Brocken spectres, inversion, superb day on Helvellyn

[Stevekerr188]

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Friday morning on a winters day on only the third outing for a while, so it was an early start for the sometimes 2 hrs drive over to the Lakes. The met forecast had promised much with sunshine, possibilities of an inversion and very little wind. Went down to Glenridding with it being a shorter day and as usual parked up at the large lay by just to the north of Glenridding village. The weather was gloomy and very overcast with no wind to shift the weather and I began to wonder if the forecasters had got it wrong. Started off on the lake shore path and into the village before the up towards the YH. As usual when its gloomy and nothing to look at I find it hard to get enthused and I just go through the motion's. I continued on on the path North of Glenridding beck intending to go up the zig zag path up to Whiteside. About half way up to the top of the zig zags I began to sense the lightening of the cloud, a bit of heat and then as I hurried my pace a breakthrough into the clear with the inversion sat below
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Climbing up onto Whiteside the views opened up towards the north and west and the tops of Blencathra, Skiddaw, Grasmoor, Gable, the Scafells to Great End and Coniston hills could be seen. The inversion was as far as the eye could see. From there it was the drop down to the col before the walk up up to Lower Man and then onto Helvellyn. The summit was fairly quiet, only about 20 people on the top itself as a stopped for around half an hour. I had already seen some fox bows and then saw the first brocken spectre of the day over Swirral edge. Despite going in the hills for a fairly long time its only the second Brocken spectre that I have seen , the first on Great End about 2 years previously.
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I ignored the edges as return route as I wanted to get some miles in so I continued on and as usual I ignored the main path and instead walked around the corrie edges as I made my way over to Nethermost and then onto Dollywagon Pikes, seeing the second brocken spectre of the day. I stopped on the latter for a while as I would soon drop into the mist and it was a shame to go down. I eventually dropped down to Grisedale tarn and then started to descend into Grisedale before coming out of the cloud around the hut area. The cloud started to clear around Dollywagon Pike and I probably took more photographs of this as the cloud revealed bit by bit. Its a fairly long walk out when you are tired and when I got near to Lantys tarn there was a uphill diversion in place which took a bit more out of me before dropping down to the village and back to the car.
A brilliant day.
Pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them
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[The English Alpinist]

Magnificent stuff. I've had one inversion as good as that on the Brecons a few years ago, but I've never even heard of a broken spectre much less seen one (I googled it), so thanks for the education!