wind – Pete's Blog

We are staying for a month near Pitlochry in the middle of Scotland. This is not so unusual for us. This time last year we were in North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. One thing to expect in Scotland in the autumn is rain. And this week has been particularly wet,

People often ask us why we would go somewhere wet and windy for a holiday. The answer is that there are many ways we can still enjoy ourselves. Here are just five.

1. Hunker down

We choose cottages with open fires or wood burning stoves. There are few things as cozy as warming yourself in front of real flames. The Scottish government have also invested heavily over the past twenty years in fast fibre for remote communities, so we have good Internet and can stream what we please. This week we watched all the Slow Horses episodes while the gales howled outside.

2. Get out in the fresh air when you can

There are gaps between the heaviest showers, and I don’t mind getting a little wet. A brisk walk with Lulu is great for my mental health. The scenery here is simply stunning and one benefit of all that rain is that the waterfalls are magnificent!

3. Eat well

Scotland may be famous for deep frying everything and this example may just reinforce that idea, but Scotland also has some of the best seafood you can find. This was the freshest most tasty fish and chips that I have had in a very long time. Just what you need to warm the cockles on a cold damp day.

4. Find adventures

Yesterday I drove out to Rannoch Station, probably the most isolated railway station in the UK. From there I got a train to Mallaig on the western coast, just over the sea from Skye. This West Highland Line is widely classed as one of the top train rides in the world and the views were spectacular, whether crossing bleak moors, clinging to the sides of gorges, crossing the Harry Potter viaduct, or looking out to sea. A day to remember.

5. Wait – it will get better

I woke up this morning to this view from our back door. It is beautiful. And the forecast for next week has a couple of days of bright sunshine. I will get out and make the most of it.

Those are just five ways to enjoy this wonderful country at this time of year. Can you think of more? We are very lucky to be here..

As I write this, storm Babet is arriving in Scotland where I live. It is forecast to bring unprecedented levels of rain, falling onto already saturated ground. When the last storm came, two weeks ago, it broke through part of our roof and through the kitchen ceiling. That has not been fixed yet and so we have buckets at the ready. This time, we are on the edge of an amber warning for rain and wind, and just a few miles away is a red warning, meaning likely loss of life. It would be tempting to hunker down and wait, but on Saturday morning we are planning to drive up to the Isle of Skye to get a ferry across to the Outer Hebrides where we will be living for the next month.

The big question is whether we should postpone for a few days till the weather calms down. The Outer Hebrides are off the Northwest coast of Scotland, and while they have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, they are also famously wild and windy, exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. The crossing is likely to be pretty bumpy.

There are three reasons I think we should go ahead. We are fairly seasoned travellers. A few years ago we took a ferry across the Bay of Biscay in a storm. Pretty much everyone took to their cabins as the ship rocked from side to side, bow to stern. Even many of the staff were feeling unwell. But my son and I stayed up, had a couple of drinks and watched a Fast and Furious film.

Secondly the ferry company Caledonian MacBrayne has not yet issued a warning on this crossing. Many of the ferries on the east coast of Scotland have already been cancelled but so far, the west is looking rough but passable.

And thirdly it will be an adventure. We spent a month in Orkney a couple of years ago, and one of the things I enjoyed most was watching the weather change from sunshine to storm in the blink of an eye. When we finally get to our cottage this Saturday night, we can light a fire, cook something warming and hunker down.

One thing I am nervous about is whether there will be a storm during our return trip towards the end of November. The port of Uig in Skye will be closed at that point, so instead of a two hour ferry, it will be five hours across the open sea to Ullapool. I am hoping for sunshine.

Tag: wind

Five ways to enjoy a holiday in Scotland when it is raining

Should I take a Scottish Ferry in a storm?