Hill Wanderings - Walking in the Lakes: A circuit of Miterdale

This was a last minute plan C! My plan A had been a Outlying & Birkett top collecting exercise into the Dunnerdale Fells, but unfortunately comitments slowly began to fill up the afternoon so realisticaly I'd never get them all done. My plan B would have been a walk up Lingmell to pick up the Nuttals of Round How (99% sure I've been over this one before) & Middleboot Knotts (50-50 on this one?) but as I gained my
first view down Wasdale, the cloud was just licking Lingmell & the Scafells were well & truely in the clouds. Time for a plan C.

I had the nearby Wainwright Outlier of Irton Pike & the Birkett top of Great Bank to tick off & Boat How was overdue a re-visit. As time was now of the essence I decided to approach Great Bank from the car park half way down Mitredale and follow the Whin Rigg to Illgill Head ridge to Burnmoor Tarn - from here I could return to the car over Boat How. If time allowed I could gain Irton Pike as a quick ascent from the road.

Under no circumstance can I recommend my route up Great Bank - a longer route starting/ending under Irton Pike however would be pleasant

Great Bank, a Birkett top...

Muncaster Fell, from an awkward climb up...

Great bank's summit, towards Whin Rigg, not a bad viewpoint but heather, bracken, felled trees and grassy tussocks made the short ascent unpleasant...