Helvellyn Route Information

Home Back To Mountain Selection Glossary

Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

3116 ft

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

4 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

7.0 ml

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

90	Penrith & Keswick, Ambleside

Only £6.29 (£13.49 Laminated) from

A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

Medium length classic route from Patterdale across narrow Striding Edge (mild exposure, can be avoided on slope to N) then a steep scramble to the summit. Route passes close to crags.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Penrith

From Penrith M6 intersection follow A66 W 1.5km then turn left onto A592. Follow for 17km to Glenridding village on Ullswater. Park here and walk 1km beyond to Grisedale Bridge (no parking in narrow lane) or park beyond in Patterdale.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 3,116 feet. Allow 4 hours to complete this 7.0 mile route.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Start at Grisedale road end. Parking is prohibited, so park nearby in Patterdale or Glenridding.
		NY39031611	Distance	Altitude 495 ft

1	Walk WSW up the narrow Grisedale road as far as the first bridge, and cross Grisedale Beck.
		NY38291567	Distance 0.6 miles	Altitude 646 ft

2	Ascend NW up an eroded path to a junction of paths at a gate
		NY38151596	Distance 0.2 miles	Altitude 853 ft

3	Ascend WSW on good path to Grisedale Brow.
		NY35961552	Distance 1.4 miles	Altitude 2296 ft

4	Keep left of stone wall and follow path SW
		NY35841535	Distance 0.1 miles	Altitude 2263 ft

5	Follow path SW along ridge.
		NY35041494	Distance 0.6 miles	Altitude 2493 ft

6	Continue over narrow Striding Edge then scramble steeply to memorial on summit ridge
		NY34271503	Distance 0.5 miles	Altitude 3034 ft

7	Walk NW , to the summit of Helvellyn (3000ft+)
		NY34191511	Distance 0.1 miles	Altitude 3116 ft

8	Follow crags NNW to path-marking cairn
		NY34091525	Distance 0.1 miles	Altitude 3083 ft

9	Descend NE on path to SE of Swirral Edge crest
		NY34231542	Distance 0.1 miles	Altitude 2736 ft

10	Continue ENE to below col with Catstye Cam.
		NY34561555	Distance 0.2 miles	Altitude 2677 ft

11	Continue down ESE and cross Red Tarn Beck at outflow from the Tarn.
		NY35061538	Distance 0.3 miles	Altitude 2352 ft

12	Follow well-built path E to return to Grisedale Brow, cross stone wall and follow approach path back to the car park.
		NY39031611	Distance 2.7 miles	Altitude 2296 ft

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Cumbrian Fells
by MWIS (PDF format)

Lake District
by Met Office

Helvellyn
by Metcheck

Images of Helvellyn

Helvellyn & Red Tarn from the East.

© Gareth Pratt

Image by Gareth Pratt

the cairn on helvellyn

© Jim Nicol

Image by Jim Nicol

Helvellyn from Catstye Cam. July 2011.

© David McSporran

Image by David McSporran

Helvellyn seen from St.Sunday Crag. Looking into Nethermost Cove (corrie) bounded by Nethermost Pike to left and Striding Edge to right. November 2008.

© David S Brown

Image by David S Brown

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

Where to Stay

We currently have no
sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

Rating & Reviews

Rating & Reviews

Rated:

from 1 vote

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

|

|