Route: Glenridding Dodd and Sheffield Pike
Area: Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 18th February 2016
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 6.3 miles
Ascent: 2,000 feet
Weather: Plenty of sunny intervals, freezing on tops, a couple of light hailshowers
We parked in Glenridding, which is open for business following the recent devasting floods in Cumbria, and walked out of the village along the Greenside Road, leaving the road just before Rake Cottages to start the climb up Glenridding Dodd. We followed the path up The Rake and before long we were enjoying wonderful views from the summit of the fell. It was bitterly cold though so we didn’t linger long and made our way across to the ridge leading up to Sheffield Pike
We climbed up the steep path, reaching the snow line after a while. The path disappeared at this stage but we were able to follow the footprints of others to the summit of Sheffield Pike. Again it was too cold to linger so we were soon on our way down.
The initial part of the descent into Glencoyne proved to be very tricky and extreme care was needed. The narrow path runs at high level round the flanks of the fell and was covered in hard snow and sheet ice. Eventually we descended below the snow line and were able to make quicker progress along Glencoyne – a beautiful section of the walk
At the bottom of the valley we crossed the road and walked back into Glenridding. For the most part there is a path by the shore of Ullswater but there are a couple of places where it’s necessary to walk along the road
It had been a great walk in one of our favourite areas in the Lake District
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Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The afternoon before the walk, a red squirrel in the garden
As we walk out of Glenridding we pass by the Travellers Rest, but it’s too early for drink or rest
We leave the track just beyond this gate to climb up the fellside on the right
Looking across to Birkhouse Moor above the cottages
Keldas
Looking along Glenridding and its beck
Gilly follows The Rake up the side of Glenridding Dodd
We arrive at a hause and turn right here for the summit of the fell
Looking back to the hause and the ridge leading up to Sheffield Pike - we’ll be following the path up that ridge shortly
Keldas again, in lovely light
Summit cairn of Glenridding Dodd, looking across to Place Fell
Ullswater from the summit
We retrace our steps to the hause
Looking down to Glenridding
Keldas again
Ullswater…
Start of the climb up the rocky ridge leading to Sheffield Pike
Looking down into Glenridding
…and again
The path along Glenridding Beck, leading up to Helvellyn and Raise
Birks
St Sunday Crag
Catstycam
The Pennines in the distance
Above the snow line now
Ullswater from the summit of Sheffield Pike
We descend to the gap on the right
We traverse around the fellside, easy at first but difficult further on when the path became icy
The hard part of the descent is now behind us and we can enjoy the views of Ullswater and Glencoyne to our left
Looking back to Glencoyne Head
Approaching Glencoyne Wood
We pass above the cottages known as Seldom Seen
We then join a track which leads towards Ullswater
Glencoyne
Norfolk Island seen as we reach the shore of the lake
We follow the lakeshore path…
Back in Glenridding at the end of a fantastic walk
