Sledges and Snowballs

That One Just Missed Me

That Warm December and January has now been kicked into history by a sustained cold spell. This gave us hard frosts and very low temperatures for a few weeks. Sometime it was so dry that there was no frost but it was still very cold.

Ready To Run

Then finally the snow came, the children were excited when it began but in Southampton the white stuff often does not settle. I’m never sure whether this is due to our proximity to the sea or the little known fact that the city is partly heated by geothermal energy…

Zooooom (see the video below)...

That’s right, Southampton used to be a spa town in the Victorian age! Now though the hot water is drawn up from a mile or so beneath the surface to heat the city and I’ve always suspected that those hot rocks are what prevent the snow from settling. I can still remember in my youth, seeing a distinct line right across the common with snow to the north and grass to the south.

When I recently ventured to Winchester to see a gig, I noticed snow had settled by the train station while there was none at home. So the next day we drove to Farley Mount with our sledge, fortunately the hill faced away from the sun and the snow was still dry and packed – perfect for sledging and not too busy!

It Will Be Good Hazelnutting Here Later

We had a great day out - the kids were happy and exhausted by the time we left. Farley Mount is a fun place to visit any time but the layer of snow made it even more magical.

A Christmas Card For Next Year Perhaps