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Webcam view down Borrowdale valley
Current view up Borrowdale
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Lake District Weather

Planning a climbing day out in the Lakes can be a frustrating (not to mention money-wasting) experience if you fail to "sync" with the weather. Here are some of the best sources of information.
Route Reports: Climbing reports submitted by climbers - small pinches of salt required
UK Climbing
The Winter Forum has some useful stuff, and quite a few reports. They also have a Winter Conditions page.
FRCC
A flurry of new routes reports on the FRCC website should give you an idea of conditions.
Ann Bowker
Not exactly climbing reports, but Ann goes for a walk in the Lakes most days and takes photos which then appear on her website Today's Photos page - very useful to see what things are looking like.
Paddy Cave Lakes based outdoor ed instructor has a Lakes Winter Conditions Blog.
Tony Richards
Tony has a similar site to Ann Bowker.
The Hileys
As do the Hileys at Loweswater.
Andrew Leaney
... And Andrew Leaney's Lakeland Fells site.
Zac Poulton Lakes based winter instructor who works a lot in Scotland - has his own blog.
For more winter climbs sites see our Scottish Winter Conditions page.
Weather Forecasts: Large pinches of salt required
Lake District National Park Weatherline
24 hour forecast - ring 0870 0550575 at 6p/minute, or click the link for free. In an attempt to stop damage to extremely rare plant life, in winter the National Park also do a fell top assessment of conditions in the Helvellyn area and post on the website if they are too poor to justify climbing.
The Met Office
Five day regional forecasts and lots more.
BBC
10 day regional forecasts and monthly outlook.
Accu Weather
25 day regional forecasts.
Weather Online
Useful long range national forecasts (and annoying pop-up windows!)
Met Check
Three day regional forecasts.
MWIS
The Mountain Weather Information Service (aka Geoff Monk) gives detailed forecasts three day forecasts for mountain areas in PDF format - generally accurate.
YR.NO
Joint online weather service from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and widely reckoned to be the most accurate available, with incredible detail.
ECMWF
The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts is has proved spookily accurate over recent years. To get to predicted synoptic charts go to Deterministic Forecast, click on the coloured chart, and then select one of the two links on the left under Parameters.
The Weather Outlook
Long term predictions.
Snow Forecast
Three day snow forecasts for the UK and elsewhere - more if you sign up.
Keswick Weather Weather reports from Keswick courtesey of Barry Colam.
Midge Forecast
For Scotland only - but very useful if you are heading north (though perhaps more predictable than the weather!).
Webcams: See what's what!
Ullswater
Ullswater Lake, looking towards Place Fell.
Raise
Keswick Ski Club have a camera on their run on the east flank of Raise, just north of Helvellyn.
Grasmere Pogu Pete's Grassmere webcam.
Skiddaw
Courtesy of George Fishers but beware - what happens on Skiddaw does not necessarily mean the same happens in Borrowdale!
The webcam at the Highfield Hotel and award winning Restaurant in Keswick shows the view from the front of the hotel looking down Borrowdale valley over Derwentwater with Cat Bells on the far right, then Great End, and Glaramara in the centre. Beyond Great End, but out of sight lies Scafell Pike and Scafell so this cam gives an excellent idea of weather conditions over the Central Fells. The image is renewed every minute - please refresh your browser at regular intervals to see the new picture. We are most grateful to the Highfield Hotel for allowing us to reproduce this image.
 

Webcam view down Borrowdale valley
Derwentwater Derwentwater and lower Borrowdale as seen from Derwentwater Marina.
Bassenthwaite Looking up Bassenthwaite towards Keswick from Armathwaite Hall.
Langdale A view of Pavey Ark from the Stickle Barn .
Windermere National Park webcam.
Coniston The Old Man of Coniston, from the town.
Eskdale The camera looks out over Eskdale Green from Forest How Guest house. The view is of Randle How , the Miterdale Valley and Whinrigg and Scafell can be seen in the background on a clear day.
Other Useful Sites:
LDSAMRA
The Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association is the umbrella body for the 13 mountain rescue teams in Cumbria (UK), and gives links to all those with websites. The Wasdale MRT site has useful information on the state of Lord's Rake.
FRCC
The Fell & Rock Climbing Club of the English Lake District produces a full set of Climbing Guidebooks for the Lakes. Its website features information on Bird Restrictions and Recent Developments (New Routes).
Carlisle MC
Carlisle based climbing club (North Cumbria).
Eden Valley MC
Penrith based climbing club (North Lakes).
Keswick MC
Keswick based climbing club (North Lakes).
Kendal MC Kendal based climbing club (South Lakes).
Barrow Mountaineering & Ski Club Barrow in Furness based climbing and ski-ing club (South Lakes).
Cumbria Bolt Fund Donate here to help re-equip the area's sport climbs.
Lakes Bloc
Lake District Bouldering
LDNPA
The Lake District National Park Authority website is a fund of useful information...
GoLakes
.. as is the Cumbria Tourist Board website.
Have you found a site not listed here that gives good Lake District climbing information? If so please let us know about it - email us at info@needlesports.com - thankyou!

Tourist: "Doesn't it ever do anything but rain here in the Lake District?"

Local: "Aye......... Sometimes it snaws."
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