Lake District Walks

Dodd

Date: 18th November 2005
Distance: 3.2 miles
Ascent: 1367 feet
Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
With: Lisa
Start Grid Ref: NY235281

Walk Summary:
A short walk up on to Skiddaw's Dodd, memorable for the great views from the summit.

Route Summary: Waymarked route from Dodd Wood Forestry Commission car park to the top of Dodd and back down again.

Pictures:

1. Skill Beck

2. The plantations of Longside Wood

3. A glimpse of Dodd's summit from Longside Wood

4. The distant Helvellyn range

5. Bassenthwaite Lake from the top of Dodd

6. Looking across Bassenthwaite Lake to Criffel in Scotland

7. Lisa on the top of Dodd

8. The top of Dodd

Walk Detail: This was the second walk in a day of a double bill which included two fells on the opposite side of Bassenthwaite Lake.

Similar to the morning's climb up on to Barf the ascent of Dodd also involved navigation through forest plantations. Whilst the climb up through Beckstones Plantation was steep the climb on to Dodd was both waymarked and very gently graded. This was probably a good job as by this time we were both quite tired.

The walk in the woods was pleasant enough but it is the summit of Dodd which is its greatest asset. Unlike in Wainwright's time the summit is now bare of trees and one can fully appreciate the magnificent view over the Vale of Keswick, Derwent Water, Newlands and Bassenthwaite Lake.

What made the view even more magical was the late autumn afternoon sunshine illuminating us as the sun set behind Grisedale Pike. This latter fact ensured that we didn’t stay too long at the top and fortunately as it got darker the path was clear all the way down.

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