View Full Version : hours of daylight.....
landmarker
17-Jan-06, 18:33
I have only ever been to Caithness once ! last October.
What time does it go dark in mid-winter? When does it get light in the morning
in December?
I can already see slight signs of lengthening days down here. Apparently the sunsets ten minutes later every week at this time of year.
I recall some debate, years ago, that 'daylight saving time' further south meant it was barely light in the far north until after 10am!
Would you like to see Scotland on a different system to the rest of the UK ie. not putting your clocks back in late October?
Tugmistress
17-Jan-06, 19:13
today sunrise was 08.49 and sunset 16.00
we make up for it in summer though with about 20 hours of daylight :)
Does anyone in the UK want daylight saving? I gather it causes a lot of accidents in the evenings and I don't believe it helps farmers - the animals don't know. The really short days are only for a little while in winter so what's it for?
landmarker, there was a suggestion several years ago that Britain should move over to the time in Europe.
In effect, both winter and summer one hour would be added to the time.
A quick look at Tugmistress's post shows that sunrise would then occur at eleven minutes to ten. In Just before Christmas, the shortest day would make it even later probably well after ten.
In Shetland sunrise would be a good deal later than here.
I will leave it to others to decide what they would like to happen as my life-style makes it fairly irrelevant to me personally.
rich62_uk
17-Jan-06, 19:55
today sunrise was 08.49 and sunset 16.00
we make up for it in summer though with about 20 hours of daylight :)
20 hours ! How many crops of tomatoes do you get ? And how do you grow mushrooms ? How do you convince the kids its time for bed ? Do the clothes shops stay open for longer too :grin: ? Seriously though it must have an impact on you, if it does could you tell me in what ways ? I never knew and that is just WOW.....Trish.
Its lovely in the summer, but the shops dont stay open longer, yet there is plenty to do and see, the county show, the highland games, gala weeks etc. you could always use black out roller blinds or curtains in the childrens rooms, but they will soon get used to it. i think this is why so many of us hate the winter so much, we miss the long summer days and barbeques etc, but it is still windy all the time, not like england.
pedromcgrory
18-Jan-06, 02:54
love the light nights good for fishing trips etc ,wot ive always found when u go out on boat fish always go when light does unless ur in harbour trying for doggies ,and some fight u get to ,u get sick off mackeral all the time but i can say ola pier last year seems to be improving ,caught most kinds doggie collie ,flattie ,even wee cod ,plus swarms and swarms off ,not so sure wot they were ,think wee herring or so ,seems its settling down now after pier being built eventually
The long days are fabulous - if you are lucky enough to be sheltered and have patio heaters in midsummer it almost doesnt go dark you could sit up all night.
It does deter the children from sleeping but it also encourages them to play out and often i was reluctant to bring them in and put them to bed when the weather was good and they were clearly enjoying the fresh air.
I recall some debate, years ago, that 'daylight saving time' further south meant it was barely light in the far north until after 10am!That's correct: I recall sitting in an English class during the 70s experiment, and watching the sun rise. It was almost a quarter past ten, and I was waiting for the bell to ring.
I have a lot of these useless memories...
It was proclaimed as a great success, it cut accidents, it cut crime, it did this and it cured that.
It was so wonderful that after a couple of years it was quietly allowed to pass peacefully over to the other side.
And they didn't even say a prayer to mark it's passing. :(
Yup, and I have no wish to attempt a resurrection.
Me neither, DrS. Not only was it a very depressing start to the day but most people went to work in the dark and went home in the dark.
I seem to remember one of the excuses, supported by Government Statistics of course (The easiest thing in the world to fix if you make the rules), showed it was safer for children going home from school because drivers could see them better. Children were more likely to dawdle going home whereas motorist would be rushing home for tea which made things more dangerous in the dark.
There was no consideration given to the possibility of oversleeping, dozy driver driving like a lunatic to get to the office might just meet half asleep schoolchild dashing across the road to beat the bell.
Once you had cut through all the excuses and realised we had only recently joined the then Common Market and giving us dark mornings would put us on Continental Time things became a lot clearer.
Crime and Child Accidents were just a cover to convince the public it was a good idea.
"Throw them a few misleading statistics about stopping crime and saving little children and they are bound to swallow it."
Governments, even then, had a very poor opinion of Joe Publics intelligence.
porshiepoo
18-Jan-06, 15:49
I come from England Landmarker so I can compare the two. Have to say this is much better.
Yes, it can stay darker for longer in the winter but thats a small price to pay for the summer months.
We don't have any probs with the kids and the light nights, shame the shops don't stay open longer though. lol.
I don't find the weather up here what the English would expect either. (off topic I know, but I don't care).
I am in contact with family and friends all the time in England and have to say that here in Lybster we've had much better weather and milder weather this winter than England.
We suffer from strong winds here, I think I'm maybe getting used to it though cos even those haven't seemed as persistant.
All in all, Caithness is better (my opinion only).
Alice in Blunderland
18-Jan-06, 16:17
.
It does deter the children from sleeping but it also encourages them to play out and often i was reluctant to bring them in and put them to bed when the weather was good and they were clearly enjoying the fresh air.[/QUOTE
No bother to me in the school holidays the tent goes up in my mum and dads garden so I dont have to bring them in.They run around till late in the village swing park which we can see from the house then come down to their tent and play.Its amazing how few hours they sleep in the summer but make up for it in winter.I love the long light nights and wouldnt change it neither would my kids. I agree porshiepoo Caithness is brill.
landmarker
18-Jan-06, 20:03
I have a lot of these useless memories...
Me,too Doctor, the cure is drastic.
No matter.
Actually I'm very fond of them.
landmarker
18-Jan-06, 20:05
I don't find the weather up here what the English would expect either. (off topic I know, but I don't care).
Why should you care? - thanks for the reply - and all the others too folks.
I don't find the weather up here what the English would expect either. (off topic I know, but I don't care).
If you keep straying, porshiepoo, people will think you're a Scarlet Woman and you'll get named and shamed :lol:
I really detest it each year when the clocks go back and we loose the evenings. I remember the 1970? experiment when we stayed on summer time and thought it was great. As a crofter working away from home at least I saw the animals in daylight once at the end of each day instead of just at the weekends.
Yes I've heard the view about kids usually going fairly directly to school in the morning but dawdling on the way home which is when the accidents happen. The only time my trips to the West Public and later institutions had any urgency was in the morning if only to avoid the threat of the belt. In fact I believe that it has been shown statisticaly that road accidents reduce when there is more light at the end of a working day.
I don't think any politician is going to run with staying on summer time throughout the year but I would be all for it!
Only lived up here since September last year, so not enjoyed the long summer days yet.
Can honestly say though, that we haven't noticed much difference with shorter winter days. Only thing we have noticed is that the sun is a lot lower in the sky. Even on a dull grey day, it doesn't seem to be depressing and gloomy like it did in England.
The weather in general has surprised us, as it is often warmer up here than in central England, hardly any frosts or snow..yet!
But the wind! LOL!
Only lived up here since September last year, so not enjoyed the long summer days yet.
Can honestly say though, that we haven't noticed much difference with shorter winter days. Only thing we have noticed is that the sun is a lot lower in the sky. Even on a dull grey day, it doesn't seem to be depressing and gloomy like it did in England.
The weather in general has surprised us, as it is often warmer up here than in central England, hardly any frosts or snow..yet!
But the wind! LOL!
Stekar, I may be able to assist with your surprise over the weather.
The reason even dull grey days are less depressing is that you aren't seeing them through a two miles thick layer of industrial haze so the 'grey' is a nicer shade of grey.
The surprise over the temperature is the fault of the media weather forceasters.
I will refrain from mentioning that the majority, on the national media at least, are located in London and have probably never ventured beyond the Watford Gap for fear of the Natives.
Scotland is vaguely that bit of England that was missed and got away so they don't really have to worry about it too much.
They have heard tell of people living up there but that's only rumour and they don't know of anybody who has really seen them.
The new BBC Weather Map proves this to be true.
They wave their hand vaguely in the air somewhere and quickly proclaim "There will be snow over the Highlands of Scotland" and then rush on to where they feel more secure in their knowledge.
I will interpret, "There's snow where? - Scotland? - Oh There! - Yes I've heard of it, at least I think I have!"
"What? - Not the whole of Scotland? - The Highlands, where's that bit? - Ah, that funny bit at the top. - Do we cover that bit? - OK if you insist!"
Waves hand and mumbles rapidly so colleagues do not think they have taken leave of their senses.
Now for the good bit, I will explain what actually happens.
The only snow to be found anywhere is on Ben Nevis. (Well, it's in the Highlands isn't it so they are right.)
My phone rings, “No I’m alright. - Snow? - What snow's that? - No it’s not two feet deep! - It said what on the news?”
Happens every time without fail and the same with the temperature which usually applies to temperatures if you are half way up a mountain near Aviemore.
The wind?
Northern Scotland – Winds will be fresh to strong – Don’t stick your nose out of the door or you will have to explain why you're in Norway without your passport! (I believe the Norwegian Immigration are usually very understanding)
Southern England – Gale to severe gale force winds – The flags might actually move on top of official buildings, don’t get frightened.
End of Weather Forecast! And if you don't believe me just watch what happens.
Tugmistress
20-Jan-06, 11:27
:lol:
Nice one Jaws, excellent description had me sat here giggling away while my partner looked at me as if i were mad ... hang on a minute, i am crackers :eyes;):lol:
To be honest, I'm half serious, I was perhaps exaggerating just a tiny wee bit.
Even the Met Office happily lump us in with North West Scotland. The other end's only 200 miles or so, it's quite close really.
In English terms it's like always lumping London And Leeds (That's a little place t’other side o’th Pennines fray Manchester and Liverpool) together.
If they did that there would be blood shed. (Ask any good Yorkshireman)
There are a couple of forecasters, who still haven't had their Scot's Accent completely beaten out of them yet, who give a bit more attention to us.
I am assured, however that they are receiving further training to correct their wayward behaviour.
"Dratted Colonials Carruthers. I Tell you, there'll be trouble. Just can't keep the blighters down! Do pass the Gin dear chap."
(That could have been painful, I nearly said a naughty word at the beginning of that. :( )
the long days in the summer are ace you can go for a swim in the sea at nine at night a problem with it though is if you dont go to bed before two or three in the morning the sun is already up really annoying as my window poitns to where it risesbut jhonstons on fridaynight/saturday morning its already light feels really good compared to having no sunlight if you sleep to long during the holidays in winter
And it's awfully difficult to tell when dusk ends and dawn starts.
Just don't try waiting until it goes dark to go to bed either. It's a long wait.
Jaws, loved your weather forecast! It's true that our part of the world is forgotton by the weather forecasters. Only once I heard Caithness mentioned on the national weather.....nearly fell off my chair!
As for forecasts for southern England, severe weather warnings for a few flakes of snow! It snows in Scotland and life continues as normal.
Summer is amazing!
Spent many a night walking, talking......the sun sets, but just below the horizon so the light can still be seen all night, as it moves round to the east, till it rises again just a few hours later.....temp doesn't dip much....great fun!
landmarker
20-Jan-06, 22:57
Summer is amazing!
Spent many a night walking, talking......the sun sets, but just below the horizon so the light can still be seen all night, as it moves round to the east, till it rises again just a few hours later.....temp doesn't dip much....great fun!
you're making me jealous. Plus: my missus has seen some land at Bettyhill. Couldn't afford to do much with it yet but I must admit it would be nice to own a small (tiny) slice. It's the red wine talking but that area is so stunning. The thought of seeing the edges of the sun's luminescence circumnavigating the globe in mid June would be something else. Sure beats the hell out of the Mancunian Way circumnavigatin' the city's bleak bulk.
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