Striding Edge

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Helvellyn

Walked on 18/12/2009

Start point: Wythburn (NY 324 136)

Wythburn – Birk Side – Nethermost Pike – Helvellyn – Birk Side – Wythburn

Distance: 4.7 miles    Total Ascent: 813 metres     Time Taken: 2 hours 30 minutes

Weather: F-f-f-freezing. -2ºC

I have wanted to get up to Helvellyn for a decent sunrise for a good while so today seemed a good day for it with it being nearly the shortest day and the sunrise being relatively late. It was cold and clear (and dark) when I set off from Wythburn and conditions were pretty extreme when I made it to the top…

Helvellyn

Helvellyn route map.

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Climbing to Helvellyn in the dark.

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First light over the Coniston fells from Birk Side.

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There was a red sunrise to the south and I was cursing at this point, wishing I had gone to Coniston where it looked lovely and clear yet here on the side of Nethermost Pike there were clouds - lots of them.

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Heading for Nethermost Pike and perhaps it's not so bad after all.

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The Coniston fells and a red sky but it was bitterly cold and the wind was really picking up now.

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Looking across Nethermost Cove to Helvellyn, Catstycam and Striding Edge.

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Casper attempts to show how windy it is looking into Grisedale.

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The sky over Saint Sunday Crag.

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A superb red sky but Fairfield is lost under cloud.

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The summit of Nethermost Pike.

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Coldy old Nethermost.

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The Coniston fells from bitterly cold Nethermost Pike.

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Nethermost Crag and Helvellyn ahead.

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Clearing skies to the south.

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Striding Edge.

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The Gough Memorial.

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It looks like there is fire in the sky over there.

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It was incredibly windy along the Helvellyn ridge and I had to really plant my feet firmly to keep still enough to get a photo.

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Swirral Edge and Catstycam.

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Striding Edge from further along the ridge.

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Looking to Ullswater over Birkhouse Moor and Red Tarn.

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Wow!

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Windermere and Coniston Water with Morecambe Bay beyond under a wonderful sky.

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The cross shelter is frozen.

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The sun appears through the clouds.

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The Helvellyn summit ridge. As the sun was rising it became achingly gorgeous and absolutely wonderful to be here for this - well worth the effort of getting up early.

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A cloud capped Raise.

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Pink snow along Helvellyn summit with Skiddaw visible.

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Looking back towards the cross shelter.

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Casper braving the elements - you know he loves it.

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Skiddaw and Blencathra beyond Raise.

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The sun was starting to shine through now and it was turning into a fabulous sunrise with conditions constantly changing as the clouds were quickly blown through by the wind.

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Skiddaw and Blencathra beyond White Side.

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Simply beautiful.

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Looking back along the summit.

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Looks pretty cold to the east.

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At the top of Swirral Edge.

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Keppel Cove.

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Pink cairn.

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Sunshine and spindrift.

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Helvellyn glory.

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The summit. I stopped back at the cross shelter for more layers, another hat (yes, I wore two hats plus a fleece Buff!) and my 'big' gloves as my fingers were numb wearing ordinary gloves by this time. A look at the thermometer strapped to my bag showed the air temperature was -6C but with the wind chill it was even colder than that.

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Departing Helvellyn (quickly!) and looking back to the shelter, the snow looks more like a desert in the morning sunshine.

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The north western fells.

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The route of return, Nethermost Pike up to the left.

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Casper likes to live on the edge.

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Pink Striding Edge.

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Striding Edge from further along - gold and pink now.

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Steel Fell in the foreground, the Coniston fells beyond.

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Thirlmere from the descent.

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Ullscarf across Thirlmere.

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Walking Diary

  • The Mosedale Horseshoe 01/03/2022
  • Caw 18/01/2022
  • Coniston sunset 17/01/2022
  • Blencathra 15/01/2022
  • Scafell Pike 14/01/2022

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