Dodd Fell & Grove Head

Last edited on: 8 Jun 2026

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Status

Sensitive

This site can be flown but there are some important rules in place. Please read the information on this page very carefully.

Sites officer

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Location

Lat, long: 54.251000, -2.262400

OS grid reference: SD 829 838

Wind direction

Dodd Fell W-NW (270-315), Grove Head NNE (000-035)

Height

1815’ (555m) AMSL 660’ (200m) Top to bottom of fell

Grade of pilot

HG – Expert.
PG – All grades.

Parking

Drive along the Cam High Road passing through 2 gates (close them) + cattle grids until reaching the Pennine Way. Park off the road on the left or right without blocking the road or the Pennine Way track.

Reference

Follow the road SW for 200m and go through the gate on the right for Grove Head.  For Dodd, Heator Pasture (see map) has been a popular take-off area for some time.  The area to the north was bought and fenced by the Woodland Trust in 2023.  We don't anticipate this impacting flying, but will learn more over the coming seasons.  Just be aware that if you slope land below the track it won't be as easy to get back as it once was.

Capacity

Large Ridge.

Hazards

The area is well known for wave so make a good assessment of conditions before flying. Do not scratch too close to the ridge in light conditions: the stone walls are very unforgiving – leave a good safety margin.

Rules

Temporary Danger Area at Dodd Fell. Weekdays only, 25 June – 30 November 2026.  1 km radius centered over Snaizeholme (below Dodd take-off), from the Surface up to 7,000 ft AMSL. High-altitude, vertical profiling drone flights supporting cloud research.

Check the telephone hotline for Temporary Danger Area status before going to Dodd: 0113 5268554. Do not wait until you get to launch, as there is no mobile phone signal at the take-off site.

• State 1 (Active) — Drone operations are underway or imminent. Do not fly.
• State 2 (Concluded): Flights are done for the day. Airspace is safe to use.
• State 3 (Not Taking Place): Menapia has stood down for the day. Airspace is safe to use.

Check the NOTAMs, but verify via the hotline. Because NOTAMs require an advance filing, there's a chance the NOTAM may show the airspace as "active" even if drone flights have been cancelled due to weather. The telephone hotline is the source of real-time truth, and the reported status must be respected.

To safeguard our flying, Menapia is prohibited from launching drones if the forecast surface wind on Windy.com (UKV model) is between 260 degrees and 325 degrees (covering the Dodd Fell WNW window).

On days when the weather is good for both drone profiling and paragliding, Menapia may use an early morning window (0500 or sunrise until 1000). They will stand down and clear the airspace by 1000, well before ridge soaring typically begins.

If Menapia pilots happen to spot a paraglider or hang glider approaching the TDA, they are mandated to initiate an immediate descent (which takes up to 6 minutes). However, this is a backup safeguard—do not rely on them to see you.

Please Note: This is a purely informational status service. Menapia does not operate a Danger Area Crossing Service (DACS) and cannot issue airspace "clearances" or instructions. The final decision to fly safely rests entirely with you.

Some final points...

The DHPC Committee has been engaging with Menapia for a number of months to reach agreement, which has involved a degree of compromise by both parties. This is a mutual agreement and we request that pilots comply with the 'spirit not just the law'.  Please contact Tam (Chairman) or Simon (Airspace Officer) if you encounter issues or would like to ask questions or comment - please do not engage with Menapia directly, as good working relationships have already been established.

The detailed agreement is accessible here.

Other Rules

Do not drive vehicles along the Pennine Way. The access enclosure is the only one with a gate onto the Pennine Way so always try to land here if you go down. Under no circumstances climb the walls (very fragile in places) onto the Pennine Way. Paragliders can usually walk part way up the hill, relaunch and then fly back to the access enclosure.

 

Top landings are possible to the East of the wall along most of the ridge, but re-launching is only possible SW of the summit; beware of rotor.

Comments

A good alternative to Wether Fell for the PG pilot and one of our best and popular sites for going XC. Often flown onto from Wether Fell by Hang Gliders so keep a good look out. Valley bottom landings would involve a massive retrieve for the HG pilot and have rarely been tried.

Site Challenges

If you'd like a task to follow, consider the Dodd NCS 2024 task, or the DFCs Dodd Fell Cam Road and Dodd Fell The Link Triangle. This site is also the home of the Dodd Grid Challenge.  Visit Ed Cleasby's website for background and information about the Northern Challenge Series and Defined Flying Challenges.

Land owner

Contact via Sites Officer

Nearest landline/mobile phone coverage

At Hawes.