Helvellyn via Striding Edge

Walked on 11/11/2024

Walking Diary 2024

Start Point: Patterdale (NY 394 160)

Patterdale – Hole-in-the Wall – Striding Edge – Helvellyn – Swirral Edge – Catstycam – Birkhouse Moor – Patterdale

Distance: 14.2 km Total Ascent: 898 metres Time Taken: 5 hours 10 minutes Start Time: 06:40

Weather: Some cloud, clearing. 4°C

After seemingly endless days of gloom and overcast skies over the last week or two, today was forecast to be a lot clearer and that was a good enough excuse to head out on the fells, today it was up to Helvellyn via Striding Edge then returning via Swirral Edge. As it was the 11th November, Fletcher wore his poppy and we had an Armistice Day silence on the descent of Birkhouse Moor – we were on The Nab at 11. There was also a thought for Jeff today as we crossed Striding Edge…

A blood red sky at dawn.

The view along Grisedale Valley.

The sunrise was...

...spectacular!

After the initial sunrise, the clouds rolled in. By the time we reached the Hole in the Wall, it was windy and cold - time to layer up!

Flecther contemplates the crossing of Striding Edge.

Striding Edge - there were brief glimpses of sunshine and blue sky but they never held for long. Walking along Striding Edge there was time for more than a thought for Jeff, a friend from across the pond who sadly passed away earlier this year and his partner Cindy. As Cindy said about Jeff, his heart was always in the Lake District - RIP Jeff.

Looking back along Striding Edge.

The Chimney.

Climbing higher, up to Helvellyn looking back along Striding Edge.

A thought and a memory from someone to their beloved Mum on the top of Helvellyn.

No need to look quite so glum Fletcher, there's only me and you up here today!

I can't believe how eroded Swirral Edge has become, it seemed in a much worse state today than I have seen before. As we descended, the clouds began to part heading towards Catstycam.

Red Tarn appears through the mist.

Then suddenly the clouds parted ahead and Catstycam appears looking fabulous in the sunshine.

Climbing to the top.

...and where we came from.

Fletcher wears his poppy with pride.

A Brocken Spectre from Catstycam.

Looking back to Swirral Edge after the descent from Catstycam.

The view from Birdhouse Moor, the clouds have still not yet departed from the top of Helvellyn.

Ullswater from The Nab on Birdhouse Moor.

Back to the valley and it looks a whole lot better up on high now.

The sun lights up the trees in all their Autumn glory.

Birkhouse Moor

Height: 718 metres / 2356 feet Grid reference: NY 36344 15974 Category: The Eastern Fells

Birkhouse Moor is usually climbed on the way to Helvellyn (via Striding Edge or Swirral Edge).

Birkhouse Moor summit

Striding Edge, Helvellyn and Catstycam from Birkhouse Moor

Birkhouse Moor, centre, from Helvellyn

Helvellyn & Striding Edge

Walked on 09/10/2012

Start point: Patterdale (NY 394 160)

Patterdale – Hole-in-the Wall – Striding Edge – Helvellyn – Swirral Edge – Catstycam – Birkhouse Moor – Patterdale

Distance: 8.1 miles Total Ascent: 920 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 30 minutes Start Time: 08:00

Weather: Warm and sunny. 12C

The forecast was making it look to good to miss today and fortunately they got it right. Striding Edge was looking good today, very good in fact with views for miles.

Helvellyn & Striding Edge route map.

Dawn over Patterdale from Kirkstone Pass.

I couldn't resist paying Brothers Water a visit as I passed.

Beautiful reflections and sunrise. On with the walk...

On the road towards Grisedale, the fields are frozen in the valley but the sun is rising now.

Looking into Grisedale, the grass is still frosted in the early sun.

Climbing higher, St Sunday Crag towering above Grisedale.

Striding Edge and Helvellyn from the Hole in the Wall.

Looking along Birkhouse Moor to Ullswater which is under a thick blanket of cloud this morning.

Striding Edge.

A wider view.

StridingEdge on Striding Edge.

Hell's teeth.

The Chimney.

Red Tarn and Catstycam.

Looking down on Striding Edge from the climb to Helvellyn.

Red Tarn and Birkhouse Moor.

A panoramic view from Helvellyn.

The summit plateau - mine, all mine today.

Helvellyn summit.

Nice and clear today looking at Great Gable to Pillar.

Swirral Edge and Catstycam.

Red Tarn panoramic.

Go on Dougal, go for it!

The descent of Swirral Edge.

...and looking back up to Helvellyn from the bottom.

Climbing to Catstycam.

Catstycam summit.

White Side and Raise from Catstycam (nice shadow of Catstycam too) with Skiddaw beyond.

Sun on Swirral.

Helvellyn reflected.

Colour run.

Catstycam from the walk to Birkhouse Moor.

A fabulous view of 'the lot'.

Birkhouse Moor summit.

Glenridding Dodd and Ullswater from the north east ridge of Birkhouse Moor.

Glenridding.

Autumnal Place Fell.

Striding Edge

Walked on 02/06/2008

Start point: Patterdale (NY 394 160)

Patterdale – Hole-in-the Wall – Striding Edge – Helvellyn – Swirral Edge – Catstycam – Birkhouse Moor – Patterdale

Distance: 7.8 miles Total Ascent: 925 metres Time Taken: 3 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Fine drizzle and low lying mist. 14ºC.

It seems like an age since I have been out but regular viewers will know why; it has been a lot of hard work for us with setting up the shop and the business. It will all be worth it though hopefully, but it was great to get out in the fresh air again this morning even if the weather was not the best after a week of lovely sunshine and where better to go than Striding Edge?

Come on, we haven't been out for ages!

I don't think we'll have any views today looking at the low lying cloud on Birkhouse Moor and in Grisedale.

Casper in for an early bath in Grisedale Beck.

Birks Crag across Grisedale from the start of the climb to the Hole-in-the-Wall.

Suddenly, a fleeting glimpse of Birks through the mist.

The head of Grisedale.

Saint Sunday Crag.

Grisedale from higher up the climb.

Birks and Grisedale looking towards Patterdale.

Catstycam appears fleetingly from the Hole-in-the-Wall. That was the last time I saw anything of it today.

Heading across Striding Edge.

The Dixon Memorial on Striding Edge, erected 1858.

Billy Big Tongue!

Casper leads the way across Striding Edge.

Striding Edge.

No, that's the wrong way Casper.

Casper fittingly guards The Gough Memorial on Helvellyn. There were no views from here today...

..or from Catstycam...

..or from Birkhouse Moor as the mist and drizzle was set in for the morning now.

Striding Edge

Walked on 19/09/2007

Start point: Patterdale (NY 394 160)

Patterdale – Hole-in-the Wall – Striding Edge – Helvellyn – Swirral Edge – Catstycam – Birkhouse Moor – Patterdale

Distance: 7.8 miles Total Ascent: 925 metres Time Taken: 7 hours

Weather: Wet, clearing. 14oC.

Things didn’t look good first thing this morning, the rain was belting down throughout The Lakes and the wind was rattling the windows at home. Normally this would not be a problem, but today was the day of the inaugural StridingEdge.net walk. Would it be ruined? Should we do a low level walk? No! was the answer from the troops meeting at Patterdale. So, onward and upward…

The Grisedale Valley at the start of the climb to the Hole-in-the-Wall. This didn't look good, it was absolutely teeming down with rain.

A glimmer of sunshine? Grisedale and Saint Sunday Crag.

It is bright over on Birks but it's still raining though.

Suddenly the weather looks a bit more promising, here looking to the head of Grisedale.

Looking back to Place Fell from the path to the Hole-in-the-Wall.

Wet and bedraggled, we made it to the Hole-in-the-Wall.

Looking across to Catstycam.

Birkhouse Moor from the climb to Striding Edge.

All is clear over to Ullswater now, looking from Low Spying How.

Striding Edge.

Swirral Edge and Catstycam across Red Tarn. The white dot in the centre of the tarn is a small dinghy.

Descending The Chimney - dogs and all.

Climbing to Helvellyn, the summit shrouded in mist.

Looking back along Striding Edge.

Red Tarn and Catstycam from Helvellyn.

Casper makes sure everyone makes it along Striding Edge safely.

Walking along the Helvellyn summit plateau.

The StridingEdge summiteers - Lesley, Martin, Claire, David, Mike, Andy, Jo, Ann and Roger. Not on the photo are Angela who went east at the Hole-in-the-Wall, Alan who went north and Chris who went south!

A clearing view to Swirral Edge and Catstycam.

Casper lies perilously close to the edge of Helvellyn. Don't roll over!

White Side and Raise across Brown Cove.

Descending Swirral edge.

All is clear over to Skiddaw now.

Ullswater from Catstycam.

Casper and Angus on Catstycam wondering who all those other people and dogs are.

The route walked from Birkhouse Moor - Striding Edge, left, Helvellyn and Catstycam.

Ullswater from Birkhouse Moor.

It's sunny over Glenridding now on the descent from Birkhouse Moor. It is almost unbelievable to think it would end up like this after the start this morning, I didn't think we would see anything today. A great walk in brilliant company - thanks to everyone who joined us today, I really enjoyed it.

Striding Edge

Walked on 25/01/2007

Start point: Patterdale (NY 394 160)

Patterdale – Hole-in-the Wall – Striding Edge – Helvellyn – Swirral Edge – Catstycam – Birkhouse Moor – Patterdale

Distance: 7.8 miles Total Ascent: 925 metres Time Taken: 5 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Snowy with blue skies and a light breeze – perfect. 4°C

Wow, what a day today – bright blue skies and crisp white snow made for perfect walking conditions to Helvellyn via Striding Edge and Swirral Edge. Today I was joined by regular contributor to this site, Andy Lang; on the walk we bumped into Graham Thompson and the Trail magazine team doing a feature on Striding Edge and then Andrew Leaney on the summit of Helvellyn. Up on Catstycam we were alone and it didn’t look as though many had trod there today – only a couple of sets of footprints!

Helvellyn via The Edges

Walked on 08/06/2004

Start point: Glenridding (NY 385 169)

Glenridding – Keldas – Lanty’s Tarn – Birkhouse Moor (45) – Hole-in-the Wall – Striding Edge – Helvellyn (46) – Swirral Edge – Catstycam (47) – Glenridding

Weather: Warm and hazy.

Back up to higher ground today with a walk to Helvellyn from Glenridding, ascending via Birkhouse Moor and Striding Edge and descending via Swirral Edge to Catstycam.

Birkhouse Moor from the Glenridding path.

Ullswater from the summit of Keldas. At 331m, this summit seems to be an omission by Birkett as it meets the 1000' criteria he sets out in his book. The summit cairn drawn by Wainwright in his Birkhouse Moor chapter has now disappeared.

Looking to Birks across (a very dry) Lanty's Tarn.

Ascending Birkhouse Moor - follow the wall up to the right, then left along Birkhouse Moor to the Hole-in-the-Wall and Striding Edge to the left.

Striding Edge, Helvellyn and Catstycam from Birkhouse Moor summit cairn.

Looking to Swirral Edge across Red Tarn from Striding Edge.

Striding Edge from High Spying How

Looking back to High Spying How from Striding Edge.

Striding Edge looking towards the chimney and Helvellyn summit.

Looking back to the chimney.

Catstycam from the summit of Helvellyn. There were only hazy views to the East today and no views at all to the West as it was covered in cloud and haze.