Sharkey's Dream - Helvellyn Via Striding Edge


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Helvellyn Via Striding Edge

14th June 2008

		Wainwright Guidebook One

		The Eastern Fells

Overview

Ascent:	3,118 Feet - 950 Metres
Wainwrights:	2 Birkhouse Moor, Helvellyn
Weather:	Warm & Sunny
Parking:	Gill Side Campsite Glenridding
Area:	Eastern
Miles:
Walking With:	Stephen Harrison & Lee Roughly
Ordnance Survey:	OL5 (1:25)
Time Taken:
Route:	Gill Side Camp Site - Mere Beck - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Red Tarn - Birkhouse Moor - Mere Beck - Gill Side Camp Site

Map and Photo Gallery

Day 1 Gill Side Campsite.

Early evening and after putting the tents up it was time for a quick pint at the pub we just passed (The Travellers Rest) Now the plan was to have 3/4 Pints a good steak meal and back to the tents for 9 ish (That would be the sensible thing to do yes?)

7/8 Pints later and one exceeded credit card (We'd spent all our cash and decided to put the rest of the nights rounds on Ste's credit card!) Its not our fault if the entertainment was so good! we lost track of time ok! I can honestly say that night was one of the best nights I’ve spent with the lads. So instead of getting back for 9pm we got back at 11.30pm and needed absolute no effort in getting to sleep that night!

Starting the walk from Gill Side to meet the path which took us through Little Cove/Mere Beck and then on to Birkhouse Moor.

Looking back at Glenridding and Place Fell.

Helvellyn and Catstye Cam.

Our first view of Helvellyn Summit with Catstye Cam to the right, I'll have to admit I'd been a little nervous about tackling Striding Edge and that black cloud right over the summit wasn’t helping

Birkhouse Moor Summit.

The approach to Hole-in-the-Wall.

Striding Edge.

Striding Edge.

Helvellyn from Striding Edge.

You can read books, look at guides and pictures, but they will never give you the sense of accomplishment of actually walking along Striding Edge.

Looking down the path that runs along the bottom of Striding Edge.

Descending the chimney.

Looking at the decent off Striding Edge and my route was the gully with the tuft of grass to the left

Red Tarn from Striding Edge.

Striding Edge from the summit.

The Memorial Plaque on Helvellyn summit.

Helvellyn summit Trig point.

Our decent route Swirral Edge.

Swirral Edge.

At this point on Swirral Edge I got a call on my mobile it was my brother Martin “Paul can I nip round yours so you can but a headlamp bulb in the car "Erm Martin can I call you back"

Striding Edge.

Climbers on Striding Edge and it looks like we just avoided the queues.

Striding Edge, Helvellyn and Swirral Edge.

Heading back down.

With views of Ullswater.

Glenridding Beck.

Boots off and time to dip my feet in the Glenridding Beck .What a great day We’d already put the tents down and packed up before the walk so here was just a rest and an ice cream before heading back home. Another great day on the fells.