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:
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 - it gives summit forecasts which are very useful |
| 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. |
| Mountain Forecast |
Mountain Forecast gives individual mountain forecasts for 6 days for many areas of the world including the Lake District. |
| Windy.com |
Worldwide detailed longterm forecast of wind, rain, snow, temperature with amazing graphics. |
| Weather 2 |
Weather 2 has some useful satellite photos and weather charts as well as providing 14 day forecasts |
| ECMWF |
The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts is has proved spookily accurate over recent years |
| The Weather Outlook |
Long term predictions |
| Snow Forecast |
Three day snow forecasts for the UK and elsewhere - more if you sign up |
| Lake District Weather |
Live actual weather reports from Portinscale near Keswick |
| 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!
| Braithwaite |
The webcam at the Fernhowe Guest House in Braithwaite near Keswick shows ten different views which it cycles through, displaying each for 10 seconds. It zooms in on key points like Skiddaw, Cat Bells, Barrow, Walla Crag etc. |
| Derwentwater |
Derwentwater and lower Borrowdale as seen from Derwentwater Marina |
| Langstrath |
View up towards Eagle Crag, Borrowdale from the Langstrath Hotel |
| Skiddaw |
Courtesy of George Fishers but beware - what happens on Skiddaw does not necessarily mean the same happens in Borrowdale! |
| Bassenthwaite |
Looking up Bassenthwaite towards Keswick from Armathwaite Hall |
| Raise |
Keswick Ski Club have a camera on their run on the east flank of Raise, just north of Helvellyn |
| Ullswater |
Ullswater Lake, looking towards Place Fell |
| Little Langdale |
View from the Three Shires Inn |
| Cumbria Webcams |
More Cumbria webcams |
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 – thank you!
Tourist: "Doesn't it ever do anything but rain here in the Lake District?"
Local: "Aye......... Sometimes it snaws."
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