Great Dodd routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 3 measured routes up Great Dodd, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Great Dodd routes, easiest to hardest

Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.

Great Dodd route times by Naismith's rule

The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.

Each Great Dodd route

Dockray

Follow tracks west from Dockray and climb open grassy slopes over Randerside to the summit. It starts from Dockray (roadside parking). 6.0 km one way with 579 m of ascent. About 2h 10m to the summit and 3h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Legburthwaite via Sticks Pass

Climb Sticks Pass from Thirlmere and turn north along the grassy ridge over Stybarrow Dodd to Great Dodd. It starts from Legburthwaite car park, Thirlmere. 5.8 km one way with 761 m of ascent. About 2h 25m to the summit and 3h 35m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Glenridding via Sticks Pass

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Glenridding main car park. It starts from Glenridding main car park. 8.2 km one way. Grade: Hard.

Great Dodd route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Glenridding via Sticks Pass. Each is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.

Before you pick a route

The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Great Dodd today and the Great Dodd 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Great Dodd routes

The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.

Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

If you are new to Great Dodd, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.

Questions about Great Dodd

What is the easiest route up Great Dodd?

From Dockray, climb the open grassy slopes to the north-east of the summit. The going is easy on grass.

How much time does each Great Dodd route take?

Dockray: about 2h 10m up and 3h 20m there and back. Legburthwaite via Sticks Pass: about 2h 25m up and 3h 35m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.

Can I get a GPX file for a Great Dodd route?

Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.