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:
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!
Not familiar with Helvellyn?
See the location of Helvellyn and all 12 walks that climb it on an interactive Google Map
Walk c432 Helvellyn from Thirlmere
The 'easiest' way up Lakeland's most climbed mountain
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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
Walk c427 Helvellyn via Striding Edge from Patterdale
Lakeland's 3rd highest via the infamous Striding Edge
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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
Walk c213 Helvellyn from Glenridding
Lakeland's 3rd highest via the infamous Striding & Swirral Edges - not for the faint hearted
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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
Walk c113 Helvellyn from Thirlmere
Lakeland's most popular mountain
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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.
Walk c220 Helvellyn via Striding Edge from Glenridding
Lakeland's most climbed mountain via the infamous Striding Edge - not for the faint hearted
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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
Walk c124 Helvellyn Ridge from Thirlmere
Lakeland's most popular mountain with a fine ridge walk
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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.
Walk c224 Helvellyn via Swirral Edge and Raise from Glenridding
Lakeland's most popular via the easier Swirral Edge
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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
Walk c394 Helvellyn, Catstye Cam and Sheffield Pike from Glenridding
Superb high level walk
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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
Walk c269 The Grisedale Horseshoe from Patterdale
Lakeland's most climbed mountain - not for the faint hearted
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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
Walk c286 The Glenridding Skyline from Glenridding
Superb high level walk
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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
Walk c192 Helvellyn Ridge from Glenridding
An exhilarating high ridge walk
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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
Walk c264 The Grisedale Round from Patterdale
Superb high level ridge walk
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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
Not familiar with Helvellyn?
See the location of Helvellyn and all 12 walks that climb it on an interactive Google Map
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Helvellyn
Claire Murray walked up on September 4th, 2021 [from/via/route] Helvellyn from free car park then Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike & Seat Sandal [with] Vitor - Lots of steps to climb to the top, lovely flat walk back beside Thirlmere
Tony Halliday climbed on May 7th, 2022 [from/via/route] Circular walk starting at swirl car park as part of a circular taking in Helvellyn lower man Helvellyn nethermost pike & dolly wagon pike [with] My boarder terrier jimmy boo and George also my wife sal [weather] The weather was warm start dry sunny no wind but cooler on the summit - Nice circular roughly 10miles great views over Keswick & surrounding fells ended with a nice couple of pints
Christine Shepherd bagged 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 from Thirlmere, my third using walk c394 included the descent over Swirral Edge. On my 4th visit I took two friends over Striding Edge & my fifth visit was by myself on a gloriously clear day, 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
Ian Ashton hiked on March 31st, 2021 [from/via/route] Swirls carpark [with] Jack Liam Wife
Andrew Cotter summited on August 1st, 2014 - During C2C
Nigel Lee conquered on August 12th, 2017 [from/via/route] Glenriding, Striding Edge [weather] Mist/Rain
Jon Floyd scaled on September 1st, 2021 [from/via/route] Started from Swirls car park, climbed to the top from there & returned the same way [with] Georgia [weather] Rain & misty at the top
Helen Williams walked up on July 19th, 2020 [from/via/route] Wythburn car park [with] Paul, Ross, Matthew and Sweep [weather] Misty & windy on top
Paul Ward climbed on April 26th, 2016 [from/via/route] Started from Wild Campsite near Hartsop [with] Jamie
Damian Doyle bagged on July 24th, 2021 [from/via/route] Thirlspot Farm [with] Yvonne [weather] Sunny - Bo Weekend
To add (or remove) your name and experiences on this page - Log On and edit your Personal Mountain Bagging Record
. . . [see more walk reports]
Not familiar with Helvellyn?
See the location of Helvellyn and all 12 walks that climb it on an interactive Google Map
More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Helvellyn
Striding Edge and Helvellyn (in mist) with Birkhouse Moor in front, Catstycam and Sheffield Pike from Gowbarrow Fell (Airy Crag)
Catstye Cam (shoulder left) and Raise (Helvellyn) above Keppel Cove from Red Tarn Beck in the snow
Family group having completed Striding Edge before the last pull up to Helvellyn.
Chelmsford YHA members on Fairfield looking to Helvellyn, Striding Edge and Catstycam
*Codale Tarn (left) and Easedale Tarn from the Blea Rigg ridge with Helvellyn (left), Seat Sandal (centre) and Fairfield (right) on the horizon
Blencathra or Saddleback (left), Clough Head, Fisher's Wife's Rake, Calfhow Pike, Great Dodd, Watson's Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise (Helvellyn) and Helvellyn in the centre with a glimpse of Thirlmere (right) from the summit of High Rigg
Dunmail Raise and Grasmere Village in the valley with Helvellyn (left), Fairfield (centre) and Seat Scandal, Great Rigg and Heron Pike beyond from Lang How
Clouds rolling in over Fairfield (left), Dollywaggon Pike and Nethermost Pike from Helvellyn
*Lakeland panorama featuring a snow-topped Helvellyn (centre left) and Fairfield (centre right) from above Grasmere
. . . see all 219 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.
Not familiar with Helvellyn?
See the location of Helvellyn and all 12 walks that climb it on an interactive Google Map
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