Answer

By GrahamThompson

Finding snow in the Lakes can be a bit of a hit and miss affair. One minute it's there, the next minute it's gone. So it's best to keep your plans flexible and bag the chance of getting snow underfoot the moment you see it, as it could well be gone by the next day!

The snow tends to be most reliable on the higher peaks and with Scafell Pike being the highest mountain in England, it is perhaps no surprise to find this is the best place to go to have any regular chance of seeing snow. Indeed the standard route from Borrowdale to Esk Hause and then onto Scafell Pike, with a return down the Corridor Route to Styhead is often covered in snow.

Helvellyn also gets snow along the plateau  and in good conditions Striding Edge will provide a worthy challenge where crampons and ice axes are regularly needed particularly on the section leading onto Helvellyn from Striding Edge.

Skiddaw gets a dusting too with the summit often being covered and some very wild winter conditions can often be experienced up there as the mountain always seems to be  windswept on the summit! The Coniston Fells sometimes get a dusting, but don't tend to get as much snow as Scafell Pike.

I note you mention that you don’t have full kit. I would strongly recommend that if there is snow on the hills then ice axes and crampons are always taken along, with the knowledge of how to use them. Even a small amount of snow and ice can lead to a slip that could result in broken bones at the very least. Also you can easily find yourself trapped on the hill without crampons, as the paths can become frozen even when there is not full snow.  On the Scafell Pike route from Borrowdale it is not uncommon for the path to be frozen from Styhead to Stockley Bridge with crampons essential for this whole section.

Also in winter don’t forget there are fewer hours of daylight, so headtorches are often needed. And finally of course, it is always colder on the tops than in the valley so make sure you take extra insulation as well as a spare hat and spare gloves as there is nothing worse that struggling along with cold hands and head because your hat and gloves have blown away!

Enjoy the winter snow when you find it, but travel safely!