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Weather question

Weather question


Postby Bastonjock » Tue Oct 05, 2021 10:52 am

Hi guys
I'm sitting here in my motorhome contemplating whether or not to do a walk of around 10k , the wind is blowing at around 25mph ,with higher gusts and its heavy rain ,would you walk in those conditions or stay in the warm ?
It's miserable out there
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Re: Weather question

Postby jmarkb » Tue Oct 05, 2021 11:13 am

I'm a softy when it comes to that sort of weather - I'd get a brew on and hope it improved later.
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Re: Weather question

Postby Skyelines » Tue Oct 05, 2021 1:12 pm

The first half hour of walking in the rain is the worst, after that it can be quite enjoyable. If windy I would choose a more sheltered route.
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Re: Weather question

Postby Bastonjock » Tue Oct 05, 2021 3:23 pm

I decided to go for the walk ,it was 6.1 k around st Abbs lighthouse ,the weather was a bit wild but I did enjoy it ,I wanted to test my new gear against inclement weather conditions
IMG_20211005_133446_MP.jpg

The wind was making me stagger at times ,the rain eased off a bit , it was too dangerous to go close to the cliff edge ,my sealskinz socks lived up to their water proof label , the rest of my clothing did ok .
I'm back in my motorhome and it's being buffeted by the winds , estimated at 25 to 30 knots ,the bonus is that the heating is on ,I've had an egg and bacon sandwich, mug of tea and am now planning tomorrow walk
IMG_20211004_120517_MP.jpg
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Re: Weather question

Postby cruachan06 » Tue Oct 05, 2021 7:55 pm

Personally I never mind being out in bad weather. However, getting started in bad weather is always an issue for me. Nothing worse (IME) than getting ready for a walk or being on the start line for a 10K in the pouring rain waiting to go, but it's always fine once I'm going.
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Re: Weather question

Postby Bastonjock » Tue Oct 05, 2021 8:54 pm

cruachan06 wrote:Personally I never mind being out in bad weather. However, getting started in bad weather is always an issue for me. Nothing worse (IME) than getting ready for a walk or being on the start line for a 10K in the pouring rain waiting to go, but it's always fine once I'm going.


I think that's what. I was feeling , once I got going I really enjoyed it ,it was a bit of a slog at times with the elements but I had a smile on my face , it was a real confidence builder
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Re: Weather question

Postby Sgurr » Wed Oct 06, 2021 10:00 am

Good for you. In a more urban setting, I was strongly advised not to go out by my postie as she said "It'll knock you over.!" I didn't notice it knocking her over, so went out along the burn sheltered by trees and thoroughly enjoyed it. Who wants to sit inside?
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Re: Weather question

Postby Alex W » Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:00 am

I remember in the late seventies, I was President of a University climbing club and we had a speaker one night talking about an ascent of Everest. The talk was entertaining. The speaker asked if anyone was up for a bit of climbing the following day. Not wanting to pass up a chance to climb with an Everest summiteer (back before Everest climbing was a commercial enterprise) I volunteered. We went into Glen Clova and disembarked into a howling gale and deep, deep snow. Undeterred we carried on. A farmer came over to us to ask what on earth we were planning to do, we replied "just a spot of climbing". The farmer yelled "ye'll come back doon deed" repeated over and over again. We carried on. It was actually pretty hopeless, with deep snow preventing anything resembling climbing, but at least we got out.

I can still hear the farmer to this day!
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Re: Weather question

Postby Bastonjock » Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:56 pm

You had me chuckling there Alex
I went out today ,it was glorious I walked 23 k along the st abbs to Cockburn'spath , my goal is to stretch myself and get fit , today was my longest hike , feet are a bit sore ,legs are a bit stiff , but I am truly enjoying this ,it's a real feel good experience , people talk about mental health etc and I can understand why this helps

Wondering what to do tomorrow
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Re: Weather question

Postby Caberfeidh » Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:31 am

Bad weather is relative to experience, I guess. Whern I first got the winter climbing bug, I was up Ben Nevis in some cold and windy conditions. I was exhausted, and my friends and I staggered down the hill having had, for us, quite an epic. We passed another party who were ascending, in the dark, to camp at the halfway lochan. I laid it on a bit thick as to why they shouldn't go up there, but they dismissed my gloomy portents of doom and carried on. Ten years or so later, I was much more experienced, and one winter day of bitter cold and wild wind, I trudged up from Etchachan Hut to Loch Etchachan on my way over to the shelter Stone at Loch A'an. A wild-eyed bloke descending tried to block my way, and insisted I should go no further, as the wind would be too much for me. He even said, "I'm not going to let you!" as I explained I was used to the 'Gorms and I'd be ok. He reminded me of me, years before on the Ben. Some people wont leave the house if it looks like rain, or take a day off work because there's a half inch of snow on the road. We could simper in a darkened room for the rest of our lives for fear of something bad happening; we might live to be a hundred years old, maybe nothing bad would happen but nothing good would happen either, and we shuffle off this mortal coil anyway. And the hills look so much more dramatic in stormy weather.
IMG_3201#pR.jpg
Loch Ewe rainstorm
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Re: Weather question

Postby Walkinmyfootsteps » Sun Oct 10, 2021 10:33 pm

I’d suggest wind and rain are your biggest enemies.
I was up Beinn a Bheithir today and the wind at the top was so strong, add to that torrential rain. If you don’t have the right gear you can very quickly come unstuck.
Waterproofs and keep an eye on the Mountain Weather forecast and you’ll both be fine. Enjoy.
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Re: Weather question

Postby Walkinmyfootsteps » Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:32 pm

Sorry I replied to the wrong thread should have been the one with the Gent planning on going walking with his daughter in the snow!
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Re: Weather question

Postby al78 » Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:28 pm

I tend not to walk in wet weather when the clag is down. I don't see the point in expending a lot of energy in uncomfortable conditions (even dressed suitably) getting rained on for hours and hours, just to get a view of the back of my hand. I'd much rather try out some of the local tourist attractions. A walk is something to enjoy, not an endurance test or some test of masculinity as far as I'm concerned
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Re: Weather question

Postby Bastonjock » Thu Oct 14, 2021 7:16 pm

I was planning on bagging my first Corbett today , I've clocked up around 190k over the past 10 days or so ,apart from "bagging " my first trig point yesterday on the Annandale way ( IST stage ) , I was fired up to bag at least a Donald
I checked the forecast and it looked 50/50 ,y feet were playing up a bit so I opted for my old boots ,the new Altbergs were left in the camper
I set out from the grey mares tail carpark in Galloway
IMG_20211014_105516_HDR.jpg

I made it up to lock skeen
IMG_20211014_113814_HDR.jpg

The wind was much higher than forecast ,so I made the decision based on not having a plb ,being solo and no internet to get the latest forecast
The clag was covering the top half of my target ( white Coomb) , so I decided just to sit a while and enjoy the views around loch skeen , I felt it would have been foolish of me to attempt that ascent solo
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