Dodd Fell Summit Trail | 4 Miles | The Wandering Wildflower

This is an up-and-down hike of 4 miles on the Dodd fell summit trail, a relatively small fell of 502m with amazing views over Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwent Water. The walk starts from the Old Sawmill tea rooms and should take around 2-3 hours.

Dodd is a fell in the Northern Fells, part of the Skiddaw group. Its slopes are covered in woodland although this has been reduced at the summit so you can now enjoy the amazing views. This Dodd fell summit trail makes a great Wainwright walk with kids as it’s not too steep or too long a walk.

We parked at the Old Sawmill tea rooms, where there are some public loos and the tea rooms for a snack afterwards. We crossed the wooden bridge and turned right, heading up the forestry track that runs above Skill Beck. The trail is really easy to follow.

The trail forks after Long Doors, and we took the right fork to where there’s a bench with a fabulous view. We carried on east and then after about 500m we turned right to start climbing up the switchbacks to Dodd summit.

At the summit there is a stone memorial pillar with a brass plaque, and amazing views over Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwent Water as well as the mountains of Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Bowfell.

After we’d enjoyed the view for a bit, we retraced our steps down the switchbacks and then turned right to pick up the track leading back down Dodd. It’s a really easy track to follow, and leads back to the tea rooms.

This was a great fell to do with kids. We did this as a quick stop off on our way home after spending a few days in Bassenthwaite – Hols was just glad it wasn’t as long as our last hike in The Wythop and Lorton Fells!

Dodd Fell Walk Details: