" Mighty Mungrisdale Common "

Date & start time: Tuesday 11th May 2011, 12.10 pm start.

Location of Start : Road end beyond the Blencathra Centre, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 302 257 )

Places visited : Glenderaterra Valley, Roghton Gill, Mungrisdale Common summit and back via the Shepherd's Cairn and the Cloven Stone.

Walk details : 5.8 mls, 1400 ft of ascent, 3 hrs 50 mins.

Highest point : Mungrisdale Common 2,076ft - 633m.

Walked with : Angie, Maureen, Ann and the dogs, Bailey, Harry, Harry(2) and Bethan.

Weather : Blue skies and sunshine but with plenty of high cloud about.

Group shot today includes Angie and Maureen who are up in the Lakes this week.

Also in the photo (miracle) are all the dogs, including Bailey, and newcomer to the site, Harry the labrador on the right.

A good walk in prospect as we head for Mungrisdale Common.

The butt of many a humorous gibe, Mungrisdale is actually the 121st out of 214 in the ranking for the highest Wainwright peak. It lies back o'Skiddaw and therefore is characterised by its grassy summit but is in fact only 205 metres short of the summit of its near neighbour, Blencathra.

Climbing as we did today, there's a full 1400 ft of ascent.

Such a nice day that we lingered over the view . . . that's why it came out wider !

If you want to linger over the view too, click here for a larger Loweswatercam annotated panorama

Heading up the Skiddaw House track into the Glenderaterra Valley.

Rounding the corner and our first view of Great Calva.

Maureen has decided to go up towards the summit today as it should be an easier climb with no steep ascents or crags.   - - - o o o - - -   Harry (2) is not sheep trained so unfortunately spent much of the time on the lead.

Looking up the valley as it widens out beyond Burnt Horse, the fell on the left.

Our track crosses over and follows the prominent wall on the left of centre as it joins the Cumbrian Way footpath which traverses under Lonscale (left)

Slightly further left again and the view now includes the Lonscale summit crags.

Below it, next to the stream is evidence of the old mines of this valley.

Faded with the passage of time, you can still make out one of two features if you know what to look for.

Look for a mill stream or leat traversing right to left from up-stream, ending abruptly above the mines, from where it would have cascaded down over a waterwheel to power the crushing plant and other machinery of the small mine.

Hold your cursor over the picture to see what I mean . . . if you can understand my hieroglyphics.

We leave the main track just before Roughton Gill

and start up the fell side following a farmer's track.

We soon come across the new tree planting which is surrounded by a strong fence.

The whole valley bottom has been enclosed and planted with young mixed woodland.

The lower waterfalls in Roughton Gill	New growth inside the protective plastic tubes.

The fence, though not a major problem, does force us higher onto the fell side.

The route was steeper than anticipated even though the height gain was not.

With no paths up here, climbing up alongside the fence was quite hard on the sideways sloping ground.

The top of the waterfalls and trees in sight but it has been a steady and slightly tiring climb.

We celebrate with lunch overlooking the top falls.

Is that colour in Maureen's cheeks from the climb or the reflection of her fleece jumper ?

Having climbed higher than she has all holiday, but not wishing to tackle the extended walk across the flat top of Mungrisdale,

Maureen decided to return to the car, leaving Angie to strike out for the top.

Ann accompanied her on the descent so it was just two of us plus the dogs who crossed the beck on the last part of the climb.

That's the summit of Atkinson Pike up there, the other end of the saddle of Blencathra

so we are really quite high at this point.

Cotton Grass implies more damp ground than before

so we have to pick our way a little more carefully across the level ground.

Mmmm . . . Mungrisdale Common summit cairn . . . where are you ?

We need better glasses or must walk a little further to find the answer.

That's the path to Foule Crag . . .	. . . so this is the one to Mungrisdale !

Skirting the summit pools that lie between us and Carrock Fell in the distance.

Goal achieved . . . and it isn't the cup final till next Saturday.

Looking south to Great Gable and the Scafells.

Click here or on the photo above for a Loweswatercam 360 degree annotated panorama.

The cairn part way down from the summit

as we take the direct route back down to Roughton Gill and the Skiddaw track.

Skiddaw House across the valley.

A close up as it is highlighted in a nice patch of sunlight.

The Cloven Stone . . . cloven like a cow or sheep's foot.

Smiles on the way back as Angie completes another of her targets for the holiday.

Back to the old sheepfold at the side of the main track.

The slab bridge, reinforced with cement in recent years, crosses Roughton Gill.

Notice the lower part of the new woodland plantation just up stream from the crossing.

Just the return track back the way we came . . . with the widening view of Derwent Water ahead.

Bleaberry Fell and Walla Crag.

The white roofed building is probably the animal sheds of Storms Farm above the A66 and the River Greta.

A lovely view of Helvellyn and St John's in the Vale . . . that gives us an idea for a post walk refreshment stop.

[ The above two pictures taken by Ann on her way back with Maureen . . . a short while before us ]

- - - o o o - - -

Angie and Maureen are staying in Grasmere so Low Bridgend Farm would be a good spot for a cuppa.

No great space for parking but we tuck ourselves away to one side.

A quick phone call and John is over from Fornside to join us for afternoon tea and cakes !

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon 75 or my Canon G10 digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . .a successful climb (and a nice cake) under the belt.

Go to Top . . . © RmH.2011 . . . Email me here

Previous walk - 10th May 2011 Lanthwaite Bluebells rule OK

A previous time up here - 28th August 2006 Great Calva and Mungrisdale Common

Next walk - 13th May 2011 Beacon Fell Country Park