Pair of pals brave snowfall and subzero temperatures as they enjoy open top bus tour of the Lake District in day out dubbed ‘most British thing ever’

A pair of friends refused to let 11 inches of snow stop them enjoying an open top bus tour of the Lake District – in a snap hailed the ‘most British thing ever’.

The hilarious photo of childhood best friends Alex Renfrew and Andrew Case grimacing as they sat on snow-covered seats in sub-zero temperatures went viral with more than 18,000 likes and shares this week.

The pair can be seen admiring the snowy view from aboard the public bus, which cost them £2 per ticket, with social media users finding their stubborn tenacity amusing and ‘quintessentially British’.

Customer service worker Andrew had travelled up from his home in Warrington to scale Helvellyn alongside long-time pal and experienced mountain leader Alex on Saturday, December 2.

But their adventurous day out in Cumbria was curtailed by a foot of snow, causing widespread power cuts and forcing locals to abandon their cars.

However, the friends refused to let the extreme conditions dampen their day and braved the weather for the open top sightseeing tour.

Childhood best friends Alex Renfrew and Andrew Case were grimacing as they sat on snow-covered seats in sub-zero temperatures during an open top bus tour of the Lake District

Andrew had travelled up from his home in Warrington to scale Helvellyn alongside long-time pal and experienced mountain leader Alex on Saturday, December 2

The pair waded their way through six inches of snow to get the best seat on the top deck – but admit they only lasted ten minutes due to the freezing temperature.

There was so much snow, the friends even managed to enjoy a snowball fight on the bus but sensibly made their way downstairs when conditions on the road began to worsen.

Alex said: ‘The bus driver told us there was snow on the top and we went to have a look and stayed up there.

‘We were throwing a few snowballs and stuff – it was fun. We’re northerners. This is my home being in the mountains so we’re used to the cold!

‘It makes more for a fun photo. The views were amazing. We were on the bus for 40 minutes and only on the top for 10 minutes or so.. The fear was that if the bus slips, we’d go flying off the top.

‘The bus only made it half a mile out of Grasmere and didn’t move. There were cars sliding everywhere.’

The friends refused to let the extreme conditions in the Lake District, which was covered in 11 inches of snow on Saturday, dampen their day and braved the weather for the open top sightseeing tour

The roads were impassable to drivers, as pictured above, so Andrew and Alex ended up walking to Ambleside in the freezing temperatures

Wintry weather saw the Lake District covered in 11 inches of snow on Saturday (pictured)

Andrew and Alex ended up walking to Ambleside as freezing temperatures made the road impassable to drivers. There, a kind-hearted B&B owner took the pair in for the night while conditions eased off.

Alex said: ‘I’m big on the mountains but Andrew had only done a few so I said I’d take him out and we’d do Helvellyn together.

‘We went up early but I turned him around at 750 metres because the snow was getting really heavy.

‘We were driving back towards Grasmere and it was just getting a bit more crazy weather-wise so we just left the car at the top and walked to Grasmere.

‘We were helping a few cars struggling up the hill then sliding down the hill. Then we saw the bus coming into Grasmere. He had to wait 45 minutes and have a break because it had taken him so long to get there from Windermere.’

The post captured the attention of more than 15,000 people on Facebook – and racked up more than 1,200 shares.

Commenters offered up praise for the pair’s bravery and branded the duo ‘hardcore’ for venturing outside in the subzero temperatures.

The Lake District was hit with heavy snowfall and subzero temperatures on Saturday (pictured). Social media users have now offered up praise for the pair’s bravery and branded the duo ‘hardcore’ for venturing outside in the conditions

Their photo went viral online, capturing the attention of more than 15,000 people on Facebook – and racked up more than 1,200 shares

One person said: ‘No gloves is hardcore but I’d need a hat.’

Another commented: ‘Well done lads. Hard as nails.’

Another added: ‘Either extremely brave or just daft.’

The photo left viewers in shock over the pair’s lack of warm clothing, with one person commenting: ‘Can’t believe that they are not wearing gloves and one not wearing a hat! It looks bloody baltic!’

Others joked that ‘only a Brit’ would suffer through freezing temperatures for the full top-deck experience, writing: ‘Only a hardy Brit would do this!’

One simply said: ‘This is the most British thing ever.’

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