The Rampant Scotland Newsletter includes a number of photographs which illustrate the weather and the seasons, plus the flora and fauna of the current week around Scotland. This separate "colour supplement" displays some more pictures, in a larger format. Here is this week's crop of Scottish views!
Last Sunday night saw temperatures drop to -18C (-0.4F) in Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands, which the Meteorological Office said was the lowest UK temperature since January 2003 and the coldest February temperature since 1986. In the previous week, there had been a substantial fall of snow in the Highlands, the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh. By Tuesday of this week, much of that snow had disappeared in the Capital - but enough was left in Princes Street Gardens and the castle rock to add to the picturesque scene.
Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh is located beside Waverley Station, the main railway terminus in the Capital. It has to be one of the most attractive buildings in the city. It was built originally as the North British Hotel for the railway company which used Waverley. It opened its doors for the first time on October 15, 1902. The clock is traditionally kept two minutes fast to ensure that tardy travellers hurry up and catch their train!
The way that even in the winter months there are plants in Scotland producing their flowers is always a delight. The crinkly strap-shaped petals of Hamamelis (also known as Witch Hazel) are only about ½ inch long, but the clusters appearing on leafless branches create a vivid show. The flowers survive even the harshest frosts and most have a slight fragrance.
The west of Scotland initially missed the snow which fell on much of the rest of the country at the beginning of last week. But on Monday quite a few inches of the white stuff covered the west, including suburban Glasgow. It creates such pretty pictures from quite ordinary scenes - such as here, at Kilmardinny Loch, East Dunbartonshire.
The grounds and trees at the former Schaw Hospital in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire were blanketed in snow on Monday. This 19th century, Tudor Gothic styled mansion house originates from 1895. It was built by the Schaw family and gifted to Glasgow as a convalescence home attached to the city’s Royal Infirmary. It later became a nursing home but when that folded it was converted into high quality flats.
Since this colour supplement is going out on St Valentine's Day, I thought including this display in the window of a branch of Bradford's bakery would be appropriate. Who says we Scots aren't romantic?If you want to look back at earlier editions of this Colour Supplement, there is an Index Page
