The Weather

The weather will play a huge part indetermining whether your day is a success or failure. Understanding the Lake District's micro climate, and how it can effect walking conditions, is vital.

The Lake District has its own micro-climate. It's position on the North West corner of England, coupled with the Cumbrian mountain range and the proximity ot the Pennines leads to a climate that is both wetter and milder than the remainder of the country. It is one of the few areas of England were extremes of weather are common. You can literally experince 4 seasons in one day. (On the 5th June 1975 there was an early morning frost which softened as cloud cover approached from the west. It then started to snow. In the Langdale Valley 3 ins were deposited in less than an hour. The snow was accompanied by a stong wind, and thunder and lightning. By noon the sky had cleared and the sun was out. The wind switched to the south, and dropped. At 4 pm the temperature outside the hotel was 78 degrees!).

For this reason the televised weather forecast that comes on after the news is seldom accurate enough to trust, especially if you are intending to take to the high fells. Instead, there is a dedicated weather service for the Lake District fells, called Weatherline. You can get an accurate forecast by calling 017687 75757 or clicking the link to the left.

For the ill-equipped bad weather can be both unpleasant and extremely dangerous. The golden rules are simple.

• Plan for worse weather than forecast.
• Remember that the weather can change rapidly. Be prepared to modify your walk if conditions worsen.
• It is always the case that the weather is worse the higher up you go.Wind speeds are always higher, and the threat of mist always greater.
• North facing slopes retain snow long after it has been forgotten elsewhere.
• Temperatures decrease by approximately 1°C per 300 feet of ascent.
• The rate of cooling alters, depending upon the conditions, wind speed and direction.

Even on sunny days you should be prepared for poor weather. It may be cracking the pavement in the valley, but on top of a mountain it is likely to be at least 10 degrees colder, and when wind chill is taken into account the drop in temperature that you feel could be as high as 15 degrees. Add layers of clothing to counter this temperature drop as you climb. If you get cold you’ll use up more energy trying to stay warm and subsequently will find it harder to make progress.

Rain and cloud bring more dangers. A sudden shower in the valley is of nuisance value, but at 2,000 feet you will be in the cloud, with thick mist and visibility down to a few yards. It will still be raining, and the wind can be five times as strong as before the rain.

In autumn and spring snow sometimes replaces the rain higher up, but the worst conditions can occur when the temperature of the rocks is at zero and the rain freezes upon hitting the ground. This is not uncommon on the higher fells. A dusting of new snow may be found on the tops anytime from October until May. Ice on a path, or snow on steep grass, can make progress very difficult.

Thunder and Lightning

Unfortunately, global warming has led to an increase in thunderstorms in the Lake District. These can occur at any time of the year, although they are obviously more common in the summer. If you get caught it is difficult to protect against lightning. Avoiding summits, ridges, trees and wet caves, where it is most likely to strike, are obvious solutions. It is thought that it is probably safest to sit the storm out by staying on open ground but there are no guarantees. In reality, this is one situation where you need to trust to luck.

Walking in winter

In their winter best the mountains of the Lake District are at their most attractive - and dangerous. The delight of walking the fells on a crisp, clear, winters day will live in the memory for ever. But the risks are greater. The more obvious ones are colder, wetter and windier weather, shorter daylight hours and snow and ice underfoot. All of these call for greater preparation, and, in the case of snow or ice, better quality equipment and the skills to use it properly.
One of the problems with winter walking is that conditions can be deceptive. Blue sky and sunshine also means cold, leading to sheet ice. Conversely the temperature in dull, wet conditions may be well above freezing, but the accompanying mist and cold rain will sap energy and make the walk more difficult.
If you are really keen to experience the thrill of walking the fells in winter then you are advised to do so with caution. Start gently, learn from others with greater experience, read books on the subject and subscribe to the better walking magazines.