Alastair Macleod 
The Orkney Weather 
A Lyrical Guide

’to be a resident or a visitor to Orkney is to be struck by many things – everywhere, loch, sea, and peaty burn separate the land with fingers of sparkling water. Dressed in a hundred greens and bonneted with browns and purples, the hills gently curve whalelike against the surface of an enormous sky; but even a day in Orkney will reveal a secret, that this vista is merely a backcloth and stage for the real players in this glorious drama, the elements.

Over a year, Orkney will throw at you the watery vigour of the Atlantic, the icy touch of the pole and occasionally the unveiled burn of the northern sun.

This little booklet is a brief introduction to the players, Wind, Rain. Frost, Snow and Sun. Wind has the biggest part and Rain not far behind. Frost flits in and out, while Snow is fickle and although she does beautify the land, she does not remain on stage for long. The smallest part goes to Sun but he lifts the heart of the audience whenever he appears’