Start point: Mungrisdale (NY 361 303)
Mungrisdale – East Ridge – Bannerdale Crags – Bowscale Fell – East Top on Bowscale Fell – Bowscale Tarn – Bowscale – Mungrisdale
Distance: 7.3 miles Total Ascent: 607 metres Time Taken: 3 hours Start Time: 09:40
Weather: A mixed bag of everything. 12°C
It seemed a lot cooler and fresher today than of late for a walk to Bannerdale Crags and I was confident of the weather clearing as I set of from Mungrisdale in the rain. The weather was a right old mixture of rain and hail showers, strong wind and sunshine. The climb to Bannerdale Crags following the east ridge is highly recommended with a nice scramble on the upper section.

Setting off from Mungrisdale in the rain, Bannerdale Crags in the distance and The Tongue to the right.

I walked out to the cairn atop the east ridge, here looking across to Blencathra with Bannerdale Crags and the east ridge I climbed centre left. The dark line in front of it is The Tongue.

Bowscale Fell from the top of the grassy rake (that is Wainwright's description - it is no longer a grassy rake, more of a muddy groove!).

Beautiful weather now following the track to Bowscale. If you look very closely we are following those sheep mentioned earlier, they are right at the end of the track in this photo.

...well, they caused a bit of a traffic jam along the road back to Mungrisdale. It was interesting to follow this party along the road and fascinating to see how three men and five dogs worked this flock - 'garn' ('go on') and 'gerrim' ('get him') were the words of the day. Those dogs were brilliant, just a little nip on the neck or leg of any sheep that dared break free. Of course, I had my two wannabee's with me - they would have loved to join in.