Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge up Long Side: route map, distance and time
734 m · Cumbria
Long Side is a 734 m top on the narrow ridge west of Skiddaw, climbed on the way up Ullock Pike and Longside Edge above Bassenthwaite Lake.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Dodd Wood car park.
The Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge starts at about 116 m and gains 605 m over 4.3 km to 704 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging 7%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 206 m at an average of 21%, with a 500 m stretch from 1.7 km at about 26%. It keeps climbing at 14% to the top. About 28% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5, so expect hands-on-knees going and a slow descent.
Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge at a glance
| Distance | 4.3 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 630 m |
| Climb on the track | 605 m up, 18 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 114 m to 704 m (summit 734 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 26%, from 1.7 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 28% of the way |
| Time up | 1h 55m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 2h 45m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Dodd Wood car park, CA12 4QE |
| Start grid reference | NY 235 281 |
| Summit grid reference | NY 248 284 |
| Parking | Dodd Wood car park |
Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Near the start
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge GPX
Ascent only: plan your way down. A planning track, not checked on the ground; it doesn't show safe scrambling moves. Track data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), heights from a terrain model.
Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge kilometre by kilometre
Height, climb and average gradient for each kilometre of the track, with a grid reference at the end of each one to check your position on the map.
| At | Height | Climb | Gradient | Grid ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 190 m | +74 m | 7% | NY 235 290 |
| 2 km | 261 m | +70 m | 7% | NY 238 300 |
| 3 km | 467 m | +206 m | 21% steep | NY 241 293 |
| 4 km | 662 m | +195 m | 19% | NY 246 285 |
| 4.3 km | 704 m | +42 m | 14% | NY 248 284 |
How long the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 1h 35m | 2h 15m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 1h 55m | 2h 45m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 20m | 3h 25m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:05. Start by 14:20 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:51, sunset 18:03. Start by 14:18 to be down before dark, allowing 2h 45m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Long Side summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Long Side right now. The main Long Side page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Long Side forecast.
Before you go, also check: MWIS Lake District forecast · Met Office mountain forecast · Weatherline fell top conditions.
About Long Side
Long Side is a 734 m top on the narrow ridge west of Skiddaw, climbed on the way up Ullock Pike and Longside Edge above Bassenthwaite Lake. More about Long Side, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Wainwright, Hewitt, Nuttall, Birkett.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Ullock Pike (690 m), 0.5 km north-west
- Carl Side (747 m), 0.7 km south-east
- Dodd (502 m), 1.2 km south
- Skiddaw (930 m), 1.3 km north-east
- Skiddaw Little Man (865 m), 1.9 km east
- Sale How (666 m), 2.7 km east
Challenges that include Long Side
More walks from Dodd Wood car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side up Carl Side
- Ullock Pike ridge up Skiddaw
- Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge up Ullock Pike
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at NY 235 281, the summit at NY 248 284), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge: questions and answers
How far is the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge?
The Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge is 4.3 km one way to the summit of Long Side, with 630 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 8.6 km.
How long does the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge take?
About 1h 55m to the summit of Long Side and 2h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 3h 25m for the round trip.
How steep is the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge?
The steepest 500 m averages about 26%, starting 1.7 km from the start, and 28% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge climbs 605 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge?
The Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge starts from Dodd Wood car park (postcode CA12 4QE). The grid reference is NY 235 281. Dodd Wood car park
Is the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge suitable for beginners?
Not as a first mountain. Peakify grades it Hard: steep, rough ground where a slip matters. Build up on an easier route first.
What time should I start the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge today?
By 14:20 at the latest. Sunset on Long Side today is 18:05, The Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge takes about 2h 45m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for the Dodd Wood via Ullock Pike and Long Side ridge?
Yes. Download it from this page. It is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.