…and now it’s snowing! After a marvellous week or more of almost summer-like weather, Easter is rapidly approaching and the British weather is taking a predictable nosedive.
The journey up to the northern coast of Scotland was as wonderful as ever and the sun even shone for us almost all the way. We had a great couple of days in Southport with family and visiting The Broad (of which more anon) and now we are busy making sure everything has survived the winter weather unscathed.
When I first started to write about why we love Scotland
As soon as I've finished unpacking and sorting everything out, I’ll be back to tell you more.
Looking forward to the sharing part. Glad you had a good time, and the weather was cooperating.
ReplyDeleteWell, it was co-operating until yesterday, Rosaria, when it rained all day and now we have snow. But that's a British spring for you.... It was lovely to met up with The Broad and with family and now we're enjoying seeing our friends here again.
DeleteLucky you to have this wonderful place available whenever you want. I know Southern Scotland but have only ever taken a day-trip bus into the Highlands. Just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt is magnificent, Friko. We never tire of it and know how fortunate we are to be able to come here. Until the late 1990s I'd never been north of Edinburgh and the Highlands have been a total revelation. The combination of mountains and water is incomparable.
DeleteCan hardly wait to hear all about your visit with The Broad! In the meantime, your past posts about Scotland are wonderful. What a unique and gorgeous country!
ReplyDeleteI'll do it very soon, Kathy, as we had such fun. I'm glad you enjoyed the earlier posts. Scotland is so extraordinarily beautiful and varied and we love exploring and discovering more of its history and landscape.
DeleteOh dear! I was afraid that was going to happen - hope the snow doesn't last long. We had about 3 drops of rain this afternoon on the way back from shopping at Morrisons - but the Severn is very low, as are all theother streams round here. Clywedog is still full, though - don't think ST have even thought about letting anything out, so if we have any appreciable rain it'll overflow. Sailing has started - and as usual, very little wind over the weekend, but enough for racing yesterday. Glad you had good weather for travelling (prayer for 'bubbles' works). How was the birthday celebration for DH's Mum? Sounds as if you and Broad talked as much as we do!!
ReplyDeleteWhat was the fuel situation in Scotland? We're a bit concerned about what we'll find when we leave here on the 18th - hope we don't get stranded on Mull! We're definitely not taking the caravan, as we can't leave it anywhere for the week while we're in the cottage.
P et b
Well we've an inch or two out there here at sea-level, Helva, so I'm guessing it's quite thick on the hills. However, it rarely lasts long at this season, thank goodness. The rivers were very low as we drove up through the Highlands - far lower than normal for the time of year.
DeleteThe birthday celebrations were very enjoyable, as was the afternoon with The Broad. We had no trouble getting fuel, though some garages were closed and some had long queues. You should be fine.
Hey Helva, Perpetua's BabySis here! We are in the process of removing/retiring to mid-Wales, so it's likely she may introduce you to us. Intrigued to see you sail on Llyn Clywedog as we have a bit of a hankering to do that, along with riding again (me) and getting a vintage motorbike (The Husband) as two (re)new(ed) outdoor hobbies. Perhaps see you up there at the club one day before long...
DeleteIn case Helva doesn't see this, I can certainly introduce you, as she doesn't live in our immediate area, but the other side of Newtown. Remind me when I get back.....
DeleteHi, Goldenoldenlady! Looking forward to meeting you - when do you move over here, & where to? You'll be very welcome at Clywedog SC - and P (the better half) will gladly take you out. There's a lot going on this year, and we have a website that's kept reasonably well up to date. Ask Perpetua to give you my e-mail address, and I'll give you all the details. And let us know if we can do anything to help with the move. All good wishes.
DeleteScotland looks so breath-takingly beautiful. I would love to visit there sometime. No snow here as yet but the weather has certainly gone colder.
ReplyDeleteMolly, with your eye for the beauty of landscape, you would really love Scotland. It's very different from Mid-Wales, especially the north and west which is where we go - so big and empty and so many lochs and rivers among the mountains, as well as the sea and islands.
DeleteI gather that you may get a touch of snow sometime on Tuesday, but not for long, but it looks like being a chilly Easter. brrr!!
It's 85 degrees F. here and we're looking at severe thunderstorms this afternoon. It's not uncommon for us to get one more cold snap before Easter but not this year.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures in the link are sharp.
EF, that's a hot summer's day here in the UK and it's only April 2nd! Here in the north of Scotland it's 2C, which is about 36F, though last week it was 22C/72F and we were all sunbathing. Hope the thunderstorms aren't too bad.
DeleteRainy season is starting a month early here...and very welcome, despite not being able to use the computer while the thunderstorms rage.
ReplyDeleteThere is something unique about the colours of northern Scotland, I feel...but then I thought that too about the colours of the Loire Valley...
Unpack in peace and enjoy yourselves.
Thanks, Fly, we know we will. You're right about the colours here - pale blue, grey, dun-brown, greens and (in season) purple. On the drive up from Lairg we revel in the sweep of colour and landscape and it feels like coming home.
DeleteI see the weather is being unseasonal with you too, though you're obviously quite glad about it, despite the computer breaks, which are probably good for all of us at times....
I like your particular bit of Scotland, which I know very little about but it is beautiful. I will be learning more now that I know you are there. Somehow I missed that part of you before. Duh.
ReplyDeleteGlad to be the one to introduce you to the beauty and grandeur of north-west Scotland, Rubye. It's one of the world's wonders as far as I'm concerned and I love sharing it. I knew that many people wouldn't have seen my earlier posts, which is why I linked to them and am pleased that you've enjoyed them.
DeletePleased to hear you have arrived safely. The weather everywhere is very strange. We certainly had Spring with the feeling that summer was just around the corner. That was a week ago. Yesterday it rained and last night was cold. I still have the electric blanket on the bed..ridiculous for this time of year here.
ReplyDeleteYou with rain and the electric blanket in Turkey, Ayak, Fly with an early rainy season in Costa Rica and us with a 20C drop in temperature from last week and now snow! The weather is certainly playing tricks with us all this year. The snow won't last long, but it's still going to be not very springlike for Easter.
DeleteSo beautiful and peaceful. Hope you have a wonderful time up there and looking forward to reading more! Pictures are just stunning. Southport is more like November than Easter :-(
ReplyDeleteWeren't we lucky with the weather when we met last week, Broad? Such a shame it couldn't last over the Easter weekend, but that's British weather for you.... It will probably improve again when everyone has gone back to school and work.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed the older posts. It's not difficult to take great pictures of this extraordinary landscape - much easier than taking good pictures of people. :-)
I just love the photos. I looked back at your previous posts, and I'm just in love with Scotland. There are no immediate plans, but we have been talking about a family vacation--future, I'm sure--to Scotland to experience where my grandparents were born and raised. I feel a strong urge to do this...and my only fear is that I may not want to come home! I was so pleased to see that you were "here" for a quick update! So glad you could share today. Debra
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra. Knowing your family connection with Scotland, you were one of the people I had in mind when I posted the links. I'm so glad you enjoyed them and that they have intensified your wish to visit this wonderful country. I really do hope you manage to do so before too long - perhaps as an eventual retirement trip?
DeleteHello Perpetua:
ReplyDeleteWe are so delighted to know that you are enjoying yourselves, despite the vagaries of the weather, as you make your progress northwards. Alas, from what we hear from another blogger friend, more snow is expected shortly which may, indeed, already be with you. Continue to have great fun.
Good morning, Jane and Lance. Yes, the snow arrived yesterday and we had a couple of inches by this morning, though it's already starting to melt a little. It would take much more than bad weather to stop us enjoying ourselves here, though. :-) We've been snowed in, endured gales and even had floods in the village after one terrible November rainstorm, but none of it makes us fall out of love with our bit of Scotland.
DeleteI wondered where the snow was that the weathermen keep talking about - now I know. I hope you are snug in your camper. Happy travels!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Harriet. I'm not sure how far south the snow reached as we don't have TV here, but it's still white outside. I'm glad to say we are snug in a small bungalow and only using the camper for the journey and for short trips. My old bones need a proper bed most of the time nowadays. :-)
DeleteThen Husband and I have been up to "Cold Comfort Farm" for your DH,as promised. Happy to report that taking down the scaffolding hasn't caused any damage, on account of its all being exactly where it was erected...! Nothing has been removed and there was no-one on site. Suggest DH gets onto the panel installers who employed the scaffolders and asks what the hold up is about.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for this, Baby Sis. DH has just heaved a big sigh and vanished in the direction of his computer....
DeleteIf you need someone to do round with a big stick The Husband, being now a Man of Leisure & Independent Means, is at your disposal, and I can also attend with him to have words, all of them trenchant and to-the-point.
DeleteThanks again. I've passed the message on, but he's being all philosophical about it now...... :-)
DeleteWell, here in the south of the British Isles, there's no sign of the snow: in fact, even the forecast has toned down a bit to "wintry showers"...but it was supposed to be raining by now and so far it isn't doing that, either! Hope you are snug and that the snow has melted, or will do quickly! Snowscapes are nice to look back on, but not so nice to be out in!
ReplyDeleteNo sign of it up here now either, CB, except up on the mountains. It vanished almost as quickly as it arrived, once the sun came out. Mind you, the wind is freezing, so we are admiring the view snugly from indoors. :-) Glad you seem to have been spared it all.
DeleteGlad you had a good journey up Perpetua. I enjoyed The Broad's description of your meeting. I hope your m-in-law's 88th birthday party went well. See you & Goldenyounglady (well as baby sis she is always young to me) in Wales in May. Enjoy your Easter Scotland.
ReplyDeleteThe journey was very good, thanks, PolkaDot - so much better when the sun shines and does the scenery justice. We had a really great time in Southport, first meeting The Broad and enjoying tea with her and The Man and then a whole day of birthday celebrations for dear MiL. Looking forward to our get-together before long. :-)
DeleteThe snow was a bit unexpected today as we had thought that Spring had come to bonnie Scotland, and we all rushed out in our shorts last week. Hope it doesn't spoil your fun.
ReplyDeleteTootallburd has been terminated due to interference. You can find me at http://theministersmrs.wordpress.com
Jenni
Jenni, thanks so much for calling in to let me know. I've duly bookmarked the new address. Sorry to have missed the gorgeous weather you've been having. We had it back home in Wales, but I'm greedy and would have appreciated it here too. :-)
DeleteYou would get on well with my son's girlfriend, despite having the wonders of North Wales on her doorstep she is desperate to move into the Scottish wilds. Hope you don't get too much snow x
ReplyDeleteThe snow has already gone except on the hills, thanks, Annie. I know some people wonder why we can't be content with the lovely scenery of Mid-Wales, and indeed we always come back there because it's been our home for so long. However we do so much enjoy our time in this very different but equally beautiful landscape. We only discovered it 10 years ago and there's still so much to explore. :-)
DeleteReally looking forward to hearing about your visit to the Broad, and I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up on your little bit of Scottish paradise....all looks wonderful. At least when we get snow forecast this time of year, we know it cant last too long....hope its not too bad with you. J
ReplyDeleteIt's a glorious area, Janice, in sunshine or in the snow, as you can see from the photos. Yesterday's fall has vanished already and the sun shone this afternoon. :-) I'll be posting about our afternoon with The Broad very soon.
DeleteOh dear again - you've lost it, and sent it down here! It's been snowing all day (now 1545hrs) since about 0500hrs, and we've got about 4" now of nasty wet stuff. What it's like up at your place (here) I can't imagine - you'd be stuck for a bit!! Perhaps it's as well that you're up there (providing it doesn't come back again). I can'tr get out to go to the service at Llanmerewig this evening - I doubt whether anyone will be able to get there by road. Several large shrubs in our garden have decided to droop rather severely - hope they manage to lift their heads up when it thaws, or we might lose them - it didn't happen in the last very cold snap in Dec 2010.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, have a blessed and happy Easter.
Lots of love.
Oo-er, that's a lot more than we had here at sea-level, but there's still plenty up in the hills. Holy Week 2008 was rather similar and I remember it snowing as I went out to take a Maundy Thursday evening service. According to the BBC weather pages, statistically we're more likely to have a white Easter than a white Christmas! May yours be a very happy one nonetheless.
DeleteI loved going over your older posts, I had wondered how you had found your particular piece of Scotland. I hadn't been further than Glasgow before I came to Orkney, and indeed only visited the Highlands two years ago. I fell in love with Ullapool and am heading back there this summer.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed them, Sian. It's why I felt it worth posting the links. Our first visit north of Oban was to Laide in Wester Ross, not very far from Ullapool. We loved that beautiful area too, but somehow it was North-West Sutherland which captured us. Enjoy your trip back to Ullapool this sunmmer.
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