Snow Near London
 

I know this may sound like a funny question - but we are from Southern California and really don't see snow that often - in fact my children (9 and 12) have only been able to play in the snow twice in their lives (so far!)

We are arriving in London on Dec 27. I believe that it does not snow that often in London, but is there somewhere within an hour or two of driving time where they could play in the snow? We have rented a car one day to visit the place where my mother grew up - near Hatfield - so if there was somewhere to go in that direction I would love to know about it.

Any tips or ideas that you would like to share would be greatly appreciated!

You're a shorter drive from your Calif home to snow than in London i suspect - even Mt SNOWdon i think will unlikely to be snow covered and it's a long putz from London. Of course it could snow in London but i think the chances of that also pretty remote, especially in light of the warmest fall on record in London area.

The ODDS are that the nearest snow will be in Scotland - but this is the UK so there is a possibility of some snow somewhere.

Agree with PalenqueBob though if you want to see snow go to California

There is no place in the whole state of CA that is more than 2 or 3 hours from real snow/high mountains (like 20 feet of snow or more). I'd plan a weekend trip from your home to Big Bear or somewhere and forget about finding snow in England. Sure it can snow - but the UK has a much more temperate climate than most visitors think.

As for going up to Hatfield -- where are you staying in London? Assuming you mean the Hatfield in Hertfordshire (there are other Hatfield's in England), it very likely will be easier to take the train than to drive.

In most years, the easiest way to see snow from London is to fly to Geneva (usually flights from all five airports: www.nonrev.net for a full timetable) then either drive to Courmayeur in Italy or get a train (taking longer) to a Swiss ski resort.

This year, even that doesn't seem to be working, with most Alpine resorts snow free.

There's nowhere within EIGHT hours drivetime of London that usually has snow at any point of a normal winter. Los Angeles is a great deal closer to snow than London. So is Casablanca.

"in fact my children (9 and 12) have only been able to play in the snow twice in their lives (so far!"

That's more than London children of those ages, sorry to disappoint you. It is a rare winter when it snows in the south of England. It could possibly happen, but it's really not likely. The only guaranteed snow (pretty much) in the UK is up in parts of Scotland.

However, in Kent there is a tourist attraction called Diggerland that sets up a snow park every winter. More details here: http://www.thesnowpark.co.uk/visiting/calsnow.htm. They have a machine that makes real chemical free snow. There is a snow play area, a toboggan run, ski slope and inner tube run.
Real snow a short distance from London.

Well, if you're really desperate for snow, I guess you can try Xscape indoor ski dome in Milton Keynes.

http://www.xscape.co.uk/snow/milton-keynes/

Though I haven't been there so can't vouch for experience.

W9, you trumped me - I was about to suggest the same thing.

Every year the bookies make a fortune taking bets on a White Christmas. I don't know the odds, but you probably have about a one in ten chance of snow in or around London on Dec 27th. If you are lucky, any of the wonderful parks in London would be a good place to play in the snow. Richmond Park is the largest, and they even have free-roaming deer.

10 day weather forecast is not good for rkyracr - 27th December will be partly cloudy and 48 degrees

seeing any snow coming down from the sky during a short stay is very unlikely.

enough snow to 'play in the snow' is extremely improbable (probably like a once in five year opportunity). even then, the joy is fleeting. last time i remember snow around london was probably about four years ago. the office i was working in cleared out and had a snowball fight, some people did some sledding with trays from the canteen. it all was green again within a few hours.

thank you all for your input - it seems that for snow I am better off staying in California and driving to the mountains!!

I am really looking forward to my trip, and want to thank all of you that have provided input over the past few months. I will post a trip report when I return.

Right now, there's also snow in the Cuyamacas, east of San Diego. Not very much, about 4-6 inches, but still snow. You will have to have chains, although you may not need to use them.

Be positive, I was visiting my daughter for Christmas and new year in 2000/2001 and we had TONS of snow. And we were staying in St.Albans which is just around the corner form Hatfield. Good luck, it could happen :-)

If INDEED you experience snow during your stay, we need to warn you that London public transportation is very vulnerable to snowfall (or wet leaves, for that matter). I still remember crawling traffic and tube suspension a few years ago--and it was only several inches of snowfall.

You may see some snowflakes after all, if the latest 10 day weather forecast is anything to go by: rain/snow on the 27th and 28th. Ten day forecasts are not vey reliable, though, so that may all change. http://tinyurl.com/yczs54.

I am afraid you need the far north, which is expensive but beautiful.

The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Table 153 shows that you can board a sleeper in Euston station in London about 2100, leave at 2115, have a nightcap in the lounge car, breakfast in the same car at 0830 as you run through forests, with deer, and reach Fort William at 0952. There you take a bus 7 miles to the foot of the ski lift that goes 1.4 miles in 15 minutes to Aonach Mor, in the Nevis mountains. Here there are a sports shop, slide show and restaurant, and a local bed and breakfast owner tells me that there is snow. After seeing plenty of snow you can return to Fort William, dine at a hotel there, and leave in your sleeper at 1900. X For enough sleep southbound you should ask your conductor to serve you no coffee (it is poor anyway) and to wake you as late as possible. You leave the train at Euston from 0745 to 0800.

You could e mail the Tourist information office in Fort William at [email protected]/ to ask them for advice, explaining that you seek snow, walks, lunch, afternoon travel to Fort William, and dinner before you take the train.

I have just phoned First Scot Rail on 0044 845 601 5929, then 2, then 1, and they are sorry that all bargain fares are sold out, and they can sell you only standard open returns at £173 per person.

Ben Haines, London
[email protected]

You will find open air skating in lots of UK towns/cities.

Snow at the various Xscape centres in the country

Possible there may be dumps in Scotland or even England but based on the present heat wave not yet.

Best bet is Alps or the North

<I have just phoned First Scot Rail on 0044 845 601 5929, then 2, then 1, and they are sorry that all bargain fares are sold out, and they can sell you only standard open returns at £173 per person>
173 quid = $340 - compare to a 4-day BritRail pass at $165 (off-peak special; Nov-Feb) so you would never consider even pauing the 173 lbs and pass can be used on any train any time.

No snow probably but i think your kids can skate outdoors at the Somerset House outdoor skating rink right in the heart of town - an experience they've probably never had - but maybe they've never skated indoors either.

Or - how about skating on the moat at the Tower of London??