Northern Fells · Book 5

Mungrisdale Common

Mungrisdale Common is a Wainwright, one of the 214 Lake District fells in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides. At 633 m (2,077 ft) it is the joint 121st highest of the 214 and the 16th highest in the Northern Fells.

Height: 633 m; 2,077 ft
Rank: =121; of 214
In area: 16; of 24
Difficulty: Moderate

Mungrisdale Common in the Northern Fells of the Lake District — Photo: Mick Knapton via Wikimedia Commons

About Mungrisdale Common

A broad, boggy dome behind Blencathra, on the Eden and Derwent watershed. Rarely climbed for itself, it is usually a detour from Blencathra or Bannerdale Crags. Best paired with Bannerdale Crags and Bowscale Fell.

Despite the name, this grassy lump is miles from Mungrisdale village, in a different river catchment. It is a spur of Blencathra, running north west from Atkinson Pike with only a few feet of rise at the end. Wainwright had nothing good to say about it, and the small cairn only appeared after his book sent people looking for it. Bill Birkett left it out of his Complete Lakeland Fells.

It is usually collected on the way over Blencathra. Walk Lakes starts from the small parking area above Scales, climbs Scales Fell to the top, then drops down Blue Screes from Atkinson Pike and heads for the highest ground of the Common. It comes back over Bannerdale Crags and down the Glenderamackin, about 13 km with 860 metres of climbing. From Mungrisdale village you can follow the Glenderamackin to the col, and from Keswick or Threlkeld the Glenderaterra valley leads up from the south.

It is grass and bog underfoot. Plenty of paths cross the Common, and none of them makes navigation easy. Expect wet feet.

The summit is hard to pin down. The cairn stands a little way west of, and slightly below, an unmarked highest point. What makes the trip is a gap to the south west between Lonscale Fell and Blencathra, which frames the high fells from Pillar round to Crinkle Crags.

The Cloven Stone

This boundary stone stands on the Eden and Derwent watershed, which crosses the Common. Rain on one side reaches the sea at Workington. On the other it heads for Carlisle and the Solway Firth.

In winter

The Common is a wide, featureless bog with many crossing paths and no clear summit, and Walk Lakes says it is no place to be in mist or poor weather. Snow hides the paths, so take a bearing from Atkinson Pike before you set off across it.

Great Views
Quiet & Remote
Dog Friendly

Sources: Wikipedia: Mungrisdale Common, Walk Lakes: A Walker's Blencathra, The Wandering Wildflower: Souther Fell, Mungrisdale Common and Bannerdale Crags. Updated 24 September 2026.

Summit

OS grid ref: NY 310 292
Latitude: 54.65341° N
Longitude: 3.07011° W
Area: Northern Fells

Walking up Mungrisdale Common

The nearest car park on foot is Threlkeld Car Park, 5.2 km (3.2 miles) from the summit along mapped paths. Directions to the car park

Route from Threlkeld Car Park

Distance: 5.2 km; 3.2 miles, one way
Ascent: 669 m; Total climb to the summit
Time up: 2 h 2 min; Allow 1 to 3 hours

Height in metres along the path from Threlkeld Car Park to the summit.

Times use Naismith’s rule, 5 km/h on the flat plus extra time for the climb, with Langmuir’s corrections. It’s a rule of thumb for the way up only, so add stops, weather and the walk back down.

The route follows paths mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors and isn’t a guided line. Check the mountain forecast before you go and carry a map and compass.

Mungrisdale Common questions

Is Mungrisdale Common a Wainwright?

Yes. Mungrisdale Common is one of the 214 fells Alfred Wainwright described in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, in Book 5, The Northern Fells.

How high is Mungrisdale Common?

Mungrisdale Common is 633 metres (2,077 feet) high. That makes it the joint 121st highest of the 214 Wainwrights and the 16th highest in the Northern Fells.

Where do you park for Mungrisdale Common?

The nearest car park on foot is Threlkeld Car Park, 5.2 km (3.2 miles) from the summit along mapped paths.

How long does it take to climb Mungrisdale Common?

From Threlkeld Car Park it is 5.2 km with 669 m of ascent. Naismith's rule, with Langmuir's corrections, puts the climb at about 2 h 2 min, so allow 1 to 3 hours to reach the summit at your own pace, plus the walk back down.

How hard is Mungrisdale Common?

Upfell rates Mungrisdale Common as moderate. Check the mountain weather forecast before you set out and carry a map and compass.

Which Wainwrights are near Mungrisdale Common?

The closest are Blencathra (868 m, 2.0 km SE), Bannerdale Crags (683 m, 2.6 km E) and Bowscale Fell (702 m, 2.6 km NE).

What is the grid reference for the summit of Mungrisdale Common?

The summit is at OS grid reference NY 310 292, or 54.65341, -3.07011 in latitude and longitude.