Height: 502 metres / 1647 feet Grid reference: NY 24420 27353 Category: The Northern Fells
Dodd summit
Bassenthwaite Lake from Dodd
Dodd
Carl Side
Start point: Millbeck (NY 255 262)
Millbeck – Doups – White Stones – Carl Side – Long Side – Ullock Pike – Longside Wood – Long Doors – Dodd – Lyzzick Wood – Millbeck
Distance: 5.5 miles Total Ascent: 842 metres Time Taken: 3 hours Start Time: 08:15
Weather: Sunny. 18C
I didn’t really know where I was going to end up when I set off this morning and this was very much a dynamic walk. I intended going up to Skiddaw but I ended up going in the opposite direction and just making my mind up as I walked. The unusual descent is not really recommended unless you are in a rush and I could not resist squeezing Dodd in at the end of the walk. How I found my way through the woods below Dodd I’ll never know but as it turned out the navigation was spot on!
Carl Side route map.
An early start from Millbeck.
Not a bad morning but it was cool.
Derwent Water from Doups.
The north western fells.
A panoramic view from the climb.
A heathery climb to Carl Side, Skiddaw in cloud.
Dodd seems temptingly close from here.
White Stones.
Looking back along the ridge.
Carsleddam - I was thinking about descending back over there.
Carl Side summit - the wind was so cold now I needed my jacket on.
Carlside Tarn - I was going to climb Skiddaw on the path beyond but changed my mind and decided to head west instead.
Long Side from Carl Side.
Hair raising for Dougal on Long Side.
Ullock Pike from Long Side.
Longside Edge.
The view from Ullock Pike.
Looking across Bassenthwaite Lake to Barf, Grisedale Pike up to the left. From here I took the direct route back down into Longside Wood - the quick way down!
Long Side from the forest road.
Looking for Dodd.
Dodd summit.
The early morning mist is clearing nicely now.
Bassenthwaite Lake from Dodd. I descended back to Long Doors and then along the forest track. Miraculously, I managed to find the faint and hidden path that descended all the way through Lyzzick Wood back towards Millbeck.
Phew, made it out of the trees!
Catbells and Maiden Moor.
Millbeck.
Dodd
Start point: The Old Sawmill tearooms. (NY 234 281)
Dodd from The Old Sawmill tearooms
Distance: 2.4 miles Total Ascent: 382 metres Time Taken: 1 hour 15 minutes
Weather: Hazy sunrise. 9C.
I was out and about early this morning for a quick climb to Dodd from The Old Sawmill tearooms. Prior to climbing the fell, I had a look down at Derwent Water for a calm lake shot (2011 calendar?!) and managed to elbow my way in with all the other photographers down there! It was a lovely morning but I was a bit too early for those blue skies today.
Dodd route map.
Early morning, Derwent Isle.
Looking along Derwent Water.
Crossing Skill Beck.
A small pool on the way to Dodd.
A view of Bassenthwaite Lake from the climb.
Hmm, which way do you think Casper?
Catbells with mist over Derwent Water.
Barrow and Causey Pike, Dale Head and Hindscarth beyond.
Casper on Dodd.
Catbells and Maiden Moor beyond Swinside, little Castle Crag is to the left of them - the jaws of Borrowdale.
Crag Hill and Grisedale Pike amongst others.
Bassenthwaite Lake.
Zooming in, Criffel can be seen across the Solway Firth.
Looking the other way - daybreak on Dodd.
There is a wonderful view over the Vale of Keswick from here.
The golden glow of sunrise over the Coledale Fells from the descent. It was such a nice morning and the paths had such an easy gradient and surface that I ran all the way down. I had some time to kill before some business in Keswick, so it was back to Derwent Water to se if I could nail a decent shot of the calm lake.
Dodd is the fell to the left of the Skiddaw massif. Later...
Ashness Bridge.
Catbells from Surprise View.
Derwent Water and Skiddaw from Surprise View.
Hopegill Head
Start point: Hopebeck (NY 169 241)
Hopebeck – Dodd (Lorton) (523)– Gasgale Crag – East Top of Whiteside – Hopegill Head – Ladyside Pike (524) – Swinside (525) – High Swinside Farm – Hopebeck
Distance: 4.6 miles Total Ascent: 677 metres Time Taken: 2 hours 30 minutes
Weather: Gale force winds and snow. 3°C
It was really rough weather today with a strong, freezing wind making the going tough for much of the route. The calmest part was surprisingly the high level ridge to Hopegill Head between the outward leg of Dodd and the homeward leg of Ladyside Pike. Coupled with the really strong wind was treacherous ice covered which had a thin veneer of snow on top – that meant we certainly had to watch our step today.
Heading for Dodd - the Lorton one.
Hope Gill and Hopegill Head.
Crossing Hope Beck.
The Hopegill Head - Whiteside ridge at the head of the valley
On the summit of Dodd the wind started to get stronger.
As we climbed above the snowline it became much stronger making walking quite difficult. Two steps forward, one step back.
Looking back down the route just ascended to Dodd.
Ladyside Pike and Hopegill Head with Grisedale Pike beyond.
Whiteside from Gasgale Crags with Crummock Water and Mellbreak visible.
Casper on Gasgale Crags, Grasmoor beyond.
Grisedale Pike beyond Hopegill Head with the magnificent arête yet to climb.
Sail and Crag Hill over Coledale Hause.
Looking back to Whiteside.
It almost looks like a drawing this photo, climbing to Hopegill Head.
Again from further along the ridge. It was a toss up as to whether I would get blown off by the gale force wind or slip and fall on the ice along here.
Climbing the icy ridge.
Looking back to Whiteside.
Nearly there Casper! (He is not superimposed on there either!).
Dark and brooding Grasmoor from Hopegill Head.
Grisedale Pike across Hobcarton.
Skiddaw from Hopegill Head. The descent from here to the Ladyside Pike ridge was unbelievably treacherous as it was all ice for the initial section, meaning there was lots of zig-zagging and shuffling around.
Looking back to the descent from Hopegill Head. Phew! Finally made it.
Ladyside Pike ahead.
Hopegill Head from the summit of Ladyside Pike.
If anything the wind picked up even more during the descent as Casper ably demonstrates here.
The top of Swinside was a vague one, somewhere around here. The route of descent from Ladyside Pike to here was along the line of the wall.
Lorton Vale and Loweswater get some sunshine with Blake Fell directly ahead and Loweswater Fell to the right.
Looking north to Cockermouth from the steep descent.
Dodd
Start point: The Old Sawmill tearooms. (NY 234 281)
Dodd (483) from The Old Sawmill tearooms
Distance: 2.5 miles Total Ascent: 400 metres Time Taken: 3 hours
Weather: Generally dull with the odd sunny spell and a heavy shower. 19oC
Today’s mission was to see the Osprey’s from the viewpoint in Dodd Wood, make it to the top of Dodd and have some nice cake in the tearoom at the end – all accomplished! There was a brief spell of sunshine on the way up to the summit, but later we could see the rain quickly advancing across the Derwent Valley and we got a good soaking during lunch – not to worry, we didn’t let it dampen our enthusiasm much!
Barf across Bassenthwaite Lake from the Osprey viewpoint. We saw one Osprey on the nest and one in flight today.
A close-up of Barf.
Scar Crags, Sail, Crag Hill and Grisedale Pike across the southern end of Bassenthwaite Lake.
Someone wants us to hurry up!
Looking south west across the Derwent Valley.
Grisedale Pike looking a bit broody. To the left is Crag Hill and peeping out to the right is Hopegill Head.
Looking along the River Derwent to Bassenthwaite Lake.
Derwent Water.
Looking across the Derwent Valley.
The rain is heading our way from the Newlands Valley.
Made it! Connie and Casper at the summit of Dodd.
As we start lunch, the rain comes ever closer. Get your coat on Connie!
Bassenthwaite Lake from Dodd.
Angus.
Dodd
Start point: The Old Sawmill tearooms. (NY 234 281)
Dodd (207) from The Old Sawmill tearooms.
Weather: Dull and cool.
Stream near The Old Sawmill Tearoom.
Forest stream.
Derwent Water from the ascent of Dodd.
The Coledale and Newlands Fells from Dodd.
Dodd summit.
Latrigg with the Helvellyn ridge in the distance from Dodd.