The summit
Important notice: Strictly speaking, Beacon Fell is is a Wainwright "Outlier", not a member of the Southern Fells, but has been placed in this category for convenience.
Beacon Fell, small and unremarkable, is ignored by most fellwalkers. It is sometimes climbed as a short diversion from the Cumbria Way, but is not prominently seen from the usual tourist centres, being five miles distant from Coniston. Beacon Fell is only likely to be spotted by close examination of the map. If the main Coniston fells have yet to be climbed, there isn't much of a case to be made for going out of your way to visit this one.
Yet this fell is set in the midst of some wild and beautiful countryside, and the walk-in from Coniston is highly enjoyable. Sticking to the lake shore for the most part, the Cumbria Way (which is followed for the entire walk-in) is a well-constructed path that wanders through woods, fields and tracts of moorland before reaching Stable Harvey Moss, a large expanse of bog.
The final climb to the summit from Beacon Tarn is easy. With (limited) parking available nearby at SD 291 911, this would be an ideal walk to introduce young children to the joys of fellwalking.
Despite its meagre size, Beacon Fell has many characteristics of the higher mountains, on a smaller scale. It even sports a number of craggy ridges, suitable for some mild scrambling practice. The ridges make good alternative routes to the summit. When the top is reached, the view is excellent in all directions--particularly so in the direction of Coniston Water and the Coniston fells. This is, in fact, one of the best places for viewing the lake.
Try to find a tin hidden under a rock on the summit cairn (but please try not to destroy the cairn in the process!) Inside is a bundle of pens and a notebook for you to record a message.
If Beacon Fell has any failing, it's the scores of ugly tracks left by off-road vehicles (visible in the full version of the main picture). Perhaps it's too much to ask for all fells to be the sole reseve of walkers alone, but after all this is Lake District National Park land. After having suffered from the antics of illegal motorbikers at home, this was the last place I'd expected to see evidence of the same thing.
So be warned. Look both ways before crossing the path on this fell!
 Gorgeous Coniston countryside |
 The summit cairn |
 Coniston Water from the top |
 Gloom over Stable Harvey Moss |
 The Coniston Range |
 Looking North to the Fairfield range |
