2 Snow and Frost

You’ve been very preceese wi your wark, John Frost, 

Altho ye hae wrocht [laboured] in the dark, John Frost; 

For ilka fit-stap frae the door to the slap [gap in the fence]

Is braw as a new linen sark [shirt], John Frost.

                                                                                                                              (William Miller)

Snow and frost may look very beautiful and a cold, crisp winter may be healthier than a mild, mochy one but, as many of the quotations in this chapter remind us, for shepherds and others who work outside, winter is a hard and dangerous time.

Snow and ice might have drawbacks and dangers, but they also have a more pleasurable side. Scotland is not a major destination for winter sports but, in a snowy year, Scottish skiing can be good fun and there are always plenty of challenges for experienced climbers. The Scottish winter sport par excellence, however, is curling, a sport of skill and judgement played by sliding a big granite stone up the ice, sweeping its path vigorously and hoping it stays nearest to the centre of some concentric circles. Usually played on an ice rink, there are rare occasions when a loch may freeze hard enough for an outdoor curling match or bonspeil. There can be few more romantic sights than curlers on a frozen loch as the stars begin to appear in the clear, frosty, late afternoon sky and there may even be a chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

SNOW

FROST