Snow

Yes, end of 2010 and into 2011 and also the end of 2011 were quite bad. There were a lot of school closures in the winter of 2010. It started in November 2010, if my memory serves me right.

The snowy winters of 9/10. 10/11 did not seem to have much really deep snow. Despite the very low temperatures.
The last time I encountered enough snow for sledging was in Ilford in January 1987. The year we moved from Ilford up to Cheshire.
I do remember 1962/3.

My dad always remembered that 1947/48 was when he was sliding about on ice when going out to ring an ambulance to get my mum + me to hospital when I was on my way.

Well, I love snow, and go north on winter holidays to see it. Iceland, Norway and Switzerland so far

I just remember the snowy winter of 1947. We didn't go to church because the snow was too deep to walk to church about a mile away - and that was in South London.

In 1962/3 I was at university in Newcastle. My father was stationed in Germany and the snow started over the Christmas holidays. It was far, far colder in Germany. When I got back to Newcastle, the snow was about 3 feet death and all i could say was how 'warm' it was.

When my children were small I can remember lots of snow that hung around in 1975 and 1979, pulling the children around snowy woods on a toboggan DH had made.

There were many other years I cannot specify when we had short patches of snow. perhaps I remember all this because I enjoy the snow so much

I agree Monica that you don’t really see much snow in this country and have to go away to see what a true cold, snowy winter is really like. Also in more northerly countries, how early it gets dark and how little daylight there is,

And yet things still ‘work’, whereas here, a few inches of snow and everything grinds to a halt.

Apparently, according to my DM, I was the result of the Big Freeze of 1947! No heating in bedrooms then - I was born in the November!

We do still get cold snaps in Norfolk but overall nothing like the cold and or the quantity of snow I remember from my childhood (although I never experienced a white Christmas Day until after my own DC were born. Before or after, but never on the day). I do remember walking to school and the lane was blocked by drifts except for a path which the men had dug through. Of course we preferred to walk on the top of the drift. I sunk through and had to spend the day in wet knickers.

I just wish the local media would stop over-hyping a bit of cold when it does occur, calling each one The Big Freeze. Snow rarely lasts for more than a week in East Anglia nowadays and seldom manages to get to an inch deep.

I agree about the media hype, Nfk. They really are pathetic!!

It would seem, us Brits don't seem to cope very well with snow or rain or sunshine. The slightest flurry brings things to a standstill, trains ground to a halt, flight delays/ cancellations and motorway madness. It makes you wonder how other countries manage to carry on as normal.

My Siberian DiL tells me that it's different there - in winter, the snow on their roads becomes compacted and the surface kept drivable. The same happens every year so they are geared up for it. Our conditions are quite different, and especially in recent years are much less predictable and often very localized, making it much harder for either individuals or the powers that be to plan for and deal with.

I also hate the media hype!

When snow is normal it is worth investing in equipment and services to deal with it. If LAs had invested in lots of equipment in the bad years around 2010, for the last five years in many area, it would have been standing unused.

The other thing about snowy countries is that they know snow can be so heavy that keeping things going is impractical,so they accept and understand when an airport is closed for a day, or a road closed for some hours while snow clearing equipment is at work. Unlike so many British motorists who seem to expect to have a personal snow sweeper ahead of them as they drive from Lands End to John of Groats in a blizzard.

I remember hearing an aggrieved mother claiming the police had put her new born child at risk for not rescuing her immediately she rang for assistance, when she insisted on driving from Southend to Portsmouth so that her mother could see her new grandchild despite red warnings of severe blizzards, which indeed materialised and she got stuck on the M3. Several 100 cars were stranded and the police themselves were having difficulties moving about.

MamaCaz In Finland it's possible to drive across the lakes in winter
Don't try this in the UK!

I agree about the media hype

I invested rather a large amount of money in snow boots a few years ago. I have never worn them. Brand new still.

I have some, bought 17 years ago now, they have been worn a few times (about 4 or 5!) but are still in good condition. I hope I won't need them this year.

We bought some snow grips for the base of our shoes. They are absolutely brilliant and I am sure stopped me falling over.

We live in the south so rarely have snow for long, but these grips put my mind at rest for the occasions we have a snow fall. I get cabin fever if I don’t get out most days.

For those of you worried about slipping in icy or snowy conditions try walking with your knees slightly bent. That’s a trick I learned from my own grandmother and it does help.

And take smaller steps. Like a penguin.

And stepping out confidently helps, apparently. Though I rely more on the good treads on my boots or the grips fastened to the bottom.

I remember lots of bad winters in the NE, when we couldn't see where the roads ended and the fields began, because the snow level was above the fences. And the hanging icicles, and the chilblains! And later, more than a couple of years involving very long treks home from work when the buses stopped running - I'm glad those days are behind me! I have photos of heavy snow in various years, including 1981/2 when I was pregnant with DS2 and spent many hours huddled with DD1 by a storage heater in the warmest bedroom (we had central heating installed after that!).

My dad had to dig out his car to fetch the midwife when I was born, as hers was stuck in a drift. She nicknamed me Snowdrop.

You were posh Maggie if your Dad had a car when you were born and the midwife had a car. I live in the NE and midwives were still riding bicycles when my sister was born in 1956.
Winters were harsh in the 40s, 50s and 60s, we had ice on the inside of our windows and the pipes froze every winter. In 1961 there was coal rationing and to get some you had to produce a sick note from the GP.

During the memorable winter of 1963, I was commuting to Edinburgh to get a Dip Ed and some of the time to do teaching practice. My sister, still at school, was also commuting. We were allowed to take Dad's mini to the station and were almost unique in managing to get it over the hard-packed snow on the station brae. Front wheel drive was a recent innovation.

Winter of 1962/1963: My cousin got married on 1 Jan 1963 and we were to be bridesmaids. We drove down to London early in the morning, already dressed in our little white dresses with lovely furry edging that our mother had made. My father was a very experienced driver, but the snow was so bad, we ended up slithering into a ditch. A passing tractor pulled us out, as far as I remember, and somehow we made it to the church on time!

Winter of 1981/1982: In January 1982 I was heavily pregnant. (DS1 was born on 1 Jan 1982) That winter the snow had fallen and frozen, fallen and frozen and the pavements were about 18" thick with ice. I was worried that, if my contractions started whilst DH was out at work, I would have to walk through that to the hospital.

It worked out in the end. I think I have a guardian angel watching over me.

Anno we had a mini that was often alone in moving on snow packed roads when everything else had ground to a halt! I think it was only because of that that we managed to make it home from the ferry in the winter of 1981/2.

No, we were far from posh, harrigran, my dad was a miner, though the family ran a pub as well so no doubt that helped! I can't speak for the midwife, but my dad was born in 1915 and bought a car just as soon as he could - he never took a driving test and just drove it home after a quick run down of where the brake and accelerator were. He was mortified when his beloved car had to be mothballed during the war and his dad insisted he sell it because it was just in the way. He loved his cars, and we always had one even when we lived in a house with an earth closet in the yard!

Just caught up on this thread. Well Nellie moser, weren't you/your Mum lucky having an ambulance? My DD2, 2nd baby due last week 29th Nov had her hosp appt cancelled yesterday cos they're full. If she starts over weekend she's to ring and they'll let her know where there's a bed free in one of two hospitals each about an hour away.
Family tale of my dear sisters arrival 2nd Dec 1950-our dear Dad picked his way through heavy snow to fetch midwife. Apparently he lost his shoe on the way back. Snow was up to window sills.
I remember 62/63 and everyone saying it was this bad in 1947!
In late sixties I had to get a bus home from remote country market town where I worked at a branch court. It got stuck on a hill awaiting snow plough and lady across the road offered us the use of her toilet. After snow plough freed us it got me to the place where I had to get another bus but they'd all stopped by then so, of course, just set off walking. After a while a couple of chaps caught up with me, either side, and asked if my brolly was heavy-turned out there about 6" snow on it.

Oh! Just looked out of the window and it's snowing!

We have snow on S Wales border - GS is thrilled with it!

I remember a very heavy snowfall when my OH was in general practice and we lived in the country. A farmer came out in a tractor to take him on his visits!

And a couple of years ago the Tesco lorry could not get through to us, so he delivered to the local pub who brought it to us in their 4x4.