path once again descends more clearly to the Walna Scar Road, running parallel to the quarry track just before the junction with Walna Scar. Turn left along Walna Scar and back to the car park.