Is it safe to climb Dale Head today and tomorrow?

There is no recent summit forecast cached for Dale Head right now. The main Dale Head page loads the live forecast when you open it. The reasons are below, followed by what the rating can't tell you.

Is it safe to climb Dale Head today?

There is no recent summit forecast cached for Dale Head right now. The main Dale Head page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live forecast.

Is it safe to climb Dale Head tomorrow?

There is no recent summit forecast cached for Dale Head right now. The main Dale Head page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live forecast.

What the verdict covers, and what it doesn't

Peakify rates each day Good, Marginal or Poor from the forecast summit wind, gusts, chance of rain and wind chill. Wind of 40 mph or gusts of 65 mph make it Poor; wind of 25 mph, gusts of 45 mph, a 60% chance of rain or a feels-like temperature of -8°C or below make it Marginal. That is all it measures: the weather forecast at the summit.

It does not know your fitness or experience, whether you can navigate in cloud with a map and compass, or what you are carrying. It does not see the state of the path, river levels, snow and ice already on the ground, or how the forecast is changing during the day. A Good day can still go wrong if you start late, turn an ankle or lose the path in mist, and a Marginal day can be fine for an experienced party on the easiest route.

On any day, carry waterproofs, warm layers, a hat and gloves, food, water, a head torch and a charged phone, and know how you would navigate if the top is in cloud. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be down. In winter conditions you need an ice axe and crampons and the skill to use them, or a guide.

Route notes for Dale Head

Honister Pass

From Honister Pass car park (Honister Slate Mine). Follow the line of fence posts up the grassy southern slope to the summit cairn. Graded Moderate: a hill path, rough or rocky in places, below the Hard and Scramble grades. In cloud, take care to stay on the path. About 2h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule (3.4 km one way, 577 m of ascent).

Little Town via Newlands and Dalehead Tarn

From Little Town / Chapel Bridge, Newlands. Walk up the Newlands valley past old mine workings, climb to Dalehead Tarn and finish up the eastern ridge. Graded Moderate: a hill path, rough or rocky in places, below the Hard and Scramble grades. In cloud, take care to stay on the path. About 3h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule (5.6 km one way, 618 m of ascent).

Honister via Dale Head ridge

From Honister Pass National Trust car park. A hard mountain walk to the summit from Honister Pass National Trust car park. Graded Hard: steeper, rougher or longer than the moderate routes, with more time on high, exposed ground. About 1h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule (1.9 km one way, 400 m of ascent).

Full distances, ascent and times are on the Dale Head routes page.

In an emergency

Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Mountain rescue teams in the UK are volunteers called out through the police. Give your location (a grid reference from a map or phone app if you can), what has happened, how many are in your group and your phone number, then keep the phone free. If you have no signal, try to move to higher ground or text 999; you need to have registered your phone with the emergencySMS service before for a text to work.

Questions about Dale Head

Is it safe to climb Dale Head today?

There is no recent summit forecast cached for Dale Head right now. The main Dale Head page loads the live forecast when you open it. The rating covers the summit weather only; your route, kit and experience matter as much.

Is it safe to climb Dale Head tomorrow?

There is no recent summit forecast cached for Dale Head right now. The main Dale Head page loads the live forecast when you open it.

How does Peakify decide whether Dale Head is safe to climb?

Peakify rates each day Good, Marginal or Poor from the forecast summit wind, gusts, chance of rain and wind chill. Wind of 40 mph or gusts of 65 mph make it Poor; wind of 25 mph, gusts of 45 mph, a 60% chance of rain or a feels-like temperature of -8°C or below make it Marginal. It does not judge your fitness, kit, navigation or the state of the path.

Who do I call in an emergency on Dale Head?

Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (a grid reference if you can), what happened and how many are in your group. Stay with the casualty and keep them warm.