Hiking lofty Helvellyn: A commendable scenic detour on the way to Scotland
Published on 15th January 2025 Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes2022 was the year when I really began to emerge following the constraints of the pandemic. Trips to Ireland allowed me to become reaccustomed to staying away from home, as well as seeing more of the place than I had before then. While there had been day trips to the South Pennines, Wales and the Lake District, none had featured a stay away from home in the U.K. before the end of August.
My not having been in Scotland since 2019 was what drew me north. Other than having a client meeting, I cannot explain why I did not take Friday as a non-working day for travel to Stirling. That might have got me some better days for hiking up there, negating the return visits that I have described in other trip reports on here. We live our lives with so much unknowing.
Another complication was the performance of Avanti West Coast and Transpennine Express. Both operators were unable to operate their full timetables because of staffing challenges, resulting in many cancellations. That, and the Friday evening travel time, meant that I spent two nights in Carlisle, facilitating the third (and final) Lake District day hike of the year. Having pondered an ascent of Helvellyn during July, that became my choice. Terry Abraham’s Life of a Mountain: Helvellyn was one inspiration behind that endeavour, and I reaped the rewards of my day around the Cumbrian landmark.
On Saturday, I headed to Glenridding from Carlisle, first by train as far as Penrith and then by bus from there. Car parks were full and visitors were struggling to find a space as I made my way towards Greenside Road, a gravel track despite the name. At one point, I found myself being asked if I was leaving, meaning that I was freeing up a space for someone. My mode of travel meant that I was no help in that regard, and I carried on from there to quieter surroundings. The sunny weather, the long weekend and the still reduced nature of international air travel all contributed to the busyness as much as the proximity of Ullswater and the surrounding fells.
Thankfully, I picked a quiet way to Helvellyn. It meant that I had much of the place to myself, though others very occasionally passed me. Naturally, there was an ascent too, and I noticed a certain lack of strength in my legs. Because the outing was part of a weekend away, I brought a heavier rucksack with me, the one that I used to use all the time before the pandemic came our way. Since the difference between that and the Lowe Alpine that I acquired in 2020 was easily perceptible, the effect on my legs was attributed to that. Taking things steady was the only option available.
Others could be seen on a track on the other side of the valley, highlighting that numerous route options are available. Because Striding Edge and Swirral Edge, well known though they are, seemed too airy to me, I opted for a gentler route. They may have been busy too, not the best when there is not so much space for everyone. Instead, I was bound for Whiteside Bank, from which the way to Helvellyn would take me over Lower Man. A longer option might have been to go via Stick’s Pass and include Raise on the way; eschewing Helvellyn altogether, that might have opened up a myriad of routes leading north. One thing is certain: there is no shortage of hiking possibilities in these parts.
The skies might have been full of dispersed clouds, yet they still obstructed the sun from time to time. A few of episodes cam my way while I was ascending the flank of Glenridding Common and around Whiteside Bank, and there was less luck with sunshine for anyone around Catstye Cam. Looking back towards Patterdale drew my eyes to what lay behind me and how far I had come. The lack of rapidity was no concern of mine, given the delights through which I passed. After all, shortcuts can take longer, especially when there is significant height gain involved.
While I was up high, a pervading thought struck me: the views from a lofty vantage point can save much traipsing along the ground. When you have distant Skiddaw and Blencathra in your sights, as well as nearby Ullswater and Thirlmere, that point is rather rammed home for you. Throw in a sighting of Bassenthwaite Lake and the suggestion becomes incontestable. It is little wonder that Helvellyn draws so many, some of them from the Grasmere side of the fell.
Though this might be rugged countryside, Helvellyn’s summit was a busy place when I was there that day. So many were making selfies around the trig point that I never got to touch it, a very human inclination that can possess me when I am near them. With all the scenic drama that lay around me, that was no omission and there could be no sense of loss. Though there may have been a compulsion to linger, there was a descent ahead of me. That meant that I needed to get going.
The way down to Thirlmere was unrelenting, possibly even brutal; this is not one to recommend for winter conditions when a fall could have consequences. In my case, it certainly took its toll on my knees, even with many breaks to savour the surrounding scenery. The hint of all this when a passing walker said that one of their number turned back on the ascent from Thirlmere. Others that following the same line uphill clearly were labouring and some were suffering, showing such signs of not being regular hill walkers that you could see them quitting. Even on the descent, pacing oneself became essential; this is not one to rush.
As often happens, the last part of the descent began to drag on for me. The routing felt indirect around Highpark Wood; it was a case of having come far yet having further to go. Once down on the A591 beneath Highpark Wood, the next move was to locate a bus stop to await the next service to Keswick. Thirlspot was in my mind, though it was not necessary to even go that far, which was just as well after the descent. While the terrain may have been more level, any rest was appreciated, and I marvelled at what I managed to get down while looking back on the route.
The bus to Keswick came soon enough, which felt just as well given that I was near a car park that was located away from so much. Even so, there are numerous trails around there would be more suitable for some of those trying to go up my descent route. My time in Keswick was brief, since I fancied getting going back to Carlisle as soon as I could. Cancellations of train services lay on my mind a bit, and they affected my eventual departure from Penrith so much that I wondered at my haste to get there. It felt like a ghost town after the busier spots in the Lake District, especially when so much natural glory had been my lot that day.
Travel Arrangements
Bus service 508 got me from Penrith to Glenridding after a train journey from Carlisle. The train journey to the latter featured changes at Manchester and Wigan. Bus service 555 got me to Keswick from the end of my hike, while bus service X4 or X5 got me from there to Penrith for a train back to Carlisle. The next day, train travel conveyed me from Carlisle to Stirling, with a change in Edinburgh. The rest of that story is elsewhere on here.
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