‘A Celebration of Darkness’ – Winter in Scotland

Episode 96: ‘A Celebration of Darkness’ – Winter in Scotland

Take a seat by the fireside and join me in celebrating the darkness of winter in Scotland.

‘A Celebration of Darkness’ is part of the series A Year in Scotland. This is the December episode.

Today’s episode is a little different. It consists of five short vignettes that celebrate winter in Scotland. Across three stories, we’ll explore Scotland’s wintery folklore. We’ll hear about the winter goddess Beira and her grip on the seasons, I’ll tell you the story of the “Nimble Men” up in the sky, and we dive into stories of the Winter Solstice. I’m also taking you with me on an early morning walk in the Rothiemurchus Forest.

And of course, I have lots of practical tips for you, to make the most of a winter trip to Scotland.

By the way, most of this episode was recorded by a real fireside in my garden – so it will sound a little different than usually.

Disclaimer: All information provided in this podcast is based on personal travel experiences. Companies mentioned in the story or tips were active at the time of release. If you listen to episodes at a later point, note that this information may have changed in the meantime.

Resources

Gifts from Scotland: A Gift Guide for Scotland Fans

My Scotland Winter Travel Guide: 20 Tips for Winter Travel in Scotland

The story of the Cailleach Beira, Bride and Angus

Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend, by Donald Alexander Mackenzie

10,000 Years of Scottish Star Gazing by David Newland

The story of the Nimble Men

Winter Solstice & chambered cairns

Winter Solstice history & traditions (True Highlands)

The story of the Cailleach Nollich

5 Winter Travel Tips for Scotland

1) Download an aurora app to see the Northern Lights

There are countless apps out there, that alert you when it’s likely to see the Northern Lights. 

I use an app called AuroraWatch UK which is a free service developed by scientists from the Space and Planetary Physics Group at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics. It monitors geomagnetic activity and estimates how likely it is to see the Northern Lights from anywhere in the UK. I have mine set up to send me push notifications if levels rise to Amber or Red.

Of course there are many other factors that can impact whether or not you can see the Aurora. It needs to be dark, little to no light pollution from the moon or artificial light sources near you, and of course, the sky needs to be clear from cloud coverage, which is often the hardest part of seeing the Lights in Scotland.

2) Less is more 

The days are significantly shorter in winter than during the summer, which means you have fewer hours of day light when you’re out and about exploring Scotland in winter. And that’s something you should consider when you plan your itinerary.

I recommend reducing your mileage so you can spend as much time as possible in the places you visit, and as little as possible in the car. Avoid driving long distances in the dark, and consider that you’ll fit fewer visits and activities into your days.

Instead of racing around the country to quote-unquote “see everything”, pick one or two places to explore more on depth and enjoy during this darker period.

3) Pay extra attention to your accommodation

Now, more than ever, it’s important to pick coorie accommodation in the right locations. “Coorie” means something like cosy in Gaelic, so when it comes to a coorie place to stay, I mean a hotel with a guest lounge and whisky bar, or a holiday cabin with a fireplace or a hot tub. In essence a place, where you’ll feel comfortable and happy to spend your late afternoons and evenings in without getting bored.

I also recommend picking accommodation that is within a village or at least within safe walking distance from a local pub, so you don’t have to drive in the dark to eat out.

A few of my recent winter favourites:

• Cottages with hot tub at Loch Insh Outdoor Centre
• Argyle Guest House in Tomintoul
• Creeside Escape Shepherd’s Hut by the Galloway Forest Park
• House in the Wood in Glencoe
• Duke of Gordon Hotel in Kingussie

4) Pick winter-friendly activities

In summer, you may be able to do 3 to 4 things each day, visit a castle, go for a short hike, book a boat trip and browse a village High Street. But in winter – with less daylight and more unpredictable weather – you might only get one or two experiences per day.

So, when you plan your itinerary, make sure you include some winter-friendly activities that are unique for the season and ideally, not too weather dependent.

This could be things like the guided hike to the Cairngorms reindeer herd, which I told you about in season 6 episode ‘A Coorie Winter’, a session in an outdoor sauna which have popped up all over Scotland, or joining a stargazing event at one of Scotland’s designated Dark Sky Places.

5) Remain flexible

Even now in off season, it’s important to make bookings for accommodation, transport and activities in advance. That’s because some smaller businesses close for a well-deserved break over the quieter season. And yet, it’s important to stay flexible, because the winter weather is just unpredictable.

Winter storms have gotten more frequent in recent years, at least that’s what it feels like to me. They can cause ferry cancellations, but also floods and other storm damage on roads and transport networks. This means that sometimes the most well-laid plans don’t work as intended, and you need to stay flexible. My top advice is to at least think about a plan B, if reaching one of your accommodations or a planned activity isn’t possible.

For more winter travel tips head to my Scotland blog watchmesee.com.

Pictures from Rothiemurchus Forest