The Coniston 2000'ers

Today it was the Coniston fells that were my target. When I left the car on Bannishead Moor at the end of the metalled road I was unsure how many of the seven 2000'ers I'd collect. As is so often the case for me it was a late...ish start, and it seemed to be a lot more breezy than the MWIS forecast. I know these fells very well, and had a route in my mind....legs and lungs permitting!
It turned out rather well, there follows a lot of images...

Rather than climbing Dow Crag via Walna Scar, I decided to go up to Goatswater.
the cloud/mist was swirling round the crags high above.

Goatswater Hawse in front...catching the cloud. It was the same when I got up there and all the way up to the Summit of  Dow Crag.

As we can see here, although the wind was trying to tear holes in the cloud...but mainly failing.

Back down to Goatswater Hawse I was in the cloud, and for most of the way climbing to Coniston Old Man. As I reached the ridge though the cloud was being ripped apart by the strong wind.
here we look South along the ridge to the "Old Man"

The trig on Coniston Old Man...and I had it to myself!
Time to turn round and head North along the ridge....

...to Brim Fell. Really easy to bag this one, virtually no ascent and good terrain for rapid progress.

Rather than add the climb over Great How Crags and Swirl How I took the traverse path round to the col between Great Carrs and Grey Friar known as Fairfield.

The summit of Grey Friar, and again the mist was trying to disperse...but not quite managing it.

A quick jog back to Fairfield (here in the mid ground). Then up over easy grass towards Great Carrs.

A brief stop at the memorial for the loss of a Halifax and all it's crew during the Second World War on Great Carrs. It's not far from here to....

...the top of Great Carrs. Here we look South..ish across Broad Slack with Dow Crag in the distance still in the cloud.

Again it's an easy walk/jog to here the summit of Swirl How.
Time for me to make a decision...to include Wetherlam or not? (Seen here to the left of the cairn)
I was feeling good, had loads of time and if anything the day was improving...still windy though!

The top of Wetherlam soon came into view, although the cairn seemed to have been destroyed.
Here we look back from whence I came...Great Carrs, Swirl How and Prison Band.
All I had to do now was get back to the car...with as little uphill as possible!

I headed back to skirt Black Sails and descend the wonderful grassy trod down the Blake How ridge to Levers Water. To arrive here at the head of Boulder Valley after a short ascent from the tarn.

Down Boulder Valley, past the Puddingstone and onto the long disused quarry road (where this photo was taken). It was then all downhill along the old Mandells quarry road back to the car.
A really good day, it almost felt effortless...12 miles..ish and 4 marvellous hours in my favourite hills.
My route and stats should anyone wish to check it out can be found here
If you've made all the way down here well done!...Cheers!