Here in rural cheshire I have been cycling all of last week and this week on 700x25c tyres without any issues. As many have said, stick to the main road, take it slower and allow more time and enjoy it. I had a beautiful ride into college this morning on my road bike with very heavy hoar frost covering every possible surface and the sun just starting to burn through. my only complaint was that I had not built in enough extra time to cycle to college and allow time to take photos. I understand it was -6C here this morning. The back lanes are "interesting" but if you ride carefully, pick you line, don't stand up to get up hills and don't worry about which side of the road you are on (quiet road only you understand), you should be fine. Mind you I have to do the back lanes and a hill start just to get to anything that may have been gritted and then most of my routes take me straight through a section of flood water which has some wonderful icicles on the hedge at the moment, so I have perhaps had plenty of practice by now - no offs yet just some seriously slow times
I even managed to get a QOM on strava on Tuesday night, in dense freezing fog (-3C) on a section of road I don't ride that often and was not actually trying hard given I was on the return leg of a 21 mile each way commute and still had some way to go, riding a road bike with heavy panniers on it at the time (remember I have a bad leg from a nasty dog bite and 42miles is the most I can manage in a single day). Anyhow, I'm on Schwalbe Durano pluses and they seem to have had plenty of grip for the +250km I have done mostly on back lanes and ice since Monday last week. Just take it sensibly and wrap up warm, but not too warm, no sweating: it makes you colder.
OK - I will fess up, I only got the QOM becuase I am currently the only female who has done that section with strava running!
. The tyres are heavier than the flippin wheels !!! 
