Grasmere to Patterdale

It seems a long time since the last walk and today was one of the hottest days of the year so far. I had a rush of blood to the head and decided to do the 'A' walk as it seemed a shame to be in the Lake District on a beautiful day and not climb a mountain. First the long slog up to Grisedale Tarn where we stopped for a late lunch. The views were a little hazy and it was hard work going up, but worth it. Then the zig-zag path up Dollywagon Pike (2810) followed by Nethermost Pike (2920) and then Helvellyn (3118).
At the top there was a choice of coming down via Striding Edge or Swirral Edge. Both looked rather daunting and not for the faint hearted but I decided that this might be a 'now or never' moment and I might never be up here in such good conditions again, so I opted for the infamous Striding Edge. Wainwright in his Coast to Coast book describes this as an 'exhilerating traverse..... the best quarter mile between St Bees and Robin Hood's Bay'. I'm not sure I'm going to agree with him there as it was a tricky scramble down on to the ridge and then I felt sick most of the way along it! Anyway, been there, done that, cross it off the list of things to do!