You can find an index to my other walks here
Andrew and I arrived at Wythburn Church car park around nine-thirty. To our delight because of work going on the parking was free. We set off up the track to the forest road intent on climbing Helvellyn. We wanted to do a circuit that would bring us down at Swirls. This would be the first time for Andrew in weather clear enough for a good view of Striding Edge. However, not feeling too strong and already tired by the steep ascent from the car park, my plan changed and I decided to cut out any further climbing. I decided instead to explore the old road from Dunmail Raise.
We decided to meet at Swirls car park at three, the hour when, according to the Met Office, the weather was forecast to deteriorate.
I walked to the end of the forest road from which there are excellent views of Ullswater and the far reaches of Wythburn valley. I dropped down to where the old road is still in use by farmers. This is the road all travellers would have used when Ullswater consisted of two lakes, with which William and Dorothy Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, would have been very familiar on their many trips between Dove Cottage and Keswick.
I photographed the tiny church and then sat on a bench to eat my lunch. A beautiful little robin came and perched on the arm of the bench and jumped down to take the crumbs I offered. I was lucky to be able to take some photos of him.
After a while I drove to the car park at Swirls. It was almost full and the ticket machine was covered up as at Wythburn. It was about quarter to two, so I decided to stay there.
As it neared three o'clock there was a little rain in the air. I walked a short way up the track down which Andrew would be coming. The rain, fine at first, gradually increased, and I returned to the car.
Many people came down and quite a few went up, even
though the rain had set in, and Browncove Crags were in cloud. There were a few Asian people, two of whom were
carrying umbrellas and wearing soft, colourful trainers!
Andrew arrived. He had visited not only
Helvellyn, but also Nethermost and
Dollywagon Pike, and later Lower Man and Whiteside. I could never have done all
that on the day and I was glad he’d had a good time exploring, although he said it had been very cold on the tops.