Helvellyn a winter sunrise

[canisp]

Helvellyn 950 metres
OS Map 90, Grid Ref 342152
Started from the car park at Grid Ref 316169
Distance walked 7 km’s
Height Gain 750 metres
10 December 2007

Sometimes i get hare brained ideas and don't usually carry them out, on this day the 10th December 2007 i did. I decided i'd like to photograph the sunrise from the summit of Helvellyn. I left home around 3:30 am for the 90 minute drive to the car park, and set off walking from Thirlspot at 5:15 am. It was pitch black with a cold breeze as i left the car. As this is home ground for me i felt comfortable doing the walk, and all the familiar landmarks appeared out of the blackness when they should. There was no point in stopping the only views were the stars which really sparkled, something you can't see so well in the towns or cities. There was a little snow and ice above the 2500' mark and i reached the summit at 7:15 am, about 1 hour before sunrise. Carlisle and Penrith were ablaze with lights, Catstye Cam just visible as a silhouette.

Catstye Cam and Penrith

The summit shelter on Helvellyn

From Helvellyn summit looking southeast

From Helvellyn summit looking southeast

From Helvellyn summit looking southeast

From Helvellyn summit looking southeast

Its not often you get Helvellyn to yourself, i just sat, supped coffee and waited as the sky brightened to the southeast. A strong wind was blowing cloud in front of the sun which added greatly to the view, one minute it was clear the next clouded in.

The summit of Helvellyn from Swirral Edge

Red Tarn and Striding Edge

Catstye Cam with Ullswater beyond

Helvellyn summit plateau

Looking South from Helvellyn Summit

Red Tarn and Striding Edge

When i did traditional photography about 20 years ago film and chemicals were expensive, so i tended to compose the shots more, now with digital i‘m more trigger happy and i took about 60 shots of the sunrise. Around 9:00 am a jogger in T shirt and shorts raced over the summit and on in the direction of Nethermost Pike, the only person i saw until after leaving the top at around 9:45 am i reached the car at 11:15 am, a morning to remember.

Sunlight on Catstye Cam

Catstye Cam

Catstye Cam

A last look back to Swirral Edge

[37lumleyst]

Some great photos there Canisp

Some of them have really captured the cold and bleakness of Helvellyn’s summit – really liked looking through those.

Paul

[mountain coward]

Very beautiful pics... but probably a silly question... why in December when it's soooo b*** cold for camping out? The sun rises in June too! I find it quite cold enough bivvying on a mountain on mid-summer's night, never mind December!

[susanmyatt]

Great pics, love walking in the snow

[canisp]

Thanks for the kind comments

why in December when it's soooo b*** cold for camping out?

I didn’t camp out overnight on the hill mc, i set off walking at 5:15 am and arrived at the summit about 7:15 am, 1 hour before sunrise. But hey you’ve given me an idea a winter bivvy i like the sound of that