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Loch Ness Newsletter - November 2011
Hello Everyone
Well, this may be a very late newsletter but if I can say so, it is a very significant one! Graeme and I have very mixed emotions when we tell you that we said goodbye to our very last guest this morning. Yes - after 10 very excting, busy, fun and at times frantic years, we have decided to hang up our B&B boots. We have had the pleasure of so may people's company and we have so many wonderful memories. Of course there have been some difficult times but we can truthfully say that we have had the most fantastic time running the B&B. But as they say, time to move on. We will still be keeping our self catering cottage, Hazelgrove and of course Graeme is heavily involved in Destination Loch Ness so we are not bowing out of tourism altogether. But enough of this for the moment.
What has been happening round Loch Ness? Well, it is October and believe it or not, the 10th Loch Ness Marathon took place on Sunday 2nd. Graeme had been training hard for the 10K but a couple of weeks before the event he pulled a calf muscle so very frustratingly, he had to sit this one out. The marathon started from very humble beginnings with only 800 runners. This year there were over 8000 running the marathon, the 10k, the 5k and the Wee Nessie (for under 5's!) Since Graeme wasn't running and I didn't need to stand at strategic points for photo opportunities and support, we went along to the event village and took in all that was going on. It was just fantastic to see so many people, families, friends, young and old taking part in the events. Everything was so well organised and everybody was obviously having fun.
But as we are now well into autumn, the trees are really beginning to change colour and lose their leaves and it will soon be time for me to try and capture some of the wonderul shades of gold, orange and red which will be on display. Also in abundance in the woods behind Evergreen are the annual display of mushrooms. Reds, yellows, creams, browns and even a purple are some of the colours you can see on the forest floor. I managed to take some photos a couple of weeks ago and I put them up on Facebook. At the moment I am waiting patiently for an orange peel fungus (which I spotted on the post beside the green gate next to Evergreen) to grow big enough for me to try for a decent shot
The red squirrels are busier than ever and I have had my heart in my mouth quite a few times as they have darted across the road when I am on my way to or from Dores and I have had to brake to make sure I avoid them. Unfortunately, some don't manage to dodge the wheels of cars. It is hard enough for them to try and survive the march of the grey squirrels and the horrible pox which they can carry but to be hit by a fast moving car is so sad as they are still very much an endangered species.
A couple of weekends ago we headed over to Cromarty on the Black Isle to an "Apple Open day" held in the walled garden of the Old Manse. This was an opportunity for Graeme to find out more about the many old varieties of apple which are grown in the orchard. You may ask why?? For the past couple of years Graeme has had an interest in traditional fruits and veg, but specifically apples. We got to both taste a number of these including red devil, ribston pippin and howgate wonder. We chose to buy two of the varieties of eating apple and one which was perfect for baking. Nothing beats a baked apple filled with homemade mincemeat!
So back to our news about the closing of Evergreen. So what are you going to do, I hear you ask! Well, I have been juggling quite a bit over the last few months. When we decided that this would be our last season running Evergreen I started to look for a part time job in Inverness. Much to my surprise and delight I was offered a post at Inverness College, which is part of the new University of the Highlands and Islands and I started the commute into Inverness at the beginning of May. A very strange experience I may say, having worked from home for 10 years! It has also been quite novel getting a pay slip again at the end of every month!!
And if you are wondering about what will happen to our Evergreen newsletter, we are deligted to let you know that we will be continuing with our monthly ramblings but we will be renaming it "Loch Ness Newsletter" and it will be sent out from our Hazelgrove e mail address. We are updating the Hazelgrove website and the newsletter will go out to both Evergreen and Hazelgrove guests. We do hope that you will wish to continue receiving our newsletters in the future but if not, all you need to do is unsubscribe. And if you want to stay at Loch Ness again in the future, then Hazelgrove is open all year, with weekly lets from April to the end of October and short breaks available from November to March.
So, all change, but in some ways, no change...
Till next month
Fiona and Graeme
Hazelgrove Newsletter - October 2011
Hello Everyone
This is exciting for Graeme and I as this is the first newsletter since we closed Evergreen and it is now being sent to both our Evergreen and Hazelgrove guests. Our Evergreen guests and those who subscribed to our newsletter will be quite used to our monthly updates. But for the majority of Hazelgrove guests, welcome! We hope that you will enjoy receiving a monthly newsletter telling you about what has been happening around Loch Ness and beyond.
At the end of October our local public hall in Gorthleck held a book, CD and DVD swap. The idea is that you bring along at least a couple of items and once everyone has arrived with their "donations" and everything is on display, then the floor is open for you to choose the same number of items you brought in a swap. A similar event was held in Spring this year with the theme being accessories - jewelry, scarves, gloves, hats and handbags. That one was much more geared up for the ladies but the book, CD and DVD swap has a great mix of male and female participants. This type of event gives you an opportunity to de-clutter but more importantly, the event is a great way to raise funds for a charity as any items left over (and I assure you there are plenty as people normally bring much much more than they take away) are donated to a local charity. Both events have seen the extra items being donated to the Highland Hospice which has eleven shops throughout the Highlands. In addition, it is a great social event as well and as there is a small entry fee, it also raises some funds for the hall itself. All in all a win, win, win situation!!
It has been unseasonably warm of late across the UK and we have not missed out on this in the Highlands. I think is it almost 3 weeks since we had any rain during the day and we have been treated to cloudless blue skies and sunshine which have made the autumn colours just look amazing. I should have put my camera in the car permanently to try and get that "perfect shot" but I think I am probably a bit late now. I can however picture it in my head which is great for me but not much use for sharing!
Since it has been such great weather we have been encouraged to get out into both Evergreen and Hazelgrove gardens to do some tidying up and also to continue with the cutting down of rhododendrons in Hazelgrove. It's not that we don't like rhoddies but many are now very old and straggly and it is better to cut them down and let them regrow (which as you may know, happens very quickly) The rhoddie we cut down in the spring in Hazelgrove has about 2 foot of growth already and looks much more healthy than the old specimen we took away. Being surrounded by trees there are of course masses of leaves to rake up and remove from the borders and I find this kind of therapeutic.What I don't like however are the larch needles which just stick to you shoes and then you find them throughout the house!
The 9th Inverness Film festival has been running for the last week at Eden Court theatre in Inverness and on Sunday evening we went to see Red Dog. This is an Australian film which is based on the legendary true story of the Red Dog who united a disparate local community while roaming the Australian outback in search of his long lost master. Graeme and I loved the film - it makes you both laugh and cry... and we would really recommend it to all you animal lovers out there.
Good news to report on the running front for Graeme. His patience has paid off and the injury he picked up in the middle of October is now fully healed so he has started to get out on some short runs again. Because the days are now so short if he wants to go out later in the afternoon then the head torch is a must. As you may remember there are not a lot of street lights round us on Loch Ness! But there is an up side to this - when the skies are clear at night we get the most amazing display of stars because there is no light pollution. The plough has been particularly bright over the last few nights. I'm not very good at recognising the constellations but the plough is an easy one to identify, as is orion's belt.
But to back to Graeme's running - he has been advised that he has to do some other form of training other than just running and with a bit of help and advice from a friend he is now the proud owner of a shiny new racing bike. I don't really know a lot about bikes but this looks a fabulous machine and is very, very light. The tyres are really thin (as is the saddle) and as well as the bike he has had to purchase lots of gear to go with it - the most important of course being a helmet. I managed to get some photos of him on his first real outing on Sunday out towards Farr and have put a photo of man and machine onto our facebook page.
This evening I am going across to Drumnadrochit to see Calum's Road. This is the stage version of the fabulous book by the same name which tells the story of Calum MacLeod of Raasay (near Skye) who in the 1960's started to build, single handedly, nearly 2 miles of road from his home in Arnish, at the north end of the island to the existing road at Brochel Castle in the south of the island. It is a quirky little tale of one man's fight against the local council and his determination and desire to have a road which he hoped would bring a new generation of people to the depopulated north end of the island. It took Calum over 10 years to complete his road!
Till next month
Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove Newsletter - September 2011
Hello Everyone
With the schools all back things are much quieter again here on Loch Ness and the first signs of autumn are once again upon us. The leaves on the hazel trees are beginning to turn yellow, our two apple trees are dropping their fruit and of course it's now dark by 8.30pm. But, on a brighter note, the heather is in full bloom on the hillsides and as we often say to guests, September is a great time of year to visit the Highlands.
With the change in seasons, red squirrel activity is once more reaching frantic levels as they store the hazelnuts away for winter. The two regular squirrels to our garden seem to be at the the feeder from the time we get up in the morning until it begins to get dark! Talking of wildlife, I was speaking to two friends yesterday who live locally and they said that they had seen a dog otter recently playing in the river outside their kitchen window. We've known for some time that there are otters in the area but it's rare to actually see them. So too my favourite animal the pine marten. I had not seen any for a while but a couple of weeks ago up I was at a friends house early one evening and we saw a beautiful male pine marten make his way across the garden and into the woods. Wonderful!
On the 3rd September the now annual Monster Challenge took place. It is a 120km duathlon around Loch Ness. In teams of four each participant tackles two stages out of a total of eight (four running and four cycling). A great event and a great challenge, particularly for those who have the 'pleasure' of cycling up the hill out of Fort Augustus to wards Whitebridge!
Then of course on the 2nd October we have the Baxter's Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running. Now in it's 10th year the Marathon is well established as one of the premier marathon's in the UK. It starts just beyond Whitebridge on the south side and makes it's way along the shores of Loch Ness before the last few miles in to Inverness. I ran it six years in a row up until 2010 when I finally realised that my knees were no longer up to the pounding on roads but I still have thoughts about doing it again as it's such a great event. Instead though I'm just doing the 10km which is also a great event. For many it's fun, but for me it's serious - last year I did it in 44mins, this year I want to complete the course in 42mins. Maybe a faint hope as I seem to have picked up a slight leg injury playing football last week (yes, I know I'm too old to play football!). I went out this morning for a 8 mile run up by Loch Bran and Trimloist - beautiful day for it and running through the forest was a delight but I have to admit that I was tired when I got back!
I had an hour to spare on Friday in Inverness so went into my favourite shop (which is actually a church!) Leakey's 2nd hand bookshop. There amidst the thousands of books I found a book published in the 1920's called 'Glen Albyn Tales and Truths of the Central Highlands' and what a wonderful little book it is. Written by the monks at Fort Augustus Abbey, there are some wonderful stories of the Loch Ness area. My favourite so far is of a character called Roualeyn Gordon-Cumming, a larger than life character nicknamed the 'Lion Hunter' who lived around the 1850's in Fort Augustus. He would greet what would have been at the time the first 'tourists' to Loch Ness, attired in some 'grotesque' costume and preceded by a magnificent goat! I wonder what visitors today would think of being welcomed to Loch Ness in this fashion?!!
Till next month
Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove Newsletter - August 2011
Hello Everyone
We are slightly late with our newsletter this month but we have a very good excuse! Thursday 11th August saw the launch of the new South Loch Ness Trail and we wanted to be able to give you details of the big day. There was fantastic media coverage - TV, Radio and local and national press. Graeme did two interviews for Moray Firth Radio and also BBC radio Scotland and was also filmed for BBC Alba. He had a very busy day! We are sure that the trail will be a huge success and allow so many more walkers to experience the wonderful unspoilt scenery and fabulous views of Loch Ness from various points along the route. Check out more about the trail and the route for yourselves.
It really has been a very busy few days on Loch Ness. Yesterday saw almost 200 swimmers take part in the Loch Ness Monster Swim in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Research. A friend from Edinburgh was taking part in the Big Nessie event - a 1 mile swim - but there was also the Little Nessie event - a half mile swim - from Dores Beach. When we got up yesterday morning the Loch seemed pretty calm but by lunchtime and into the afternoon there was a fairly strong wind blowing and all the competitors had to battle through really choppy waters. The event was really well organised with the Red Cross providing safety vehicles for those who felt the conditions were too difficult. As you may know the average temperature of Loch Ness is only 5C so most of the competitors were in wet suits but there were a few hardy souls (all women I think!) who were just wearing their swimming costumes. I reckon they must be well used to swimming in similar temperatures and in similar events. Have a look at some of my photos on the Evergreen Facebook page.
I mentioned last month that we have a hedgehog in the garden. Well the good news is that he/she is still with us but also that he/she has a friend! Yes - we now have two hedgehogs who visit every evening to munch on the hedgehog food we put out for them. We think that they come from the top left side of the garden and are maybe even coming across from Hazelgrove. No idea if we have a male and a female but it would be excellent if we do.
We had a couple of nights away at the beginning of the month. We travelled up to Erbusaig, which is very close to the Skye Bridge and Plockton on the west coast on the Friday night and had an absolutely fantastic day exploring the Sleat peninsula on the southern end Skye on the Saturday. To say that we were lucky with the weather would be an understatement. When it is wet and misty on Skye it can be just miserable but when the sun shines it is simply undescribable. We stopped at a lot of the attractions including the Clan MacDonald Centre, had a look at the Gaelic College (Sabhal Mor Ostaig), watched the Mallaig Ferry come in to Armadale pier and had a great walk down at the Aird, the southern point of the pensinsula where you get great views of Eigg, Rum and Canna. Then we retraced our steps a little and took the loop road across to the west side of Sleat and we had the most fabulous panoramic views of the Cuillin Mountains. Before heading home on the Sunday we took a trip to the Kylerhea otter hide (where we are pretty sure we saw an otter as well as a number of seals) and then took the Kylerhea to Glenelg ferry back across to the mainland. We had been to Sleat before but I don't think we truly appreciated how wonderful a part of Skye it is. It is known as the Garden of Skye and it is a very apt description.
Finally this month, if you have some holiday time left or you know of any friends or family who would like a trip to Loch Ness, please pass on that our self catering cottage, Hazelgrove, still has a vacant week at the beginning of September - 3rd to 10th. We hate to see Hazelgrove empty so we are offering the cottage at a greatly reduced rate for the week. Check out the Hazelgrove Website for more details.
Till next month
Fiona and Graeme
Hazelgrove Newsletter - July 2011
Hello Everyone
Well, a lot has been happening at Evergreen over the past month but we have also been out and about quite a bit. To start with Evergreen, we have had quite a bit of wildlife activity. I mentioned last month that the male greater spotted woodpecker seemed to have a preference for Hazelgrove garden but I was delighted to spot (sic) a female in Evergreen back garden a couple of weeks ago. This is the first time we have had a female visit and very much hope that the male and female are a pair. There are a lot of young birds feeding at the moment including robins, blue tits and a couple of blackbirds. The young blackbirds have lovely markings and I managed to get a photo which I put up on the Evergreen facebook page.
But the more exciting piece of wildlife news is that we appear to have a hedgehog in residence at the moment. This is the first time in the 10 years we have been at Evergreen that we have seen a hedgehog in the area. I can recall seeing hedgehogs quite frequently in my childhood (OK - so that was quite a while ago!) but haven't really been aware of them for many years. Our visitor is making almost nightly appearances at the moment, snuffling around the grass in the back garden for worms and bugs but also coming down onto the decking and hoovering up any seeds the birds have scattered from the feeder. I hadn't realised how quickly hedgehogs can move - they actually have quite long legs! He/she made an appearance one afternoon and I managed to get some good shots which I again put up on our facebook page.
Our house name Evergreen is so apporpriate at this time of year, especially when we are enclosed by trees on 3 sides. I was out in the back garden trying to cut back some of the ferns as well as trim a small hazel tree and a sycamore and I'm pretty sure that most people wouldn't notice any difference at all. Despite the cutting which Graeme did earlier in the year We have already identified around seven trees that we think will have to come down over winter otherwise next year we will be completely engulfed by greenery! But we have been planting as well. A little late this year but at long last I managed to plant the planters in front of Evergreen and also the ones on the back decking. Graeme got a beautiful hanging basket with a wonderful fushia for the front porch and we also have fushias in the planters on the front decking. Just hoping now that the heavy rain we have had over the last week is past so that the flowers don't get ruined. And finally on the garden theme...I have to mention that Graeme is very proud of his new shed (must be a man thing!) which, for the time being is very neat and tidy. How long will this last??
So what else have we been up to? We were down in Fort William for a day catching up with Graeme's brother who had just completed the West Highland Way. We have mentioned the West Highland Way in the past - I walked part of it a couple of years ago but his brother completed the WHW race which is an ultra marathon running event covering the entire route from Milngavie near Glasgow to Fort William - 97 miles. Can you imagine running 97 miles is just under 23 hours?? I certainly can't but that is the time his brother took to complete the event. Fabulous but crazy.
After running 97 miles he was even able to go for a walk with us at Glen Roy which is near Spean Bridge, just north of Fort William. Glen Roy is famous for its parallel roads - apparantly the most spectacular example of a landscape formed in the last ice age to be found anywhere in Britain. The parallel roads or parallel "tracks" run along both sides of the glen at 3 different heights. Held in folklore to be hunting paths used by the Celtic warrior Fingal, they could equally be mistaken for forestry tracks. They are actually lines left by the shoreline of a vast loch that filled Glen Roy some 10,000 years ago, held in place by a dam of ice formed by the head of a glacier that advanced from the south west. As the glacier advanced, so the water it trapped in the glen deepened in stages, cutting shoreline ledges through wave action at each stage. When the glacier eventually retreated the water drained away, leaving the parallel roads seen today.
From the west of the country to the east...Last Sunday Graeme was invited by a running pal to go up to Brora for a 10K run. The weather was very hot for running but he came back happy having run a good time but also enthusing about Brora and the surrounding area. It was a while since he had last been up in the area and had forgotten how beautiful the coastal scenery is. Before the race he and his two frineds spent a pleasant hour down by the harbour gazing out over the beach to a calm, sparkling sea - the perfect way to chill out before a race. Brora is about a 11/2 hour drive north of Inverness and along with nearby Dornoch and Dunrobin Castle it is an area well worth a visit.
Jumping ahead to next month we will be able to bring you news about the official opening of the new South Loch Ness Trail. It has been generating quite a lot of interest and if any of you get a copy of the current TGO magazine, there is an article on the trail which hopefully you will enjoy reading.
Till next month
Fiona and Graeme
Hazelgrove Newsletter - June 2011
Hello Everyone
We are a bit later this month with our newsletter but we were waiting to hear about the Gold Star Awards for Green Tourism Businesses. We were really chuffed to have been shortlisted for these awards and to be in the top 3% of Green Businesses within the UK. The awards were presented as part of Green Tourism Week and the ceremony was held in London on Thursday. We didn't win one of the awards but we were Highly Commended which is just fantastic when you see the other excellent Green Businesses we were up against.
Last month we mentioned that Graeme was going to take part in the Nevis Range Trail Half Marathon at Aonach Mor near Fort William. This is the second year for the event and again there was a great turnout of runners of all ages. It is a touch course and wasn't helped this year by some really blustery conditions but Graeme finished the race in 1 hour 50 minutes (5 minutes faster than last year) and was third in his category so had a podium finish and received a medal for all his efforts. A pretty good event by all accounts.
But what has been happening around Evergreen and Loch Ness? As this is the time of year for outside tasks we have been working through our "to do" list. The little shed we had at the side of Evergreen has lasted 10 years but it was beginning to slip and not only the door, but the whole shed was at a very odd angle! Graeme has been busy doing some preparatory work for a new shed for all his "toys" By toys I mean his lawnmower, strimmer, power washer and not forgetting of course his chainsaw! I only hope he keeps it tidier than the last one!! But we have also been getting some outside work done on Hazelgrove. The ridge tiles on the roof were looking particularly dodgy. I must say that the roof is now looking a lot smarter and hopefully will last for many years to come.
We have to admit that it is quite difficult to spot any wildlife at this time of year because everything is so overgrown! We even have trouble seeing Coco in the back garden unless she sticks to the paths! However, a few red squirrels have been out and about and we saw one just this morning in the big larch directly in front of Evergreen. I have put a photo up on the Evergreen facebook page. We always have lots and lots of chafinches in the back garden but I also saw a green finch a couple of days ago. Our lesser spotted woodpecker appears to have a preference for Hazelgrove garden at the moment as guests a couple of weeks ago got some great photos.
Talking about Coco - she has had her friend Tabitha to stay for the last couple of weeks. Its a long story but they have in fact been together for a month now and will be together until nearly the end of June, either here at Evergreen or down with our friends Andy and Rosemary who own Tabitha. They have been getting on really well together but when they are both here there is no doubt that Coco is the boss, and likewise when they are at Tabithas house then the roles are reversed!
With regards the South Loch Ness Trail which, as many of you will be aware, Graeme has been working to complete for almost 2 years now, it is finally due to be launched at the end of July. As the saying goes, it has been a real 'learning curve' for Graeme but it's down to installing the way marking and interpretation now so the end is definitely in sight. Later today he is taking a couple of jornalists over sections of it and tomorrow I believe it is to get in a mention in the Guardian 'on line' version - both great ways to spread the word about this fantastic trail.
Rockness is in full swing at the moment and we might just head along this evening to Dores to take in some of the atmosphere around the ground and hopefully manage to catch a little of Paulo Nutini who is the headline act tonight.
Till next month
Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove Newsletter - May 2011
Hello Everyone
We are now well into May and everything is green, green, green! After such a hard winter it seems that all the trees and shrubs around Evergreen have come out of hibernation(!) and have just burst into bud and shot up in the last couple of weeks. Mind you, this has probably been helped by the fantastic spell of warm, sunny and dry weather we have had over the last fortnight. Only one slightly rainy day in that period which is excellent news although I did have to water the tubs in front of Evergreen and carefully look after the new heathers which I planted in the front border. I think I have lost one of them but all the others seem to be thriving which is great.
Graeme was recently visiting our friends and neighbours at Easter Boleskine and looking out on their pond which they created a couple of years ago as part of the Boleskine Wetlands Project when he saw a very proud duck taking her brood of 10 ducklings for their first paddle! She had nested this year amongst tall grass tussocks on the little island in the centre of the pond, safe from predators, and as we watched she marched her ducklings down to the water's edge and then started to shepherd them around the edges of the pond. A more tranquil and delightful wildlife sight at this time of the year would be hard to beat!
But more on the wildlife front - we thought we had had every wild animal in the area passing through our back garden over the years but Coco alerted us to something just the other night. At first we thought it might be a pine marten as this is around the tinme of year they have visited before but when we spotted what Coco was looking at we were astonished to see a very large hedgehog making its way up to the top corner! Have no idea which direction it came from and as it was very nearly dark we have no idea where it went but we will keep a look out in the hope that it will visit again.
There are a huge variety of events on around Loch Ness over the summer and you can check out a month by month list on the excellent Visitlochness website. If you are visiting us over the next few months why not have a look at the site so that you don't miss anything while you are here. Rockness is the next big event on the south side of the loch from 10 - 12 June and if you are a music fan then this might be just up your street. A new event just announced a couple of weeks ago is the Monster Swim - an open water swim of the Loch in August. This event takes place on 13 August and consists of two wild swims, the Wee Nessie and the Big Yin! More information on this one on their website.
Graeme is getting ready for a challenge of his own later this month when he takes part in the Nevis Range Trail Half Marathon at Aonach Mor near Fort William. It is a super event with great views from the trail to the Grey Corries of the Nevis Range, but with over 1000ft of ascent it is a tough run. Nevertheless, he still hopes to beat last year's time of 1hr 54mins! Will of course write a full report in June!
Till next month
Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove Newsletter - April 2011
Hello Everyone
We start this month with a link from the last piece of news in the March Newsletter. We mentioned that Graeme was in resting mode for the Inverness Half Marathon which took place on Sunday 13th March. Over the last few years this event has been run in pouring rain, sleet and strong winds and snow so I don't suppose it was too much of a surprise to waken up to snow on the morning of the race. But Scotsmen (and women) and Highlanders in particular are a hardy breed and most ran the race in shorts and a short sleeved shirt!! I'm told that when running the body generates enough body heat so as not to require layers of clothing. This was what was required, however, by the poor spectators lining the streets in the hope of cheering on their runner. The most difficult part was trying to keep my hands warm to get a photo in the few seconds as he sprinted past!
So, from snow in the middle of March to an anticipated 20 degrees C (68F) at Loch Ness and the Highlands tomorrow. This is according to a senior forecaster at MeteoGroup UK, the Press Association's weather division. We don't usually pay very much attention to what weather forecasters say as they usually announce a certain type of weather for Scotland as a whole and the weather can in fact vary enormously from east to west and north to south. However, I do like the sound of 20C tomorrow so will have to look out some t shirts in anticipation.
And if the weather is going to stay warm and sunny on Sunday as well, then we will hope for an excellent turnout of volunteers to take part in our annual South Loch Ness litter pick up. I am sure that I say this every year but it is so disappointing and disheartening to see a build up of litter along the roadside verges year on year. We are so proud to stay in such a wonderful part of the world but I just wish that others would respect the environment and not throw litter from cars or leave their litter at the laybys along the loch side. Surely it is not so difficult to just gather their litter and when they get home to put it in their own dustbin??
As many of you may know, Graeme is available to offer guided walks for our guests and he has had a request by a couple coming to stay later this month to take them to the fabled Fraser Yew. This yew tree is reputedly over 700 years old making it one of the oldest trees in Scotland (although not quite as old as the Fortingall Yew near Aberfeldy which is thought to be the oldest living tree in Europe at over 5000 years old!). Located in a very remote wild area of Loch Ness, just finding it is a major challenge but well worth it. It is an astonishing tree and to walk under its huge canopy feels like you're on a set from Lord of the Rings. If they are lucky enough they may also spot some wild goats as the tree is in an area where Graeme spotted some late last year.
Till Next Month
Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove Newsletter - February 2011
Hello Everyone
Little by little the days are getting longer and we have had some lovely clear winter days here. All the snow is gone which is not good news for Graeme as his new snowshoes are still in the box they arrived in! As you know, Graeme really enjoys running in the hills close to Evergreen but last year when there was so much snow on the ground it was really difficult for him to get out and about. Hence this year, on the recommendation of his brother in Canada, he got a pair of snowshoes which are specially designed for running. If it doesn't snow again this year (and I'm not holding my breath!!) at least he will have them all ready for next year. Still on the subject of running, the first running event of the year in Inverness takes place on Sunday 13th March. This is the Inverness half marathon and there is also a 5k fun run. So if you fancy stretching your legs then please join us here at Evergreen!
We have three great pieces of local news for you this month. If you are a golfer then I am sure you have heard that The Scottish Open Championship which for the last 15 years has been held at Loch Lomond will be coming to the new Castle Stuart Golf Course, just 3 miles to the east of Inverness this year. The new links course was voted as Best New Course for 2009 by Golf Magazine USA and it has been said that “Castle Stuart might be the most perfectly conceived and executed design ever built.”. The advantage of Castle Stuart is that it will give the top players the opportunity to practice on a links course just a week before the 140th Open Championship at Royal St George's in Kent. A number of big names such as Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington as well as Phil Mickelson have already agreed to attend from 7 - 10 July. It is fabulous that such a prestige event will be held in the Highlands and that golf fans from around the world will be able to experience the scenery and hospitality of the area.
The second local good news story for you this month - RockNess, the music festival which has been held at Dores on the banks of Loch Ness for the last 4 years, has been nominated for an award at this year's Shock-waves NME Awards. RockNess has been nominated in the Best Small Festival (50,000 capacity or lower) category and the winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony in London later this month. This is a great achievement as there are so many music festivals across the UK but I think RockNess is really special - it has a fabulous friendly atmosphere and of course you can't get a much better backdrop to the festival than Loch Ness.
The third piece of good news is that the UHI Millennium Institute was finally awarded University status last week and becomes the University of the Highlands and Islands (HUI). This is really important for the Highlands and Islands and especially for young people who no longer have to leave the region if they want to go to university. And of course students from across Scotland, the rest of the UK and abroad will be able to study at HUI as well. HUI in fact comprises thirteen colleges, specialist institutions and research centerers spread across the Highlands and Islands including Skye, the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland and the North Highlands It uses the most up to date information technologies to link together students and staff and allows access to higher education to dispersed communities. The achievement of university title by UHI is the realisation of a long-time ambition for the region to have its own university to support not only economic development but also to help sustain rural and island communities which have for so long been suffering from depopulation, especially by the young.
If you have already been to Evergreen then you will know that the house is surrounded by trees - hence the name Evergreen! But some are now so large they are actually too close to the house for comfort. Graeme was busy on Saturday morning and with the help of a friend cut down a huge horse chestnut in the back garden. It is amazing how much more space and light we have gained, even at this time of year The woodshed in our self catering cottage next door is now very well stocked as a result and once the wood has properly dried out it should provide a great supply for the woodburning stove in Hazelgrove next year
So, not a bad start to the new Year - hopefully we can bring you more good news stories over the next months. Fingers crossed!
Till next month
Fiona and Graeme
Hazelgrove Newsletter - Janaury 2011
Hello Everyone
And a very belated happy New Year! Although we have been back "at work" since Tuesday 4th when we welcomed our first guests of 2011 to our B&B, Evergreen, we still seem to be catching up from the time we had off over Christmas and New Year. Mind you, we did have a holiday in Florida and New York before Christmas so I shouldn't complain about having to catch up after essentially a four week holiday!
Well, we are still in the middle of winter with some snow on the ground and pretty low termperatures. But that shouldn't dissuade you from joining us here on Loch ness for a winter break. Because Hazelgrove is at Loch level we generally don't get the same volume of snow as those living a few miles "inland" from the loch where the change in elevation can make a big difference. We also benefit from the fact that our little single track road is a bus route and the gritter lorry comes out our way every morning so that the early bus can take the senior schoolkids into Inverness. I guess that the Highlands in general are more geared up for snowy conditions. The guests who stayed at Hazelgrove, over the Christmas and New Year period managed to do a fair bit of exploring and were astonished to see mini snowploughs clearing the pavements in Inverness. I guess that doesn't happen in many places in the UK???
So what can you see and do on a winter break to Loch Ness? Well, if you like the outdoors, the walks can be as fabulous in winter as at any other time of the year. In fact, with clear skies and wonderful winter light the scenery can be simply breathtaking. Graeme and I were out last weekend and really enjoyed a fairly short 3 mile circular route from the Falls of Foyers, down to the lochside then round the south part of the village, coming back to the falls again. We also managed a quick walk on Chrismas morning on part of the new South Loch Ness Trail which we have mentioned in previous newsletters. The first part of the trail from Loch Tarff up to Suidhe viewpoint is almost complete and has been really well constructed so that the "climb" from Suidhe is now on a reasonably gentle gradient. The views all around are fantastic on a clear day and we managed to pinpoint Ben Nevis away to the south west. Also, if you want to try a day or two skiing or snowboarding then both the Nevis Range at Fort William and the Cairngorms ski area at Aviemore are both only a little over an hour's drive away. Because we got such an early snowfall last year, both centres are fully up and running and visitors are enjoying wonderful snowy conditions
But if the weather is rotten and you want to do something inside, we can highly recommend Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre, Urquhart Castle or if you are into books, there is a fantatstic second hand bookshop in an old church right in the middle of Inverness called Leakey's! ( it also has a very good cafe upstairs) But also in the evenings, Eden Court Theatre Complex in Inverness has a fabulous range of theatre, music, dance, comedy and film to choose from. It has also a restaurant and cafe bar on site. And if you enjoy good food then The Dores Inn is our local recommendation. But Inverness, for a small city, has a great range of really excellent restaurants, many of which are located right in the centre of the city, overlooking the River Ness.
At Evergreen, Graeme and I have a fairly extensive selection of books, many of which are on the Loch Ness and Inverness area. The latest addition to the collection is "Wheels around Inverness-shire", a great little book with fabulous photographs of the buses which ran across the area from as early as the 1910's - a mere 100 years ago! There is also great historical information on the building and upgrading of many of the major routes across the Highlands, including the main A82 from Glasgow to Inverness, part of which which runs along the north shore of Loch Ness. This little book provides a faily comprehensive account of the transport of the day and it is important to remember just how quickly transport and infrasturcture have changed in a relatively short time, enabling much easier travel across the Highlands.
Another area which Graeme in particular is interested in is Boleskine House which was made famous - or infamous, by Aleister Crowley in the early part of the 20th Century. But in the 1960's the house was bought by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame and Graeme has just found out that one of the songs for the concert film 'The Song Remains the Same' was filmed at the house and on the hill directly behind it in November 1973. The song is called Lucifer Rising... who would have thought!!
Till next month
Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove Newsletter - August 2010
Hello Everyone
Well, the summer holidays are in full swing and we are certainly into our busiest period. There is a noticeable increase in the number of people visiting the area, even since last month. But if you have still to join us here at Evergreen, don't worry, the south side of Loch Ness is still quiet and unspoilt. And we have seen many more people exploring the south side by bike this year. Some are obviously on a cycling holiday with bikes and panniers fully loaded but others are simply enjoying a day trip along the loch side and enjoying the fabulous views of the loch from the numerous laybys along the roadside.
You may recall a couple of months ago that I flagged up that a group of six ladies from Serpentine Swimming Club in London were training hard in preparation for a sponsored swim of the length of Loch Ness. Well, this intrepid group were on the loch last week and they made really good progress. The conditions were pretty good with very little wind so as a result the Loch was pretty calm. They started at the south end of the Loch at Fort Augustus at 5.00 a.m. and finished at the north end at 6.30 p.m. What a wonderful achievement.
We also mentioned at the beginning of the year that Graeme was really chuffed to learn that Destination Loch Ness had been given final approval by funders to support the creation of a South Loch Ness Trail. Over the last few months discussions have progressed well and all necessary agreements are now in place so that construction will start at Loch Tarff in the middle of this month. On the basis that everything progresses smoothly, it is expected that construction will be finished around the second week in October. Following construction the next phase of work is the signage and interpretation which will take place over the winter months. And talking about signage, a big thank you to all our guests over the last few months who have contributed to the Loch Ness Voluntary Payback Scheme. This is a scheme where guests and visitors alike make a small voluntary contribution and all monies collected is put towards specific aspects of major projects around the loch. The first tranche of monies collected is going towards the signage on the South Loch Ness Trail. Already, several hundred pounds have been collected which is a fabulous sum.
Summer is the most wonderful time for soft fruit in Scotland. I love making up fresh fruit salad with a selection of fresh fruit but always with raspberries and strawberries. There are a few soft fruit farms close to Inverness and as it is now getting towards the end of the season, Graeme and I went to the Black Isle Berry farm a couple of weeks ago and picked up some strawberries for jam making. Unfortunately because of the really wet weather throughout a lot of July, the raspberries were not so good this year so I gave them a miss. My strawbery jam turned out reasonably well - not perfect but nonetheless still quite tasty - but our sole blackcurrant bush at Evergreen has again yielded a really good crop and I think my blackcurrant jelly has turned out tops!
And finally, we are really excited to report that we have had a very special return visitor to our B&B, Evergreen.... Mr P is back!! For those of you not acquainted with Mr P, this is the name given by one of our guests to the Pine Marten who was seen on quite a few occassions on the back decking last year. He became quite a regular visitor and carefully (without cracking it) picked up the raw egg we left out for him every night. We think it was a young pine marten we saw just the other night. They are nocturnal animals and it was almost dark when Graeme spotted it on the decking. It had a good look around the bird feeder, then jumped on top of the wall before going up the steps and disappearing in the back garden. We have left an egg out for him, but as yet, he hasn't returned to pick up his evening meal. We will keep you posted!
Till next month
Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove News - July 2010
Hello Everyone,
Apologies that we are a bit behind with the newsletter this month but it is July and it's all a bit hectic. The summer season is in full swing and as well as Hazelgrove we of course have our B&B property next door to keep running smoothly. The only problem is the garden at Hazelgrove which at this time of year resembles more of a jungle which has to be slashed back and controlled every week by Graeme. Two hours every Saturday morning with the strimmer and lawnmower followed by cutting back trees which overnight seem to grow new branches! Of course deep down Graeme really enjoys doing it because it is outdoors and it is physical work. Now some of you may say, what about the midges - do you not get bitten alive? Well let me just make this clear to all those worried by them - first, they are only bad when the weather is warm and muggy and secondly buy and spray on Avon Skin So Soft! Avon in our experience beats any other repellant by a mile. It also makes you smell rather nice rather than slapping poisonous chemicals over your skin. Avon will allow you to enjoy walking in the evening much more, in Farigaig Forest behind us here at Hazelgrove.
With light still in the sky on a good evening until 11pm, it offers great opportunities to see wildlife such as badgers, pine marten and deer (although you can see them around Loch Ness at any time of the day!) Go four miles 'in land' from Evergreen and there are areas where, with patience, you will see wild goats, mountain hares, osprey and if you are really lucky a golden eagle. And of course most mornings you are still be able to see our 'resident' red squirrels feeding from the bird feeder in our back garden.
Of course the wildlife is just one of the attractions at this time of year. Around Loch Ness there are numerous events which provide something for everyone. On July 24th we have the Inverness Highland Games and running continuously between 12th July - 16th August we have The Caledonian Canal Ceilidh Trail. For over a month talented young musicians play traditional music mixed with song and dance at over 45 different events around Loch Ness Inverness and the Caledonian Canal. Then coming up near Loch Ness we have Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival on 6th and 7th August. My favourite, with an amazing mix of music of all genres, theatre, comedy, poetry reading - you name it, this festival has something for all ages!
Finally this month a fantastic little booklet has just been published by the South Loch Ness Heritage Group which tells the story of the area through wonderful photographs, old and new. Graeme, with his interest in heritage made a small contribution to the booklet specifically relating to Inverfarigaig and we are selling the book on behalf of the Heritage Group for £3. So, if you have stayed with us and would like a copy, please just let us know and we would be delighted to send it on to you.
Until next month
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove news - June 2010
Hello Everyone
Loch Ness is just full of colour! The yellow broom and the gorse are out, the bluebells are out as are the purple rhododendrons and the lilac. Everything in the garden has been sprouting profusely over the last month and it is just wonderful. Here are some photographs from around Hazelgrove and next door at Evergreen. Also, couldn't resist putting in another photo of Coco who is now having fun exploring the great outdoors.
I am really chuffed to be able to report that my West Highland Way walk was great fun and a great success! In the main the weather was very good - only one day with quite heavy rain for a few hours. We didn't manage to get to the graveyard at the Blackwater Reservoir but had a really good view of the reservoir from the WHW track. I put a selection of photos onto the
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