Helm Crag Circuit

From: https://www.instagram.com/thelittlesandthelakes/

Helm Crag is a brilliant and distinctive little starter fell, with sweeping views over Grasmere. It sits at 405m, so it’s very manageable for beginners if tackled on its own, or for more experienced kids as part of a longer route for a full day hike.

There are two prominent rock features at the summit - The Howitzer (cover picture), and the Lion and the Lamb (southeast pinnacles seen from Grasmere). These are the sort of massive rocks that kids are invariably buzzing to clamber all over, and a great walk highlight (‼️ note that the The Howitzer is overhanging and VERY exposed, and shouldn’t be attempted by kids without a very experienced adult and appropriate safety precautions).

I’ve included two routes for Helm above, both starting from Grasmere village (so park wherever is convenient, but I’d suggest Broadgate Meadow). The first is a straightforward out and back, and the second is a much longer round which hits Steel Fell, Calf Crag and Gibson Knott first, before ending the day on Helm to complete the loop (keep an eye on daylight hours!).

We did the longer route, which is a strenuous hike, but doable for kids with solid fell walking experience. Navigation is straightforward on a clear day, as you can basically always see where you’re headed and your next summit!

These fells can get very boggy on tops, which can slow down progress, so worth saving for a crisp, dry day. Helm by itself is rockier, and a good pick if conditions have been a bit damp.

Although the full route is challenging, the highest point on the route is only 557m (Steel Fell), so it’s a good option for a long walk that sticks at a moderate elevation now the temperature has really dropped.

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