Saturday 1st June 2013
"Beck Edge Cottage" Braithwaite
We set off from Cleethorpes around 10am, travelling up the A1 and across the A66 route to Keswick to pick up the keys for our holiday cottage in Bratihwaite for the week.
We stopped off at a couple of farm shops along the A66 at the Yorkshire Dales end and had lunch at one on those. (Burger and chips, which was good).
The key was available after 3pm, and we killed a little time walking around Keswick before heading off to the office and picking up the keys.
Braithwaite is a village located jut a few miles further along the A66 from Keswick and there are several pubs and a village shop. It is also ideally placed for starting the Coledale Horseshoe walk and access to Whinlatter forest park a few miles away.
Beck Edge cottage is as you may imagine an old stone cottage located on the edge of the village nearby a rather narrow (but sometimes busy) road to Whinlatter. The parking was tight to say the least (for a 4x4) vehicle especially. The parking was in a very narrow and not so long space adjacent the kitchen window. The neighbours wooden gate to their drive is permanently locked open and could not be moved to get in/out the drivers side, making it even more difficult. Also the busy, narrow road means guidance from other half was required to back out onto this road and turnaround up the road (as you can only really back out in one direction)
Things improved inside, as the place had plenty of room with a fairly large living room, central heating throughout, and good facilities in the kitchen. Though the cooker grill failed to work and the freezer alarm went off for hours the first night, was OK for the rest of the week as it stopped alarming after a few hours.
At the top of the stairs there were table and chairs giving an open feel to the place.
The master bedroom was roomy, and had an en-suite shower/loo
There was also a small bathroom along the corridor with bath/loo
We had taken along our newly aquired bikes this time on rear towball carrier. The only place for the bikes was alongside the property in a narrow walled/paved area which was not undercover. We locked the bikes to the adjacent wood shelter.
We settled in after a short walk around the village to the local shop - the Lakes Ice cream was delicious. Go for the "Thunder & Lightning" flavour!
Sunday 2nd June 2013
Dodd Fell
Pathfinder guide "North & West Lakeland" Walk #10 Dodd
(4.75 Miles, 2hrs, 37 mins)
We woke on Sunday to a cloudy but warm day, and decided to drive past Bassenthwaite lake to Dodd Wood car park (opposite the Mirehouse). We had heard that parking there may be a bit limited to 25-30 cars, and got there fairly early around 9am. It was not too busy, but did fill up later on, and there is space for about 40 vehicles provided everyone parks sensibly (some had not!). It is pay and display at £4.80 for 4 hrs., enoughfor out half day peramble up Dodd fell.
A footbridge across a stream, and climbing above Skill Beck we continued along the woodland tracks.
After about 1.5 miles of the rather enclosed views the path broadened out alongside areas where woodland had been chopped back, and a right hand grassier track climbed more steeply towards the summit of Dodd Fell.
The views really opened out and even a bench was provided to sit down and enjoy the view before the final short pull to the top.
Dodd summit at a rather lowly 1646ft, gave good views across Bassenthwaite and well beyond.
Descending initially the same path down, we then dropped right circum-navigating the fell in the opposite direction from which we came, and a slowly winding, descending wide track deposited us back in woodland again but with some good views as we descended down.
The final stretch passed the RSPB Osprey viewpoint allowing use of spotter scopes to look across Bassenthwaite to the Osprey nest. The nest was there, but the birds of prey were not. Plenty of "twitchers" though hoping to catch glimpses of these glorious birds of prey.
We winded down through the wood to the cafe, and rested with a Lakes Ice Cream.
A short walk, and a Wainwright fell, views ascending were a bit dissapointing (well it is woodland!), till near the top. Enjoyable descent though, Osprey viewpoint, and good ice cream at the tea-room. What more do you want! - (a 3000ft, higher fell ?)
Dodd is certainly not your typical Lakeland fell, with all the surrounding woodland/forest, but was worth doing and enough to hold some interest with the varying contrasts of woodland and more open views towards the top.
We headed back to base, and took the bikes out for a test spin along the road to Keswick. but thats not really that interesting enough really to warrant any further discussion here.
We are amateur walkers (but improving), but even more amateur cyclists!
Our Walk Score: 6.5/10
