June Weather

Compared to many places in the UK, we're enjoying a good summer.  June started unusually dry: the total rainfall in the first three weeks amounted to a pitiful 19mm, drought conditions by Kilchoan standards, particularly as it followed a rainless two weeks at the end of May.  So most of the burns were dry, the grass in the hills crackled underfoot, and the crofters were shaking their heads over the failure of the pastures to provide enough sustenance for their sheep.  That the grass wasn't growing couldn't be blamed entirely on the lack of rain - night-time temperatures at the beginning of June were falling to 5C.

It was super weather for walkers and for those who enjoy the beaches of the peninsula - Sanna pictured above from the summit of Meall Clach an Daraich.  For walkers, there's the added advantage that, in early June, the bracken hasn't grown to the point that it's impossible to wade through.

Everything changed on the 22nd, when we encountered some very welcome drizzle, followed by a deluge on the 23rd, with 27mm falling in 24 hours - much to the disgust of this young robin.  Since then it's been classic 'cloudy with sunny intervals', with enough rain to keep the burns running and for people, but not the sheep, to be able to complain about it.

The relatively fine weather through the month has enabled us to enjoy one of the features of this place, the fact that, over the midsummer period, it doesn't really go dark through the night.  The dry weather also seems to have suited some of our June wildflowers, including this slightly unusual variety of Forgetmenot, possibly a Water Forgetmenot.