Sunrise is about 8am now
January is over, there is a little more light, and the birds are just beginning to sing again. But sometimes we need reminding that spring is just around the corner. Here are five tell-tale signs that we are on our way!
The days are lengthening: Since the shortest day on 21 December, the days have been getting just a little bit longer. School runs are no longer done in the dark, and with sunrise now at around 8am, all but the earliest risers will be breakfasting in the light. If you want to be exact, in the month of January, we gain between 1.5 to 2 minutes of daylight with each new morning. That picks up in February, with about 2.5 precious minutes of daylight gained every day! For an engaging little website to track the daylight hours across the globe, right down to your postcode, see this: suncalc.net/
The farmers markets have reopened: After a hectic Christmastime, the stallholders of Scotland’s many farmers markets hang up their thermals for a well-earned rest in the quiet month of January. But February sees them setting out fresh wares across the country. Stirling Farmers market takes place every second Saturday from February on. For details see here: http://www.stirlingfarmersmarket.co.uk/ In Perth, stall holders are out on the first Saturday of the month in King Edward Street and St John’s Place. For details, see here: http://www.perthfarmersmarket.co.uk/
Snowdrops: one of the first floral signs of spring
It’s time for the snowdrop festival: Scotland’s annual snowdrop festival is in full swing, celebrating one of our nation’s most cherished flowers. It seems the snowdrop sums up everything we love about spring: it’s a hopeful, beautiful and determined little bloom that reappears undaunted every year despite late snows and biting cold. To witness this inspiring annual spectacle for yourself, find a participating garden near you here: http://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/events/scottish-snowdrop-festival
Love is in the air: Resist it if you can, but love is in the air. Want a traditional Valentine’s Day? Why not see Romeo and Juliet at the Macrobert Stirling, or enjoy a special Valentine’s menu in the historic surroundings of the Old Bridge inn, Bridge of Allan. For those who want to spend this significant date in a way that they’ll (literally) never forget, how about a Valentine’s ‘Feast and Forage’ in Stirling? You and your loved one will spend the day foraging with Mark Williams of Galloway Wild Foods followed by a wild food cook-in. You can even camp out! For details and booking, see http://www.whatsonstirling.co.uk/event/015445-st-valentines-day-feast-&-forage-event/
The garden of Redcarr Lodge, Stirling Self Catering
We are all planning holidays: It seems that as soon as the last of the Christmas Quality Street have been devoured, it’s time to start thinking about summer holidays. Most of us turn our thoughts to our summer break in January and February in order both to get good deals and to give us something to look forward to after winter’s festivities. If you’re planning to spend your holiday in Scotland, why not make Stirling or Perthshire your base? Both provide great access to Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Highlands, as well as being stunning destinations in their own right. Have a look at our properties and check availability here: https://stirlingselfcatering.co.uk/ We’ll be happy to see you!