Helvellyn
950m (3118ft)
The Eastern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
The summit of Helvellyn is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5ml (8km) |
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| 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
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8ml (12.5km) |
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| 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 (High Spying How) - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge (optional) - Hole-in-the-Wall - Grisedale Beck - Patterdale
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.5ml (13.5km) |
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| 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 (High Spying How) - Helvellyn - Swirral Edge - Catstye Cam - Hole-in-the-Wall - Brownend Plantation - Grisedale Beck - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.75ml (14km) |
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| 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.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| 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 (High Spying How) - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Grisdale Tarn - Ruthwaite Lodge - Grisedale Beck - Brownend Plantation - Lanty's Tarn - Keldas - Glenridding
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.5ml (17km) |
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| 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.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.75ml (17km) |
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| 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
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| 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
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
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| 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 (High Spying How) - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Grisedale Tarn - Deepdale Hause - St Sunday Crag - Birks - Patterdale
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
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| 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
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13ml (21km) |
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| 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
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13.25ml (21km) |
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| 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 (High Spying How) - Helvellyn - Nethermost Pike - High Crag (Helvellyn) - Dollywaggon Pike - Seat Sandal - Grisedale Tarn - St Sunday Crag - Birks - Arnison Crag - Patterdale
See Helvellyn and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
The Eastern Fells of The Lake District National Park
Less data - quicker to download
The Whole of The Lake District National Park
More data - might take a little longer to download
See Helvellyn and the surrounding tops on our downloadable Peak Bagging Maps in PDF format:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers' Maps might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks.
You can find Helvellyn & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Helvellyn
Tim Winn walked up Helvellyn on April 4th, 2025 [from/via/route] Glenridding [with] Barry, Paul, Roger, Dave and Andy Last [weather] Dry. Sunny.
Nick Tippins climbed Helvellyn on December 31st, 2019 [from/via/route] Helvellyn Circular from Glenridding via Birkhouse Moor, Striding Edge, & Catstye Cam [with] Fran
Hazel Gilbert bagged Helvellyn on May 12th, 2017 [with] Lawrence
Vincent Clarke hiked Helvellyn on May 31st, 2024 [from/via/route] Glenridding on route to Helvlynn [with] Chopper [weather] Early morning
Daniel Moran summited Helvellyn on June 20th, 2024 [from/via/route] Bagged a few times [with] chel wardy
Kate Peacock conquered Helvellyn on May 25th, 2024 [from/via/route] Parked at Wanthwaite as well as leaving a car at the end. Up via Clough Head. [with] Me, Sheila & Skye [weather] Sunny at times, breezy & cold when the sun was behind the clouds - Longest hike to date
Richard Fulcher scaled Helvellyn on May 20th, 2024 [from/via/route] Parked in Glenridding & set off along the path that follows Glenridding Beck on it's south side. Following the is path around the bend at the Youth Hostel this becomes the Red Tarn Beck path. I turned off this & ascended Catstycam up it's eastern shoulder whilst Jen took the easier Swirral Edge path. We met up on Swirral Edge & climbed over the steep rocky terrain up to the ridge & across to Helvellyn. After watching the cricket match in the mist (!) we then walked along to Nethermost Pike & further to Dollywaggon Pike (this was a mistake as it extended the walk too far for us & our level of fitness. We then returned to Helvellyn by the well trodden path along the ridge & then down to Lower Man & down & up to White Side. Jen then took the zigzag path down the side of Keppel Cove whilst I trudged up to Raise to bag my sixth Wainwright of this outing. I returned back down & followed Jen down the Keppel Cove path (right knee complaining). I eventually caught up with Jen at a bridge near to the old mine. We then completed the day's hike with a well deserved pint & meal (uhhg) at the Travellers Rest pub in Glenridding. A 12 hour walk … very tired with every muscle aching … but what a great day on the fells! [with] Jen [weather] Very sunny & warm to start with, turning cloudy & misty on the tops later.
Andrew Gayne walked up Helvellyn on May 20th, 2024 [with] Becky Gayne [weather] Cloudy Day on top - Walked up from Thirlmere, Swizels Car Park, cloudy at the top. Bizarrely a cricket match at the top going on for charity. Walked to Whiteside & Raise & dropped back down to Thirlmere.
Jason Mcmillan climbed Helvellyn on July 7th, 2021 [from/via/route] Helvellyn from Thirlmere
David Higginbottom bagged Helvellyn on November 16th, 2018 [from/via/route] Striding edge [with] Carolyn [weather] Good
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Helvellyn
*Hayeswater with the Fairfield and Helvellyn Ridges beyond from High Street
Hayeswater with the Fairfield and Helvellyn Ridges beyond from High Street
Helvellyn Summit flanked by Striding Edge (High Spying How) (left) and Swirral Edge (right) from Hole-in-the-Wall in the snow
Striding Edge (High Spying How), Helvellyn and Red Tarn from below Swirral Edge
Lesley and the 2 Cocker Spaniels, Millie and Monty, on Helvellyn in November 2011
. . . 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 and whether you wish us to credit your photos with a Username or your First Name/Last Name.
Not familiar with this top?
