Let’s start with the serious stuff the stats …
Elevation – 950m (3117ft)
Range – Lake District Eastern Fells
OS Grid Map – NY342151
Co’ords – 54’31’38’N 3’00’58’W
Our route to the summit plateau started in the Patterdale car park booting up, we took the path up through Birkhouse Moor towards ‘Hole in the Wall’ (no nothing to do with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!) this was continuously up hill getting steeper towards the ‘Hole’!
It was tough going on my newly recovered ‘almost working’ knee – the continuous climb meant little relief for the knee joint and I made a concerted effort to lead with my stronger knee.
As we hit Hole in the Wall, cloud cover was still blocking a view of the summit but looking back down we were rewarded with a fab view of the valley below and an energy bar break!
Having assessed the weather we decided to take the route to the summit along Striding Edge, which is less striding more climbing. The large east facing headwall keeps conditions wintery and for longer, blocked from the warming effects of the sun. So we weren’t surprised to see snow and have a light fall while climbing.
The initial part of the ridge is relatively inoffensive and you even dare sense this is an easy one but do not be fooled! We took the lower path running along the right hand side of the edge which is good but all change once you reach High Spying How, standing at 863m (2831ft) it is the highest point of the ridge.
The path continues until near the end of the ridge where it switches over to the left hand side. We were forced to descend a short gully down the last tower on the ridge, using crimp holds and sending bags first. This is where we then traversed around the rock to join wow hoo the main Helvellyn massif. Of all that I least enjoyed it was the loose rocky terrain we had to scramble to reach the summit plateau around two hundred metres from the summit.
Summiting was to be honest really windy and really cold – our big mountain lunch plans were abandoned swiftly at the top as we decided after the customary photo by the cairn marker, a quick descent was on the cards!
We followed the summit plateau round and started our decent down Swirral Edge, a steep spider climb down (technical term!) to a lovely in comparison path took us skipping back to Hole in the Wall and half a sandwich later we were making good to great headway down the ‘stairs’ and loose rocks.
Looking around it was easy to see how the likes of Wainwright, Wordsworth and Keats were so inspired! Back and de-booted in the car park we had a celebratory high five and got back on the road super ready for Kendal Mountain Festival Fun….
A little John Keats moment….Sonnet XIV. Addressed To The Same (Haydon)
Great spirits now on earth are sojourning;
He of the cloud, the cataract, the lake,
Who on Helvellyn’s summit, wide awake,
Catches his freshness from Archangel’s wing:
He of the rose, the violet, the spring,
The social smile, the chain for Freedom’s sake:
And lo!–whose stedfastness would never take
A meaner sound than Raphael’s whispering.
And other spirits there are standing apart
Upon the forehead of the age to come;
These, these will give the world another heart,
And other pulses. Hear ye not the hum
Of mighty workings?——-
Listen awhile ye nations, and be dumb.
Gorgeous on the run... 
