Winter wonderland or blunderland? Fun and games for the kids but many struggle with the heavy snowfall in Caithness

Children were out sledging due to school closures but several inches of snow across Caithness has brought chaos for drivers trying to navigate the county's roads.

The Met Office issued an Amber Warning for snow and ice across much of the Highland region that included areas of Caithness – the rest of the county is marked with a Yellow Warning that continues into Wednesday. Traffic Scotland posted a warning on Tuesday saying: "Drivers in the Highland region are advised to use caution due to snow affecting driving conditions."

Throughout Tuesday, vehicles were seen struggling to deal with heavy snow on the A882 through Watten and especially on the B870 which crosses it through the village. A car had left the road at Thuster on the A882 on Monday afternoon and a council gritter had come off the A99 road just outside Wick, it was reported. Highland Council gritters with plough blade attachments were seen throughout the county but many minor roads were said to be impassable due to the accumulation of snow over Monday and Tuesday.

Tanya Fryer who lives at Guidebest said there were "big drifts and deep snow" in the Latheron area. "Where we are, the roads are not at all driveable," she added.

Carole Avalon, who lives in the John O'Groats area, had an appointment at Caithness General Hospital in Wick on Monday and had to cancel it due to the "poor state of the A99" leading from the village. Her car broke down near Keiss due to a piece of the vehicle becoming dislodged with the snow on the road.

"My outrage is with Highland Council, who have virtually given up on our little corner of Caithness," she said. "Potholed and crumbling roads now choked with two inches of snow, and absolutely zero gritters visible up here yesterday when the snow started, or even early on today.

"I don't blame the gritter drivers. I blame the person responsible for sending them out. They used to grit around us regularly [and] this weather was forecast."

Frances Purves from Wick said on Tuesday: "My bus broke down entering Thurso yesterday and one had broken down in Halkirk."

A Met Office spokesman said: "Snow showers will turn heavy and prolonged at times across north Highland through Tuesday afternoon before extending southwards into Grampian on Tuesday evening.

"Isolated thunderstorms are possible with lightning strikes an additional hazard. Showers will turn more to rain or sleet around coasts later with ice developing on untreated surfaces."

It added that accumulations of snow of 10 to 15cm are possible in places in a short space of time and snow will be drifting in the strong to gale force north to northwesterly winds. The BBC said that Wednesday will be "very breezy with blustery snow showers pushing in from the north".

Transport Scotland said: "Roads may be affected by deep snow, particularly over higher routes, and some rural communities might be cut off. Interruptions to power supplies and telephone networks could also occur. Police Scotland’s travel advice is expect a high risk of disruption in the amber warning area."

An a more positive note, with most of the county's schools closed on Tuesday, Caithness kids had the chance to get out and enjoy the snow with snowmen and sledging being the order of the day.

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