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Hazelgrove News - Sunday 6th April 2008
Hello everyone
Well Easter may have passed but Spring is far from here! After a brief
warmer spell, it started snowing yesterday and today it is very cold with a
mixture of sunshine and snow showers. Such are the joys of our weather these
days...
When I was in Foyers this morning, our nearest village only two miles from
Hazelgrove, I was very pleased to see that our local council have been
working with the Forestry Commission to improve visitor information at the
Falls of Foyers. The Falls or as they are sometimes known, Eas na Smudh
(Waterfall of Smoke) have been admired since Boswell and Johnson first
wrote of them in the late 18th century and later, our national bard,
Robert Burns. In full spate the Falls really are a spectacular sight.
However, the village of Foyers itself has a rich and varied history, much of
it centred around the Foyers Hydro-electric scheme and the British Aluminium
Company's works established at Foyers in the late 1890's. As a result, by
the early part of the 20th century the village was a hive of activity. In
1904 the smelter was producing 1000 tons of aluminium annually and this
output was to continue, in greater or lesser measure for the next 63 years.
In each of the world wars production was stepped up and over 500 men were
employed, a fact which accounts for the terraced house of Foyers, built by
the Company to accommodate the workers and their families
Perhaps though, the most surprising story
of Foyers is the fact that during the second world war, in 1941, the
Luftwaffe sent across a single Heinkel bomber and dropped two 500lbs bombs
on the aluminium works. However, one bomb missed the target completely and
the other only partially exploded tragically killing one man. By the next
day the works had returned to partial production and within a short time was
back to normal!
For our second look at Scots who have made
an impact across the world in our countdown to the Year of Homecoming in
2009, we focus this month on Sir Alexander MacKenzie. Alexander MacKenzie
was born in Stornoway in the Western Isles and in 1788 he discovered and
charted 2,500 miles of Canada's longest river. The MacKenzie river is one of
eleven physical features Canada named after him. In May 1793 he was the
first to cross the American continent and his book "Voyages" was a best
seller in English and German! His fur interests made him one of Canada's
wealthiest men, before retiring to Scotland and buying an estate at Avoch
(pronounced Och) on the Black Isle, just north of Inverness. He is buried in
the church yard in Avoch.
Changing the subject, this afternoon I'm
off out for a 'fell run' into the Monadhliath Mountains that rise sharply a
few miles inland of Loch Ness. For those, like myself, masochistic enough
to enjoy such activity, the reward is the most fantastic views down over
Stratherrick and Loch Ness. Two weeks ago I did a similar run with a friend
in the late afternoon. It was extremely cold with over a foot of snow on the
hill summit but we were rewarded with the most sublime sunset against a
white landscape. So, for anyone who comes to stay with us and is up for
something a bit different, please ask...
Finally this month for those of you who
wish to do more normal activities, we are pleased to be able to offer guests
the 'Waterhorse' ticket. This ticket offers a discount on all three of the
main Loch Ness visitor attractions, namely Urquhart Castle, the Loch Ness
Exhibition Centre and a Jacobite cruise on the loch. Three attractions which
we would highly recommend and excellent value for money.
Until next month, when we hope that spring
will really be here...
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Saturday 8th March 2008
Hello everyone
Spring may not quite be in the air, but there are signs at
last that winter is loosing it's grip. Daffodils are beginning to push
upwards and the snowdrops are out. But on south Loch Ness, the flower we await
most is the wild primrose. In a few weeks the grass verges and woods will be
carpeted by clumps of yellow primroses, the sign that spring has arrived.
At present it has to be said that the ground is very very
wet and the water is pouring off the rocky bluffs above Inverfarigaig. All very picturesque but not much fun to run across.
Recently I have been doing a lot of trail running in the woods behind
Evergreen. The tracks are fantastic but more often or not I return looking
as if I have had a mud bath!
On a completely different tack, we are starting this month
with our first look ahead to 2009 as 'Year of the Homecoming'. Officially,
(www.homecomingscotland.com)
this is a 'year long celebration of a unique modern nation' based around the
250th anniversary of the birth of our national poet and cultural icon Robert
Burns. But this aside, it is an opportunity for Scots across the world to
remember their roots and 'come home' and celebrate with us. As someone who
has strong present family ties to Canada and further back in time to Italy,
the Homecoming has a resonance which I'm sure will strike a chord with
thousands of others worldwide. Indeed, it is estimated that there are
approximately 40 million people worldwide of Scottish extraction.
So, for all the Macleods out there, we remember this month
one of Scotland's great unsung heroes, Calum Macleod of The Island of Raasay.
Inspired by the relentless decline in population and culture of his island,
one spring morning in the mid 1960's Calum took his wheelbarrow, axe and
shovel and set out to build a road. Not just any road, but a road that he
hoped would lead to the population regeneration of north Raasay. Calum
spent the next 15 years building his road. When he finished he had
constructed single handed 2 miles of road cut through the most wild and
harsh Hebridean landscape. What vision, what determination but above all
what devotion to the land of his people! The full story is
beautifully told in 'Calum's Road by Roger Hutchinson, published in 2006.
Not perhaps in the same heroic mould as Calum
Macleod, but Loch Ness has it's own local hero in the form of Willie
Cameron. This month 'Mr Loch Ness' is featured in the 'Executive' magazine.
Willie is passionate about everything "Loch Ness" and over the years has been
instrumental in bringing film, TV and media to the area. It was also
he who first became convinced, four years ago, that World Heritage status for
Loch Ness was a possibility worth pursuing. Willie Cameron was also
instrumental in getting me my
first (and only!) part in a television series in 2003 talking about the
military roads of General Wade that pass down the south side of the loch.
And that's it for this month. A happy and peaceful Easter
to everyone.
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Saturday 9th February 2008
Hello everyone
At this time of year many of our guests
hope that we will have snow here on Loch Ness and in recent years due
to climate change, many are disappointed. However, this year we
have had snow in abundance, particularly at high levels, in the hills behind
us here at Hazelgrove. Last weekend it snowed heavily on the Friday night and
on Saturday we woke up to a winter wonderland. Realising that the snow would
bring the red deer down from the hills,
I took a drive up to Suidhe Chuimein viewpoint. At 1200ft, it is the highest
road in the area and as the photos show,
the deer were there in abundance. I only spent about 15 minutes taking photos
because the wind was blowing and coupled with the already low temperatures,
the wind chill temperature was -10C - not good to be standing around in!
But then just as we were getting used to the
idea of a semi normal winter, the past three days have been unseasonably
warm along with strong winds. Not so much fun, but it did turn Loch Ness in
to what I think looks like a stormy sea! Have a look at some of the photos
on the photo gallery page
Anyway enough of the weather, tomorrow
sees the UK release of the film Waterhorse - Legend of the Deep. Loosely
based on the story of the Loch Ness Monster this is a fantasy adventure film
that will appeal to children of all ages! Fiona and I were at a preview of
the film in Inverness two weeks ago and it really is worth going to see,
staying clear of most of the monster cliches and with fantastic special
effects. No doubt it will boost tourism in the area this year, having been
released in the US before Christmas. But it is the achievement of World Heritage status for Loch Ness that
will deliver long term benefit to the area based upon the unique natural
environment of the area and rich cultural heritage
Talking of the cultural heritage of the
area, a guest's recent request as to where the nearest catholic church was
to Hazelgrove, reminded me of how many churches of all the main
denominations there are in such a small rural area as the South Side of Loch
Ness. This of course reflects the powerful influence of the church in the
Highlands right up until the 20th Century. So strong was their power in the
18th century that the civil courts were expected to reinforce the teachings
of Presbyterian church. Thus for poor unfortunate young women who concealed
pregnancy or committed infanticide, the punishment was a capital offence,
and so was the fate of one Helen Preston who was hanged for her sins in
Inverness in 1766!
But to finish on a more cheerful note, the
days are getting longer, Spring is just around the corner and with it will
come the wonderful wild yellow primroses that cover our verges and woodland
floors. Look out for the photos next month...
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Monday 7th January 2008
Hi Everyone,
Happy New Year and we hope that you had a
relaxing festive break. We certainly did, and we even managed a couple
of nights away staying in rooms at the famous
Three Chimney's
restaurant on the Isle of Skye. This restaurant has been voted one of the
top 50 restaurants in the world (The Restaurant Magazine) and we certainly
were not disappointed - the food was truly wonderful and backed up by first
class service. As if that was not enough, the restaurant enjoys a
sublime location on the shores of Loch Dunvegan and thanks to some good
weather we got in a couple of excellent walks in the area and in the nearby
Cuillin Mountains. But perhaps the best part of all this - it is only a
three hour drive from Hazelgrove....
Back on Loch Ness, despite some very
wintry weather elsewhere in the Highlands, the New Year has got off to a
cold but pleasant start and Fiona and I have been able to get out on a few
'winter walks around
Loch Ruthven (famous for supporting a large breeding
population of Slavonian Grebes) and Loch Farr (famous for having one of the
largest populations of common toads in the Highlands!). Both of these are
lovely easy walks but undoubtedly the best local walk that we have been on
recently was up what is known as the Fair Haired Lad's Pass. This walk has
only recently been opened up by the South Loch Ness Access Group as part of The
Trail of the Seven Lochs. Rising sharply 1300ft from the loch side in a
series of switchbacks this is a sublime walk that opens up to give
fantastic panoramic views of Loch Ness and takes you up in to some of the
most wild and beautiful landscape in the area. On the day that we walked we
did not have time to do the 'full circuit' back to Hazelgrove so three days
later I ran it 'in reverse', a distance of approximately 9 miles and all I
would say - if you like running and want do something that is
off road and challenging then this is perfect!!
All of what I have just said of
course emphasises that there is much more to Loch Ness than
merely a monster!! This is a theme taken up by Geoff Holder in his excellent
new book, 'The Guide to Mysterious Loch Ness' which focuses not on the
monster, but everything supernatural, paranormal, folkloric, eccentric
and mysterious around Loch Ness and the surrounding area....and believe me
there is plenty of it. I thought that I knew most of the ancient stories
about Inverfarigaig but clearly not all. For instance I was aware of the
site of St Moluag's 6th century chapel about a mile from Hazelgrove. What I
didn't know was that long after the site was closed, unbaptised children
were buried there giving the place, from my perspective, a rather chilling
and sad aura.
However, finishing on a more upbeat note,
Highland Year of Culture comes to an end on January 12th in Inverness with a
dazzling firework display and rightly so. While the whole concept has had
it's critics, 2007 has been a fantastic year in the Highlands with the
continued growth of Inverness reflecting the fact that the area is for
quality of life one of the best areas in the UK to live (not that I'm
biased of course!!)
Till next month
Graeme & Fiona
2007
Hello and a Merry Christmas to Everyone Yes, it is that time of year again - a
time to reflect, enjoy and look forward to 2008. It has been another very
busy and hectic year for Fiona and I. We keep saying that we need to take
more time out for ourselves but somehow it hasn't quite happened yet! I
suppose a lot has to do with the fact that we really enjoy meeting people
and sharing our enthusiasm for Loch Ness and the Highlands. I have also been
increasingly involved in the tourism industry in general. This year I have
been very active in the role as chairman of Destination Loch Ness, an
organisation which is very much focused on improving the whole experience
for visitors to the Loch Ness area and just last weekend I was elected onto
the committee of 'Scotland's Best B&B's for our B&B, Evergreen.
Tourism on Loch Ness is changing and changing for the
better or more specifically there is much more to do in the area than
a few years ago. Evidence of this at present is that Aldourie Castle, the
'pink castle' of the south side, which for several years lay neglected is
finally being restored to provide luxury accommodation in the castle and in
nine eco-lodges to be built in the expansive grounds. When finished Aldourie
Castle will once again be a place for people to relax and enjoy. It is a
castle with a rich history. Most of it is 19th century but parts of the
castle date back to the 17th century. Owned by the Fraser-Tytler family for
the best part of two centuries and laterally through inheritance by the
Cameron family, many of the stories that surround the castle are in a
booklet entitled 'Tales of old Aldourie' compiled by Neil Fraser-Tytler in
the 1920's. I suppose one of the most well known stories is of the 'Gray
lady' who haunts the castle but my favourite image of the castle is one I
think which captures it's unique history - a party in front of the castle in
celebration of the Lovat Scouts about to leave for the Boer War in 1899.
Back on a more festive note the famed
Evergreen Christmas tree goes up this weekend on the decking, closely
followed by a tree for Hazelgrove. Subject to sufficient numbers of 'Santa's
Little Helpers' and copious quantities of mulled wine, I hope once again to
have wrestled our 12 foot tree into position and decked it out with lights.
All that is then needed is a white Christmas and who knows, we could get one
- the signs are good. For the most part over the past two weeks it has been
cold enough for snow in the mountains and sleet down at our level. Indeed,
there has already been skiing in the Cairngorms which is much earlier than
last year But if skiing is not your thing, there is still much
to look forward to in the Highlands over the festive period. Inverness has a
full programme of events and on Loch Ness, the major attractions such as
Urquhart Castle and Jacobite Cruises are open. Alternatively, if all you want
is peace and quiet and a chance to relax then certainly we have it all. As
someone who spends what little spare time I have running, it is an absolute
joy at this time of year- I can run along for considerable distances with
barely a car passing me!
And on that note a very Merry Christmas and
Happy New year
to Everyone out there,
Graeme & Fiona
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November 2007 Hello Everyone,
Well, it may be November but there is still much
happening in the area. Pride of place must go to the reopening of the Eden
Court theatre in Inverness last Saturday night after being closed for
extensive redevelopment over two years ago. For Invernessians the theatre is
an institution that has been at the cultural centre of Inverness since the
mid 1970's (even I remember going to it in 1975!) and therefore Saturday
night was an eagerly anticipated event. Apparently there were hundreds
of people queuing by the time the doors opened at 6pm for a performance by
two of Scotland's finest traditional musicians, Aly Bain and Phil
Cunningham. And no one was to be disappointed as the pair turned in a superb
performance
On a more local note, the local newspaper this
week carried an article on the memorial to Roderick Mackenzie which is
situated in Glen Moriston, but sadly falling into disrepair. Sadly, because
in the eyes of many, this man is a true hero of the Jacobite cause who gave
his life selflessly to protect Prince Charlie. The story goes that
Mackenzie, who was a member of the Prince's bodyguard, was surprised and
captured by a party of redcoats looking for the Prince shortly after
Culloden. Mackenzie bore a strong resemblance to his leader and, knowing
this, resisted. The troops shot him and his dying words were 'you have
killed your prince'. Taken in by his words, he was beheaded and his head
taken to London. It took a month before the government realised that the
wrong man had been killed during which time the real Bonnie Prince Charlie
made his escape.
Another story appearing in
the press this month is of a mystery sea creature, found washed up on Orkney
nearly 200 years ago, which is believed to fit descriptions of the Loch Ness
monster. The carcass of the beast, fragments of which have been discovered
in storage at the Royal Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, was found on the
rocks off the island of Stronsay in Orkney in 1808. The scientist
researching this creature, Dr Yvonne Simpson, will present her research
along with Loch Ness Project leader Adrian Shine on Tuesday this week aboard
the Jacobite Queen on Loch Ness. We await the results......
The Jacobite Queen is one of
the fleet of Jacobite boats which operate on Loch Ness, and is part of
Jacobite Cruises, an award winning, 5 star, tour and cruise company.
Recently Jacobite has published a fascinating book chartering the history of
the company on Loch Ness and the Caledonian canal. What makes the book
particularly interesting is that it is not just about Jacobite but also
provides an insight into the colourful history of cruising on the Loch.
Jacobite and it's owner Freda
Rapson along with a small number of other influential businesses around the
loch have been instrumental in promoting the loch as a future World Heritage
site. The loch is about very much more than a monster - it is an area as we
know, which has a rich social and cultural heritage as well as being an area
of outstanding natural beauty. It was therefore with great encouragement
that following a short presentation by Graeme to the Economy, Energy &
Tourism Committee of the Scottish Government and their visit to Jacobite,
Destination Loch Ness Ltd of which Graeme presently chairs, received full
endorsement by MSP's (Members of the Scottish Parliament) for the bid to
UNESCO for World heritage Status for Loch Ness & the Great Glen (for more
details see
www.visitlochness.com).
And on this upbeat note, till
next month
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Wednesday 10th October 2007
We start this month with the now annual report, on the Loch
Ness Marathon. This fantastic event (rated 3rd best marathon in the UK by
the readers of Runners World) and now in it's 6th year, took place Sunday
past. The weather this year was warm and sunny as over 2000 competitors
(including Graeme) lined up at 10am for this challenging marathon. Also this
year, the event was filmed for the first time by Channel 5. Graeme was
actually interviewed at the start and so is looking out for his 15 seconds
of fame when the event is shown on TV in a few weeks time! They
did not film him at the end which is probably just as well. He completed in
a respectable 4hrs. 4mins but was pretty well exhausted at the end!
The good weather on Sunday was typical of last
week. We have enjoyed some wonderful autumnal days here on Loch Ness
recently with bright sunshine during the day and cold overnight. As a result
both Graeme and I have been out with the camera trying to capture some of
this very normal seasonal weather. Very different weather it has to be said
from the previous week, when the first snow of autumn fell on the
Cairngorms. Although only 2 inches fell, it is very early sparking hope that
it will be a cold winter this year with plenty snow high up in the mountains
to sustain our beleaguered ski industry.
Loch Ness also experienced an
event with a difference at the end of last month when one of the fastest and
most eco-friendly powerboats in the world, with the ability to submarine
seven metres underwater, travelled through Loch Ness before it attempts to
set a new powerboat sped record to circumnavigate the globe. The Earthrace
powerboat which runs on 100% bio diesel and with a net zero carbon
footprint, moored at Drumnadrochit overnight on 25th September. Then in the
morning as it made its way down the loch past us here at Inverfarigaig like
some strange monster from the deep, we were fortunate enough to catch a
glimpse of this truly incredible craft
Talking
of monsters, there has been much speculation of late that the lack of
sightings of the 'Loch Ness Monster' in recent years will have a
detrimental effect on the tourism industry in the area. Here on the south
side of Loch Ness we have never promoted the area on the basis of 'The
Monster'. Yes, Loch Ness owes much of it's iconic status the world over to
it's association with Nessie, but there is so much more to the area than the
monster. As our photos in the
gallery
this month hopefully show, it is an area of quite breathtaking beauty.
Finally
though on a less pensive note, at this time of year as the days get shorter,
our favourite furry friends, the red squirrels, are very active collecting
nuts to store away over the winter months. Every morning we look out the
window here at Evergreen and see two or three frantically going back and
forward collecting and burying hazel nuts in the garden. We are very
fortunate here on Loch Ness to have so many red squirrels mainly
because as yet no grey squirrels have moved in on the area. Long may it
continue!
Until next month.
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Friday 7th September 2007
Hello Everyone
August has been an extremely busy month
for us and there has been a number of first class events on and around the
loch. We have had a music festival at Borlum Farm, overlooking Loch Ness
near Drumnadrochit with a number of excellent local bands and headlined by
Runrig, a Catamaran race the whole length of the loch - from Dores to Fort
Augustus and back and just last weekend the first "Monster Duathlon" -
cycling and running all the way round the loch! So, musicians, sailors,
cyclists and runners, not forgetting the audiences have enjoyed the delights
of the loch from very different perspectives.
The Runrig concert attracted 17,000 fans from
across Europe. Runrig mix traditional Celtic with rock to create
powerful stirring music. Unfortunately the only thing to dampen the day was
the weather - and I mean dampen as it rained constantly for 24 hours! We got
to the event at 4.00 p.m. and enjoyed all the support bands including Great
Big Sea. Great Big Sea hail from Nova Scotia, Canada, a part of the world
with very strong social and cultural links with Scotland. By the end of the
concert the field was just a sea of mud but everyone left happy and with a
great sense of achievement.
The Loch Ness Monster
Catamaran race had one of the fastest boats in the world competing for the
honours and with an all-star crew it did not disappoint. The day started
with low visibility and minimal wind but conditions improved and the sun
came out and the wind picked up. The best sailing was seen on the return
journey from Fort Augustus - with the sun behind it Basilica flew down the
centre of the Loch finishing the 50 mile course in four hours and thirty
three minutes!
I managed to take a few photographs of
some of the smaller catamars which took part - I have put these onto the
photo gallery
page
The inaugural First Monster
Duathlon started in Inverness and took the route of the Great Glen Way on
the north side of the loch before reaching Fort Augustus and then continuing
along the quiet roads on the south side of the loch, right past Hazelgrove.
The event attracted around 100 teams of 4, with each competitor running
around 10k then cycling 20k in a relay event. It is hoped that the event,
which attracted some of the UK's fittest celebrities will raise thousands of
pounds for the charity Save the Children. The event, although challenging,
was such a success that it has already been announced that the event will be
staged again next year so if you are interested??....
But to finish this month, do
you ever wonder as you travel through Scotland how we ended up with
the St Andrew's Cross (Saltire) as our national flag? Tradition has it that
the flag, the oldest in Europe and the Commonwealth, originated in a battle
fought close by the East Lothian village of Athelstandford in the dark ages
(the date is believed to have been 832AD).
An army of Picts under King
Angus, and aided by a contingent of Scots, was invading Lothian (at that
time still Northumbiran territory), and found itself surrounded by a larger
force of Saxons led by Athelstan. Fearing the outcome of the encounter,
Angus led prayers for deliverance and was rewarded by seeing a cloud
formation of a white saltire (the diagonal cross, on which St Andrew had
been martyred) against the blue sky. The kind vowed that if, with the
saint's help, he gained victory, then Andrew would thereafter be the patron
saint of Scotland. The Scots did win, and the Saltire became the flag of
Scotland!
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Until next month Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Wednesday 8th August 2007
Hello Everyone,
August already - how time flies. Needless to say we are very
busy at the moment and have been throughout the summer. We enjoy welcoming
new guests each week to Hazelgrove. For many it is their first visit to
Hazelgrove and the Highlands but some are returning to the cottage for a
second or even third time. As Hazelgrove is a pet friendly cottage we also
enjoy meeting the many dogs who find the secure garden a wonderful place.
And with so many walks in the area, we are sure that they enjoy their
holiday as much as their owners!
Being so busy we haven't got out much ourselves recently.
However, a few weeks ago I was able to attend one of a series of five
'lunchtime lectures' at the University of the Highlands & Islands (UHI). The
lectures were on the so called 'Highland Clearances' of the 19th century
when many tenant farmers were cleared off the land by landowners, to make
way for more profitable sheep farming. A notorious period in our history, It
is estimated that between 1830 and 1930 over 2 million Scots (although not
all as a result of the Highland Clearances) left Scotland never to return.
The lecture I attended was by Eric
Richards, Flinders University, Adelaide and one of the leading authorities
on the 19th century clearances. However, a surprise visitor to the event was
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond, who emphasised the support of
his government for UHI and the new degree in Scottish History, all of which
is excellent news. It is not so many years ago when Scottish History as a
subject in it's own right did not exist. Both Fiona and I are old enough to
remember History at School and being taught essentially English History!
At the weekend the weather was bright and
we took a drive to the remote but stunningly beautiful Applecross Peninsula.
It's actually only approximately 2 hours drive from Hazelgrove but it feels
like a different world. The best approach is over the Bealach-na-ba (Pass of
the Cattle) where the road climbs to 2053ft in six miles starting at sea
level! At the top of the pass there are fantastic views over to Skye but
beware, I have never known it to be warm at the top of Bealach-na-ba and
Sunday was no exception - the temperature was a cool 10C!!
Down in Applecross village itself which
occupies a beautiful sheltered bay, we stopped for coffee at 'The Potting
Shed' (highly recommended) before continuing our drive around the peninsula.
We also stopped in the village of Shieldaig, another impossibly beautiful
and tranquil place. The village, no more than a shop, hotel and few houses
today, looks out over the bay to an island rich in wildlife and vegetation
which is owned by the national Trust for Scotland. People were milling about
enjoying the day. But Shieldaig is another Highland village with an
interesting past. The village was built at the turn of the 19th century to
'raise and train' sailors to fight Napoleon. It must at one time therefore
have been an extremely lively place! However, after Napoleon was
defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, sailors were no longer required to be
trained at Shieldaig and it slowly became the sleepy village that it is
today.
And so, back to summer on Loch Ness.
Around Loch Ness this summer there have been some fantastic events including
Rock Ness at Dores back in June and Ness Fest In the grounds of Fort
Augustus Abbey last weekend. This month it continues...this weekend there is
the now well established Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, on 14th August Aly
Bain and Phil Cunningham (two of Scotland's greatest traditional musicians)
play at Drumnadrochit and then on the 18th August Runrig, the seminal Celtic
rock band, play at Borlum Farm overlooking Loch Ness. We can't wait!!
Till next month
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Friday 6th July 2007
Hello everyone,
Summer - warm sunny days fading into beautiful evening
sunsets. If only! The weather so far this summer has not been great with a
mixture of heavy showers and sunny intervals for the past couple of weeks.
However, Scotland and the Highlands in particular, have enjoyed much better
weather than in England where floods have caused havoc over the past few
weeks. So, we can't complain too much, indeed as I write this, the
loch is as still as a mill pond and the sun beating down
As you would expect, we are very busy at the moment, but last
Sunday we had the day off and went exploring east of Inverness to
Findhorn and visited the remarkable Findhorn Community.
Established in 1962 by Peter and Eileen
Caddy and Dorothy Maclean, today the
community numbers several hundred people and has in a sense outgrown itself.
The Findhorn Foundation is known world wide and spans dozens of holistic
businesses and initiatives, all linked by a shared positive vision for
humanity and the earth, and a commitment to the deep and practical
non-doctrinal spirituality. We were particularly interested in the
eco-village established in the 1980's. The eco-houses incorporate
cutting-edge technology and are built to
the highest standards in many practical and beautiful designs. There are now
40 ecological buildings. After visiting the community, we went to the
picturesque village of Findhorn, nestling around Findhorn Bay, and the most
wonderful beach which extends eastwards for seven miles. Definitely worth a
visit!
We then took the 'Whisky
Trail' down from Elgin to Boat of Garten in the heart of the Cairngorms. As
I was driving and Fiona does not like whisky, we gave the distilleries a
miss this time but if you are interested in stopping there are a large
number to choose from in the area - Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, Glen
Moray and Cardhu to name but a few! Boat of Garten is where visitors
can view ospreys but we are often asked how the village got it's name. Well,
place names beginning with 'Boat' are actually characteristic of the area -
there are others such as Boat of Cromdale and Boat of Insh and they all got
their names from the fact that the places commemorate the sites of ferries
which plied on the River Spey, on which all the villages are located, before
there were bridges. All very simple really!
Talking of birds, around
Hazelgrove we have seen many species over the years but until about a week
ago we had not seen a woodpecker in the garden. All this has changed and we
now have the most beautiful young Great Spotted woodpecker making regular
visits to our bird table. The Great Spotted woodpecker is the medium sized
bird of the woodpecker family - the Green woodpecker is the largest and the
Lesser Spotted woodpecker is the smallest The crown of the bird is still red
which denotes that it is a young bird rather than an adult and the red on
its underside is also duller than that of an adult. Fiona managed to get a
few
photographs and these are on
the photo gallery page.
Finally this month we must
mention the Inverness Highland Games which this year are also hosting the
World Highland Games Championships. The top 12
heavyweight athletes of the world are heading for Inverness for a weekend of
spectacular action which will decide who is the best Highland Games athlete
in the world. This is a major event for
the area and will be a great weekend for all. It kicks off on the morning of
Saturday 21st July at Bught Park, Inverness and runs through to Sunday
afternoon. For more details see
invernesshighlandgames.com
Till next month
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Thursday 8th June 2007
Hello everyone,
Firstly this month - more news on the Loch Ness Monster.
Following a sighting by an English tourist a couple of weeks ago, the press
coverage around the world has been astounding. From Australia to Austria and
from California to China, news crews have been reporting about this latest
sighting. What is impressive about this sighting is that the event was
captured on video and you can clearly see a long dark object moving through
the water. Is it Nessie or is it perhaps an otter or another animal swimming
on the loch. Click on to the following link and decide for yourselves
Loch Ness Monster video footage
Whatever you make of the footage, it certainly helped the
press coverage of the official launch by Destination Loch Ness Ltd of a bid
to achieve World Heritage Status for Loch Ness and the Great Glen, a bid
driven by the need to protect, maintain and develop Loch Ness as an iconic
world tourism destination. It is a long process, but should the area achieve
this status, it will join such places as The Taj Mahal, Great Barrier Reef
and Grand Canyon. The launch took place amidst perfect weather, aboard one
of the cruise boats on the loch. Graeme, as Chairman, introduced the launch
to invited guests and then spent all morning doing interviews and photo
shoots with media from around the world! It seems as if everywhere from
Alaska to Australia picked up on it which was extremely pleasing. The only
problem I now have is bringing him back down to reality i.e. that we have a
busy summer ahead!!
We have spoken in previous newsletters
about the abundance of wildlife around Loch Ness. We mentioned last month
that guests in Hazelgrove were fortunate enough to have seen a pine martin
when they were patient and stayed up overnight. These creatures are
extremely elusive and as they are nocturnal you really have to be keen to
try and see one. However, when Graeme was out on one of his recent training
runs for the Marathon, his eye was drawn to something scampering up a nearby
tree. You can imagine his surprise when he realised that it was a pine
marten. He proceeded to spend the next few minutes 'eye-balling' this
wonderful creature. Astonishingly, a few days later I had the pleasure of
seeing this same pine marten. It would seem that not all are shy!!
Another creature which is more commonly
seen at dusk or at night is the hedgehog. Unfortunately, more often than not
you see a hedgehog at the side of the road as a result of a road kill.
However, again while out running, Graeme recently saw a large hedgehog close
to Hazelgrove, very much alive and well and making its way slowly though a
grassy area.
But it is not just Graeme or me who
manages to be in the right place at the right time. Recent guests from
Germany were delighted to see a small Sika deer on the path just beside
Hazelgrove. They took a couple of photographs, both of which are in the
photo gallery this month.
I have also included this month a number
of photos of Loch Tarff, Loch Ceo Glais, Loch Duntelchaig and Loch Mhor.
These are all within a few miles of Hazelgrove and all have their own
special attraction. Loch Tarff, for example is best seen as you come down
hill from the Suidhe Chuimen viewpoint while Loch Mhor is best viewed from
the roadside. Have a look at the gallery this month to see these wonderful
lochs.
Finally, we are getting ready to rock this
weekend with the Rockness festival which is taking place at Dores, just
along the road from Hazelgrove. We are all hoping for two days of sunshine
for all those lucky enough to have a ticket for this special outdoor event.
We will let you know how it went in our next newsletter.
Till next month
Fiona and Graeme
Hazelgrove News - Sunday 6th May 2007
Hello everyone,
Across the world, one of the unsolved mysteries of modern times is
undoubtedly the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster. Is there something in the
loch or have the sightings over the years just been dramatic hoaxes carried
out to lure people to the area? We have written about some of the sightings
and theories but you may not know that there is continuing scientific work
being carried out on Loch Ness in the hope to explain the mystery of the
Loch Ness Monster. The most recent by US researchers from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology were carrying out a sonar survey and were amazed to
find a common today crawling in the mud 324ft (98m) down. If a small toad
can live at this depth then what else is in the water??
Still on the subject of wildlife, we were aware a few nights
ago that something might have been on our roof at Evergreen as the leaf
debris in the gutters had been disturbed. We are pleased to report this is
one mystery that has been solved. A pine martin has been visiting Hazelgrove
over the last week and been enjoying the peanut butter and jam treats which
have been left out for it. The guests who are in Hazelgrove stayed up late
one night and were treated to a superb display by this nocturnal creature.
We mentioned in a newsletter a few months
ago that there are a number of great cruises you can take to enjoy Loch
Ness. One of these, the Loch Ness Express has just started a new service and
is now stopping at Inverfarigaig pier. This is a great addition to the South
Loch Ness area as it will allow visitors staying at Hazelgrove and at other
properties in the area to see more of the other side of the loch without
having to drive. Similarly, people staying on the north side can use the
service to access the wonderful trails in Farigaig forest. The Loch Ness
Express can carry bikes so you can combine walking and cycling with a trip
on the loch. Check out their website for their schedule and fares -
www.lochnessexpress.com
Around Loch Ness many of the place names
are in Gaelic. Translate these names and we discover much about the heritage
of the area. For example, near Foyers there is Carnus Mharbh Dhaoine which
translates in to 'Bay of the Dead Men'! Behind Evergreen there is a grassy
hill called Tom-na-croich which in English means 'Knoll of the Gallows'.
However, the Gaelic language, which once was widely spoken in the Highlands
and Islands, has been in decline for many decades and the number of Gaelic
speakers in Scotland is now estimated to be only 50000. It is therefore good
news for the area that two important new projects will help to revive
the languagel. The first is a new Gaelic School in Inverness (Bunsgoil
Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis). It is
nearing completion and the first pupils are due to enrol in August this
year. This new school is an indication not only of parents' confidence in
Gaelic education but also of the fundamental role that Gaelic has played in
Highland society over the centuries.
The second important project recognises
the central role played by Gaelic speakers in the last battle fought on
British soil. The National Trust for Scotland has unveiled plans for the new
visitor centre at Culloden, just 20 miles from Inverfarigaig, and which
marks the importance of Gaelic. The new centre will be an exemplar of how
the language can be used and promoted as an important and distinctive
component of Scotland's cultural heritage. The battle of Culloden signalled
the end of the clan system and the continued repression of the Gaelic
language. Given the high proportion of Gaelic speakers who fought on both
sides at the battle, Gaelic will play a pivotal role in the interpretation
of Culloden. Plans for the new centre are groundbreaking and will offer both
Gaelic and non-Gaelic speaking visitors a unique and stimulating experience
and opportunity to engage with the language. Both in the new centre and on
the restored battlefield visitors will be surrounded by Gaelic and we hope
that a few words and phrases will be remembered so that you can impress
family and friends!
Till next month Graeme and Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Monday 9th April 2007
At last, 'spring is in the air'. The days are longer and the
sun rises, once again, high enough in the sky to shine on Hazelgrove and the
south side of Loch Ness! The larch trees are slowly turn that fresh 'new'
green, the daffodils are about to bloom and amidst the woods and along the
road verges the beautiful yellow wild primroses are emerging. Sensing
spring, the garden birds are busy and there is a constant chirping
overriding our peaceful silence. Everything is good on the shores of Loch
Ness.....
After the long winter months, Easter is
for many businesses the first really busy time of the year as visitors
throng the area, many drawn by the beautiful scenery and peace of the south
side but also many still are without doubt drawn by the mystique of the Loch
Ness Monster. Legend or not, gazing out over the loch it is easy to
understand why it is so enduring. As mentioned in our last newsletter, the
loch is incredibly deep and dark - no light penetrates below 12ft. Who then
can say for certain that there is nothing there? What it actually is, if
there is something, is an even bigger question but perhaps one myth that can
be dispelled is that many of the early sightings were in fact of elephants!.
Yes, last year it was claimed by a leading palaeontologist at Glasgow
University, that early sightings of Nessie in the 1930's could have been of
elephants. Apparently circuses used to take the road up to Inverness and
allow the animals to have a rest, swim about in the loch and refresh
themselves. When their elephants were swimming around only the trunk and two
humps could be seen so easily mistaken by people as "the monster".
But Graeme has recently been away from Loch Ness. Doing some work for the
Scottish Tourism Forum, his travels have taken him to the Isles of Lewis &
Harris, Skye, Orkney and, furthest away of all, Shetland. While all but
Shetland were familiar to him, he commented on his return that he never
ceases to be amazed by the diversity and sheer raw beauty of the Scottish
Highlands. From the primeval mountain mass of northern Harris to the stark
windswept landscape of Shetland there is so much to see and do and....much
of it (well Skye and Orkney at least ) on day trips from Hazelgrove.
And finally this month, just in case you
think the Highlands are all mountains and heather, mention of the town of
Nairn, only 35 miles from Hazelgrove, where Graeme was making yet another
tourism presentation recently. Nairn, nestling on the Moray coast with its
air of gentile Victorian splendour has, amongst other pleasures, a long and
beautiful sandy beach to relax on. As the Scottish poet William McGonagall,
notoriously the 'worst poet in the world', once said',
The town of Nairn is worth a visit, I
do confess
And it's only about fifteen miles from Inverness
Until next month
Graeme & Fiona
Hazelgrove News - Sunday 11th March 2007 Hello
everyone
As our regular readers will be aware, we are a little late
with our newsletter this month. This is because we were busy preparing for
annual inspections. We had our annual inspection from VisitScotland for our
quality grading and also a visit from the assessor for the Green Tourism
Business Scheme. Both of these gradings are very important and we are really
pleased to report that we have improved our quality grading from 3 stars
(Very Good) to 4 stars (Excellent) with VisitScotland and we have retained
our Gold award with the GTBS. This
month's
photo gallery has a variety
of shots taken all around (and on!) Loch Ness. The size and depth of the
loch take many visitors by surprise. Although it is not very wide - around 1
mile, it is the length of the loch which, at 24 miles, exceeds many
expectations. But perhaps more that the size, it is the depth which astounds
many people. Loch Ness is part of the Great Glen Fault and as such, the
average depth of the loch is around 600ft. At its deepest, just off Urquhart
Castle it is almost 1000ft deep. The best way to get a really good idea of
the size of the loch is to take one of the boat trips which are available.
Jacobite Cruises
offers a variety of trips, ranging from a quick one hour cruise to a more
leisurely 7 hours which takes you through the Caledonian Canal before
entering Loch Ness. Alternatively, the
Loch Ness Express
offers trips along the whole length of the loch with the option of joining
or leaving the boat at Foyers or Fort Augustus.
There is one island on Loch Ness commonly
called Cherry Island but it's real name is Eilean Mhuireach or Murdoch's
Island. It is, however, a crannog and not an island. A crannog is an ancient
fortified retreat constructed on water and used between the Iron Age and the
16th century. The fact that this 'island' remains to this day, albeit much
smaller, is testament to the builders of the time. It was only discovered to
be a crannog at the turn of last century when one of the intrepid monks from
Fort Augustus Abbey, Dom Odo Blundell, dived below the waters and discovered
a raft of logs on which was layered heavy stones which themselves were
retained in position by thick posts driven deep in to the loch's gravel
bottom
Talking of the 'Abbey' - it is a
very changed place since the time of the monks. The most recent changes have
which has been taking place over the past few years has seen the Abbey
change into a 'luxury holiday home development'. There is no doubt that this
development will bring in much needed employment and income as well, of
course, as offering more high quality accommodation for visitors to the
area. It is worth reflecting that where people will now relax and enjoy the
splendour of Loch Ness, 260 years ago, and before the Abbey, the Duke of
Cumberland in the aftermath of Culloden set up camp and hung captured
supporters of the Jacobite cause!
But we must end on a more cheery note.
Graeme was supposed to be running the Inverness Half Marathon today.
However, like most elite(?) athletes, both injury and illness can cause an
upset to the training schedule. Unfortunately Graeme and I have both been
coping with our annual winter cold over the last couple of weeks and he felt
that it would not be pragmatic to try and run thirteen miles today - at a
fairly fast pace to try and get a good time. So instead, he opted for a more
leisurely 10 mile run and is already planning his training schedule for the
marathon in October!
Till next month
Graeme and Fiona
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