Wednesday 8 August
Circular walk to Helvellyn from Glenridding via Striding Edge and
Swirral Edge.
Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/georgefaecartland/Helvellyn02
Might not be a big deal for some but for my wife and I it was the
fulfilment of an ambition which we've had for a few years since starting
to visit the Lakes regularly.
We had booked our short stay in the Royal Oak, Braithwaite, several
weeks ago and were watching the weather forecasts with increasing gloom
as this week got closer.
However, the weather couldn't have been better for walking. On Tuesday
(8 Aug), we did a short warm-up walk over Barrow. The forecast was that
Wednesday would be even better.
The books told us that it should take 4-5 hours to do the 12-13km round
trip. We added a couple of hours (arthritic knees don't bend that
quickly) and managed the round in 8 hours - with several stops along the
way to enjoy the scenery (OK and to get out breath back after each stage!).
We were not the only ones taking advantage of the weather. I guess
there were easily a hundred or more processing up the route. A wide
range of ages and equipment. I often feel over-dressed when I see
others in gutties and t-shirts. I sometimes wonder if the dire warnings
about rapid changes in the weather are not a bit like the "may contain
nuts" warnings on food packets.
For anyone who has not "done" Helvellyn, the route we followed has 6
sections:
1. Glenridding to the top of Birkhouse Moor - a bit of a slog on a
clear path beside the Mires Beck. Route maps are not really necessary
as there are plenty of people to follow. Not that I would advocate not
having map, compass, GPS to hand. Near the top of this section, the
path has been re-laid away from the wall which most guide books say to
follow. Makes the ascent a bit easier but does add a wee bit to the length.
2. A pleasant flat walk for about 1km to Hole-in-the-Wall. Good vistas
of the whole walk ahead open up (on a clear day - some folk we had
talked to before the walk told us that they'd been up more than once and
still not seen anything because of the mist. I guess we were really
lucky to get a clear day our first go. (First? Probably only time we'll
do that walk!))
3. Striding Edge. I can see how it would be practically suicide to try
this ridge in anything other than the kind of weather we had: Clear,
dry and very little cross-wind. For anyone with a good head for
heights, in those conditions it is not too bad. If, like my wife, you
prefer not to tightrope walk along a narrow ridge no matter what the
conditions, there is a safe path just below the ridge crest. At the end
of the Edge, there is a drop down about 7m which requires a bit of
scrambling, then a bit of rock climbing onto the final approach. Again
there is a way round this, which in places is not too clear, but avoids
the rock face.
4. Helvellyn summit. What can you say about this? I read that someone
landed a plane here once. I can believe it. It is wide and flat. A
well-constructed wind-break provides shelter if needed (not when we were
there!) and the views in all directions were superb. WE could see from
Morcombe bay in the south to beyond Bassenthwaite Lake in the north (a
slight haze prevented seeing as far as the Solway, but I'm sure that
would be possible on a really clear day).
5. Swirral Edge. The guides I've read say that once you've got over the
first bit, this is plain sailing. True. A bit of fairly easy
scrambling down to a straightforward path. Our original intention was
to continue along the ridge to Catstye Cam before descending, but we
were getting tired and decided to take the obvious path which slopes off
to the right down towards the outflow from Red Tarn.
6. Descent path. Following Red Tarn Beck, then Glenridding Beck and so
back to Glenridding village. This path has some steepish sections, but
zig-zags have been built into it to ease progress. You need to know to
cross over the Glenridding Beck at the weir at the Mine, or you contour
round the foot of Birkhouse Moor, to join the outward path. This will
get you back to the village, too, but you won't pass the Travellers'
Rest - which was a very welcome end point to a smashing day on the hills.
Knowing I would probably never be there again, I took a total of 116
photos. I have put a selection of 50 of these in the Picasa web album
referenced at the top of this post.
--
George