Coorie In Wi' Nature

Take time to savour some of life's simpler comforts

- by REBECCA GIBSON

COORIE is considered “a hug of a word”. If a Scot says “coorie in”, you're invited to snuggle up beside them on a sofa or in front of a fire.

While cosiness is a big part of coorie, it’s also about contrasts: you're cosy yet active, creative yet reflective, exploring outdoors and resting indoors.

It’s a sensory experience, where the pops of firewood, whiff of ginger and cotton tassels of a blanket play key roles. Most importantly, coorie celebrates Scottish heritage and identity. It’s this, together with the emphasis on connecting with nature, that separates coorie from the Danish hygge approach.

Coorie is linked to slow living – it encourages local, simple and meaningful experiences that don’t cost a lot.

It’s about connecting with what's around you, and a large part of that comes from the Scottish landscape, so here are some ideas for coorie activities inspired by the natural world.

Swimming in the sea or a loch is classic coorie. Some folk might look at you with horror, while other wild swimmers flash a knowing smile.

The initial cold plunge is always cheeky, no matter how thick-skinned you are, but the shoulder-hunching and teeth-gritting is soon smoothed over into a kind of peace that can be difficult to describe.

Wild swimming connects you to nature in a way you can’t achieve just by walking. It carves a wedge of screen-free time into your day with no room for distractions. There’s no option but to be in the present moment: listen to watery feedback bubbling in your ears, taste saltwater on your lips and savour the sight of waves rippling at eye level and blending with the sky. It’s like a humongous infinity pool, but totally free.

Once the cold seeps in a smidge too far, it’s coorie tradition to warm up with a flask of tea and gobble a “shivery piece”, the Scots term for a post-swim snack.