First off - finding this BBC website quite useful for working out if a journey is possible or not. Only of use in populated areas though.
I live in down south and folks live up north - quite a long way up north. The plan was to visit for Christmas but the weather has made that a bit more tricky than normal. To compound the issue my old man got some bad (read proper bad) health news yesterday that has turned missing a family Christmas from a shame to a bit more than that. Last family Christmas and all that.

My sister and I have chosen different methods of transport to increase the chance of at least one of us making it - she will try to fly (Gatwick to Inverness) & I'll drive. Plan to set off very early Thursday.
Not too interested in opinions/ advice about sanity of trip or aspersions on driving skill; just eye witness reports of current driving conditions along that route. Manchester area, over Shap, Glasgow/Edinburgh belt, A9 etc.
Much appreciated.

