Striding Edge: What No One Tells You Before You Go

Striding Edge is probably the most talked-about ridge walk in England. People build it up for months before they go. Some treat it like a rite of passage. A few come back slightly disappointed that it was not as terrifying as they expected. Both reactions are reasonable.

I have done it a lot. In summer, in autumn, once in conditions that were borderline stupid, and a few times with people who had never done a ridge before. Here is what I wish someone had told me the first time.

The Route From Glenridding

The standard approach starts from Glenridding village, CA11 0PD. There is a pay and display car park at the eastern end of the village. Get there before 9am on a summer weekend or you will be walking an extra half mile from wherever you end up parking.

From the car park, follow the path through the village and up past Lanty's Tarn towards Birkhouse Moor. This section is straightforward but long. Allow 45 minutes before you get anywhere interesting. Most people underestimate this approach and start the day already feeling behind.

The ridge proper starts when the path narrows and the ground falls away on both sides. You will know when you are on it. It goes west for about a mile to the summit of Helvellyn.

What the Ridge Actually Feels Like

There are two sections that get most people's attention. The first is the initial narrowing about a third of the way along where you have to pick your way along the spine. It is rocky and exposed. If you are not comfortable with heights you will not enjoy this. If you are comfortable with heights, it is genuinely good.

The famous bad step, the steep rocky downclimb about two thirds along, is where people slow down. It is about 3 metres. Not technical, but you need to use your hands and face in. Take your time. There is usually a queue at busy periods. Standing on the ridge waiting for a family of four to negotiate it one by one is part of the experience.

The final section before the summit plateau is steep but on good footing. You come out onto the plateau and suddenly it is flat and wide and feels completely different from the edge you have just crossed.

The Bit Most Guides Skip Over

Swirral Edge. Almost every description of this route focuses entirely on Striding Edge and then mentions Swirral Edge as the descent route in one sentence. It deserves more than that.

Swirral Edge is shorter than Striding Edge but in some ways more demanding, because you are descending it with tired legs and often in a queue. The exposure is similar. The descent off it onto the path back down to Red Tarn is steep and loose in places. Take it steadily and do not rush because someone behind you wants to get past.

Conditions Matter More Than You Think

In good summer conditions, Striding Edge is a hard walk with some scrambling. In wet conditions, the rock becomes slippery and what was fun becomes genuinely hazardous. In winter with ice, it is a different proposition entirely and should not be attempted without crampons and experience.

Wind is the other factor that catches people out. Helvellyn sits at 950 metres and the ridge is fully exposed. A moderate breeze in the valley can be strong enough on the ridge to make you genuinely unsteady. Check the MWIS forecast the night before, not the Met Office lowland forecast.

Practical Notes

• →Start postcode: CA11 0PD (Glenridding village car park)
• →Arrive before 9am weekends in summer or parking is gone
• →Full day route: 10 miles, 5 to 6 hours
• →Boots with ankle support, not trail shoes
• →Poles help on the Swirral Edge descent
• →Check MWIS the morning of: helvellyn.mountainweather.co.uk
• →Cafe in Glenridding village for when you get back down

One more thing. The photo opportunity on the ridge looking back east is excellent. Take five minutes to stop and look at it properly. The scrambling will make more sense when you can see what you are actually crossing.