Clough Head from High Row


Home	The 214 Fells Map	My Diary

8th November 2025

Overview

Ascent:	2,039 Feet - 622 Metres
Wainwrights:	2, Great Dodd - Clough Head
Visiting:	3, Randerside - Calfhow Pike - White Pike
Weather:	Dry Start With A Few Clear Breaks, Followed By Drizzle, Light Rain & Low Cloud Throughout. Highs of 12°C Lows of 11°C Feels Like 7°C
Parking:	Car Park, High Row
Area:	Eastern
Miles:	8.3
Walking With:	Rod Hepplewhite
Ordnance Survey:	OL5
Time Taken:	4 Hours 10 Minutes
Route:	High Row - Old Coach Road - Grovebeck Fold - Bruts Moss - Randerside - Great Dodd - Calfhow Pike - Clough Head - White Pike - Old Coach Road - Mariel Bridge - Wolfcrag Moss - High Row

Parking Details and Map

Nearest Post Code:	CA11 0LG
Grid Reference:	NY 379 821
Notes:	Found at the Matterdale/Dockray end of the Old Coach Road High Row car park is quite small and can fill up easily especially during the Summer months. Follow the signs for High Row after leaving the A591 and the car park is found on the left hand side of a T Junction. Parking is free.

Map and Photo Gallery

Heading towards Groove Beck on the Dockray side of the Old Coach Road 7:02am 12°C

The forecast wasn't looking the best, worse tomorrow and with missing out on the Lakeland fells last weekend I was determined I was going to walk whatever the weather. During the week I'd set my sights on High Raise from Grasmere but Rod emailed and suggestedClough Head from High Row, an area of Lakeland that I last visited back in July 2015; even though I knew we were going to take a soaking I jumped at the chance and arranged to meet Rod at High Row car park at 7:00am. It was still pitch black when I arrived at High Row at 6:50am where I spotted Rod's head torch behind his car half kitted up. I'd reckoned on not needing the head torch with sunrise just around the corner but with extensive cloud cover, nothing was getting through.

I'd watched an E-mountain biker video on YouTube during the the cloud inversions a couple of weeks back who had set off from this exact spot to climb Helvellyn who, on more than one occasion got stuck and even fell off his bike in the bogs between Groove Beck and the lower slopes of Randerside not helped as he was clipped into his pedals with cleats, and with this in mind I reminded Rod not to forget to add the gaiters, oh boy we're gonna need them I laughed. Accompanied by the sound of a hooting Owl we locked our cars and set off along the Old Coach Road by which time dawn had just broke leaving enough light to see without the head torches.

Looking into Deepdale towards Hart Side (left) Whites Stones and The Tongue (centre) Deepdale Crag and Stybarrow Crag (right)

Chatting away we soon reached the Ford at Groove Beck Fold which was where we left the comforts of the Old Coach Road and begin the tramp to Randerside. Within minutes boots were getting soaked up to the eyelets, the ground was so wet the only option was to continue through.

Randerside beyond Bruts Moss.

With little height gained we left the bogs behind in hope that the cloud might begin to lift ahead just as was to the east.

Views over the top of Wolf Crags towards a dramatic looking Great Mell Fell.

I spotted movement below Wolf Crags who at first I thought was a solo walker with a dog until we saw them shot off at speed before realising it was two E-road bikers.

Views towards Great Mell Fell, Gowbarrow Fell and High Row.

We stopped to watch the cloud dramatics over Great Mell Fell and Gowbarrow Fell too low to realise what was unfolding towards the north.

Low cloud below blue skies.

With ten minutes of taking the last photo with more height was gained we were amazed to find ourselves looking across a layer of cloud which enveloped the northern fells from Blencathra to Souther Fell which raised our hopes in that once Great Dodd was reached we could well be looking down on the same cloud layer. Incidently, that's White Pike in the foreground, todays final summit.

The cloud begins to break...

...revealing Souther Fell and Carrock Fell below. White Pike still visible to the left, Clough Head, unfortunately still in cloud.

Classic views back towards The Mell Fells and Gowbarrow Fell.

Surely the blue skies are here to stay.

Great Dodd from Randerside summit 8:17am

Despite the boggier sections we were surprised how quick (quick for two owd codgers) we'd arrived at Randerside from where we confirmed that Great Dodd was indeed, below cloud. A cold breeze had picked up and in it we could feel speckles of rain in the air but for now, we could still enjoy the surrounding views.

So that's why I've been sucking on thin air!

In my haste to get away this morning I hadn't realised the tube from my bladder pack had disconnected itself hence my light headedness every time I went to hydrate.

Views over Deepdale...

...towards Birkett Fell and a distant Common Fell on Watermillock Common.

Great Dodd summit.

We launched ourselves at Great Dodd summit and arrived in thick cloud and swilling mist both agreeing that there was no point in visiting the summit shelter such the lack of views and as quickly as we'd arrived we left and began our descent towards Calfhow Pike.

Calfhow Pike ahead.

We descended from Great Dodd whilst chattering about our favourite ales; light, golden or brown. I'm not a fan of brown ale but I do like a golden ale my favourite being Loweswater Gold which is still brewed in the Lakes. The reason for the conversation was I'd mentioned to Rod how a work mate had bought me a cask of Loweswater Gold for doing him a favour which is in the fridge waiting for me to crack open tonight.

Calfhow Pike beyond the sheepfold.

Calfhow Pike soon came in to view which we summited and descended to the west before stopping to take this photo. If anything the visibility seems to be getting worse.

Heading for Clough Head.

We left Calfhow Pike behind and expected to see walkers heading across the saddle but saw no one.

Clough Head summit Trig Point.

Feeling slightly disappointed at our lack of views we pressed on.

Walking across the top of Red Screes on Clough Head.

Still slightly amazed in that the only two people we'd seen all day were the two E-road bikers it was looking less likely we were going to see anyone else just as two walkers appeared from the cloud.

Approaching White Pike summit.

We had a short chat with the two walkers who also mentioned the blue skies we'd seen earlier but sadly, nothing had come of it. We bid them to enjoy the rest of their walk before continuing to descend towards White Pike where we passed a trio of lads who had just stopped to add their waterproofs now that the drizzle had turned into a vertical rain.

Views towards Muriel Bridge, the Old Coach Road and Wolf Crags.

With White Pike summited we began our descent where we finally left the cloud behind in place of misty rain and fleeting cloud. That's the Old Coach Road in the centre of the photo with Mosedale Beck whose origins begin as Rowantree Beck below Great Dodd and Calfhow Pike. The old railway wagon to the left is a relic of the CK&PR (Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway)

The view back up to White Pike.

Hints of blue between the grey but it was short lived with more rain on the way.

We followed a grassy trod until it swerved left at which point we decided to continue off path making a direct descent path to the Old Coach Road.

To the North...

...a rainbow appeared..

Clough Head and White Pike from Muriel Bridge.

With Mosedale Beck flowing in full flow below.

Great Mell Fell seen across Barbaryrigg Moss.

Hints of blue sky continued to tease even if we were being rained on at the time soon replaced by grey cloud which slowly passed across the horizon in all directions while drizzle turned heavier and vertical and this time, it didn't let up. With Wolf Crags over our right shoulders the track rose and clay ruts began to fill with rain water diverting us off track in order to save damp socks. A multitude of grey now broken only by a distant woodland beyond Sandbeds Moss, conversation seemlessly died such the downpour.

The last half mile brought a hint of sunshine, more teasing as we crossed Groove Gill swilling our boots free from mud and entangled grass as the car park at High Row came into view where half a dozen 4x4's including two almost new Land Rover Defenders convoyed the Old Coach Road right at the point when the sun momentarily broke through the clouds casting its light down onto two soaked fell walkers who'd just enjoyed a damp morning on the hill.