Starting out?

Hi all,

I was looking at hiking and wild camping around Easedale Tarn and Three Tarns in the Lake District, over Mon to Wed/Thurs.

I've just had a look at the MWIS weather forecast and for Monday it is predicting 30-40mph winds with gusts of 55mph - easing through the day though.

I don't have any experience of wind speed so I just wondered if anyone with more experience knew whether these conditions are worth camping in? Or are they fairly bad? Should I wait till Tuesday when it seems to ease to 20mph although heavy rain comes later in the week. (Great British weather eh!)

Thanks for any help

Stu

It depends how high you're camping. MWIS tends to give wind speeds for the tops, usually you'll find it far more comfortable lower down.

Regardless, if it does reach 55mph, if you have a solid enough tent it shouldn't be a big issue other than the fact it will be uncomfortable to sleep in. Take earplugs for your own sanity!

If you can also find an impromptu windbreak (trees, big boulders, walls, ruins, hills) it  helps no end.

David

Hi and thanks for the advice, I was planning on camping about 400-500m - but if there are no natural wind barriers I can always look at moving further down I guess - the earplug tip sounds like a good one - my tent is fairly low profile but doesn't really have enough guy lines so can get a bit flappy!

Thanks

Stu

I've camped in 60+mph....tucked in behind a boulder and had a really quiet night...also camped in 20mph (when i started) right in the centre of a col....which accelerates the wind...and thought I was going to blow away....

I dont camp in the centre of cols anymore.....

what make of tent do you have?

i've been out bivvying and camping in the lakes for decades now, and never had a problem, although i do tend to pitch just off the summit for a bit of protection.  the akto i have has coped with gusts of over 80mph, so at around 55 you should be fine if you've found something to pitch behind/under/round the back of.

It's a Gelert Solo - not amazing but can't complain for the price! Not sure it would be up to the 50mph winds as it only cost £25, compared to the usual ~£200 for a good solo tent.

The MWIS have revised the forecast and it is now much better in the Lakes, up to 25mph winds and gusts of 40mph on Monday - with it improving in the afternoon any way. Tuesday is calm.

The forecast looks much less off-putting now at least, good to know that camping is possible at Gale force winds though! Not too sure I want to find out for myself though!

Stu

Have camped high in very strong winds and trashed many a tent(Haglofs  tent/Crux Bomb full geo/),but this was thru foolishness and not seeking enough shelter or there simply wasnt enough.

Winds were forcasted at 70mph but the last true reading we got was 112mph gusts .

All i can say is check a few more weather stations and see if they all tally up and make a good judgement on that.

Camp low till weather is meant to get better then judge again .

The wind can be much higher on the tops. As air is forced between the geographical upwelling of the mountain it only has a finite space within which to sit as it is confined by the troposhere - therefore travelling faster than on the sea level forecast. (as much as 2 - 3 times) however MWIS should is mountain specific - IMHO MWIS often over eggs the wind speed, but what do I now

Better to go with safe rather than sorry.

 Sometimes if you go to other side of col/top, ( leeward ), you can find a "dead" spot where the wind is 'blowing' above you. So you're in a relatively wind free spot.

 To do with aerodynamics and the way wind travels over surfaces. Don't ask me to explain, not my area, but I do know that it can work! By 'trapising' around place I'm thinking of camping I have found "sweet" spots where there is no or almost no wind battering tent, even in 60mph+ winds. h