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Glenridding is a small village that these days thrives
on visitors who are wishing to trek to the mighty summit
of Helvelyn and play on its magical ridges. Many years
ago the Greenside Mines were a thriving place in the
valley and the village of Glenridding was built to accommodate
the growing number of workers at the time.
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Glenridding and Ullswater
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Birkhouse Moor
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The pay and display car park in Glenridding just off
the main A592 road from Penrith is the starting point
of the trek. Follow the road from here towards the valley,
you will pass the Travellers Inn, which is great for
refreshments after the trek. Passing the Travellers
Inn you will after a few hundred yards come to a bend
in the road, follow the road left off the bend heading
towards the Gillside Farm camp site.
Continue along the track past the camp site on the
left and caravan site on the right, past the house and
you'll find the path. Follow the path up through Mires
Beck which should be right in front of you, making sure
not to take either of the two paths to the left that
take the Greenide Mines route via Red Tarn to the summit.
The Mires Beck path turns into a great path well laid
with big boulder steps, however this is quite a climb
and you will gain a lot of height in this first part
of the walk so get ready for a hard start.
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Tackling Striding Edge
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Striding Edge
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The path will eventually turn to the right at the top
of Mires Beck alongside a stone wall which looks over
towards the peaks around High Street. The path will
now wind towards the right as it snakes its way to the
top of Birkhouse Moor. The path eventually tops out
as the view of Helvellyn stands in waiting. However
lf your a peak bagger and what to see a great view over
Ullswater and to the the north west then take almost
non existent path to the right that leads about 100
yards up to the summit cairn.
Once you have bagged the peak of Birkhouse Moor continue
along the path towards Helvellyn, taking the path along
side the wall and then as it approaches the obvious
ridge of Striding Edge take the path along and up the
ridge, ignoring that which leads down to Red Tarn. The
path will now lead along the right hand side of the
ridge, however this is for those who haven't come to
achieve the satisfaction of walking Striding Edge the
proper way. From here you basically can only go one
way, which is forward. Which way you do it is up to
you, but I myself love the challenge and sheer excitement
of walking across the very most top parts of the ridge,
only occasionally using the regular path.
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Swirral Edge Ridge
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Striding Edge Ridge
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This ridge walk rates among some of the best in Britain
and some say even the best. Looking to your left the
view of St Sunday Crag is awe inspiring, the rick face
looks almost perfect and looking right the views of
Helvellyn, Red Tarn and Catstye Cam are also breathtaking.
The peak of Catstye Cam is one of those that people
describe as a proper mountain as its peak is high and
pointed. The ridge last until the main bulk of Helvellyn
and then a great scramble lays in front of you, there
is not really much of a path here anymore as people
go which ever way feels right.
Once at the summit of Helvellyn you will understand
how it is actually possible to land a plane on it as
two pilots did in the year of 1926. The summit is a
large flat plateau which is quite unusual for a mountain
as high as Helvellyn. The first thing you will come
across is the memorial of Charles Gough who in spring
1805 slipped from a rock and perished. The story of
Goughs faithful dog who stayed with his body for 3 months
until his body was discovered has inspired many poems
including those of Fidelity by William Wordsworth and
Helvellyn by Sir Walter Scott.
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Helvellyn Summit Sheter
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Swirral Edge
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You will then find the cross shaped shelter which is
a great escape from the weather. Although in the summer
you'll be lucky to find a free site on the wind sheltered
sides of the shelter. The summit cairn is right in front
of the shelter. Bagging this mighty summit of 950M is
very satisfying after the difficult yet extremely exciting
ascent.
Follow the ridge to the other end and you'll pass the
weather cairn which is visited daily by a Lake District
National Park Weather assessor, now that's got to beat
working behind a computer all day! There is a small
cairn towards the end of the summit plateau which marks
the way down to Swirral Edge. Swirral Edge is a great
challenge, not quite as great in stature to Striding
Edge but fun none the less. After descending Swirall
Edge before choosing the path down to Red Tarn head
upwards still towards the peak of Catstye Cam. This
is an easy climb up a mountain which from some angles
is so impressive it almost seems like your cheating.
After bagging this great little peak, head down again
and go left heading down into Red Tarn.
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Catstye Cam
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Helvellyn above Red Tarn
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Red Tarn is worth a look from the shores. The views
up the 300M wall of Helvellyn's eastern side are great
and the views to the left and right of the two ridges
watching others tip toe across will make you feel very
satisfied in what you have achieved. Follow the path
down away from Red Tarn, it will lead through Red Tarn
Beck down into Glenridding Beck.
Cross the footbridge just before the Greenside Mine
area and follow the road past the youth hostel and down
into the village again, passing the Travellers Inn on
the way and dropping in for some much deserved food
and refreshments.
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Duration
: 5.5 Hrs
