The Big Debate: Summer vs winter

Andy Richardson: Summer is irresistible

It was a cold start to the morning and I responded as any man living in a super-draughty, really old house might. I put on extra layers. So I wore a fleece balaclava, a hoody, and a duck down hood. In my own house. Fun.

And then, covering my top, was a running top, the hoody, a big fluffy jumper that makes me look like a stuffed bird, and a duck down gilet. A pair of running leggings kept my legs warm, along with the fleece-lined jogging bottoms. And there were two pairs of socks. Because the cold bites hard.

Context is important and we ought to remember that it’s only autumn. Winter’s not yet here, and when it comes, it’ll be time to add another layer, or two.

Summer is the great contrast. It’s warm – and warmth is under-rated – the days are longer and, when time allows, the entire day can be wasted on good stuff like cricket, eating burgers cooked over white-hot coals, enjoying live music in a field, or just lolling in the park.

Who can resist summer? The days are long, the living is easy, and the need to pour money into the already-too-big bank accounts of energy companies slows. It’s a time for outdoor living, to soak up the healing properties of natural light, to shed a few of the surplus layers and, well, chill.

Autumn’s here and we’re far away from summer as it’s possible to be. It will, however, soon be here.

Heather Large: Winter is wonderful

It’s the most beautiful time of the year. And it’s also the most predictable. We know it’s going to be cold and we know it’s going to be dark. Winter never lets us down, unlike summer.

We can spend the spring hoping for sunny days and high temperatures, and all we get is rain and more rain. With winter, we always know where we stand – we need our big coat, gloves, scarf and hat, if we’re going outside.

There’s no uncertainty about whether we need a jacket or not.

Winter is also the perfect time to slow down and take a well-earned break from our busy schedules.

Shorter days and cooler weather, mean staying indoors curled up under a blanket and watching a film is perfectly acceptable.

But there is no need to hibernate all the time because winter is also the time for Bonfire Night, Diwali – the Hindu festival of lights, and Christmas.

Depending on which you celebrate, there is plenty of reason to come together with friends and family.

And it’s so much easier to make plans to meet up because everybody’s diaries are a bit clearer. In summer, in can be difficult to find a time that suits everybody.

The food is also so much better than what we tend to have during the summer months. Winter means hearty stews, warming soups, and hot chocolate – and who doesn’t like that?