We’ve had a much colder winter than usual this year, leading to closed airports and Travel Chaos! and bitter grumbles about suing the transport minister for not having the winter infrastructure of Helsinki or Toronto. -12 in the daytime? Temperatures staying below freezing for weeks at a time? This is not something we’re used to dealing with, and the first snowfall in November took everyone by surprise.

But it’s beautiful, with all the grime and slush conveniently frozen away and hidden under the snow. The Victorian buildings look like they were built for this weather (although, as all the frozen pipes will testify, they really weren’t; my own heating broke down in December, leaving my flat so freezing cold I didn’t even take my scarf and gloves off while talking to the electricians). For weeks back there, there wasn’t even an ounce of warmth in the air.

And it has other, less expected, advantages too: for one, the city’s wildlife has suddenly become a lot more obvious!