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In June 2006 the survey of the mountain commenced. It was planned to:

·	Survey all former industrial sites.

·	Note the location of all historic artifacts on the mountain.

·	Make a detailed photographic record of all items identified.

·	Record the routes of all roadways, trackways and aerial flights.

or a Magellan mobile-mapper. Some parts of industrial sites on Coniston Old Man can be hazardous under-foot, for example, the base of spoil tips. Google Earth photography was used to avoid having to access these areas. Underground areas (closeheads, chambers and levels) were excluded from the survey as were sites currently being worked for slate.

Surveys of specific items were carried out using Magellan gps units manufactured by Thalles Ltd. These units were modified with advanced aerial systems. Data from the surveys was transferred to software which had been specifically developed for the project. Tracks and the outline of quarry banks were surveyed using either a Garmin gps

Two of the modified Magellan gps units used for surveying artifacts and industrial sites on Coniston Old Man

Maureen Fleming, chairman of Coniston Local History Group, with two retired quarrymen on the end of the main bank at Saddlestone, Coniston Old Man.

Recording results: -

Site plans were prepared from data obtained from the ground surveys. The locations of more remote artifacts are recorded on commercial digital maps such as the 1:12,500. Because of certain limitations on this scale of mapping, aerial photography has also been used.

Data was also recorded onto digitised versions of the OS 2nd Edition 1:1,250 maps, using Mapinfo software.

Archiving data: -

Material from surveys is stored on gold CD’s and SD cards. Data has been archived in a local museum archive with duplicate copies stored elsewhere.

The survey was performed by a team of local people including members of the Coniston Local History Group, slate quarrymen who worked locally and fell walkers & mountaineers who were based in Coniston and therefore knew the mountain well. Help was also given by members of Cumbria Amenity Trust, a local industrial archaeological group.