Start point: Wythburn (NY 324 136)
Wythburn – Birk Side – Nethermost Pike – High Crag – Dollywaggon Pike – Seat Sandal – Wythburn
Distance: 8 miles Total Ascent: 1042 metres Time Taken: 5 hours 30 minutes Start Time: 06:30
Clear Temperature 5 ℃ Felt like 5 ℃ Wind Speed 1.3 mi/h Wind Direction ENE
Regular followers of this site over the years will know I like a sunrise walk and particularly at this time of year up to Helvellyn. All the conditions looked to be good for a decent sunrise today so I felt compelled to go for it, and I am mighty glad I did as it was absolutely fantastic up there. Previously all my December walks up there have been memorably cold but this time it was not so bad. Of course you never know what the conditions are really going to be like walking up in the dark but the view of the inversion to the east when nearing the top was fabulous and I knew I was in for a treat from that moment.

I had time for a walk along the summit plateau before the sunrise proper - there were another couple of people there to witness the spectacle as well.

Here we go, the first glimpse of sunrise - it is, of course, relatively late at this time of year at around 08:30.

Striding Edge is constantly changing with more - or less - being revealed by the clouds as they ebb and flow.

I did hang around on Helvellyn for a good while (for me anyway) and walked along the ridge a couple of time before heading south to Nethermost Pike, here looking to the west with Bowfell to Great Gable in view through the inversion.

Seat Sandal under a cloud cap. I stopped on Dollywaggon Pike and had a coffee and watched the fascinating cloud movements unfold. The cloud was pouring from Grisedale Tarn and down Raise Beck and began to fill up the Thirlmere valley.

Looking along The Tongue from Dollywaggon Pike summit, a good place to sit for a while. Amazingly I never saw anyone along this ridge after I left Helvellyn.

At the old gatepost that marks the start of the steep descent to Grisedale Tarn, Seat Sandal summit is out of the clouds now so let's go for it!

Then, as if by magic, the cloud has all but gone looking to Fairfield and St Sunday Crag from the steep climb to Seat Sandal.
Jan Mašek says
Whoa, I’ve never seen so amazing one morning’s haul. One theme, still great diversity, every picture is exquisite. Unbelievable.
Thanks, Honza
Sean says
Thanks Jan, it was a perfect morning on the fells 🙂
Steve Bailey says
Wow! Some amazing pictures there, thanks for sharing them
Sean says
Thank you Steve, fabulous conditions – I could have stayed up there all day!
Jeanie Lazenby says
Magical! What a treat to be there and see that inversion. Love the images, especially the peak of Catstycam and Striding Edge peeking out. The first of the two images of Fletcher sat watching the view pulled at the heart strings 🙂
Sean says
Thanks Jeanie, yes it was a special treat indeed to witness that sunrise and inversion. It’s a big world for little Fletcher!
Bryn Griffith says
Love the whole set, but Striding Edge in particular. Thanks for sharing and Im sure people would pay good money for some of these (maybe they already do?)
Nigel Wilkins says
Fantastic conditions! I’m only a little bit jealous…
Sean says
Hi Nigel, thanks – I struck lucky this time!
Sean
Angela Haworth/Clarke says
Catching up post Christmas – great walk and lovely views. Whilst you in the north were all enjoying cloud inversions and blue sky pre-Christmas we here in the Peak District were stuck in a grey fog for days on end. Finally saw blue sky and sun post Christmas
Looking forward to us both getting our websites full with many more walks in 2022.
David says
Don’t suppose you have the camera settings?
Mitchell says
Insane pictures!
I think I was there on the same day, topped out of striding as the sun was rising.
Looking forward to some nice inversions this year, fingers crossed!
Andrew says
Looks great. When you did Striding edge did you take your dog? I heard avoid it when climbing Helvellyn with a dog.