We got off the 554 at Dodd Wood on Saturday. We'd slept in and missed the earlier bus, the 73 Caldbeck Rambler. We got there at 10.30 and we were lucky there was no rain. We were doing a day walk; no camping because the wind was forecast to be very strong at any height. We visited the Osprey Viewpoint and the staff were very helpful and they found some ospreys for us to look at. We even saw a red squirrel but I didnt get a very good shot of it. The ospreys were too far away to photograph, in fact, we could barely see them through the telescope things they had there, they were too far away.
The view from the Osprey Viewpoint in Dodd Wood
The view from the forest roads up to Dodd
There was a little rain now and again but it wasn't too bad a day.
Beefy and Squeaky on the forest road
We'd stopped for some lunch near Long Doors and we had a pretty good view. The wind was blustery and cold and it felt like Autumn was well established. Farewell summer
We got going again pleased to be warming up on the last climb to the top. As we got almost onto the top of Dodd there were a group of people on the main path. They were doing some sort of arm waving/dance thing and a man who was taking photos gestured to us to go up this rough steep path, the naughty short cut path to get onto the top. We did and took our summit shots.
Beefy and Squeaky on Dodd summit
It was very surreal, we could see the group of people now standing with their arms crossed as if in prayer. We had to leave the summit the same way we came up because they were still on the path. It was a tricky descent, slippery rock and steep. I have no problem with whatever they were doing there, each to their own but perhaps they should have been off the path so walkers could visit the summit?
I did a google at home later and found the people on Dodd summit were doing yoga for Another Way. Another Way is an organisation encouraging sustainable living and they are well meaning and has been founded by Amy Bray who is 16 years old
See
https://www.another-way.org.uk/another-waynwright/ If only we had known who they were we could have told them about our low carbon/sustainable lifestyle, only using public transport, cycling or walking everywhere, my veganism, Beefy almost being a veggie/vegan etc. We might have even joined in with the yoga bit... but encouraged them to move off the path
The view to Bass Lake from Dodd
We descended to the Sawmill Tea Room and had a coffee. It was very nice coffee but it was a very small cup for how much it cost
We then walked to St Bega's Church
In St Bega's Church
Dodd from St Bega's Church
St Bega's church
On the way back by Mirehouse to the Dodd Wood bus stop
The walk from Dodd Wood to St Bega's is a very nice (if you close your eyes while you go by the water pipeline work) if too short walk, but it fills in time waiting for the next bus. We got the 73 back at 15.40, nice to say hello to all the regular 73 peeps we'd missed in the morning. Our walk was Dodd Wood bus stop - Osprey Viewpoint - forest road by Brock Crag - Long Doors - Dodd summit - Long Doors - Skill Beck - Mirehouse - St Bega's Church - Mirehouse - Dodd Wood bus stop. 10.5km with 569m ascent.