Of coarse Andy would choose the one route he’d done with his father-in-law, climbing up to the ‘Hole in the Wall’ (a stile) from Patterdale before tackling the eastern ridge of Striding Edge to the summit. Then returning on the more northern ridge of Swirral Edge. For a good while I thought Andy was telling me it was ‘Squirrel Edge’ we’d be returning down, then back tracking back to Patterdale, clocking up just over 8 miles.
I completely left the planning of this day to Andy as he expressed his knowledge of the mountain. We were camping at Ullswater Holiday Park, Andy and I had decided our families should meet for the weekend, and spend a little time together.
It was a beautiful warm August morning in the Lake District, and we were all up by 7am.
As Andy and I would be out for the day, our wife’s had planned a modest lowland walk near Keswick, then some shopping.
Andy drove the car to the White Lion pub in Patterdale arriving about 9am, I had new boots again today, Meindl Borneo’s this time, believing they were a better fit than the ‘Burma’s’ I’d walked a few miles in them before the weekend and I felt a repeat of Inglebourgh wasn’t on the cards. Andy remembered his boots this time.
Andy drove the car to the White Lion pub in Patterdale arriving about 9am, I had new boots again today, Meindl Borneo’s this time, believing they were a better fit than the ‘Burma’s’ I’d walked a few miles in them before the weekend and I felt a repeat of Inglebourgh wasn’t on the cards. Andy remembered his boots this time.
We set off from the White Lion back along the A592 and turned left at the cricket ground to follow the lane up by Grisedale Beck to a bridge.
Andy was really excited about today, I think I was more nervous at this point than excited. Andy was talking to me about the Wainwright mountain list, I’d heard of Alfred Wainwright, but didn’t really appreciate what he was about, what he stood for, and I didn’t know he had a list of mountains.
At this moment in time, I wasn’t ticking off Wainwright fells. I’d done Cat Bells with my wife but unfortunately we were heading for Helvellyn only, we could have planned in Birkhouse Moor and Catstye Cam, but this was Andy showing me Helvellyn, he had no interest in ticking off a Wainwright list, but nor was I bothered at the time.
Once at the bridge that crosses the beck in Grisedale, we could see our route, a steady straight path climbing above Patterdale Common. From here the skyline of Nethermost Pike and Dollywagon was ahead, and to the south, Birks and St Sunday Crag.
The view up to the Striding Edge ridge
Although the air was fresh, as it was early. The forecast was excellent, warm and dry.
Andy wisely elected to wear shorts from the off, but I was a bit slow realising it was going to be a warm day, so zipped off my trouser leg bottoms low down in the Grisedale valley, before the real hard work started.
I think we over packed for today, carrying waterproofs amongst other gear was unnecessary and made the climb up to ‘The Hole In The Wall’ a much harder one needing more than a couple of stops to get heart rates down and take on fluids.
The Hole in the wall is a mere stepped stile, but it’s not an ordinary stile, because the view from this stile looking into the direction of Helvellyn is fantastic, and the anticipation of Striding Edge.
Andy posing above Grisedale
Looking back towards Patterdale
The mountain holds out it’s two welcoming ridge arms. I hardly noticed Catstye Cam to my right, Swirral Edge looked exciting but my eyes were drawn to Striding Edge.
Andy’s enthusiasm was clear to see, he’d scrambled over Striding Edge before.
I was excited yet apprehensive, walkers lose their lives every year on this ridge, so I felt a little cautious.
The ridge was busy with walkers as you’d expect on a beautiful summers day so climbing onto the ridge at Low Spying How meant waiting in a small queue as it was difficult to pass a group of youngsters who were at best sluggish, but mainly static. Andy wasn’t keen on this, he didn’t want holding up and I felt a little cheated out of the early part of the ridge, and missing the Dixon Memorial.
A closer look at Swirral Edge
Catstye Cam
Having walked the path on the right of the ridge with some gusto, Andy and I finally joined the ridge ahead of the young group, just before we were level with Red Tarn. Walking poles were put away, and I remember Andy stressing to me “three points of contact” I felt very comfortable on the rock, the apprehension disappeared and the whole experience started to feel exciting.
Yours truly getting to grips with Striding Edge
Patients Andrew
There was no pressure to manoeuvre over the rock from people behind just because of the numbers on the ridge, as they were spread out most of the time, however queues would form at the more challenging spots where extra care was required, as it did when we arrived at the ‘Chimney’ after about a ten minute wait, it was my turn, following Andy.
Although I could feel eyes weighing up my choice of foot and hand holds, I thought the climb down was smooth and easy enough. another scramble followed and we were soon off the ridge High Spying How and onto the last steep climb on loose rock and gravel which was difficult with now tired legs.
The Chimney
The last steep pull up to the summit
A memorial to Charles Gough sits close to the summit. It’s believed he fell and was killed in 1805. His dog stayed by the body. The body and dog were discovered by a shepherd three months later. The event was later put in a poem by William Wordsworth called ‘Fidelity’
Once at the summit, it was time to have a break. The purpose built stone walled shelter was occupied so we sat on a patch of grass and just absorbed the surrounding mountain view. I couldn’t really recognise any of the distant mountain names to the west, nor could Andy, it didn’t matter, it wasn’t any less beautiful, but probably amusing to anyone listening to us guessing what they might be while we munched on a sandwich.
As I looked at the broad summit, I was trying to imagine the biplane that landed here in 1926, amazing achievement.
Helvellyn trig point 3,117ft
Red Tarn
Summit break over, my legs had recovered from that last gruelling climb up. My boots still felt good and I was ready to go.
Having traversed along the broad Helvellyn top, we arrived at the head of Swirral Edge along with a number of people, a well established path, but pretty steep initially. Again care was needed negotiating this higher section.
Steady and careful descent of Swirral Edge
Looking back up at Swirral Edge
From here Catstye Cam would have been so easy to summit as a path peels off to its summit, but Andy had other ideas. When we got to Red Tarn, a guy was just getting out of the water after a swim in the freezing cold lake. We thought he was mad, but apparently this ‘tarn swimming’ is a popular pastime, and to be fair, it was quite warm.
Red Tarn and the departed swimmer (right)
From the tarn, it was a short easy walk back to the ‘Hole in the Wall’ I had a touch of cramp in a calf muscle, nothing much but didn’t want any problems up here. Andy and I now returned back tracking down the long straight path which would take us back to Patterdale.
A last look back at Helvellyn
The final mile of just over eight
Once at the A592, it was a short walk along the road which meant passing the Patterdale Hotel. Outside were scores of walkers sat outside drinking in groups. That would have been nice to have had a pint in the sunshine amongst walkers, but we had arranged to meet our families and prepare a BBQ back on the campsite which we did, accompanied with beer and wine and an excellent evening was had by all.
It was an excellent days walking, and I was grateful to Andy for showing me Helvellyn, but I was beginning to feel I needed to look at new avenues to get the fulfilment I needed. I know I’ll return to Helvellyn, walking my own route at some point in the future, and visit the Dixon Memorial.
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