LMG Ed was out on Helvellyn via Striding Edge today. Here's what he had to say
'A great day out with a lovely family. We worked on movement and safeguarding skills before a crossing of the edges which got progressively busier and were rather clogged up in places. On Swirral Edge we got to experience two firsts for me on this mountain. Unfortunately the increased traffic that we are seeing on popular routes in the lakes is leading to more erosion and loose rock, particularly when people are trying to avoid sections that look tricky. Generally the well worn tricky looking bits have far less loose stuff than trying to move over ground that you you may perceive as easier, meaning that they are actually safer. Not sure exactly what started it off but today a rockfall of some of this loose stuff rumbled down the side of Swirral Edge. Fortunately we were on the ridge and out of the fall line but a rock the size of a 40L rucksack tomahawked down the side of the ridge about 20m from us accompanied by its smaller cousins. I’ve seen large rock falls in other locations but not here before so please be careful out there on busy routes where there are others below you.
Ten minutes later we were treated to our second first with a fly past from a Spitfire and it’s companion! I think the whole fellside stood still in unison as we watched them bank over Lower Man and fly across the summit before popping out to be silhouetted above Striding Edge. Rather a special moment and the icing on the cake to a great day on the fell.'
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