The day dawned a complete contrast to yesterday. It was overcast, cold in comparison and cloud started rolling over the fell tops. I was on my way just before 9am but as I got higher I wasn’t sure which would be the best way to climb out of the valley as cloud had obscured the higher slopes. I reached the area called Nettle Cove on the map and found large areas of nettles.

The nettles of Nettle Cove

The path descends to Grisedale Tarn

I don’t think I’ve seen nettles this high before. The altitude is higher than 600m. I kept climbing up steepening ground but managed to keep to grassy areas which are much easier to cross than the stony scree. The gradient eased and I found myself on the southern approach path to Fairfield summit. I was in thick cloud so had to follow the cairns to find the larger cairns that mark the summit area. My next objective was to find the descent path down to Grisedale Hause. In poor visibility this must be one of the hardest paths to find as the first part off the summit is unmarked and it isn’t until it starts to descend steeply down that marker cairns appear. A compass is an essential piece of kit in these situations. The descent is very steep and loose underfoot. With a heavy pack it is one of my least favourite paths. I don’t carry a walking stick but this is a time one would be useful. I was extremely thankful to reach Grisedale Hause and join the main path down to Grisedale Tarn. There is a flat grassy area at the summit of the hause and I noticed a green tent pitched there, but no sign of anybody.

Further down the path there were a few people about. I crossed the stepping stones at the Tarn outlet and set off up the steep path to Dollywaggon Pike. I’d dropped below the cloud at the Hause and could see where I was going. As I climbed I was soon back in it and lost all views. The climb is on a well made path and at the top it continues easily by Dollywaggon Pike, High Crag and Nethermost Pike. There is a minor path going over the summits but in the thick cloud that would have been pointless. I came to the junction where the path comes in from Thirlmere and starts the final push to Helvellyn. Part way up I made a detour to the east to have a look at the 1890 memorial to Charles Gough who died near the spot in 1805.

The memorial to commemorate Charles Gough, immortalised by William Wordsworth. Gough died attempting to cross Striding Edge to reach the summit in 1805, and his faithful dog stayed by his body for 3 months until both were discovered.

Memorial to the first aeroplane to land on a mountain in Great Britain.
John Leeming and Bert Hinkler successfully landed and took off again, in 1926
They flew in an Avro 585 Gosport

I also had a look down at the walkers crossing Striding Edge on their way up to where I was standing. I crossed the grass back to the Helvellyn path and continued to the shelter where many were sheltering. I pressed on to the trig point where I managed to get some views as the cloud had started to lift.

An Avro aircraft similar to the one that landed on Helvellyn in 1926

My planned camp was by Brownrigg Well about 500m to the west so I started down the easy slope. As I approached the well, which is a natural spring issuing from the rocks; I found a good flat grassy area just above the spring. I decided to camp here as I’d camped next to the spring on previous occasions. The cloud had now lifted and the views were excellent, if a little hazy.

Looking down from Helvellyn to the misty Striding Edge

One of the best water sources.
Brownrigg Well is reputed to be the highest spring in England. The altitude is 863m (2831ft)

I cooked some lunch and sat there taking in the views. An elderly walker approached on his descent to the old lead mine workings. He told me of the time he saw a young man brewing up while camping on the summit of Helvellyn. He’d carried his water all the way up from Glenridding unaware that water was near the summit. The man told me he’d shown the youth where Brownrigg Well was then continued on his way.