Three years ago, I moved home to Scotland after spending nearly 20 years in the US and one of the hardest things to readjust to is the wild swings in daylight availability. In the summer months here, the sun has barely set at 10:30 p.m. before it’s back up again at 4:30 a.m. meaning I can hike and run as much as I want to and barely need to think about carrying a headlamp (I do, though).
Come winter, it’s a whole different story. Right now, there’s still a month to go until the shortest day and already the sun isn’t up until 8 a.m. and it’s dark again by 4 p.m. It’s all part and parcel of living up north, but what it means is that, unless I’m really organized or able to take a lunch time run, I’m often running in the dark.
