Helvellyn & Striding Edge Guided Walk

As the UK is experience one of the best summer in living memory Adventure Peaks are gearing up with a massive summer of guided walks.  We started our program on Saturday with Helvellyn & Striding Edge.  A popular walk that takes us from Patterdale, up to Birkhouse Moor and along Striding Edge to the summit of one of the most famous mountain’s in Great Briton…

Saturday – Helvellyn & Striding Edge

As the UK is experience one of the best summer in living memory Adventure Peaks are gearing up with a massive summer of guided walks.  We started our program on Saturday with Helvellyn & Striding Edge.  A popular walk that takes us from Patterdale, up to Birkhouse Moor and along Striding Edge to the summit of one of the most famous mountain’s in Great Briton.

I met my clients, David and Darren ‘Bear’ Mills at Glenridding car park and we started our trek up Mires beck to Birkhouse Moor.  Two fit lads and fund raising enthusiasts, Darren and David, were looking for some fitness training before their trek to Kilimanjaro in February.  They have a few months to get their mountain legs before they tackle one of the seven summits next year.

The heat we relentless as we slowly plodded along, the stunning view of Ullswater below us, Sheffield Pike and Glenridding screes sparkling in the sun to the right.  Mires beck was bone dry and the grass bleached to a hazy yellow.  So hot!  We were drinking lots of water and applying a lot of sun cream on our way up.

Once we reach the top of Birkhouse Moor the cloud came over and dropped the temperature just enough for us to cool down.  The views of White side, Raise, Catstycam and Helvellyn where amazing. A Union Flag covered helicopter circled above our heads and did a fly-by of the mountains.

The going was great and the boys were really moving fast reaching the start of Striding Edge in no time.  We picked our way up and over the boulders to reach the impressive narrow ridge line, dipping in and out of the cracks.  Finally we reach the end of Striding Edge and finished the scramble in quick time to reach the summit.

After having a quick snack, summit pictures and a bit of blister repair for Darren we dropped down on to Swirral Edge.  David was a bit nervous but overcame his fears and made short work of Swirral Edge.  We passed some lads on our way down from Wainwright Radio.  They transmit their broadcast from the summits and were carrying huge rack sacks with broadcasting equipment and aerials. It looked like a human washing line!

Once we completed Swirral Edge we skipped Catstycam as Darren blisters were causing him a bit of discomfort.  We returned back to Glenridding via Glenridding Beck as the sun came out again and basked us in heat.  What a day!