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 route map.
Climbing to Helvellyn in the dark.
First light over the Coniston fells from Birk Side.
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.
Heading for Nethermost Pike and perhaps it's not so bad after all.
The Coniston fells and a red sky but it was bitterly cold and the wind was really picking up now.
Looking across Nethermost Cove to Helvellyn, Catstycam and Striding Edge.
Casper attempts to show how windy it is looking into Grisedale.
The sky over Saint Sunday Crag.
A superb red sky but Fairfield is lost under cloud.
The summit of Nethermost Pike.
Coldy old Nethermost.
The Coniston fells from bitterly cold Nethermost Pike.
Nethermost Crag and Helvellyn ahead.
Clearing skies to the south.
Striding Edge.
The Gough Memorial.
It looks like there is fire in the sky over there.
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.
Swirral Edge and Catstycam.
Striding Edge from further along the ridge.
Looking to Ullswater over Birkhouse Moor and Red Tarn.
Wow!
Windermere and Coniston Water with Morecambe Bay beyond under a wonderful sky.
The cross shelter is frozen.
The sun appears through the clouds.
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.
A cloud capped Raise.
Pink snow along Helvellyn summit with Skiddaw visible.
Looking back towards the cross shelter.
Casper braving the elements - you know he loves it.
Skiddaw and Blencathra beyond Raise.
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.
Skiddaw and Blencathra beyond White Side.
Simply beautiful.
Looking back along the summit.
Looks pretty cold to the east.
At the top of Swirral Edge.
Keppel Cove.
Pink cairn.
Sunshine and spindrift.
Helvellyn glory.
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.
Departing Helvellyn (quickly!) and looking back to the shelter, the snow looks more like a desert in the morning sunshine.
The north western fells.
The route of return, Nethermost Pike up to the left.
Casper likes to live on the edge.
Pink Striding Edge.
Striding Edge from further along - gold and pink now.
Steel Fell in the foreground, the Coniston fells beyond.
Thirlmere from the descent.
Ullscarf across Thirlmere.