Dunmail Raise, Brownrigg Well, Helvellyn, Dollywaggon Pike, Raise Beck, Cumbria..
[ 12.3 km] Wed 15 Dec 2010

NY 5295 1115
I drove to the lay-bye car park on Dunmail Raise under a gloomy sky. It was just coming light as I set off north towards Thirlmere and I crossed the fence as soon as possible to leave the pathless road to pick up the faint path along the fell bottom. Approaching the forested area I crossed the footbridge and joined the forest track which runs approx level at just over 250m. There was nobody about all the way to the unnamed gill below the old Lead mine.

This is where I left the track and headed upwards. A locked gate was my first obstacle but I soon hopped over it. It was amusing to see the name of the lock manufacturer. To keep us out it was called a ‘Union’ lock. It’s a shame the gill doesn’t have a name as it is full of interest all the way up. The first thing to see is the feature known as the wagonway on the map

looking up the old wagonway

It’s a well engineered gradient probably used to lower wagons of ore. Higher up is an interesting ruined mine building sat in a recess in the steep mountainside. Climbing higher I reached old spoil heaps and found one with a nice flat top to sit and eat an early lunch. There was lots of snow about and it was too cold to hang around for too long.

I plodded steadily upwards across the snow fields until I came to the line of the old leat running from Brownrigg Well. I followed it to the well which is a spring issuing from fell when the ground is clear. Today the whole area is covered in snow and the well is buried. Normally it’s the only source of free running water and is the highest spring in England at an altitude of 868m. The sheep must use it as a hole had been dug down in the snow as they’d tried to get access.

The visibility was now reducing as I entered cloud and by the time I’d reached the Helvellyn trig point I couldn’t see much. The shelter stones were frozen and deserted as I passed.

I headed south and over Nethermost Pike, following the east edge and looking down into the snowy valleys. I joined the main path at Dollywaggon Pike and continued to the metal boundary post where I turned right and followed a minor path directly down to the west side of Grisedale Tarn.

I continued my descent by Raise Beck which was partly iced over in places. It’s a nice interesting descent and returned me to the path at the top of Dunmail Raise.