The East ridge of Bannerdale Crags is quiet, a path exists all the way, with interest, and the views are superb, with purple heather coating the crags at this time of year. At only one spot are the hands required for balance, near the top. It can be done from Scales, (best from Comb Beck car park), going up the Comb and down to cross the Glenderamackin by a bridge currently being rebuilt after Storm Desmond, and down that river to the base of the ridge: or, a mile or so longer, from Mungrisdale, although note the track before the bridge over Bullfell Beck is another casualty of the storm, and the deviation is horribly boggy, (update May 2019, this has now been paved, see picture below) as are bits of the path beyond, to Bannerdale Beck, where stepping stones lead to the path up the ridge. The ascent of an increasingly busy Blencathra is straightforward from the top of the ridge. From Mousthwaite Comb top a return to Mungrisdale is good, till the morning’s start up the ridge is met. when you’ll be so happy and muddy you’ll not bother about the bogs on the return from there, or you could ascend Souther Fell and descend to the right from just before the summit, finding a graded diagonal descent on a good path to the road south of Mungrisdale, crossing the River by a bridge and up to the main road to the village. The map below shows the Mungrisdale start and Souther Fell finish, which we prefer as being quieter.
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