Church Beck Scramble

This ghyll scramble makes an excellent start to a day on the Coniston Fells, or would be a good short trip on a hot summer evening.

The lower section is grade 1 followed by an avoidable grade 2 or grade 3 waterfall below Miners’ Bridge. From Coniston follow a lane out of the village and past the Sun Hotel, then go through a gate and follow a footpath across a field. On the other side of the field the track rises uphill. Ignore this and walk down to a bridge over Church Beck. The route starts here. SD297977.

At first the stream offers little more than boulder hopping interspersed with a few little steps. The first notable obstacle is a fork in the stream, with the right channel blocked by a weir and pipes. A sign saying “Church Beck User Members Keep Left” points you up the left fork which is gained from the rib in the middle of the beck. Further up the nature of the stream changes as you enter a ravine (be prepared for some wading!). Pass a huge fallen log and scale damp slabs beside a waterfall. Beyond more pools another fall is bypassed by rock on the left.

The next waterfall cannot be climbed so turn around and escape right (looking downstream) onto a faint path that leads up to the lane. A bit further on take another path into the bracken to rejoin the stream below Miners’ Bridge. Regaining the beck involves a short awkward down scramble over tree roots and ledges. Beyond a pool the crux waterfall waits. This is harder then previous obstacles and goes at grade 2 or grade 3 depending on water levels. If you don’t fancy it, leave the stream bed and bypass the falls.

To climb the falls wade to the middle rib and climb out to stand below the large central prow. If water levels allow the easier escape is left here. Use niches for feet and perhaps a handhold on the side of the prow to overcome the step. If water makes this route impossible you must take a harder route to the right of the prow, finishing by ascending its right side wall. A few more falls can be climbed beyond, but Miners’ Bridge makes an idyllic spot to quit the stream bed and decide on the next course of action.

Options include a walk up Coniston Old Man, more ghyll scrambles on Levers Water Beck (grade 1) or Low Water Beck (grade 3), or numerous other scrambles in the area.