Route: Blencathra and Mungrisdale Common
Area: Northern Lake District
Date of walk: 6th February 2013
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 7.7 miles
Ascent: 2,300 feet
We started the walk from the Blencathra Centre near Threlkeld, and followed the zig zag path up Blease Fell. There was plenty of snow higher up so we put on our microspikes. The views were clear and we could see for miles – a beautiful day – but very cold. The summit of Blencathra (2,847 feet) was not a place to linger. An Arctic blast came in from the north and the wind chill factor made it minus 18c. Brrrrr, a good job we were well layered up for this one. We walked along the summit escarpment of Blencathra, where there were huge snow cornices overhanging the edge.
We then descended to the featureless top of Mungrisdale Common (2,076 feet). Somewhere between the two summits I’d dropped my camera and we had to retrace our steps to find it. Luckily ours were the only footprints in the snow so it only took 10 minutes or so, but it was a worrying 10 minutes nonetheless. We descended along a lovely terraced path above Glenderaterra Beck and back to the car
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The start of the walk, someone had taken the trouble to knit woolly hats for the signposts in this area
The zig zagging path up Blease Fell
Latrigg in the foreground and a splendid array of North West fells in the background
Bonnie
Clough Head and some of the Eastern Fells, and a glimpse of Thirlmere
Gilly, with Derwent Water in the background
The early part of the summit escarpment of Blencathra - we walked along the edge, but not too close!
It was freezing up here - minus 5c with a wind chill factor of minus 18c
Looking east. The two small fells are Great Mell Fell and Little Mell Fell
Nearing the summit of Blencathra
Thirlmere and Derwent Water, and an impressive snow cornice
Another cornice - keep off!
Gilly and Bonnie near the summit
Looking down to our next target, Mungrisdale Common, no real summit but a vast expanse of wilderness - wonderful!
Just before the highest point of the Common
Looking towards the Skiddaw Fells
And again - the skies were glorious today
Andrew and Bonnie
The path back to the Blencathra Centre, above Glenderaterra Beck
