The weather forecast was too good to resist on Saturday, so I set an early alarm and headed up to Grasmere, arriving at 8am. I had breakfast in the car while the layby filled up and by 8:30 it was full. To start with I took the 555 bus from opposite the Traveller's Rest to north of Dunmail Raise. From Dale Bottom I walked under glorious clear skies towards St John's in the Vale.
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| Skiddaw and Blencathra |
The Vale looked lovely as ever, with Clough Head still shady in the low sun. It felt warmer than the temperature might suggest.
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| Clough Head beyond St John's in the Vale |
On the way up the Old Coach Road I held the gate open for a couple in a Land Rover which headed slowly up before parking at a higher viewpoint. A bloke with a big rucksack was resting nearby. He was camping up on the tops ('Responsibly,' he emphasised). Meanwhile I turned off round Threlkeld Knotts, giving great views of the Coledale Fells.
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| The Coledale Fells from Threlkeld Knotts |
Behind the summit I turned onto the narrow and steep path through Clough Head's Red Screes. Having been walking in just a baselayer, I added another layer to compensate for the loss of the sun.
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| Red Screes on Clough Head |
The final slope was more gentle and dropped me off at the summit, which had a few people coming and going.
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| Clough Head |
That was the major climb out of the way, I just had to follow the ridge south for a few hours. Having said that, the pull up to Great Dodd was big enough.
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| Great Dodd |
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| Looking towards Keswick |
There was a little snow over 750m but nothing much to worry about. It was a little awkward up through the steep rocks onto Raise, which left me blowing a bit.
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| Raise |
Most of the other tops were fairly benign until the slog up Helvellyn Lower Man where I engaged 'crawler gear' to drag myself up.
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| Helvellyn approaching |
All day there had been a steady stream of people without it feeling busy. Helvellyn summit was a different matter with a lot of folk scattered around. A woman complaining that she hadn't enjoyed 'that' (I'm guessing Striding Edge), lads drinking bottles of beer, a surprising number of Scousers.
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| Catstye Cam |
The views were superb, despite the increase in cloud. To the north was Criffel, to the south Heysham; the Pennines out east (including some distant things beyond Cross Fell) and the full range of the Cumbrian hills west.
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| Red Tarn, Striding Edge and Helvellyn's summit |
I was getting tired but dragged myself up Nethermost and Dollywaggon Pikes, which were pretty much deserted.
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| Nethermost Pike from Dollywaggon Pike |
The 60 million steps (approx) off Dollywaggon were a real slog and I was glad of walking poles to spare my knees some of the punishment. After a pause for a last snack at an empty Grisedale Hause, there were more steps to stomp down into Great Tongue Gill as Grasmere and the Traveller's beckoned closer.
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| Helm Crag beyond Great Tongue Gill |
It had been a tough walk, 26km with 1500m of ascent, but the weather could hardly have been more perfect. It's great when you can walk in such splendid conditions.
