Coniston Country Fair

[No map, no compass]

Straightest line to the top and back without falling in a quarry.

[Mike T]

I have recce'd a route that goes up roughly where the tourist path to Goat's Water leaves the Walna Scar track, and I assume this is the race route, but how do we get to there from the fairground?

[No map, no compass]

From the Fair it goes up the track from Park Gate then follows bridleway west to the fell wall and onto the fell at Banishead/Long Haws. Cross country to somewhere around Boo Tarn then straight up the fell to the west of Bursting Stone Quarry to the summit and back down same way. There may be a short section on Walna Scar Road

[Mike T]

From the Fair it goes up the track from Park Gate then follows bridleway west to the fell wall and onto the fell at Banishead/Long Haws. Cross country to somewhere around Boo Tarn then straight up the fell to the west of Bursting Stone Quarry to the summit and back down same way. There may be a short section on Walna Scar Road

Thanks. The route I took on the fell itself - there is a faint but definite trod most of the way - went - on descending - almost directly south from the summit - but there is route on the OS map going roughly south-east from the summit to near Boo tarn and to the west of BS quarry (not the Wainwright route which zig-zags and seems to go the other side of the quarry). Any idea which route people take on the fell?

[Don't fear the sweeper]

Last year the leaders asked which way at the first lane junction, this year some of them went the wrong way till they were called back!

[Mike T]

Last year the leaders asked which way at the first lane junction, this year some of them went the wrong way till they were called back!

After crossing the A593 and going under the old railway line, turn right, not left! And the route crosses Walna Scar track at Boo tarn, then goes up to the left of the zig-zag track, and to the west of the quarry - lots of route choice with no obvious path in the middle section, though there are obvious paths at first and towards the top. Luckily the rain had ceased. Thanks to the RO and marshals. I suspect one or two of the finish times had a couple of minutes added to them for some reason.