
Do not let the recent February mini-heatwave lull you into a false sense of belief that winter has gone and summer is already on its way as that could be dangerous, writes Mike Gormley.
As I write this in early March yet another storm rages outside and just over a year ago here in UK we were gripped by the ‘Beast from the East’ followed by Winter Storm Emma, which succeeded in bringing much of the country to a slithery stop. These and other similar exceptional weather occurrences emphasise the need for Bad Weather Preparedness.

If you know your vehicle’s capabilities and are a sensible driver these conditions are not a problem – unfortunately other drivers and vehicles may not be as well prepared [©JG]
Clearly snow is an obvious hazard, but a few years back I was on my return southwards from the north of England. Weather was not good for sure and crossing the Pennines heading for the M6 I was soon involved in a long and testing night. Approaching the motorway I found out it had been closed because of the wind. Close to chaos ensued. A hard look at the maps and a new route was planned.

This is dry bag (containing a sleeping bag) from Snugpak with a difference – it can be deflated with a special valve once it is done up to help conserve space and keep things dry [©MG]

Hats are essential to keep the head warm and dry (here from Snugpak and Keela) plus a good pair of warm and durable gloves (from Extremities) are also essential [©MG]

In my Discovery there is a handy space behind the rear trim panel to stow small gear – many vehicles will have these sort of places if you look [©MG]
I was still making reasonable progress as most folk were now, sensibly, at home. Then a row of red lights appeared in front. I could see, a couple of hundred yards ahead, a very substantial tree down across the road. There was a team working on it but this was no sapling. It was going to take them a while even on a good day. More map checking.

This torch from GP Batteries is rechargeable, lives in my vehicle and is topped up every now and again so always ready for use [©MG]

Even a Land Rover would not make it through this flood after the river in the middle ground burst its banks [©Bob Morrison]
I was soon back onto the motorway and headed for home, hoping at least the motorway would be okay. It was. A further couple of hours and I was home. It had been quite a journey with lessons learnt. I was very happy to be a Land Rover owner and used to driving in less than good conditions and also pleased I am pretty good on maps. I was also glad I was sensible enough to take on the relevant supplies early on in these proceedings.
[images © Mike or Jean Gormley unless noted ]