4 24km/15 miles/8.5-9 hours Ascent 1457m/4780ft
Vivienne Crow climbs to a high ridge and walks and walks…
WANT RIDGEWALKING? You’ve got ridgewalking! Want to stride out for mile after mile after mile? Yup! This one’s got that too. Want to hike for hours on end without dropping below 620m? No problem! The end-to-end traverse of the entire Helvellyn range takes in a 12km-long line of summits, starting from the 726m Clough Head in the north, stretching to Dollwaggon Pike (858m) in the south and taking in the 950m summit of England’s third highest mountain along the way. Also bagging Great Dodd, Watson’s Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise, White Side and Nethermost Pike, it hovers around the 750m contour for much of the time.
Of course, it’s a long walk with a fair amount of ascent, but it’s straightforward – mostly on clear paths with only brief spells involving more rugged ground. Better still, this linear route doesn’t require military planning – or even the need for two cars. The 555 bus means the logistics are taken care of. So, what’s stopping you from enjoying one of the Lake District’s longest and best stretches of sustained high-level walking?
ROUTE
Start bus stop opposite Causeway Foot Farm on A591, 3km south of Keswick GR: NY293218
Finish bus stop at start of Winterseeds’ driveway on A591, 600m north of Grasmere’s Swan Hotel GR: NY336088
1 NY293218 From the bus stop, walk SE along the grass verge and then take the lane signposted Dalebottom on the left. Turn left at a junction and, in 600m, go right up a rough track. After the church, the lane descends. Go right at the next junction and right again at the B5322. Take the track on the left, keeping left near some farm buildings.
2 NY319231 Having followed the track for 400m, cross the fence stile on the right. A faint trail climbs through old quarry workings. continue steeply uphill. At another head up the slope on the left, quickly crossing a grassy track to gain a trail climbing steeply through conifers. Beyond the stile at the top, keep straight ahead to a wall gate.
3 NY321230 Go through the gate and continue straight on – along a grassy path forming a trench on the hillside. Keep to the clearest path.
4 NY330226 About 1.1km beyond the wall, the path reaches the base of scree and boulder-covered slopes. Turn sharp right here, on a rising traverse that makes light work of the steep, scree-covered ground. As rugged ground gives way to easier slopes, bear left at a faint fork for the final pull to Clough Head’s trig pillar.
5 NY333225 Descend SSW
