I finally reach Helvellyn summit

May 11, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Now for a few landscape images from last year.

I finally reach Helvellyn summit

One of my favourite parts of the UK is the Lake District. I love the scenery both at lake level and from the hills, as well as the challenge of getting to the tops of the highest peaks, even though I am not at all good with edges! It is for this reason that, until last year, I hadn't actually reached the summit of Helvellyn, despite staying at Grasswaithe How, part way up the most commonly used route to the top.

Over the past couple of years, I have walked in the lakes with a group of friends, in June, to raise money for the charity Water Aid. A small group of us go up the day before to get some extra walking in, and in my case, get my body used to physical exercise again. This proved a good opportunity for me finally to climb Helvellyn!

Helvellyn is the third highest peak in the Lakes, and indeed England, and is arguably the most famous. There are numerous routes up Helvellyn but by far the most used is the route up from either Patterdale or Glenridding, via Striding Edge. Striding Edge is not for the faint hearted - and for someone like me, not the best route up, at least on my first attempt. An alternative route goes up via the slightly less precarious Swirral Edge - often the route down in a circular walk that goes up Striding Edge and loops round above Red Tarn. After scanning a few photos on the internet (it is after all still an edge!) I decided that his would be OK.

Our route started in Patterdale on the banks of Ullswater, up the minor road into Grisedale, across the Grisedale Beck, and up the well trodden route to the Hole in the Wall. My first two images are of the view back down Grisedale.

The views down Grisedale get better and better as you rise. But I have taken many shots along this path as this is the route I took before sunrise, when we stayed at Grassthwaite How (photos can be found in the Grisedale Gallery using the link at the bottom of this post). Pressing on, you get to a landmark known as Hole in the Wall - which is fairly self explanatory - the wall is marked on the map. Beyond this, the scene opens up with Red Tarn in front of you - head left for Striding Edge - we were going right up Swirral Edge.

Looking back down on Red Tarn and across to Striding Edge.

As we get to the top we look back towards Catstye Cam and the route we have just come up from the right. You can see Ullswater in the distance.

Once you get to the tops there is a lot of space. The summit of Helvellyn is quite broad with stories of a plane being landed up there. The views are spectacular with Red Tarn and Ullswater dominating the view.

As you move across the summit you get increasingly good views of Striding Edge.

From Helvellyn summit we continued across the tops across Nethermost Pike and Dollywaggon Pike. We had a very near miss as thankfully we heard a shout (from about half a mile away) of "has any one lost any car keys?" - yes that turned out to be my car key - that could have been a very long walk back!

From Dollywaggon Pike we came down the hillside to Grisedale Tarn, from where we had two choices. Back down Grisedale Valley, or up and over the other side of the valley over St Sunday Crag. It was such a lovely day, and having been to the summit of St Sunday Crag before (from the other side), I persuaded everyone to take in the high level views.

As you come down St Sunday Crag into Patterdale, Ullswater gets closer and closer.

Next stop was the pub in Patterdale and a well earned pint. It had been a great day!

For more images from this walk please go to the Grisedale, Helvellyn and St Sunday Crag galleries.

Keywords: grisedale, helvellyn, st sunday crag

Comments

No comments posted.