UKC

How cold (lowest temp) will it get in the peak over the next couple of weeks? and does anybody have any tips for camping out in the peak in winter? apart from to not do it lol.

cheers

In reply to Liam Copley: My estimate would be at the min, it'd be -10. But of course it depends on how high you camp, where, and it might be exceptionally cold, but i think it's staying quite warm for the next week at least, or so the forecasts say.

In reply to Liam Copley:

Long term forecasts aren't great for answering this.

Your best option would be to look at historical records for weather stations in and around the Peak (where these might be I shall leave to you to discover as I don't know).

Camping tips, err, well, use a decent thermarest and have at least a four season sleeping bag (or one thats rated for the average minimum temp that you discover from the above).

In reply to slacky: ok thanks for the tips.

In reply to Liam Copley:

Actually thinking about it going for the average (and I actually meant mean as opposed to mode or median) would probably be a bad idea should there be a very cold snap.

Median might be more appropriate, but best option would be to look at the standard deviation and get a sleeping bag thats rated for at least two standard deviations below the mean (or more accurately mean - 1.96 x SD) as this will keep you warm enough for all but 2.5% of the coldest nights based on historical records.

In reply to slacky: right ok, well if i was going to be sleeping out it would only be for 2/3 nights.

In reply to Liam Copley:

I'm pulling your leg, just get a sleeping bag thats rated for the coldest you expect it to be. Silk liners are also a cheap and easy way of adding warmth to your sleeping bag, but don't rely on them alone.

Have you found your hat yet?

In reply to Liam Copley:

I used to camp in the Peak near Froggatt in January. The campsite is officially closed but it's owner lets me stay for nought - no facillities though! Except water.

1. I reckon it used to drop to about -5 but these days, that'll be a rare occurance. It'll be cold enough to put a skin of ice on a water trough - not cold enough to freeze the whole thing.

2. Gas stoves are a pain in the cold - get a petrol one.

3. Top tip - a sleeping bag only insulates you. For it to feel warm, you have to be warm to start off with. You can make a slow release hot water bottle by filling a thermos flask with hot water, stick it in a sock then put it in your sleeping bag. That'll keep you nice and snug all night.

4. And it the morning, it'll still be warm enough to get that first cuppa going so much sooner.

5. Wear socks and a hat.

And have fun!

In reply to Chris Tan Ver. LI - On the Bog: right, thanks for that chris,

and nope i havn't found my hat yet lol (slacky)

In reply to Chris Tan Ver. LI - On the Bog:

Not if its a propane/butane mix, worked fine down to -25C on my last exped, and certainly a lot more convenient than petrol!

In reply to Al Evans:

Pooop! Pooop! Pooop! Pooop! Pooop! Pooop! Versus ROOOOOOAAAR!

No contest.

In reply to Liam Copley:

When/ where are you going. And i reckon it doesn't usually get to anything below -2 degrees. Don't forget a sleeping mat.

Dan

In reply to Liam Copley:
Well North Lees campsite is well renowned for being the coldest place on earth, makes Norway look tropical. You are going to get cold
Use a decent thermarest, or several foam mats as you'll lose a lot of heat through the base of your sleeping bag (you could use a bouldering mat).
I don't know how much difference it actually makes but my coffin sized cheap eurohike tent certainly feels a lot warmer than my good 3 man tent, so go fast and light (or take several friends).

In reply to Liam Copley:
Take LOADS of clothes being cold is horrible!

In reply to james oswald:

top tip number 1:

Have an empty bottle in your tent so you dont have to open the tent at night to go for a pee.

Top tip number 2:

Always have water to make an early morning brew before having to get out of your sleeping bag

Top Tip number 3:

Dont confuse the bottles

In reply to Al Evans:

Agreed. Another tip if you have a flexible hose from the cylinder to the burner is to balance the cylinder on top of the pan. This heats the gas in the cylinder up making it a lot more efficient. Care needed though not to overheat and risk an explosion!

In reply to idiotproof:
Hehe

In reply to Liam Copley: why r u camping in the peak??
where are you from?
nowhere to stay??

In reply to james oswald:

Serious point though.

I camped in the peak in winter, must have dropped to at least minus 5 and all I had was an argos special rectangular sleeping bag...... went to bed at midnight, wasn't warm but managed to sleep until about 3.30am when I woke, needed a pee and didn't have anything in the tent.

Got up, got out, emptied bladder, got back in, shivered for 2 hours, got up tired and miserable.

(as a side point what followed was possibly the best climbing day I have ever had, ideal grit conditions)

In reply to Liam Copley:
And make sure you take enough batteries for your torch - you don't want to be stuck in darkness looking for the pee bottle!
James

In reply to james oswald:

Torches are ok but fat candles or tea lights give a bit of heat as well as light stuck on top of a tin of something, so long as you are careful. Sardines or short fat tin will not knock over so easily.

Put spare clothing on top of your sleeping mat as insulation under your sleeping bag for extra warmth.

Have a hot brew going to bed, it will give you warmth inside and get you off to sleep quicker.

Old comfort bottles are great for night pees, they take most mens willies, and you will not confuse it with the drinking bottles.

have a routine in the tent so you know where everything is you need in the dark, torch at side of you in side pocket, spare pegs on one side by the door, shoes to slip on similar.

In reply to BlakeyDerbyshire: hmm, i am camping becuase its cheap, and it costs a tenner just for the train when i want to go on the grit, and its annoying, so i am just going to stay a few days so i can climb loads

In reply to Liam Copley:

It will be the same temp (more or less) as Scunthorpe - minus 1 degree Celcius for every 100m height gained.


Chris

In reply to idiotproof:

I can it in very well, like, amazingly well



I dont drink tea, or hot drinks really

I have a phobia of bottles. Well, i dont but at least i got to write something for the last tip

Oh, and i think my mum has got me a rab down jacket for christmas, so that should help

In reply to Liam Copley:

Most important is good insulation from the ground, you need a good thick full length mat. I take a thermarest and a karrimat and use both if weight is not an issue.

A warm sleeping bag is also good. You can improve your sleeping bag with a liner and you can always wear socks and hats and thermals if you need to. If possible keep a dry set to sleep in.

Make sure you have got some where you can get water from if outdoor tap freezes.

Make sure you have got LOTS of warm clothes. Keep warm during the day so you don't feel cold going to bed.

Take a small tent rather than a big one if you can, it will be warmer.

If you can camp somewhere where you are allowed a fire that would be pleasant.

Don't drink lots of alcohol, it takes the heat away from your core to your skin and can be a factor in hypothermia (not to mention that if you are too p***ed you might forget to get into your sleeping bag.

If you have a platypus or sigg bottle you can put warm water in it as a hot water bottle. Be careful not to burn yourself.

Make sure you have a hot meal in the evening it warms you from inside. Hot drinks are good too even if you don't normally drink them.

Have a good time

In reply to marsbar: right, ok, thanks for that. i only have a gast stove, which might be a problem. I plan on just poping down to hathersage to get supplies/food, as well as having supplies/food already with me but i mean like.. hot sausage rolls lol

In reply to Liam Copley: Is it the coleman type gas (grey bottles) that will be fine. If its the blue camping gaz it might not be so good if it gets below 0 deg

In reply to Liam Copley:

Stick the canister in your sleeping bag if you fancy a hot drink in the morning, if it's very cold over night.

In reply to Liam Copley:

Dunno about winter particularly, but as well as having a insulating mat to sleep on you might want to bung a couple of layers of floor underlay like this stuff under your tent.

http://www.realoakfloors.co.uk/white_foam_underlay.php

It's cheap, keeps the damp off your groundsheet, and might just make that extra bit of comfort...

In reply to Liam Copley: Did you go? Was it good?

In reply to marsbar: Nope, stuff that man! lol