The Glenridding Horseshoe

This map was created using GPS Visualizer's do-it-yourself geographic utilities.

Please wait while the map data loads...

Route: Glenridding, Rattlebeck Bridge, Little Cove, Birkhouse Moor, Hole-in-the-Wall, Low Spying How, High Spying How, Striding Edge, Helvellyn, Swirral Edge, Catstye Cam, Swirral Edge, Lower Man, White Side, Raise, Sticks Pass, Stybarrow Dodd, White Stones, Sheffield Pike, Heron Pike, Glenridding Dodd, The Rake, Glenridding

Date: 25/08/2019
From: Glenridding

Parking: Glenridding
Start Point: Rattlebeck Bridge
Region: Eastern Fells

Route length: 11.0 miles (17.7km)
Time taken: 06:26
Average speed: 2.0mph
Ascent: 1,459m
Descent: 1,454m

Wainwrights on this walk:
Birkhouse Moor (718m), Helvellyn (950m), Catstye Cam (890m), White Side (863m), Raise (883m), Stybarrow Dodd (843m), Sheffield Pike (675m), Glenridding Dodd (442m)

Other summits:
High Spying How (863m), Helvellyn Lower Man (925m), Green Side (White Stones) (795m)

So, the time has finally come to wrap up my Lake District walking for a few years. You see, we're moving to Sydney in September for work to experience life 'Down Under'. We've known about the move for around a year but it's only really become serious towards the end of the summer. To give the Lakes a proper send-off I devised a route taking in the superb Helvellyn edges and the fells around Glenridding - a Glenridding Horseshoe if you will.

It was a bright summer day. In fact, I almost forgot that it was the late summer bank holiday - arguably one of the busiest days of the year in any of the national parks. My original plan was to arrive later in the day to try and enjoy Striding Edge with fewer people but I quickly changed my mind to get there as early as possible (the village was heaving by the time I'd finished in the afternoon, so this ended up being a good choice!).

It was a superlative day out on the fells

I parked on the Glenridding road and set out to find the path which climbs alongside Mires Beck into Live Cove above the village. This is the main route to Striding Edge and, despite the early time, I was sharing it with several others. Fortunately, most of these paused for a break during the climb allowing me to get ahead. Things were shaping up nicely for the main event.

Looking down on Glenridding from Little Cove

The path alongside Mires Beck

Glenridding and Ullswater

The climb to Birkhouse Moor

The climb steepens onto the summit of Birkhouse Moor where I paused for a quick break. A path follows the drystone wall across Birkhouse Moor, passing the summit as it does, and drops a short way to Hole-in-the-Wall, the meeting point of a number of paths rising up from the valleys below. Interestingly, there is a wall with a stile crossing but no hole. The flank of Striding Edge is clearly visible but the dramatic ridge only really comes into view once you reach Low Spying How, the first of a number of rocky turrets along the edge

Helvellyn, Catstye Cam, White Side and Raise encircle Glenridding Common

Catstye Cam and White Side over Keppel Cove

The eastern face of Helvellyn

Catstye Cam

The approach to Striding Edge

Helvellyn and Red Tarn

Striding Edge and Helvellyn

Here you can savour the magnificence of the ridge, arguably one of the most dramatic ridges in the Lake District - certainly of those accessible to regular walkers. Between Low Spying How and High Spying How, the ridge is actually quite broad, relatively speaking and only truly becomes an arête after High Spying How. This short section typifies Striding Edge, seemingly narrow enough to straddle and enough to set the heart-thumping a couple of beats faster.

Striding Edge

I think it's worth pointing out that Striding Edge, in my opinion, doesn't actually feel as narrow as it looks once you are on it and the subtle curve of the ridge before it falls away certainly dispels any fears of imminently falling off. True, this would be much more of a challenge on a rainy, windy or icy day but today, were ideal. I must add though, Striding Edge does require your full care and attention as a fall would likely be a disaster.

Striding Edge

Helvellyn

Nethermost Pike

High Spying How

Crossing Striding Edge, though generally slow going, doesn't take too long and a final scramble down The Chimney at the Helvellyn end mark its termination. Now you are faced with a 100m or so climb/scrabble up onto Helvellyn itself which lends to some imperious views back to Striding Edge and Nethermost Cove.

Striding Edge

Striding Edge panorama

Striding Edge and Helvellyn

Looking back along Striding Edge

Red Tarn

The Chimney marks the end of the arete

Striding Edge

Striding Edge and Nethermost Cove

The climb emerges onto the summit at a large memorial to Charles Gough - Helvellyn's first recorded casualty whom you can read more about here. A short distance away, on the path bound for Nethermost Pike, is a much smaller memorial to the intrepid Australian Bert Hinkler who landed a small biplane on Helvellyn in 1926. There's also the oft-busy summit shelter, the summit cairn and an OS trig pillar to investigate so plenty to see once you arrive at the top.

Memorial to Charles Gough

The cross shelter below the summit

The summit of Helvellyn

Helvellyn's summit is topped by a pile of stones

The OS trig pillar

I crossed the broad summit to Water Crag and the top of Swirral Edge. Having descended the edge several times in the past I'm slightly ashamed to say I've never actually climbed up it. Therefore, I decided on an hour-long diversion to Catstye Cam and back which involved a descent and re-ascent of the famous edge.  Climbing Swirral Edge is far more entertaining than descending it as various interesting scrambling lines become more apparent. As a scramble, it is superior to Striding Edge though it wasn't long before I'd reached the top Helvellyn once again.

The eastern crags of Helvellyn

Looking down Swirral Edge

Swirral Edge

Brown Cove and Keppel Cove

Hikers cross Striding Edge

Catstye Cam's summit

Looking back to Helvellyn

Swirral Edge

Swirral Edge

Looking up Swirral Edge

Looking towards Lower Man from the top of Swirral Edge

I followed the path north-west across Helvellyn Lower Man before picking a route down the north ridge. This marked the end of any rocky drama for now as the northern fells of the Helvellyn range become more rounded and grassy, starting with White Side.

The distant Skiddaw range

Looking across to the high southern fells of the Lake District

Browncove Crags

Brown Cove and Catstye Cam

The Glenridding valley

The north ridge of Helvellyn with White Side and Raise beyond

White Side

Helvellyn from White Side

Strictly the name White Side refers to the western slope of a nameless summit, however, it is often applied to the whole fell for convenience. A great steep-sided hollow is gouged out of the eastern face, just north of the summit. This is the corrie of Kepple Cove, backed by Red Screes. It provides a thrilling view of the head of the valley and Catstye Cam.

White Side's summit

Skiddaw and St John's in the Vale

Continuing on from White Side, the path dips and climbs once again, this time to the summit of Raise, another undistinguished fell but home to the Lake District's only permanent ski tow in Savages Gully, a natural bowl which accumulates drifts during the winter.

Raise from Whiteside Bank

Raise

A tall cairn caps Raise's summit

Sticks Pass and Stybarrow Dodd

Beyond Raise, the path descends to Sticks Pass. Sticks Pass crosses the Helvellyn ridge at a height of over 700m, making it the highest pass crossed by a bridleway. It once provided the only connection between the communities on either side of the range and its name is believed to be taken from the guideposts originally used to mark the route. Both streams which from the pass (one east and one west) are both called Sticks Gill.

The path at Sticks Pass

I crossed the pass still heading north, aiming for a fairly long climb up to Stybarrow Dodd, one of a trio of large, domed, grass-clad fells colloquially called 'the Dodds' (Watson's Dodd and Great Dodd being the others). These are unpopular fells and I would be alone for much of the rest of the day.

Raise and Sticks Pass

The stony path climbs towards the summit of Stybarrow Dodd but actually deviates beneath it as it makes its way along the ridge. I would be leaving the path regardless as my onward route would take be across Stybarrow Dodd and down the grassy slope of White Stones to Glencoyne Head. It was here, at Nick Head below Sheffield Pike, that I bumped into a couple of old school friends who I haven't seen for at least 10 years. It truly is a small world.

Stybarrow Dodd's modest summit

The central fells backed by Grasmoor and Coledale

Watson's Dodd

A vague track leads to White Stones

Stybarrow Dodd

A pile of stones marks the top of White Stones

The descent towards Sheffield Pike

Remains of the Lucy's Tongue mine

Glencoyne

Glencoyne

Raise, Stybarrow Dodd and White Stones 

White Stones and Glencoyne Head

I departed from the hause at Nick Head, crossing the peat bogs and making the short climb up to the small stony summit of Sheffield Pike. A short detour reveals a commanding view of Ullswater. Nearby you should find a rectangular stone, with the letters H and M on. This is an original marker stone dating back to 1830, which was used to help determine land boundaries between the Howard family (H) and the Marshall family of Patterdale (M).

The ascent of Sheffield Pike

Glencoyne Head

Sheffield Pike

Ullswater seen from Sheffield Pike

Brown Hills and Watermillock Common

Glenridding Dodd and Glenridding

The east side of Sheffield Pike is defended by a tall outcrop of rock called Heron Pike, a minor top that makes it onto Bill Birkett's list of Lakeland peaks. A narrow path winds down the southern side of the crags and is actually pretty steep and tricky in places. It's not a path that looks particularly enjoyable to climb, especially on a hot day like today. It descends into a hause below Glenridding Dodd. From here, it's a short climb to the top.

Panorama from Heron Pike

Glenridding

Glenridding Screes

Glenridding Dodd

Glenridding Dodd

Glenridding Dodd

Sheffield Pike from Glenridding Dodd

I retraced my steps to the hause and began my descent back to Glenridding. This path is known as the Rake and it is a little tricky thanks to a combination of loose gravel and a steep gradient. The path winds alongside Blaes Crag before to Greenside Road at Rake Cottages, a collection of old miner’s cottages. From here it's a short stroll back to the village.

Descending The Rake

Birkhouse Moor and Glenridding valley

Rake Cottages