Souther Fell

It is a gradual climb up to the top of Souther Fell. As Mungrisdale is left behind, views to the other northern fells open up. The fell is famous for a spectral army that marched across the summit on Midsummer's Day in 1745. The procession went on for many hours. 26 sober and respected witnesses were assembled to view this spectacle. Somebody went up next day and...surprise, surprise...there was no evidence of any footprints or cart wheels from this army. I also read somewhere that 1745 was a bumper year for the local moonshine.

Disappointingly, we didn't come across any spectral armies on the fell today.

Blencathra (Saddleback)

We descended to the col between Souther Fell and Blencathra. I suggested to Calse that we might like to traverse the razor rock blade of  Sharp Edge to the top of Blencathra. She fainted, and so I took that as a 'no'. We took the less intimidating path via Scales Fell to Blencathra's summit. This has wonderful views of the other ridges that run up to Blencathra's top. All these ridges are exciting ways to the summit. The best is the central one, Hall Fell's Ridge. This delivers you straight up to Blencathra's trig. At least it would do if the trig was still there. All that remains now is a circular stone indicating where it was once located.

There was a strong cold wind hitting the summit and so we headed over to Atkinson Pike

Halfway across Blencathra' summit plateau is a large white cross formed out of quartzite. Wainwright reported that it was created by a Mr Harold Robinson in memory of another walker who lost his life 'on an adjacent slope'. I wonder if that 'adjacent slope' was Sharp Edge.

We dropped down the edge of Atkinson Pike and found some meagre shelter for a break. Our next objective, Mungrisdale Common was directly in view. I wasn't enthused at what I saw. Wainwright says of it, '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'. It did strike me as an interesting description and I wondered whether Wainwright had actually sat on a pudding at some stage in his life.

Our morale was improved during our break when Mo repeatedly tried to pronounce Mungrisdale Common. 'Muntistrial. Murnisadle, Mongoldule'.  It was a bit like he was playing a verbal Wordle. Wainwright says it should be pronounced Mun-grize-dl.

Mungrisdale Common

As we started across Mungrisdale Common a bare chested (male) walker strolled by on his way up to Blencathra. At this point, I had three layers around my chest, with a hat and headband up top. I was still chilly. He gave us a cheery 'hello'. There is a vague, boggy path across to the summit cairn of Mungrisdale Common. We met half a dozen people coming from the summit. They were all in running gear and I wondered if they were on a Bob Graham attempt. It wasn't long before we were on the soggy summit of Wainwright's 'sat on pudding'. A tiny cairn with a moat around it, celebrated this location. 

On the way back, I chose a route that contoured around the side of Atkinson Pike. I thought it would be easier, but in fact it was much boggier. I wouldn't rate Mungrisdale Common as one of my favourite Wainwrights.

Bannerdale Crags

Relations between myself and Mo and Calse had been a bit strained today. Last night we'd all been having a few beers and watching TV when I said I was just nipping to the loo. I left the lounge, walked down the corridor leading to the toilet, opened the door, and walked into an airing cupboard. I would have got away with it except that I knocked over a clothes horse and the clatter attracted the attention of Calse and Mo. They were in hysterics. They announced that I was, 'The World's Greatest Guide who can't find his way to the toilet'. They weren't interested in the mitigating circumstances, of course: I'd had a few beers, it was a dark hallway and I was in an unfamiliar house. Even though they'd shown this lack of respect, I am a true professional and didn't let last night's incident affect my guiding today. I navigated them both safely to the top of Bannerdale Crags. I didn't get any thanks, of course.

Bowscale Fell

Bowscale Fell is gained by walking along the edge of Bannerdale Crags and then a gradual climb to its summit. The stone shelter on top had been commandeered by a half a dozen people. We descended down into the valley using a path along the side of The Tongue. There was a better view of Bannerdale Crags from this path. From past experience, I knew that the area between the end of The Tongue and Mungrisdale village is extremely boggy. I was pleasantly surprised to find that somebody had laid some huge stone slabs over this area so that you no longer get your wet feet.

There were sounds of merriment as we walked past Mungrisdale Village Hall. Presumably the Queen had arrived, although I couldn't see her limousine in the car park. Apart from Mungrisdale Common, the walk had been excellent. We had made a start on our Wainwright's Northern Fell campaign.