Route: Helvellyn
Area: Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 3rd December 2016
Walkers: Andrew James and Jason
Distance: 6.6 miles
Weather: A bright start but soon clouded over and then dull, no views at the top
Standing at a height of 3,117 feet, Helvellyn is the 3rd highest of the Lake District fells as classified by Alfred Wainwright, and a worthy challenge whatever the weather
As we drove along the A591 out of Keswick, conditions looked very promising with atmospheric low mist in the valley and some blue skies overhead. We parked in Swirls car park and started the unremitting climb via Browncove Crags. On the way up we encountered some fell runners who warned us about ‘treacherous black ice’ further up, but thankfully we encountered no problems, though had to exercise care
Beyond the crags we walked into cloud and it was disappointing that the climax of the walk – the section from Lower Man to the summit of Helvellyn – was shrouded in fog and we had no views whatsoever. We had no reason to linger at the top, and it was bitingly cold up there, so without ado we retraced our steps for a few minutes before turning off to follow the path in the direction of Raise
When we reached the depression there was no sign of the descent path to White Side and Brown Crag but the gradient was gentle and we followed the grassy slopes downhill. This is clearly a little used route. Son James and his pal Jason had good fun on the way down, tobogganing (with no toboggan) down some of the snowy patches. There was still no sign of a path, and we had to kick steps into virgin snow much of the way. We knew we were on the right course though and thanks to the easy gradient there were no difficulties
Eventually we reached the path above Fisher Place which took us back to the start. The weather had been poor, too poor in the most part for decent photos, but we all agreed that it had been a grand adventure and I’m sure that the boys will remember their toboggan runs for a long time to come
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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
The night before the walk, stars appearing through the clouds - promising signs for the day ahead…
…and a fine start to the day as we cross the footbridge over Helvellyn Gill at the start of the walk
We follow the path beside the gill, leading up to Browncove Crags
We follow the sign to the left and will return via that on the right. It’s a long 2 miles
Mist in the valley as we look back towards Skiddaw
Zooming in. Credit to son James for the photos with the long lens - and for carrying it up Helvellyn
Small waterfalls by Helvellyn Gill
Zooming back to Thirlmere
Further along the path to Browncove Crags
Thirlmere and Skiddaw
Skiddaw
Snow on the path as we approach Browncove Crags
The telephoto lens reveals Bassenthwaite Lake and beyond it the Solway Firth and Criffel In Scotland
Thirlmere, Skiddaw - and Criffel again in the background
Thirlmere and Hawes Howe Island below
Our return route lies somewhere among the snowy patches
Looking back to Thirlmere just before we reach the cloud base
The last of the views for a while as we gain the summit ridge
The trig point appears out of the mist and the boys have a race to reach it
Trig point just below the summit
Rolling back the clock 18 months when James and I were last at the summit of Helvellyn - it was just as foggy then…
…we then went on to Dollywagon Pike where he bagged his final Wainwright
Back to the present - careful how you go as we retrace our steps back down the ridge
We follow the path in the direction of Raise before turning left at the depression below
We embark on an initially pathless descent
Boys will be boys, and Jason and James can’t resist the urge to toboggan down the slopes
The route described by Wainwright crosses Helvellyn Gill here and contours round the fellside, but in view of the snow we decided to keep to the left of the gill for a while
Zooming in on a solitary walker using our earlier ascent route
We follow the faint path which contours round White Side
James and Jason pioneer a quick way off Helvellyn…
We descend via Brown Crag in the direction of High Rigg and Skiddaw
Stybarrow Dodd - or Zebra Mountain as James preferred to call it
Just beyond the gate we turn left to return towards Swirls
Thirlmere below
Heading back to Swirls
We arrive back at the signpost seen at the start of the walk
A last look back along the valley towards Skiddaw
On the way home we stopped in Keswick…
A reminder of our efforts earlier in the day
