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857 m · Wainwright — Eastern Fells · Birketts to bag nearby, parking, buses, my hikes and live summit weather.

Wainwright — Eastern FellsAlso a Birkett

Great Dodd

Great Dodd at 857m (2,811ft) is the highest of the northern Dodds, a broad, grassy summit at the head of the Matterdale valley that Wainwright described as a fell of more interest than its rounded outline suggests — the views north to the Pennines and south along the full Helvellyn ridge are outstanding.

857 m
Height
~3.5–4.5 h
Typical time
+9
Bonus Birketts
See routes & download GPX →

Home › Fells › Great Dodd

Written and walked by Lee McCoy · Last reviewed

857 mWainwright — Eastern Fells✓ summit is also a Birkett+9 bonus Birketts within 3 km Straightforward in cloud

Is it worth going? — Today’s conditions & 7-day summit forecast

Modelled guidance for the 857 m summit. Always check the Met Office mountain forecast and MWIS before you set off.

On the summit today (Tue 28 Jul): 13° to 12°C, gusts to 39 mph, 5.7 mm of rain forecast.

Tue 28 Jul
🌦️
13° / 12°
💨 39 mph
🌧 5.7 mm (100%)
Wed 29 Jul
🌧️
13° / 10°
💨 34 mph
🌧 5.8 mm (100%)
Thu 30 Jul
🌦️
12° / 4°
💨 29 mph
🌧 1.0 mm (78%)
Fri 31 Jul
🌤️
13° / 2°
💨 24 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (78%)
Sat 1 Aug
🌦️
13° / 4°
💨 12 mph
🌧 5.1 mm (54%)
Sun 2 Aug
☁️
14° / 2°
💨 18 mph
🌧 0.0 mm (24%)
Mon 3 Aug
🌦️
14° / 4°
💨 15 mph
🌧 0.4 mm (23%)

Forecast snapshot from 28 Jul 2026, 04:58 UTC — refreshed nightly and updated live in your browser. Temperatures and gusts adjusted to the 857 m summit altitude via Open-Meteo. Summit conditions are always harsher than the valley — check the professional mountain forecasts before you go.

Pro mountain forecasts: MWIS · Met Office mountain forecast

About the walk

Key information

Great Dodd

Great Dodd, a Lake District fell
Photo: Silence-is-infinite, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Great Dodd at 857m (2,811ft) is the highest of the northern Dodds, a broad, grassy summit at the head of the Matterdale valley that Wainwright described as a fell of more interest than its rounded outline suggests — the views north to the Pennines and south along the full Helvellyn ridge are outstanding. The summit is usually reached from Dockray via the pleasant ridge walk over Clough Head and Watson's Dodd, or from Sticks Pass. A good viewpoint fell in its own right, though overshadowed by its more dramatic southern neighbours. The approach over the northern Dodds makes for an excellent full-day ridge walk.

🗒️ My notes
Being totally honest here, I don't remember much of Great Dodd. That morning I spent at least 90% of it in the clag with my head down just trying to get through it. The summit is a plataeau with a grassy top and a very underwhelming cairn marker and a short distance away, and the actual summit has a wind shelter.

Routes up Great Dodd

Hand-mapped, with GPX to download — full maps further down.

Birketts above Ullswater
16.5 km · ~4.4 hr
Hart Side, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise, Watson's Dodd and more
24.4 km · ~6.2 hr
Classifications & hill data
Wainwright
Eastern
Birkett
Fellranger
Synge
Nuttall
HuMP
857 m
Height
2,812 ft
In feet
NY 3420 2053
Grid ref

Map & nearby Birketts

Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right). Parking positions are approximate.

Nearest parking: Legburthwaite (United Utilities, small), about 2.6 km from the summit (straight line). Full parking, toilets and bus details are below.

Birketts near Great Dodd (within 3 km)

These Birkett tops are not Wainwright summits — detour to them on this walk and they are pure profit. Distances are straight-line; allow extra for terrain.

0.5 km WSWLittle Dodd (St John's Common)785 m · Eastern
0.9 km NERanderside729 m · Eastern
1.3 km WNWCalfhow Pike660 m · Eastern
2.1 km SSEGreen Side (White Stones - Green Side)794 m · Eastern
2.2 km WSWCastle Rock339 m · Eastern
2.4 km ESEBirkett Fell725 m · Eastern
2.6 km WWren Crag311 m · Eastern
2.7 km ENEHigh Brow575 m · Eastern
2.8 km NNWThrelkeld Knotts514 m · Eastern

Routes over Great Dodd

Birketts above UllswaterPlanned
16.45 km · ~694 m ascent · loop · ~4–6 h
Summits: Low HowHigh BrowRandersideGreat DoddStybarrow DoddHart SideBirkett FellBrown HillsRound HowBracken How

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

✎️ Planned route — drawn but not personally walked or checked yet.

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

Hart Side, Stybarrow Dodd, Raise, Watson's Dodd and moreRevised
24.44 km · ~816 m ascent · loop · ~6–8 h
Summits: Hart SideGreen Side (White Stones - Green Side)Stybarrow DoddRaiseWatson's DoddGreat DoddLittle Dodd (St John's Common)Clough Head

⬇️ Download GPX

Full route guide ↗

A planned line is a suggestion, not a guarantee — conditions change. Navigate independently and carry a map & compass.

The View from Great Dodd

A computed 360° skyline — every visible named top labelled by distance and bearing, from the terrain model in perfect clarity, not photographed. Drag to pan; reveal the far four-nations horizon.

drag to pan · arrow keys
Computed 360-degree skyline from Great Dodd36 labelled tops shown (20 distant behind the far-horizon toggle). Theoretical visibility in perfect clarity; computed from terrain, not photographed.eye levelNNEESESSWWNWScafell Pike · 18 kmHelvellyn · 5 kmSkiddaw · 12 kmBowfell · 17 kmGreat Gable · 17 kmPillar · 19 kmFairfield · 9 kmBlencathra · 7 kmGrasmoor · 17 kmSt Sunday Crag · 8 kmHigh Street · 14 kmHigh Stile · 18 kmHigh Raise · 13 kmKnowe Crags · 7 kmThe Old Man of Coniston · 24 kmGrisedale Pike · 14 kmThornthwaite Crag · 14 kmHigh Raise · 13 kmCaudale Moor · 13 kmCarl Side · 12 kmPike of Blisco · 18 kmCross Fell · 37 km · clear daysHelvellyn Lower Man · 5 kmGreat Borne · 22 kmHart Side · 2 kmRanderside · 1 kmBirkett Fell · 2 kmLonscale Pike · 9 kmBowscale Fell · 10 kmGrey Knotts · 15 kmLoadpot Hill · 12 kmCalfhow Pike · 1 kmMiddle Dodd · 12 kmThe Tongue · 10 kmCommon Fell · 4 kmWhinlatter Top · 15 kmEsk Pike · 17 kmGategill Fell Top · 7 kmBroad End · 12 kmRed Pike · 20 kmHart Crag · 10 kmLingmell · 18 kmRampsgill Head · 13 kmGreat Carrs · 21 kmGavel Pike · 8 kmSand Hill · 16 kmRed Pike · 19 kmLow Raise · 13 kmDale Head · 13 kmThunacar Knott · 14 kmFroswick · 15 kmWhiteless Pike · 16 kmHobcarton End · 15 kmCatstye Cam · 5 kmStybarrow Dodd · 2 kmGreen Side · 2 kmDoddick Fell · 7 kmScales Fell · 7 kmTarn Crags Top · 10 kmLittle Calva · 12 kmHigh Brow · 3 kmLord's Seat · 15 kmSwarth Fell · 11 kmHare Crag · 11 kmGreat Mell Fell · 7 kmSouther Fell · 9 kmBirk Fell · 6 kmBengairn · 66 km · clear daysDodd · 12 kmTarbarrel Moss · 14 kmGowbarrow Fell · 7 kmBrown Rigg · 7 kmFloutern Cop · 22 kmSighty Crag · 66 km · clear daysGreen Hill · 7 kmGreat Meldrum · 8 kmEycott Hill · 10 kmCold Fell · 44 km · clear daysAye Gill Pike · 50 km · clear daysSnowdon · 182 km · a handful of days a yearSlieve Donard · 194 km · a handful of days a yearMerrick · 112 km · a rare clear dayThe Cheviot · 115 km · a rare clear dayCairnsmore of Fleet · 96 km · a rare clear dayWindlestraw Law · 123 km · a handful of days a yearSouth Barrule · 117 km · a rare clear daySlieve Croob · 193 km · a handful of days a yearGreen Lowther · 102 km · a rare clear dayPendle Hill · 92 km · a rare clear dayDivis · 194 km · a handful of days a yearWhite Coomb · 96 km · a rare clear dayCairnharrow · 88 km · a rare clear dayGreat Whernside · 81 km · a rare clear dayBlackhope Scar · 128 km · a handful of days a yearCauldcleuch Head · 81 km · a rare clear dayBlackcraig Hill · 110 km · a rare clear dayPeel Fell · 84 km · a rare clear dayBlackwood Hill · 78 km · a rare clear dayKirkland Hill · 114 km · a rare clear day
What you can see from Great Dodd, by direction
  • North: Gategill Fell Top (7 km), Blencathra (7 km), Atkinson Pike (8 km)
  • South-east: High Raise (13 km), High Street (14 km)
  • South: Helvellyn (5 km), St Sunday Crag (8 km), Fairfield (9 km), Hart Crag (10 km), Swirl How (21 km), The Old Man of Coniston (24 km)
  • South-west: Great Gable (17 km), Esk Pike (17 km), Bowfell (17 km), Pike de Bield (17 km), Ill Crag (18 km), Shelter Crags (18 km), Kirk Fell (18 km), Broad Crag (18 km), Crinkle Crags (18 km), Crinkle Crags (18 km), Crinkle Crags (18 km), Lingmell (18 km), Crinkle Crags (18 km), Scafell Pike (18 km), Crinkle Crags South Top (18 km), Pillar (19 km), Red Pike (20 km)
  • West: Crag Hill (15 km), Eel Crag (15 km), Grasmoor (17 km), High Stile (18 km), High Stile (18 km)
  • North-west: Knowe Crags (7 km), Skiddaw Little Man (10 km), Skiddaw South Top (12 km), Skiddaw Middle Top (12 km), Skiddaw (12 km), Skiddaw North Top (12 km), Broad End (12 km)

On the clearest days the far horizon adds: Snowdon (182 km, Wales), Slieve Donard (194 km, Ireland), Carnedd Llewelyn (170 km, Wales), Merrick (112 km, Scotland), The Cheviot (115 km, England), Cairnsmore of Fleet (96 km, Scotland), Corserine (108 km, Scotland), Windlestraw Law (123 km, Scotland).

Computed from terrain in perfect clarity, not photographed · distances are straight-line.

Computed from Copernicus GLO-30 terrain; distant tops from the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY 4.0). See how we compute the view · and the summit intervisibility report below.

What you can see from Great Dodd

On a clear day — computed sightlines, curvature- and refraction-corrected.
114Wainwrights in view+26 marginal
182 kmFurthest sightlineSnowdon (Yr Wyddfa) · possible under favourable refraction
—Sea in viewnone from here

On the clearest days the view reaches across to Wales and Scotland.

Far horizons
  • Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) WalesSSW · 182 km clear
  • Merrick ScotlandNW · 113 km clear
  • Ingleborough Yorkshire DalesSE · 62 km clear
  • Great Dun Fell North PenninesENE · 39 km clear
  • Cross Fell North PenninesENE · 37 km clear
All 114 Wainwrights in clear view (nearest first)

Watson's Dodd, Stybarrow Dodd, Hart Side, Clough Head, Raise, Sheffield Pike, High Rigg (Naddle Fell), White Side, Raven Crag, Catstye Cam, Birkhouse Moor, Helvellyn, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove, Walla Crag, Gowbarrow Fell (Wainwright summit), Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top), Place Fell, Great Mell Fell, Blencathra - Hallsfell Top, St Sunday Crag, Latrigg, Bannerdale Crags, Lonscale Fell, Souther Fell, Little Mell Fell, Grange Fell (Brund Fell), Fairfield, Angletarn Pikes (Angletarn Pikes North Top), Hallin Fell, Beda Fell (Beda Head), Great Crag (Stonethwaite), Hart Crag, Cat Bells (Catbells), Bowscale Fell, Brock Crags (Wainwright), Steel Knotts (Pikeawassa - Steel Knotts), Skiddaw Little Man, The Nab, Maiden Moor, Calf Crag, High Hartsop Dodd, Hartsop Dodd, Bonscale Pike, Rest Dodd, Carl Side, High Spy, Rosthwaite Fell - Bessyboot, Barrow, Loadpot Hill, Skiddaw, Tarn Crag (Easedale), Arthur's Pike, Dodd (Skiddaw), Wether Hill, Long Side, The Knott (High Street), Middle Dodd, Causey Pike, Rampsgill Head, Bakestall, High Raise (High Street), Sergeant Man, Red Screes, Dale Head, Carrock Fell, Outerside, Hindscarth, Blea Rigg, Scar Crags, Ard Crags, Barf, Sail, Harrison Stickle, Grisedale Pike, Robinson, Knott Rigg, High Pike (Caldbeck), Base Brown, Crag Hill (Eel Crag), Lord's Seat, Froswick, Seathwaite Fell (Wainwright summit), Wandope, Hopegill Head, Ill Bell, Rossett Pike, Allen Crags, Green Gable, Whiteless Pike, Great Gable, Great End, Esk Pike, Bowfell, High Crag (Buttermere), Sale Fell, Kirk Fell, Pike of Blisco, Lingmell, Crinkle Crags - Long Top (Second Crinkle), Scafell Pike, Cold Pike, Red Pike (Buttermere), Pillar, Scafell, Wetherlam, Red Pike (Wasdale), Great Carrs, Swirl How, Hen Comb, Great Borne, Caw Fell, The Old Man of Coniston (Coniston Old Man)

How Great Dodd’s view compares with all 214 — the View Report: every Wainwright ranked by what you can see from the top.

Sightlines from a bare-earth terrain model (forests and buildings not included), corrected for the Earth’s curvature and average atmospheric refraction. “Distant” sightlines and any over 100 km depend on exceptionally clear air. Modelled from Copernicus GLO-30 open elevation data — a guide to the view, not a guarantee of any single one.

Best parking to hike Great Dodd

Where we have the data, each parking spot also shows the nearest public toilets and facilities (cafés, pubs, shops).

Legburthwaite (United Utilities, small) — 2.6 km from summit (straight line)
St John's in the Vale — Sticks Pass side, High Rigg, Raven Crag.
Directions
🚺 Legburthwaite Car Park (155m) — Free
Swirls, Thirlmere (paid) — 4.5 km from summit (straight line)
The standard west-side route up Helvellyn via Browncove Crags.
Directions
🚺 The Swirls Car Park (461m) — Free · Accessible · RADAR key🚺 Armbroth Car Park (1587m) — Free

Positions are approximate — zoom the map to confirm. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.

Tip: pan and zoom the interactive map at the top of this page to spot other potential parking near your route.

Buses to Great Dodd from Penrith / Ambleside / Windermere

Stagecoach 555
Kendal – Staveley – Windermere – Ambleside – Rydal – Grasmere – Thirlmere (Wythburn & Swirls) – Keswick
Catch it from: Windermere · Ambleside
Year-round, roughly hourly. The backbone bus of the A591 — ideal for Helvellyn (Wythburn/Swirls), Fairfield, the Central fells and anything around Grasmere/Rydal. From Penrith, take the X4/X5 to Keswick and change.

Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

My hikes over Great Dodd (Strava)

1 logged hike pass over this summit:

Interactive route maps and photos load here for visitors with JavaScript. Data from Strava.

Hazard & Incident Information for Great Dodd

Hazard: Moderate

The highest of the Dodds at the northern end of the Helvellyn range — a smooth, rounded, grassy dome that is easy walking but almost entirely featureless. The hazard is navigation: in thick cloud visibility drops to the point where you can't even see the summit cairn, and the broad top catches severe wind. It is a classic place to lose your bearings. Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team covers this ground.

  • Featureless summit & navigation in cloud: The wide grassy dome has almost nothing to fix on, and in thick cloud you may not see the cairn until you're on it. This is a notorious place to wander off line. Take and trust a compass bearing before leaving the top; don't navigate by the lie of the slope.
  • Severe wind and exposure: High, open and shelterless, Great Dodd takes the full force of the wind, which can be severe enough to knock you off balance and make navigation harder. Plan for far worse conditions than the valley and be ready to turn back.
  • Winter on the open dome: In snow the featureless top becomes a whiteout navigation challenge and the slopes can be icy. Carry full winter kit and the skills to navigate and move safely blind.
Who should attempt this fell: Great Dodd is gentle underfoot but a real navigation test — the smooth, blank top defeats people in cloud who'd handle far rougher ground, and the wind up here can be fierce. Be confident with map, compass and bearings, set your line before moving, and treat winter conditions on the open dome with full kit and respect.

Most common causes: Navigation errors on the featureless grassy dome in cloud or whiteout · Being blown off balance by severe wind on the exposed top · Disorientation in winter snow · Underestimating an easy fell that is hard to navigate in poor visibility

Local Mountain Rescue: Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team · Reviewed 14 Jun 2026

Safety: Hazard guidance compiled from published Mountain Rescue reports and well-documented accident history - editorial background, not a live feed of callouts. Always check current conditions, carry proper navigation equipment, and seek qualified instruction before heading onto the fells. In an emergency, call 999, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.

Report incorrect information

Navigating Great Dodd in cloud

Straightforward

A broad, gently-sloping top with little to steer by — easy to lose your bearings and hard to relocate in mist. Navigation here is relatively straightforward even in cloud — but carry map and compass and know how to use them; a low score never means “safe”.

In winter — snow, whiteout, cornices, buried features — every top demands full winter navigation skills whatever its band, and a broad, gentle summit can be the worst place of all. See walking in bad weather and the navigation guide.

How Great Dodd compares with all 214 — the Clag Index: navigating in cloud. A relative, deliberately cautious guide; the site can’t navigate for you.

Other fells near Great Dodd

Maps & guidebooks for Great Dodd

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