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i am shafted - stuck with 8ft drifts across the road!
Just going out for a ride* now so I'll see what I can contribute later on today.
* I say "ride" it might possibly end up being "walk with bike"
Climbed Brough Lane onto Bradwell Edge yesterday with my eldest, we estimated drifts across the lane at 8ft+ had to tunnel/crawl onto them, then commando crawl on the top to get past. Awesome fun. 😀
We also built this, at 7ft he's a big lad:
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That's incredible. We don't have any down here. Although I am kind of hoping it stays that way as I have to go to Bristol ever day this week and the OH has just gone down to work in Devon for 3 weeks with the winter tyres on her car.
Wow, far more than i thought there was 😯
Nothing here in Londonshire well a little icing sugar sprinkling, hopefully it'll stay away from the SE- they say there may be more this weekend!
Winnats Pass:
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😯 at Winnats Pass!
I was tempted to head over there but the wind was horrendous, could barely move against it and given that it took me an hour to do about 5 miles I was going to run out of daytime!
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Not all the lanes and tracks were like this.
No, some were worse.
What snow?
What snow?
Ah I forgot you're from the North East...
I suppose this sort of weather is where the Geordies begin to think about putting a jumper on. 😉
No it's -15c yet so not time to think of a jumper.
We haven't got any at all it's even stopped trying.
S'nowclear warfare innit?
Very, very good fun out there today...
This chap has snow tyres on so decided to ignore the road closed signs and got stuck in this drift!
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That neon looks awesome in the snow.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27696606@N03/8585224233/in/photostream
Not too much snow, but we have our own issues today here in Surrey - frozen bikes.
Well this one was a few weeks back but it's still neon and snow [img] 
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And back to today...
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Lane down into the valley from our house
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Fortunately up the lane is better protected so isn't too bad, only took about an hour to clear the drift. Down would be about 3 hours with a digger. Seems to have warmed up enough to stop drifting around now though.
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Right, image finally uploaded. This is ice, not mud. Fell off in big sheets after an application of warm water.
Last night's night ride. This is normally a narrow singletrack, you couldn't see the track, and the drifts were up to about 4-5 foot in the bad bits. 2 hours to do 6 miles.
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Went for a ride round Meanwood woods in Leeds today doing loads of drifting in the snow down steep banks and it was bloody awesome. I love biking in the snow. Puts a big smile on your face
Wholestone Moor. Bleak.
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But fun
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Drifts
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Blizzard conditions
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Like I said, drifts
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Snow cave
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We use to love making snow caves as kids, not had big enough drifts to show my kids how to do them.
4 gears out of 20 working, SPDs were ice cubes. Yesterday this bike was new. Today, it's mine. The coating is leaf mulch and muck bound together by snow and ice. I left it for 6 hours to thaw and it was unchanged to I checked hot water on it.
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Besides the main road
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8514/8586960680_860c502c88.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/92344606@N02/8586960680/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/92344606@N02/ ]S1mmy1[/url], on Flickr
Tractor clearing it
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8231/8585860825_88d8a95e4d.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/92344606@N02/8585860825/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/92344606@N02/ ]S1mmy1[/url], on Flickr
Are snow caves not really dangerous?
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Are snow caves not really dangerous?
Is riding a bike at speed down a hill not really dangerous?
Just down the road from my house. Blocked most of Friday and Saturday. Have to drive though the road closed signs to get to my house.
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Today after being cleared.
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These drifts are from the seat of a Mitsubishi 4x4 so pretty high.
[img][url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8242/8585908955_d2058d22f9.jp g" target="_blank">
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Rivington this morning
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8092/8584886029_5ef24578fb_c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25655510@N02/8584886029/ ]March 24th - Trapped van snow drift[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25655510@N02/ ]Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8378/8584885969_d71b5161c6_c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25655510@N02/8584885969/ ]Ice roads[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25655510@N02/ ]Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr
rob jackson - Member
Are snow caves not really dangerous?
You'd be better asking all the people who have dug one to survive a night out in blizzard conditions!
The one we built yesterday was big enough for two. Once you have built it you smooth the walls down and let your body heat and moisture form an ice glaze. This increases the insulating properties. Inside the cave yesterday it was warm enough to take your hat and gloves off. Out in the wind it froze the snow to my beard and merino wool hat as you can see in the pics. They are therefore an excellent way of getting out of the elements and into a survivable zero to plus a few degrees. I guestimate yesterday temperature up on the moor was -3 or -4, then add another -15 to that for the strong wind that was causing a drift that size in the first place.
Basically you need to be aware of the snow above the cave, and if you are going to overnight in one you need to keep a ski or trekking pole at the entrance to give you a means of unblocking periodically.
Many years ago as a cadet I bivvied at 35000 feet in a Scottish corrie. We tamped the snow down to pitch the tents about four feet below the surface of the snow, and built a snow wall to deflect the wind that was whipping up as we pitched camp. It blew a gale that night, and we were all buried by morning. Needless to say, we all survived!
Local loop which turned into a short out and back as drifts blocked the road.
Not too bad in the shelter of trees
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Drifts getting bigger
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Wind chill!
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Brough Lane, or where Brough Lane used to be! It was like this for 2 miles.
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Many years ago as a cadet I bivvied at 35000 feet in a Scottish corrie.
Scotland's hillier than I thought.
Brilliant pics... We've been spared most of it, a little disruption but all in all very dull. So was a bit surprised to ride round a corner at Glentress on a slightly snowy road and discover...
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8388/8587571510_c06cc5f2c9_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/53860438@N06/8587571510/ ]IMAG0289[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/53860438@N06/ ]Northwindlowlander[/url], on Flickr
Most of the snow from the tweed valley piled up in one place, drifts taller than my bike. Firm enough for a light person to walk on (and good fun watching less light people fall through) Green route not quite as family friendly as usual. We got in a good ride otherwise (waves at Bigdugsbaws)
Many years ago as a cadet I bivvied at 35000 feet in a Scottish corrie.
😆
Huh! We've got naff all snow here in Lancashire.
Heading up the road to local trails in the Isle of Man...
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8524/8587471876_22530aec55_c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugoontour/8587471876/ ]GOPR0928[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/hugoontour/ ]The_Manx_Ambassador[/url], on Flickr
Then The Road turned to this (On the right of the hedgeline)
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8384/8587501396_01b7b62914_c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugoontour/8587501396/ ]P1050564[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/hugoontour/ ]The_Manx_Ambassador[/url], on Flickr
allthepies - Member
Many years ago as a cadet I bivvied at 35000 feet in a Scottish corrie.
mattjg - Member
Many years ago as a cadet I bivvied at 35000 feet in a Scottish corrie.
Scotland's hillier than I thought.
Whoops, too many 0s 😳
Forum member in eagle eyed mathematician embarassment
Hard to believe how localised some of this weather is. I live about 15 miles as the crow flies from Arran, at the same height as all the villages there, and we haven't had any snow at all. Bonkers.
I think its a case of where it stops getting blown across open ground!
More pics from today
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/111032801268023395478/albums/5859245249325387713
rogerthecat, are you from Leek then?
globalti - MemberHuh! We've got naff all snow here in Lancashire.
Depends where you are!
Red Lees Road between Nino's and Hall Park had a couple of abandoned cars and six foot drifts.
We're a quarter of mile away, relatively sheltered and weren't too bad, although the neighbours lost half of their ridge tiles.
Bloke died just outside Briercliffe in Burnley walking home from the pub.
Mountain Rescue found him in a snow drift - sadly too late.
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Quick lunchtime swim before the snow goes away.
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No pics yet, but we got stranded on Kintyre for a couple of days over the weekend. Most places didn't have much snow because the wind was too strong for it to settle, but where it did drift, it was stupid deep. The snow ploughs ended up buried and they had to bring in blowers from somewhere else.
Utter chaos, as once the power lines had gone down (in the middle of the deepest drifts) and the (2) roads were blocked, that was it.
We got fairly lucky - were able to extend our holiday cottage on the beach for a couple of days for free (thank you Landmark Trust), we had a blazing log & coal fire going most of the time. Walks on the beach collecting driftwood + Kindles for entertainment, the only real bummer was no hot food or drink from Friday morning until sunday lunchtime, and the only available food was crisps and choccy bars from the garage in Cambeltown.
Finally escaped on a ferry that had brought in generators and was returning for another load. Again, a freebie - thank you CalMac Ferries!
Bloke died just outside Briercliffe in Burnley walking home from the pub.
Utterly shitty when you read such reports. It could be any of us. Different landscape in the snow, done it before numerous times etc but become disorientated etc. ****.
There isn't really any snow in Glasgow to speak of. Out on Cathkin Braes there was maybe a uniform 1" covering on the trail, however on the windward side of the hill in a few places it was blown into drifts a few feet deep.
Its amazing how so little snow can cause such deep drifts, I can understand how people got caught out in it over the weekend. Six inches of snow resulting in 15 foot drifts because of the wind. Nuts
No sign of it down here us sotherners got it easy.
Anyone know how bad it is around the Yorkshire Dales? Suppose to be heading that way for 3 days of riding but my group are scared of the white stuff, as am I.
Its amazing how so little snow can cause such deep drifts, I can understand how people got caught out in it over the weekend. Six inches of snow resulting in 15 foot drifts because of the wind. Nuts
Yep, was weird in the Peak District. Some roads clear and dry, some just patchy snow/ice and others completely impassable. Sometimes within a mile or so of each other.
The wind was insane, could barely stand in it sometimes and it had scoured the fields bare of snow in some places, dumped the snow 6ft deep in others.
stilltortoise - Member
rogerthecat, are you from Leek then?
Nope, from Rotherham and now living in the Hope Valley - why?
If you look out here you can see green fields in places, and others where there are piles of snow/drifts by the side of main roads. The wind has spent since Saturday blowing the snow off the fields into the sheltered bits. Even by yesterday lunchtime that drift we dug the snowcave into had doubled in size.