Hellvelyn and some Friends to the North

[johnkaysleftleg]

Following the seemingly endless winter April was turning out to be a fine month and with a forecast even better than the previous Saturday I headed to Lakeland once again. I must at this point thank my ever patient wife and daughter who after following me around all 214 Wainwrights put up with me disappearing every now and then on a weekend while they slog away on a Doctorate and GCSE course work and revision.

I noticed that I still had many Eastern fells to do on the second round so I worked out a route to re-bag a good few as well as traversing Swirral Edge for the first time. I turned up at the re-built Glenridding Car Park nice and early and paid what I thought was a full days parking (£8 but considering the costs of rebuilding following the floods I can't complain too much) and headed off with Hughie in tow up to the Greenside Road to the Youth Hostel.

Gorgeous Morning at Glenridding by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Greenside Road by Anthony Young, on Flickr

The Grass is always Greener by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Soon enough the Youth hostel and other buildings were passed and a real hill walk could begin. The gradient of this path is quite gentle so we made good progress up to Red Tarn on what was a simply glorious morning. I did consider a more direct assault on Catstyecam but decided I'd like to see Helyellyn's cragy East face from the shore of the tarn so that's what we did. From here the gradient only steepens towards the summit as you double back along the ridge to the apex of this pyramidal mountain. My previous visit to this top was totally clag bound but it was fairly obvious that the views would be fantastic on a good day, needless to say they didn't disappoint and I had my breakfast drinking in the panoramas which are unimpaired apart from the craggy bulk of Helvellyn which is nice to look at anyway.


Glenridding Beck by Anthony Young, on Flickr

First Target in Sight by Anthony Young, on Flickr


Looking back down the Path by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Helvellyn and Red Tarn by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Swirral Edge by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Eastwards from the Ascent by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Catstyecam by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Ullswater from Catstyecam by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Swirral Edge and Helvellyn by Anthony Young, on Flickr

White Side from Catstyecam by Anthony Young, on Flickr

It's a Laugh this fell bagging! by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Looking down Catstyecam's North West Ridge by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Glenridding Beck from Catstyecam by Anthony Young, on Flickr

It was gloriously warm and pleasant on the summit but I had places to be so I set off back down to the col before the climb/scramble up Swirral Edge. This was one of the reasons behind my route for the day but like most scrambles in the Lakes it was all over far too soon and I was wandering over to Helvellyn's summit to take in more magnificent views.

Helvellyn had the feel of a supermarket early on a weekend morning; a few folks milling around but you know in a few hours and it will be a hive of activity. I most certainly wasn't up for waiting for the hoards to arrive so we headed off towards Lower Man and the ridge down to White Side.

Helvellyn's East Face by Anthony Young, on Flickr

On Swirral Edge by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Across to High Spying How from Swirral Edge by Anthony Young, on Flickr


Looking back towards Catstyecam by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Whiteside and Raise by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Nearly at the top by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Some stubborn Snow by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Helvellyn Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Summit Panorama by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Memorial by Anthony Young, on Flickr


Striding Edge by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Looking along to Nethermost Pike by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Over Steel Fell towards Coniston by Anthony Young, on Flickr

The easy wander to White Side was enlivened by a double fly past of a couple of military helicopters, which was nice, before the climb to the infinitely better top of Raise which has many rocks and is a nice place to sit and have a bite to eat. Boots off, blue sky and solitude was the nature of lunch time as I had hidden myself amongst the rocks oblivious to passers by.

Keep off the Snow! by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Descending Helvellyn Lower Man by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Fly by by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Browncove Crags and The Pike by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Hughie Checks out the shelter on Whiteside by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Looking back to Helvellyn by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Raise by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Lunch over we sloped off down to the Sticks Pass where I had a choice; head down the main path or, go over the Hewitt of Green Side. Both options would end up at Nick Head, the col with Sheffield Pike. Once on the rough stony path down the Sticks Pass the smooth grassy fellside above seemed a better option, an opinion further reinforced by having to cross some rough boggy ground as I passed the disused quarrys to get to Nick Head. Still at least my old knees didn't have to endure the steep grassy descent and I was soon plodding up the penultimate Wainwright of the day in the form of Sheffield Pike. This is a rather sprawling fell full of boggy tarns that would probably be quite unpleasant in poor conditions but today it's not a bad place to be at all with some fine views back towards Catstyecam and across to Ullswater.

Sticks Pass by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Sheffield Pike Ahead by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Quarry on Greenside by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Tarn and Glencoyne Head by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Sheffield Pike Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Is that really comfortable? by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Catstyecam from Sheffield Pike by Anthony Young, on Flickr

We didn't linger on the top but I enjoyed exploring the fell as we made our way to the Birkett top of Heron Pike which has even better views that the main summit. One fell to go then, but not before a steep descent down Sheffield Pike's South East ridge, a fine way up the fell but requiring concentration to go down and quite wearing especially if you take a wrong turning and end up slipping and sliding down an unpleasant eroded gully for the last of the descent.

Ullswater from Heron Pike by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Glenridding from Heron Pike by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Glenridding Dodd by Anthony Young, on Flickr


Looking Back to Heron Pike by Anthony Young, on Flickr


Layers of Fells by Anthony Young, on Flickr

A fairly short pull took us to Glenridding Dodd's pleasant summit and, feeling tired, I stopped and had the last of the rations shared with the ever hungry hound. Once again the views were tremendous, then again any view with the beautiful Ullswater in it is going to be fine by me. I could have happily sat for hours but as my good lady wife would start to wonder where I was I dragged myself away and back to the car.

Glenridding Dodd Summit by Anthony Young, on Flickr

Ullswater from Glenridding Dodd by Anthony Young, on Flickr

I did receive a slight surprise upon returning to the car to find I'd somehow managed to only pay for six hours parking and not the intended full day, but as I'd taken six hours just about to the minute it wasn't a problem, glad I didn't sit longer on Glenridding Dodd then.

Helvellyn.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[trailmasher]

Another fine set of hills and pics of a good day out JK great photos from the summits . My last two visits to those fells were one of snow and poor visibility and 'tother of thick fog and rain Of course I had Chris with me, the albatross

[malky_c]

A flawless looking day there

[yokehead]

A fine round and what a tremendous day of weather you had! Great photos.

[thefallwalker]

Of course I had Chris with me, the albatross [/quote]

I heard that!!

[johnkaysleftleg]

Another fine set of hills and pics of a good day out JK great photos from the summits . My last two visits to those fells were one of snow and poor visibility and 'tother of thick fog and rain Of course I had Chris with me, the albatross

Cheers TM, I'm sure your luck will change soon

A flawless looking day there

A fine round and what a tremendous day of weather you had! Great photos.

Thanks lads