I have taken some leave this week to come and stay at my parents' in Wester Ross. The weather of course has obliged by howling a gale and tipping it down with rain - not that I really expected any different in the middle of March.

A symbol of hope but it hasn't stopped it from raining since.

The lichen positively drips off the trees - its true the air does feel quite fresh!

Small patches of gorse are in flower, even where the gorse itself appears dead - little pockets of brightness.

On the way north there were a whole succession of rainbows - most of the time I wasn't in a position to stop, but this was from a lay-by just before Inverness.

Spring is a little behind here compared to Newcastle so there are more catkins on the trees and hellebores are freshly out