A 9.5km walk on a gorgeous sunny but suddenly cold November day.Route: leaving the car at the Ravenstone Manor Hotel and walking along the permissive path parallel to the A591 south to the Dodd Wood car park. After a bit of confusion, crossing the beck on a bridge and following a clear marked (in green as the Dodd Summit trail) path, climbing first above the stream (to our left) and then right on a track and left uphill onto a balcony path through trees to the west of the Dodd (above the osprey viewpoint path). At a junction to the south of the Dodd, turning left on a winding path to the summit.
Returning to that junction and turning left (east) to descend into the saddle between the Dodd and Carlside and descending the valley, northwards, on the left of the stream (Skill Beck) until signed (green still) to turn sharply back right to another footbridge and across a metalled track onto another balcony path through trees, gaining a surprising amount of height but staying on a marked route (now yellow for the Sandbed Gill trail) through dark forest and eventually 50m beyond where the Sandbed Gill trail turned south, turning sharp left down a steep and leafy path to the back gate of the hotel.
Conditions: bright sun but a chilly 4C especially when out of the sun and in a breeze.
Pub: the Ravenstone Manor Hotel for Corby Blonde.
