Tilberthwaite, Hodge Close, Greenburn, Wetherlam, Cumbria, Cumbria.
[ 16.2 km] Wed 12 May 2010

NY 3064 0100
There was nobody on the car park when I arrived at Tilberthwaite near Coniston.
I was on my way by 8am heading back down the road. I wanted to be on the other side of Yewdale Beck but the map didn’t show any bridges. I soon noticed and stile over the wall and as the river was well down I was able to hop across the boulders. On the other side I followed the road to Shepherd’s Bridge then turned left to follow the path towards Yew Tree Farm. The path was very well made and it was very nice wandering by the trees and pastures in fine weather. I turned north just before the farm to follow a lesser path across fields and up into Harry Guard Woods.

A short distance to my right was Yew Tree Tarn but the trees prevented a good view of it. The climb to Uskdale Gap and Holme Fell was fairly easy and reaching the pass was worth it for the view that opened up on the other side. I descended to the reservoir and soon reached the track then road to Hodge Close Quarries. I looked down the huge deep hole which used to be the main slate quarry in past times. The bottom of the quarry is now flooded to a depth of 35m and is now use for training by divers. I well remember visiting this spot in the early 1970s when I dived here many times with Chorley Sub Aqua Club. At the Hodge Close buildings I took the track to High Hoxen farm where a tarmac road takes over.

I followed the tarmac along an intricate series of twists and turns to Low Oxen, High Park, Stang End and Low Hall Garth. Here I left the tarmac and continued along the stoned track to Greenburn. The views were now opening up and I could see the ridge of Wet Side Edge looming ahead. I wasn’t going that way as I wanted to investigate the north face of Wetherlam. I passed though the gate before the final climb to the old quarries and found some shelter behind the wall to have my sandwiches. I continued past the Greenburn Copper Mine Works and looked up the high rock faces ahead. I wasn’t sure of the best ascent route so headed for the spoil heap of the disused Long Crag level mine.

It was a straightforward climb and a very worthwhile viewpoint when I got there. The Coniston Copper Mines book by Eric Holland describes the level as going 516ft into the mountain with 332ft of side passages. I continued upwards then through a steep area of rocks to a small promontory where there were even better views. From here it was an easy scramble to the path that leads to the summit of Wetherlam. The weather continued fine and I had excellent views from the summit. Considering the time of year it was quite cold and as I started my descent there was a short shower of hail.

I descended by Wetherlam Edge which runs down in a NE direction. It is quite steep and rocky in places and not a good descent route, although it is a good way up. As the path becomes a track there are more disused mine working in the vicinity of Hawk Rigg. At Tilberthwaite Gill Iused the footbridge to cross over. Unfortunately there was the stinking, rotting corpse of a sheep partly obstructing the path on the far side. Holding my breath for a while I was soon out of the odour and climbing to the main path back down to the car.