I chose todays fell & route for one simple reason as I needed to take my mind of some very raw recent events that had happened over the last few days for you see I now find myself at the back of the dole queue.

Without going into matters why I should find myself at this low point in my life lets just say I was lied too, made a scape goat of & falsely enticed into a trap with only one outcome, the rawest & coldest feelings of all was is that this was done to me by a person I not only regarded my boss but my friend also.

It seems the law isn’t on my side either after only working for the company for eight months, the same company I left my previous employer of 22 years, yeah I guess I’m still pretty raw. Damn right.

So I guess I should leave it there & let the fells do the talking.

I had intended to keep up with my yearly winter climb on Helvellyn as I do every year, normally, by now the snow has arrived but this year it seems, the fells are only managing snow showers with no real lasting effect on winter conditions on all but some of the obvious routes.

Even so, I got a taste of winter today & although the snow may have only been centimetres deep, the cold wind-chill that swept the summits certainly made up for the lack of snow.

In so many ways this was the walk that I needed & if it meant emptying the fuel tank to get there then so be it.

Wainwright Guidebook One

-Helvellyn

There is some quality about Helvellyn which endears it in the memory of most people who have stood on its breezy top; although it can be a grim place indeed on a wild night, it is, as a rule, a very friendly mountain.

The forecast was set to be dry & bright from early morning but this did not stop the wintery showers which I drove through once leaving the motorway at Penrith, most of which fell as rain as I neared my destination of Stanah north east of Thirlmere, here the rain turned to sleet this causing me to ‘sit the showers out’ in the comfort of the car.

I managed to park at the few parking spaces just behind where I stood to take this photo. The car park is situated at the junction with the B5322 & the A591.

Whilst I was kitting up after the sleet had stopped I noticed a woman stood in her dressing gown smoking a cigarette at one of the cottage doorways, I give a morning nod & in return I get a smile.

The mood is dark as the sun hasn’t officially risen so I take my time to kit up after last weeks episode when I foolishly left my lunch behind. As a precaution today I will be packing Crampons although at this stage I do not intend to use them, the Ice Axe gets left behind in the boot of the car.

My route towards Raise & Helvellyn is reached by turning right at this point, turning left here would take you towards The Dodd’s & Clough Head, walking straight ahead would lead you down towards Sheffield Pike & Glenridding.

I was lucky enough to keep the light for now, but for how long was uncertain.

I encountered much the same experience with hidden Verglas whilst ascending White Side as I did Raise previously.

The presence of Verglas was almost everywhere but easily avoidable if you are watching your steps.

It’s not very often you would find the cross shelter to yourself even as momentarily as I did it which sure puts things into perspective, I figure over the last few hours my mind was free of the stresses that have enveloped me.

Me time was brief but I didn’t mind the company when two blokes very similar to my age arrived at the shelter, after making themselves comfortable we struck up a conversation mostly on routes etc., it turned out they were out for the weekend when after traversing the whole ridge from Seat Sandal they would then leave Helvellyn for The Dodd’s & Clough Head, where after, they would set up camp for the night somewhere around High Rigg (St Johns-in-the-Vale)

Tomorrow morning they explained after kitting up they would return to their car at Dunmail Raise via a clutch of Thirlmere Fells, a very well & thought out route I thought to myself.

Have you taken many photos? here referring to the near zero visibility whilst sat in the cross shelter, yeah I managed a few on the ascent via Sticks I explained but lost the views shortly afterwards, what do you do with them? well I explained, I manage a website where I blog & post the pictures from all my walks, what’s your site called? Its Sharkey’s Dream I said…ohh I know Sharkey’s Dream the guy replied, which I have to say kinda brought about a little smile about my otherwise miserable mush.

Before leaving the shelter the conversation turned to Scotland & the Munro’s & the fact that one of these guys had completed all of them over a span of 22 years, I fail to find out their names only that, one of whom was from Barrow, & the other Durham.

Nice Chaps.

Nethermost Pike is easily obtainable from Helvellyn although unless you are familiar with the paths & indeed the summit top, I wouldn’t recommend it in these conditions.

Here I pass two walkers walking in the direction of  Helvellyn, we pass on our good mornings with just a nod & a smile.

After leaving the summit I notice three figures walking towards the summit, they are too far away for a wave or smile so I pay them no attention.

The Forestry Commission have closed the permissive path back to Swirls.

Here I down pack & give it some thought as I munch on some sandwiches, I can feel the naughty side of me creeping in (naughty best describes my stubborn side)

Here I don’t see an option other than to go through the gate & take my chances as I really don’t fancy taking on the A591 at peak time

I guess it’s time I made my way back home & more importantly, back to reality.

I can’t go without saying thank you for letting me forget