Helvellyn Winter Wonderland

11th January 2025


 
 
 
 
 

 

Overview
Ascent: 2,872 Feet - 876 Metres
Wainwrights: 2, Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike
Visiting: Browncove Crags
Weather: Sunshine Through High Cloud, Freezing Level Above The Summits. Highs of -1°C Lows of -6°C Feels Like -8°C
Parking: Layby Swirls
Area: Eastern
Miles: 7
Walking With: David Hall & Rod Hepplewhite
Ordnance Survey: OL5
Time Taken: 5 Hours 10 Minutes
Route: Swirls – Helvellyn Gill - Browncove Crags – Helvellyn Lower Man – Helvellyn – Nethermost Pike – Birk Side – Comb Crags – Wythburn - Forestry Track - High Park Wood - Swirls
 

Parking Details and Map
Nearest Post Code: CA12 4TW
Grid Reference: NY 316 416
Notes: The car park at Swirls is a very popular car park all year around and is owned by United Utilities. There is a toilet block on the car park with easy access onto Helvellyn via Browncove Crags. On the opposite side of the A591 a smaller car park can be found overlooking Thirlmere Reservoir. Parking charges apply at both car parks, however a short distance north (upper arrow) a lay-by can be found where it is free to park.


 

Map and Photo Gallery

 
 

Walkers ascending Browncove Crags on route to Helvellyn 07:40am -6°C

It's unusual to have to wait until the second weekend of the new year to get my first Lakeland walk in but as you are all aware; not just Mountain Rescue but Cumbria Police were warning fell walkers to keep off the fells last weekend due to the severe weather warnings and like a good boy I sat the weekend out not even risking to walk locally incase my car got stuck in the snow. The week following the heavy snowfall came sunshine and cold temperatures or what us fell walkers would call 'perfect winter conditions' unfortunately I was unable to get out of work but luckily the conditions would extend into Saturday and so the trio made plans to climb Helvellyn from Swirls.

We had arranged to meet at 07:45am at the layby north of Swirls I arrived around 07:40am to find the layby full, my heart sank but luckily we all managed to squeeze in as we watched the walkers head torches ascend Browncove Crags no doubt to take in the sunrise from Helvellyn at 08:30am; those nearing the top would get their wish, for those halfway, it's gonna be a push. It was a baltic -6°C by the time we were ready to leave the layby kitted out in full winter gear including crampons and ice axe. Snow was down to the roadside and we knew we'd be adding crampons very early into the ascent.


Skiddaw sunrise 08:28am

After leaving the layby we joined the A591 and passed through a packed Swirls car park to the point new arrivals were struggling to find a space to park and it wasn't 08:00am yet. We all had an uneasy feeling knowing today was going to be a busy one but we didn't expect to start our ascent behind queues of walkers, David's face said it all, it felt like we were taking part in a mass organised ascent of Helvellyn of which we could not escape.

Nerves calmed as we crossed Helvellyn Gill and within two hundred feet of ascent we started to encounter ice under the snow. It was time to add the crampons. We made use of convenient rocks to fit our crampons but this didn't apply to the two walkers behind us who decided to do the same. While one walker confidently added his crampons his accomplice sat down in the snow one leg flaid out while trying to guide the straps through the metal rings. It was woeful to watch thankfully once his mate had fitted his own crampons he came to his mates aid. This, the result of failing to prepare.


Browncove Crags appears 08:49am

Joining dozens and dozens of walkers we continued our ascent where it became apparent that Rod was struggling a wee bit after being laid up with flu before and during Christmas, this was his first proper fell walk of the year. We put Rod up front but this slowed the pack behind us so we came up with another plan to let Rod walk ahead at his own pace while David and I held back, caught him up and repeated.

Our oringinal route would see us traverse north to Raise from Helvellyn and descend by Sticks Pass but I'm already putting a plan B togeather just in case.


White Side and Raise come into view.
We ascended predominantly in shade while watching hints of light catch our surrounding summits.

Looking down on Thirlmere, High Seat, Bleaberry Fell, Skiddaw and Blease Fell (Blencathra) from Crampon Rock.

Those familiar to the website may have heard me refer to this rock as crampon rock. This is just for personal reasons and an area during previous winter ascents where we would stop to add our crampons. The rock isn't just the cluster you see here it's actually made up of many large boulders which the path weaves through. Today the path was bottle necked (spot the heads to the right of the chap carrying his dog) this was due to descenders wearing unsuitable footware who slipped on the ice causing them to descend on their backsides.

We topped out on the rock from the right (our left) and ended up having a chat with the lad carrying his dog which turned out to be a Pomeranian, the dog was less than a year old, full of thick warm fur and having the time of its life.


Sunlight reaches the central ridge.
With Thilrmere below.

The same sunlight catching Skiddaw and Lonscale Fell.
 

Raise, Stybarrow Dodd and Blencathra from Browncove Crags summit.
We managed to pull away from the pack and the only other walkers we passed were those in descent who were most probably the same walkers we'd spotted wearing head torches from the layby earlier.

David continuing towards Helvellyn.
Just as the sun comes into view.

Helvellyn Lower Man to the left and Helvellyn to the right.
We had spotted walkers on White Side summit earlier who by now were ascending Lower Man. Minutes before while at the head of Browncove Gully I'd spotted a walker blazing through deep snow making a pathless ascent on the col that links White Side with Lower Man my only thought being how tiring it looked!

Looking South towards Nethermost Pike and High Crag.
It's not uncommon to experience strong winds between Browncove Crags and Helvellyn and this morning was no different, despite the scenic views it was a keep your head down and keep going approach to the summit.

Winter wonderland.
Here looking towards White Side, Raise Stybarrow Dodd, Great Dodd and Blencathra. The walker I mentioned earlier can be seen as the black dot in the centre lower half.

Views over Brown Cove towards Catstye Cam, Sheffield Pike and Hart Side.
With Browncove Tarn seen below.

Looking back on Lower Man.
By the time I'd come up with a plan B we'd passed Lower Man which we would have originally visited on our return, trouble was the new route doesn't come back this way, instead we'd be heading over Nethermost Pike and descending via Birk Side, if David and Rod agree that is.

Lenticular cloud over Fairfield.
With Dollywagon Pike and Nethermost Pike seen foreground.

Helvellyn summit.
The winds had eased by the time we had reached Helvellyn's trig point finding just two other walkers in the vicinity, we couldn't believe our luck after expecting to find the summit busier that Tesco's on a Saturday afternoon. Great stuff.

From the summit...
...I look down on Swirral Edge and Catsye Cam.

More walkers begin to arrive.
While Rod stops to take a photo.

David spots two tents on the west shoulder of the summit.
Not only did the occupiers have this fantastic view I hoped they got to see the sunrise too, mind you, it must have been a bloody cold night with summit temperatures plunging below -8°C

Helvellyn summit.
This photo shows the extent of the snow cornice on the east face of the summit. With temperatures set to rise over the next few days the cornice will become unstable bringing the threat of avalanche. Stay well back from the edges.

Dreamy Fairfield.
I asked David and Rod about the plan B who both agreed, more so Rod as he'd already made his mind up that if we were to head to White Side and Raise he'd head back down. The plan B meant we'd stay together and as a bonus we were able to take in the views of the Lenticular clouds which would soon spread north towards Dollywagon Pike.

Helvellyn summit cross shelter.
Typically the wind had eased and to be fair, it was quite pleasant at the summit but I wouldn't want to hang around for too long. Instead of joining the main path towards Nethermost Pike we agreed to pass over the top of Lad Crag and Swallow Scarth.

But before we leave.
I never realised how close the chap was to the edge of the cornice until I got home and viewed the photo.

Frozen Red Tarn below.
Fell top assessors have reported the ice is solid but are warning walkers to keep well away. The frozen ice looks hypnotic from up here.

Looking back on Swirral Edge, Catstye Cam, Raise, The Dodds and Skiddaw.
Despite full winter conditions both Swirral Edge and Striding Edge were busy today with queue's starting to form on Striding Edge at the rock tower/chimney.

Heading towards Nethermost Pike.
We knew the sunshine wouldn't last with cloud forecast to push in from the west around lunchtime, that's the cloud and it looks full of snow.

Lenticular cloud over Hart Crag and Fairfield.
For anyone on St Sunday Crag (left) they'd have a stunning view of the cloud drama over Fairfield.

Approaching Nethermost Pike.
The sun came out as we approached Nethermost Pike illuminating the snow cornice over to our left.

Looking back on Helvellyn, Lad Crag and Striding Edge.
 

Fairfield from Nethermost Pike summit.
We made the easy ascent on Nethermost Pike passing two walkers in doing so and arrived at the subsiduary cairn where all footprints in the snow seemed to stop, the main summit cairn lies a couple of hundred feet further south nestled within a cluster of boulders from where we had more great views of the Lenticular cloud over Fairfield.

Summit cloud lingering over High Crag.
It was while at Nethermost Pike did I de-shoulder for a drink of hot vimto from the small flask I carry in my pack. When its -8°C and the windchill is biting having a hot drink at hand kinda presses the reset button.

Lenticular cloud drifts over Dollywagon Pike.
It didn't take long for the cloud to drift from Fairfield over onto Dollywagon Pike creating fabulous winter mountain scenery.

Oceans of snow, Nethermost Pike.
The sunlight catching the snow was an awesome sight especially when set against the dark skies in the distance.

Spindrift, Nethermost Pike.
 

Weatherfront looms closer.
It looks like we're going to lose the sunshine as we begin our descent.

Descending Nethermost Pike for Birk Side.

We began our descent wading through knee-deep snow while passing dozens of walkers heading for Helvellyn most of whom were fully kitted up, others not. By the time we had reached the Birk zigzags, we spotted even more walkers in ascent. The ones on the low flanks of Birk Side caused worry as they were hours away from Helvellyn, and with daylight hours dwindling were they aware that there were only four hours of light left? The more we descended, the milder it felt and soon our layers that had protected me at height were causing me to overheat. We reached the top of the path overlooking Comb Gill, where David spotted two roped climbers wading through waist-deep snow below Comb Crags from where they'd begin their ascent on the crag. Below us, dozens more walkers in ascent worryingly, one lad wore jeans that he'd tucked into a pair of white sport socks; words failed us. The deep snow acted like a cushion, speeding our descent into double quick time; we were definitely overheating now. The foresty track came into view through the trees, which, despite looking a stones throw away, was still a good twenty minutes descent away.

The snow depth decreased our crampons, scraping bare rock but we kept them on because there was still plenty of ice underfoot. We descended into the woodland where snow and ice were replaced by pine needles and frozen ground, and soon the forestry track was reached. We agreed we'd have a quick bite to eat, but before that we needed to remove our crampons. I removed my gloves to reveal hands that looked like they'd spent too much time in the bath. I'd been sweating but there'd never been a convenient time to remove my trusted winter gloves, now was that time. With my crampons removed, I tapped them free of snow and zipped them back into their bag. David was ahead of me chomping on a slice of Christmas cake while a red robin looked on from above, so he took a small corner and left it on top of a nearby fence post. Fed and watered we re-shouldered packs and began the two-mile walk back through the woodland walking the ice layered tracks a 4x4 had left behind. I'd added a pair of fingerless mitts for the return journey and soon my hands started to look normal again. Over our shoulders, the sun poked through high-level cloud, illuminating the south section of Thirlmere in a golden glow that extended onto Fisher Crag before the grey returned. I remained quiet during that trek back going over the highs and lows of the walk, the highs being the views we took from Nethermost Pike and the lows being how busy it was, and how it had taken us by complete surprise.


 

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