Winter BG

[Custard Power]

Hello Bob,
If you'd like to add further winter rounds to update your website myself Garry Beardwood, Simon Waller and Paul Jackson all completed the BG on the 16.02.08 in the following times:-

Simon Waller 22.47
Garry Beradwood 23.00
Paul Jackson 23.53

Thanks to a cracking support team:-

Matt Noble (Road Support)
Joe Faulkner
Louise Wilkinson
Ian Barnes
Tim Murray
Russell Cannon
Dave White
Eric Draper
Dave Till
Alan Miller
Gavin Thomas
Matt Berrisford
Sean?
Chris Robinson
Shaun Addison
Ian Mitchell

[Bob]

Thanks for that Garry, good effort, I don't believe any of you had done a summer round before - can't find your names in the current list anyway. Which way round did you go? Did you all set off together?

[Custard Power]

That's correct Bob none us have done the round before. We all started together at Midnight on Friday 15th Feb going clockwise. We kept together until Wasdale.

[little binnian]

Good effort on a very sunny day in the lakes. However, as it was outside the two week time window either side of the shortest day for a winter round, perhaps better described as an early spring round.

[Custard Power]

I we were blessed with good weather although abit nippy at night. Not to sure about winter only being 4 weeks though!

[Aardvark]

Not wanting to start a debate I consider this a winter round. Not only beacuse it was done in winter but there is no actual definition of a winter round.
The 2 weeks either side of the shortest day is the idea of those originally trying it, Martin Stone etc.
Other rounds done in Feb (e.g. Mike Robinson) were definateley in winter conditions.
Winter is winter.

win·ter (win′tər)
noun

1. 1. the coldest season of the year: in the North Temperate Zone, generally regarded as including the months of December, January, and February: in the astronomical year, that period between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox.

[Baggins]

Good effort on a very sunny day in the lakes. However, as it was outside the two week time window either side of the shortest day for a winter round, perhaps better described as an early spring round.

Don't agree that winter only lasts four weeks, plus at that time of year very little chance of snow on the ground more chance in Jan or Feb.


Bob do you know how many people have done a "real winter round" ie under winter conditions not just a shorter day.

[Bob]

Other than John Fleetwood's round which I helped out with (basically dry with some ice) I don't know of the conditions underfoot of any of the winter rounds. Custard Powder could help us out with the recent ones.

As you say, defining what is winter condition is not easy: photos from the Lakes yesterday show much more winter like scene than pictures taken around new year. Even requiring snow cover doesn't make things easier as that could be anything from a dusting that makes things look white to metre deep cover. I've known snow conditions in the Lakes where it has been easier to move along than in summer.

My feeling is that any round in December, January and at least the first half of February should be considered as a winter round. Leave the reporting of actual conditions to the contenders. Certainly the amount of daylight now is significantly longer than at the solstice, it was light before 6am this morning and it there will be usable light until around 6:30pm

Bob

[Custard Power]

I seem to have opened a real can of worms! First of all I agree with you both. There are more chances of winter conditions quiet a few weeks after the shortest day but I think we're looking at two completely seperate subjects- hours of day light and weather conditions.

My conclusion is that it would be very difficult to create a criteria of what constitutes winter conditions, but as Advark quotes "Winter is winter, December, January, and February".

In all honesty if you did it on the shortest day with a clear night and full moon you would be amazed how much light there was! We experienced this when recceing leg 2 just before Christmas on a 3/4 moon.

We set our attempt date thinking we would stand less chance of getting mild conditions in Feb as the winters seem to be getting later. I had also written to Brian Covell of the 24hr BG club for his opinion on the matter. He said this was a question he was being asked more frequently of late but that the club had no defined dates and it would be raised at the next committe meeting. However he did say exactly what Aardvark quoted, and that if we attempted the round in Dec, Jan or Feb it would be winter.

The conditions setting off from Moot Hall at midnight Friday the 15th were dry and the temperature was approx -4 Deg C with clear sky. On the tops the temperature remained around -7 Deg C up until 07.00. Under foot was hard with ice over bogs on Leg 1. At Threlkeld (03.54) there was black ice on the road which I managed to fall on! Also at Dumail Raise it was still quite cold, Matt our road support had to light a fire under the butane bottle to get it going!

I remember the ground was still white with frost on High Raise at 10:12 with clear blue sky and amazing views if you dared to look up! The remainder of the day was sunny and clear but we didn't book this in advance!!!!! It was dark again when we started to climb Great Gable approx 18.30. When we reached keswick the the temperature was around -3 Deg C and felt a damn sight colder once I'd stopped (until I got in the pub!)

I hope this has helped!
Garry

[Nee Bother]

Very well done chaps, sounds like winter to me

Good to read last little report, brought back some nice memories of my recce's last year. Thanks