While
the rest of the UK has been continuing to bask under blue skies and warm sunshine, up here
in the frozen north we have gone in just 4 days from this:
to
this:
The
promised return to winter materialised with a vengeance today, with my walk to
church this morning taken in the teeth of a fierce hail shower driven by a
bitter northerly wind. Thank goodness the church is not much more than a
quarter of a mile away! The service was followed by a walk home an hour later
in windless calm and amid gently falling snow.
Since
then calm and fitfully sunny intervals have alternated with driving, heavy
hail, sleet and snow showers which sweep along the valley from the sea to the
north, hiding the castle, kyle and mountains from sight. It’s been an afternoon
for quiet knitting, accompanied by tea and hot, buttered toast, interrupted by
the occasional dash to the window to watch the weather change yet again.
 |
| Who stole the castle? |
As
I write it is snowing hard, but by the time I post this, the sun may be out
again and the water droplets glittering from every twig of the still leafless
silver birch in the garden. April at her most capricious.
Postscript: It was worth waking early and braving the cold of the conservatory to capture this view before the sun moves round behind the mountain until the afternoon. We had more snow overnight.
Oh poor you! Down here we've had two lovely days - today especially, with blue skies and white fluffy clouds, but a brisk cold wind to take the edge off it! Don't think I'm gloating, but we were threatened with heavy rain for last Friday, which did materialise, but not very much. And we thought it was going to continue over the weekend, but no! We saw the forecast for your area, and thought 'Oh dear, poor things - hope it's wrong', but obviously not :-( Will look at the 5-day forecast on Countryfile in a minute and see what you're likely to get this week - hopefully it'll be better. You sound very cosy there, though - I do like the sound of hot buttered toast (preferably with demerara sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top!!) How's the clarinet practise (? I never know which spelling to use!) going? BH has been doing lots of gardening recently, and I've even managed to do a bit of dead-heading of the daffs - and he went up to sail today, but there were so few people around that he came home! We'll be up there with the caravan and dog (weather permitting) next weekend, hopefully. Love from us both to you both. Helva
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sympathy, Helva, but except for the miserable walk to church, it really isn't needed. :-) We don't travel to the far north of Scotland in search of warm, sunny weather, though we've had a good amount of it this visit, but for the glorious landscape and lovely people we find here. Good weather is simply a bonus. We had more snow overnight, as you can see from the photo I added at the end this morning, but our forecast for the week isn't bad now.
DeleteClarinet practice (the verb has the s) has been seriously neglected for other things, but I'm determined to get back into a proper routine and make up for lost time. Hope the bank holiday weekend has decent weather and you can enjoy being up at the sailing club. See you soon. xx
Hari Om
ReplyDeleteIt has been all that and more, what?! We started out miserable this morning, but I was close to breaking out in moisture this arvo - mind you the elephant size windows do make this lounge something of a solarium. For which I am most grateful! What pretty, pretty piccies you got though....&*> YAM xx
And it looks like you're still basking in sunshine today from the Met Office map, Yam. :-) It's beautifully sunny, if cold, up here this morning, as you can see from the photo I've just added at the end. We had more snow overnight and Ben Loyal was looking absolutely magnificent in his white coat at 7.30 this morning.
DeleteHari Om... and Loyal looks lovely... however don't believe all you see on the maps!!! Dawn was brilliant. It fell apart very quickly after that and the wind is bordering on viscious.... not complaining though. I has been the best part of two weeks of good spring weather now and that is as much good weather as we've had in one session since ever I got here!!! YAM xx
DeleteAh, they've now updated the weather map and I see exactly what you mean. I'm afraid your forecast for the next few days looks worse than ours. :-( Here the wind has gone round to the south and eased off a bit, but still feels cold as it passes over the upland snowfields to get to us.
DeleteOh, bother (said Pooh). No fun at all! We have just today come out of April winds and frosts, Perpetua, and I can surely empathize with you. We were as giddy as schoolchildren let outside for recess on a spring afternoon today, with cool weather but sunshine. Here's hoping some of it blows across the pond and you are seeing some real spring soon.
ReplyDeleteThankfully we're back to the sunshine this morning, Penny, as you can see from the photo I've just added at the bottom, but I will admit to not having enjoyed the walk to church yesterday. Those hailstones sting! Now we have the sight of tulips blooming in the garden with snow around their feet, though this should disappear soon. The joys of spring in a northern clime.. :-)
DeleteThere is something wonderful about weather that changes so quickly without human intervention! We worry about what we cannot change instead of going with the flow and enjoying the beautifulness that nature gifts to us.
ReplyDeleteAs long as we are warm indoors and have something creative to occupy our hands the weather is simply a wonderful movie going on within our sight. Glorious!
Tomorrow spring many return.
Its changeableness is one of the many lovely things about British weather. However bad it is, we know it won't last for ever, or even, mostly for long. We do get spells, sometimes quite lengthy ones, of settled weather, both cold and hot, but they are the exception rather than the rule. It makes packing to go anywhere a bit of a chore as we have to take clothes that will cater for the changes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. :-)
DeleteToday we have spring sunshine, but rather wintry temperatures, but the forecast is for it to warm up gradually.
What an awful walk to church! Hail can be nasty. Rebekah and I went for a walk Friday and within fifteen minutes of returning it started pelting down hail here. It's definitely something better observed from inside a nice, warm house. Hopefully this week brings some sunshine your way.
ReplyDeleteIt's wasn't fun, Kristie, but at least it wasn't long either. The snow on my return walk was much more enjoyable and this morning, after more snow overnight we again have sunshine, as you can see in the photo I've just added as a postscript. But even this is better observed from inside as it's still very cold out there. :-)
DeleteYou need some kindly intervention from winds from another direction. Your part of the UK has been the poor scapegoat for our happy dabbling in occasional warm sun.
ReplyDeleteIf it's any consolation we are promised a week of "no very nice" weather, so, swings and roundabouts - maybe.:-)
The wind is from the south today, Ray, but as that means it's travelling over the snowy mountains to get to us, it's not making much difference to the temperature. :-) Still, today we have sunshine after more snow overnight (see the postscript photo I've just added) and the forecast for the week is for typical April sunshine and showers. At least the tulips are still bravely flowering despite the snow round their toes.
DeleteGood grief!
ReplyDeleteThe weather was truly gorgeous here in the Loire while my brother was staying for a short holiday. Now it's cool, wet and windy, but reading your post reminds me of why we chose the Loire instead of Scotland!
Indeed, Jean. :-) We've had some beautifully sunny and warm days too - at least warm by north coast standards - and I think I'd rather have our snow than yet more rain. At least then everything looks so beautiful, as can be seen in the photo I've just added as a postscript. That doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to a hopefully warm and sunny summer in Normandy. :-)
DeleteThat's why we love the Highlands in April and May. Never knowing what the next day will bring.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's one of the joys of this time of year in this wonderful area.Aactually it's probably true of all times of the year up here. :-)
DeleteThe mountain wrapped in snow is glorious, Perpetua, but walking to church in a hail storm does sound awfully grim. Glad you are tucked up there with your knitting in that winter wonderland - even if it is supposed to be Spring.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't my happiest quarter of an hour, Patricia, but just not worth getting the car out for such a short distance. The compensation of course is the glory that is Ben Loyal in the snow. Of course at this time of year the snow is already starting to melt and we'll soon be back to spring, but it was so beautiful while it lasted.
DeleteMost impressive, Perpetua. That final photo of your mountain is absolutely stunning. We've had some weather here too this weekend... not all good! I must confess, I rather like the idea of an afternoon knitting and eating hot buttered toast.... Axxx
ReplyDeleteI saw your pictures of your weather, Annie, and thought you were unlucky to get it in Spain. Up here in the far north of course we know to expect almost any kind of weather at any time and learn to adapt, but the alpine beauty of Ben Loyal this morning still took my breath away.
DeleteStay safe, Perpetua. I thought Ben Loyal looked even higher with the snow on it than when not comparing the photos on your last post. Changeable weather in the mountains can be so dangerous. Our grandson was mountain climbing on Ben Nevis at Easter. We lifted up a prayer that he would make wise decisions and for his general welfare. In the end he and his group of friends didn't venture far because of the bad weather. A different situation, but I'm sure everyone around the world is thinking of the Nepal tragedy just now.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I thought exactly the same when I saw it this morning after the overnight snow - so high and so close I felt I could almost reach out and touch it. My mountain walking days are long past, but Ben Loyal is in fact nowhere near as high as many Scottish mountains. Ben Nevis is much higher and more treacherous and sadly claims lives rather regularly. I'm glad your grandson and his friends were sensible. I too can't help thinking of the tragedy in Nepal where the ground beneath people's feet was no longer stable and safe.
DeleteOoh, that last image ... that's an even more spectacular view with snow!
ReplyDeleteMy thought exactly at 7.30 this morning when I took the photo. In all the years we've been coming here I've never seen Ben Loyal quite so snow-clad and impressive. A real mountain spectacular.
DeleteYour photos are beautiful, Perpetua. It sounds like a very eventful spring weather system there. Not too different from here, actually; the past few days and been cold and wet. We've only had rain where I live (at 5500 feet), but go up another 500 feet and there is snow. I hope the weather settles for you soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jennifer. Yes, it's been an interesting few days, caused, I gather, by what the meteorologists call an Arctic Maritime Air Mass pushing down from the north. There seems to have been quite a lot of wet weather around in southern Europe too. I'm sure it will settle down before long.
DeleteIncidentally your throwaway mention that you live at 5500 feet makes me realise yet again how huge and varied the USA is. In the UK our highest mountain is Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands which is about 4400 feet and the highest village is at about 1500 feet.
I should like to predict a marvellous, magnificent, miraculous MAY heading your way Perpetua - by the way it is sunny and bright here but there is a definite nip still in the air.
ReplyDeleteNow that's a predication I'd love to see come true, Rosemary. :-) I gather the worst is over for us, but I shouldn't really grumble as we've had some gloriously sunny and warm days too over the past couple of weeks.
DeleteWhat beautiful images...the contrasts, and the raindrops on the branches are just wonderful. We know you dont travel north for the sun P. but I hope you get some warmer weather before you head south again. Good luck with the men on the roof ! Jx
ReplyDeleteGlafd you enjoyed them< Janice. We take so many photos here, as the landscape is constantly changing with the weather and it's nice to share some of them. Actually we've had quite a lot of sun since we arrived. Not as much as further south, but enough to be very pleasant. The men on the roof have done their stuff. :-)
DeleteWow, your mountain picture is fantastic! It does look cold but very fresh! Damp cold weather can sure chill you to the bone!
ReplyDeleteGlad you likle it, Chris. I've never seen Ben Loyal so snow-covered in all our visits.Today it's raining hard and feels even more cold and damp. Brr.... But May starts on Friday and hopefully the sun will return. :-)
DeleteSorry to be so late in commenting here. Just to say that your last photo is amazing. And I enjoyed the others too!
ReplyDeleteIt's never too late to comment, Ricky, as I tell myself when i get behind with blog-reading and commenting. :-) I was very pleased with the last photo as it's only early in the morning that the sunlight falls at that angle.
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