Helvellyn

Helvellyn
Helvellyn from the air in December. Red Tarn (centre) is flanked by Striding Edge (left) and Swirral Edge
Highest point
Elevation	950 m. (3,117 ft)
Prominence	712 m (2,336 ft)
Parent peak	Scafell Pike
Listing	Furth, Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall, Historic County Top, Wainwright, Birkett
Coordinates	54°31′38″N 3°00′58″W / 54.527232°N 3.016054°W / 54.527232; -3.016054Coordinates: 54°31′38″N 3°00′58″W / 54.527232°N 3.016054°W / 54.527232; -3.016054
Naming
Translation	Pale yellow moorland (Cumbric)
Geography
Helvellyn Location in Lake District, Cumbria, England
Location	Cumbria, England
Parent range	Lake District, Eastern Fells
OS grid	NY342151
Topo map	OS Landrangers 90

Helvellyn (pronunciation: /hɛlˈvɛ.lɪn/) (possible meaning: pale yellow moorland) is a mountain in the English Lake District, the highest point of the Helvellyn range, a north-south line of mountains to the north of Ambleside, between the lakes of Thirlmere and Ullswater.

Helvellyn is the third-highest point both in England and in the Lake District, and access to Helvellyn is easier than to the two higher peaks of Scafell Pike and Sca Fell. The scenery includes three deep glacial coves and two sharp-topped ridges on the eastern side (Striding Edge and Swirral Edge).

The volcanic rocks of which the mountain is made were formed in the caldera of an ancient volcano, many of them in violently explosive eruptions, about 450 million years ago during the Ordovician period. During the last ice age these rocks were carved by glaciers to create the landforms seen today.

Since the end of the last ice age, small populations of arctic-alpine plants have survived in favourable spots on rock ledges high in the eastern coves. Rare to Britain species of alpine butterfly, the Mountain Ringlet, also live on and around Helvellyn.

Mineral veins, some with deposits of the lead ore galena, do exist within Helvellyn’s rocks, but attempts to find sufficient quantities of lead to be worth mining have not been successful.