Adventures in Scotland

A Wee Blether About the Weather

They say talking about the weather is a national pastime in Britain, but here in Scotland? It’s practically a competitive sport.

We don’t just comment on the weather — we categorise it, name it, and then use those names as an excuse to launch into a good blether with whoever’s nearest (whether they like it or not).

And because our weather changes faster than you can say “Put the kettle on,” we’ve got a whole dictionary of brilliant Scots words to help describe exactly what’s falling from the sky — or creeping in from the sea — at any given moment.

So next time you’re at Fraoch Lodge, whether you’re sipping tea after a walk or pulling on your boots for another adventure, you’ll be able to impress the locals by knowing your smirr from your stoating.

For When It’s Freezin’

• Pure Baltic – Absolutely, bleepin’ freezing. The kind of cold that has you chitterin’ (shivering) so much you could shake the sugar in your tea.

• Snell – That piercing, icy cold that feels like it’s cutting straight through your coat.

• Jeelit – Proper, no-arguments, “my toes are numb” freezing.

• Oorlich – Cold, damp and nippy all in one miserable package.

For When It’s Rainin’ (Which is Often)

• Drookit – Soaked to the skin. You either forgot your brolly or underestimated the Scottish sky.

• Smirr – That sneaky, drizzly rain that slowly soaks you without the drama of a downpour.

• Pish-oot – A torrential downpour when it’s “pishing it doon.”

• Sump – Rain coming down with gusto and great strength.

• Plowetery – A right dreich mix of showers, dampness, and general grimness.

• Greetie – Rain falling like tears from the sky.

• Stoating – Rain so heavy the drops bounce back up from the pavement.

On Misty, Moody Days

• Fret – A cold, damp mist rushing in from the sea.

• Haar – A ghostly, wispy sea mist sliding in from the East, hiding the hills and making everything eerily quiet.

• 

For Snow (Aye, We’ve Got Words for That Too)

• Flaggie – A big, fat snowflake.

• Flindrikin – Just a wee flutter of snow.

• Feefle – Snow that twirls and dances in the air like it’s auditioning for Frozen.

• Spitters – Slushy, half-hearted snowflakes or icy raindrops carried by the wind.

• Bullet Stanes – Hailstones. Usually painful.

Hiking across the snowy slopes of the Cairngorms

For the Nice Bits: when the weather is glorious …

• Gloaming – The beautiful, soft twilight in the early evening. Perfect for a quiet walk before supper.

• Watergaw – A patch of rainbow after rain. Not a full arc — just a magical snippet of colour in the clouds.

Rainbow in Torridon,September 2021

Wisdom from the Weather-Wise

• “The rain is God’s way o’ cleanin’ the coos.” – Always a silver lining.

• “Cast not a clout till May is oot.” – Keep your warm layers until summer really arrives.

• “Yer grandpa’s like the weather — nae pattern!” – A gentle reminder that you can’t trust the forecast.

Next time you’re out walking the Cairngorm trails with us, see if you can tick off every type of weather in one day. (Spoiler: it’s entirely possible.) And whether it’s smirr, snell, or a wee watergaw, you’ll know exactly what to call it — and you’ll sound like you’ve lived here all your life.

One of the photography highlights of the autumn – hanging mists