A chance to climb the third highest mountain in England!
Meet at 9:45 for a 10:00am start at Swirls car park on the east side of Thirlmere reservoir on the A591 (grid ref NY 317 168).
Parking at Swirls car park was free when I last checked (ticket machine out of order). Please note there are two car parks, one on each side of the road. You can park in either, but we’ll meet in the one on the east side of the road.
From the car park we have an initially steep ascent up to Helvellyn via Brown Cove Crags, but we will have time to take it slowly. We’ll stop for food at a shelter close to the summit. Then we retrace our steps just a few hundred metres to find the subsidiary summit Lower Man. Here we get impressive views of Swirral Edge and Catstye Cam (if the weather is clear!). After a short steep section coming off the summit, we have an easy walk over mainly grass north along the high ridge, taking in two more easy summits, White Side and Raise. In clear weather we’ll get good views east to Ullswater, High Street and on to the Pennines. We then descend gradually to Sticks Pass and then head down to the west, which is a bit steeper for a few minutes and a little rocky in places. To finish we follow a footpath south above the reservoir back to the car park, beneath several impressive waterfalls.
Approx 7.5 miles (12km), 890m of ascent.
Grading: Moderate (not technically difficult)
There are no stiles on the route, so should be fine for well-behaved dogs!
Please text/phone/whatsapp Stephen 07596 107797 by 8pm the night before if you will come on the walk. (I have no phone reception at the start point.)