The Dodds - Clough Head, Great Dodd, Watsons Dodd and Stybarrow Dodd

Sunday 7th January 2024

Walking Diary (All Walks) Lakeland Wainwrights Eastern

The Dodds - Clough Head, Great Dodd, Watsons Dodd and Stybarrow Dodd.

Not a familiar route for me today. I wanted to walk the Dodds, but having walked back via Hart Side in the past, I fancied a change and decided to return to the car park at High Row by taking the eastern path from Great Dodd to Randerside and then following the Groove Beck path. The reason being was that I've never walked that path before, but it did mean a bit of an out and back to Watsons Dodd and Stybarrow Dodd, although I did mix it up a bit as you will see from the map.

Forgetting the slightly odd route, today was made fantastic by the weather. There was no wind, lovely winter sun and white crisp frozen ground - you cannot fail to enjoy walking in the fells on days like today.

The information contained in the material on this Website is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice.
Distance: 12.1 miles
Duration: 5:45 hours
Ascent: 3087 ft
Difficulty: Hard
Accompanied By: On my Own
Weather: Cold but Sunny

Wainwrights Visited

Clough Head Great Dodd Stybarrow Dodd Watsons Dodd

3D outline of route

Parking

Spaces at High Row Car Park early this Sunday morning.

The start of the Old Coach Road. This old track links Dockray with St John's in the Vale.

A small wooden bridge gets you to the other side of Groove Beck if you don't fancy risking the ford.

Straight ahead is the first climb of the day, Clough Head. A fell that I have driven past thousands of times as I hurtle towards the lakes on the adjacent A66.

It's so quiet and still on the Old Coach Road, that it's hard to believe that the main road artery is just over to the right.

By the old railway wagon is the gate that takes you from the track and onto the fellside

I used the gate today, In the past I've clambered, very ungainly, over the fence a bit further back. It's not really worth it, as there's a much steeper climb waiting ahead and you also risk tumbling over and falling flat on your back as I once did. Stick to the gate.

Heading up Clough Head with the first point of interest being White Pike. I would have visited the summit, but there were people already there so I gave it a miss.

Getting closer to the top of Clough Head now - What a stunning view down towards Keswick. The clear winter air and frosty conditions made for sumptuous views all round.

Blencathra bathed in sunshine.

Clough Head summit with Great Dodd in the distance.

To cap it all, there's the semblance of a cloud inversion over Thirlmere. Only a small one, but impressive all the same.

Starting the climb up to Great Dodd, although I decided to veer off to the right first and call in at Calfhow Pike.

Looking out from Calfhow Pike, there's too many fells to mention - but it's easy to make out High Rigg in the foreground.

A climb that I would end up doing twice today - I didn't mind.

First visit of the day to Great Dodd summit cairn. The second would be a couple of hours later.

Leaving Great Dodd, with views ahead along the Helvellyn Massif.

Watsons Dodd.

Now, I only got half a photo here, as some k@@b decided to pitch up on the summit cairn itself and have his lunch. You may not know my feelings on this subject, but it's safe to say, it does bug me.

Looking back at the warm sunny side of Clough Head.

Heading along the Dodds super-highway, with Stybarrow Dodd summit off path to my left. Never had a brocken spectre type photo like that before ? seems strange ?

You could easily miss the marginally higher, 'highest point' of Stybarrow Dodd if you carried along the super-highway chatting away - I bet loads have done exactly that. Having said that, I'm always unsure whether it's the cairn shown here or the cairn/shelter at the end of the wall a few metres away - anyway, best to visit both it only takes 30 seconds.

Look at the frost line on Great Dodd, where the low sun fails to reach.

Lunch with a view down another Deepdale.

Looking down Mill Gill as I try and do an alternative route around and then up Great Dodd.

The path is well marked on the OS maps, but not well used by the looks of this thin walkway, compared to the direct super-highway that tackles the fell head on.

A right turn and then up to Great Dodd summit again, before enjoying a pleasant and easy (very soft) descent down.

At Randerside summit looking back up at Great Dodd.

I can just make out the handful of cars parked up at High Row, so I'll be re-joining the Old Coach Road again soon for the last 15 minutes of today's cracking walk.