" Hopegill's Dodd with Ian " at EveryTrail
 

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Dylan continues to be the centre of attraction for our visitors, this time the Holt family who are staying across the road in Rose Cottage

On Tuesday, Ian came over to lunch and we chose a favourite local walk, but one that Ian had never done.

We set off for a short car journey down the valley and parked on the High Swinside Road just eight minutes from home.

First . . . better let everyone have a cuddle . . . Mum Rachel with Daisy, Will and Albie.

Daisy tries to get Dylan to look at the camera . . . full marks for trying !

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So lunch over . . . time for that local walk with Ian.

Looking back up the Lorton Valley from our parking spot on the gated road near High Swinside.

[ There is only one gated road in the valley and anyone using a Satnav to find us is invariably sent along it . . . keep to the main roads, it's easier.]

Ann, Ian and Harry at the start of the walk.

Dodd is the shapely outlier from the Hopegill to Whiteside Ridge and is seen here on the right.

Setting off above the fell wall, heading for the Hope Beck Valley.

Below is the farmhouse of Hope Farm . . . everything is full of hope here !

. . . and that's Hopegill Head making its first appearance over the bracken covered flanks of the Hope Gill Valley.

The path from the old sheepfold lower down at the stream, leads us up into the Hope Gill Valley.

The majority of the old walls of the fold have now disappeared in recent winter floods and it is virtually unrecognisable.

There's a good path up next to the stream . . . which connects the farm to another old sheepfold at the head of the valley.

Dylan pretending to be a pointer rather than a retriever . . . What's on earth is he looking at ?

. . . who else but Harry enjoying a cooling dip in the stream below.

No trees so no sticks top play with . . . so we encourage Harry back up the slope.

That's the Dodd up there . . . but we'll head further up to the top of this valley and cross the stream higher up.

That way we'll pick up a sheep track that climbs gradually back up to Dodd summit.

Ian looks back at the head of the valley as we climb steadily upward.

Ladyside Pike is the side summit on the ridge up to the flat topped Hopegill Head.

The path reaches a side valley and drops slightly before climbing once again . . . I hang back for a photo.

Ann takes a photo just a few minutes later from up front

This dry valley cuts Dodd off from the main ridge . . . Ann takes a path up above the crags for the last part of the climb.

I tried to make a face out of the rock formation . . . but it never quite developed into one.

As we reached the top of the crags we regain a view of the Lorton Valley and the distant Loweswater Fells.

The fine little summit cairn on Dodd.

Obligatory summit photo and a great view from the top.

Click here or on the photo above for a Loweswatercam 360 degree annotated panorama.

We walked a short distance across the fell to the second cairn . . . untill we could see down into the valley.

That's the Honister Rambler bus which has re-started for the summer.

Through a slight haze we look down on New House Hotel and Tearoom and the Loweswater Show show ground.

It is a bit too steep to head straight down the fell . . . so we retrace our steps back via the top cairn.

For a moment, was Ian contemplating a walk to the main summit ? . . . but that thought didn't last too long !

Instead we headed back down through the crags, taking a slightly different path down this time.

Bright green fern-like plants manage to thrive on the slate scree.

We'll head back down the valley that we walked up earlier.

Making our way back down into the Hopegill Valley.

This old sheepfold on the side of the fell has seen better days.

Everyone who went up . . . must come down !

. . . and re-cross the stream.

Perhaps next time we'll have to cross further down . . . as this part of the path is almost collapsing into the stream.

Back along the same path as we walked on the way out.

The car is ready and waiting for our drive back home.

Last one back to the car is a sissy !

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