Exactly how snowy are the Yorkshire Dales at present?

[Glosfisher]

I'm supposed to be taking a posse of Explorer Scouts up to Malham at the end of January for a walking weekend. However with all this snow I'm having serious doubts whether it's a good idea.

Can anyone, please, tell me how much and how deep the snow is around the Settle and Malham areas?

Many thanks

 

[mikew]

Possibly not entierly helpfull but there is very little snow left in lower Wharfedale and the parts of Nidderdale that I saw today.
I should imagine settle looks much the same.

Michael

 

[Shewie]

I drove through the Dales on Sunday, past Skipton and out to Kirby Lonsdale, very little snow left now apart from in a few low lying ditches.
Plenty of localised flooding and it looked like it might be hard going unless you're on hard paths.

 

[Glosfisher]

Thanks for those replies.

I should have made it clear I was asking about the hills proper. I'm concerned that there is sufficient lying snow to invalidate our hillwalking qualifications.

 

[Shewie]

I think Pen-y-ghent and Ingleborough will still have some snow but, the lower fells around Malham should be fine.

You could try the tourist information office in Malham for a more up to date report
Tel: +44 (0) 1729 830363

 

[EdS]

It was still thigh knee - thigh deep on Friady night around Yarnbury, however, it has rain a fair bit since.

As Shewie said the YDNP a ring

 

[Dave]

Will probably be a bit icy still on the tops.

 

[Glosfisher]

Thanks for these replies.

I'll ring the YDNP tomorrow but I have to say that, unlike the Lake District and some other areas, there is a lamentable lack of information on ground conditions in the Dales despite it being such a popular and potentially hazardous place.

I am concerned that although there will have been something of a thaw there will still be considerable areas of frozen snow which are not within my remit as a walking leader.