Name of walk	Stybarrow Dodd to Clough Head
Date of walk	2022-07-11

On Monday I decided to walk up the Sticks Pass and go over Stybarrow Dodd, Watson’s Dodd, Great Dodd and Clough Head, returning over the slopes of Great Dodd to Mill Gill, and down to Castle Rock of Triermain. A walk of nine miles. It was going to be a very hot day, so I made an early start.

The view of Stanah Gill and the Sticks Pass from the small car park, rather obscured by the sun. I set off walking at 7.50am.

View of Castle Rock of Triermain. I had planned to come down via the back of it.

I cross Stanah Gill.

A view of Thirlmere as I climb up the Pass. Great How across. It is a steep start.

View towards Skiddaw.

Climbing higher. I'm glad I started early as I'm already sweating.

The sun is in the way for a view up the gill in the other direction.

The sheep fold, and the sheep I disturbed from its slumber.

Today I divert from the Sticks Pass and go straight up the grass to the summit of Stybarrow Dodd.

View back with the Scafells, Great Gable, and Pillar etc. very clear.

View to Raise on the left, Helvellyn Lower Man and Browncove Crags.

Looking over to Raise, the ski tow and buildings.

Ullswater, with The Nab and Rest Dodd to the right of it.

View north with Stybarrow Dodd summit to the right, Watson's Dodd summit to the left and Great Dodd in the middle.

Stybarrow Dodd summit.

I stop for a coffee on the wall remains.

I've not seen anyone else yet, just sheep.

Browncove Crags route up to Helvellyn. That's where all the people will be.

Watson's Dodd summit. Skiddaw and Lonscale Fell behind the sheep.

Thirlmere and Great How to the right. Ullscarf and High Tove range behind.

View along the ridge of High Rigg.

My route to Great Dodd.

A closer view of Bassenthwaite Lake and Dodd.

View back.

I stop for a coffee in the shelter on Great Dodd. I meet the first people of the day, two Danish girls walking the 66 mile Bob Graham Round. They had camped overnight on the slopes of Blencathra. They are delighted with the weather.

Looking back to Raise and Stybarrow Dodd with Catstycam and Helvellyn behind.

Great Dodd summit cairn.

I now head around to the right to Clough Head.

Clough Head summit.

Summit selfie. It is now nearly midday, so I stop for lunch.

Great Mell Fell and Little Mell Fell.

Looking down on Threlkeld with Blencathra behind.

Derwent Water with Grisedale Pike above it.

Great Dodd on the left as I descend back down and head for Calfhow Pike on the right.

Calfhow Pike summit. I now head off path, across the grass (St. John's Common) beneath Great Dodd, in the direction of Mill Gill.

View back to Calfhow Pike and Clough Head.

Mill Gill. I follow it downhill.

View up Mill Gill.

There is a faint path through the bracken, but it is not clear and the walking is now awkward. I see a gate in the fence some distance away. This will probably be the way to the gill crossing point. Castle Rock of Triermain on the left, both Wainwright and Mark Richard's maps signal this as the route.

The bracken is very high, there is no path, but I still head for the gate in the fence line.

Ta da! Salvation! I go through the gate and head for the gill, but the bracken is 5ft high, there is no path, I can't see where I'm putting my feet. I make it to the edge, it is quite a drop, but the bracken doesn't allow for a view of the crossing point. I try a bit further along, but same problem. I then realise that if I have an accident here my body won't be found until the bracken dies back, so I retreat carefully back towards the gate, go through it and continue to follow the fence line down, still deep in bracken, and come to a stone wall with a wire fence on top. The route down into the gill here is still a sheer drop. On the other side of the wall are several enormous diggers, and an area of tree felling. No one is working. A bit further along there is a broken gap in the wall, I climb through, follow the tracks of the diggers, climb a gate and end up on a lane. Phew! That was hard work!

Castle Rock of Triermain from the lane. I will have to try this route when there is no bracken. Apparently St. John's Common is privately owned so I can't point out the possible dangers of taking my planned route to the National Park.

Front view.

The lane comes out opposite Legburthwaite car park, which is closed because of all the diggers and machinery.

Back at my parking place, and I now have a better view of my way up beside Stanah Gill this morning.

The walk had taken me six and a half hours. Thankfully the breeze meant it wasn’t too hot on the summits, a pleasant day for walking. It was rather hot on the way down out of the breeze and struggling through the bracken, I’ll not do that again!

Jo.