Tips for Dealing with the British Snow
As I write this post Britain is gripped in "snow chaos". The news is replete with videos of weather reporters standing in snow and people falling over. Granted, in some areas of the UK the snowfall is pretty bad, but in others half a centimetre of snow seems enough to close schools and more.
So what can you do to make things easier on yourself and survive when England faces a little snow? This isn't a list for hardened mountain trekkers, more a fun guide of common sense for those on the normal 9-5 or panic buying in the local supermarket.
Be prepared
You can apply the scout motto to almost every situation — be prepared for the unexpected. If you're planning a long car journey, be prepared for problems: carry a phone, food, warm clothes and even blankets, and a shovel could be useful too in an emergency. If you're on a train, water (or even a hot thermos) and food could make your journey much more comfortable.
Dress sensibly
Being fashionable might be important, but you'll be more grateful to be warm. You can still be warm and fashionable — a fun hat and mittens, or wellies — but you could be outdoors or stuck on a cold train for longer than you expect, so dress for the cold.
A warm hat
A good hat is the start to feeling warm. Even scientists debunking the myth that most heat loss is from your head doesn't change the fact that if you don't have a hat, you'll certainly feel the cold — so make sure you have one before you head out.
Get some grip for the ice
The snow is bad enough, but worse is the ice it turns into when compacted. Just walking to work can be a nightmare, so it's worth getting some ice grips (such as YakTrax) that clip over your day-to-day shoes — the steel coils give you extra grip on snow and ice, and they're lightweight enough that you don't have to spend the whole day in boots or carry two sets of shoes.
Have some fun
Our last tip is to have some fun — relive childhood memories with a snowball fight, or take the kids sledging. The snow won't last, so rather than letting it get you down, get out and make the most of it.
Leave a comment and tell us your tip for the snow — is it something you do just to make the day bearable, or a fun activity for making the most of it?