Starling Dodd: 633m Height, Walks and Ennerdale Views

Starling Dodd is a rounded, grassy fell on the ridge between Great Borne and Red Pike, above the northern side of Ennerdale. At 633m, it lacks the rocky outline of its higher eastern neighbours, but that softer character is part of its appeal. Walkers find open ground, a broad outlook and a summit that belongs naturally to a longer day among the Western Fells.

A rounded summit above Ennerdale

Starling Dodd rises to 633m (2,077ft), with its summit at grid reference NY142157. Its defining feature is a smooth, grassy dome rather than a sharp crest or an imposing summit crag. Seen alongside the more rugged fells towards Buttermere, it makes a useful reminder that Lakeland's character lies as much in its rounded uplands as in its rock faces.

The fell stands on the watershed between Ennerdale to the south and the country drained by the River Cocker to the north. Great Borne lies to the west; Red Pike, the Buttermere fell of that name, lies to the east. Little Dodd, a subsidiary top rather than a separate Wainwright, stands between Starling Dodd and Red Pike.

Its southern slopes descend towards Ennerdale, with woodland occupying lower ground in the valley. To the north, the landscape opens towards the neighbouring fells around the head of the Loweswater country. This position gives the summit a strong sense of connection between two contrasting parts of the western Lakes.

Views shaped by the surrounding fells

The outlook is one of Starling Dodd's chief rewards. Red Pike and the High Stile ridge give the eastern view its weight, while the fells across Ennerdale form a more rugged backdrop to the south. Westwards, Great Borne continues the ridge towards its lower end.

Hen Comb and Mellbreak are nearby to the north, placing Starling Dodd within a distinctive group of western summits. The interest is not simply in picking out distant tops: it is also in seeing how ridges, valleys and intervening slopes fit together. Clear weather makes that geography much easier to appreciate, although the open summit offers little shelter when the wind rises.

Starling Dodd in the Western Fells

Starling Dodd appears in The Western Fells, Book Seven of Alfred Wainwright's Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. It ranks 121st by height among the 214 Wainwrights. Its immediate ridge neighbours make it a natural consideration for walkers combining summits, particularly Great Borne and Red Pike.

Walks commonly approach from the Ennerdale or Loweswater sides, or include the fell in a longer ridge outing. The rounded summit should not be mistaken for an all-weather stroll: distance, wet ground, exposure and navigation still matter. A dedicated route guide and an appropriate map are better companions for planning than the summit height alone.

Where Starling Dodd stands

Summit at grid reference NY142157 · open full map

The real Starling Dodd

Walking Starling Dodd

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

• Great Borne – Starling Dodd Loop from Croasdale | hike (komoot.com)
• Starling Dodd - Hewitt (walkhighlands) (walkhighlands.co.uk)
• Best trails near Great Borne (alltrails.com)

Weather on Starling Dodd

Conditions estimated at summit height (633 m) via Open-Meteo. For a walker's forecast, use the Mountain Weather Information Service.

Starling Dodd on your wall

A painting of Starling Dodd can hold something of the quieter western Lakes: the grassy summit, the long ridge and the darker fells beyond Ennerdale. On a wall at home, those familiar shapes offer a lasting connection to days spent on the fell.

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

Neighbouring Wainwrights in The Western Fells

• Hen Comb 506 m
• Mellbreak 511 m
• Great Borne 616 m
• Red Pike (Buttermere) 755 m

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