Back in the Northern Fells to tick off 3 more Wainwrights and a great ridge walk to boot!
Parking at Dodd Wood very early I popped the rucksack on my back and headed off between the buildings, crossed the little bridge and began to follow the yellow markers through the wood.
After following the yellow markers you soon reach the end of your time in the wood and after a stile you are on the open fell.
Once on the fell you follow this path before it turns back on itself.
And then you get your first view of Ulloch Pike and the ridge beyond that will be your focus for the next hour or so.
The path is well defined and easy to follow. There are a couple of lumps to get over first but then you have the final climb to the summit of Ulloch Pike.
And the underwhelming cairn at the top!!!
But, who cares, you've done it and another Wainwright is in the bag.
From Ulloch Pike you just continue to follow the path along Long Side Edge. Really couldn't be any simpler.
And after 15 minutes or so you are ticking off another Wainwright, this time one with a decent cairn.
And proof I was there!
You now continue along the edge as you can see Carl Side in the distance.
Carl Side feels more like a fell than a mountain - whatever that means! It is grassy and nice underfoot after a long time on forest roads and stone filled paths. Within 10 minutes you're on the final small climb to the summit.
And your reward is the best cairn of the day!!!
And the obligatory shot of me
This was a very hot day and so progress was slower than normal, plus the lack of miles in my legs this year didn't help.
From Carl Side cairn turn right and followed the stoned path down to Whitestones from where you turn right again to drop back to Dodd Wood. All told a 4 hour walk of about 6 miles. And it is a little cracker of a walk.