High tops in lakes tomorrow, yay or nay?

Got a day off tomorrow and thinking Cut Gate or Fairfield. Alas there seems to be a dusting of snow in the Lakes which will presumably melt slightly in the sun and then refreeze on the rock… which might make an already spicy descent insane. But then hopefully the snow line isn’t too low, so Alcock Tarn bit might be OK.

Hmmm. Stupidly left it late to look at webcams. Most if them are live, so sad all use this time of night.
Raise Ski seems to have a dusting, which is presumably why they put the damn thing there 🙂
Sk8ddaw seems also white, but can’t see anything closer.

Anyone know more?

Blencathra Webcam

Looks pretty OK?

It was -4 Deg C in Coniston this morning, but nice to be out (albeit not on a bike!) plus the A591 by Thirlmere was shut after 5 car pile up, we detoured elsewhere Ullswater:) also note traffic lights at top of Windermere slowing traffic, but some sun is due… so go for it solid ground conditions and yes snow of high tops, use big tyres:)

A friend was up at Whinlatter today, she posted some stunning pics. Said it was dry and cold, almost no ice at Whinlatter itself. Temperature inversion though so freezing fog in the valleys.

Worth heading up high at this time of year, you usually get the best of the weather while the valleys are cloaked in mist.

https://www.mwis.org.uk/forecasts/english-and-welsh/lake-district for a start.

Says it could be windy on the tops so don’t skimp on the winter gear.

Frozen above 500m.

Clearer in central/east so Fairfield should be a goer.

If you use the windy app you can view webcams and scroll backwards to see what has fallen beforehand.

https://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/ is your friend.

Bit of snow on the very top of Fairfield yesterday. Very cold right now. Will be wearing considerably more than usual for night ride tmrw.

I always ask my mate. He works at Honister Slate. If it’s cold and snowy anywhere, it’s there!

@thegeneralist pics plz (assuming you went out / up).

🙂
One of the nicest days on the bike I’ve had. Really mellow short day with no stress and no getting too knackered. And insane weather. The sun went behind a cloud for ten minutes at about 3pm but apart from that…

Lovely crunchy snow gravel mix on the summit

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All the bits beautifully frozen

And the rare puddles too. Never seen the Lakes so dry in winter

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.https://flic.kr/p/2o4Uc3w

Many thanks fir the info and encouragement 🙂

Nice.

Fab

Wow, looks stunning!

I thought we were getting a ‘Like’ button?

Nice 🙂

Ooh found one of me smiling. That’s rare. Helvellyn behind.

PS, can’t believe Conti and GChick say I carry too big a rucksack. Cheeky ****

😉

I mean, if it was any smaller, I wouldn’t have been able to fit the sleeping bag in. Stands to reason

Yes boss!

Fantastic pictures!

Were you SERIOUSLY carrying a sleeping bag?! I mean it wouldn’t surprise me at all.

WTF have you got in the shopping trolley strapped to your back?

Were you SERIOUSLY carrying a sleeping bag?! I mean it wouldn’t surprise me at all.

Only a little one.

WTF have you got in the shopping trolley strapped to your back?

TBH I’m not sure 🤔. Dave had the repair kit and coffee. Mainly just spare clothes, pump, bothy bag, lots of food, elbow pads, knee pads, waterproofs, camera, and shit loads of lights and batteries
Y’ know, stuff.

But coming back to the sleeping bag thing. I stand by the decision. It was a short ride (3:19 moving) and I wasn’t blowing outa my arse trying to keep up with anyone so I didn’t need to stress about weight/speed. We had lights with us and so had as much time as we needed. It’s not like climbing in the Alps where going slow increases the likelihood of benightment or rockfall, and hence danger.
On the other hand, it was proper Baltical cold and we were expecting some techie riding with a high possibility of hidden ice ( in the end there wasn’t any). Dave did indeed have an OTB, but luckily just sheared his mech hanger rather than himself. But if he’d turned/ broke an ankle…
Even in a Bothy bag I reckon a casualty would be in a bad way after 30 minutes stationary. IIRC the expected average wait time for MRT is 3-4 hours, there is no way someone would live that long in just riding kit and spare clothes.

That was my thinking, but keen to hear others’ thoughts?

A lot of reassurance comes from having a sleeping bag. Doesn’t have to be a massive one in conjunction with a bothy bag. You wouldn’t want to steal everyone’s jackets and improvise insulation in the event, as we’ve all experienced how quickly we get cold once stopped pedalling. Deffo a sensible choice if you can divvy up the remainder of the shared kit.

Amazing photos

Looks stunning!

Carrying a bag, or at least a very thin one, seems a sensible decision to me. If one of you were to get injured, the other would probably have to leave to get help, and would probably need all of their layers on a day like that.

I think I would probably have to convince myself to carry one because I didn’t want the bulk to affect my riding, but compromises are necessary in winter conditions.

TBH I’m not sure 🤔. Dave had the repair kit and coffee. Mainly just spare clothes, pump, bothy bag, lots of food, elbow pads, knee pads, waterproofs, camera, and shit loads of lights and batteries
Y’ know, stuff.

Coffee? that can wait.

spare clothes? For the tea dance afterwards? Hat, spare dry gloves, extra buff…

If you think you need elbow and knee pads; put them on?

Waterproofs? Whats that’s blue jacket you’re wearing? what did the forecast say?

Camera = Phone, surely?

Lights and batteries? – my battery/lights are 3 hours and the size of an apple; goes in the smallest dry bag you can buy, what are you carrying? stadium lights?

I’m only taking the Micheal a bit, but there’s preparedness and then there’s kitchen sink levels of doom planning. How much did all that shit weigh anyway?

That was my thinking, but keen to hear others’ thoughts?

It’s a personal choice, but I’d rather carry a Primaloft jacket or similar rather than a sleeping bag – I suspect you had one of those as well? It’ll keep you alive – if not comfortable – in a bothy / survival bag / shelter and you can actually move in it if necessary, so walk out if your bike is terminally broken, ride in it if the weather goes ballistic or keep you warm while you’re fixing something that’s not quite terminal.

It’s a judgement call though and if you’re happy carrying a sleeping bag and don’t mind humping a humungous pack around then all good. Personally I carry a minimalist survival bag, a very light, but still warm Primaloft etc and I feel that’s a reasonable compromise between being prepared for a mishap and still keeping my load manageable. It depends on conditions and jusdgement though, I’ve carried micro-crampons on a bike in deep winter conditions before now, which plenty of people would think excessive.

But basically, whatever works for you would be my take, particularly if not carrying a sleeping bag would leave you feeling somehow exposed?

Btw, did your mate have a sleeping bag too or were you going to share? 😉

I thought we were getting a ‘Like’ button?

Next year!

We can debate whether a insulated jacket or sleeping bag is better. But I think the key point is anticipating that you might have to stop for something that is not that serious or unlikely. I once leant thermal leggings to some one on a day that wasn’t that cold. He was sat by the trail with fairly shallow cut about 10 inches long, vertically across his knee. He wasn’t bleeding or in any real danger medically. But I could see why he didn’t want to bend it walking or riding out. His mate has gone for help. He was wearing shorts and even in a mid day cooling rapidly. A friend broke some bones soloing on crag on his own. He thinks he only avoided hyperthermia by crawling for 2 miles in total darkness with no light to get help

Great photos from the ride

Btw, did your mate have a sleeping bag too or were you going to share? 😉

presumably the bags for the casualty?

Nice snow on Claife and in Grizedale today. Quite deep on the Parkamoor bridleway. Good fun.

Btw, did your mate have a sleeping bag too or were you going to share? 😉

presumably the bags for the casualty?

This.

A fair few rides this year have been places without phone signal so the expectation is that one of us would be wrapped in the bag for 4 hours, alone up a hill whilst the other went for help.
TBH if either of us had an injury bad enough to immobilise us then we’d have been well dead within that time, sleeping bag or no.