Rest Dodd: Height, Walks and Views at 696 Metres

Rest Dodd is a rounded, grassy fell above Martindale, standing slightly apart from the higher ground around The Knott and Rampsgill Head. At 696 metres, it is easily overshadowed by its neighbours, but that separate position gives its summit a character of its own. Walkers often include it alongside The Nab, finding interest in the contrast between open upland slopes and the deeply cut dales below.

A rounded summit above Martindale

Rest Dodd rises to 696 metres (2,283 feet), with its summit at grid reference NY432136. Its outline is predominantly rounded rather than rocky or sharply ridged: a grassy dome set among the branching valleys and ridges of the Far Eastern Fells. The broad upper slopes contrast with the steeper ground falling towards Martindale, giving the fell more substance than its modest profile might suggest from the higher summits nearby.

Its position is the main source of interest. The Nab extends northwards from Rest Dodd, between Bannerdale and Ramps Gill, while The Knott and Rampsgill Head occupy higher ground to the south and south-east. Hayeswater lies to the south-west. Together, these features place Rest Dodd at a useful vantage point for understanding how the Martindale valleys reach into the High Street massif.

Views and neighbouring walks

The summit outlook is shaped by those close neighbours. Higher fells occupy much of the southern skyline, while the ground opens northwards towards Martindale. This is as much a view into the structure of the surrounding country as a distant panorama: rounded tops, long shoulders and the folds between them are the defining features.

Rest Dodd is often visited as part of a longer walk among the Far Eastern Fells rather than as an isolated objective. The Knott provides a natural companion on the higher ground, while The Nab is linked by a lower saddle. That northern connection is known for wet, peaty ground, an important distinction from the firmer-looking grassy slopes above it. A dedicated walking guide is worth consulting when planning combinations, particularly where an itinerary includes The Nab. Martindale is also well known for its red deer; any encounter calls for distance and care rather than an attempt to approach them.

Rest Dodd in the Wainwright books

Rest Dodd appears in Book Two of Alfred Wainwright’s A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, The Far Eastern Fells. It ranks 93rd by height among the 214 Wainwrights. Its neighbouring Wainwrights include The Knott, The Nab, Rampsgill Head and Gray Crag, placing it within a particularly rewarding area for linking summits.

It is not a fell defined by a celebrated scramble or a dramatic summit crag. Its appeal is quieter and more geographical: a distinct top, a close relationship with Martindale and a chance to look back at the higher ridges from slightly outside them.

Where Rest Dodd stands

Summit at grid reference NY432136 · open full map

The real Rest Dodd

Walking Rest Dodd

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

• The Nab (ramblingman.org.uk)
• Rest Dodd and The Nab (loweswatercam.co.uk)
• The Dodds and Clough Head, via Sticks Pass and St ... (walklakes.co.uk)

Weather on Rest Dodd

Conditions estimated at summit height (696 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Rest Dodd on your wall

A painting of Rest Dodd can hold the quieter side of a day in the Far Eastern Fells: the rounded summit, the long descent towards The Nab and the changing colour of Martindale. As a print or canvas, that familiar outline gives a well-loved walk a place at home.

Own “Sunlit Dome of Rest Dodd” — our painting of Rest Dodd → or browse all Fells & Mountains artwork

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Far Eastern Fells

• The Knott 739 m
• The Nab 576 m
• Rampsgill Head 792 m
• Gray Crag 698 m

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