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…
![18.12.09-030 18.12.09-030](https://www.stridingedge.net/wp-content/gallery/2009-12-18-helvellyn/cache/18.12.09-030.jpg-nggid046945-ngg0dyn-0x0x85-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg)
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.
![18.12.09-119 18.12.09-119](https://www.stridingedge.net/wp-content/gallery/2009-12-18-helvellyn/cache/18.12.09-119.jpg-nggid046961-ngg0dyn-0x0x85-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg)
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.
![18.12.09-153 18.12.09-153](https://www.stridingedge.net/wp-content/gallery/2009-12-18-helvellyn/cache/18.12.09-153.jpg-nggid046969-ngg0dyn-0x0x85-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg)
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.
![18.12.09-171 18.12.09-171](https://www.stridingedge.net/wp-content/gallery/2009-12-18-helvellyn/cache/18.12.09-171.jpg-nggid046975-ngg0dyn-0x0x85-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg)
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.
![18.12.09-208 18.12.09-208](https://www.stridingedge.net/wp-content/gallery/2009-12-18-helvellyn/cache/18.12.09-208.jpg-nggid046985-ngg0dyn-0x0x85-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg)
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.