July is meant to be summer right? Isn't summer meant to be sunny? Well yes but not so far this time. And so far July is looking like a washout. Here are some tips that will keep you safe but will not affect your enjoyment of your adventure...
Check the weather... It is better to go on a sunnier, warmer or clearer day not only for your own enjoyment but for the safety of you and anyone else you are hiking with. This is probably a no-brainer to most of us.
| Keep to main paths when it is wet or you are in cloud... This will mean that you are on the safest possible spot on the mountain and are away from slippery boulders and steep rock faces (a possibly deadly combination). If you are in cloud you must keep to the path and if navigation begins to get hard turn back. It is also a good idea to keep off of ridges for the same reason. If there is over a 50% chance of rain or cloud engulfed peaks its probably a good idea not to go hiking on less well trodden paths as British weather is famously changeable |  5 minutes before it was clear, 5 minutes after the picture was taken it was engulfed in cloud. |
Be prepared for 4000ft Peaks... The higher the peak, the colder it is and in bad, cold weather it can get dangerous. If there is snow on the ground and the temperatures fall below 0°C around a week before your hike then you may encounter ice. Investing in ice grips (which should be cheaper at this time of year) will help and speed you up a lot. If you are new to hiking you may want to keep off of ice capped peaks.
Camping, maybe not... Camping is a summer activity and since we aren't exactly experiencing (good) summer weather at the moment you may want to think twice about camping on peaks. If you do decide to go camping still be sure to choose a sheltered position or maybe even a cave for an extra aspect of adventure. It may also be a good idea to pack warmer camping gear and make sure that your sleeping bag will keep you warm when the temperature drops below 5°C (most will).
As long as you follow these tips, use your common sense and are alert you should stay as safe as ever and enjoy your hike as much as every other one. Have fun!
Camping, maybe not... Camping is a summer activity and since we aren't exactly experiencing (good) summer weather at the moment you may want to think twice about camping on peaks. If you do decide to go camping still be sure to choose a sheltered position or maybe even a cave for an extra aspect of adventure. It may also be a good idea to pack warmer camping gear and make sure that your sleeping bag will keep you warm when the temperature drops below 5°C (most will).
As long as you follow these tips, use your common sense and are alert you should stay as safe as ever and enjoy your hike as much as every other one. Have fun!
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