Helvellyn Range - Friday 13 September 2013
Route
Patterdale - Grisedale - Grisedale Tarn - Dollywaggon Pike - Nethermost Pike - Helvellyn - Helvellyn Lower Man - White Side - Raise - Keppel Cove - Glenridding - Patterdale
Parking
Patterdale (Free spaces and Car Parks) - Grid Ref NY397158
Mileage
13.5 miles
Terrain
Excellent paths throughout
Weather
Intermittent sunshine but mainly overcast - cloudy on Helvellyn
Time Taken
6hrs 30mins
Total Ascent
4153ft (1266m)
Wainwrights
5
Map
OL5 - The English Lakes - North Eastern Area
Patterdale - Grisedale - Grisedale Tarn - Dollywaggon Pike - Nethermost Pike - Helvellyn - Helvellyn Lower Man - White Side - Raise - Keppel Cove - Glenridding - Patterdale
Parking
Patterdale (Free spaces and Car Parks) - Grid Ref NY397158
Mileage
13.5 miles
Terrain
Excellent paths throughout
Weather
Intermittent sunshine but mainly overcast - cloudy on Helvellyn
Time Taken
6hrs 30mins
Total Ascent
4153ft (1266m)
Wainwrights
5
Map
OL5 - The English Lakes - North Eastern Area
GPX File
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Walk Description
The weather bode well for us today therefore we were out and about really early in order to grab a parking place in Patterdale and make our first assault on Helvellyn. With a young dog there was no way we were going over either Striding or Swirral Edges today therefore the plan was to walk up the valley of Grisedale and come back via Keppel Cove and Glenridding.
The walk up Grisedale is a long one but is idyllic. The views stretch out in front of you and, despite the 4 and a bit miles, all too soon we arrived at Grisedale Tarn. There were a few people ahead of us on the zigzag path up to Dollywagon Pike but not as many as we thought. The path up to Dollywagon is as we expected - steep but with adequate rest we soon arrived at the Summit. Leaving the summit our good visibility luck ran out and the cloud closed in leaving us with no view whatsoever from either Nethermost Pike or the Summit of Helvellyn.
Approaching Helvellyn, we were now all too aware that there were a lot of people on the summit and, with no view to speak of we did not hang about, preferring to lunch in the relevant solitude of Helvellyn Lower Man a bit further on. Suitably refreshed, we made our way down to White Side and on to one of our favourite summits Raise which gave a good view down to the Sticks Pass and over to The Dodds.
We then doubled back slightly and made our way over pathless terrain to pick up the path down to near Keppel Cove which eventually took us along the valley bottom back to Gelnridding for the short walk back to Patterdale. An enjoyable day out despite the crowds and poor visibility on Helvellyn.
The walk up Grisedale is a long one but is idyllic. The views stretch out in front of you and, despite the 4 and a bit miles, all too soon we arrived at Grisedale Tarn. There were a few people ahead of us on the zigzag path up to Dollywagon Pike but not as many as we thought. The path up to Dollywagon is as we expected - steep but with adequate rest we soon arrived at the Summit. Leaving the summit our good visibility luck ran out and the cloud closed in leaving us with no view whatsoever from either Nethermost Pike or the Summit of Helvellyn.
Approaching Helvellyn, we were now all too aware that there were a lot of people on the summit and, with no view to speak of we did not hang about, preferring to lunch in the relevant solitude of Helvellyn Lower Man a bit further on. Suitably refreshed, we made our way down to White Side and on to one of our favourite summits Raise which gave a good view down to the Sticks Pass and over to The Dodds.
We then doubled back slightly and made our way over pathless terrain to pick up the path down to near Keppel Cove which eventually took us along the valley bottom back to Gelnridding for the short walk back to Patterdale. An enjoyable day out despite the crowds and poor visibility on Helvellyn.
And on we go.......
Come on - lets go!
Wainwright's Barn in the Grisedale Valley
Grisedale
Ruthwaite Lodge
Grisedale Tarn with Seat Sandal to the right
Looking back down Grisedale to Ullswater and St Sunday Crag
The Summit of Dollywaggon Pike
St Sunday Crag from Dollywaggon Pike
Large Cairn on Nethermost Pike
The Summit of Nethermost Pike
Fudge was told off for this!!
The Summit shelter on Helvellyn
Summit Trig Point on Helvellyn
Catstycam and Swirral Edge
Leaving Helvellyn Lower Man for White Side
The Summit of White Side
Catstycam & Swirral Edge from White Side
Raise
Had a hard day Fudge?