Helvellyn
950m (3118ft)
The Eastern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
The summit of Helvellyn is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
You can find Helvellyn & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Helvellyn and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Helvellyn and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Maps:
*Walk & bag all 35 Wainwrights in The Eastern Fells area of The Lake District in just 8 easy-to-follow circular walks.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks. Click here for more information.
NB: Whether you print off a copy on to paper or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers Maps will prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal!
   |
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5ml (8km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 2,649ft (807m) |
| Time: | 4½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
The Swirls - Helvellyn Gill - Browncove Crags - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Browncove Crags - Helvellyn Gill - The Swirls
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8ml (12.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 2,990ft (911m) |
| Time: | 6 hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Patterdale - Patterdale Church - Grisedale Bridge - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Lanty's Tarn - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge (optional) - Hole-in-the-Wall - Grisedale Beck - Patterdale
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.5ml (13.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,278ft (999m) |
| Time: | 6½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Catstye Cam - Hole-in-the-Wall - Brownend Plantation - Grisedale Beck - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.75ml (14km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,296ft (1,005m) |
| Time: | 6½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
The Swirls Car Park Thirlmere - Browncove Crags - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - White Side - Raise (Helvellyn) - Sticks Pass - Sticks Gill - Stanah Gill - Legburthwaite - Thirlmere - Thirlspot - The Swirls Car Park Thirlmere.
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,382ft (1,031m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Grisdale Tarn - Ruthwaite Lodge - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.5ml (17km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,575ft (1,090m) |
| Time: | 7½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
The Swirls Car Park Thirlmere - Browncove Crags - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - White Side - Raise (Helvellyn) - Sticks Pass - Stybarrow Dodd - Watson's Dodd - Great Dodd - Legburthwaite - Thirlmere - Thirlspot - The Swirls Car Park Thirlmere.
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.75ml (17km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 3,449ft (1,051m) |
| Time: | 7.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Catstye Cam - Swirral Edge - Helvellyn - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - White Side - Raise (Helvellyn) - Sticks Pass - Lucy's Tongue - Glenridding Beck - Glenridding
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,020ft (1,225m) |
| Time: | 8 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Glenridding Dodd - Sheffield Pike - Nick Head - Sticks Pass - Raise (Helvellyn) - White Side - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Catstye Cam - Glenridding Beck - Glenridding Youth Hostel - Glenridding
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,582ft (1,396m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Patterdale - Grisedale Bridge - Grisedale Beck - Brownends Plantation - Hole-in-the-Wall - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Grisedale Tarn - Deepdale Hause - St Sunday Crag - Birks - Patterdale
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,418ft (1,346m) |
| Time: | 8½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Glenridding Dodd - Sheffield Pike - Nick Head - Glencoyne Head - Hart Side - Green Side (White Stones) - Stybarrow Dodd - Sticks Pass - Raise (Helvellyn) - White Side - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Catstye Cam - Red Tarn Beck - Glenridding Beck - Glenridding Youth Hostel - Glenridding
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13ml (21km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 4,359ft (1,329m) |
| Time: | 9.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Glenridding - Glenridding Dodd - Sheffield Pike - Green Side - Stybarrow Dodd - Sticks Pass - Raise (Helvellyn) - White Side - Lower Man (Helvellyn) - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Grisdale Tarn - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
|
|---|
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13.25ml (21km) |
|---|---|
| Ascent: | 5,189ft (1,581m) |
| Time: | 10 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Patterdale - Grisedale Bridge - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Hole-in-the-Wall - Birkhouse Moor - Hole-in-the-Wall - Red Tarn (Helvellyn) - Bleaberry Crag - Low Spying How - High Spying How - Striding Edge - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Seat Sandal - Grisedale Tarn - St Sunday Crag - Birks - Arnison Crag - Patterdale
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Helvellyn
Iain Jones walked up Helvellyn on April 16th, 2011 [from/via/route] Swirral Edge [with] Jim Hamilton, Oliver Sage, Alex Walker, James Cunnington & Rob Argent - 29 March 2013 - via Brown Cove Crags (Winter Climb) with Graeme High & Ralph Simpson; 05 August 2017 - The Wainwright 60 - Day 3 (Helvellyn); 02 December 2023 - via Swirral Edge with Fell Top Assessor
Richard Beardsley climbed Helvellyn on October 23rd, 2023 [from/via/route] Swirls car park. [with] Myself, Paula, Andy and Dylan. [weather] Nice fine day but cold. - Commenced walk at 0800hrs from Swirls car park. Route taken to Helvellyn was via Dollywagon Pike & Nethermost Pike.
Chris Hughes bagged Helvellyn on June 28th, 2023 [from/via/route] Thirlmere car park [weather] mist / drizzle
James Hughes hiked Helvellyn on May 30th, 2023 [from/via/route] Birkhouse Moor, Hellvellyn Striding Edge, Nethermost Pike, Dollywagon Pike 29/5/23 - Glenridding Dodd, Sheffield Pike, Raise, White Side, Hellvellyn Swirral Edge, Catstye Cam [with] Solo [weather] Beautiful day, clear, warm. blue skies & no wind. - Pearler of a day...
Christine Shepherd summited Helvellyn on August 17th, 1997 [from/via/route] Walked from Glenridding via Striding edge. [with] My husband Peter. [weather] Glorious sunshine - A brilliant mountain! I have 'bagged' Helvellyn several times since my initial visit. My second visit was in snow on 19.2 06 from Thirlmere, my third using walk c394 included the descent over Swirral Edge. On my 4th visit on 11.6.09, I took two friends over Striding Edge & my fifth visit was by myself on a gloriously clear day on 25.9.10, again walking over Striding Edge & going on to take in Nethermost, Dollywagon , St Sunday Crag & Birks.(Walk c269) Repeated the walk starting with Glenridding Dodd solo on 15.4.21 on a glorious day. Made another ascent from Raise beck via, Dollywaggon & Nethermost on 7.5.22
Angeline Grieveson conquered Helvellyn on April 5th, 2023 [with] Dotty
Melfyn Parry scaled Helvellyn on May 23rd, 2023 [from/via/route] Started walk from the car park at the Patterdale Hotel, followed route C427 with a couple of changes. Climbed over Striding Edge & then on to Helvellyn but then took a detour to walk out to Lower Man then doubled back to Helvellyn before descending Swirral Edge to then climb too summit of Catstye Cam. From here we descended to Hole in the Wall & then went out to Birkhouse Moor & rather than doubling back to Hole in the Wall to repeat the path back to the carpark we continued beyond the summit along easy to follow paths which led back down to join the return route at NY377158, making a total of 16.4Km [with] With DS [weather] Sunny spells & quite warm at times especially on uphill sections when in lea of the breeze. On the tops the breeze was chilly. - Stunning views in all directions.
Nina Adams walked up Helvellyn on April 22nd, 2023 [from/via/route] Helvellyn YHA @Glenridding - Glenridding Common - White Side - Lower Man - Helvellyn - Lower Man - Whiteside - YHA [with] Craig [weather] 7.8° Rain Poor visibility
Keith Tolley climbed Helvellyn on February 26th, 2023 [from/via/route] Glenridding (YHA) - up Swirral Edge, down striding edge [with] National Park Fell Assessor and 4 others [weather] Clould/ sun. Dusting of snow - Fantastic day with dusting of snow but peacefully windless on top of Helvellyn
Geoff Hand bagged Helvellyn on February 14th, 2023 [from/via/route] From Glen Ridding climbed Birkhouse Moor on the way to Helvellyn back over Nether Most Pike, White Crag & Dolly Waggon Pike [with] Tess [weather] Cold & clear at first followed by squally showers. - Birthday walk taking in Striding Edge, a bit of a challenge with Tess but did get some help from other walkers. Following the old pack horse trail down Patterdale common was great to see how the valley changed from the top at Grisedale Tarn to Braesteads Farm.
To add (or remove) your name and experiences on this page - Log On and edit your Personal Mountain Bagging Record
. . . [see more walk reports]
More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Helvellyn
Striding Edge, (left), Helvellyn and Catstye Cam (right) from Birkhouse Moor
*Striding Edge (left), Helvellyn, Swirral Edge and Catstye Cam (far right) from near Hole-in-the-wall
Catstye Cam (left), Helvellyn (centre) and Lower Man (Helvellyn) (right) from near White Side
Lesley and the 2 Cocker Spaniels, Millie and Monty, on Helvellyn in November 2011
The head of the Grisedale Valley with Dollywaggon Pike to the left, High Crag, Nethermost Pike and then Helvellyn (far right) from near Brownend Plantation
. . . see all 224 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Helvellyn
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Helvellyn
If you would like to add your walk photographs and pictures featuring views from, on or of Helvellyn to this page, please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to:
and we shall do our best to publish them.
(Guide Resolution = 300dpi. At least = 660pixels (wide) x 440 pixels (high).)
You can also submit photos via our Facebook Page.
NB. Please indicate where each photo was taken.
