Walk Helvellyn from Glenridding
Lakeland's 3rd highest via the infamous Striding & Swirral Edges - not for the faint hearted
This 8½ mile, Grade 7 (Hard), easy-to-follow, hand-crafted walk, complete with GPS Waypoints, starts at Glenridding in the Lake District & will take you about 6½ hrs to complete.
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Detailed walk route map PDF | |
Vital Statistics: | ||
| Walk No.: | c213 | |
| Length: | 8½ miles (13.5km) | |
| Ascent: | 3278 ft (999m) | |
| Time: | 6½ hours | |
| Grade: |  | |
| Walk Type: | High Mountains | |
| Gear Needed: | Full mountain gear including boots, warm layers, waterproofs, food & water, and good weather | |
Route outline for this walk:
Glenridding - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge (High Spying How) - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Catstye Cam - Hole-in-the-Wall - Brownend Plantation - Grisedale Beck - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk:
 3 English Mountains |
 3 Wainwrights |
 4 English Nuttalls |
 0 English Deweys |
 0 Wainwright Outlying Fells |
 1 Marilyn |
 0 Bridgets |
Peak Bagging Statistics for this walk:
The highest point of this walk is Helvellyn at 950m (3118ft). Helvellyn is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (3rd highest in England, 12th highest in England & Wales) and a Wainwright (No. 3).
Helvellyn is also known as an English Nuttall (4th highest in England, 14th highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (2nd highest in England, 165th highest in the UK).
The summit of Helvellyn is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Catstye Cam at 890m (2921ft). Catstye Cam is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (12th highest in England, 30th highest in England & Wales) and a Wainwright (No. 10).
Catstye Cam is also known as an English Nuttall (15th highest in England, 35th highest in England & Wales).
You will also reach the summit of Striding Edge (High Spying How) at 863m (2831ft). Striding Edge (High Spying How) is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (19th highest in England, 42nd highest in England & Wales)
Striding Edge (High Spying How) is also known as an English Nuttall (23rd highest in England, 49th highest in England & Wales).
Along the way you will also bag and tick-off:
- Birkhouse Moor at 718m (2356ft). Birkhouse Moor is classified as a Wainwright (No. 79) and an English Nuttall (110th highest in England, 188th highest in England & Wales)
Be Adventure Smart
If walking in the Lake District (and anywhere else) please be adventure smart.
Ask yourself 5 questions before you set off:
- Am I confident I have the KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS for the day?
- Do I know what the WEATHER will be like?
- Do I have the right GEAR for the day?
- Do I have enough FOOD & DRINK for the day?
- Do I have all the ESSENTIAL ITEMS for the day?
Note that there is no mobile phone or WiFi coverage in many parts of the Lake District
A dedicated GPS Device can be a good navigational aid, but only if you know how to use it properly. See The Myths and Truths about GPS for Walking and Hiking
You can find this walk and other nearby walks on these unique Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
(worth a look if you're new to go4awalk.com & have never seen one of these before.)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (pink/magenta covers):
Some Photos and Pictures from Walk Helvellyn from Glenridding
In no particular order . . .
Striding Edge (High Spying How) and Helvellyn above Red Tarn from the col between Swirral Edge and Catstye Cam
Looking back east along Striding Edge (High Spying How) toward St Sunday Crag
Striding Edge (High Spying How) (left), Helvellyn and Catstye Cam from the summit of Birkhouse Moor
Striding Edge (High Spying How) basking in glorious September Sun viewed from Helvellyn
. . . load all 241 pictures & photos from this walk
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