Thoughts on the weather....

Pegasus

Administrator
Staff member
wl
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
Public transport all cancelled in the hope valley (both trains and busses). Caving Waifs and strays were 'evacuated' by car, but useful for the car drivers in potential need for pushers.

Drifts on most of the roads are proving hazardous and i think conditions will be bad tonight when the temperature stays below zero but car traffic reduces. Will be icy!
 

pwhole

Well-known member
I reluctantly decided to stay at home today for safety reasons - work was cancelled at the last-minute, but the weather killed any possibility of some caving, sadly. It's deep even in Sheffield centre. Ironically I spent most of yesterday working inside an icing-sugar-silo. It was snowing outside, so you can imagine the situation when we came out for lunch.
 

2xw

Active member
Drove back from Sheffield to York around 10pm last night. 15mph on the M1 and couldn't see the sides of the road, never mind in front
 

royfellows

Well-known member
Clear so far nr Cannock here. The A34 'car park' outside my home will start to fill up about 07.30 in the morning, just like last time.
I can do body rolls learned from my martial arts, but have yet to try it in a car
:LOL:
 

AR

Well-known member
Some of the roads round here were dug through earlier today, only to have the drifts reform. Like the last round, all the snow is getting scoured off the fields.
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
We had to dig out all the snowdrifts on the Orpheus track yesterday to get 5 cars out sharing 3 pairs of snow chains between them. The main road was officially shut at times as well (according to the web, never saw signs because we started in the middle). Saturday night driving back to the hut through the blowing drifting snow was the worst visibility I've ever had driving; had to stop completely at times because I couldn't see the road... Heading SW out of Buxton yesterday night all the major roads were she and I had to use a B road (often snow covered) between the A53(4?) and A515. Winter tyres and snow chains once again saving the day (snow chains only for the track).
 

Jenny P

Active member
Relieved to hear you made it to Orpheus and back out again at the weekend.  The track does get a bit epic if it snows but I did send a "Winter Weather" warning about parking cars at the top of the hill rather than down at the Cottage - maybe you didn't get this in time for the w/e.

We did once have a group stuck for 3 days one w/e because they got to the main road, after an epic dig and push up the track, only to find the main road was closed.  It didn't open until the local farmer dug it out with his JCB before the snow plough got round to it.  Still, they holed up back at the Cottage and finally got home on Tuesday evening.

That B road (the Longnor road from Brierlow Bar and then turn left through Earl Sterndale to come out at Parsley Hay) is a good alternative to the higher A515 in snowy conditions.  It's much more sheltered and runs down a valley once you are past the High Wheeldon to High Needham section so it's often passable when the main road is closed.

 

alastairgott

Well-known member
I might 'invest' in some snow chains, this winter I've had to drive 10-15 miles out of the way (twice) because I have not been able to go up winnatts or Bradwell.
At ?0.45 per mile, I think it might prove a wise investment in the future (not to mention the times I've gone via Bradwell instead of winnatts but mainly cos the coop is open later).
 

Goydenman

Well-known member
Alastair I saw someone using snow socks for tyres the other day...worked well.....I'm thinking of getting some
 

Pete K

Well-known member
I used to have a Mk7 rwd Transit and it was absolutely awful on the snow. When I stuck snow chains on though it would go anywhere! Now I have a new fwd van and about 15 years more winter driving experience, I have not had to put the chains on in these conditions again.
That said, it's nice to know they are there.
Winter tyres and appropriate driving style most useful. Chains in the boot as a backup.
 

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
A beasting from the beast yesterday walking up to this entrance on Ingleborough.  A pleasure to get underground though and a great trip to the bottom.  Recognise the snowy entrance anyone?

wl
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
A guy behind me yesterday morning in a BMW coming down to foxhouses from Sheffield must have braked, as I looked in my rear view and saw him swerve across the road. luckily he wasn't tailgating and the road was clear!
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
Engine Braking, early anticipation of needing to slow down and very light use of the brakes are your friends in these conditions.

But traction uphill is the problem, that's where I failed both at foxhouses on my errand to Sheffield and at bradwell (I never even tried winnatts, took one look and ran away).
2wd and normal tyres uphill are not your friends.
 
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