Helvellyn
950m (3118ft)
The Eastern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
The summit of Helvellyn is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
You can find Helvellyn & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Helvellyn and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Helvellyn and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Maps:
*Walk & bag all 35 Wainwrights in The Eastern Fells area of The Lake District in just 8 easy-to-follow circular walks.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks. Click here for more information.
NB: Whether you print off a copy on to paper or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers Maps will prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal!
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5ml (8km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,649ft (807m) |
| Time: | 4½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
The Swirls - Helvellyn Gill - Browncove Crags - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Browncove Crags - Helvellyn Gill - The Swirls
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8ml (12.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,990ft (911m) |
| Time: | 6 hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Patterdale - Patterdale Church - Grisedale Bridge - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Lanty's Tarn - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge (optional) - Hole-in-the-Wall - Grisedale Beck - Patterdale
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.5ml (13.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,278ft (999m) |
| Time: | 6½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Catstye Cam - Hole-in-the-Wall - Brownend Plantation - Grisedale Beck - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.75ml (14km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,296ft (1,005m) |
| Time: | 6½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
The Swirls Car Park Thirlmere - Browncove Crags - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - White Side - Raise (Helvellyn) - Sticks Pass - Sticks Gill - Stanah Gill - Legburthwaite - Thirlmere - Thirlspot - The Swirls Car Park Thirlmere.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,382ft (1,031m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Grisdale Tarn - Ruthwaite Lodge - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.5ml (17km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,575ft (1,090m) |
| Time: | 7½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
The Swirls Car Park Thirlmere - Browncove Crags - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - White Side - Raise (Helvellyn) - Sticks Pass - Stybarrow Dodd - Watson's Dodd - Great Dodd - Legburthwaite - Thirlmere - Thirlspot - The Swirls Car Park Thirlmere.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.75ml (17km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,449ft (1,051m) |
| Time: | 7.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Catstye Cam - Swirral Edge - Helvellyn - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - White Side - Raise (Helvellyn) - Sticks Pass - Lucy's Tongue - Glenridding Beck - Glenridding
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,020ft (1,225m) |
| Time: | 8 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Glenridding Dodd - Sheffield Pike - Nick Head - Sticks Pass - Raise (Helvellyn) - White Side - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Catstye Cam - Glenridding Beck - Glenridding Youth Hostel - Glenridding
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,582ft (1,396m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Patterdale - Grisedale Bridge - Grisedale Beck - Brownends Plantation - Hole-in-the-Wall - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Grisedale Tarn - Deepdale Hause - St Sunday Crag - Birks - Patterdale
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,418ft (1,346m) |
| Time: | 8½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Glenridding Dodd - Sheffield Pike - Nick Head - Glencoyne Head - Hart Side - Green Side (White Stones) - Stybarrow Dodd - Sticks Pass - Raise (Helvellyn) - White Side - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Catstye Cam - Red Tarn Beck - Glenridding Beck - Glenridding Youth Hostel - Glenridding
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13ml (21km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,359ft (1,329m) |
| Time: | 9.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Glenridding Dodd - Sheffield Pike - Green Side - Stybarrow Dodd - Sticks Pass - Raise (Helvellyn) - White Side - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Grisdale Tarn - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13.25ml (21km) |
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| Ascent: | 5,189ft (1,581m) |
| Time: | 10 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Patterdale - Grisedale Bridge - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Hole-in-the-Wall - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Seat Sandal - Grisedale Tarn - St Sunday Crag - Birks - Arnison Crag - Patterdale
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Helvellyn
Hazel Gilbert walked up Helvellyn on May 12th, 2017 [with] Lawrence
Vincent Clarke climbed Helvellyn on May 31st, 2024 [from/via/route] Glenridding on route to Helvlynn [with] Chopper [weather] Early morning
Daniel Moran bagged Helvellyn on June 20th, 2024 [from/via/route] Bagged a few times [with] chel wardy
Kate Peacock hiked Helvellyn on May 25th, 2024 [from/via/route] Parked at Wanthwaite as well as leaving a car at the end. Up via Clough Head. [with] Me, Sheila & Skye [weather] Sunny at times, breezy & cold when the sun was behind the clouds - Longest hike to date
Richard Fulcher summited Helvellyn on May 20th, 2024 [from/via/route] Parked in Glenridding & set off along the path that follows Glenridding Beck on it's south side. Following the is path around the bend at the Youth Hostel this becomes the Red Tarn Beck path. I turned off this & ascended Catstycam up it's eastern shoulder whilst Jen took the easier Swirral Edge path. We met up on Swirral Edge & climbed over the steep rocky terrain up to the ridge & across to Helvellyn. After watching the cricket match in the mist (!) we then walked along to Nethermost Pike & further to Dollywaggon Pike (this was a mistake as it extended the walk too far for us & our level of fitness. We then returned to Helvellyn by the well trodden path along the ridge & then down to Lower Man & down & up to White Side. Jen then took the zigzag path down the side of Keppel Cove whilst I trudged up to Raise to bag my sixth Wainwright of this outing. I returned back down & followed Jen down the Keppel Cove path (right knee complaining). I eventually caught up with Jen at a bridge near to the old mine. We then completed the day's hike with a well deserved pint & meal (uhhg) at the Travellers Rest pub in Glenridding. A 12 hour walk … very tired with every muscle aching … but what a great day on the fells! [with] Jen [weather] Very sunny & warm to start with, turning cloudy & misty on the tops later.
Andrew Gayne conquered Helvellyn on May 20th, 2024 [with] Becky Gayne [weather] Cloudy Day on top - Walked up from Thirlmere, Swizels Car Park, cloudy at the top. Bizarrely a cricket match at the top going on for charity. Walked to Whiteside & Raise & dropped back down to Thirlmere.
Jason Mcmillan scaled Helvellyn on July 7th, 2021 [from/via/route] Helvellyn from Thirlmere
David Higginbottom walked up Helvellyn on November 16th, 2018 [from/via/route] Striding edge [with] Carolyn [weather] Good
Iain Jones climbed Helvellyn on April 16th, 2011 [from/via/route] Swirral Edge [with] Jim Hamilton, Oliver Sage, Alex Walker, James Cunnington & Rob Argent - 29 March 2013 - via Brown Cove Crags (Winter Climb) with Graeme High & Ralph Simpson; 05 August 2017 - The Wainwright 60 - Day 3 (Helvellyn); 02 December 2023 - via Swirral Edge with Fell Top Assessor
Richard Beardsley bagged Helvellyn on October 23rd, 2023 [from/via/route] Swirls car park. [with] Myself, Paula, Andy and Dylan. [weather] Nice fine day but cold. - Commenced walk at 0800hrs from Swirls car park. Route taken to Helvellyn was via Dollywagon Pike & Nethermost Pike.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Helvellyn
Catstye Cam (shoulder left) and Raise (Helvellyn) above Keppel Cove from Red Tarn Beck in the snow
Catstye Cam (left), Helvellyn (centre) and Lower Man (Helvellyn) (right) from near White Side
Chelmsford YHA members on Fairfield looking to Helvellyn, Striding Edge and Catstycam
Lesley and the 2 Cocker Spaniels, Millie and Monty, on Helvellyn in November 2011
Striding Edge, (left), Helvellyn and Catstye Cam (right) from Birkhouse Moor
*The Helvellyn summit ridge, Whiteside, Thirlmere and Watson's Dodd from Raise (Helvellyn) summit
. . . see all 224 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Helvellyn
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Helvellyn
If you would like to add your walk photographs and pictures featuring views from, on or of Helvellyn to this page, please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to:
and we shall do our best to publish them.
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