Route: Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike and Dollywagon Pike
Area: Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 16th April 2014
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 9.1 miles
Ascent: 3,600 feet
Weather: very cold and windy on tops, bright spells
With Easter approaching, I wanted to avoid a crowd scene on the summit of Helvellyn, which is a magnet for walkers especially at this time of year, so I set off bright and early and was on the starting grid near Wythburn Church before 8am
There was no one else around as I plodded up the slopes of Birk Side towards my first target, Helvellyn. Just before reaching the top, it clouded over and there were no views at all – a real disappointment. It was freezing cold as well, 2c with a considerable wind chill factor taking the temperature far lower than that. Thank goodness I was properly equipped
I decided to wait in the summit shelter for a while in the hope that the mist would clear and after about 20 minutes it did, giving me the opportunity to admire the dramatic surroundings, particularly Striding Edge
It was an easy walk across to Nethermost Pike, then a longer down and up to the final summit of Dollywagon Pike. Although the mist had cleared, it was hazy and the long distance views were quite poor. I descended to Grisedale Tarn and back to the start via Raise Beck and then easy paths along the valley
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Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden the evening before the walk
Early next morning I parked near Wythburn Church
Wythburn
Comb Crags and Birk Side
Looking back down to Thirlmere
Bonnie
This is the last of the good weather for a while as I’ll be up in the clouds soon
What a contrast - the ridge leading to Helvellyn
The cross shaped windbreak near the summit of Helvellyn, where I took shelter and waited for the mist to clear - there was a bitterly cold wind up here
The trig column at the summit
Swirral Edge from the trig column
Swirral Edge and Ullswater
Striding Edge below
On the way to Nethermost Pike, looking back to Striding Edge
Nethermost Pike
Zooming in on a walker on Striding Edge. Rather him than me - it was blowing a gale
The flat summit of Nethermost Pike, ‘a field on top of a mountain’ as Wainwright puts it
Looking back to Helvellyn and the shapely outline of Catstycam
High Crag
On the way to Dollywagon Pike left of centre
Summit of Dollywagon Pike
Grisedale and Ullswater from Dollywagon Pike
Looking back to Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn
On the way down now, heading for Grisedale Tarn
Herdy
Grisedale Tarn
After a refreshing swim, Bonnie does ‘The Shake’, which drenches anyone and anything within a 6 feet radius
The way back down to the valley
‘Come on, what’s keeping you?’
The path follows Raise Beck as it cascades down the fellside
Dunmail Raise
Thirlmere ahead and not far to go now
The last section through the woods and back down to the car park
