Half-way but hardly a Dodd-le

Day 20 – Tuesday 7 April – again with bad weather forecast, but in the morning it looked fine, if a little breezy. Today’s objective was the Skiddaw fells, so I parked near Millbeck, north of Keswick. Spring must be on its way: Chiffchaffs were singing, violets, primroses, cowslips and wood sorrel were all in evidence. I thought I had a major setback on entering Dodd Forest, with signs everywhere notifying that the forest road system is closed due to nesting Ospreys. In the event, this probably did me a favour, because the diversion, whilst a little longer, probably saved me from getting lost in the maze of forest roads. From Long Doors col there is a superb Forestry Commission path right to the top of Dodd (1612’). This was top no 107 – HALF WAY!! So I had another celebratory Twix.

On the path up to White Stones I met David Ramshaw, author of The Lakeland Ospreys, plus friend and two dogs having a day on the fells. The path up to Carl Side (2420’) gains plenty of height but is at a reasonable gradient: the wind was getting fresher now but the showers were keeping away, thank goodness. I could see people on the Skiddaw summit ridge though, so it presumably wasn’t too bad up there.

From Carl Side I went along the ridge over Long Side (2405’) to Ullock Pike (2230’) and back again. There were lots of walkers about – it’s the first week of the Easter holidays. Viewed from Long Side, the path to the summit of Skiddaw (at 3053’ one of the four highest mountains in England) looks horrendously dangerous, perched on the edge of a sheer drop, but in reality it’s nothing of the sort, just a steep, shaly path with lots of room on each side.

The summit ridge was even busier, and now the wind was strong and cold, so I hastened down to Little Man (2837’) and on to Lonscale Fell (2344’), crossing the main path up from Keswick which has more in common with a motorway than a mountain path, with hordes of people going up and down. One family party included two young boys in shorts – what’s the betting they got to the top (if they did, I bet they didn’t stop long!).

Finally Latrigg (1203’) overlooking Keswick, then a slightly complicated series of forest tracks again before crossing fields back to the car for a 4.00 finish, with 8 fells today (18 in two days) bringing the total to 114. 100 to go...

Photos: 1. STOP! Osprey Nesting Site; 2. Dodd summit with Bassenthwaite Lake in the background; 3. A windblown yours truly at Skiddaw summit; 4. Looking back from Latrigg, showing (L to R) Dodd, Carl Side, Skiddaw, Skiddaw Little Man.