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Swaledale Outdoor Club |
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Swaledale Outdoor Club |
| > Home > Newsletter > Walking > Helvellyn |
HelvellynIt was dry when the main party left Richmond Market Place, minimising the number of cars used. It was raining when we reached Glenridding car park and met the remainder of our party of 20 and it was comparitively warm when we set out for Helvellyn via Gillside Camp site and the Glenridding valley, making the carrying of ice axes seem superfluous. Once we left the shelter of the valley however, curving round and climbing to Red Tarn the wind increased and the rain was horizontal - a fine day for testing your gear! After a brief stop for refreshment at Red Tarn we climbed up to Low Spying Howe and followed the ridge on to Striding Edge which was relatively calm, being sheltered from the strong SW wind by Nethermost Pike, as is often the case. Regrouping for lunch in the saddle before the final ascent to Helvellyn it was still very wet and now cold. Up onto the summit we encountered snow and ice patches and the remains of a big cornice which stretched from above Striding Edge to above Swirral Edge. The intention had been to cross Dollywagon Pike and St Sunday Crag but the prospect of 2 miles of head-on wind and rain before we got down to Grisedale Tarn was not attractive. Changing the plan we descended over steep snow and ice onto Swirral Edge, this taking some considerable time as a number of people had not used an ice axe before in that kind of situation. We all got down safe and sound, many now having more confidence of their ability to tackle high winter mountain walking. We dropped down again to Red Tarn and returned via the Youth Hostel at Greenside and Glenridding Village. A very enjoyable, very wet day in good company. John Deighton |