NOW LAKE DISTRICT Winter Mountaineering on Helvellyn

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

You must bring an ice axe. Crampons/microspikes are also strongly advised, an axe is essential.

THIS IS NOT A WINTER WALKING EVENT. It will be a bona fide mountaineering exercise with a fair amount of technical scrambling on rock, snow and ice.

Route: Helvellyn via Easy Gully

Meet at: Thirlspot Layby on the east side of the A591 just 250 metres south of The King’s Head Inn, Thirlmere, approx postcode CA12 4TN.

Get 2026 off to a flying start with a winter ascent of the third highest mountain in England.

The full day will include a steady ascent from Thirlmere, a traverse to the base of Brown Cove Crags from where we will make a winter ascent of Easy Gully to take us to the summit plateau before hiking on to the main summit at an altitude of 950 metres leaving us with a long leisurely descent of the tourist path to return to our starting point.

Difficulty: Grade I winter climbing (suitable for beginner/novice winter climbers). For more information on winter climbing grades see:

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/winter-climbing-grades

Experience Required: No previous winter climbing experience required however some previous mountain scrambling experience is essential.

Duration: Approx. 7 km with height gain of approx. 800 metres. Estimated time 5 to 6 hours.

Ordnance Survey Map: OS 90 Penrith & Keswick 1:50,000 scale.

Guidebooks: Scrambles in Snowdonia published by Cicerone Press, Scrambles & Easy Climbs in Snowdonia published by Grey Stone Books.

As always, if everybody wants to contribute £2.00 towards our Meet Up site fees and other operating costs that will be great, thanks.