Sticks Pass - Raise - White Side - Helvellyn - Brown Crag - Sticks Pass

This is one of the best routes up to Helvellyn, avoiding the narrow edges of Striding and Swirral Edge and one of the more enjoyable routes from the Thirlmere Valley.

The route starts at the small parking area off the A591 near Stanah and begins the ascent immediately by climbing Sticks Pass. The pass is steep to begin with but the views really open out over St John's in the Vale and Thirlmere. The path up Sticks Pass eases a little once higher ground is reached and once at the top of the pass there is a short ascent to the first peak of the day: Raise. Raise is a high mountain just north of Helvellyn and has its own ski-lift on its north face.

The route continues south along the great Helvellyn Range to White Side before an exciting ascent to Helvellyn via Lower Man. The ascent is steep but short and once the top is reached it's a sprawling flat summit and just a short walk to the summit cairn and trig point. From this peak, the third highest in England, you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama over Striding Edge to Ullswater and the Pennines beyond.

The route back down backtracks over Lower Man and down to the col between Lower Man and White Side. A brief section of intermittent path takes you down to a route around White Side to the minor summit of Brown Crag. The peak offers one of the best views up the Thirlmere Valley to St John's in the Vale and is worth the minimal effort.

The descent from here gets a little steeper and zigzags its way down to the Sticks Pass Path and back to Stanah.

England - North England - Cumbria - Lake District - North East

Walkingworld members near this walk

Walk id: 8081

Walk grade

Mountain Challenge

Length

8.1 Miles

Height gain

1000 Metres

Duration

4 Hours 55 Mins

Average rating

Rated by 0 members

Dog rated by 0 members