Ready for a good Friday and an eggxcellent Easter weekend? Read on for our don’t-miss guide to conditions and options for this weekend.

Start your climbing weekend by tuning in to the Today Programme tomorrow morning (Friday 29 March) on Radio 4 at about 8.25am, when top climber Shauna Coxsey and BMC competitions officer Rob Adie will be promoting climbing’s Olympic bid. Then stay to hear BMC/MTE training officer Jon Garside discussing mountain safety on Radio 4’s You and Yours programme between 12.30 and 1pm.

Away from the sofa, the big news is that the big chill will have the UK firmly in its icy grip for the foreseeable future. That means full-on alpine conditions throughout the UK hills.

If you’re heading to Scotland, check out the latest advice from the BMC and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland.

But, unusually, the winter conditions aren’t limited to north of the border. The Lakes has significant snow on the hills, as does Snowdonia. 

Elfyn Jones, BMC officer for Wales, explained how things are looking: “It’s full-on winter in Snowdonia right now. There’s a lot of snow around so you need to be careful. Keep clear of significant edges: some of the cornices are very large. The snow has been blown around a lot and, despite looks, is not consolidated. There’s lots of windslab”

Remember that, unlike Scotland, there’s no avalanche information service for Wales or the Lakes. Be careful and make a full assessment of snow slopes.

The Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team site also has a great page of advice and winter reminders.

If this all sounds too wintry, then fear not. The sun is currently out in Pembrokeshire and, according to Elfyn, the forecast is good: sunny but slightly cold. The first Range West briefing of the season is Friday morning at 9am – come along to gain access to the rather special climbing at Range West.

And, finally, remember that despite it feeling awesomely arctic, we are, allegedly, in spring. This means that many popular crags could have nesting restrictions so check our Regional Access Database before heading out or download our new Android app.

It also means that livestock can be unpredictable around dogs and people – so make sure you read our advice on cows and walking and climbing with dogs. Then you might want to start thinking about getting ready to tackle ticks.

OK, lots of warnings and advice, but, whatever you're up to, have a great weekend. 
 

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