Making tracks in the snow...

Last weekend I left Cornwall for a change to spend the weekend in Surrey where I caught up with family and attended a friend’s wedding. During the week before I watched the weather forecast with some trepidation as meteorologists predicted snowfall and plunging temperatures across the country. We are lucky here in Cornwall in that the climate is fairly mild for most of the year, partly due to the salty sea air although last week the temperature monitor in my car was flashing at -6^oC; that’s cold enough for me! We don’t often get snow though so the thought always excites me somewhat.

So in preparation for the potential snowstorms I packed as many layers as I could fit in my overnight bag and set on my way. As I drove over Salisbury plain and past Stonehenge a light flurry of snow started to fall and by the time I reached my parents’ house in Surrey, there was already a sizeable white covering over the gardens and stationary cars. While my excitement level soared to that of a small child I also felt slightly disappointed because I am in training for the Brighton marathon and my weekends usually include a long training run which I had planned for the next morning. With the snow settling and subsequent ice setting in, running would not have been a safe option.

My mild disappointment soon turned to happiness however, when I realised that I could instead spend the day ‘playing’ in the snow because I had packed my Yaktrax Pro! For those of you who aren’t in the know, Yaktrax Pro are attachments which fit onto flat shoes (including our range of sheepskin boots) to give better traction on snow and ice. They are really simple to use; you just slip your shoes into the foot shaped sleeve of coils and fasten the Velcro straps and you’re ready to go! I know people who run wearing Yaktrax Pro and for a moment I considered doing my training run as planned but I decided against it: let’s face it, running 17 miles versus a snowball fight – no contest really!

Hopefully you can see how the Yaktrax Pro work in these images (check out the unusual footprints I left behind me!)…

Here are some images taken on Friday. Didn’t it look stunning?

Yes, that is me playing in the snow (with the help of Photoshop!). As you can see, the snow didn’t stop me running around and I found that that the Yaktrax gave me a sense of confidence on the snow despite barely being aware of them as my boots felt exactly the same. They are a brilliant innovation which I would thoroughly recommend to give reassurance to anyone who is likely to be walking in the snow or on icy surfaces (perfect for ski holidays!).

The eagle-eyed among you might recognise the jumper I am wearing as our Rib Panel Knit in the new-for-spring shade of Cloud. I was surprised that I didn’t need a coat despite the chilly temperature; with the help of a scarf and mittens, I was warm enough in thick leggings, Rib Panel Knit and my Classic Boots! I found that the Rib Panel Knit is long enough to wear as a dress but later on I changed into my jeans and wore it as a jumper as the temperature dropped further – it’s wonderfully versatile.

I hope that, if you were affected by the snow last week, you were able to enjoy it as much as I did! We would love to see your pictures so please post them on Facebook or Twitter.

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