Helvellyn - Striding Edge, Swirral Edge.
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 2:16 pmHelvellyn - With Striding Edge, Swirral Edge and Catstyecam
It's a Wednesday, the sun is shining and I have my opportunity to tackle Helvellyn on a clear day. I grab my bag (and apply a lashing of sun cream) and jump in the car heading for Glenridding.
Parking on the road leading up to the Travellers Rest (It's free, the joy
) I don my rucksack and head up the road toward the pub. I get no further than 100m before having to stop to take off my fleece as it really is that warm!
Layers succesfully removed I head along the steep path that runs alongside Miresbeck, turning around every so often to enjoy the views of Ullswater opening up as I gain height.
After following the path for a good while I reached the top of Birkhouse Moor, and Helvellyn with its two glorious ridges came into view.
I had decided to take Striding Edge on the ascent, and descend the other side using Swirral Edge. Making my way up toward Striding Edge I came across two gents, stopping to have a chat one of them told me that he got to the start of the ridge and vertigo took over, so had sensibly turned back. We chatted for a while about different routes up the mountain without the ridge walks before I bid them good luck and carried on.
Striding Edge in clear weather, is not for those with vertigo but fortunately I have never suffered from it! Choosing the actual ridge walk as opposed to the path slightly further down I wandered along the Edge thoroughly enjoying myself, stopping every so often to take photographs.
After the final scramble up to the summit plateau of Helvellyn I turned to view Striding Edge in all its glory.
I then strolled along to the summit point of Helvellyn. I wandered around the summit for a while, enjoying the phenomenal views in all directions of the Lake district. before making my way to the cairn at the top of Swirral Edge where I stopped for a spot of lunch.
I then descended along Swirral Edge, and carried on along the path to the summit of Catstyecam, before descending back to Red Tarn. I then followed the path winding its way down the Grisedsale Valley. A slight uphill segment at the bottom of the valley led up to Lantys Tarn.
From Lantys Tarn it was a simple downhill through a field of bluebells back to Glenridding and the car.
A superb day out, would definitely recommend to any who have not yet walked Helvellyn.
It's a Wednesday, the sun is shining and I have my opportunity to tackle Helvellyn on a clear day. I grab my bag (and apply a lashing of sun cream) and jump in the car heading for Glenridding.
Parking on the road leading up to the Travellers Rest (It's free, the joy
) I don my rucksack and head up the road toward the pub. I get no further than 100m before having to stop to take off my fleece as it really is that warm!Layers succesfully removed I head along the steep path that runs alongside Miresbeck, turning around every so often to enjoy the views of Ullswater opening up as I gain height.
After following the path for a good while I reached the top of Birkhouse Moor, and Helvellyn with its two glorious ridges came into view.
I had decided to take Striding Edge on the ascent, and descend the other side using Swirral Edge. Making my way up toward Striding Edge I came across two gents, stopping to have a chat one of them told me that he got to the start of the ridge and vertigo took over, so had sensibly turned back. We chatted for a while about different routes up the mountain without the ridge walks before I bid them good luck and carried on.
Striding Edge in clear weather, is not for those with vertigo but fortunately I have never suffered from it! Choosing the actual ridge walk as opposed to the path slightly further down I wandered along the Edge thoroughly enjoying myself, stopping every so often to take photographs.
After the final scramble up to the summit plateau of Helvellyn I turned to view Striding Edge in all its glory.
I then strolled along to the summit point of Helvellyn. I wandered around the summit for a while, enjoying the phenomenal views in all directions of the Lake district. before making my way to the cairn at the top of Swirral Edge where I stopped for a spot of lunch.
I then descended along Swirral Edge, and carried on along the path to the summit of Catstyecam, before descending back to Red Tarn. I then followed the path winding its way down the Grisedsale Valley. A slight uphill segment at the bottom of the valley led up to Lantys Tarn.
From Lantys Tarn it was a simple downhill through a field of bluebells back to Glenridding and the car.
A superb day out, would definitely recommend to any who have not yet walked Helvellyn.
