15th September 2001 - 6 Miles & 2500ft Ascent

As it turned out, only the second time out on the hills on a weekend and it turned into something of a group event. I had arranged to go back to Helvellyn and its ridges with Chris - a work colleague - who had first gone onto the hills with me on 29th April 2000, scrambled Jack's Rake and walked to Bowfell summit. He had also been back to Bowfell with myself and brought along his wife - Fiona - only last weekend. This time, not only had we brought along Fiona but their two kids - Victoria and Kurt (below left).

We left the Glenridding car park at approx 8.45am and headed off up the Greenside Road track. The day was overcast with occasional breaks in the cloud which rolled on in the strong wind. The latter fact being the reason I decided not to take Victoria and Kurt over Swirral & Striding Edge's, but to stay with them at Red Tarn whilst Chis and Fiona would summit Helvellyn via Swirral Edge, descending via Striding Edge. The first casualty of the day would go to Victoria. Blisters came up early in the walk which led to the second casualty of the day for me - my sense of smell (below right). Good job we'd packed the compeed platers.

Once all injuries were patched, we continued up the Greenside track rounding the base of Catstycam (below left) to reach Red Tarn sitting below the East face of Helvellyn (below right). All the while, I was keeping an eye on the sky and conditions as the wind picked up the higher we went. Moans of hurting feet, tired legs and ALTITUDE SICKNESS! were as constant as the track from the one who became labelled Altitude Sickness Boy.

Once at Red Tarn, Chris and  Fiona headed of up Swirral Edge and I would summit Catstycam on their return - which turned out to be earlier than expected. After a little concerned viewing through my binos, 30 minutes later Chris and Fiona returned from Swirral Edge - maybe next time Chris. I was a little surprised since Chris had climbed Jack's Rake with me before now, but on this occasion he had a slight problem with the height (or the wind). As for his un-tested other half, what more can be said except Fiona "Mountain Goat" Brogden. I ran up to summit Catstycam before the weather closed in as the sky was turning angry and the wind had really got up. At the summit I finished off my roll of film taking photo's of Helvellyn (below left) and Ullswater (below right).