Helvellyn

It has taken a while to post this as I have had an upset stomach this week and not much interest. It looks like this could be the last of the deep snow as it has turned very mild this week and there has been considerable rain. So last weekend we parked at Dunmail Raise and accended Raise Beck. As we got higher the beck disappeared under the snow drifts.



Although milder than of late it felt very cold in a biting wind. We paused at the hause on 574m to photograph Grisedale Tarn before ascending straight up to the post on the end of Dollywaggon Pike.


The snow was deeper up here so we paused to don crampons and swap the trekkjng poles for ice axes. At one stage we were 'checked' by 2 mountain rescuers who were similarly attired. They mentioned seeing people sliding down hill on all fours wearing trainers.



We only stayed briefly at the summit as it was difficult to get out of the wind as the shelter was snowed over. The top had some cornices and the trig point was three quarters burried.



On the way back we had a closer look at the plateau edge and the views across to Fairfield.



We descended down the shallow gill on the south west of Dollywaggon, across Willie Wife Moor and down Reggle Knott. I have always found this a much easier descent than the zig zags down to Grizedale Tarn and the erroded path down Raise Beck.