The Lake District Mountains

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24 02 2006 - Helvellyn with Paul D

We set off with the intention of doing Birkhouse Moor and Catstycam from Glenridding but we were driven back by heavy snow and an accident at the Kirkstone Pass. A quick change of plan saw us heading for the car park just beyond Wythburn from where we decided to climb Helvellyn. Away from the Kirkstone Pass the roads were no problem. We followed the path that starts alongside Comb Gill and climbs beneath Nethermost Pike's summit to the wonderful view point above Swallow Scarth. The snow was thick and often swirling in the howling wind. The path was slippery underfoot and of course the higher we climbed the colder we became. Helvellyn was very busy with walkers presumably because for many schools it was still half-term. It was extremely cold at the summit and my ungloved hand almost froze as I struggled to take a few photographs. Despite dark clouds the views were exhilarating and the snow supplied added drama to the high fells. On the descent, roughly where the path runs close to the top of  High Crags, there was a stretch of a couple of hundred yards where the wind was whipped up almost to gale force. The ground had become much icier and with the hillside dropping away sharply to our right passage had to be made very tenuously a step at a time as the wind endeavored to flip us over. We survived this ordeal and continued down with care to our starting point. There was a brief stop for refreshments by a roaring fire at the Badger Bar in Rydal before heading home. Not a bad day!