Helvellyn – 5 ways to walk
Following on from our popular Blog – Coniston Old Man – 5 Ways to Walk we’re extending our guides to other iconic Lake District mountains.
And right at the top of the list for many visitors is the magnificent Helvellyn.
On many a walker’s bucket list due to its ridge approaches unrivalled in their drama, here we’re looking at the best ways to hike Helvellyn, including routes which include the infamous Striding Edge, a must do for many, and also routes which avoid it.
Remember, the views from the top are the same, whichever route you choose – so choose the one which best suits your ability and what you want from a walk and always make that you have the skills and equipment you need on the day:
1. From Glenridding via Striding Edge 6km (one way)
This is the most popular and busiest route to the top of Helvellyn. It takes in the iconic Striding Edge so is the obvious choice for many walkers.
From Glenridding take the road running between the village shops and Glenridding Beck. Bear right at a fork onto a riverside bridleway leading past Gillside campsite.
The track emerges onto the Greenside Road where a sign indicates the start of the Helvellyn path. The footpath leads to a gate in the top intake wall which gives access to the open fellside below the steep north-east ridge of Birkhouse Moor. Turn left to take the pitched stone path climbing alongside Mires Beck. As you climb, don’t forget to run around to take in the breath-taking views of Ullswater behind you.
Eventually the path reaches the summit of Birkhouse Moor (another Wainwright for the baggers). Follow the path as it runs alongside the stone wall to the ‘Hole in the Wall’. From here the path begins to climb again up to the start of Striding Edge.
Approaching High Spying How, the path divides and a decision must be taken as to whether or not to take the lower path which avoids the crest of Striding Edge. If taking the higher path along the crest then there are five “towers” to negotiate; jagged rocky outcrops with steep ascents and descents. The fifth tower, and the last one fore the summit, is the most challenging. Finally, there’s a steep, rocky climb of around 400 feet up “The Castle” to the summit plateau of Helvellyn itself.
You’ll eventually emerge on the flat summit of Helvellyn, so flat in fact that on the 23rd December 1926 John Leeming and Bert Hinkler land a plane right on the summit itself.
For the return walk, retrace your steps along Striding Edge. Or you may wish to return via Swirrel Edge instead on the opposite side of Red Tarn, a slight but worthwhile diversion from which is the distinctively coned Catstycam. From here you can drop back down and take the path from Red Tarn to Birkhouse Moor to re-join the main path to Glenridding.
2. From Swirls, Thirlmere via Lower Man 3.5km (one-way)
This is the most straightforward route to climb Helvellyn, approaching the summit from the grassy western side and avoiding the drama of the jagged eastern slopes, which you still get to admire once you reach the summit.
The route is via an easy-to-follow pitched stone path which begins in Swirls Car Park on the A591 at Thirlmere.
At the back of the car park, cross the footbridge over the stream and follow the footpath to Stanah and Helvellyn. Just before a stone wall the path to Helvelyyn branches off to the left, crosses a small footbridge then continues to climb the open fellside. Another bridge re-crosses Helvellyn Ghyll. The path then begins to zig-zag as it climbs and you’ll be treated to some spectacular views; north towards Skiddaw and east across Thirlmere towards Great Gable and Pillar in the distance. The path ascends to Browncove Crags which are prominent above you and once they are reached the gradient (thankfully) begins to ease. If you wish you can take a slight detour to the summit of Helvellyn Lower Man, otherwise stay on the wide, very obvious path as it makes its way towards the summit plateau of Helvellyn.
At the summit you’ll be treated to incredible views of Striding and Swirrel Edges and Red Tarn below. Wainwright baggers can take a leisurely stroll south along the summit plateau to the summit of Nethermost Pike before heading back to Helvellyn.
Retrace your stays back to Swirls Car Park.
3. From Glenridding via Swirrel Edge 6.7 km (one way)
The route decribed below takes a wide sweeping circumvent of Birkhouse Moor through Glenridding Beck with some clear mountain pools to admire (or swim in) en route.
Alternatively you can follow the route about described above in Route 1 for Striding Edge and, just after the summit of Birkhouse Moor, take the path branching off on the right to Red Tarn. From the tarn you can pick up the main path to Swirrel Edge.
From Glenridding take the road running between the village shops and Glenridding Beck. Bear right at a fork onto a riverside bridleway leading past Gillside campsite.
The track emerges onto the Greenside Road where a sign indicates the start of the Helvellyn path. The footpath leads to a gate in the top intake wall which gives access to the open fellside below the steep north-east ridge of Birkhouse Moor. Turn right from the gate and follow the path contouring across the north-western slopes of Birkhouse Moor. As it makes it way across the slopes you’ll see the remains of the old Greenside Lead Mine to the right and below.
Stay on the path as it continues to curve around Birkshouse Moor. The pointed silhouette of Catstycam eventually comes into view. The path crosses a footbridge over Red Tarn Beck then begins to climb more steeply towards Red Tarn. As the path levels out on the approach to Red Tarn, Swirral Edge and the summit of Helvellyn come into view. Just before reaching Red Tarn the path sweeps right and begins to climb once more towards Swirrel Edge. Upon reaching the narrow ridge it’s simply a matter of following the crest towards the summit. Swirrel Edge is less frequently traversed than its flashier neighbour Striding Edge but the views are no less impressive. There are several rocky outcrops en route but nothing too challenging – and you’ll be treated to spectacular views across to Striding Edge. The steepest part of Swirrel Edge is the last part before the summit plateau, known as The Fangs.
From the summit you can retrace your steps along Swirrel Edge or choose to return via Striding Edge if you’re feeling up to it, from which the main path heads over Birkhouse Moor summit and then descends back to Glenridding and your starting point.
4. From Dunmail Raise via Dollywagon Pike and Nethermost Pike 6km (one-way)
This route starts at the layby on Dunmail Raise, the highest point on the A591 between Grasmere and Keswick and takes in three Wainwright summits, the last of which being Helvellyn.
From the layby head northwest towards Raise Beck – an obvious gully in the fellside. The stone path follows the beck all the way up to the striking and beautifully lonely Grisedale Tarn.
After admiring the tarn for a few moments, or possibly stopping for snacks (we certainly did), take the path to the left of and above the tarn. This then meets up with another path before heading north and zig-zagging up the mountainside towards the summit of Dollywagon Pike. Once you’ve reached the summit of Dollywagon then the hardest part of the walk is over. What remains is a stunning ridge walk north along to Nethermost Pike and then Helvellyn beyond with spectacular views everywhere you look.
5. From Glenridding via Raise, Whiteside and Lower Man. 8.5km (one way)
Our final route approaches Helvellyn from the north, bagging two more Wainwrights en route if you care about such things (yup, we do). Once again we are starting in Glenridding village.
The route leaves the village by Greenside Road passing the Travellers Rest Pub and the lane that leads down to Rattlebeck Bridge and Gillside. The public road ends at Rake Cottages and becomes a track. Continue past the cottages towards the old Greenside lead mine. Pass through the old mine and its buildings. The paths to Sticks Pass, Kepple Cove and Helvellyn follow a zigzag track below the stone-faced terrace and are well signposted. Above the terraces the track continues on towards Kepple Cove. The bridleway to Sticks Pass turns off to the right and climbs the steep slopes below Stang End in a series of wide zigzags.
After a time you approach the course of the old smelting flue for the mine. After crossing the remains of the smelter flue it’s time to leave the Sticks Pass bridleway and follow the course of the flue across the slopes of Stang. The smelter flue, marked as “The Chimney” on OS maps, is now almost completely collapsed after it fell into disuse a hundred years ago. It took the form of deep cutting into the bedrock which was arched with stone and covered with soil and turf. It’s almost a mile long and terminates at a ruined vertical stack near the summit of Stang, approximately 1100ft. above the smelter. When the flue was built in 1841 it was less than a ¼ of a mile long. In 1855 it was extended up to the summit of Stang. This longer flue not only carried the noxious fumes from the smelter further away from the valley, its snaking course and greater surface area afforded every opportunity for lead and silver particulates (which were suspended in the vapour) to condense. The flue was provided with manholes at regular intervals and was swept periodically, the soot and condensed lead and silver being carried back to the smelt mill for reprocessing.
After following the flue to the summit of Stang, go past the ruined chimney stack to follow a paint path to the climb the east ridge up to Raise summit. The top of ski tow on Raise comes into view beyond which lies the summit of Raise. From the summit cairn it’s simply a matter of turning south and heading along the very obvious and well-used ridge path onto Whiteside, then Lower Man followed by Helvellyn itself enjoying magnificent views as you go.
For a more direct descent back to Glenridding return via your choice of Swirrel or Striding Edge.
