Walking/Hiking Answers: Walking up Scafell Pike and Snowdon in February

Got an answer to the following question?

Walking Up Scafell Pike And Snowdon

Hi, Me and a friend were interested in hiking to the peaks of Scafell Pike and Snowdon over a weekend (Snowdon on the Saturday and Scafell Pike on the Sunday), but there were a few questions that we were hoping someone could help with:

(editor's responses in italics)

1. The only dates we would be able to do it are 18th/19th or 25th/26th of February 2006. Being Winter, would we be able to do the trek?

- given your almost total lack of experience - I seriously doubt it.

a. Are the footpaths ever closed off, given weather conditions/daylight hours?

- Not usually closed by the authorities but often impassible in extreme weather conditions

b. Would we be able to reach the peak safely?

- given your almost total lack of experience - I seriously doubt it.

2. Where could we locate maps to get to the base/start of the footpath of each mountain? is there a nearby address we could use to look up?

- For Scafell Pike, Cumbria, England you'll need Ordnance Survey OL6

and

For Snowdon in Gwynedd, Wales you'll need Ordnance Survey OL17

3. Are there maps available for the walk itself or is the path clearly laid out? If maps are available, where can we get these from? Are there alternative routes, in which case which would be best for the conditions we could be facing?

You'll need route instructions to help stop you from getting lost

for Scafell Pike - see Walks c110 c111 c166 c172 c194 c197 c215 c233 c271 c370 c416 c453 c454

and Snowdon - see Walks gw100 gw105 gw107 gw110 gw117 gw126 gw134 gw136 gw140 gw158 gw186 gw198

Which you choose depends on your capabilities and level of fitness.

4. Are there any other key bits of advice someone could offer for our plan?

I hope this is not too much to ask and we would much appreciate any advice/help anyone could offer us.

Start with something less ambitious - particularly at this time of year.

Many thanks

Sam Kotecha, Edgware, London