Dodd: 502m Height, Woodland Walks and Summit Views

Dodd is the wooded, south-western outlier of Skiddaw, rising above the eastern shore of Bassenthwaite Lake. At 502m, it offers a very different day from the higher Northern Fells: forest paths, sheltered climbing and an open summit with far-reaching views. Its modest height can make it easy to overlook on a map, but the outlook across Bassenthwaite and towards Derwentwater gives it an appeal quite its own.

A wooded fell with an open summit

Dodd has a compact, roughly conical shape, with forest covering much of its slopes. It stands between Bassenthwaite Lake and the higher ground of the Skiddaw massif, giving it a distinctive position at the edge of the Northern Fells. The contrast between the enclosed woodland and the open summit is central to its character: much of the climbing takes place among trees, while the top reveals the wider landscape.

Bassenthwaite Lake is the principal feature below, stretching northwards along the western side of the Skiddaw group. To the south, the outlook takes in Derwentwater and the fells beyond Keswick. These two lakes help explain Dodd’s reputation as a viewpoint. It is high enough to give a broad view of the valleys without requiring an ascent to Skiddaw’s much higher summit. Clear weather makes a considerable difference to how much of that landscape can be seen.

Dodd in The Northern Fells

Alfred Wainwright included Dodd in Book Five, The Northern Fells. Its recorded height is 502m, or 1,647ft, placing it 175th in height among the 214 Wainwrights. The summit grid reference is NY244273. Although it belongs geographically to the Skiddaw group, it is a separate Wainwright rather than simply a point passed on the way to the main summit.

Carl Side rises above Dodd to the north-east, while Long Side, Ullock Pike and Skiddaw are other neighbouring Wainwrights. Together they put Dodd’s scale into perspective: this is the lower, wooded member of a group better known for high ridges and broad, exposed slopes. Its forest setting also makes it distinctive within the book. A walk here has a different rhythm from a day on the open fell, though the ascent still involves sustained uphill walking.

Dodd Wood and the Bassenthwaite ospreys

Dodd Wood is also well known for its association with the Bassenthwaite ospreys. Woodland viewpoints have allowed visitors to watch nesting birds in the surrounding landscape, making the forest a destination for birdwatchers as well as fell-walkers. Ospreys are seasonal visitors, so sightings and viewing arrangements should never be taken for granted.

Waymarked walking trails are another established feature of Dodd Wood. They help make the fell approachable for visitors seeking a woodland walk with a summit, rather than a longer outing across the higher Skiddaw group. Dedicated walking guides remain the right source for route details and current access information.

Where Dodd stands

Summit at grid reference NY244273 · open full map

The real Dodd

Walking Dodd

We make artwork, not route guides — these are the guides we'd point a friend to:

• Great Dodd Route One (wainwrightroutes.co.uk)
• The Dodds (mountain-walks.co.uk)
• Dowthwaitehead and Watson's Dodd Circular - Cumbria (alltrails.com)

Weather on Dodd

Conditions estimated at summit height (502 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Dodd on your wall

A painting of Dodd can recall more than the summit view: the dark woodland above Bassenthwaite, the changing light on the lake, or Skiddaw rising behind. A print or canvas brings that familiar relationship between forest, water and fell into a room.

Own “Vibrant Sunlight on Dodd Fell” — our painting of Dodd → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Northern Fells

• Long Side 734 m
• Ullock Pike 690 m
• Carl Side 747 m
• Skiddaw 930 m

Part of our guide to all 214 Wainwrights — see the full index.