Sunrise On Helvellyn

At the weekend we got a call from Tony (Andy’s best man) to say Thursday is his 50th & he had booked to come to Grasmere with two mates.  They would stay for one night & the following day get up early & climb Helvellyn in time to catch the sunrise at the summit, would we like to come?
We agreed as long as the weather was going to be good enough to see the sunrise.  The forecast for Wednesday & Thursday was brilliant with clear skies overnight.
We then discovered it would be a 99% full moon so as long as the skies were clear we would have good visibility to walk up in.
So after an early night on Wednesday we got up at 03:30 & set off to Thirlmere where we met Tony, Mark & Nigel at 05:00.  The temperature was –3c with a light NE wind brrrrr

It was almost light enough to walk without a head torch, these early pictures don’t really do justice to the illuminated world we were walking in.
Looking down on the moon glistening on Thirlmere.  We stopped briefly at 05:58 when as scheduled the International Space Station gave us a fly-past!

It’s not long before we are walking in the snow, Crag has long forgotten that he hurt his paw two weeks ago & just wants snowballs thrown for him

As we reach the summit plateau the first rays of morning light are appearing to the east

Catstye Cam & Swirral Edge, one of the ridge routes up Helvellyn

Looking down on Brown Cove

Whiteside Bank

Whiteside Bank & Raise

Tony went ahead to Helvellyn's summit (at 950m it is the 3rd highest point in England)


Red Tarn

Looking down on Swirral Edge

The trig point just below the summit.  Andy & Crag have gone to join Tony



From the summit looking down on the shelter which was to be our resting place until the sun came up

Ullswater in the distance

Nethermost Pike & Dollywagon Pike which the others were planning to “bag” on their way down


The wait at the shelter for the sunrise

Ullswater & Birkhouse Moor with only a sprinkling of snow on, you can see why the felltop assessors climb Helvellyn to judge conditions as it clearly has far more snow on it than the surrounding fells.

Here comes the sun




Karen well wrapped up at the shelter

Virgin windswept snow


Striding Edge the other ridge route up Helvellyn

The sun starts to light up the fells around us

Ullswater & Red Tarn

The shelter now basking in sunshine

We decide just to descend the route we came up.  Looking back at the trig point

We are in the sunshine for the first section of the descent

Skiddaw & Bassenthwaite Lake in the distance with a little mist on it

Looking north along the Helvellyn range

Across Thirlmere to some of the central fells

The snow becoming patchier as we descend

Almost out of the shade & back into the sunshine on the valley bottom

Thank you Tony for inviting us to your 50th birthday party.  It was an amazing walk, one of the most magical walks we have ever done.

Two Contrasting Walks

Last Wednesday 3 inches of rain fell in  two hours & it left it’s mark around here.  When it seemed to have stopped we took Crag out (wearing wellies).  The line is flooded beyond the bridge

 

Further along & The Keekle has burst it’s banks & flooded the surrounding field

 

We realise it is starting to get dark again and another shower is on it’s way so we  turn around and head back

The pond is spilling onto the path

The garden has plenty of puddles on it

Shortly after we get home we have another hail shower

Today however was lovely so we decided to walk around Ennerdale Water

There was very little wind making beautiful reflections in the lake

Two canoes are on the lake

We don’t think the dog can swim!!

What we didn’t know was there was a fell race on today so we had to stop a lot to let the runners past.  There was a 10k, 25k & 50k course, the two longer courses did a loop of the valley to Black Sail (twice on the 50k route) & the 10k route just did what we were walking today.  According to the website there were 220 runners

It was warm enough to strip down to shorts

We had a lovely few hours & it was nice to be out in the sunshine