So after putting Glenridding Dodd in the list of Wainwrights done, we dropped to the col between GD (as I now call it) and Sheffield Pike (strictly speaking its Heron Pike to begin with but I'm not going to split hairs on this).
Now the route according to Wainwright and Walk Lakes was to go straight up the SE ridge. Given it was very windy we decided to ignore that and follow the wall away from the Coll and then (on the top of the little hill directly in front of Theo here) turn back on ourselves and upwards.
You can just see a faint path on the picture below showing there is a route here that countless people have used so we knew we were in good company.
Once on that path it is a little steep in places, a little less than obvious in some places, but it is forever upwards so it must be right!
The path then meanders a little further upwards before we had to climb the last bit of the ridge. In calm conditions that it probably easy enough but we had a strong wind and hence concentrated on being safe and getting to the top of Heron Pike (hence no photos of this bit I'm afraid!). We then got our first view of the summit.
Well it's actually just over the top of the summit you can see here but, call it artistic licence. Now I should say that between this picture and the top of Sheffield Pike it was horrendous. The wind was blowing very hard (I'd estimate 50mph plus) and keeping upright was a little difficult to say the least).
I wasn't enjoying this and nor was Theo. We took shelter in the wind shelter immediately below Sheffield Pike and took our photos there. That'll have to do for hitting the summit of this as I was worried we'd not be above to stand up on the summit to get a photo done!
And me hunkered down!
The initial part of our journey down was eventful. Rather than a simple retracing of our steps it was clear that heading towards the mine at the top of the Glenridding valley was the best and quickest way out of the wind.
We set off and I thought we were going slightly in the wrong direction, having looked at the lie of the land ahead of us, so we asked a couple who were nearby and they were heading to the mines as well so we tagged along with them. The walk was a little boggy but we kept aiming for the bridge we could see in the distance. The best part of the walk being the fact we were getting out of the wind.
At the mine works you follow an obvious path that zigzags down to the valley floor and you can see the remains of a dam that had collapsed.
All in all it was a good day. Glenrriding Dodd is one we would do again but Sheffield Pike would only be attempted in no wind for me.