Honest Opinion

[Ibex]

Would I be mad to go to the Lake District this weekend, for 4 days?

I will be going alone, as I have not been able to get anyone to join me.
I have no crampons yet (but could get some) and just bought an ice axe. Never used them, but have watched a lot of videos on youtube and also bought and watched the BMC's winter essentials DVD.

There has been warnings about avalances and high winds, coupled with -20 temperatures on the hill tops.
The suggestion is only to go, if you are an experienced walker.

I have done a little walking in the snow, up Hellvelyn and Great Gable with no problems, but i'm assuming the important bit is when problems arise, how you deal with them......

I have been looking forward to this trip for months, only to be scuppered by the weather and lack of finding a partner to go with. So would I be mad to risk it?

[SAVAGEALICE]

have you experienced -20 before? ..have you got the gear to deal with it? ..goggles? ..blaclava etc
...you could always stick to lower routes??

[Ibex]

I will try and find a place to stay if I go. Either a YHA, or there is a bunkhouse at the Sykeside campsite.

I've not experienced -20 before, but i'm sure I will be ok. Don't feel the cold too much!
I will be going to Go Outdoors on the way home from work, so will look into getting more gear when I get there.

I have looked at the lower hills, but want to save them to do with my wife, who can't really handle the bigger hills, as she is tiny.

[RyanfaeScotland]

Would I be mad to go to the Lake District this weekend, for 4 days?

I will be going alone, as I have not been able to get anyone to join me.
I have no crampons yet (but could get some) and just bought an ice axe. Never used them, but have watched a lot of videos on youtube and also bought and watched the BMC's winter essentials DVD.

There has been warnings about avalances and high winds, coupled with -20 temperatures on the hill tops.
The suggestion is only to go, if you are an experienced walker.

I have done a little walking in the snow, up Hellvelyn and Great Gable with no problems, but i'm assuming the important bit is when problems arise, how you deal with them......

I have been looking forward to this trip for months, only to be scuppered by the weather and lack of finding a partner to go with. So would I be mad to risk it?

Based on this my honest opinion is only to go, if you are an experienced walker.

The weather has pis**d a lot of us off but no point in putting yourself in excessive risk just cause you really can't wait to get out. That being said as long as you have a sensible head on you and are prepared to turn back or just accept when you get there that the conditions are way beyond your comfort levels then you could always go along and see what like. Personnaly though I'd say if you've something else you could be doing, do that, the hills will be clear soon enough!

Also check the Walkers Wanted forum or whatever it is called, you may find a walking buddy there.

[malky_c]

Stick to lower, less spiky hills and you'll be fine, I'm sure.

Where has this -20 come from? I have seen other people quote it too, but -5 seems much more like it. Light winds too. See this weather forecast:
http://www.mwis.org.uk/ld.php

I doubt it will be any different to visiting the Lakes in the middle of winter.

[Ibex]

I looked at a linked weather report for the weekend, from the Ambleside MRT site.
They suggested that with windchill, on the hill tops it could be as low as -20.

I'm a sensible and pretty inteligent bloke, so wouldn't take too many risks.
I made my Dad turn back from the summits of Helvellyn, after we had reached the Lower Man, as it would have been walking into white out conditions and I didn't want to walk onto a cornice and drop all the way down to Red Tarn.

At the moment I am leaning towards going bouldering at the weekend and maybe doing a day trip to the Brecons some day over the weekend. Gutting as it is to not get to the Lakes this weekend!

[Eskimo]

We endured minus 15 on Sunday past Ibex, its tough going to say the least! I would say go for it but be warned it's gonna be a battle if the conditions are crap!

[scoob999]

I would go for it! you sound like you know your limits You've bought the gear so why dont you find a nice safe hill where you can practice the ice axe and crampon skills you have been watching. EG one with a steep enough slope and a flat bottom with no rocks pointing out nothing beats practise

Chances are you'll meet folks on the hills anyway that wont mind you tagging along, it is the lakes on an easter weekend after all

whatever you decide be safe and get your stories and pics up when you get back..Enjoy

[GableNovice]

I'm a complete novice and have never experienced -20 on a hill but have done and much lower when visiting northern Finland in the depths of winter years ago. Sounds silly to say but make sure you go well wrapped up and take all the normal precautions of letting various people know your routes and checking in with them when you get back. Not feeling the cold can be deceptive. Although I'll concede there are some whose bodies deal with it better than others the dangers remain the same. I remember reading an article early last year on the BBC about a warning to drinkers when going out in the winter that not feeling the cold doesn't mean you're not going to get hypothermia so be careful.

good luck and have fun

[dawnfoth]

I would recommend crampons for sure! As one of my friends once said to me, your ice'axe is there to assist in stopping yourself should you fall. The crampons are designed to stop you from falling in the first place. They do take a little bit of getting used to though and I would agree with scoobs. Find a hill that has no narrow ridges or tricky sections or spiky rocks and just go for it. Do a bit of practice, though you will prob be a bit p'd off if you don't get to try them out!

You certainly sound like you know yourself, your limits and have a sensible head on you. Just look out for the cornices and avalanche prone areas. Have a great time!

I will be heading NW tomorrow and out again on Saturday while the sun is shining in Scotland! Excited

[IamAJMiller]

I would recommend crampons for sure! As one of my friends once said to me, your ice'axe is there to assist in stopping yourself should you fall. The crampons are designed to stop you from falling in the first place. They do take a little bit of getting used to though and I would agree with scoobs. Find a hill that has no narrow ridges or tricky sections or spiky rocks and just go for it. Do a bit of practice, though you will prob be a bit p'd off if you don't get to try them out!

You certainly sound like you know yourself, your limits and have a sensible head on you. Just look out for the cornices and avalanche prone areas. Have a great time!

I will be heading NW tomorrow and out again on Saturday while the sun is shining in Scotland! Excited

I would echo this. If you know your limits and aren't afraid to turn back then this could be the best way to gain experience. Pick the right hill and make sure that there's lots of people about, it's amazing what a reassurance that can be, as long as you're not blindly following them over the edge! Have fun and be safe.

[Ibex]

I'm glad to see there is a lot of possitive views on here.
However it seems that I will be postponing my trip to the mountains for a while.

I will go and do some bouldering (as I am also learning to climb) over the weekend and if the wife is busy I might do a day trip down to Brecon and have a go at some self arresting practice and climb a hill or two.
I will also do some running and fitness training, so when I next go to the hills (as soon as the weather relents slightly) I will hopefully be fit enough to do some big walks and bag plenty of peaks.

Can't smegging wait!

[johnkaysleftleg]

We are in the Lakes as I type. Bought some microspikes today and will try some lower hills over the weekend. As allways the hills arn't going anywhere so we are doing nothing too steep, high or commiting so turning back is an easy option. Very glad the wind has dropped however or I could see up bagging nothing.

[stevesey]

Knocking down walls (and re-building) at my daughters house this weekend - otherwise I'd be up for a Brecon's trip