Another day in Hell (Helvellyn)

 So after last weeks visit I decided to go back again and take my Dad 

We did the walk the "normal" route, up striding edge and back down Swirral. 

Its hard to compare the 2 visits as last week was in blazing sun, and yesterday was freezing cold and pretty windy not to mention so misty you could rarely see the top or the bottom of the mountain. 

Despite the conditions we still did the climb over the peaks without going around the lower paths. 

I just wish the weather report said it would be so cold so we would have been prepared but the weather warning said "wear sunblock"!!!

Dad is only wearing face mask to try and stay warm, not because he is mentally paranoid about covid up a mountain. 

A day in HELL (helvellyn)

Apparently most people do this walk the opposite way round,

 I walked up from Glenridding car park and climbed Swirral edge

then walked across the top and climbed down striding edge

This was all good fun but now I need to go 

back again and do it the opposite way round.

 

 6.15AM get in car and start driving from Witney

10.25AM park at Glenridding 

10.30AM start walking

2.30PM get back in car and drive to Keswick

 

3PM-6PM walk around Keswick, read book, buy more books, eat food , eat ice cream. 

6PM Get back in car and drive back home to Witney

10PM get home. 

That's how to drive 538 miles and do 23,000 steps in a day. 

So that is proof that this walk can be done without any gear from mountain whorehouse!!!

A pair of battered Nike air max not even done up properly is sensible after all.

 I've seen people often ask in forums how long this climb takes and answers are unclear as to whether it is just climb or descent as well etc

So to be clear, 4 hours was from car park, full walk and climb and walk back to car, so I never needed the full £8 parking and gave my ticket to someone else when I left. 

I am a fast walker and believe if I was trying to set a personal record I could get it down to at least 3.5 hours but I lost a bit of time doing yoga on the top and chatting to people etc