I always considered Helvellyn to be one of the 'tourist's mountains. Along with Scafell Pike & Catbells, it was one of the fells that everyone who had visited the area was keen to say they had climbed. It wasn't until I read Wainwright's detailed 28 page chapter in his Guide to the Eastern Fells that I realised that there was much more to it. From its rich history, central location, and numerous routes of ascent, I set out a plan to ascend the Helvellyn ridge, but to tick off some of its sister peaks before summiting Helvellyn itself - that was to be my 70th fell since beginning the Wainwrights. When most people think of Helvellyn, they also think of its famous 'edges' - Striding Edge & Swirral Edge. Both ascended from either Patterdale or Glenridding on the Ullswater side of the peak, the path of ascent traverses on top of the narrow rock ridges, some 650 feet above the valley floor. However, I would be saving that route for another day, and instead w

It was a surprisingly straight forward drive up to Seathwaite in Borrowdale. Considering it was the August bank holiday I was expecting more traffic on the roads. Granted, there was a queue to come off the M6 motorway at Kendal - the Grasmere Show was on, so it seemed quite a few people were heading there, but luckily I drove straight past that junction on my way to the northern lakes. I parked my car on the verge at the side of the road, booted up and slung on my pack before heading quarter of a mile down the road to Seathwaite Farm, and the start of the adventure. My route would take me up the side of Sourmilk Gill*, so named because the waterfalls look like churned milk, and up into the hanging valley of Gillercomb from where I can ascend the north ridge of Base Brown. * This is the third 'Sourmilk Gill' I've come across in the Lake District, the others being in Easedale near Grasmere, and on the route up Red Pike from Buttermere. The lower slopes of Base Brown were l