Well what a fantastic day this was and a great start to 2019. A new years day visit to Snowdon was on the cards for a couple of months as Jill was working the dreaded early shift at work, a 4.15am start, that left me with the chance to do Snowdon again on new years day. Fast forward to December and the weather was looking a bit more like Spring than Winter, plus the fact that I went up Snowdon just after Christmas, the Lakes was offering more, but where. Checking the forecast made my mind up for definite as the Lakes was looking nice and clear while Snowdonia was sitting under a blanket of cloud that was a bit on the damp side. I opted for a good long day taking in Helvellyn via striding edge then following the ridge line over to Nethermost Pike, High Crag, Dollywagon Pike, down to Grisedale Tarn before reascending up to St Sunday Crag and on to Birks before descending back down to the car as the sun was going down.
A good early start saw me parked and booted for 8am after a great drive down an empty M6 just as dawn was breaking. I managed to get in the layby opposite the White Lion Inn in Patterdale and my route took me up behind the toilet block, through a small wood, a couple of fields before getting on the lane and crossing Grisedale Beck at Thornhow to get on the path that takes you up the side of Grisedale Brow to "The Hole In The Wall" and the start of Striding Edge. A good easy relaxed start with only a small push up from Grisedale Beck to get you to the main path that saw gloves and hat come off as it quite warm now and out of any breeze.
My route for the day
Moon above the crags
On the farm lane with my route up the side of Grisedale Brow on the right
The morning sun beginning to light up the way
Me and my shadow
Blue sky and clear views all the way
At the hole in the wall I was greeted by a stiff breeze that took the temperature down a notch or two but also the great site of the Helvellyn Ridge flanked by Striding & Swirral edge and Catstycam standing guard. There was a bit of cloud cover on Helvellyn but lots of blue sky as well, which is always a good sign. After a ten minute break I made my way ontowards striding edge by way of the path that takes you up diagonally to the edge. In the summer on a good windless day its good to start the edge straight from here as it makes for a longer and more fun day but today with the wind and a few small damp patches about, I took the more obvious way. As it happened, the wind seemed to stay lower down than higher up so when I did get on the edge proper it proved to be a great crossing. Also, bits of low mist was rolling in and out and at a couple of points there was the added bonus of having a Brocken Spectre to keep me entertained. Made up for the lack of views at some point. I did take my time as the conditions, as I said, were very favorable up here but it all seems to end to soon as I topped out at the CHARLES GOUGH MEMORIAL and made my way up the summit plateau which was quite eerie as the mist rolled in but remained calm as there was little or no wind.
Striding Edge to the left, Catstycam to the right with a cloud topped Helvellyn in the middle
Brocken Spectre
Up on to Striding Edge
Looking down on to Red Tarn
Striding Edge
Striding Edge
Striding Edge
Looking back along Striding Edge
The Charles Gough Memorial Stone as you top out from Striding Edge
I hung about for about 30 minutes or so hoping for the mist to clear
but despite the sun trying its best to burn it off, it was proving to be
a bit stubborn so I decided to make my way onwards to Nerthmost Pike. As I
passed Helvellyn's summit shelter the views ahead of me started to
become a lot clearer and yes, 5 minutes later the whole place was in
sunshine and very clear, always the way! At least the rest of the day
looked very promising on what was turning out to be a great day.
Following the ridge round to High Crag
where I found a good place out of the fresh breeze for a spot of lunch
and a great view over to the western fells which at one point seemed to
be shrouded in heavy cloud. Sat in the sun out of the breeze in these
conditions made it feel more like spring than winter and there was a few
other walkers, but not many, making the most of the conditions.
Helvellyn Summit
Helvellyn Summit
Helvellyn Summit Cross Shelter
Looking down on a misty Striding Edge
As if by magic I reveal Striding Edge
Sunny way forward to Nethermost Pike
Striding Edge from Nethermost Pike
Nethermost Pike Summit
High Crag summit view to a distant Ullswater and Place Fell
High Crag Summit
High Crag summit view with a brew
Summit view of the Western Fells
Following the ridge down to Dollywagon Pike before the zig zag path that leads down to Grisedale Tarn. This path proved to be the warmest as it was totally out of any wind and in the full sun making it very a pleasant descent. The tarn looked inviting to just sit and chill for the rest of the day but as I was to head up the diagonal path on to St Sunday, I just took a ten minute time out taking in the silence of the place.
Views back along the ridge
Dollywagon Summit views back to Striding Edge and my route so far
Dollywagong Pike summit views to a distant Ullswater and Place Fell with St Sunday Crag on the right
Dollywagon Pike summit views over to a distant coast
Looking down on Grisedale Tarn flanked by Seat Sandal on the left and Fairfield on the right
My way forward diagonally up to St Sunday Crag
Grisedale Tarn
Looking back up to Dollywagon Pike and a summer sky
So, it was onwards and upwards taking the diagonal and fairly leisurely path that goes under Deepdale Hause and comes out at the col as you head up on to St Sunday Crag. Although now out of the sun it was still quite warm until I topped out back into the know strong breeze blowing across the tops. Another short rest before heading up to the summit where I didn't hang around too long.
Looking back down to Grisedale Tarn
On the path to St Sunday Crag
On the final section up to St Sunday Crag
Deepdale Hause up to St Sunday Crag
The final section up to St Sunday Crag
Looking down to Ullswater from St Sunday summit
Looking across to Striding Edge and my route across the tops from St Sunday
From here it was down, with some down scrambling over the rocky descent path before a slight ascent that took me to the final summit of the day, Birks. I opted for this instead of the straight descent under Birks just for the sheer hell of it as I knew there was enough daylight left to enjoy one final summit. Not a big boy by any means, in fact you could say its more of a big grassy lump over looking Ullswater but it does offer some big views over Patterdale, Glenridding and Ullswater as you come down off it and just seemed the perfect way to end a perfect sunny day in the Lakeland Fells.
Looking down on to Birks and Ullswater
My way forward on to Birks
Birks summit view back up to St Sunday
Looking down on to Ullswater
View down on to Patterdale and Ullswater from the descent off Birks
Down another rocky section of Black Crag towards a stone wall through Thornhow End and back onto the lane and the ascent path to the car park
Ullswater in the now fading light
Looking back up from the stone wall
Birks with the sun going down
Looking back on my day with Birks on the left and Grisedale Brow on the right
The end of another fantastic day that really did resemble a mixture of Spring & Autumn rather than Mid-Winter but what a start to 2019. Lets hope it continues.
Happy New Year :-)
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