Difficulty: Medium-Difficult (dependent on weather conditions)
Wainwright Guide: Book One – The Eastern Fells
Standing at 3,117ft in the Eastern fells, Hellvelyn has a reputation that precedes it. The infamous Striding Edge is a challenge that many a walker wishes to complete. I have been told the view from the summit on a clear day is pretty spectacular, however I have never been lucky enough to be at the top of Hellvelyn in anything other than mist!
Despite this, making it to the top of the third highest mountain in England is a pretty incredible feeling whether you can see for miles or not. The mist gives the fell a truly mythical feeling. This complete guide will take you all the way to the summit step by step so you too can experience the magic of Hellvelyn.
With Thirlmere to the West and Patterdale to the East, Hellvelyn is the third highest peak in both the Lake District and England. There are a variety of routes to the summit and a variety of walks that it can tie into. So much so, I could talk about Hellvelyn for hours. In this post however, I will detail my preferred choice of route and the one every visitor wants to tackle – ascending from Patterdale via Striding Edge.
There is a small carpark opposite the Patterdale Hotel which is where I would start the walk from. Incidentally, this car park also gives you great access to St Sunday Crag and Fairfield Peak but to name a few! There is a small parking charge for the day so make sure you have some change on you.
As usual make sure you’re well equipped for your hike with the normal gear. This may seem obvious, but hiking boots are a must for this route! I have seen people attempt it in trainers. Now there’s a recipe for a broken ankle.
I tend to use the Wainwright guides to navigate my way around the Lake District, but an OS Map will work just as well! To get to the start of the walk, turn right out of the car park and follow the road along past a church until you come to a bridge. Just before the bridge turn left. Pass the next bridge on your right and carry on until you can turn right again. Follow this road up to a field gate and you can begin the hike properly.
This part of the walk is a fairly gradual incline that offers fantastic views across the valley towards St Sunday Crag. On this particular trip the visibility on this part of the walk was fantastic. For a moment we ended up sat on a rock overlooking the valley and admiring how peaceful it was. Not only had we had chosen a quieter time of year to visit, but the summit was shrouded in mist and so we didn’t bump into many fellow walkers. All we could hear were the sounds of sheep in the fields below and water trickling away somewhere in the distance. Phenomenal.
As the incline began to get steeper I spied in the distance the goal I was looking for. The Hole in the Wall is a signal that you are nearer the final stages of your climb. Once on the other side we took a short breather to prepare ourselves for what was to come. Take the left-hand path up towards the most exhilarating part of the hike. Striding Edge was not yet obscured by the clouds when we set off for it, however by the time we got up on the ridge the clouds had descended and our visibility was truly horrible.
If you aren’t keen on heights I would not advise taking this route. It really is not for the faint of heart. There is a sheer drop on either side of you that gets the blood pumping in even the most experienced of walkers. In the mist you can’t really appreciate this drop but you know it’s there.
Traverse striding edge as slowly as you want to and on however many limbs you want to. I opt for a variety depending on how stable I’m feeling. More points of contact is better than less! Pick your own path to make is as easy of as difficult as you’d want. Always be aware of the danger in the mist or high winds on this route.
By the time you reach the end of String Edge you come to a slight dip followed by a vertical scramble, otherwise known as The Abyss. Not as horrifying as it sounds! Once you reach the top you can head to the summit cairn on fairly flat ground. A monument to the late Charles Gough is worth stopping to take note of. As the story goes, Charles fell from striding edge and died and his loyal dog Foxie never left her masters side. Quite something!
The summit itself overlooks Red Tarn in one direction and Thirlmere in the other. I have not yet been fortunate to be on top of this mountain on clear day. Both of my parents tell me that it’s stunning. Definitely not the slightest bit jealous! I could have been standing anywhere in the fog. You’ll have to trust me that I made it!
I don’t much like going down the way I came up so from here I headed for Swirral Edge. The shorter, slightly safer but still just as exhilarating little sister to Striding Edge. You can either follow a path to the left up to Catstycam or back down towards Red Tarn. The rain truly had set in by this point so we opted to leave Catstycam for another day.
Red Tarn itself is a beauty to behold. Again we sat on a nearby rock (in the rain this time) and took in the tranquillity. I have never felt more at peace than walking in Lakeland. I am in love with the place. Hellvelyn offers many opportunities to sit and take it all in. There is so much character to this mountain and so much of it to see that I could never get bored.
The rest of the descent is following the path you climbed up in the opposite direction. The views still take my breath away on the way down. I almost feel sad when a walk has come to an end. The sense of satisfaction though is unbelievable!
Back in Patterdale there are a few different options for a much needed beverage or hearty pub lunch. Surrounded by the most gorgeous mountain ranges you really can’t go wrong.
So that’s Hellvelyn for you! Another tick off the Wainwrights! Exhilerating, peaceful, beautiful. It really does have a little bit of everything. Hope you’ve found this either useful or inspiring (or maybe both?). Enjoy your rambling guys. There’s no finer place to do it than Lakeland!
If you’ve been to the top of Hellvelyn I’d love to hear about it! Make sure you leave a comment below!
