The vast, rolling grassland of Mungrisdale Common

Mungrisdale Common

Height633m (2,077ft)

Prominence2m (7ft)

RegionNorthern Fells

Climbed1 Time

Mungrisdale Common is a wild, expansive plateau tucked away in the marshy backcountry behind the towering peaks of the Northern Fells. Lacking the dramatic crags or sharp crests of its neighbors, it reads more like a high-altitude prairie than an actual hill. With a meager two meters of independent topographic prominence, it remains a landscape defined by its extreme isolation and endless fields of rough mountain grasses.

"Mungrisdale Common's only natural attractions are of a type that appeals only to sheep: it is more an upland prarie than a hill. There is little on these extensive grass slopes to provide even a passing interest for an ordinary walker, and nothing at all to encourage a visit." — Wainwright 1962, Book Five

Though Alfred Wainwright faithfully designated it as one of the official 214 fells in his definitive Pictorial Guides, he made zero effort to hide his disdain for it. He famously described the common as having "no more pretension to elegance than a pudding that has been sat on." To drive the point home in the guidebook, his entry featured a famously sparse sketch of the summit: a completely blank square of white space broken only by a single dotted line for a wire fence line.

Despite its reputation as a boggy trudge, its inclusion was no joke—it was the result of Wainwright's fierce, systematic commitment to map boundaries. Because the plateau forms a distinct, massive catchment area within the borders of the Northern Fells book, he felt systematically bound to chart it. Bagging this peak offers a raw, completely unfrequented look into the loneliest corners of the Lake District, entirely away from engineered trails and crowds.

A modest cairn marks the high plateau. Perhaps.

Finding the absolute highest point on this featureless dome is a legendary navigational challenge. The summit is marked by an exceptionally small, unassuming pile of stones that sits out on the open moss—a point that leaves many baggers double-checking their maps in amusement. However, the redeeming quality of this lonely spot is the landscape that frames it. Looking southwest through the massive geological gate between Lonscale Fell and Blencathra opens an unexpected, spectacular panoramic window revealing a long, jagged run of the high central fells fading into the horizon.

Trip Reports

Souther Fell, Mungrisdale Common, Bannerdale Crags & Bowscale Fell13/06/2015

Return to Lake District – Northern Fells