Start point: Patterdale (NY 394 160)
Patterdale – Hole-in-the-Wall – Striding Edge – Helvellyn – Nethermost Pike – East Ridge – Grisedale – Patterdale
Distance: 8.8 miles Total Ascent: 960 metres Time Taken: 5 hours Start Time: 07:00
Weather: Sunny and warm. 13ºC
It was a lot cooler this morning than it has been of late, down to 3C when I set off. Once the sun was out though it soon warmed up and it turned into a superb morning. I descended via the east ridge of Nethermost Pike and even managed a quick dip in the hidden Hard Tarn.
Striding Edge route map.
Early morning Grisedale.
The head of Grisedale from the path to the Hole in the Wall - the bracken is turning now.
Dollywaggon Pike and Nethermost Pike. The east ridge from Nethermost looks interesting, I might use that for the way down later.
Fly me to the moon.
Ling-a long-a Grisedale.
That ridge has certainly caught my attention this morning and I was checking out where the best way down would be. Hard to tell from here but I decided on the scree run on the left of centre.
Looking back to Grisedale and the path climbed.
The Hole-in-the-Wall.
Striding Edge, Helvellyn and Catstycam.
Birkhouse Moor from the Hole-in-the-Wall.
Climbing to High Spying How and Striding Edge.
Red Tarn panoramic.
The jagged teeth of Striding Edge.
At the start of Striding Edge.
Dougal leads the way.
Crossing Striding Edge.
Striding Edge silhouette.
Red Tarn and Catstycam.
Striding Edge.
A panoramic from the climb to Helvellyn.
The summit plateau of Helvellyn.
Close up on Ullswater.
A fantastic view from Helvellyn across Catstycam to Ullswater with the Pennines beyond.
Dougal and Casper on Helvellyn.
Skiddaw from Helvellyn.
Blencathra across Raise and the Dodds.
Swirral Edge and Catstycam.
The Coniston fells.
The paths from Helvellyn.
There are one or two people on Striding Edge now.
Catstycam and Striding Edge from a pool on Nethermost Pike.
The summit of Nethermost Pike.
At the top of the east ridge of Nethermost Pike.
Looking across to Dollywaggon Pike, Hard Tarn below looks like it is worth a small detour today.
High Crag beyond Hard Tarn.
What a beautiful place this tarn is in, nicely secluded and off the beaten track.
Hard Tarn reflections.
A jewel.
The outflow from Hard Tarn is a strange one, it just overflows this rock lip.
The water was so clear and the location was so idyllic that I was magnetically drawn into the water for a swim. Admittedly, the water was a bit cooler than tepid but it is an unbeatable feeling to swim up on high in a clear pool such as this. I noticed my two companions weren't too bothered though!
The easier way down would probably have been down into Ruthwaite Cove but I decided to continue down from the east ridge towards Eagle Crag, here looking back to the towering east ridge.
Place Fell along Grisedale.
Nethermost Cove.
The east ridge.
Looking from the old mine workings to Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn.
Nethermostcove Beck.
Looking back to Eagle Crag.
Crossing Nethermostcove Beck.
Looking back from Grisedale.
This will do!
'Where can I get a drink around here?'.