Winter has arrived - in March

Five days of snow enforced a partial hibernation last weekend. The coal fire was lit and kept blazing throughout, warming the spirit as much as the room.
It’s lucky that we have a fully functioning fireplace to fall back on as the oil delivery for the central heating failed to make it through the drifts, so the boiler’s use was rationed.
A winter wonderland walk with Rowan up to the Pictish hill fort of Knockfarrel and homeward along the Cat’s Back ridge was the high point on Sunday, in all senses.
Work on Monday involved a trip to Wick. Even more snow up north, with all the side roads drifted over, but the main ones were clear enough to get around without too much sliding around.
The sun shone, teamed up with the snow blanketed Caithness landscape and finally managed to convince me that perhaps there is a little more to commend about this corner of Scotlandica than I had previously believed.
The view of the snowbound island of Hoy, set as it was against the bright blue winter skies and deep blue of the Pentland Firth was almost worth the trip itself. Why, oh why, oh why do I never learn to keep the camera handy?
This question was mulled over once more as I checked into my hotel in Thurso at the same time as over a dozen twitchers. I’ve never seen so many tripods and telephoto lenses outside of a camera shop. If they can lug all that gear around with them surely I can stick a wee digital job in my pocket when I’m on my travels.
The thaw set in the following morning and the evening sailing to Orkney was flat calm. Arrived in Kirkwall a bit too late to fully appreciate the hospitality at the Orkney hotel. Very nice room though, almost a small suite. Apparently they do great food, but I’d already had a nice chilli on the boat. The Northlink ferries don’t seem to have a signature dish like the CalMac’s Western Isles service’s famous chicken curry. I had it on a crossing from Uig to Lochmaddy last year and it was “chust sublime”. Perfect ferry comfort food.
We had another huge fall of snow this weekend. I was supposed to be on the boat to Shetland on Sunday, but over six inches of the white stuff had fallen overnight, so the trip had to be rearranged and I’m on the boat tonight instead. Now that it’s just been announced that CalMac have won the contract to serve the northern isles I’ll be on the look out for an early appearance of a reestit mutton tikka.