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A Grand Day Out!!!

PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:34 pm
by bridget cooper
A Stunning few Autumn days in the lakes and finally a day off... So what to do???

Well I haven't climbed my favourite lakes fell for a while so Blencathra it is.... :D

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Normally I would climb Blencathra via Sharp Edge but Canna, my mountain (and water) Spaniel isn't so fussed :( .

For those who don't know, Sharp edge is the best (in my opinion) grade 1 scramble in the lakes. However the short but extremely exposed and committing ridge (no way to go round the hard bit) is not an easy grade 1, and should be undertaken with caution especially in the wet and only by experienced scramblers. Canna doesn't mind scrambles as a rule , though is always in a harness, but on Sharp Edge she was practically dragged up, as the exposure got to her. Amazing really considering the steep edges she happily runs down to visit a stream... :crazy:

So It was decided that we might as well take in the ambiguous Mungrisedale Common whilst we were out so set off from the small parking area at the base of Mousthwaite Comb.
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Looking down Mousthwaite Comb



As is shown in the route, we went up Mousthwaite Comb which is a pleasant bowl and an easy climb.

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Looking up Mousthwaite Comb


Pup and I then headed up towards Sharp Edge which as always looks stunning.
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Looking up towards Sharp edge


From here we stayed low and skirted round the bottom and heading to the back of blencathra and a small plateau before contouring on the vague and very wet path to the extremely vague and arguable pointless Mungrisdale Common.
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Its here somewhere !
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Found it!!!! The Summit of Mungrisedale Common
From here a good path leads up to the back end of Blencathra.
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The final push to Blencathra


One of the great things about going up this way is that its extremely quiet, not a sole was seen though the Summit was busy...
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Canna on the summit of Blencathra.


A quick stop at the top marked by an OS ring and quick run down the well marked (and surprisingly grassy in places) path brought us back to the top of Mousthwaite and quickly back to the car and on to keswick for lunch!!!

A grand day out indeed. (Well a morning really!!!)

Re: A Grand Day Out!!!

PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:50 pm
by garyhortop
A nice wander Bridget and some good photo's too - hoping to do Blencathra soon!!! :D

Re: A Grand Day Out!!!

PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:16 pm
by ChrisW
What a lovely hike Bridget and such beautiful views along the way, the shot of Sharp Edge with pup in the foreground is a real cracker. A grand day out indeed :D

Re: A Grand Day Out!!!

PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:48 pm
by stevesey
and should be undertaken with caution especially in the wet and only by experienced scramblers

Was my first real scramble (after coming up the Halls Fell ridge first and then descending to come back up Sharpe Edge). Was my first trip to the Lakes, but I did have two experienced accomplices and it was cloudy, so no real sense of exposure. Been back Sharpe Edge twice since, once on my own in the sunshine, the second time I was with a less experienced group (not quite so easy to enjoy when you are encouraging others, but great when you can see their sense of achievement).

Re: A Grand Day Out!!!

PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:43 pm
by simon-b
A nice ramble, Bridget. It's good to climb a mountain by a new route. Blencathra was one of A.Wainwright's own favourites, Mungrisdale Common wasn't, so it's good to have got it in the bag.