Dodd

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Route: Mirehouse, Skill Beck, Long Doors, Dodd, Long Doors, Mirehouse

Date: 31/01/2014
From: Mirehouse

Parking: Car park at roadside
Start Point: Dodd Wood
Region: Northern Fells

Route length: 3.7 miles (2.5 km)
Time taken: 01:33
Average speed: 2.4mph
Ascent: 479m
Descent: 483m

Wainwrights on this walk:
Dodd (447m)

Additional summits: None

Other points of interest: Dodd Wood

Dodd sits in the shadow of the group of fells that make up the Skiddaw massif, loosely connected to Long Side and Carl Side though only by way of descending down 150m before a steep 400m climb back up Carl Side. Dodd is unconnected by the way of any ridges. This, for me, isolated it from a recent walk we did up Skiddaw and thus, I used this opportunity to tick it off the list. I've got one eye on saving Blencathra for last, to ensure that I finish the Wainwrights on one with known stature and this means that the small, isolated fells need rounding up beforehand.

Being a Friday, I managed to park the car at the foot of the track that begins the climb into Dodd Wood. Strictly speaking, the layby is designated for coaches only but I suspected that there would be little chance of hoards of people turning up given that it was a) Friday and b) bucketing it down. Fortunately, I was correct and the car was exactly where I left it upon my return.

The car nestled away in the coach only space. No coaches today mind

The Forestry Commission track leading into Dodd Wood

Back to Dodd though. Dodd sits on land owned by the Forestry Commission and, as a result, is heavily wooded (Dodd Wood). Until the last decade, tress extended all the way to the summit though a campaign of restoring heather moorland on the fell has seen the summit cleared of trees to the benefit of the hill climber. Dodd Wood is home to the only pair of nesting Ospreys in northern England. An open-air viewing platform was opened on the slopes of Dodd in June 2001 which gives a clear view of the nest from a safe distance. Dodd Wood is also one of the remaining, though declining, strongholds of the Red Squirrel in Great Britain.

Away from wildlife, the climb along the Forestry Commission track is very pleasant, the trees providing a contrasting scenery to much that can be found in the Lake District. They were also providing a welcome shelter to the worsening weather. After reaching a little over 300m, the rain had turned to snow and was falling at a fair rate, albeit generally sideways.

Approaching the snow line

Some small waterfalls tumble off the side of Long Side

Definitely snow now

I'll admit to a navigational error now, which is made all the more embarrassing considering I was following a wide forest road. As the road reached a crest and flattened, another joined from the right from the opposite side of a small valley. I intended to follow that road back down and pick up a path that ran to the summit. Unfortunately, what I should have done was continue on my original route where I would have found an easy, signposted route to the summit. Instead, I ended up with an energy sapping slog up through the snow on the north western ridge having not found the intended path.

A view down the ridge that leads up to the summit

No path to follow here....

Despite not being my intended route, the climb was actually quite exciting, a series of steep sections separating a number of flatter terraces. What I hadn't appreciated was just how much of a climb was required to get to the summit, over 150m. Eventually, I did reach the summit and was finally exposed to the full force of the wind and snow. Not wishing to hang around, I had a quick peek at the summit feature, a stone memorial pillar with a brass plaque that reads "In memory of John Lole and Ian Sandelands, Ist Seaton Scout Group" before picking up the main path back down off the summit. 

Had it been a clear day, the views would have been impressive. On a parting note, it is known that Dodd was home to a Scottish hermit called George Smith during the 1860s. He became known as the Skiddaw Hermit. Living on a ledge on the fell in a wigwam type tent, he remained there in all weathers because he liked the outdoor life. Maybe he should be referred to as the father of wild camping?

A view up the ridge

Looking down the ridge from near the summit

The final push to the very top

The summit marker

Dodd summit

Following the well-paved path lead me through the wind and snow back to the point that I referred to earlier, the signpost marking the way towards the summit. Had I ventured just a few metres more, I would have found it and saved myself a lot of effort. You live and learn. And learn I did. Reaching this point, I thought about following the path that leads to the south and around the southern flanks before deciding it would be best to follow the path I had taken on my ascent. By now, the footprints I had left earlier were all but covered by the fresh snow.

The snowy descent

Passing through Long Doors

The towering slopes of Carl Side

The aforementioned signpost

Following the path down, I eventually reached the snowline and was greeted by the change in state of the precipitation from snow to rain. At least the wind had died down by now and the car wasn't far off. As I mentioned earlier, I was relieved to find that no one had taken offence to me using the parking spot for coaches.

Returning to the path towards the car park

Much more shelter within the wood

Out of the snow once again

A quick, Superman-esque change into some dry clothes later, I was ready for a romp around Keswick before a hairy, snowbound drive over the Pass of Dunmail towards Ambleside and eventually Coniston. Who said the smaller fells are no fun? I'm sure I'll visit Dodd again in the future but the lack of any views for the majority of the climb makes for a fairly uninteresting visit. I think combining it with Carl Side and eventually Skiddaw would make for a much more eventful walk. Not that mine wasn't!