Dodd & Binsey

In a repeat of a walk I did a couple of winters ago, I spent a morning climbing the small fells of Dodd and Binsey. Last time the weather was somewhat challenging but was much improved this time around, despite being very hazy. Both routes follow a simple out and back and take around an hour so I’ve bundled them into one report here. First up, in a reversal of order from last time, here’s Dodd.

Open Space Web-Map builder Codehttps://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmapapi/openspace.js?key=3119F72552FD5C22E0530C6CA40A5A92 https://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmapapi/script/mapbuilder/basicmap.js https://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmapapi/script/mapbuilder/searchbox.js//variables for routes var linesLayer, points, lineFeature, lineString, routeMarkersLayer, routepos, routesize, routeoffset, routeicon; var style_blue = {strokeColor: “#0000CD”, strokeOpacity: 0.5, strokeWidth: 4.5}; function initmapbuilder() { //initiate the map var options = {resolutions: [2500, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 4, 2.5, 2, 1]}; osMap = new OpenSpace.Map(‘map’, options); //configure map options (basicmap.js) setglobaloptions(); //set the center of the map and the zoom level osMap.setCenter(new OpenSpace.MapPoint(322893.63452889,531259.99998092),6); linesLayer = osMap.getVectorLayer(); // Set up layer for route markers routeMarkersLayer = new OpenLayers.Layer.Markers(“Route Markers”); //make a route points = new Array(); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(323481.66664124,528341.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(323681.66664124,528096.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324126.66664124,527886.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324496.66664124,527756.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324761.66664124,527641.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324981.66664124,527356.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(325006.66664124,527296.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324856.66664124,527261.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324656.66664124,527126.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324636.66664124,527246.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324656.66664124,527346.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324416.66664124,527361.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324476.66664124,527236.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324651.66664124,527146.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324826.66664124,527251.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(325006.66664124,527281.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324916.66664124,527426.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324771.66664124,527641.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324396.66664124,527786.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(324151.66664124,527851.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(323671.66664124,528101.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(323481.66664124,528341.66667938)); // create a polyline feature from the array of points lineString = new OpenLayers.Geometry.LineString(points); lineFeature = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(lineString, null, style_blue); linesLayer.addFeatures([lineFeature]); //make a route points = new Array(); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(323526.66664124,535101.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(323456.66664124,535086.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(322956.66664124,535401.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(322641.66664124,535461.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(322506.66664124,535521.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(322681.66664124,535446.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(322976.66664124,535396.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(323436.66664124,535086.66667938)); points.push(new OpenLayers.Geometry.Point(323526.66664124,535101.66667938)); // create a polyline feature from the array of points lineString = new OpenLayers.Geometry.LineString(points); lineFeature = new OpenLayers.Feature.Vector(lineString, null, style_blue); linesLayer.addFeatures([lineFeature]); //crate a route start/end marker routepos = new OpenSpace.MapPoint(323481.66664124,528341.66667938); routesize = new OpenLayers.Size(33,45); routeoffset = new OpenLayers.Pixel(-5,-37); routeicon = new OpenSpace.Icon(‘https://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmapapi/img_versions/img_1.1/mapbuilder/routemarker-startend.png’, routesize, routeoffset, null, null); routeMarkersLayer.addMarker(new OpenLayers.Marker(routepos, routeicon)); //crate a route start/end marker routepos = new OpenSpace.MapPoint(323526.66664124,535101.66667938); routesize = new OpenLayers.Size(33,45); routeoffset = new OpenLayers.Pixel(-5,-37); routeicon = new OpenSpace.Icon(‘https://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmapapi/img_versions/img_1.1/mapbuilder/routemarker-startend.png’, routesize, routeoffset, null, null); routeMarkersLayer.addMarker(new OpenLayers.Marker(routepos, routeicon)); osMap.addLayer(routeMarkersLayer);}

Route: Mirehouse, Dodd Wood, Long Doors, Dodd, Long Doors, Mirehouse

Date: 13/06/2015
From: Mirehouse

Parking: Layby at roadside
Start Point: Dodd Wood
Region: Northern Fells

Route length: 3.6 miles (5.8 km)
Time taken: 01:22
Average speed: 2.6 mph
Ascent: 427m
Descent: 427m

Wainwrights on this walk:
Dodd (491m)

Other Summits: None

Other points of interest: None

A simple walk straight to the summit of Dodd and back follows a wide Forestry Commission track much of the way until it reaches a large lorry turning area. Here, a much narrower but still signposted path winds up to the summit of the fell. Out return was by the same route in reverse. Here’s some photos from a hazy morning.

The track through the woods

The track continues….

Emerging from the woods

Dodd’s summit pokes through the trees

The slopes rising to Long Side

Follow the signs to the summit

The Vale of Keswick

Hazy North Western Fells

Approaching the summit

The summit bears a slate memorial

Longside from Dodd

Summit memorial

The proud slate memorial

Bassenthwaite

The fells of Coledale

Barf

Dodd’s western ridge

Whinlatter and Barf

The slopes of Carl Side

A fine place for a perch

Careful to pick the correct track back to the car

A walk in the woods

After completing a quick trip up and down Dodd, we drove the short distance to Binsey Cottage for a stroll up Binsey – a fell we had entirely to ourselves.

From: Binsey Cottage

Route: Binsey Cottage, Binsey, Binsey Cottage

Parking: Layby at roadside
Start Point: Binsey Cottage
Region: Northern Fells

Route length: 1.6 miles (2.6 km)
Time taken: 00:38
Average speed: 2.5 mph
Ascent: 187m
Descent: 196m

Wainwrights on this walk:
Binsey (447m)

Other Summits: None

Other points of interest: None

The walk to Binsey is even more straightforward than that on Dodd, there are no forks or deviations to watch out for and the summit is rather nice. A layby next to Binsey Cottage has space for 3 or 4 cars – just ours today – and a gate leads to the open hillside. A fairly rough track makes directly for the summit which you should reach inside half an hour.