Festive family fun outdoors

With the festive holidays now here, many families will be looking forward to some quality time together. Heading outdoors for a walk or cycle gives adult and kids a chance to burn off some excess Christmas calories and get some much needed exercise. If you sit at home watching films and playing computer games for a fortnight you'll all go stir crazy.

But so many people are put off going into Scotland's great outdoors by poor weather. We're not saying you should be forced to go outside and into the hills when it's blowing a gale or stormy but during the winter months you'll find that Scotland boasts some truly lovely days.

There is no reason to miss out on outside fun, especially when Scotland does enjoy cold days with bright blue skies, or mild days with a little rain or snow, of full-on snowy days.

Dress to suit the weather

If you're wearing the right outdoor clothing then most days during the festive holidays offer an opportunity to go outdoors for a family adventure. This doesn't just mean buying the right kit for the grown-ups. Children tend to get colder faster and in wet, snowy or chilly weather, it's youngsters that need to be wrapped up warm and dry.

You'll find a host of practical outdoor clothes for children these days. Here's a checklist of outdoor clothing for children:

Walking boots or wellies are required. Shoes or trainers will let water or snow in over the top and that means the kids will have wet - and cold – feet before you know it. You don't need to spend a fortune but do look for waterproof boots. Something like these Regatta Guideway boots for kids.

A waterproof jacket is a must. There is a huge choice in shops and on-line. See Regatta and Go Outdoors. For youngsters how about this all-in-one Regatta Splosh suit? (See left) Waterproof and cosy, this suit keeps little ones warm from neck to ankles.

Waterproof over trousers make wet or snowy days that bit drier and warmer. Kids can wear their choice of comfy trousers and simply pop the roomy and waterproof trousers over the top.

Baselayers are for children, too. Most adults know about the advantages of wearing a number of thinner baselayers to keep heat in. A baselayer followed by a fleece and then a waterproof jacket works as well for children as for grown-ups.

Cold hands, feet or head will lead to moany children so make sure you have a bundle of hats, gloves and thick socks in a range of sizes.

WINTER BLUES -Avoidance tactics

I've never been sure if I actually suffer from these or not...once went skiing abroad in January and felt abnormally fantastic so that led me to wondering briefly if I did. Sadly there's no annual winter holiday to keep flagging spirits up, so I'm delighted to have stumbled across a foolproof, cheap, winter blues avoidance tactic..... WINTER HILLWALKING in SCOTLAND!

Now don't stop reading..

Never in a million years did I picture a non -athletic, impractical female like myself wielding an ice axe without (yet) doing myself or anyone else an injury... or for that matter wearing crampons over my newly acquired hiking boots. Yes, I too thought crampons were purchased by women on a monthly basis and ice axes were for hairy mountain men of incredible physical strength and ability. My oh my how wrong can you be...here's a photo of me on my first Scottish winter mountain last year (Tarmachan Ridge). Hopefully the distinction's clear between this and my imagined winter mountaineer
Anyway, proud to say that although it didn't last long in the howling gales and snow up there I did start out as usual with nicely washed hair and a full face of make up (no reason to drop the standards of a lifetime) My advice to all women (especially) who have never been particularly athletic but fancy doing something different is WALK to get fit and then LEARN the skills to hill walk in winter. It's FAB and you FEEL GOOD!