This is one of a series of walks based on the X12 bus route. For other leaflets in this series, at www.golakes.co.uk/travel/on-foot select Walks from the X12 bus and specify Borderless and Two-sided printing before you print them. For the bus timetable go to http://www.cumbria.gov.uk Bus Walks Let the bus take the strain! Coniston - Ulverston area The bus will stop anywhere provided it is safe to do so. This walk can be followed using the Ordnance Survey Landranger 96 (Barrow-inFurness & South Lakeland) map at 1:50,000 scale. At 1:25,000 scale, you will need the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL6 (The English Lakes South-western Area) and OL7 (The English Lakes South-eastern Area). While the content of this guide is believed to be accurate, no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. We’d be grateful if you could send any corrections or suggestions to: [email protected] Produced by volunteers from Coniston in support of our much appreciated bus service. Supported by Coniston 14 Road Race www.coniston14.com Illustrations by Fiona Reeves [email protected] The country between Coniston and Ulverston provides some fine varied walks. They are ideal if you want a not-toochallenging walk, with great views, outside the high fells. Using the bus allows you to enjoy linear (A to B) walks. There are currently 8 leaflets describing walks of around 6 km (4 miles). Walk 8 Lowick Bridge – Lowick Beacon – Spark Bridge (6 km / 4 miles) This varied walk has some rough sections but most walkers can complete it in 2½ hours. It is 6 km (4 miles) long with 200m of ascent. Route finding can be a bit tricky. Walking boots recommended. Walk 8 Lowick Bridge – Lowick Beacon – Spark Bridge Start at Lowick Bridge crossroads Continue with the wall on your right, near the Red Lion Pub (SD 293 865). Walk up the lane, past the Red Lion, for 600m, to St Luke’s Church (bench with good views of Coniston Fells next to war memorial and interesting old oak chest inside). In 100m, go through a stone slip stile on the left, signposted ‘Moss’. Cross the field and pass through another slip stile. Turn half right and follow the line of rock outcrops towards the farm buildings. Go through a wide gate and another just left of the building. Continue between buildings to a lane. Turn left and at the main road turn right. After 50m, cross with care to a footpath, signposted ‘Nettleslack’. and where the path starts descending take the left fork contouring and gently rising round the side of the Beacon. When you see a wall ahead, follow it leftwards for 100m before going 50m north to the highest point (211m, 1¼ hrs from the start, SD 286 839). There is no beacon here nowadays, but there are good views, which include the wind turbines of Lowick High Common, Ulverston’s Hoad Monument, and in the distance across Morecambe Bay the square bulk of Heysham power station. Now amidst the bracken and scrub of Lowick Common, walk mainly southwards and upwards through several path junctions on the marked footpath (yellow arrows). When you come to a fork with Roerigg Tarn in front of you, keep right of the tarn, aiming to the right of Lowick Beacon now looming large ahead. Fork right at a footpath sign, and meet a drystone wall. Take the track opposite to Beck Bottom. Go past the terrace of cottages eastwards to Riddings Farm. Follow the bridleway between the buildings. It turns into a grassy double-walled track which you follow all the way to the lane at Wood End. The lane leads down, past a converted chapel, to the main road. Cross with care (limited visibility) and follow the road to the junction. Turn right and walk down to the centre of Spark Bridge, passing The Farmers Arms and The Royal Oak (both open all day). The bus shelter is to the right of the bridge (2½ hrs from start, SD 306 849). The ancient cairn 150m to the north has views of Coniston Water, the Coniston Fells and many more mountains. Continue on the path northwards and downwards, forking right after 40m. At a T-junction turn right towards the road. At the next path junction, take the left fork down to a footpath signpost, where you continue straight ahead. After a muddy section you come to a tarn with a metal platform. Walk along the right side of the tarn, fork right and descend to the road. The Hoad Monument
© Copyright 2024