Great Dodd

About Great Dodd

Rising as the highest point of the northern Helvellyn ridge, this broad, grassy dome offers effortless high-level walking. While its smooth slopes lack the craggy drama of the central fells, the massive plateau provides an exceptional sense of space and one of the finest northerly perspectives toward Blencathra and Skiddaw.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'Dodd' is a common Lakeland term derived from the Old Norse 'doddi', referring to a rounded hill or a limb-like spur. Great Dodd is the highest of the three 'Dodds' that form the northern shoulder of the Helvellyn range.
• •Alfred Wainwright was particularly fond of the summit's terrain, describing the turf as having a 'remarkable springiness' and suggesting that the plateau was so smooth and level a horse and carriage could be driven across it without much trouble.
• •The summit offers a perfectly framed view of the Vale of Keswick. While many fells look into the heart of the Lake District, Great Dodd provides a superior vantage point for studying the massive southern profiles of Skiddaw and the Lonscale Crags of Blencathra.
• •A notable ascent starts from Legburthwaite, climbing steeply past the 'Sticks Pass' bridleway. This route provides a dramatic transition from the wooded depths of St John’s in the Vale to the expansive, windswept grasslands of the high fells.
• •Navigating the summit in thick mist requires a keen eye on the compass; the top is so vast and uniformly flat that the summit cairn can remain stubbornly invisible until you are almost leaning against it.