Mungrisdale Common (630m), Bannerdale Crags (680m) - 19/05/2021
Distance 14.5km, Ascent 590m, Time 3h30m
Wainright is pretty scathing about Mungrisdale Common: "to add to its other failings, Mungridale Common does not lend itself to illustration. Most fells have at least one good aspect, but the Common, from whatever side it is seen, has no more pretension to elegance than a pudding that has been sat on". "Precious holiday hours should not be wasted here". "Any one of a thousand tufts of grass might lay claim to crowning the highest point of the plateau forming the summit". In fact it isn't even a hill - so there appears to have been no good reason for Wainright to have included it in his guide to the Lakeland Fells at all - and then Wainright-baggers wouldn't have to bother with it. At least now there is a small cairn to mark the "top". Having said that the route up along the Glenderamackin valley is pleasant enough and affords good view of the sharp edge of Blencathra (though not as good as those obtained by walking the sharp edge itself, obviously) - and the return route across Bannerdale Crags give impressive views of the crags and across the the Pennines.
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