Substack diary no.137: Tuesday, 28th. April 2026

It is cloudy this morning but with occasional sun and a light breeze. Rain clouds suggest rain but for the time being we remain dry. Looking over towards Dartmoor, where rain clouds look heavier, denser and darker, rain would seem more likely, but I can see from here that it is not raining up there either.

On most days of the year we would look west to see if there is any rain on the way; in general, if it is raining in Plymouth – less than 40 miles down the road – it is likely to be raining here in about an hour, depending on wind speed. But today is one of those less usual occasions when the wind is blowing from the opposite side of the compass compared to the norm – the north-east. Hence it is considerably cooler than yesterday.

I suppose it is inevitable that living in a maritime temperate climate zone in the south-western peninsula of an island leads us to talk about the weather rather a lot. It is, after all, subject to change – sometimes dramatic change – at short notice. Those who fish and farm must pay close attention to weather conditions – their livelihoods and even their lives can depend upon it. My only concern is to know which coat or jacket I should wear when I venture into town at lunchtime.

Not that long ago it would have been true to say that those of us born in this landscape would have a pretty good ‘nose’ for the weather. I have no idea if there is any truth in it, but it would seem possible that those who did not grow up in this region might be more dependent upon weather apps on their smartphones than a westcountry person of my age. Perhaps it is just one more way in which we are, sadly, distancing ourselves from nature.

But nowadays I can safely say that even a nose born in the westcountry would have less success in predicting the weather now compared to 60 years ago. Science tells me the reason for this and why our climate is changing so rapidly, considerably more rapidly than would be natural. But even if I was unaware of the science I would have the experience of my own lifetime to tell me that something is not quite right.