[Jim]

Well you lot are all gay because it rains in manchester more which happens to be about an hours drive from most decent bouldering venue's in the UK

[Somebody's Fool]

Not to mention only ten minutes from Hobson Moor.

[Johnny Brown]

it rains in manchester more

Of course you mean more than the Orme, but not Eryri, which is the wettest part of Wales and on a par with The Lake district and the West Highlands.

[Idol eyes]

All in all, Cornwall rips it all apart.
Good Weather, Granite, I have lived in all the main climbing areas in the UK, (apart from the county, where you can climb everyday at Kyloe.)
Its all good, but its hard to beat The Peak...
Its got some off the most respected problems on the planet.

[BenF]

Well you lot are all gay because it rains in manchester more which happens to be about an hours drive from most decent bouldering venue's in the UK

Well I'm moving to manchester on the back of that recommendation.

[Houdini]

What?



To Manchester?  That nexus of UK homme culture?

[Pantontino]

Just thought I'd check some of JB's 'facts'. Turns out that in the period 1961 -1990 that Colwyn Bay had less rainfall than Sheffield in the winter months of November to February.

Sheffield : 311.5mm

Colwyn Bay : 280.1mm

These are average figures.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19611990/sites/sheffield.html

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19611990/sites/colwyn_bay.html

I'm sure if I could get figures for Stanage I'd get an even bigger difference.

So, less rainfall and the crags are much more sheltered, plus around the most sheltered area (Marine Drive) you have a massive (and arguably unparalleled) concentration of mid to hard grade problems. It's a no brainer who's got the best option.

 

[Monolith]

Without wanting to enter the weather gangland..

(Tentatively speaking) it's stunning conditions looking out Ormewards from the studio. Rain in Hathersage you say??

[BenF]

Colwyn Bay?  It's not just because of the stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife that it's called the North Wales Riviera you know.

[Pantontino]

Eat my goal!!!

[Bonjoy]

 Couldn't I just as easily 'prove' the opposite by getting the stats for Rotherham   v Llanberis....

[Houdini]

They dragged Llanber' to the coast!


W O W - that Geoff Capes, huh?!




*more juvenile sneegahs*

[slackline]

The problem with averages (be they mean, mode or median) is that they mask the detail.

Whilst 'on average' Sheffield had more, its highly possible that most of it came down in a few heavy sessions (a la the heavy floods last year). 

So they're barely worth the paper their written on, oh hang on this isn't paper!

I'd highly recommend How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff 

[Johnny Brown]

As others have pointed out, at no point in this thread have I claimed it rains less in Colwyn bay then Sheffield. If you dare Si, try comparing, say, Llanberis to Hathersage? That would be fairer, yes?

[dave]

you can prove anything with statistics, 67% of the population knows that. especially when the stats are 17-years old. i would be interested to see if with global warming and a wetter climate whether its effected all the UK in the same way, or if the gulfstream-catching mountains of the west come off worse.

[Pantontino]

The whole point of this is that it doesn't matter if it rains a lot in Llanberis - nobody is disputing that.

The weather at Colwyn Bay is what matters, because that is where we spend the majority of our time in the winter.


Dave, JB was the one who introduced 'rainfall facts' into the discussion. I was merely showing the truth behind his sweeping statement. The crux of my argument (that there are more opportunities for climbing outside in N Wales than the Peak) is based on experience, not rainfall stats.

[Johnny Brown]

Just trying to explain where your 'wales is wet' myth comes from.

the truth behind his sweeping statement.

is:

The average rainfall for the Peak District varies from about 750mm in the south to over 1000mm in the north

With high rainfall (summit of Snowdon 4,343mm, Llanberis 2,016mm)

The weather at Colwyn Bay is what matters, because that is where we spend the majority of our time in the winter.

Whereas in the peak we get to climb on the great grit edges, the pride of the district and the most famous aspect of british climbing worldwide. If the great welsh winter outdoor experience really revolves around Colwyn bay then you can keep it.

[Jaspersharpe]

There is only one way to settle this.........

[Jaspersharpe]

Or maybe...............

http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=The+Peak&word2=North+Wales

[dave]

this is SCIENCE

http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=hathersage+pissing+rain&word2=llanberis+pissing+rain

[Johnny Brown]

Nice work Dave! I think that settles it. Or this perhaps?

[BenF]

Settled or not, its a quality thread...  You can tell the weather's been a bit crap lately.

This thread won't feel the same come the summer and people are posting about how certain problems are bone dry or slightly damp or friction isn't that good etc etc.

[Doylo]

I've lived in Sheff and wales. To be honest it pisses down a lot in both places but there are more opportunities for climbing in wales cos

a) we have a cave
b) we have a windy orme
c) we have a guy called Ian Wyatt who has a bag full of towels for drying holds

And it defo rains a lot less on the ormes than it does in the mountains, thats a fact!

[Pantontino]

Back on topic (not that I didn't thoroughly enjoy sparring with all you Peakies yesterday) - the Ormes were back in prime condition yesterday afternoon. Dry and cold. 

The top hold in the groove on Cockney Nutjob has parted company with the crag - Hock re-climbed this at about 7a+.

[Doylo]

Breck Road was almost completely dry today. I repeated Swing of Fire (2nd asc??), absolutely fantastic problem, one of the best i've done on the ormes, nice one Pete. It took me ages before i could hold the swing, also figured out a way of doing the last move (still tricky!) without campussing.