Lake District, Keswick, 1st Two Weeks September - Too Wet?

Activation Reports Pre-Planning
1

Hi. My wife and I are planning a trip to the Lake District, Keswick, for the 1st two weeks of September. We plan to hike in the area and will probably rent a car so we can visit surrounding areas.

My question is this: is there too much rain to get some activations in at that time of year. I don’t mind a little rain, but if it rains all day most days, maybe not a good choice?

Thanks for any ideas or advice.

2

Nah. It never rains here in the lake district. Its normally rainy and windy :slight_smile:

I’ve only been here 20 years and so I’m a newcomer. But generally speaking no two years are the same. Could be mild, could chuck it down. September is usually short on wind and not too wet.

One thing is for certain is that it would be worth bringing the gear. Even if its just a little trot up Lords Seat. There’s always scope for SOTA, even if its a little damp

Edit: I’m in Keswick a fair bit and live in St Bees. The weather is different and its about 20miles as the crow flies

1 Like
3

In a word NO. The first proper SOTA walking break I had in the Lake District was Sept 14th 2009 - Sept 18th 2009. It didn’t rain once.

All the best, you should come - it may rain, but it will not rain every day for sure.

73 Phil G4OBK

2 Likes
4

September is an excellent month to visit the Lake District (or anywhere in the UK). The Lake District is the wettest part of England so there are no guarantees but it’s actually a drier month than August and not much different to June or July.

1 Like
5

Based on 1991-2010 actuals, Keswick gets about 4 inches of rain in September with about 11-13 days in the month having 0.04 inches or more of rain. Rain in September is often light showers or drizzle. You would be unlucky to have many days of continuous rain in that month.

I live in Cumbria (the county in which Keswick and the Lake District are located) and do SOTA in the Lake District in all seasons. September weather concerns me less than the sheer number of tourists on the more-popular hills in summer. Surveys show that 15.8 million visitors come to the Lake District each year, an area of only 912 square miles. To avoid this problem in summer, I start the ascent walk early in the day or choose the less popular hills.

You will find the Lakes a magical place.

1 Like
6

Andy, Richard, Alex,

Thanks for your insights into Lake District weather. It’s nice to hear weather reports of ops who activate in the area.

Thanks again. Pat, K7GUD

7

Oh, and by the way, given the huge popularity of the Lakes you should book accommodation well in advance to avoid disappointment.

8

Thanks Andy. We’re booking right now so should be good.

9

Ha! We had four inches on Wednesday morning climbing to ZL3/WC-484!