So we haven’t been out much this year have we? No excuse either, so we must put that right.  We made a start with that today, the morning the clocks were put back so we gained an extra hour.  Peter came for me at 6.00 am (GMT).  The forecast, depending on which channel you watched was either rain or showers, clearing at lunchtime, so we set off deciding to go round the back of Helvellyn and also fit in Dollywaggon Pike which I had attempted twice before but turned back due to poor weather.  I had done Helvellyn many years ago but it was before I was recording dates so I had to do it again.

Start of the walk

We arrived at Wythburn car park just after 8.00 am but to our surprise the cost to park was £7 and we didn’t have enough change.  So we drove to Grasmere village to get some change and then back to the car park.  It is unusual for a car park, outside of the towns to be so expensive but as we did not have much choice, Peter paid the fee.  It was raining already, too wet to stand and eat breakfast so we set off on the walk just after 8.30, heading towards the trees to get some cover.  I had brought my home-made scotch eggs and Peter had brought a pasty so we had a good start to the day.  We climbed quickly through the woods coming out onto the open fell and continued to climb steadily.  The path was very clear and good allowing us to keep a reasonable pace.  However it was very wet and with no cover there was nowhere to stop for a cuppa.

Helvellyn Summit

As we got to the ridge, the rain was sharper and it was getting colder. I stopped for a few minutes to put on another layer and gloves for the final push to Helvellyn.  On the way up we walked past the junction we would later come back to on the way to Dollywaggon Pike, we also saw the plaque just below the shelter near the summit commemorating a plane landing here in 1926!  We walked past the shelter and were shortly at the summit, arriving just after 10.30, two hours up was a decent pace.  No time to stop for photos as it was so wet and cold so we quickly went back to the shelter to try to get a cup of tea.

Looking back to the summit from the shelter

Dollywaggon Pike summit

We quickly had a cuppa and Peter put another layer on and we set off back down the track, retracing our steps to the junction I mentioned earlier, taking the left fork this time which was heading towards Nethermost Pike first and then on to Dollywaggon Pike.  Whilst it was cold and wet, I was feeling very good at this point.  Losing 2 stone over the summer was making me move slightly quicker than normal and at this point in the walk I was very pleased with my pace.  We passed Nethermost Pike and quickly went on to Dollywaggon, arriving about 30 minutes after leaving the summit of Helvellyn.

Dollywaggon Pike summit

The descent

A very quick photo just to say we were there and then we wanted to get down as quickly as possible.  It was a steady descent at first as we looked for Grisedale tarn below, which was where we would descend to first.  There was an old metal fence post marking the path down.  At this point the path became very steep and with slippery rocks as well it was a tricky walk and I could feel my knee and for the first time ever I think, my feet were wet!

As we got near the tarn, we turned to the right across the grass.  As we were walking across what looked like just wet grass, I put my foot in a bog, straight up to the knee.  Fortunately it was not possible to get any wetter, but I was trying my best!  Eventually we came out at the top of a gully with a very fast moving stream running down to the road, this was our path back to the car. Once again however slippery rocks and a quite steep descent conspired to slow me down to a snails pace.  The road was not getting any nearer!  Once we did get down to the bottom, we had another boggy walk back to the woods and then on to the car.  The wettest walk we have ever done with non-stop rain from setting off to getting back – don’t believe the weather forecast!  It was now after 2.30 so we got changed and got into the warmth of the car, heading for home – to a nice Chilli con carne for me!

Christmas walk planned for early December so see you then!