I did Helvellyn on Monday with the lad. We had done 50-odd Wainwrights two years ago then pretty much as soon as he turned 13 he announced that he no longer liked hiking and didn’t want to do anymore. I had sort of been expecting a blip as people had told me that it’s really common in the teens. I intended to organise a few big hikes with mates over the last two years but you know what it’s like trying to find a date that suits everyone in your 50s so haven’t done much in the meantime. I can’t tell you how pleased I was when a few weeks ago the lad said that he would like to have a pop at Hellvellyn. I didn’t mess about in booking a hotel in Glenridding and a couple of days off work. His mum and sister came but they weren’t up for it and planned to take a leisurely boat trip to Pooley Bridge.
The lad had said that he didn’t want to do Striding Edge so we planned on going up from Patterdale via Dollywagon Pike and Nethermost Pike then down Swirral edge and back down to Glenridding via Birkhouse Moor. I knew it would be a slog going up that way and part way along the valley we changed our minds and took the path up to the Hole in the Wall with the intention of going up Swirral and down the long way. We got there, took a look at Striding Edge, looked at each other and both went “Shall we? – Come on then!!”
We were both a bit scared but also buzzing. He can be a bit rash, especially since he’s been going to the local climbing centre, but I made him promise to be very careful whilst imagining the bollocking I’d get if he fell and hurt himself. We took the lower, safer path for a lot of the way, going up onto to the top of the ridge towards the end then down that awkward bit which felt very clumsy. He was fine with that, I was bricking it a bit. The scramble up to the top from there is reasonably safe but felt like hard work as tiredness kicked in.
We walked down the way we had intended to come up. Great views from Nethermost, looking across to Striding Edge with the pointy top of Catsycam just behind. Took fucking ages to get down Dollywagon. My legs wouldn’t do what I wanted them to do and were shaking like a shitting dog. I’m out of condition and getting older. Was so glad I had brought a second stick. The lad basically ran down though and waited at Grizedale Tarn for me. Had a long break lying in the sun at the tarn and ate a pork pie. Feeling knackered but exhilarated. Then it was a lovely, relaxed but long walk back down the valley in the sunshine to Patterdale. Had some ace conversations about all sorts of things. It was a great bonding experience. We both got Helvellyn key rings from the shop yesterday. I’ll never forget it.
I'll upload some pics from my phone in a minute here. The last one I took at Allan Bank in Grasmere, its of the Marshall Family who were wealthy mill owners from Leeds at Ruthwaite Lodge near Grizedale Tarn around 1900. We passed it on the walk. Their family had been friends with Wordsworth earlier in the 19th century and he had stayed in that lodge a few times. At his encouragement they bought loads of land in the lake district with the goal of preserving it from getting overdeveloped. Most of it got sold to the National Trust eventually so the goal worked.
