Jan 2020 - Ascent from Swirls, Thirlmere. Amazing morning light and the bus journey to the start point was infuriatingly slow.The first photo was taken from the bus, looking over lake Windermere towards the Langdale Pikes, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags. Eventually, we arrived. This was the one route up Helvellyn I'd never done and it was surprisingly fun with the back panoramas of the western Lakes with Thirlmere in the foreground, and Skiddaw and Blencathra looking marvellous in the light. Ahead, Browncove Crags dominated the view. The summit of Helvellyn was quiet, the views tremendous. I crossed to Nethermost and Dollywaggon Pikes; never ceases to amaze me how many walkers take the lower path and miss both summits. They also miss out on the rugged northern crags of both mountains, and view down to Ullswater through Grisedale. I dropped down to Grisedale Tarn, circling its eastern edge before the pull up to Fairfield. Plenty of folk making the most of the weather to do the horseshoe. St Sunday Crag and the High Street range shone in the sun. After the summit of Great Rigg, I descended to Grasmere via Stone Arthur - an excellent way off the fells.