page 28 Issue No 45, March 2014 a huge thank you to our sponsors delivered free to every address in Kilmallie A huge thank you to the businesses below who have sponsored the newsle er this year. The cost of copying this newsle er has again been very generously donated by Lorna and Finlay Finlayson of Crannog Restaurant, Fort William. The paper for this issue has again been generously donated by BSW Timber, Kilmallie Our other newsle er costs have been met by dona ons from the other businesses below, from KCC’s limited funds, and in kind from all our volunteers. runner-up community newspaper of the year 2012
KCC reports – p2
community policing – p3
bridging past and future – p4
councillors’ corner - p6
Banavie Primary - p7
High Notes - p8
Playgroup – p9
Coastguard - p10
there for your comments and ideas by-election - p10 - Canal News – p11
Community Centre - p12
Locheilnet – p12
Banavie proposals - p13 -16
Annat after the war – p16
Corpach in Colour - p17
Banavie Floral - p17
Heather’s Walk - p17
focus on folk - p18
Corpach Woods - p19 BOYD BROTHERS CLYDEBoyd keep warm - p19 the first step! quarry liaison - p20 welcome news from Transport Scotland (HAULAGE) LTD Fort William Ltd play park regeneration - p20 The speed limit across the Blar is at art lochaber - p20 last to be reduced from 60mph. The present 30mph limit at Lochy Rugby Club - p21 Bridge is to be extended to beyond Shinty Club - p21 the new Blar roundabout, and from
update from Africa - p22 there to Badabrie the limit is to be reduced to 40mph. This is very Showstoppers - p23 welcome news for everyone who Viking Challenge - p23 has campaigned, along with KCC, for lower speeds in Kilmallie over a wild about kilmallie – p24 number of years. In February, KCC history snippets - p25 heard from Transport Scotland that Ministers propose to make a ten years ago - p25 would you like to become a sponsor too? Permanent Traffic Regula ons As well as reducing speeds, it will be Meanwhile KCC are not res ng on green fingers - p26 Order to this effect. The present a welcome improvement to the our laurels... in response to all the We rely on the contribu ons from our business community arrangements for ‘20mph when current confusion on the Blar ‐ at concerns raised by the community, for the cost of distribu ng this free newsle er to every address in our area. feedback - p26 lights flash’ at the High School and present you can apparently whizz we’ve suggested a dra overall plan We welcome sponsorship from all businesses located in Kilmallie, or with principal key personnel resident in Kilmallie. If you focus on business - p26 would you like to see your name or logo in print suppor ng your community newsle er, please join with our current sponsors. the Primary School will stay in through the new roundabout at for improved road safety and place. We don’t yet know when the 60mph travelling east, but must happier road users ‐ see enclosed All dona ons, big or small, are hugely appreciated. puzzles - p27 change will come into effect, but s ck to 30mph if travelling west! colour supplement. Please let us
Please contact us at [email protected] for details. remember the KCC suggestion boxes sponsors - p28 watch out for new signs going up Maybe you could me‐travel if you know what you think. It needs your hopefully in the near future. went round it the wrong way! support to help make it happen.
may agree with the sugges ons KCC are pu ng forward, you page 2 may disagree. What is important is that you let us know what page 27 fromHello there and welcome the to another bumperChair issue of the your thoughts are, through the comple on and return of the flyer. Kilmallie Community News. You may remember that in the December newsle er we highlighted road safety issues in Please use the flyer too to let us know what you think about Kilmallie and you may be aware that since then two of the new Sco sh Canals’ proposals for Banavie (pages 13‐16). bollards to the east and west of the Co‐op have been badly Please complete and return it via the KCC sugges on boxes, or damaged; we have been advised that one was the result of a
scan it and email it to newsle [email protected] or direct to driver swerving to avoid a deer and the other was the result of one of KCC members, by the end of March if possible. Thank picture quiz no 2 an unexplainable driver error ‐ thankfully no‐one was on the you. crossings at the me. In this issue you will find our “slower, KCC’s logo gets everywhere! safer, smilier” campaign supplement and response flyer. You Maggie Mackenzie, Chairman [email protected] Can you guess where this image of Corpach lighthouse was spotted? musings on slower, safer, smilier and can you figure out who took
for Transport) for Transport) How do you want the physical environment in Kilmallie to that it has led Transport Scotland to lower the picture? look for you, your children or your children’s children? the speed limit on that sec on of road as Should it be a place where we can all drive around as a whole. We will now have a 40mph quickly as possible in our own cars, or a place where limit across the canal bridge, which we can not only walk safely, but enjoy the walk? should greatly improve road safety. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? KCC is pu ng forward a vision for improving Furthermore, the new
road safety along the most populated roundabout also serves as a major Black Black Oil” and the Stag sec on of the A830 through speed‐limit traffic calming measure in itself, changes and pedestrian crossings. slowing vehicles right down as they Answers to these puzzles are on the website The aim would be not just to approach and go round it. However, it www.kilmallie.org.uk (follow the link on the RHS of the homepage) reduce the risk of road accidents, demonstrates clearly how well‐thought‐ and will also be published in the next issue of the newsletter but to make the whole out road safety planning can deliver huge for people without access to the internet environment more friendly for benefits for very li le cost in terms of pedestrians and cyclists. The me and money, whilst inappropriate downside is the inconvenience to ones can have quite he y motorists of adding a few seconds to consequences. For although the “some straight, some cryptic, some easy, some not so easy” Across each car journey. roundabout does slow people down, 1 Go south in the arid region for a pudding (7) across the Blar in 2012 (say Dept Blar in 2012 across the These kind of changes need to have it is an inefficient means of traffic 1 2 3 4 5 6 4 Meg and May hold her (5) the support of the community. So we will all calming compared to lowering speed limits. 7 Sounds like a young one who digs (5) need to think about whether these are the kind of road Changing speed limits facilitates gradual transi ons 9 Painkiller confused in pairs (7)
safety improvements we wish to see in our community, and between speeds, which is compara vely fuel‐efficient. 10 Greek le er (7) years since “The Cheviot, the a day - then go about crea ng the poli cal pressure to make it However, at a roundabout traffic slows then accelerates 7 8 9 11 Abrasive board (5) happen. quite abruptly. So there is an economic cost to the 12 Wife or husband (6) But how safe are our roads for pedestrians, cyclists and roundabout in increased fuel use as traffic slows and then 14 Rela ve made of money that takes us in (6)
drivers? accelerates again. A typical car uses about 0.01 litres 18 This saint waits at the gate (5) 40 The approach o en used by regulators to iden fy accelera ng from 20 – 50mph over a short distance. For the 20 Goes with between (7) 10 11 22 Arbiter gets mixed up for Welsh food (7) dangerous parts of the road network and assess road safety average daily measured traffic flow of 9000 vehicles, the 23 Big striped cat (5) is to use accidents as a sign that a road is unsafe. This may increased cost of fuel to the community caused by the 24 Strong beer! (5) seem logical at first. However aside from the tragic roundabout is over £40,000 a year. 25 This watch is found at the dig. It always is (7) consequences, wai ng for accidents to happen as a way of If the cost of the unnecessary me delay is taken into 12 13 14 15 16 Down iden fying hazards makes no sense from a sta s cal account, the true cost to the community is many mes this perspec ve. figure. 17 1 These ladies are some mes in distress (7) Suppose there are two similar stretches of road, but one As an aside, this further highlights the injus ce of the 2 Nasal passage (5) has some hazard that makes an accident twice as likely. Blar site developer’s argument that they should not have to 18 19 20 21 3 Prac ces on the tracks (6) 4 Canada’s tree (5) Using standard sta s cal tests we would expect to have to pay the developer contribu on (designed to compensate the 5 Garbled dangers where the flowers grow (7)
wait for something like 36 accidents to happen to be able to community for the economic loss) un l the supermarket was 6 Grandma goat (5) buses/coaches buses/coaches conclude that one sec on of road was significantly more opened because that was what would cause the economic 8 Royce’s pal (5) dangerous than the other. So we clearly need to assess the damage. As, by the me the supermarket is opened the cost 22 23 13 Canadian province (7) risks and take ac on, rather than wait for accidents to to the community simply due to the roundabout will 15 There’s 8 in this (5) happen before making decisions. probably have already exceeded the agreed developer 16 Not ar ficial (7) 175 Transport Scotland recently announced that reduced contribu on. 17 Subsided 6) speed limits across the Blar have now been approved. Road However, in road safety terms it also reminds us that all 24 25 18 Mixed pairs found in France (5) safety data show clearly that slowing traffic down results in traffic‐calming measures need to be carefully planned and 19 Metal man? (5) 21 Bar of gold found in swinging O awa (5) fewer accidents, so this measure is a welcome contribu on considered, with full community involvement, so that we Thank you to Tony Whitelocke for another great crossword. to the reduc on of risk. can all ensure that we are helping to build the sort of The new Blar roundabout has cut a once long, straight environment that we want to live in. to Kilmallie. introduced sheep years since sec on in two, and 60mph is no longer a viable speed limit. Answers to last issue’s puzzle: So a rather unlikely benefit of the new Blar roundabout is Russell Leaper Across: 1 BISCUIT, 4 MOUNT, 7 GABLE, 9 FIGMENT, 10 ICE CUBE, 11 NORSE, 12 ESCAPE, 14 ANCHOR, 18 PAPER, 20 HONESTY, 22 TEAR GAS, 23 SHISH, 24 RENAL, 25 EIGHTHS hard to imagine hard to imagine Down: 1 BAGPIPE, 2 SABRE, 3 TUFFET, 4 MEGAN, 5 UNEARTH, 6 TITLE, 8 EQUIP, 13 CAPTAINS, 15 NINES, 16 RHYTHMS, 250 17 CHASTE, 18 PETER, 19 REGAL, 21 SWIFT page 26
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page 3 Coastal Communities Fund, round 3, now open for applications, www.biglotteryfund.org.uk We get so accustomed to our modern day road layout that it is easy fairly large house which has also been called has also been known as Bungalow Hill. This page 4 to forget that it is rela vely recent. Travelling by car (at up to Gray`s House. is because, in 1893, an oriental‐style page 25 bridging the 60mph!) over the Blar nowadays, you are unlikely to spot the point history bungalow was built by a Mr Wilkes who had where the line of the present road diverges from the original. But if From a map of about 1750 is shown worked in the Far East. For years it you regularly walk or cycle from Banavie to the High School or ‘CORPACH CASTLE (never finished)’.The site was occupied by a McAlpine who built the past and future towards the town, you will know the much older road – Old Blar was approximately what is now the Canal Mallaig Line. This Oakwood is now snippets - Mhor Road ‐ that tails off into what is now a very narrow You might walk up and down the canal barely no cing the odd Basin. Who was building it? Camerons? community owned under the Kilmallie overgrown whin‐lined footpath – a shortcut today, but the main structures about a third of the way up Neptune’s Staircase. If Community Company thoroughfare un l the 1970s. you’ve stopped to look at them, perhaps you’ve been able to figure Where is the present Corpach? The first houses on the Drumfada estate out what they are all about? Or perhaps one of our friendly Corpach From the Oakwoods to the road sign on the were built in 1952 on a cro which was last informa ve lockkeepers has explained them? Or perhaps you’re Main Road. run by a McMaster whose cro buildings even old enough to remember them in use? They are the ?pintel Again we remember Hugh Muir in this, were situated between Annat View and bases and one of the abutments of the original bridge over the the first of his four articles about What other interes ng events / structures Clerk Drive. The rest of the houses on this canal. Corpach which he sent us before he do we have in this modern Corpach star ng estate were started building in 1964 for Pulp died last year. With thanks as ever from the West of the community? Mill employees. to Hugh’s family for permission to The old Kilmallie Manse (now Kilmalyn) publish it. One notable event was the coming of the was built in 1818. The previous glebe and Camerons (the De Cambrons) to the west manse were at Torcastle. In 1804 Lochiel What does the name mean? island in the 14th C, and who lived here had given this Corpach glebe ‐ 400 x 1350 The place of the corpses. This is because, at 1335 ‐1550. As we know the Camerons yards ‐ "sufficient for 6 cows and one
one me, Corpach became a recognised spread their ‘influence’ in our area a er horse". The house had two large wings and Old Blar Mhor Road as it is today stopping place for funeral par es taking the not many years. This island has had many outbuildings. The wings were demolished in bodies of eminent persons to such places as names including Plumb, Lochiel and Tree. 1960. One of the outbuildings is Walter Iona, etc. One reason for it being here was The island was inhabited un l 1670 . Cameron Way warden`s house. Across the that the bodies could be kept overnight on road and railway are three co ages ‐ one of an island where they would be safe from The Oakwoods could have had significance them was owned for a me by the Church wolves. It is also believed the islands were in the area. Long before roads and railway, and was called Glebe or Manse Co age. used, from Corpach, for local burials this hillock would have a place as a lookout Close to the Old Cemetery was a giant especially of epidemic vic ms . or defensive posi on, or maybe as a Ash tree of 58 feet diameter ‐ possibly the religious base because of its closeness to largest ash in Scotland at the me. In 1746 it Where was the early Corpach? Annat. The top of this place has been was burned down by government troops It was a shoreline se lement. It was round levelled and may even have been a because of Lochiel`s support of the 45. the bay called Breuncamus ‐ the s nking Nunnery! The official name for this small hill The line of the Old Blar Mhor Road now tails off into a narrow path bay ‐ which we s ll see today. Yes, the bay is Cnoc Nam Faobh ‐ the hill of the spoils. It Hugh Muir in front of Canal Parks! It appears to have stretched from roughly the burn at Farrow Drive to the River Lochy. The whole area
was known as Corpach Moss or today as the Blar Mor. There appears to have been an early ‘road’ along the shore with a ferry across to Inverlochy Castle. The road we
now use ‐ building only started in 1804 ‐ formerly crossed the river by a ferry just South of the bridge un l the first bridge was built here in 1849. This ferry was o en referred to as the Corpach Ferry. Also on Corpach Moss was Loch Aber ‐ said to have been roughly behind Lochyside School. This small loch gave its name to Lochaber. Soon a er Lochiel`s forfeited estate was returned in 1784, Lochiel XXII lived here for The Kilmallie glebe barn, now converted to residen al use, but s ll a lovely example of the uniquely a short me at Corpach House ‐ believed a characteris c Lochaber barns ‐ they were o en built into a hillside, known then as a ‘bank barn’). The Dulverton Trust purchased Achdalieu to run an outdoor centre 10 years Go Wild on the Canal, Banavie, 17 May 17 May Canal, Banavie, on the Go Wild ago Here’s an extract from KCC’s newsletter No 18, May 2004 newsletter. 50 years ago -
Postcard photo from some me between 1880s and 1901, when there were no bridges at the foot of the Staircase. The original bridge is tantalisingly not quite discernible, three locks up. The Lochiel Arms Hotel is on the le . Poles akimbo for opera ng the capstans that opened the locks in the days before hydraulics. Photo courtesy of Sco sh Canals.
Perversely, one of the reasons why the Later, in 1895, the Banavie Branch railway line was opened, So at page 24 woodland at Puiteachan may have survived that me, travelling west from Lochy Bridge, the old road would page 5 wild about is that it is small and probably did not have taken you under the railway bridge, and then over the original contain many good trees. The woodland canal bridge, before following on along what is now Old Banavie historian, Peter Quelch, has produced a Road past the old police sta on towards Badabrie and Corpach. kilmallie fascina ng report on Coille Puiteachan that suggests it may even have been primarily Coille Phuiteachain wood pasture used as a woodland cro . Indeed the woodland only first appears on
SSSI maps in 1774, where it is clearly marked as a You can just make out the panels of the 1930s bridge to the le behind HMS About half way up Glen Loy, just before the wood with ‘birch with some firrs’ in a survey Brierton as she comes up the Staircase. Photo courtesy of Sco sh Canals. end of the public road, a very special wood of the forfeited Lochiel estates. Some of the But a er the pulp mill was built in 1964, the amount and size of can be found. Coille Phuiteachain was first surviving pine trees probably date back to traffic hugely increased, and this second bridge also needed to be established as a Caledonian Pinewood this me. Some of the older trees bear axe replaced. So in the 1970s, the main road was completely realigned, reserve by the Forestry Commission in 1931, marks sugges ng that they were use to and the present road bridge was built. But while its construc on
the first of its kind. Remarkably there are provide fir candles, which u lised the pine was taking place, the site of the original bridge was again put to use only 38 recognised ancient pinewoods in the resin as lamp fuel. There are the remains of with a temporary Bailey Bridge. So all in all, four road bridges so far whole of Scotland, so this is a rare and a single co age in the wood (some distance over the canal. Does anyone have any memories or photos of the interna onally recognised habitat. The from the modern farmhouse) together with earlier bridges? pinewoods of Scotland have adapted to the what has been suggested was a saw pit. mild (!), wet and windy Atlan c climate and There are reports from this me of local have a character dis nct from other carpenters collec ng sawn planks from Glen pinewoods found throughout the northern Loy. Other evidence for woodland workings top: witch’s beard below: lungwort hemisphere. The western pinewoods to be at Puiteachan includes other ancient trees are leafless. Pixie cup lichens rise found in Lochaber are par cularly pollarded trees (Oak, Birch, Ash and Rowan) delicately from fallen branches, and along interes ng in that they are a component of and also a charcoal pla orm. As the wood with a profusion of fungi add to the the so‐called “Atlan c Rainforest”, and are fell into disuse as a worked cro , probably
4am, Thurs. 22 May. Corpach otherworldly atmosphere. covered in mosses, lichens and ferns that in the late 19th century the remaining pines One of the possible transla ons of the thrive in areas of high rainfall (over 1800mm acted as a seed source for the more name Puiteachan is ‘home of the young per year) and rela vely high humidity. The extensive pine woodland that can be seen moorfowl’, which refers to the black grouse local pinewoods tend to be small and today. of the glen. These can s ll be seen perching fragmented in character and o en difficult The immediate impression of Coille in the pines and feeding on the blaeberry, to access. The largest areas surviving are Phuiteachain today is of a fairytale and are known to lek on the woodland edge. The remains of one of the abutments of the old bridge that carried the possibly to be found along the south banks woodland, where everything is covered with Other resident birds include Crossbill, Great Banavie Branch Railway over the original Blar road of Loch Arkaig, although un l they were a rich carpet of moss, lichens and ferns Spo ed Woodpecker, Woodcock, and in the badly damaged by fire during commando droop from the trees and there are no summer, Wood Warbler and occasional training, these used to be much more obvious paths. Indeed, it is hard to walk Redstart. Woodland mammals include Pine extensive. Although Scots Pine is the through and is full of dead wood, tangled Marten and Red Squirrel, which are rarely
dominant, or at least most obvious tree, scrub and deep boggy pools. It is however, a canoe the River Lochy, Sunday 18 May seen, but leave tell tale traces in the form of these woodlands are really mixed. Coille paradise for both lichenologists and split hazelnuts. Both Red and Roe Deer are Phuiteachain shows a fine transi on from bryologists. Most of the species of mosses, present, despite deer fences, and probably wet Alder woodland by the River Loy, up liverworts and lichens characteris c of s ll limit the spread of trees. Insect life is through Oak and Hazel woodland with Atlan c Oakwoods and Caledonian profuse (including midges, sadly!). Rowan and Holly, into the main body of Pine Pinewoods can be found here, many in Old Banavie Road Chequered Skipper bu erflies flit around to Birch on the upper edges of the wood. profusion. The aptly named Splendid the open areas of the lower oakwood, along What did the original bridge look like? Judging from the abutments The Pines are mainly to be found on drier Feather‐moss, along with hair mosses and with Green Hairstreak and many species of it seems it wasn’t the same as Moy Bridge, and so far we haven’t hillocks covered in Ling and Blaeberry in and leafy liverworts cover the rocks and tree moth. The woods are par cularly noted unearthed any old pictures so it is hard to say. Thomas Telford amongst a damper woodland floor. There is trunks. The lungworts (Lobarion) lichens are though for their beetles, especially those brought some of his team with him to the Highlands from other Dawn Chorus Walk Chorus Walk Dawn even the odd Juniper above the main wood. par cularly obvious, their leafy forms that feed on deadwood, and these are a projects, including the ironmaster Mr Hazeldine (who had done all The remains of the original canal bridge are part of the Scheduled It represents a rela vely sizeable block present on most trees. These are indica ve noted feature in the SSSI cita on. the ironwork for the remarkable canal aqueduct at Pontcysyllte in Monument, rightly considered of great historic significance. The (around 40ha) of surviving woodland that is of good air quality, and several rare species In recent years FCS has fenced the Wales). Hazeldine was to make all the ironwork for the lock gates original approach routes to the bridge also deserve to be valued ancient in character, and as such has been are present such as the Norwegian adjacent area of moorland to the west, and bridges at the west end of the canal, so it is likely that the and protected, par cularly if Sco sh Canals are keen to capitalise designated a Site of Special Scien fic Specklebelly. The hair and beard lichens that linking the exis ng wood to a stately row of Banavie bridge was at least partly his work. Like all the other on canal interpreta on as a tourism asset. The stories of road, rail Interest (SSSI) by Sco sh Natural Heritage. hang from branches give the wood a shaggy riverine pines along the Allt Coire Dubh to original engineering structures on the canal, it would have been and canal at Banavie are intrinsically interlinked, and a ract many This is the only SSSI to be found in Kilmallie. appearance, par cularly in winter when the encourage the spread of the pinewood. elegant and beau ful in its func onal simplicity. visitors to the area, not just people wan ng a stroll or a view of the Highland ca le have been introduced to try But by the 1930s, this bridge must have been unable to meet Ben. On the west side of the original bridge, the approach has and suppress the growth of rank vegeta on the needs of modern traffic: it became redundant when a new already been partly obscured. It would be great if any new and allow the pines to flourish. Sadly, bridge was built at the foot of Neptune’s Staircase. This wasn’t the development at this spot could take advantage of the opportunity saplings are s ll being suppressed, but, bridge you see now, but a smaller simpler one, similar to the to undo past harm and to enhance and ‘present’ the line of the old conversely, growth in the clear‐fell area to present bridge at Gairlochy. We’ve no info on when the original road. Perhaps it could make a pleasant south facing garden area for the east has been good. To obtain a good bridge was demolished – can anyone help here? a tea room at the hotel? It even has a great view of the Ben! overall apprecia on of the woods the view In their Heritage Strategy, Sco sh Canals say the waterways from the forest track just before the gates at they look a er are “one of Scotland's most significant na onal Achnanellan is recommended. Access into collec ons”. If they and other businesses want to capitalise on the the site is via a track over a s le in the deer heritage asset of the canal, let’s encourage them to take that heritage asset seriously. Ironically too o en the real thing is fence almost immediately a er the wooden Wild Lochaber Festival – bridge over the Loy, which leads up to the destroyed to provide interpreta on centres, shops, and cafes. current house at Puiteachan. There is always Heritage aside, if the present bridge over the main road ever plenty to see in Coille Phuiteachain, and lots Gairlochy bridge, similar to the 1930s one at Banavie (photo Nigel Brown) needed to be closed for repairs or renewal, there is no more more to find, so if you do see anything convenient and appropriate loca on for a further temporary bridge interes ng please let us or FCS know. while work is in progress. Would we all rue the day if the old route the canal’s past adds has been built over? worth getting up for Waterwaysworth getting Trust’s Jon Mercer, Glenloy Wildlife Mandy Ketchin le : Coille Phuiteachain and Beinn Bhan value to its future - contd from previous page within them, seeing the ever changing colours of the sunset when no two days are the same, and just page 6 joined by a final year medical student on elec ve page 23 being lulled by the lapping waves on the sandy placement from Oxford Uni and as she finishes her 7 our Highland councillors’ corner shore. The level of the water is at last rising again week s nt, another follows. As well as being a great with the rains but the lake is not swimmable at The topic we gave our Highland Councillors this time was: “The Highland Council has stopped providing Christmas lights for help in the clinic se ng it’s good to have some present as the flooding rivers bring such a torrent of communities - what other services are under threat and which ones would you fight to keep? We'd particularly like to young blood around and keeps my brain ac ve in mud down from the hills. We miss our daily evening hear your views on children's' play parks, dog wardens, rangers and libraries.” Eddie had tendered his resignation by ensuring I know enough to make them think I know swims but another few weeks should see that then, but here’s what Allan and Bill said in reply. In the next issue we hope to bring news of a new councillor following what I am doing! I seem to have managed this so se ling again. Work can be tough but the fact that the by-election due in May far. this can be offset by enjoying our sundowner most The pa ents we see remain in such desperate evenings s ll si ng outdoors makes it all worth it. There are no Highland Council services £16,000 per annum is available for the Waste Management Team in Fort William need. It is hard to describe some mes the awful Further updates will be made as we con nue under immediate threat in Kilmallie. replacement of play equipment, safety include Dog Warden du es, Pest Control things one sees on a daily basis when there is li le this work. If anyone would like to follow the process Budgets have been set based upon the surfacing and fencing through a capital and Enforcement, ie dog fouling, li er, on offer but even so, a li le helps such a lot. I more closely, there is a group se ng on facebook, monies available. When budgets are set, budget which has to be bid for year on year. abandoned vehicles and fly pping. Patrols recount some of the stories in my fairly regularly which I try to add to on a fortnightly basis. Type Ndi differences of opinion may arise over the In my view, this amount is grossly are carried out on a regular basis for stray updated Facebook group page (details at the end of Moyo into the FB search bar and you should get a se ng of those budgets. Poli cs is the inadequate for 37 play areas. However, we dogs and dog fouling throughout Lochaber. the news) for those who want a more graphic
‘closed group’ op on. Otherwise my email address science of how who gets what, when and can only work with the money which is Anyone wishing to report incidents within picture and alongside these are some happy camera is [email protected] and I do so enjoy why. When two councillors agree on available in the budget. the above remit should contact the Service snaps of fun mes with pa ents too, so it’s not all hearing tales from Corpach and surrounds! Our everything, one of them is not required. Libraries come under the jurisdic on of High Centre on Tel No 01349 886603. awful! We con nue to enjoy the benefits of living in fundraising webpage remains open for anyone who You cannot direct all the money available Life Highland, not Highland Council. It is The Countryside Rangers raise awareness this lovely part of the world and although our travels would like to contribute: www.everyclick.com/ towards one area of expenditure. worth no ng that libraries today offer more and encourage apprecia on of the scenery, have been a li le contained with the rains and peterandkathryn, with all dona ons going straight In the case of play parks, a report has been than books. All Highland libraries offer free wildlife and heritage of the Highlands. They having to ghten our belts in everyway, we s ll love to NdiMoyo Pallia ve Care. compiled by Mike Leary, Community Works connec on to the internet and support for also have responsibility for promo ng the our evening lakeside strolls, watching the lovely
visiting BSW visiting Manager, and Emma Taylor, Assistant users to get online. Library membership Sco sh Outdoor Access Code and are cloud forma ons and the fantas c lightning storms Kathryn Hamling Wards Manager, confirming that the Council gives instant access to e‐book, e‐ audio and involved in the management of a large has an alloca on of £40,000 this year in e‐magazine download services. In addi on, number of countryside sites songs in musical theatre (Tomorrow, Hard professions: teachers, midwives and public revenue money to maintain the 37 Council the library service is working with author throughout the Highland Council Lochaber Knock Life, Easy Street). Annie also boasts a servants, and bring with them countless adopted play parks in the area. This is a Barry Hutchison and the Sco sh Book Trust Area. There are two teams of hilarious script and the adorable dog Sandy. skills and talents. Showstoppers has given reduc on of £10,000 since January 2009. to promote reading and reading‐based Countryside Rangers located in Showstoppers was formed in 1993 by many people the opportunity to not only The alloca on is spent on the maintenance ac vi es throughout Lochaber. Lochaber. Showstoppers Douglas Yule, Jackie Wright and Jo Cowan. perform on stage but also to involve of play parks based on the annual inspec on The du es of the Assistant Waste At the me, there was no other drama c or themselves with set design, ligh ng and reports for each park. An addi onal Management Officer working within the Cllr Bill Clark -21 years young musical society in the Lochaber area and sound produc on, costume and direc on. Lochaber Showstoppers are hard at work when they asked the locals if they were A huge thank you goes out from Disappointed as I was when Xmas trees Tradi onal playparks are vital parts of the are in a way complementary and in future this month rehearsing for their produc on interested in forming a club they received a Lochaber Showstoppers to everyone who of the family favourite Annie the Musical to fantas c response. More than 40 people has supported us over the past 21 years and were deemed no longer part of Highland local infrastructure, but are horrendously could possibly be a joint service. Rangers st Council’s remit, it was heartening to see expensive to install and maintain. I prefer to already have to deal with dog mess and celebrate their 21 Anniversary. turned up to the first Showstoppers we look forward to entertaining new Sunday 6th April, Lochaber Marathon Pu ng the show together this year is gathering and over the past 21 years the genera ons for many years to come. Annie how communi es responded this year. promote the sustainable wood models stray animals. Educa on of our young who th th th
in Kilmallie last month – in Kilmallie Susan Munro who is returning not only as There is no doubt that a lot of good will was which generate the same enjoyment grow up to be the users and lovers of our group has gone from strength to strength, will be on stage on 27 , 28 and 29 March Musical Director but as Director as well, a lost by the Council, although they are s ll through crea ve play, at a frac on of the countryside is vital to help support these performing many favourites and also 2013 at the Nevis Centre at 7:30pm each formula which was fabulously successful at willing to erect, but at a huge cost. maintenance cost of metal ones. Costs can services. introducing audiences to new, less familiar evening and a special ma nee performance the helm of the Showstoppers’ performance th Councillors can also s ll assist, through also be mi gated through developer As a Councillor I do not want these services shows to an average of 2000 people a year. on Saturday 29 March. Tickets are £9 for discre onary budgets, with replacement of contribu ons when new housing schemes to go and certainly will not expect the 3rd of Oliver in 2012. Showstoppers members have hailed adults and £7 concession. Choose seats well old lights. are built. sector (volunteers) to carry the can. We Annie is the heart warming ‘rags to from all over Lochaber with some people in advance in person at the As an opposi on councillor (Independent), Despite kindles, our libraries are s ll vital as have to accept cuts will come, as long as riches’ story of plucky young Annie’s journey from as far afield as Mallaig, Duror and Nevis Centre or by calling one of my tasks in commi ee is to challenge they provide many of the services that community charges stay fixed, but wages from hard knock New York orphanage to the Kinlochleven. They come from different 01397 700707. the administra on (the labelled poli cal communi es require. It is probably difficult rise (albeit at a paltry 1%), so it is wise to luxurious home of billionaire Oliver backgrounds: Sco sh, English, Welsh, Polish members), when cuts are suggested. to defend standalone libraries but they can consult with the affected Warbucks. With some of the best known and Australian to name but a few, and Clare Brewer Obviously services such as playparks, dog be easily accommodated in community communi es. Then, compromise wardens, rangers and libraries (the la er schools or shared services with Council solu ons can be found. three being labour intensive) are under service points. This then gives access to lochaber natural history society pressure as financial cuts and ‘efficiency decent broadband. Cllr Allan Henderson savings’ keep coming. Dog wardens and rangers, while different, Lectures are held in the Alexandra Hotel, Fort William, 7:30pm, all welcome 24th Mar ‐ Plant trips abroad, and more ‐ lecture by Peter Baxter, Benmore, RBGE Botanics
Most of our readers will be aware that Eddie Hunter has resigned as all the best, Eddie councillor for Ward 12 of The Highland Council (Caol and Mallaig), of which Kilmallie is part. Loch Shiel Viking Challenge Eddie was brought up in Lochaber and a ended Lochaber High School. He was Head‐teacher at Banavie School between January 1986 2014 and August 1999. He was interested in ge ng children involved in sport and many of you will have your own memories of his me as head‐ teacher. Many of you will also remember Eddie from his me at Tradewinds. Eddie was elected councillor for Ward 12 in 2007. He was an ac ve councillor and some of you will have knowledge of how he helped the community. 21k in the wake of Somerled When Kilmallie Community Council was re‐formed in 2011 Eddie a ended our This challenging charity sea kayak event will take place on the weekend of 29th March through Kilmallie mee ngs and was construc ve on many topics – giving us his advice and opinion for touring & performance sea kayaks from Monument Beach at Glenfinnan. which helped us find our way. We will miss him at our mee ngs and wish him and The aim is to raise funds direct to Macmillan Cancer Support his family well as they start a new phase of their lives in Renfrewshire. with an entry fee of only £30 for compe tors raising £100 or more. All the best, Eddie, and thanks for your support of the Kilmallie people and For the less intrepid, dona ons are most welcome. KCC. See us on www.lochshielvikings.org.uk Maggie Mackenzie, centre, chairs the first mee ng of KCC in Glendessary Terrace in the mid To enter or make a dona on contact : | Alistair on vikingchallenge2014@gmail. Secretary of State for Scotland for Scotland of State Secretary 1950s, with Cllr Eddie Hunter, le , in a endance. Also present were Maggie’s sister Ann, and Eddie’s brother Roddy. Note ‐ Eddie has been spo ed recently s ll wearing the same pair of shorts!
page 22 Flood talks page 7
update from sub- Always keen to keep children aware of what is happening in their world, we had a visit from Mairi MacNaughton of the saharan africa! Sco sh Environmental Protec on Agency Round the Rooms Scotland’s Bard where she talked about the launch of new Happy New Year to all Kilmallians from Malawi! Approaching the 2014 saw Banavie pupils ge ng right down Across the school, the life of Robert Burns flood warnings in the Lochaber area and 3rd month of 2014 already and just short of the halfway mark of to work and as usual, they have all been was celebrated in song, verse, word, told pupils about its causes and what to do our me here. Reflec ng back on the last quarter it seems at mes working extremely hard. pain ng and drawing with every class if their homes were ever threatened by quite surreal. For a Christmas neither of us was par cularly looking involved in a range of ac vi es on the 24th water. forward to in terms of missing being with the family, it turned out a In Nursery, children have been learning all of January. very lovely affair. The though ulness of our children ensured they about their local area and Primary One has Wind is whistling through the night. were amongst us on Christmas Day having arranged a full started off the year looking at the weather We also had a Burns storyteller in, who Inside is cosy and warm by the fire. Christmas dinner for us (with champagne) all of which was and the seasons. They have had a student enthralled the children with the story of Night is coming, the snow is shining managed despite the fact we were staying in the middle of a in from S rling University to whom they all the birth of Robert Burns and the tale of in the moonlight. Na onal Game Park in Zambia! What a boon this internet enjoyed demonstra ng how well they have Tam o’ Shanter. The farmer uses a shovel to get the connec on is as we even managed to talk to several of them a er been learning. snow out. we had partaken of the feast! Added to this, prior to our break we harrowing sight at mes but the benefits of a good diet are so Early morning, snow is melting had a very jolly staff party by the lakeshore with great food and
evident, especially in those also coping with awful disease. Infinite Ready to play in the snow even be er African music and dancing in the sunshine of the need and finite budgets – the same everywhere, just more a ernoon! It seemed very bizarre somehow. The clinic closed for immediately stark here I think. by Emily Steer – Primary Three most of Christmas week, which allowed us to take the break and Work remains very busy within our respec ve roles but the we enjoyed that trip very much. great news is that the much‐sweated‐over many‐dra ed Strategic It is the rainy season here, again a new experience for me. Plan, 2014 budget, Business Plan and audited accounts have at last How well do you know Rains can be torren al, o en preceded by great crashings of been accepted and passed by the Board of Trustees which has thunder and sheets of bright lightning. By mid November the made Peter an altogether happier volunteer and life partner! Burns? ground was very dry and the heat almost unbearable as the Fundraising has now become his top priority as the pressure by P 6/7 pressure grew. All around the fields were ploughed in neat rows as mounts to bridge the funding gap between what is now needed The local area ‐ Nursery far as the eye could see… all by hand and mainly by women, o en and what has been raised to date for the new clinic build. This is an Which US President was an avid reader of working 6am ll 6pm with the baby ed onto their backs as they Primary One Burns display area that Peter feels less comfortable with but will I am sure rise to Primary Two’s topic has been money and the works of Robert Burns? dug and cleared the dusty hard soil in readiness. Everyone waited embrace. He is working currently with Rotary in Lilongwe to help they have set up a class shop which has a Abraham Lincoln for the rain and when the first storm broke there was great link with the Rotary Interna onal and his local club in Fort William really helped to support their learning. Chinese New Year b John F Kennedy celebra on, even by us! Imagine a Fort William pair dancing with with some success. He presented briefly at the last mee ng here Children celebrated the start of the c Theodore Roosevelt delight at rain pouring from the heavens! Two days into the rains, and we have been invited back early March to elaborate further on Primary Three/Four have sailed the seven Chinese New Year in a range of ways and the fields were alive with people all out plan ng the maize, the needs and poten al projects. Everything crossed. Meanwhile the seas, studying pirates whilst Primary Four/ for those of you who did not know, 2014 is Which country, in 1956, produced a stamp staple crop, again all by hand, and then as the plants began to Five have been using Kung Fu to help them the Year of the Horse. th new build has to wait in the wings and life goes on in the rather to mark the 160 anniversary of the death grow, out again with a bowl and teaspoon applying fer liser to crushed quarters we currently use. I find I have go en used to the develop their punctua on skills and of Burns? each individual plant! Such labour intensive work but hardly a lack of space/privacy and think nothing of squeezing between sending boring words to jail. a Cuba square inch of land remained unplanted. Now two months on, the clinician and pa ent to reach for a new set of notes or to pass b Australia maize plants tower over us and dwarf the huts in the villages and medica on to a wai ng pa ent. Everyone just gets on with it and
c Soviet Union along the roadside as the combina on of rain and sunshine see a on most occasions the lack of privacy only seems to bother the staff steady growth of almost a foot a week. While they wait for the as pa ents all seem to know each other or if they don’t before they Which country uses the tune to “Coming crops to grow for the first harvest, the effects of hunger become come to clinic, they do pre y quickly and then there is huge through the Rye” to tell pedestrians when more evident by the day. Last year’s harvested crops are running exchange of informa on, advice and rivalry over medica on given, it’s safe to cross the road? out, and what is s ll available is ge ng more expensive and less support in the form of food or blankets etc, as no one wants to be a Brazil affordable for many. The falling rate of the Kwacha pushes all costs outdone in what might be available! I had a pa ent recently who b Norway up, not helped by the cutbacks from the corrupt government who demanded morphine as I handed over his Paracetamol, Brufen and c Japan have lined their own pockets and managed to reduce aid into the other meds. Thinking I had missed the prescrip on I rushed back to country, ensuring the poorest struggle even more. Children in the Primary Five/Six have been learning all pharmacy to check his notes. No morphine had been requested or Robert Burns was the first ever person to villages have li le extended bellies and the most malnourished about the human body and the life cycle of indeed had been given previously, and on return to tell him this (in appear on a commemora ve bo le of have hair and skin colour changes – li le pale brown children with plants and animals whilst Primary Six/ my pigeon Chechewan) he pointed out that his neighbour had a which so drink? ginger hair and pot bellies, a syndrome/condi on I believe is called Seven have been enjoying, yes enjoying, bo le of something so he wanted one too! a Irn Bru Kwashiorkor. Ndi Moyo supplies maize and protein enriched soya algebra and studying tourism and Primary Two Chinese New Year display Those who have been following these quarterly updates will b Coca Cola to the most needy of our families and this may well account for employment in Lochaber, visi ng BSW recent publicity for local GP practice Tweeddale’s for local GP recent publicity and ‘jab go’ clinics perhaps remember that a lot of my me was focussing on c Vimto some of the huge a endances at clinics recently. It can be a Timber and Nevis Range. developing the outreach clinics by expanding teaching/mentoring Drumfun sessions to the health professionals in the outlying clinics and Early in February, Steve Sharpe returned to Which fashion designer claims to be a General Hospital. These have been challenging in the extreme. Banavie with Drumfun and once again, the direct descendant of Robert Burns? Despite an ini al wave of enthusiasm, it has been hard maintaining children had a fantas c me, a Vivienne Westwood momentum and forever frustra ng. However with lack of experimen ng with beats and rhythms. b Tommy Hilfiger management support, poor premises and poor access to even the Fàilte! Fèisgoil coming to Banavie... c Jasper Conran simpler drugs I can understand how difficult it is for them to change or show any commitment. We have had some success in some areas and there is nothing for it but to keep focussed and move slowly forward. Nothing changes quickly here or indeed moves at Date for your Diary th any speed, which for those who know me, is something I struggle Saturday 5 April, 2014 with! Drip, drip… onwards and (hopefully) upwards. Primary Seven Fund Raising Having a recent spate of young UK doctor volunteers has been great to see great Car Wash and Coffee Morning a good upli ing experience. In January we had Amy, a GP in 10.00am – 1.00pm Glasgow (and Fort William GP Jim Douglas’s daughter‐in‐law) who £5.00 per car
volunteered with us for 4 weeks while her husband was with
b ‐ 5 b, – 4 c, – 3 c, – 2 a, – another project in south Malawi. The day a er she le , we were 1
answers Quiz Burns con nued overpage together an exhibi on and delivered ST page 8 presenta ons to all S2 classes to mark 1 XV Rugby page 21 Holocaust Memorial Day. A poignant ar cle It’s fair to say that playing away from Banavie has had an by Clare Neil was also featured in Lochaber impact on our team: with no floodlights at The Black Parks
Life. our team have had to par ally train on the Astroturf at Congratula ons to Fi h Year pupil Saturday Youth Rugby Returns Lochaber High School, which limits the type of contact rugby Our winter term at Lochaber High has seen project in a working school. It can’t be easy Paulina Szumko who, last year, won the Our boys are girls started back training they can do. drama c change to both our curriculum and to plan and execute a building project on a Rotary Club of Lochaber’s Young Chef of the th th Bearing this in mind, we are currently si ng 5 in the assessment and to our physical school campus with 1000 pupils and staff Year compe on. Paulina went on to win training on Saturday 8 surroundings. Throughout February, Fourth milling around every day! the West of Scotland championship in East February following their Winter Break. RBS Caledonia League out of 11 teams, which is a very Years have been si ng prelim’ examina ons School trips are, as always, a feature of Kilbride in January and will now compete in They are now ge ng ready for the acceptable posi on to be in.
for the new ‘Na onal’ courses which replace life at Lochaber High. A senior snowsports the Sco sh final later this year. She has forthcoming tournaments planned and We are also grateful to our supporters for con nuing to Standard Grade and Intermediate courses trip to Les Menuires over New Year and a done very well, building on experience would love you to come and join them. support the team at The Black Parks on ‘home’ days. from this year. The new qualifica ons junior ski trip to Alpe D’Huez in January gained in the compe on over three years We are currently training at the King provide a more coherent progression which were both hugely successful with those and improving her skills with help from her George V Park (next to the swimming pool) star ng at 10am. should, in me, make it easier for pupils, par cipa ng enthused to take full mentors, Mr Brian Gunn and Mrs Fiona We welcome boys and girls of all abili es from P3‐S2 at our parents and employers to understand. At advantage of local snow condi ons on their Harrower. the moment they are causing schools an return. As I write (end Feb) I’m preparing for Jim Sutherland, Head Teacher Saturday sessions.
enormous amount of addi onal work as our annual S6 trip to London where 76 of pupils and teachers are having to get to our final year pupils will have a chance to Photos top to bo om: Do you fancy giving rugby a try? – it’s a great, fun 1 building work in progress, grips with new assessment methods, see the sights and sounds of the capital game where you can learn how to win and lose 2, 3 senior snowsports increased internal assessment demands including a tour of Broadcas ng House, the 4 junior snowsports gracefully, respect other players and officials and and, of course, new course material. Senior Tower of London, museums, galleries, the you are allowed to get muddy – if you want! pupils in S5 and S6 have also been si ng Emirates stadium and Madame Tussaud’s. prelim’ examina ons and should now be on There will also be meals out at Carluccio’s, U17’S & Girls’ Rugby course for their final assessments in May. Hard Rock Café and other venues and there Training is every Wednesday (7pm – 8pm) at Lochaber HS Finding venues for prelim’ examina ons are four West End shows on offer this year: has been a challenge for Mr MacLean, ‘Ma lda’, ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘The Lion King’ Astroturf – they will be training there un l the end of March when they move back to The Black Parks, when the daylight of the land area of Scotland area of Scotland of the land Depute Head Teacher, who has had to and ‘The Commitments’. This is the eighth manage the process without the use of our annual trip since we started in 2007 and this improves. Come and join us – all abili es welcome. assembly hall which is currently being trip will see us reach an impressive total of refurbished. However, it will all have been 600 par cipants. Future trips currently Pitch improvement work worth it when we move in to the smart new being planned by the school include We recently met with contractors (Soutars) air‐condi oned facility later this year. It is Mediterranean Watersports in June this encouraging to see the new central block year; a Second Year Outward Bound trip to to discuss the improvement works progressing on our pitch at Banavie. They taking shape with the steelwork and roofing the Lake District in August and, in 2015, now complete. The block will include a new Skiing, London, Paris, Auschwitz and Beijing. were very encouraged by how dry the Our Sevens Tournament main entrance, recep on, admin offices, Two of our Sixth Years – Sarah surface was considering the winter we have had and rd pupil social area, restaurant, kitchen, toilets, Johnstone and Clare Neil – visited Auschwitz confirmed that they only need two dry weeks to finish the is on Saturday 3 May at The Black Parks, kick off 12 noon. one third one third staffroom, S6 common room and an last term as part of the Holocaust Educa on work... we are currently on our knees & have our fingers Everyone welcome. impressive library/resource centre. This Trust’s ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ project. crossed! building, which we have waited so long for, Inspired by what they saw, the girls put We are not sure when we will return to play at Banavie, but Pauline Donaldson will really transform the way the school we hope for a nice warm spring & summer to encourage the www.lochaberrfc.co.uk func ons… and we’ll be in it this year! The central courtyard area (or ‘quad’) is grass seed to grow. also unavailable to us and currently contains two large roof structures. Our skyline will be 15th March Kilmallie vs Caberfeidh – 1st team opportunities for improvements at war memorial transformed when these structures are Inverness vs Kilmallie – 2nd team li ed into place atop the three storey 22nd March Glenorchy vs Kilmallie – 1st team buildings within the next few weeks… kilmallie 29th March MacTavish Cup 1st Round – weather permi ng. This should solve the Kilmallie vs Inverness – 1st team water ingress problems that have plagued Lochbroom vs Kilmallie – 2nd team the flat‐roofed buildings for so many years. 5th April Aberdeen Considine Sutherland Cup – 1st Round
Highland Council servesHighland Pupils and staff have done well to keep shinty club Oban Cel c vs Kilmallie 2nd team ‘business as usual’ going on in the school Oban Camanachd vs Kilmallie – 1st team with so much building work taking place. Pre‐season training started in January for 12th April Kilmallie vs Glasgow Mid Argyll – 1st team We’re grateful to Robertson Construc on Kilmallie Shinty Club. The senior team train nd for the way they have tackled such a big Strathspey vs Kilmallie – 2 team from 7‐9pm in Caol Community Centre on a 19th April Kilmallie vs Lewis – 2nd team Monday night and are mee ng on Canal 26th April Artemis Macaulay Cup 1st Round – Parks on a Saturday morning: the Under Kilmallie vs Newtonmore – 1st team 17’s are also encouraged to come Kilmallie vs Inverness – 2nd team along. The Under 14’s are training at Banavie School on a 3rd May Sco sh Hydro Camanachd Cup 1st Round – Saturday morning. Strachur vs Kilmallie – 1st team The coaches for this year are nd
Caberfeidh vs Kilmallie – 2 team KCC looking into 1st team – Duncan Kelly 10th May Fort William vs Kilmallie – 1st team 2nd team – Dugald MacPhee 17th May Kilmallie vs Lochbroom – 2nd team Under 17’s – Nicola MacIsaac 24th May Kilmallie vs Bute – 1st team Under 14’s ‐ Lachie Innes. Kilmallie vs Strathspey – 2nd team 31st May Strathdearn Cup 1st Round – Kilmallie vs Beauly did you know – know – did you The shinty fixtures started on the 1st March so here are some Please come along and support your team – it would be of our games. The fixtures are subject to change so please good to see you at Canal Parks on a Saturday!
listen in to Nevis Radio on a Saturday morning for updates. Linda Campbell of quarry opera ons on the local community. The group The winter months atmosphere by providing space music page 20 meets 2‐3 mes a year to discuss any issues or complaints. have been extremely and encouraging the children to make page 9 banavie quarry Russell Leaper is the representa ve for KCC. If you do have busy with the children sounds linking to the planets. any concerns about the opera on of the quarry then enjoying activities both The centre recently introduced please contact both the quarry and the liaison group indoors and out. We mind mapping and large floor books to liaison group straight away. It is much easier to inves gate and address have made the most develop the children’s individual KCC has been contacted recently by residents with problems at the me, par cularly if these involve noise, of the local woods for exploratory interests. Our large book on castles is dust, smells or lorries travelling too fast. walks, collecting items to make into progressing well with many “authors”.
concerns about opera ons at Banavie Quarry. Banavie Quarry is operated by Breedon Aggregates. Planning natural mobiles which proudly hang in Lots of suggestions and ideas are permission for con nued opera ons at Banavie Quarry Read more about the Liaison Group and see minutes of our garden and adorn some of the incorporated into the day, none more was granted in April 2004 subject to the establishment of a their mee ngs on KCC’s website. playgroup walls. Interest developed evident than the “building” of our very liaison group to address issues associated with the impact www.kilmallie.org.uk/community/banavie‐quarry around the fallen trees and the children own medieval castle. Some are already worked collaboratively to form outdoor planning outings to visit Old Inverlochy shelters which they huddled in to share A couple of ladies from Kilmallie Castle while others playfully re-enact stories. We have ventured further afield Free Church visited to deliver the conflicts as knights through the use of to Glen Nevis where we all enjoyed a Christmas story: oh what excitement swords, shields and galloping horses. banavie play park wonderful morning jam-packed with when they entered the building - it was Enrolment for next session, August
activities based around the visitor two of our Mums. The children 2014-2015, is fast approaching and centre area. We were all well kitted out responded in a lovely warm manner has been arranged for the week th regeneration with bright colourful waterproof and happily joined in with songs, games beginning 24 March - add this date clothing and excitedly waited to see and listened intently to their story. Our to your diary! Places are available for what lay ahead. Our friends from Christmas party was great fun with morning Playgroup and afternoon Day group Upper Achintore Playgroup joined us children and adults alike joining in with Care. More details will be advertised on swelling the numbers considerably. On games such as pass the parcel, musical our facebook page and local community A new group is being formed by All ideas are welcomed for the project arrival we all met at a central point chairs and musical statues. The party notice boards. Please contact the members of the community to improve and the group is open to all for
where resources and activities had been ended with a visit from Santa who centre for further details. the recrea on facili es at Banavie Play membership. This is the start of a carefully organised by our staff and came with “an enormous sack” of Carole Park. It is hoped that by combining community consulta on. A public open volunteer parents. The start of the day goodies. 01397 772016 or email support from local users and residents, day regarding the play park will be was to warm up our bodies by making After an unprecedented late start to [email protected]. Sco sh Canals and the Highland Council, scheduled shortly. Watch this space for mushrooms, flying saucers and clouds the 2014 term due to flooding there will be a lot of scope for improving details. using an “enormous rainbow circle” sustained throughout the holiday period the exis ng facili es. This would e in namely a parachute. The children everyone has now settled back into the well given that the area is planned for Please send any comments or enquiries excitedly listened for instructions and daily routine. significant regenera on and will serve as to Vicky Dodman joined in enthusiastically with a number The children have participated in a major draw to the area for both locals [email protected] of songs before moving off to make numerous activities throughout the and tourists. 01397 772501 / 07855 755793 dens, create sculptures using “very room. In the writing area they have messy, gooey” clay and make pictures been busily writing letters and making using materials gathered from the lists using a variety of mark-making and 6th April ar st Lys Hansen from S rling will be helping us express our surrounding area. The highlight of the materials. The majority of the group emo ons through ‘Wild and Wonderful day, for most, was winding in and out made shopping lists using old Art Lochaber has had a great start to Paint’. Lys is a very experienced teacher of ropes forming an adventure course catalogues, developing the arts of 2014 with two workshops with local and her workshop is sure to be both ANNUAL round the woods: for some it was like a cutting and gluing Some were really tutors. One free flow with Gay Anderson exci ng and frui ul for par cipants. ART EXHIBITION climbing expedition. “Look- Ben Nevis - interested in the price of their items and one structured with Alistair Smyth – If you would like to know more about Art my Dad works up there, it’s his and were keen to use numbers for we learned a lot at both and enjoyed the Lochaber or to a end one of the above favourite mountain” and “my Dad uses costings. A small number went on an process. workshops please contact Catherine 2014 ropes to help people off the hill” were a errand to the local co-op to purchase On 1st and 2nd March we also had a very Putman on 01855 841231. Ben Nevis Dis llery successful workshop ‘Balancing Colour’ Our AGM will be held on 10th April at few of the comments passed. The day items for the group snack, here they led by painter and tutor Bella Green from 7pm in The Underwater Centre and our Fort William ended with a lovely get together for hot selected the foods on the list, counted Lockerbie. Bella, a frequent guest tutor Annual Exhibi on runs from 24th May ll Sat 24TH May – Wed 4TH June chocolate and shortbread in our self- and problem-solved with money before we love ‘walking buses’ at Art Lochaber, is an expert on colour 4th June at Ben Nevis Dis llery. made shelter. returning back to the centre to prepare With Christmas fast approaching their snack. From the visit the role play now on show in Aberdeen,now on show Ben Nevis Inn, Achintee see a replica at and you can theory and her colourful work may be ALL WELCOME ! ALL WELCOME viewed on www.bellagreen.co.uk. On 5th Lorna Finlayson excitement was building, our role play shop progressed onto being a post area had been transformed into Santa’s office. The children were very interested grotto with lots of busy elves hard at in writing letters, working with work making cards, toys, decorations envelopes, stamps and wrapping up and lovely goodies. The children were parcels to post. All the children created planning a nativity play to perform to lovely Valentine Cards for their loved parents and all were learning the ones all of which were independently words and actions of many songs, some written. keener than others to adorn costumes. The children have been very excited On the day of the nativity play the about the snow on the hills with some children were all so excited and dressed making reference to sledging, skiing up to perform the Christmas story. The and looking at the moon and stars. This building was very busy with familiar led on to a very interactive couple of faces and the children’s voices could be weeks relating to space, comets, planets clearly heard heartily singing their well and flying to the moon. Clare our
Joan’s tapestry tapestry Joan’s -rehearsed songs. visiting music teacher added to the This year to date there has been a mix storm. The aerial site at Achindaul had page 10 HM of incidents including flare sigh ngs, to be manned due a complete power page 19 casualty transfers from both the failure at Stornoway Opera ons Coastguard and Navy helicopters Room. congratulations COASTGUARD including their refueling. An extensive search was carried out following a Just a short report this quarter I’m Jessie Henderson, BEM! report of a cabin cruiser aground near afraid. Pictured below is the Corpach AT CORPACH Jessie was awarded the Bri sh Empire Medal in the New Year’s honours list “for voluntary service and charity”. Onich. With the help of a local boat Coastguard 4 x 4 at the Jessie has been a longstanding commi ee member of Kilmallie Hall / Kilmallie Community Centre. It’s official: 2013 was the busiest year hire operator based at Ballachulish refueling site at Torlundy She and husband Bob cleaned the Hall for many years and she has raised lots of money for various chari es. for incidents for the team based at and the Corpach team, a boat fi ng with Rescue 100. Very well deserved. Kilmallie thanks and warmest congratula ons to Jessie. Corpach since records began. the descrip on was located but was very badly damaged and believed to Phil Wren In some ways it reflects our growing be a casualty of the most recent Sector Manager requirement for helicopters as a from paths, pulling down hanging, broken branches, clearing up means of search and rescue and Kilmallie Community Woods rubbish pulling out invading holly seedlings, rebuilding fences.
transporta on of casual es whether If you can't make it to the work par es then just joining the they be from the mountains, hills and We need your support. company is a way of giving support and taking an interest. You can lochs or as a lifeline to our remote The pine wood above Guisach Terrace see details including an applica on form on the community communi es, especially island ones. and the oak wood between Druim Fada council's web site at www.kilmallie.org.uk. Joining does not cost estate and the saw mill are owned and anything but we do welcome dona ons. Every li le helps, just to maintained by the community. Just We also responded to each amber keep the company going we need to cover expenses for insurance, recently the weather has caused a lot flood alert during December and mee ngs in the hall, materials for fences, and so on. You can get of damage, par cularly the gale just more details from Paul Biggin at 772459 or email January (6 in total) un l high water before Christmas. [email protected] had passed. It is reassuring that the The gale broke lots of large
relevant services are forewarned of branches mainly in the oak wood. Some of these blocked paths. Frequently asked ques ons: under £10,000pa (census 2011) possible flood situa ons. Electronic With the help of some willing volunteers these were cleared from Quite a few people have said that the woods look un dy. Well so they do which is one reason for the work par es ‐ but we don't data from de gauges from Oban, the paths and made safe. But there is more to do! In the pine wood a group of large trees was blown down in the want a clean sweep: leaving dead branches is good for wildlife, so Kingairloch and Corpach is transmi ed away from the main paths it is be er to leave them. to SEPA who submit a report and SW corner blocking one of the main paths into the wood. The dangerous trees have now been cleared by a volunteer contractor Before you ask! We are not insured for anyone to use warnings to Emergency Services and and the path has been reopened. chainsaws in the wood. the public. The water rescue team Meanwhile, take a walk in the woods, feel the Spring, as the here at Corpach is always ready to How can you help? woods come into leaf.
respond to such alerts 24/7. On Saturday 29th March (from 9:30 to 12.00 am) we plan to have a work party in the pine wood. And on Saturday 26th April we plan Paul Biggin one in the Oak wood. There is plenty to do; dying away branches By‐elec on coming up Info from Highland Council: The by‐elec on to find a new councillor for the Caol and Mallaig Ward on The Highland Council will be held on year on energy bills and lower your carbon footprint. The general process is that people contact E‐on to register
interest: they will then do an assessment of your home and then in our Ward have a total income keep depending on the assessment results the work is carried out. Thursday 1 May Timescales are for the houses to be iden fied by the end of March The count will take place the following day. and work to be completed by September. E‐on will pay for all the installa on costs but householders may have to pay for work to
warm things such as pipes ‐ but it should all get decided up front. The by‐elec on is being called as the result of the resigna on of Councillor Eddie Hunter (Independent). (Councillor Hunter stood down on 27 February 2014). Funding for To qualify for FREE insula on houses must:
in last local election was 41.74% - will we match that in the by-election? that in the by-election? - will we match election was 41.74% in last local external insula on Candidates seeking elec on will be able to obtain a nomina on form from be of a solid wall construc on (ie no cavity between brick and
blockwork etc) The energy company E‐on, with backing from the Highland Tuesday 11 March. Council, are looking to install external wall insula on onto solid Nomina on forms will be available from the home page of the Council’s web site www.highland.gov.uk as well as at the and have electric or coal‐fired hea ng (eg a back boiler) wall houses within the Highlands. This is part of the na onal
Council’s Service Points at Fort William and Mallaig. Energy Company Obliga on (ECO) and the Home Energy Efficiency and be owner occupied or privately rented. Programme Scotland (HEEPS) funding sources.
The deadline for nomina ons is 4 pm on Tuesday 27 March. There is no obliga on to follow through once you have made an The insula on will be offered FREE OF CHARGE to qualifying ini al enquiry so there really is no reason not to call. Caol and Mallaig is a three‐member ward. The two other current members are houses and at a subsidised rate for others.
Bill Clark (SNP) and Allan Henderson (Independent). For more informa on contact E‐on on 0800 141 2283 The poli cal representa on of the Council is currently This offer is worth in the region of £10,000 per household! or the Lochaber Environmental Group office 01397 700 090.
Independent 34 External wall insula on involves fixing a layer of insula on SNP 21 Informa on about external insula on and how to discover if you material to the outside of the house and then covering it with a Liberal Democrat 14 have solid walls can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website
local turnout local render (plasterwork). This can drama cally decrease the amount Labour 8 (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland) . of heat being lost through your walls (the heat loss through an
independent Na onalist 1 uninsulated solid wall is typically over 50% greater than through Kendra Turnbull Non‐aligned 2 an uninsulated cavity wall) which will save you around £490 per Lochaber Environmental Group nearly 1/5 of households
page 18 Events for 2014 page 11
focus on nd rd canal Great Glen Paddle – 22 & 23 March Kayaking event Banavie to Inverness – 24 hour challenge. folk Maggie’s Cycle Hospice event rd Time to redress the gender balance after three issues where news Starts Banavie 3 May 2014. we’ve had men in our focus on folk! We love hearing from We are wri ng this quarter’s Kilmallie Newsle er with
people of all ages, so we were delighted when Jan said she’d heavy hearts, unfortunately as most of you know we sadly Going Wild on the Canal th been to talk to Kaiya. lost one our team Dave McCook in a car accident just a er Neptune’s Staircase & Banavie Basin. 17 May. New Year. Davy started on the Canal in August 2009 and (Boat Trips, kayaking, dinghy sailing, water walkers, Ra A huge special thank you to Kaiya and friends for helping with in the four years he was with us proved to be a very Race, Birds of Prey, Climbing Wall, Face pain ng, stalls etc. our newsletter deliveries. popular work colleague and friend to us all. He carried out Come & Try. (Public Event for Community and Visitors) so many good turns to everyone he came into contact In this edi on, our focus is on Kaiya Clarke, who is our with; if he could help you he would. Our thoughts at Heather’s Walk th youngest newsle er team member. She’s 9 years old, and mes like this should always go out to the nearest and Corpach Basin to Banavie 25 May she’s been delivering the newsle er in her street prac cally dearest. Angie his wife, children Becky, Rachel & Jonathan since it was re‐launched! It’s so nice to hear of youngsters and his grandsons Marc & Joshua; also his own mum Jean Sail Caledonia (20 to 25 boats) th st who are keen to help in the community. Kaiya always has a & dad Iain and Angie’s mum Peggie. We also pass on our Corpach to Inverness, 24 – 31 May young friend or two with her helping to deliver the condolences to the Lauder family whose son Stephen was newsle ers (and her mum keeps a watchful eye over things also sadly killed in the accident. Ben Nevis Charity Challenge Climb, Cycle, Canoe th in the background.) Sat 7 June The last Newsle er quiz disappoin ngly had no entries; I was further delighted to hear that Kaiya has done the prize of a n of sweets was given to Joshua & Marc Three Peaks Yacht Race th ‘Heather’s Walk’ most years and last year she helped to raise and like any three and five year old boys they certainly Starts Barmouth Sat. 7 June th money on the day taking round a collec on bucket at the enjoyed them. Arrives Corpach 10 June. ‘Strip the Willow’. Also she helped her Grandad, who does the auc on to raise money at ‘Heather’s Walk’. Moving on we have just carried out our seasonal Royal Bank of Scotland ‐ Caley Challenge recruitment and we will have three new starts this year walk Gairlochy to Crianlarich th I really enjoyed mee ng up with Kaiya to help her write this and hopefully they will be as welcoming and Sat. 14 June 2014 ar cle. She told me her unusual name is the Japanese word accommoda ng as the exis ng workforce. meaning ‘forgiveness’. Great Glen Ultra Challenge (running) th on hearing Aldion hearing wants come to North Road to Season Time Table ‐ 2014 Banavie to Inverness 5 July 2014. Kaiya told me she likes doing arts and cra s and one of her Now up to Friday 21st March cra s is unusual too – Harumika – which is dressing model 9:00 am to 4pm Ac vity Hub ‐ Banavie dolls with ou its she designs herself. Kaiya also builds Lego 5 days Monday ‐ Friday We hope to have several new ac vi es at Banavie Top models. She is currently building a cruise ship and her Spring 2014, 24th March to 25th May this year – watch out for more news! favourite Lego build so far is a model school. 8:30am to 5:30pm 7 days Monday ‐ Sunday John Stafford Kaiya is a pupil at Banavie school and likes doing maths and Summer 2014, 26th May to 31st August 2014 spelling. Also she has recently started ge ng cornet lessons 8:00am to 6:00pm at school and she hopes to join the Junior Wind Band when 7 days Monday ‐ Sunday she is old enough. Autumn2014 , 1st Sept to 2nd Nov 2014 8:30am to 5:30pm Kaiya’s favourite music group is One Direc on and she is 7 days Monday ‐ Sunday looking forward to going to their World Tour concert in Winter 2014, 5th November.to end of year Edinburgh later this year – lucky girl! 5 days Monday ‐ Sunday.
When she was two years old, Kaiya started ballet dancing and only stopped recently. The highlight of her dancing days
with Ballet West was going to Euro Disney, where her group lochaber
won the Junior Compe on and had a photo shoot with the Disney characters! rural education trust We’re ge ng ready for another busy year. Here are some of our what’s ons: Look out for the Last year Kaiya took up climbing at Mon 17th March Whist in An Clachan at 7.30pm (these are held fortnightly) the Ice Factor near Kinlochleven. Sat 5th April Fundraising TableTop Sale, Caol Community Centre, 11am–2pm, KILMALLIE CHRISTMAS She can climb to the top of the table £5.00, please book a table LIGHTS FUND’s th th highest wall which is higher than a Tue15 to Fri18 April Children’s Holiday Club at An Clachan,10am‐2pm, for Children collec ng box on the counter in the Co‐op. two‐storey house. aged 4‐8, please book Fri 25th April Prize Bingo in Caol Community Centre at 7.30pm The loose change accumulated throughout Schedules are now available for the Junior Gardening Show which is to be held on the seasons will help the group plan in good It was very interes ng to hear Friday 22nd August 2014 (please note change of day). me for another about these different interests and
For more info on events and to book, please phone me on 01397 700800 great event this year. lights out for Earth Hour, Saturday 29 March, 8:30pm ac vi es which Kaiya has tried in For more details on Lochaber Rural Educa on Trust visit our web page www.lret.org more sad thoughts for Blar Mor for Blar sad thoughts more her nine years of age! Thanks for or see us on facebook.
sharing them with us! Linda Campbell
page 12 page 17 Kilmallie Community Centre corpach in GARDENERS As those of you who a ended our last AGM were informed, John Council Website. We hope that this will encourage further Macdonald has resigned as Chairman of Kilmallie Community interest from travelling theatre companies to carry out events at Centre but has agreed to stay on the commi ee. We would like our Centre. colour HYMN to thank John for his immense contribu on to the upgrading and Customers who have used the Centre over the past few With the passing of a improvements for the centre over the past 8 years. His weeks are: very wet winter, there are dedica on and commitment to the Centre is second to none and Bowmans – training a few jobs to be done ‐ his nickname of “John the Hall” was well deserved! NHS ‐ training replacing tubs; pu ng new thanks to Sheena Unfortunately this situa on is vacant so if anyone would like to Kilmallie Christmas Lights Fund ‐ we are storing the Christmas bands on others; repairs to the Macintyre of join the commi ee and carry out this role then please do contact Tree and street lights and thank them for their dona on Maggie; bits and pieces to be painted; the Banavie Floral me on 07768 805040 or email [email protected]. Kilmallie Community Company (the Wood Group) ‐ they had garden at Farrow Drive needs a en on not We have recently employed Jimmy Milne as new caretaker. a good turnout to men on plan ng summer bedding in June. Improvements We hope that you will all welcome Jimmy in his new role and Music for All ‐ reported to be the best event ever The railway sta on tubs look good and this for sending us help him se le in. Jimmy’s contact details for bookings are as Our thanks go to our regular customers for suppor ng the year we hope to extend the rockery area. this poem follows: 01397 712663/07787866813 or email Centre: We are disappointed to see that some of [email protected] Parents and Toddlers the grass verges have been churned up by Edith Peagle has also joined us as our cleaner and we Kick Boxing vehicles and unfortunately they are seldom welcome her to our team too. Sco sh Country Dancing reinstated. All things bright and beau ful, The fungus on the goosegogs, There have been some discrepancies in the pricing for Contemporary Dancing As usual, we are grateful for all your All creatures great and small, The clubroot on the greens, ren ng the halls and we have therefore streamlined our Old Time Dancing dona ons, for pu ng small change in our All things wise and wonderful, The slugs that eat the le uce structure. It is generally £12 per hour for local associa ons/ The Mustard Seed Fellowship ns and to our local councillors in Highland The Lord God made them all. And chew the aubergine. chari es and £24 per hour for businesses. Please see the no ce Kilmallie Community Council board in the entrance hallway for further informa on. Council who have always supported us. Parkinson’s Support Group But what we never men on, The midges and mosquitoes We are pleased to advise that the loop system is now Thank you one and all. We are sorry to see the Kilmallie Shinty Team stop using the Though gardeners know it’s true, The ne les and the weeds, installed. This was partly funded by Lochaber Housing Margaret MacIntyre Centre and wish them every success for their future games. Is when he made the goodies, The pigeons on the green stuff. Associa on Ltd as part of their support of local chari es and He made the baddies too. The sparrows on the seeds, organisa ons and we extend our hear elt thanks to them for Sarah Kennedy
their generosity. We trust that this system will help those who Kilmallie Community Centre All things spray and swa able, The fly that gets the carrots, are hard of hearing in the community. Sta on Road, Corpach, Fort William PH33 7JH Disasters great and small; The wasp that eats the plums, We would like to take this opportunity to highlight to the Sco sh Charity SC000604 e Blar at beginning of March Flower All things paraquatable, How black the gardener’s outlook, community the excellent facili es that we have here at the CHAIRMAN post vacant at present The Lord God made them too. Though green may be his thumbs. Community Centre. Many of you may not know of the two SECRETARY Mrs Norma MacLellan,
dressing rooms that we have behind the stage and photographs 12 Hillview Drive, Corpach, Fort William 01397 772597 and The greenfly on the roses, But s ll we gardeners labour have been uploaded onto our page on the Kilmallie Community TREASURER Mrs Sarah Kennedy 0776 880 5040 The maggots on the peas, Midst vegetables and flowers community spirit no longer exists? Please Manure that fills our noses, And pray what hits our neighbours Garden He also made all these. Will somehow bypass ours. spare a thought for every single one of
them! locheilnet You may have read in the papers that Show woodland crofts? woodland It seems like an eternity since we last we received another substan al amount posted an update in the newsle er but it of funding to take our project closer to Good News! Good News!
has only just been 5 months since the comple on. We are a bit of a vic m of Due to popular demand, the Kilmallie Gardens heather’s walk installa on of our leased line. our own success in having more orders Compe on is resuming this summer a er a Come and join us We founded Locheilnet in October than we can possibly install in a short break of 8 years. Heather’s Walk 2012, installed the pilot project in me frame with our small team. This Brass It will be run by a group of 5 ladies ‐ th February 2013, ordered the leased line in funding has allowed us to call in the 2 Joannes and Sheena of Banavie Floral 25 May
May 2013 a er our first big funding came troops, and have some professional Improvements plus the 2 Margarets from We are leaving Kilmallie Hall litter pickers out in force on th in, got most of the infrastructure up by hands helping us. Diversions Corpach in Colour. There are trophies in the following categories: at 1 o’clock. the end of August 2013, the leased line We s ll need to do a Sunday 23rd March, 3:00pm Large all year Please come early to up and running at beginning of Sept and Kilmallie Community Centre fair few installa ons but Small All year register. from then on we have not stopped. we are making progress! Tickets available at the door. anyone interested in anyone interested Summer Bedding We hope to have a few new We have installed 125 customers, and If you think you could Fruit and Vegetable with plenty more to do, we are working give us a hand, please Brass Diversions is a cu ng edge Low Maintenance stalls this year and are in the our heads off to get everyone on our get in touch via our ensemble, recently formed to Containers/Hanging Baskets throes of organising some promote a wide range of Water Feature different things. order list connected as soon as we can. website. The winter months have been very This is very much a community effort unexplored repertoire, and is Business Unfortunately we don’t have trying and ring, and our dedicated team and we thank everyone who has given us already involved in a number of Sunflowers (for school children); everything finalised for this Drumfada Cup of volunteers has worked relentlessly, the strength and support to get us this collabora ons and commissions. edi on’s newsle er. Look The trio’s three members met as and finally Best Overall.
throughout the Christmas period, on thank you far. As the compe on will be run by a new out for the posters in the Co‐ students at othe Royal Sc sh Christmas Day, even on New Year's You can follow our progress on the independent group which has no funds at the op and the no ce boards. Day… They were out in horrible website: Academy of Music and Drama, moment, a dona on box will be placed at the Hopefully we will get weather condi ons, repairing www.locheilnet.co.uk/news and each is pursuing diverse Post Office counter in the Corpach Co‐op. wonderful weather like last storm damage, dealing with and our facebook page: careers with their respec ve year and also the same power cuts, in order to h ps://www.facebook.com/Locheilnet instruments of piano, More about this in the next newsle er but in brilliant turn out. restore the service to our trombone and the mean me... Keep Gardening!
customers. Who says the Chris Pellow trumpet. Margaret MacIntyre Margaret and Sarah and run about where they like, not regimented by steep slopes page 16 scottish canals’ and paths. The banked slopes on the canal verges and page 13 towpaths themselves are an original feature and should be respected, not mimicked as pointless pas che in the landscape. proposals for Things people have no ced: the pods have been re‐born at a new less controversial loca on (though Keith tells us there are no immediate plans to Banavie KCC are grateful to Keith Mackie from Sco sh Canals’ (SC) for develop them) sending us informa on on their latest proposals for Neptune’s the pods look small ‐ where do guests go for sanitary facili es? Staircase for inclusion in this newsle er. is there a separate toilet block or are they ensuite (in which case wouldn’t they be bigger than shown?) Over the next three pages you can see disappoin ng that some of the trees planted by community for their landscape architect’s plan The Waterways Trust seem to be ge ng dug up ‐ very Keith’s explana on of the proposals counterproduc ve for encouraging more the architects’ impression of the design for the area between community involvement the car park and the canal. looks sadly like KCC’s no ceboard gets dug up too. and news of the proposed Scenic Routes viewpoint And other comments so far: KCC discussed the proposals at their February mee ng, and have SC seem to be ignoring the value of the canal as a had ad hoc discussions with a number of residents so far. KCC working waterway. Instead of more landscaping it coming soon to welcome any changes that bring genuine benefit to the canal and would be be er to encourage more boats which would bring to the area, but many people have said that these current more revenue, not only from the boats themselves but from proposals would be a stepg in the wron direc on. enhancing the essen al canalness of the visitor experience. Neptune’s Staircase...? If you think you could be affected by the proposals, directly or would be nicer to see more of the parking spaces in reinforced Here are the winning designs in the compe on for the Scenic Routes Ini a ve at indirectly, for be er or worse, or if you simply care about the grass Loch Lomond that Keith Mackie tells us about (see previous page). The proposed canal and have views on what happens there, please let us know please no gravel anywhere ‐ really bad for disabled access.
site for Banavie’s equivalent ‘viewpoint’ development is in the gardens next May, from Banavie what you think, either by le er, email, sugges on box, or through Prefer blinded hardcore to match the best bits of the towpath. to Telford House on the west side of Neptune’s Staircase th Park FOCAL (see below). Or please use the enclosed flyer. will overnight parking be encouraged, ignored, or banned? (see top right corner of plan on previous page). the picnic area would be much be er nearer the canal, onal 3/4 You can read more about these designs and the Scenic Routes KCC will write to SC to relay the discussions and comments alongside the towpath so people can sit and watch boats go up
Na Ini a ve at www.lochlomond‐trossachs.org received. Here are some of the reac ons that have been and down, and see the canal working, (follow the link for ‘Young architects to breathe new life into expressed so far: the area where the picnic tables are shown would be much scenic views’). be er le clear for eg big marquees for the big events that Lomond Things that people have welcomed so far: happen here Banavie’s ‘viewpoint’ will look different to these: there is improved disabled access Loch areas of wildflowers and grasses are very welcome, but would s ll to be an architectural compe on for its design. removing the perimeter fence alongside the be pre er and more use to wildlife if they edged the wilder But you can maybe get a good pavement (providing the play park is safe)
images: area at the SW corner of the site flavour of Sco sh more economic opportuni es for local businesses some of the paths are pointless as they don’t follow natural Canals’ aspira ons for any new tree plan ng in principle Banavie from these lines of travel bike racks Loch Lomond designs. birch isn’t the most appropriate tree in this se ng. Scots Things that people are concerned about: pine, oak, ash, plus holly, cherry, rowan preferred. the direct impact of parking charges: This won’t the view point is not in the best place to get the best view! affect very local people (who are likely to walk disappointed that community ideas for a Telford Museum schoolfriends were regular visitors, and some of the games we to the canal) but will be: (from the consulta on back in 2012) have been ignored whilst from SEPA for Caol & Corpach, go to www.floodline.sepa.org.uk for Caol & Corpach, from SEPA played didn’t always meet with my parents’ approval. I dis nctly a penalty on many exis ng users, mostly the large number SC have nabbed the idea and are promo ng it for Inverness. remember an unmarried and rather prim great‐aunt calling my of people from the whole wider Fort William area who visit Annat at the What do you think? Please take a look at the plans and pictures mother to warn her that there was a child in the garden who was the canal frequently*** on the next three pages and let KCC or FOCAL know. chasing others with an axe! I could even tell you who it was! a deterrent to visit the canal for Lochaber folk and tourists end of the war A family called Mackenzie lived in the railway co ages, now alike *** Parking charges are a good thing in ci es as a mechanism to owned by Highland Council as part of its dog warden service, and a deterrent to visit the play park reduce conges on, pollu on and carbon footprints. Parking In an unguarded moment during a party for well‐wishers and further to the west was MacHardy’s cro , where there are now (These concerns were expressed before Keith wrote that SC charges in rural areas are puni ve, even more so for access to land supporters of the West Highland Museum, I men oned to a four or five houses, and Achdalieu Hotel, now the Outward Bound will be crea ng “a system that doesn’t penalise locals“. How already in public ownership.
member of the Community Council that I had started my school Centre. local is local? Any system more inconvenient or costly than career at Annat where a school had been established early in the How else can Sco sh Canals raise £40,000 a year if they don’t Before the Mackintosh family gave the land for a new catholic parking for free will penalise many people compared to at charge for parking? Please send us your ideas. war, mainly for the children of workers at the ‘Admirality,’ who church on the site of what is now Treasures of the Earth, we used present***). lived in the ‘prefab’ village on the site of what is now Su on’s to go to mass in a Nissen hut beside the Allt Dogha on a site which the indirect impact of parking charges: caravan site. vanished when the A830 was re‐aligned and I can dis nctly cars clogging up nearby streets and roads on both sides of My father had been invalided out of the army in 1942 and came remember complaining to my father, with li le effect, that I was the canal (neither do people want to see double yellow to work for the Bri sh Aluminium Co. in June 1944. Three months kneeling in 2” of water! We had no mains electricity, so life lines all over the area) later, he was joined by my mother, my elder brother aged 3 and involved Tilley lamps and none of the modern conveniences such having a cket barrier ‐ it will make the area look very urban (Friends of Caledonian Canal Lochaber) me, aged 3 months. Camus na h‐Atha was our home at a me as fridges and washing machines. The wireless was powered by and unwelcoming when the Mallaig road was a single track highway, and the railway Thank you KCC for making space to inform people about wet cell ba eries which my father took in to Fort William once a while there seems to be inten on to keep space for a play line carried nothing other than steam trains. these developments on the canal. week to be charged and ra oning was s ll in place, so treats for park, it is in a new posi on, so the present one will be lost, and The nearest primary school was part of the prefab village and my Maggie’s Monster bike and hike children were few and far between. It looks like the obliga on to create a new one will fall on the Please get in touch brother must have started his educa on there in autumn 1946 Several boom defence vessels which had been used for laying community (see also page 20 for news of new play park group) and I followed in 1949. For understandable reasons, my memories if you’d like to hear more, or to share your views. moorings and moving an ‐submarine nets were s ll moored in the impact on the se ng of Telford House (an important are few and far between but I do remember that the person who Loch Eil and I can s ll hear the slightly eerie sound of their sirens: historic building) FOCAL is a subgroup of first taught me was Miss Morag Morrison. It may well be that it a reminder that the war was not long over and that many who the proposed building on line of the old road (see page 4) the Kilmallie Community Company was a single teacher school as numbers were small, but some of (en rely independent from Kilmallie Community Council) lived in Annat had known the air raids and devasta on of chopping down some exis ng trees you readers may well be able to add more authorita ve For more info, or to be added to our mailing list, please contact Clydebank, Portsmouth and other coastal towns. the ’sculpted landform’ of the ground to the north of the Jan MacLugash, 01397 772383, comment. We moved to Fort William in 1951, so my me at Annat
useful flood alert service service flood alert useful canal. Much nicer to leave the area clear, and let people walk would have lasted for 2 years. During that me, many of our Richard Sidgwick email: [email protected] Here are Sco sh Canals’ proposals (plus more info on next page).
See comments, concerns and reac ons so far from KCC and community on the previous page.
Please let KCC know what you think about the proposals.
Received from Keith Mackie, Sco sh Canals: opera onal in April. Another new ac vity will be provided community groups to create a system that doesn’t viewing pla orm that celebrates the amazing view of Ben by Free Spirit Electric Boat hire at the top of the flight penalise locals. Nevis. This ini a ve has been piloted at Loch Lomond Sco sh Canals have been busy working on plans to where customers can hire small boats and cruise up the 3 Interpreta on Na onal Park with an exhibi on of the winning and short improve the tourist offering at Neptune’s Staircase. This canal for an hour or two. There will be a new interpreta on centre in the old Saw listed entries currently taking place in Glasgow and the followed a community mee ng on 11th December last 2 Improvements to the bo om car park area Pit building next to the Caledonian Bears building and this quality of entries was phenomenal. Importantly, year when we presented our ambi ons to make Rankin Fraser Landscape Architects have created some will tell the story of why and how the canal was made and Transport Scotland are part of the project and so be er Neptune’s Staircase a major tourist a rac on with all the proposals for crea ng a be er entry point to Neptune’s the hope is that there will be a working model of the lock signage from the road will be produced. necessary facili es that go with this. There are three Staircase with be er landscaping and an improved flight where visitors can actually operate model lock gates The various strands all contribute to an exci ng parts to this project: pedestrian flow onto the lock flight. There will be an area to put boats up and down and understand more clearly project that will put Neptune’s Staircase on the map and 1 Ac vity Hub that can be used for marquee events. Members of the how it actually works. create a gateway for ac vi es on the canal. As ever, Rockhopper Sea Kayaking, based at Annat are going to community are ge ng together to try and get funding to 4 Scenic Routes Ini a ve Sco sh Canals are keen to hear the views of local take a unit next to Caledonian Bears on the Staircase for a improve the play park. Sco sh Canals need to generate a The brief for young Sco sh based architects will go out at residents and these can be channelled through the new bike, kayak and canoe hire centre and this will be revenue out of the car park and will be working with the end of March seeking designs for an installa on or Community Council. Here are Sco sh Canals’ proposals (plus more info on next page).
See comments, concerns and reac ons so far from KCC and community on the previous page.
Please let KCC know what you think about the proposals.
Received from Keith Mackie, Sco sh Canals: opera onal in April. Another new ac vity will be provided community groups to create a system that doesn’t viewing pla orm that celebrates the amazing view of Ben by Free Spirit Electric Boat hire at the top of the flight penalise locals. Nevis. This ini a ve has been piloted at Loch Lomond Sco sh Canals have been busy working on plans to where customers can hire small boats and cruise up the 3 Interpreta on Na onal Park with an exhibi on of the winning and short improve the tourist offering at Neptune’s Staircase. This canal for an hour or two. There will be a new interpreta on centre in the old Saw listed entries currently taking place in Glasgow and the followed a community mee ng on 11th December last 2 Improvements to the bo om car park area Pit building next to the Caledonian Bears building and this quality of entries was phenomenal. Importantly, year when we presented our ambi ons to make Rankin Fraser Landscape Architects have created some will tell the story of why and how the canal was made and Transport Scotland are part of the project and so be er Neptune’s Staircase a major tourist a rac on with all the proposals for crea ng a be er entry point to Neptune’s the hope is that there will be a working model of the lock signage from the road will be produced. necessary facili es that go with this. There are three Staircase with be er landscaping and an improved flight where visitors can actually operate model lock gates The various strands all contribute to an exci ng parts to this project: pedestrian flow onto the lock flight. There will be an area to put boats up and down and understand more clearly project that will put Neptune’s Staircase on the map and 1 Ac vity Hub that can be used for marquee events. Members of the how it actually works. create a gateway for ac vi es on the canal. As ever, Rockhopper Sea Kayaking, based at Annat are going to community are ge ng together to try and get funding to 4 Scenic Routes Ini a ve Sco sh Canals are keen to hear the views of local take a unit next to Caledonian Bears on the Staircase for a improve the play park. Sco sh Canals need to generate a The brief for young Sco sh based architects will go out at residents and these can be channelled through the new bike, kayak and canoe hire centre and this will be revenue out of the car park and will be working with the end of March seeking designs for an installa on or Community Council. and run about where they like, not regimented by steep slopes page 16 scottish canals’ and paths. The banked slopes on the canal verges and page 13 towpaths themselves are an original feature and should be respected, not mimicked as pointless pas che in the landscape. proposals for Things people have no ced: the pods have been re‐born at a new less controversial loca on (though Keith tells us there are no immediate plans to Banavie KCC are grateful to Keith Mackie from Sco sh Canals’ (SC) for develop them) sending us informa on on their latest proposals for Neptune’s the pods look small ‐ where do guests go for sanitary facili es? Staircase for inclusion in this newsle er. is there a separate toilet block or are they ensuite (in which case wouldn’t they be bigger than shown?) Over the next three pages you can see disappoin ng that some of the trees planted by community for their landscape architect’s plan The Waterways Trust seem to be ge ng dug up ‐ very Keith’s explana on of the proposals counterproduc ve for encouraging more the architects’ impression of the design for the area between community involvement the car park and the canal. looks sadly like KCC’s no ceboard gets dug up too. and news of the proposed Scenic Routes viewpoint And other comments so far: KCC discussed the proposals at their February mee ng, and have SC seem to be ignoring the value of the canal as a had ad hoc discussions with a number of residents so far. KCC working waterway. Instead of more landscaping it coming soon to welcome any changes that bring genuine benefit to the canal and would be be er to encourage more boats which would bring to the area, but many people have said that these current more revenue, not only from the boats themselves but from proposals would be a stepg in the wron direc on. enhancing the essen al canalness of the visitor experience. Neptune’s Staircase...? If you think you could be affected by the proposals, directly or would be nicer to see more of the parking spaces in reinforced Here are the winning designs in the compe on for the Scenic Routes Ini a ve at indirectly, for be er or worse, or if you simply care about the grass Loch Lomond that Keith Mackie tells us about (see previous page). The proposed canal and have views on what happens there, please let us know please no gravel anywhere ‐ really bad for disabled access.
site for Banavie’s equivalent ‘viewpoint’ development is in the gardens next May, from Banavie what you think, either by le er, email, sugges on box, or through Prefer blinded hardcore to match the best bits of the towpath. to Telford House on the west side of Neptune’s Staircase th Park FOCAL (see below). Or please use the enclosed flyer. will overnight parking be encouraged, ignored, or banned? (see top right corner of plan on previous page). the picnic area would be much be er nearer the canal, onal 3/4 You can read more about these designs and the Scenic Routes KCC will write to SC to relay the discussions and comments alongside the towpath so people can sit and watch boats go up
Na Ini a ve at www.lochlomond‐trossachs.org received. Here are some of the reac ons that have been and down, and see the canal working, (follow the link for ‘Young architects to breathe new life into expressed so far: the area where the picnic tables are shown would be much scenic views’). be er le clear for eg big marquees for the big events that Lomond Things that people have welcomed so far: happen here Banavie’s ‘viewpoint’ will look different to these: there is improved disabled access Loch areas of wildflowers and grasses are very welcome, but would s ll to be an architectural compe on for its design. removing the perimeter fence alongside the be pre er and more use to wildlife if they edged the wilder But you can maybe get a good pavement (providing the play park is safe)
images: area at the SW corner of the site flavour of Sco sh more economic opportuni es for local businesses some of the paths are pointless as they don’t follow natural Canals’ aspira ons for any new tree plan ng in principle Banavie from these lines of travel bike racks Loch Lomond designs. birch isn’t the most appropriate tree in this se ng. Scots Things that people are concerned about: pine, oak, ash, plus holly, cherry, rowan preferred. the direct impact of parking charges: This won’t the view point is not in the best place to get the best view! affect very local people (who are likely to walk disappointed that community ideas for a Telford Museum schoolfriends were regular visitors, and some of the games we to the canal) but will be: (from the consulta on back in 2012) have been ignored whilst from SEPA for Caol & Corpach, go to www.floodline.sepa.org.uk for Caol & Corpach, from SEPA played didn’t always meet with my parents’ approval. I dis nctly a penalty on many exis ng users, mostly the large number SC have nabbed the idea and are promo ng it for Inverness. remember an unmarried and rather prim great‐aunt calling my of people from the whole wider Fort William area who visit Annat at the What do you think? Please take a look at the plans and pictures mother to warn her that there was a child in the garden who was the canal frequently*** on the next three pages and let KCC or FOCAL know. chasing others with an axe! I could even tell you who it was! a deterrent to visit the canal for Lochaber folk and tourists end of the war A family called Mackenzie lived in the railway co ages, now alike *** Parking charges are a good thing in ci es as a mechanism to owned by Highland Council as part of its dog warden service, and a deterrent to visit the play park reduce conges on, pollu on and carbon footprints. Parking In an unguarded moment during a party for well‐wishers and further to the west was MacHardy’s cro , where there are now (These concerns were expressed before Keith wrote that SC charges in rural areas are puni ve, even more so for access to land supporters of the West Highland Museum, I men oned to a four or five houses, and Achdalieu Hotel, now the Outward Bound will be crea ng “a system that doesn’t penalise locals“. How already in public ownership.
member of the Community Council that I had started my school Centre. local is local? Any system more inconvenient or costly than career at Annat where a school had been established early in the How else can Sco sh Canals raise £40,000 a year if they don’t Before the Mackintosh family gave the land for a new catholic parking for free will penalise many people compared to at charge for parking? Please send us your ideas. war, mainly for the children of workers at the ‘Admirality,’ who church on the site of what is now Treasures of the Earth, we used present***). lived in the ‘prefab’ village on the site of what is now Su on’s to go to mass in a Nissen hut beside the Allt Dogha on a site which the indirect impact of parking charges: caravan site. vanished when the A830 was re‐aligned and I can dis nctly cars clogging up nearby streets and roads on both sides of My father had been invalided out of the army in 1942 and came remember complaining to my father, with li le effect, that I was the canal (neither do people want to see double yellow to work for the Bri sh Aluminium Co. in June 1944. Three months kneeling in 2” of water! We had no mains electricity, so life lines all over the area) later, he was joined by my mother, my elder brother aged 3 and involved Tilley lamps and none of the modern conveniences such having a cket barrier ‐ it will make the area look very urban (Friends of Caledonian Canal Lochaber) me, aged 3 months. Camus na h‐Atha was our home at a me as fridges and washing machines. The wireless was powered by and unwelcoming when the Mallaig road was a single track highway, and the railway Thank you KCC for making space to inform people about wet cell ba eries which my father took in to Fort William once a while there seems to be inten on to keep space for a play line carried nothing other than steam trains. these developments on the canal. week to be charged and ra oning was s ll in place, so treats for park, it is in a new posi on, so the present one will be lost, and The nearest primary school was part of the prefab village and my Maggie’s Monster bike and hike children were few and far between. It looks like the obliga on to create a new one will fall on the Please get in touch brother must have started his educa on there in autumn 1946 Several boom defence vessels which had been used for laying community (see also page 20 for news of new play park group) and I followed in 1949. For understandable reasons, my memories if you’d like to hear more, or to share your views. moorings and moving an ‐submarine nets were s ll moored in the impact on the se ng of Telford House (an important are few and far between but I do remember that the person who Loch Eil and I can s ll hear the slightly eerie sound of their sirens: historic building) FOCAL is a subgroup of first taught me was Miss Morag Morrison. It may well be that it a reminder that the war was not long over and that many who the proposed building on line of the old road (see page 4) the Kilmallie Community Company was a single teacher school as numbers were small, but some of (en rely independent from Kilmallie Community Council) lived in Annat had known the air raids and devasta on of chopping down some exis ng trees you readers may well be able to add more authorita ve For more info, or to be added to our mailing list, please contact Clydebank, Portsmouth and other coastal towns. the ’sculpted landform’ of the ground to the north of the Jan MacLugash, 01397 772383, comment. We moved to Fort William in 1951, so my me at Annat
useful flood alert service service flood alert useful canal. Much nicer to leave the area clear, and let people walk would have lasted for 2 years. During that me, many of our Richard Sidgwick email: [email protected]
page 12 page 17 Kilmallie Community Centre corpach in GARDENERS As those of you who a ended our last AGM were informed, John Council Website. We hope that this will encourage further Macdonald has resigned as Chairman of Kilmallie Community interest from travelling theatre companies to carry out events at Centre but has agreed to stay on the commi ee. We would like our Centre. colour HYMN to thank John for his immense contribu on to the upgrading and Customers who have used the Centre over the past few With the passing of a improvements for the centre over the past 8 years. His weeks are: very wet winter, there are dedica on and commitment to the Centre is second to none and Bowmans – training a few jobs to be done ‐ his nickname of “John the Hall” was well deserved! NHS ‐ training replacing tubs; pu ng new thanks to Sheena Unfortunately this situa on is vacant so if anyone would like to Kilmallie Christmas Lights Fund ‐ we are storing the Christmas bands on others; repairs to the Macintyre of join the commi ee and carry out this role then please do contact Tree and street lights and thank them for their dona on Maggie; bits and pieces to be painted; the Banavie Floral me on 07768 805040 or email [email protected]. Kilmallie Community Company (the Wood Group) ‐ they had garden at Farrow Drive needs a en on not We have recently employed Jimmy Milne as new caretaker. a good turnout to men on plan ng summer bedding in June. Improvements We hope that you will all welcome Jimmy in his new role and Music for All ‐ reported to be the best event ever The railway sta on tubs look good and this for sending us help him se le in. Jimmy’s contact details for bookings are as Our thanks go to our regular customers for suppor ng the year we hope to extend the rockery area. this poem follows: 01397 712663/07787866813 or email Centre: We are disappointed to see that some of [email protected] Parents and Toddlers the grass verges have been churned up by Edith Peagle has also joined us as our cleaner and we Kick Boxing vehicles and unfortunately they are seldom welcome her to our team too. Sco sh Country Dancing reinstated. All things bright and beau ful, The fungus on the goosegogs, There have been some discrepancies in the pricing for Contemporary Dancing As usual, we are grateful for all your All creatures great and small, The clubroot on the greens, ren ng the halls and we have therefore streamlined our Old Time Dancing dona ons, for pu ng small change in our All things wise and wonderful, The slugs that eat the le uce structure. It is generally £12 per hour for local associa ons/ The Mustard Seed Fellowship ns and to our local councillors in Highland The Lord God made them all. And chew the aubergine. chari es and £24 per hour for businesses. Please see the no ce Kilmallie Community Council board in the entrance hallway for further informa on. Council who have always supported us. Parkinson’s Support Group But what we never men on, The midges and mosquitoes We are pleased to advise that the loop system is now Thank you one and all. We are sorry to see the Kilmallie Shinty Team stop using the Though gardeners know it’s true, The ne les and the weeds, installed. This was partly funded by Lochaber Housing Margaret MacIntyre Centre and wish them every success for their future games. Is when he made the goodies, The pigeons on the green stuff. Associa on Ltd as part of their support of local chari es and He made the baddies too. The sparrows on the seeds, organisa ons and we extend our hear elt thanks to them for Sarah Kennedy
their generosity. We trust that this system will help those who Kilmallie Community Centre All things spray and swa able, The fly that gets the carrots, are hard of hearing in the community. Sta on Road, Corpach, Fort William PH33 7JH Disasters great and small; The wasp that eats the plums, We would like to take this opportunity to highlight to the Sco sh Charity SC000604 e Blar at beginning of March Flower All things paraquatable, How black the gardener’s outlook, community the excellent facili es that we have here at the CHAIRMAN post vacant at present The Lord God made them too. Though green may be his thumbs. Community Centre. Many of you may not know of the two SECRETARY Mrs Norma MacLellan,
dressing rooms that we have behind the stage and photographs 12 Hillview Drive, Corpach, Fort William 01397 772597 and The greenfly on the roses, But s ll we gardeners labour have been uploaded onto our page on the Kilmallie Community TREASURER Mrs Sarah Kennedy 0776 880 5040 The maggots on the peas, Midst vegetables and flowers community spirit no longer exists? Please Manure that fills our noses, And pray what hits our neighbours Garden He also made all these. Will somehow bypass ours. spare a thought for every single one of
them! locheilnet You may have read in the papers that Show woodland crofts? woodland It seems like an eternity since we last we received another substan al amount posted an update in the newsle er but it of funding to take our project closer to Good News! Good News!
has only just been 5 months since the comple on. We are a bit of a vic m of Due to popular demand, the Kilmallie Gardens heather’s walk installa on of our leased line. our own success in having more orders Compe on is resuming this summer a er a Come and join us We founded Locheilnet in October than we can possibly install in a short break of 8 years. Heather’s Walk 2012, installed the pilot project in me frame with our small team. This Brass It will be run by a group of 5 ladies ‐ th February 2013, ordered the leased line in funding has allowed us to call in the 2 Joannes and Sheena of Banavie Floral 25 May
May 2013 a er our first big funding came troops, and have some professional Improvements plus the 2 Margarets from We are leaving Kilmallie Hall litter pickers out in force on th in, got most of the infrastructure up by hands helping us. Diversions Corpach in Colour. There are trophies in the following categories: at 1 o’clock. the end of August 2013, the leased line We s ll need to do a Sunday 23rd March, 3:00pm Large all year Please come early to up and running at beginning of Sept and Kilmallie Community Centre fair few installa ons but Small All year register. from then on we have not stopped. we are making progress! Tickets available at the door. anyone interested in anyone interested Summer Bedding We hope to have a few new We have installed 125 customers, and If you think you could Fruit and Vegetable with plenty more to do, we are working give us a hand, please Brass Diversions is a cu ng edge Low Maintenance stalls this year and are in the our heads off to get everyone on our get in touch via our ensemble, recently formed to Containers/Hanging Baskets throes of organising some promote a wide range of Water Feature different things. order list connected as soon as we can. website. The winter months have been very This is very much a community effort unexplored repertoire, and is Business Unfortunately we don’t have trying and ring, and our dedicated team and we thank everyone who has given us already involved in a number of Sunflowers (for school children); everything finalised for this Drumfada Cup of volunteers has worked relentlessly, the strength and support to get us this collabora ons and commissions. edi on’s newsle er. Look The trio’s three members met as and finally Best Overall.
throughout the Christmas period, on thank you far. As the compe on will be run by a new out for the posters in the Co‐ students at othe Royal Sc sh Christmas Day, even on New Year's You can follow our progress on the independent group which has no funds at the op and the no ce boards. Day… They were out in horrible website: Academy of Music and Drama, moment, a dona on box will be placed at the Hopefully we will get weather condi ons, repairing www.locheilnet.co.uk/news and each is pursuing diverse Post Office counter in the Corpach Co‐op. wonderful weather like last storm damage, dealing with and our facebook page: careers with their respec ve year and also the same power cuts, in order to h ps://www.facebook.com/Locheilnet instruments of piano, More about this in the next newsle er but in brilliant turn out. restore the service to our trombone and the mean me... Keep Gardening!
customers. Who says the Chris Pellow trumpet. Margaret MacIntyre Margaret and Sarah
page 18 Events for 2014 page 11
focus on nd rd canal Great Glen Paddle – 22 & 23 March Kayaking event Banavie to Inverness – 24 hour challenge. folk Maggie’s Cycle Hospice event rd Time to redress the gender balance after three issues where news Starts Banavie 3 May 2014. we’ve had men in our focus on folk! We love hearing from We are wri ng this quarter’s Kilmallie Newsle er with
people of all ages, so we were delighted when Jan said she’d heavy hearts, unfortunately as most of you know we sadly Going Wild on the Canal th been to talk to Kaiya. lost one our team Dave McCook in a car accident just a er Neptune’s Staircase & Banavie Basin. 17 May. New Year. Davy started on the Canal in August 2009 and (Boat Trips, kayaking, dinghy sailing, water walkers, Ra A huge special thank you to Kaiya and friends for helping with in the four years he was with us proved to be a very Race, Birds of Prey, Climbing Wall, Face pain ng, stalls etc. our newsletter deliveries. popular work colleague and friend to us all. He carried out Come & Try. (Public Event for Community and Visitors) so many good turns to everyone he came into contact In this edi on, our focus is on Kaiya Clarke, who is our with; if he could help you he would. Our thoughts at Heather’s Walk th youngest newsle er team member. She’s 9 years old, and mes like this should always go out to the nearest and Corpach Basin to Banavie 25 May she’s been delivering the newsle er in her street prac cally dearest. Angie his wife, children Becky, Rachel & Jonathan since it was re‐launched! It’s so nice to hear of youngsters and his grandsons Marc & Joshua; also his own mum Jean Sail Caledonia (20 to 25 boats) th st who are keen to help in the community. Kaiya always has a & dad Iain and Angie’s mum Peggie. We also pass on our Corpach to Inverness, 24 – 31 May young friend or two with her helping to deliver the condolences to the Lauder family whose son Stephen was newsle ers (and her mum keeps a watchful eye over things also sadly killed in the accident. Ben Nevis Charity Challenge Climb, Cycle, Canoe th in the background.) Sat 7 June The last Newsle er quiz disappoin ngly had no entries; I was further delighted to hear that Kaiya has done the prize of a n of sweets was given to Joshua & Marc Three Peaks Yacht Race th ‘Heather’s Walk’ most years and last year she helped to raise and like any three and five year old boys they certainly Starts Barmouth Sat. 7 June th money on the day taking round a collec on bucket at the enjoyed them. Arrives Corpach 10 June. ‘Strip the Willow’. Also she helped her Grandad, who does the auc on to raise money at ‘Heather’s Walk’. Moving on we have just carried out our seasonal Royal Bank of Scotland ‐ Caley Challenge recruitment and we will have three new starts this year walk Gairlochy to Crianlarich th I really enjoyed mee ng up with Kaiya to help her write this and hopefully they will be as welcoming and Sat. 14 June 2014 ar cle. She told me her unusual name is the Japanese word accommoda ng as the exis ng workforce. meaning ‘forgiveness’. Great Glen Ultra Challenge (running) th on hearing Aldion hearing wants come to North Road to Season Time Table ‐ 2014 Banavie to Inverness 5 July 2014. Kaiya told me she likes doing arts and cra s and one of her Now up to Friday 21st March cra s is unusual too – Harumika – which is dressing model 9:00 am to 4pm Ac vity Hub ‐ Banavie dolls with ou its she designs herself. Kaiya also builds Lego 5 days Monday ‐ Friday We hope to have several new ac vi es at Banavie Top models. She is currently building a cruise ship and her Spring 2014, 24th March to 25th May this year – watch out for more news! favourite Lego build so far is a model school. 8:30am to 5:30pm 7 days Monday ‐ Sunday John Stafford Kaiya is a pupil at Banavie school and likes doing maths and Summer 2014, 26th May to 31st August 2014 spelling. Also she has recently started ge ng cornet lessons 8:00am to 6:00pm at school and she hopes to join the Junior Wind Band when 7 days Monday ‐ Sunday she is old enough. Autumn2014 , 1st Sept to 2nd Nov 2014 8:30am to 5:30pm Kaiya’s favourite music group is One Direc on and she is 7 days Monday ‐ Sunday looking forward to going to their World Tour concert in Winter 2014, 5th November.to end of year Edinburgh later this year – lucky girl! 5 days Monday ‐ Sunday.
When she was two years old, Kaiya started ballet dancing and only stopped recently. The highlight of her dancing days
with Ballet West was going to Euro Disney, where her group lochaber
won the Junior Compe on and had a photo shoot with the Disney characters! rural education trust We’re ge ng ready for another busy year. Here are some of our what’s ons: Look out for the Last year Kaiya took up climbing at Mon 17th March Whist in An Clachan at 7.30pm (these are held fortnightly) the Ice Factor near Kinlochleven. Sat 5th April Fundraising TableTop Sale, Caol Community Centre, 11am–2pm, KILMALLIE CHRISTMAS She can climb to the top of the table £5.00, please book a table LIGHTS FUND’s th th highest wall which is higher than a Tue15 to Fri18 April Children’s Holiday Club at An Clachan,10am‐2pm, for Children collec ng box on the counter in the Co‐op. two‐storey house. aged 4‐8, please book Fri 25th April Prize Bingo in Caol Community Centre at 7.30pm The loose change accumulated throughout Schedules are now available for the Junior Gardening Show which is to be held on the seasons will help the group plan in good It was very interes ng to hear Friday 22nd August 2014 (please note change of day). me for another about these different interests and
For more info on events and to book, please phone me on 01397 700800 great event this year. lights out for Earth Hour, Saturday 29 March, 8:30pm ac vi es which Kaiya has tried in For more details on Lochaber Rural Educa on Trust visit our web page www.lret.org more sad thoughts for Blar Mor for Blar sad thoughts more her nine years of age! Thanks for or see us on facebook.
sharing them with us! Linda Campbell This year to date there has been a mix storm. The aerial site at Achindaul had page 10 HM of incidents including flare sigh ngs, to be manned due a complete power page 19 casualty transfers from both the failure at Stornoway Opera ons Coastguard and Navy helicopters Room. congratulations COASTGUARD including their refueling. An extensive search was carried out following a Just a short report this quarter I’m Jessie Henderson, BEM! report of a cabin cruiser aground near afraid. Pictured below is the Corpach AT CORPACH Jessie was awarded the Bri sh Empire Medal in the New Year’s honours list “for voluntary service and charity”. Onich. With the help of a local boat Coastguard 4 x 4 at the Jessie has been a longstanding commi ee member of Kilmallie Hall / Kilmallie Community Centre. It’s official: 2013 was the busiest year hire operator based at Ballachulish refueling site at Torlundy She and husband Bob cleaned the Hall for many years and she has raised lots of money for various chari es. for incidents for the team based at and the Corpach team, a boat fi ng with Rescue 100. Very well deserved. Kilmallie thanks and warmest congratula ons to Jessie. Corpach since records began. the descrip on was located but was very badly damaged and believed to Phil Wren In some ways it reflects our growing be a casualty of the most recent Sector Manager requirement for helicopters as a from paths, pulling down hanging, broken branches, clearing up means of search and rescue and Kilmallie Community Woods rubbish pulling out invading holly seedlings, rebuilding fences.
transporta on of casual es whether If you can't make it to the work par es then just joining the they be from the mountains, hills and We need your support. company is a way of giving support and taking an interest. You can lochs or as a lifeline to our remote The pine wood above Guisach Terrace see details including an applica on form on the community communi es, especially island ones. and the oak wood between Druim Fada council's web site at www.kilmallie.org.uk. Joining does not cost estate and the saw mill are owned and anything but we do welcome dona ons. Every li le helps, just to maintained by the community. Just We also responded to each amber keep the company going we need to cover expenses for insurance, recently the weather has caused a lot flood alert during December and mee ngs in the hall, materials for fences, and so on. You can get of damage, par cularly the gale just more details from Paul Biggin at 772459 or email January (6 in total) un l high water before Christmas. [email protected] had passed. It is reassuring that the The gale broke lots of large
relevant services are forewarned of branches mainly in the oak wood. Some of these blocked paths. Frequently asked ques ons: under £10,000pa (census 2011) possible flood situa ons. Electronic With the help of some willing volunteers these were cleared from Quite a few people have said that the woods look un dy. Well so they do which is one reason for the work par es ‐ but we don't data from de gauges from Oban, the paths and made safe. But there is more to do! In the pine wood a group of large trees was blown down in the want a clean sweep: leaving dead branches is good for wildlife, so Kingairloch and Corpach is transmi ed away from the main paths it is be er to leave them. to SEPA who submit a report and SW corner blocking one of the main paths into the wood. The dangerous trees have now been cleared by a volunteer contractor Before you ask! We are not insured for anyone to use warnings to Emergency Services and and the path has been reopened. chainsaws in the wood. the public. The water rescue team Meanwhile, take a walk in the woods, feel the Spring, as the here at Corpach is always ready to How can you help? woods come into leaf.
respond to such alerts 24/7. On Saturday 29th March (from 9:30 to 12.00 am) we plan to have a work party in the pine wood. And on Saturday 26th April we plan Paul Biggin one in the Oak wood. There is plenty to do; dying away branches By‐elec on coming up Info from Highland Council: The by‐elec on to find a new councillor for the Caol and Mallaig Ward on The Highland Council will be held on year on energy bills and lower your carbon footprint. The general process is that people contact E‐on to register
interest: they will then do an assessment of your home and then in our Ward have a total income keep depending on the assessment results the work is carried out. Thursday 1 May Timescales are for the houses to be iden fied by the end of March The count will take place the following day. and work to be completed by September. E‐on will pay for all the installa on costs but householders may have to pay for work to
warm things such as pipes ‐ but it should all get decided up front. The by‐elec on is being called as the result of the resigna on of Councillor Eddie Hunter (Independent). (Councillor Hunter stood down on 27 February 2014). Funding for To qualify for FREE insula on houses must:
in last local election was 41.74% - will we match that in the by-election? that in the by-election? - will we match election was 41.74% in last local external insula on Candidates seeking elec on will be able to obtain a nomina on form from be of a solid wall construc on (ie no cavity between brick and
blockwork etc) The energy company E‐on, with backing from the Highland Tuesday 11 March. Council, are looking to install external wall insula on onto solid Nomina on forms will be available from the home page of the Council’s web site www.highland.gov.uk as well as at the and have electric or coal‐fired hea ng (eg a back boiler) wall houses within the Highlands. This is part of the na onal
Council’s Service Points at Fort William and Mallaig. Energy Company Obliga on (ECO) and the Home Energy Efficiency and be owner occupied or privately rented. Programme Scotland (HEEPS) funding sources.
The deadline for nomina ons is 4 pm on Tuesday 27 March. There is no obliga on to follow through once you have made an The insula on will be offered FREE OF CHARGE to qualifying ini al enquiry so there really is no reason not to call. Caol and Mallaig is a three‐member ward. The two other current members are houses and at a subsidised rate for others.
Bill Clark (SNP) and Allan Henderson (Independent). For more informa on contact E‐on on 0800 141 2283 The poli cal representa on of the Council is currently This offer is worth in the region of £10,000 per household! or the Lochaber Environmental Group office 01397 700 090.
Independent 34 External wall insula on involves fixing a layer of insula on SNP 21 Informa on about external insula on and how to discover if you material to the outside of the house and then covering it with a Liberal Democrat 14 have solid walls can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website
local turnout local render (plasterwork). This can drama cally decrease the amount Labour 8 (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland) . of heat being lost through your walls (the heat loss through an
independent Na onalist 1 uninsulated solid wall is typically over 50% greater than through Kendra Turnbull Non‐aligned 2 an uninsulated cavity wall) which will save you around £490 per Lochaber Environmental Group nearly 1/5 of households of quarry opera ons on the local community. The group The winter months atmosphere by providing space music page 20 meets 2‐3 mes a year to discuss any issues or complaints. have been extremely and encouraging the children to make page 9 banavie quarry Russell Leaper is the representa ve for KCC. If you do have busy with the children sounds linking to the planets. any concerns about the opera on of the quarry then enjoying activities both The centre recently introduced please contact both the quarry and the liaison group indoors and out. We mind mapping and large floor books to liaison group straight away. It is much easier to inves gate and address have made the most develop the children’s individual KCC has been contacted recently by residents with problems at the me, par cularly if these involve noise, of the local woods for exploratory interests. Our large book on castles is dust, smells or lorries travelling too fast. walks, collecting items to make into progressing well with many “authors”.
concerns about opera ons at Banavie Quarry. Banavie Quarry is operated by Breedon Aggregates. Planning natural mobiles which proudly hang in Lots of suggestions and ideas are permission for con nued opera ons at Banavie Quarry Read more about the Liaison Group and see minutes of our garden and adorn some of the incorporated into the day, none more was granted in April 2004 subject to the establishment of a their mee ngs on KCC’s website. playgroup walls. Interest developed evident than the “building” of our very liaison group to address issues associated with the impact www.kilmallie.org.uk/community/banavie‐quarry around the fallen trees and the children own medieval castle. Some are already worked collaboratively to form outdoor planning outings to visit Old Inverlochy shelters which they huddled in to share A couple of ladies from Kilmallie Castle while others playfully re-enact stories. We have ventured further afield Free Church visited to deliver the conflicts as knights through the use of to Glen Nevis where we all enjoyed a Christmas story: oh what excitement swords, shields and galloping horses. banavie play park wonderful morning jam-packed with when they entered the building - it was Enrolment for next session, August
activities based around the visitor two of our Mums. The children 2014-2015, is fast approaching and centre area. We were all well kitted out responded in a lovely warm manner has been arranged for the week th regeneration with bright colourful waterproof and happily joined in with songs, games beginning 24 March - add this date clothing and excitedly waited to see and listened intently to their story. Our to your diary! Places are available for what lay ahead. Our friends from Christmas party was great fun with morning Playgroup and afternoon Day group Upper Achintore Playgroup joined us children and adults alike joining in with Care. More details will be advertised on swelling the numbers considerably. On games such as pass the parcel, musical our facebook page and local community A new group is being formed by All ideas are welcomed for the project arrival we all met at a central point chairs and musical statues. The party notice boards. Please contact the members of the community to improve and the group is open to all for
where resources and activities had been ended with a visit from Santa who centre for further details. the recrea on facili es at Banavie Play membership. This is the start of a carefully organised by our staff and came with “an enormous sack” of Carole Park. It is hoped that by combining community consulta on. A public open volunteer parents. The start of the day goodies. 01397 772016 or email support from local users and residents, day regarding the play park will be was to warm up our bodies by making After an unprecedented late start to [email protected]. Sco sh Canals and the Highland Council, scheduled shortly. Watch this space for mushrooms, flying saucers and clouds the 2014 term due to flooding there will be a lot of scope for improving details. using an “enormous rainbow circle” sustained throughout the holiday period the exis ng facili es. This would e in namely a parachute. The children everyone has now settled back into the well given that the area is planned for Please send any comments or enquiries excitedly listened for instructions and daily routine. significant regenera on and will serve as to Vicky Dodman joined in enthusiastically with a number The children have participated in a major draw to the area for both locals [email protected] of songs before moving off to make numerous activities throughout the and tourists. 01397 772501 / 07855 755793 dens, create sculptures using “very room. In the writing area they have messy, gooey” clay and make pictures been busily writing letters and making using materials gathered from the lists using a variety of mark-making and 6th April ar st Lys Hansen from S rling will be helping us express our surrounding area. The highlight of the materials. The majority of the group emo ons through ‘Wild and Wonderful day, for most, was winding in and out made shopping lists using old Art Lochaber has had a great start to Paint’. Lys is a very experienced teacher of ropes forming an adventure course catalogues, developing the arts of 2014 with two workshops with local and her workshop is sure to be both ANNUAL round the woods: for some it was like a cutting and gluing Some were really tutors. One free flow with Gay Anderson exci ng and frui ul for par cipants. ART EXHIBITION climbing expedition. “Look- Ben Nevis - interested in the price of their items and one structured with Alistair Smyth – If you would like to know more about Art my Dad works up there, it’s his and were keen to use numbers for we learned a lot at both and enjoyed the Lochaber or to a end one of the above favourite mountain” and “my Dad uses costings. A small number went on an process. workshops please contact Catherine 2014 ropes to help people off the hill” were a errand to the local co-op to purchase On 1st and 2nd March we also had a very Putman on 01855 841231. Ben Nevis Dis llery successful workshop ‘Balancing Colour’ Our AGM will be held on 10th April at few of the comments passed. The day items for the group snack, here they led by painter and tutor Bella Green from 7pm in The Underwater Centre and our Fort William ended with a lovely get together for hot selected the foods on the list, counted Lockerbie. Bella, a frequent guest tutor Annual Exhibi on runs from 24th May ll Sat 24TH May – Wed 4TH June chocolate and shortbread in our self- and problem-solved with money before we love ‘walking buses’ at Art Lochaber, is an expert on colour 4th June at Ben Nevis Dis llery. made shelter. returning back to the centre to prepare With Christmas fast approaching their snack. From the visit the role play now on show in Aberdeen,now on show Ben Nevis Inn, Achintee see a replica at and you can theory and her colourful work may be ALL WELCOME ! ALL WELCOME viewed on www.bellagreen.co.uk. On 5th Lorna Finlayson excitement was building, our role play shop progressed onto being a post area had been transformed into Santa’s office. The children were very interested grotto with lots of busy elves hard at in writing letters, working with work making cards, toys, decorations envelopes, stamps and wrapping up and lovely goodies. The children were parcels to post. All the children created planning a nativity play to perform to lovely Valentine Cards for their loved parents and all were learning the ones all of which were independently words and actions of many songs, some written. keener than others to adorn costumes. The children have been very excited On the day of the nativity play the about the snow on the hills with some children were all so excited and dressed making reference to sledging, skiing up to perform the Christmas story. The and looking at the moon and stars. This building was very busy with familiar led on to a very interactive couple of faces and the children’s voices could be weeks relating to space, comets, planets clearly heard heartily singing their well and flying to the moon. Clare our
Joan’s tapestry tapestry Joan’s -rehearsed songs. visiting music teacher added to the together an exhibi on and delivered ST page 8 presenta ons to all S2 classes to mark 1 XV Rugby page 21 Holocaust Memorial Day. A poignant ar cle It’s fair to say that playing away from Banavie has had an by Clare Neil was also featured in Lochaber impact on our team: with no floodlights at The Black Parks
Life. our team have had to par ally train on the Astroturf at Congratula ons to Fi h Year pupil Saturday Youth Rugby Returns Lochaber High School, which limits the type of contact rugby Our winter term at Lochaber High has seen project in a working school. It can’t be easy Paulina Szumko who, last year, won the Our boys are girls started back training they can do. drama c change to both our curriculum and to plan and execute a building project on a Rotary Club of Lochaber’s Young Chef of the th th Bearing this in mind, we are currently si ng 5 in the assessment and to our physical school campus with 1000 pupils and staff Year compe on. Paulina went on to win training on Saturday 8 surroundings. Throughout February, Fourth milling around every day! the West of Scotland championship in East February following their Winter Break. RBS Caledonia League out of 11 teams, which is a very Years have been si ng prelim’ examina ons School trips are, as always, a feature of Kilbride in January and will now compete in They are now ge ng ready for the acceptable posi on to be in.
for the new ‘Na onal’ courses which replace life at Lochaber High. A senior snowsports the Sco sh final later this year. She has forthcoming tournaments planned and We are also grateful to our supporters for con nuing to Standard Grade and Intermediate courses trip to Les Menuires over New Year and a done very well, building on experience would love you to come and join them. support the team at The Black Parks on ‘home’ days. from this year. The new qualifica ons junior ski trip to Alpe D’Huez in January gained in the compe on over three years We are currently training at the King provide a more coherent progression which were both hugely successful with those and improving her skills with help from her George V Park (next to the swimming pool) star ng at 10am. should, in me, make it easier for pupils, par cipa ng enthused to take full mentors, Mr Brian Gunn and Mrs Fiona We welcome boys and girls of all abili es from P3‐S2 at our parents and employers to understand. At advantage of local snow condi ons on their Harrower. the moment they are causing schools an return. As I write (end Feb) I’m preparing for Jim Sutherland, Head Teacher Saturday sessions.
enormous amount of addi onal work as our annual S6 trip to London where 76 of pupils and teachers are having to get to our final year pupils will have a chance to Photos top to bo om: Do you fancy giving rugby a try? – it’s a great, fun 1 building work in progress, grips with new assessment methods, see the sights and sounds of the capital game where you can learn how to win and lose 2, 3 senior snowsports increased internal assessment demands including a tour of Broadcas ng House, the 4 junior snowsports gracefully, respect other players and officials and and, of course, new course material. Senior Tower of London, museums, galleries, the you are allowed to get muddy – if you want! pupils in S5 and S6 have also been si ng Emirates stadium and Madame Tussaud’s. prelim’ examina ons and should now be on There will also be meals out at Carluccio’s, U17’S & Girls’ Rugby course for their final assessments in May. Hard Rock Café and other venues and there Training is every Wednesday (7pm – 8pm) at Lochaber HS Finding venues for prelim’ examina ons are four West End shows on offer this year: has been a challenge for Mr MacLean, ‘Ma lda’, ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘The Lion King’ Astroturf – they will be training there un l the end of March when they move back to The Black Parks, when the daylight of the land area of Scotland area of Scotland of the land Depute Head Teacher, who has had to and ‘The Commitments’. This is the eighth manage the process without the use of our annual trip since we started in 2007 and this improves. Come and join us – all abili es welcome. assembly hall which is currently being trip will see us reach an impressive total of refurbished. However, it will all have been 600 par cipants. Future trips currently Pitch improvement work worth it when we move in to the smart new being planned by the school include We recently met with contractors (Soutars) air‐condi oned facility later this year. It is Mediterranean Watersports in June this encouraging to see the new central block year; a Second Year Outward Bound trip to to discuss the improvement works progressing on our pitch at Banavie. They taking shape with the steelwork and roofing the Lake District in August and, in 2015, now complete. The block will include a new Skiing, London, Paris, Auschwitz and Beijing. were very encouraged by how dry the Our Sevens Tournament main entrance, recep on, admin offices, Two of our Sixth Years – Sarah surface was considering the winter we have had and rd pupil social area, restaurant, kitchen, toilets, Johnstone and Clare Neil – visited Auschwitz confirmed that they only need two dry weeks to finish the is on Saturday 3 May at The Black Parks, kick off 12 noon. one third one third staffroom, S6 common room and an last term as part of the Holocaust Educa on work... we are currently on our knees & have our fingers Everyone welcome. impressive library/resource centre. This Trust’s ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ project. crossed! building, which we have waited so long for, Inspired by what they saw, the girls put We are not sure when we will return to play at Banavie, but Pauline Donaldson will really transform the way the school we hope for a nice warm spring & summer to encourage the www.lochaberrfc.co.uk func ons… and we’ll be in it this year! The central courtyard area (or ‘quad’) is grass seed to grow. also unavailable to us and currently contains two large roof structures. Our skyline will be 15th March Kilmallie vs Caberfeidh – 1st team opportunities for improvements at war memorial transformed when these structures are Inverness vs Kilmallie – 2nd team li ed into place atop the three storey 22nd March Glenorchy vs Kilmallie – 1st team buildings within the next few weeks… kilmallie 29th March MacTavish Cup 1st Round – weather permi ng. This should solve the Kilmallie vs Inverness – 1st team water ingress problems that have plagued Lochbroom vs Kilmallie – 2nd team the flat‐roofed buildings for so many years. 5th April Aberdeen Considine Sutherland Cup – 1st Round
Highland Council servesHighland Pupils and staff have done well to keep shinty club Oban Cel c vs Kilmallie 2nd team ‘business as usual’ going on in the school Oban Camanachd vs Kilmallie – 1st team with so much building work taking place. Pre‐season training started in January for 12th April Kilmallie vs Glasgow Mid Argyll – 1st team We’re grateful to Robertson Construc on Kilmallie Shinty Club. The senior team train nd for the way they have tackled such a big Strathspey vs Kilmallie – 2 team from 7‐9pm in Caol Community Centre on a 19th April Kilmallie vs Lewis – 2nd team Monday night and are mee ng on Canal 26th April Artemis Macaulay Cup 1st Round – Parks on a Saturday morning: the Under Kilmallie vs Newtonmore – 1st team 17’s are also encouraged to come Kilmallie vs Inverness – 2nd team along. The Under 14’s are training at Banavie School on a 3rd May Sco sh Hydro Camanachd Cup 1st Round – Saturday morning. Strachur vs Kilmallie – 1st team The coaches for this year are nd
Caberfeidh vs Kilmallie – 2 team KCC looking into 1st team – Duncan Kelly 10th May Fort William vs Kilmallie – 1st team 2nd team – Dugald MacPhee 17th May Kilmallie vs Lochbroom – 2nd team Under 17’s – Nicola MacIsaac 24th May Kilmallie vs Bute – 1st team Under 14’s ‐ Lachie Innes. Kilmallie vs Strathspey – 2nd team 31st May Strathdearn Cup 1st Round – Kilmallie vs Beauly did you know – know – did you The shinty fixtures started on the 1st March so here are some Please come along and support your team – it would be of our games. The fixtures are subject to change so please good to see you at Canal Parks on a Saturday!
listen in to Nevis Radio on a Saturday morning for updates. Linda Campbell
page 22 Flood talks page 7
update from sub- Always keen to keep children aware of what is happening in their world, we had a visit from Mairi MacNaughton of the saharan africa! Sco sh Environmental Protec on Agency Round the Rooms Scotland’s Bard where she talked about the launch of new Happy New Year to all Kilmallians from Malawi! Approaching the 2014 saw Banavie pupils ge ng right down Across the school, the life of Robert Burns flood warnings in the Lochaber area and 3rd month of 2014 already and just short of the halfway mark of to work and as usual, they have all been was celebrated in song, verse, word, told pupils about its causes and what to do our me here. Reflec ng back on the last quarter it seems at mes working extremely hard. pain ng and drawing with every class if their homes were ever threatened by quite surreal. For a Christmas neither of us was par cularly looking involved in a range of ac vi es on the 24th water. forward to in terms of missing being with the family, it turned out a In Nursery, children have been learning all of January. very lovely affair. The though ulness of our children ensured they about their local area and Primary One has Wind is whistling through the night. were amongst us on Christmas Day having arranged a full started off the year looking at the weather We also had a Burns storyteller in, who Inside is cosy and warm by the fire. Christmas dinner for us (with champagne) all of which was and the seasons. They have had a student enthralled the children with the story of Night is coming, the snow is shining managed despite the fact we were staying in the middle of a in from S rling University to whom they all the birth of Robert Burns and the tale of in the moonlight. Na onal Game Park in Zambia! What a boon this internet enjoyed demonstra ng how well they have Tam o’ Shanter. The farmer uses a shovel to get the connec on is as we even managed to talk to several of them a er been learning. snow out. we had partaken of the feast! Added to this, prior to our break we harrowing sight at mes but the benefits of a good diet are so Early morning, snow is melting had a very jolly staff party by the lakeshore with great food and
evident, especially in those also coping with awful disease. Infinite Ready to play in the snow even be er African music and dancing in the sunshine of the need and finite budgets – the same everywhere, just more a ernoon! It seemed very bizarre somehow. The clinic closed for immediately stark here I think. by Emily Steer – Primary Three most of Christmas week, which allowed us to take the break and Work remains very busy within our respec ve roles but the we enjoyed that trip very much. great news is that the much‐sweated‐over many‐dra ed Strategic It is the rainy season here, again a new experience for me. Plan, 2014 budget, Business Plan and audited accounts have at last How well do you know Rains can be torren al, o en preceded by great crashings of been accepted and passed by the Board of Trustees which has thunder and sheets of bright lightning. By mid November the made Peter an altogether happier volunteer and life partner! Burns? ground was very dry and the heat almost unbearable as the Fundraising has now become his top priority as the pressure by P 6/7 pressure grew. All around the fields were ploughed in neat rows as mounts to bridge the funding gap between what is now needed The local area ‐ Nursery far as the eye could see… all by hand and mainly by women, o en and what has been raised to date for the new clinic build. This is an Which US President was an avid reader of working 6am ll 6pm with the baby ed onto their backs as they Primary One Burns display area that Peter feels less comfortable with but will I am sure rise to Primary Two’s topic has been money and the works of Robert Burns? dug and cleared the dusty hard soil in readiness. Everyone waited embrace. He is working currently with Rotary in Lilongwe to help they have set up a class shop which has a Abraham Lincoln for the rain and when the first storm broke there was great link with the Rotary Interna onal and his local club in Fort William really helped to support their learning. Chinese New Year b John F Kennedy celebra on, even by us! Imagine a Fort William pair dancing with with some success. He presented briefly at the last mee ng here Children celebrated the start of the c Theodore Roosevelt delight at rain pouring from the heavens! Two days into the rains, and we have been invited back early March to elaborate further on Primary Three/Four have sailed the seven Chinese New Year in a range of ways and the fields were alive with people all out plan ng the maize, the needs and poten al projects. Everything crossed. Meanwhile the seas, studying pirates whilst Primary Four/ for those of you who did not know, 2014 is Which country, in 1956, produced a stamp staple crop, again all by hand, and then as the plants began to Five have been using Kung Fu to help them the Year of the Horse. th new build has to wait in the wings and life goes on in the rather to mark the 160 anniversary of the death grow, out again with a bowl and teaspoon applying fer liser to crushed quarters we currently use. I find I have go en used to the develop their punctua on skills and of Burns? each individual plant! Such labour intensive work but hardly a lack of space/privacy and think nothing of squeezing between sending boring words to jail. a Cuba square inch of land remained unplanted. Now two months on, the clinician and pa ent to reach for a new set of notes or to pass b Australia maize plants tower over us and dwarf the huts in the villages and medica on to a wai ng pa ent. Everyone just gets on with it and
c Soviet Union along the roadside as the combina on of rain and sunshine see a on most occasions the lack of privacy only seems to bother the staff steady growth of almost a foot a week. While they wait for the as pa ents all seem to know each other or if they don’t before they Which country uses the tune to “Coming crops to grow for the first harvest, the effects of hunger become come to clinic, they do pre y quickly and then there is huge through the Rye” to tell pedestrians when more evident by the day. Last year’s harvested crops are running exchange of informa on, advice and rivalry over medica on given, it’s safe to cross the road? out, and what is s ll available is ge ng more expensive and less support in the form of food or blankets etc, as no one wants to be a Brazil affordable for many. The falling rate of the Kwacha pushes all costs outdone in what might be available! I had a pa ent recently who b Norway up, not helped by the cutbacks from the corrupt government who demanded morphine as I handed over his Paracetamol, Brufen and c Japan have lined their own pockets and managed to reduce aid into the other meds. Thinking I had missed the prescrip on I rushed back to country, ensuring the poorest struggle even more. Children in the Primary Five/Six have been learning all pharmacy to check his notes. No morphine had been requested or Robert Burns was the first ever person to villages have li le extended bellies and the most malnourished about the human body and the life cycle of indeed had been given previously, and on return to tell him this (in appear on a commemora ve bo le of have hair and skin colour changes – li le pale brown children with plants and animals whilst Primary Six/ my pigeon Chechewan) he pointed out that his neighbour had a which so drink? ginger hair and pot bellies, a syndrome/condi on I believe is called Seven have been enjoying, yes enjoying, bo le of something so he wanted one too! a Irn Bru Kwashiorkor. Ndi Moyo supplies maize and protein enriched soya algebra and studying tourism and Primary Two Chinese New Year display Those who have been following these quarterly updates will b Coca Cola to the most needy of our families and this may well account for employment in Lochaber, visi ng BSW recent publicity for local GP practice Tweeddale’s for local GP recent publicity and ‘jab go’ clinics perhaps remember that a lot of my me was focussing on c Vimto some of the huge a endances at clinics recently. It can be a Timber and Nevis Range. developing the outreach clinics by expanding teaching/mentoring Drumfun sessions to the health professionals in the outlying clinics and Early in February, Steve Sharpe returned to Which fashion designer claims to be a General Hospital. These have been challenging in the extreme. Banavie with Drumfun and once again, the direct descendant of Robert Burns? Despite an ini al wave of enthusiasm, it has been hard maintaining children had a fantas c me, a Vivienne Westwood momentum and forever frustra ng. However with lack of experimen ng with beats and rhythms. b Tommy Hilfiger management support, poor premises and poor access to even the Fàilte! Fèisgoil coming to Banavie... c Jasper Conran simpler drugs I can understand how difficult it is for them to change or show any commitment. We have had some success in some areas and there is nothing for it but to keep focussed and move slowly forward. Nothing changes quickly here or indeed moves at Date for your Diary th any speed, which for those who know me, is something I struggle Saturday 5 April, 2014 with! Drip, drip… onwards and (hopefully) upwards. Primary Seven Fund Raising Having a recent spate of young UK doctor volunteers has been great to see great Car Wash and Coffee Morning a good upli ing experience. In January we had Amy, a GP in 10.00am – 1.00pm Glasgow (and Fort William GP Jim Douglas’s daughter‐in‐law) who £5.00 per car
volunteered with us for 4 weeks while her husband was with
b ‐ 5 b, – 4 c, – 3 c, – 2 a, – another project in south Malawi. The day a er she le , we were 1
answers Quiz Burns con nued overpage contd from previous page within them, seeing the ever changing colours of the sunset when no two days are the same, and just page 6 joined by a final year medical student on elec ve page 23 being lulled by the lapping waves on the sandy placement from Oxford Uni and as she finishes her 7 our Highland councillors’ corner shore. The level of the water is at last rising again week s nt, another follows. As well as being a great with the rains but the lake is not swimmable at The topic we gave our Highland Councillors this time was: “The Highland Council has stopped providing Christmas lights for help in the clinic se ng it’s good to have some present as the flooding rivers bring such a torrent of communities - what other services are under threat and which ones would you fight to keep? We'd particularly like to young blood around and keeps my brain ac ve in mud down from the hills. We miss our daily evening hear your views on children's' play parks, dog wardens, rangers and libraries.” Eddie had tendered his resignation by ensuring I know enough to make them think I know swims but another few weeks should see that then, but here’s what Allan and Bill said in reply. In the next issue we hope to bring news of a new councillor following what I am doing! I seem to have managed this so se ling again. Work can be tough but the fact that the by-election due in May far. this can be offset by enjoying our sundowner most The pa ents we see remain in such desperate evenings s ll si ng outdoors makes it all worth it. There are no Highland Council services £16,000 per annum is available for the Waste Management Team in Fort William need. It is hard to describe some mes the awful Further updates will be made as we con nue under immediate threat in Kilmallie. replacement of play equipment, safety include Dog Warden du es, Pest Control things one sees on a daily basis when there is li le this work. If anyone would like to follow the process Budgets have been set based upon the surfacing and fencing through a capital and Enforcement, ie dog fouling, li er, on offer but even so, a li le helps such a lot. I more closely, there is a group se ng on facebook, monies available. When budgets are set, budget which has to be bid for year on year. abandoned vehicles and fly pping. Patrols recount some of the stories in my fairly regularly which I try to add to on a fortnightly basis. Type Ndi differences of opinion may arise over the In my view, this amount is grossly are carried out on a regular basis for stray updated Facebook group page (details at the end of Moyo into the FB search bar and you should get a se ng of those budgets. Poli cs is the inadequate for 37 play areas. However, we dogs and dog fouling throughout Lochaber. the news) for those who want a more graphic
‘closed group’ op on. Otherwise my email address science of how who gets what, when and can only work with the money which is Anyone wishing to report incidents within picture and alongside these are some happy camera is [email protected] and I do so enjoy why. When two councillors agree on available in the budget. the above remit should contact the Service snaps of fun mes with pa ents too, so it’s not all hearing tales from Corpach and surrounds! Our everything, one of them is not required. Libraries come under the jurisdic on of High Centre on Tel No 01349 886603. awful! We con nue to enjoy the benefits of living in fundraising webpage remains open for anyone who You cannot direct all the money available Life Highland, not Highland Council. It is The Countryside Rangers raise awareness this lovely part of the world and although our travels would like to contribute: www.everyclick.com/ towards one area of expenditure. worth no ng that libraries today offer more and encourage apprecia on of the scenery, have been a li le contained with the rains and peterandkathryn, with all dona ons going straight In the case of play parks, a report has been than books. All Highland libraries offer free wildlife and heritage of the Highlands. They having to ghten our belts in everyway, we s ll love to NdiMoyo Pallia ve Care. compiled by Mike Leary, Community Works connec on to the internet and support for also have responsibility for promo ng the our evening lakeside strolls, watching the lovely
visiting BSW visiting Manager, and Emma Taylor, Assistant users to get online. Library membership Sco sh Outdoor Access Code and are cloud forma ons and the fantas c lightning storms Kathryn Hamling Wards Manager, confirming that the Council gives instant access to e‐book, e‐ audio and involved in the management of a large has an alloca on of £40,000 this year in e‐magazine download services. In addi on, number of countryside sites songs in musical theatre (Tomorrow, Hard professions: teachers, midwives and public revenue money to maintain the 37 Council the library service is working with author throughout the Highland Council Lochaber Knock Life, Easy Street). Annie also boasts a servants, and bring with them countless adopted play parks in the area. This is a Barry Hutchison and the Sco sh Book Trust Area. There are two teams of hilarious script and the adorable dog Sandy. skills and talents. Showstoppers has given reduc on of £10,000 since January 2009. to promote reading and reading‐based Countryside Rangers located in Showstoppers was formed in 1993 by many people the opportunity to not only The alloca on is spent on the maintenance ac vi es throughout Lochaber. Lochaber. Showstoppers Douglas Yule, Jackie Wright and Jo Cowan. perform on stage but also to involve of play parks based on the annual inspec on The du es of the Assistant Waste At the me, there was no other drama c or themselves with set design, ligh ng and reports for each park. An addi onal Management Officer working within the Cllr Bill Clark -21 years young musical society in the Lochaber area and sound produc on, costume and direc on. Lochaber Showstoppers are hard at work when they asked the locals if they were A huge thank you goes out from Disappointed as I was when Xmas trees Tradi onal playparks are vital parts of the are in a way complementary and in future this month rehearsing for their produc on interested in forming a club they received a Lochaber Showstoppers to everyone who of the family favourite Annie the Musical to fantas c response. More than 40 people has supported us over the past 21 years and were deemed no longer part of Highland local infrastructure, but are horrendously could possibly be a joint service. Rangers st Council’s remit, it was heartening to see expensive to install and maintain. I prefer to already have to deal with dog mess and celebrate their 21 Anniversary. turned up to the first Showstoppers we look forward to entertaining new Sunday 6th April, Lochaber Marathon Pu ng the show together this year is gathering and over the past 21 years the genera ons for many years to come. Annie how communi es responded this year. promote the sustainable wood models stray animals. Educa on of our young who th th th
in Kilmallie last month – in Kilmallie Susan Munro who is returning not only as There is no doubt that a lot of good will was which generate the same enjoyment grow up to be the users and lovers of our group has gone from strength to strength, will be on stage on 27 , 28 and 29 March Musical Director but as Director as well, a lost by the Council, although they are s ll through crea ve play, at a frac on of the countryside is vital to help support these performing many favourites and also 2013 at the Nevis Centre at 7:30pm each formula which was fabulously successful at willing to erect, but at a huge cost. maintenance cost of metal ones. Costs can services. introducing audiences to new, less familiar evening and a special ma nee performance the helm of the Showstoppers’ performance th Councillors can also s ll assist, through also be mi gated through developer As a Councillor I do not want these services shows to an average of 2000 people a year. on Saturday 29 March. Tickets are £9 for discre onary budgets, with replacement of contribu ons when new housing schemes to go and certainly will not expect the 3rd of Oliver in 2012. Showstoppers members have hailed adults and £7 concession. Choose seats well old lights. are built. sector (volunteers) to carry the can. We Annie is the heart warming ‘rags to from all over Lochaber with some people in advance in person at the As an opposi on councillor (Independent), Despite kindles, our libraries are s ll vital as have to accept cuts will come, as long as riches’ story of plucky young Annie’s journey from as far afield as Mallaig, Duror and Nevis Centre or by calling one of my tasks in commi ee is to challenge they provide many of the services that community charges stay fixed, but wages from hard knock New York orphanage to the Kinlochleven. They come from different 01397 700707. the administra on (the labelled poli cal communi es require. It is probably difficult rise (albeit at a paltry 1%), so it is wise to luxurious home of billionaire Oliver backgrounds: Sco sh, English, Welsh, Polish members), when cuts are suggested. to defend standalone libraries but they can consult with the affected Warbucks. With some of the best known and Australian to name but a few, and Clare Brewer Obviously services such as playparks, dog be easily accommodated in community communi es. Then, compromise wardens, rangers and libraries (the la er schools or shared services with Council solu ons can be found. three being labour intensive) are under service points. This then gives access to lochaber natural history society pressure as financial cuts and ‘efficiency decent broadband. Cllr Allan Henderson savings’ keep coming. Dog wardens and rangers, while different, Lectures are held in the Alexandra Hotel, Fort William, 7:30pm, all welcome 24th Mar ‐ Plant trips abroad, and more ‐ lecture by Peter Baxter, Benmore, RBGE Botanics
Most of our readers will be aware that Eddie Hunter has resigned as all the best, Eddie councillor for Ward 12 of The Highland Council (Caol and Mallaig), of which Kilmallie is part. Loch Shiel Viking Challenge Eddie was brought up in Lochaber and a ended Lochaber High School. He was Head‐teacher at Banavie School between January 1986 2014 and August 1999. He was interested in ge ng children involved in sport and many of you will have your own memories of his me as head‐ teacher. Many of you will also remember Eddie from his me at Tradewinds. Eddie was elected councillor for Ward 12 in 2007. He was an ac ve councillor and some of you will have knowledge of how he helped the community. 21k in the wake of Somerled When Kilmallie Community Council was re‐formed in 2011 Eddie a ended our This challenging charity sea kayak event will take place on the weekend of 29th March through Kilmallie mee ngs and was construc ve on many topics – giving us his advice and opinion for touring & performance sea kayaks from Monument Beach at Glenfinnan. which helped us find our way. We will miss him at our mee ngs and wish him and The aim is to raise funds direct to Macmillan Cancer Support his family well as they start a new phase of their lives in Renfrewshire. with an entry fee of only £30 for compe tors raising £100 or more. All the best, Eddie, and thanks for your support of the Kilmallie people and For the less intrepid, dona ons are most welcome. KCC. See us on www.lochshielvikings.org.uk Maggie Mackenzie, centre, chairs the first mee ng of KCC in Glendessary Terrace in the mid To enter or make a dona on contact : | Alistair on vikingchallenge2014@gmail. Secretary of State for Scotland for Scotland of State Secretary 1950s, with Cllr Eddie Hunter, le , in a endance. Also present were Maggie’s sister Ann, and Eddie’s brother Roddy. Note ‐ Eddie has been spo ed recently s ll wearing the same pair of shorts! Perversely, one of the reasons why the Later, in 1895, the Banavie Branch railway line was opened, So at page 24 woodland at Puiteachan may have survived that me, travelling west from Lochy Bridge, the old road would page 5 wild about is that it is small and probably did not have taken you under the railway bridge, and then over the original contain many good trees. The woodland canal bridge, before following on along what is now Old Banavie historian, Peter Quelch, has produced a Road past the old police sta on towards Badabrie and Corpach. kilmallie fascina ng report on Coille Puiteachan that suggests it may even have been primarily Coille Phuiteachain wood pasture used as a woodland cro . Indeed the woodland only first appears on
SSSI maps in 1774, where it is clearly marked as a You can just make out the panels of the 1930s bridge to the le behind HMS About half way up Glen Loy, just before the wood with ‘birch with some firrs’ in a survey Brierton as she comes up the Staircase. Photo courtesy of Sco sh Canals. end of the public road, a very special wood of the forfeited Lochiel estates. Some of the But a er the pulp mill was built in 1964, the amount and size of can be found. Coille Phuiteachain was first surviving pine trees probably date back to traffic hugely increased, and this second bridge also needed to be established as a Caledonian Pinewood this me. Some of the older trees bear axe replaced. So in the 1970s, the main road was completely realigned, reserve by the Forestry Commission in 1931, marks sugges ng that they were use to and the present road bridge was built. But while its construc on
the first of its kind. Remarkably there are provide fir candles, which u lised the pine was taking place, the site of the original bridge was again put to use only 38 recognised ancient pinewoods in the resin as lamp fuel. There are the remains of with a temporary Bailey Bridge. So all in all, four road bridges so far whole of Scotland, so this is a rare and a single co age in the wood (some distance over the canal. Does anyone have any memories or photos of the interna onally recognised habitat. The from the modern farmhouse) together with earlier bridges? pinewoods of Scotland have adapted to the what has been suggested was a saw pit. mild (!), wet and windy Atlan c climate and There are reports from this me of local have a character dis nct from other carpenters collec ng sawn planks from Glen pinewoods found throughout the northern Loy. Other evidence for woodland workings top: witch’s beard below: lungwort hemisphere. The western pinewoods to be at Puiteachan includes other ancient trees are leafless. Pixie cup lichens rise found in Lochaber are par cularly pollarded trees (Oak, Birch, Ash and Rowan) delicately from fallen branches, and along interes ng in that they are a component of and also a charcoal pla orm. As the wood with a profusion of fungi add to the the so‐called “Atlan c Rainforest”, and are fell into disuse as a worked cro , probably
4am, Thurs. 22 May. Corpach otherworldly atmosphere. covered in mosses, lichens and ferns that in the late 19th century the remaining pines One of the possible transla ons of the thrive in areas of high rainfall (over 1800mm acted as a seed source for the more name Puiteachan is ‘home of the young per year) and rela vely high humidity. The extensive pine woodland that can be seen moorfowl’, which refers to the black grouse local pinewoods tend to be small and today. of the glen. These can s ll be seen perching fragmented in character and o en difficult The immediate impression of Coille in the pines and feeding on the blaeberry, to access. The largest areas surviving are Phuiteachain today is of a fairytale and are known to lek on the woodland edge. The remains of one of the abutments of the old bridge that carried the possibly to be found along the south banks woodland, where everything is covered with Other resident birds include Crossbill, Great Banavie Branch Railway over the original Blar road of Loch Arkaig, although un l they were a rich carpet of moss, lichens and ferns Spo ed Woodpecker, Woodcock, and in the badly damaged by fire during commando droop from the trees and there are no summer, Wood Warbler and occasional training, these used to be much more obvious paths. Indeed, it is hard to walk Redstart. Woodland mammals include Pine extensive. Although Scots Pine is the through and is full of dead wood, tangled Marten and Red Squirrel, which are rarely
dominant, or at least most obvious tree, scrub and deep boggy pools. It is however, a canoe the River Lochy, Sunday 18 May seen, but leave tell tale traces in the form of these woodlands are really mixed. Coille paradise for both lichenologists and split hazelnuts. Both Red and Roe Deer are Phuiteachain shows a fine transi on from bryologists. Most of the species of mosses, present, despite deer fences, and probably wet Alder woodland by the River Loy, up liverworts and lichens characteris c of s ll limit the spread of trees. Insect life is through Oak and Hazel woodland with Atlan c Oakwoods and Caledonian profuse (including midges, sadly!). Rowan and Holly, into the main body of Pine Pinewoods can be found here, many in Old Banavie Road Chequered Skipper bu erflies flit around to Birch on the upper edges of the wood. profusion. The aptly named Splendid the open areas of the lower oakwood, along What did the original bridge look like? Judging from the abutments The Pines are mainly to be found on drier Feather‐moss, along with hair mosses and with Green Hairstreak and many species of it seems it wasn’t the same as Moy Bridge, and so far we haven’t hillocks covered in Ling and Blaeberry in and leafy liverworts cover the rocks and tree moth. The woods are par cularly noted unearthed any old pictures so it is hard to say. Thomas Telford amongst a damper woodland floor. There is trunks. The lungworts (Lobarion) lichens are though for their beetles, especially those brought some of his team with him to the Highlands from other Dawn Chorus Walk Chorus Walk Dawn even the odd Juniper above the main wood. par cularly obvious, their leafy forms that feed on deadwood, and these are a projects, including the ironmaster Mr Hazeldine (who had done all The remains of the original canal bridge are part of the Scheduled It represents a rela vely sizeable block present on most trees. These are indica ve noted feature in the SSSI cita on. the ironwork for the remarkable canal aqueduct at Pontcysyllte in Monument, rightly considered of great historic significance. The (around 40ha) of surviving woodland that is of good air quality, and several rare species In recent years FCS has fenced the Wales). Hazeldine was to make all the ironwork for the lock gates original approach routes to the bridge also deserve to be valued ancient in character, and as such has been are present such as the Norwegian adjacent area of moorland to the west, and bridges at the west end of the canal, so it is likely that the and protected, par cularly if Sco sh Canals are keen to capitalise designated a Site of Special Scien fic Specklebelly. The hair and beard lichens that linking the exis ng wood to a stately row of Banavie bridge was at least partly his work. Like all the other on canal interpreta on as a tourism asset. The stories of road, rail Interest (SSSI) by Sco sh Natural Heritage. hang from branches give the wood a shaggy riverine pines along the Allt Coire Dubh to original engineering structures on the canal, it would have been and canal at Banavie are intrinsically interlinked, and a ract many This is the only SSSI to be found in Kilmallie. appearance, par cularly in winter when the encourage the spread of the pinewood. elegant and beau ful in its func onal simplicity. visitors to the area, not just people wan ng a stroll or a view of the Highland ca le have been introduced to try But by the 1930s, this bridge must have been unable to meet Ben. On the west side of the original bridge, the approach has and suppress the growth of rank vegeta on the needs of modern traffic: it became redundant when a new already been partly obscured. It would be great if any new and allow the pines to flourish. Sadly, bridge was built at the foot of Neptune’s Staircase. This wasn’t the development at this spot could take advantage of the opportunity saplings are s ll being suppressed, but, bridge you see now, but a smaller simpler one, similar to the to undo past harm and to enhance and ‘present’ the line of the old conversely, growth in the clear‐fell area to present bridge at Gairlochy. We’ve no info on when the original road. Perhaps it could make a pleasant south facing garden area for the east has been good. To obtain a good bridge was demolished – can anyone help here? a tea room at the hotel? It even has a great view of the Ben! overall apprecia on of the woods the view In their Heritage Strategy, Sco sh Canals say the waterways from the forest track just before the gates at they look a er are “one of Scotland's most significant na onal Achnanellan is recommended. Access into collec ons”. If they and other businesses want to capitalise on the the site is via a track over a s le in the deer heritage asset of the canal, let’s encourage them to take that heritage asset seriously. Ironically too o en the real thing is fence almost immediately a er the wooden Wild Lochaber Festival – bridge over the Loy, which leads up to the destroyed to provide interpreta on centres, shops, and cafes. current house at Puiteachan. There is always Heritage aside, if the present bridge over the main road ever plenty to see in Coille Phuiteachain, and lots Gairlochy bridge, similar to the 1930s one at Banavie (photo Nigel Brown) needed to be closed for repairs or renewal, there is no more more to find, so if you do see anything convenient and appropriate loca on for a further temporary bridge interes ng please let us or FCS know. while work is in progress. Would we all rue the day if the old route the canal’s past adds has been built over? worth getting up for Waterwaysworth getting Trust’s Jon Mercer, Glenloy Wildlife Mandy Ketchin le : Coille Phuiteachain and Beinn Bhan value to its future - We get so accustomed to our modern day road layout that it is easy fairly large house which has also been called has also been known as Bungalow Hill. This page 4 to forget that it is rela vely recent. Travelling by car (at up to Gray`s House. is because, in 1893, an oriental‐style page 25 bridging the 60mph!) over the Blar nowadays, you are unlikely to spot the point history bungalow was built by a Mr Wilkes who had where the line of the present road diverges from the original. But if From a map of about 1750 is shown worked in the Far East. For years it you regularly walk or cycle from Banavie to the High School or ‘CORPACH CASTLE (never finished)’.The site was occupied by a McAlpine who built the past and future towards the town, you will know the much older road – Old Blar was approximately what is now the Canal Mallaig Line. This Oakwood is now snippets - Mhor Road ‐ that tails off into what is now a very narrow You might walk up and down the canal barely no cing the odd Basin. Who was building it? Camerons? community owned under the Kilmallie overgrown whin‐lined footpath – a shortcut today, but the main structures about a third of the way up Neptune’s Staircase. If Community Company thoroughfare un l the 1970s. you’ve stopped to look at them, perhaps you’ve been able to figure Where is the present Corpach? The first houses on the Drumfada estate out what they are all about? Or perhaps one of our friendly Corpach From the Oakwoods to the road sign on the were built in 1952 on a cro which was last informa ve lockkeepers has explained them? Or perhaps you’re Main Road. run by a McMaster whose cro buildings even old enough to remember them in use? They are the ?pintel Again we remember Hugh Muir in this, were situated between Annat View and bases and one of the abutments of the original bridge over the the first of his four articles about What other interes ng events / structures Clerk Drive. The rest of the houses on this canal. Corpach which he sent us before he do we have in this modern Corpach star ng estate were started building in 1964 for Pulp died last year. With thanks as ever from the West of the community? Mill employees. to Hugh’s family for permission to The old Kilmallie Manse (now Kilmalyn) publish it. One notable event was the coming of the was built in 1818. The previous glebe and Camerons (the De Cambrons) to the west manse were at Torcastle. In 1804 Lochiel What does the name mean? island in the 14th C, and who lived here had given this Corpach glebe ‐ 400 x 1350 The place of the corpses. This is because, at 1335 ‐1550. As we know the Camerons yards ‐ "sufficient for 6 cows and one
one me, Corpach became a recognised spread their ‘influence’ in our area a er horse". The house had two large wings and Old Blar Mhor Road as it is today stopping place for funeral par es taking the not many years. This island has had many outbuildings. The wings were demolished in bodies of eminent persons to such places as names including Plumb, Lochiel and Tree. 1960. One of the outbuildings is Walter Iona, etc. One reason for it being here was The island was inhabited un l 1670 . Cameron Way warden`s house. Across the that the bodies could be kept overnight on road and railway are three co ages ‐ one of an island where they would be safe from The Oakwoods could have had significance them was owned for a me by the Church wolves. It is also believed the islands were in the area. Long before roads and railway, and was called Glebe or Manse Co age. used, from Corpach, for local burials this hillock would have a place as a lookout Close to the Old Cemetery was a giant especially of epidemic vic ms . or defensive posi on, or maybe as a Ash tree of 58 feet diameter ‐ possibly the religious base because of its closeness to largest ash in Scotland at the me. In 1746 it Where was the early Corpach? Annat. The top of this place has been was burned down by government troops It was a shoreline se lement. It was round levelled and may even have been a because of Lochiel`s support of the 45. the bay called Breuncamus ‐ the s nking Nunnery! The official name for this small hill The line of the Old Blar Mhor Road now tails off into a narrow path bay ‐ which we s ll see today. Yes, the bay is Cnoc Nam Faobh ‐ the hill of the spoils. It Hugh Muir in front of Canal Parks! It appears to have stretched from roughly the burn at Farrow Drive to the River Lochy. The whole area
was known as Corpach Moss or today as the Blar Mor. There appears to have been an early ‘road’ along the shore with a ferry across to Inverlochy Castle. The road we
now use ‐ building only started in 1804 ‐ formerly crossed the river by a ferry just South of the bridge un l the first bridge was built here in 1849. This ferry was o en referred to as the Corpach Ferry. Also on Corpach Moss was Loch Aber ‐ said to have been roughly behind Lochyside School. This small loch gave its name to Lochaber. Soon a er Lochiel`s forfeited estate was returned in 1784, Lochiel XXII lived here for The Kilmallie glebe barn, now converted to residen al use, but s ll a lovely example of the uniquely a short me at Corpach House ‐ believed a characteris c Lochaber barns ‐ they were o en built into a hillside, known then as a ‘bank barn’). The Dulverton Trust purchased Achdalieu to run an outdoor centre 10 years Go Wild on the Canal, Banavie, 17 May 17 May Canal, Banavie, on the Go Wild ago Here’s an extract from KCC’s newsletter No 18, May 2004 newsletter. 50 years ago -
Postcard photo from some me between 1880s and 1901, when there were no bridges at the foot of the Staircase. The original bridge is tantalisingly not quite discernible, three locks up. The Lochiel Arms Hotel is on the le . Poles akimbo for opera ng the capstans that opened the locks in the days before hydraulics. Photo courtesy of Sco sh Canals.
page 26
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page 3 Coastal Communities Fund, round 3, now open for applications, www.biglotteryfund.org.uk may agree with the sugges ons KCC are pu ng forward, you page 2 may disagree. What is important is that you let us know what page 27 fromHello there and welcome the to another bumperChair issue of the your thoughts are, through the comple on and return of the flyer. Kilmallie Community News. You may remember that in the December newsle er we highlighted road safety issues in Please use the flyer too to let us know what you think about Kilmallie and you may be aware that since then two of the new Sco sh Canals’ proposals for Banavie (pages 13‐16). bollards to the east and west of the Co‐op have been badly Please complete and return it via the KCC sugges on boxes, or damaged; we have been advised that one was the result of a
scan it and email it to newsle [email protected] or direct to driver swerving to avoid a deer and the other was the result of one of KCC members, by the end of March if possible. Thank picture quiz no 2 an unexplainable driver error ‐ thankfully no‐one was on the you. crossings at the me. In this issue you will find our “slower, KCC’s logo gets everywhere! safer, smilier” campaign supplement and response flyer. You Maggie Mackenzie, Chairman [email protected] Can you guess where this image of Corpach lighthouse was spotted? musings on slower, safer, smilier and can you figure out who took
for Transport) for Transport) How do you want the physical environment in Kilmallie to that it has led Transport Scotland to lower the picture? look for you, your children or your children’s children? the speed limit on that sec on of road as Should it be a place where we can all drive around as a whole. We will now have a 40mph quickly as possible in our own cars, or a place where limit across the canal bridge, which we can not only walk safely, but enjoy the walk? should greatly improve road safety. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? KCC is pu ng forward a vision for improving Furthermore, the new
road safety along the most populated roundabout also serves as a major Black Black Oil” and the Stag sec on of the A830 through speed‐limit traffic calming measure in itself, changes and pedestrian crossings. slowing vehicles right down as they Answers to these puzzles are on the website The aim would be not just to approach and go round it. However, it www.kilmallie.org.uk (follow the link on the RHS of the homepage) reduce the risk of road accidents, demonstrates clearly how well‐thought‐ and will also be published in the next issue of the newsletter but to make the whole out road safety planning can deliver huge for people without access to the internet environment more friendly for benefits for very li le cost in terms of pedestrians and cyclists. The me and money, whilst inappropriate downside is the inconvenience to ones can have quite he y motorists of adding a few seconds to consequences. For although the “some straight, some cryptic, some easy, some not so easy” Across each car journey. roundabout does slow people down, 1 Go south in the arid region for a pudding (7) across the Blar in 2012 (say Dept Blar in 2012 across the These kind of changes need to have it is an inefficient means of traffic 1 2 3 4 5 6 4 Meg and May hold her (5) the support of the community. So we will all calming compared to lowering speed limits. 7 Sounds like a young one who digs (5) need to think about whether these are the kind of road Changing speed limits facilitates gradual transi ons 9 Painkiller confused in pairs (7)
safety improvements we wish to see in our community, and between speeds, which is compara vely fuel‐efficient. 10 Greek le er (7) years since “The Cheviot, the a day - then go about crea ng the poli cal pressure to make it However, at a roundabout traffic slows then accelerates 7 8 9 11 Abrasive board (5) happen. quite abruptly. So there is an economic cost to the 12 Wife or husband (6) But how safe are our roads for pedestrians, cyclists and roundabout in increased fuel use as traffic slows and then 14 Rela ve made of money that takes us in (6)
drivers? accelerates again. A typical car uses about 0.01 litres 18 This saint waits at the gate (5) 40 The approach o en used by regulators to iden fy accelera ng from 20 – 50mph over a short distance. For the 20 Goes with between (7) 10 11 22 Arbiter gets mixed up for Welsh food (7) dangerous parts of the road network and assess road safety average daily measured traffic flow of 9000 vehicles, the 23 Big striped cat (5) is to use accidents as a sign that a road is unsafe. This may increased cost of fuel to the community caused by the 24 Strong beer! (5) seem logical at first. However aside from the tragic roundabout is over £40,000 a year. 25 This watch is found at the dig. It always is (7) consequences, wai ng for accidents to happen as a way of If the cost of the unnecessary me delay is taken into 12 13 14 15 16 Down iden fying hazards makes no sense from a sta s cal account, the true cost to the community is many mes this perspec ve. figure. 17 1 These ladies are some mes in distress (7) Suppose there are two similar stretches of road, but one As an aside, this further highlights the injus ce of the 2 Nasal passage (5) has some hazard that makes an accident twice as likely. Blar site developer’s argument that they should not have to 18 19 20 21 3 Prac ces on the tracks (6) 4 Canada’s tree (5) Using standard sta s cal tests we would expect to have to pay the developer contribu on (designed to compensate the 5 Garbled dangers where the flowers grow (7)
wait for something like 36 accidents to happen to be able to community for the economic loss) un l the supermarket was 6 Grandma goat (5) buses/coaches buses/coaches conclude that one sec on of road was significantly more opened because that was what would cause the economic 8 Royce’s pal (5) dangerous than the other. So we clearly need to assess the damage. As, by the me the supermarket is opened the cost 22 23 13 Canadian province (7) risks and take ac on, rather than wait for accidents to to the community simply due to the roundabout will 15 There’s 8 in this (5) happen before making decisions. probably have already exceeded the agreed developer 16 Not ar ficial (7) 175 Transport Scotland recently announced that reduced contribu on. 17 Subsided 6) speed limits across the Blar have now been approved. Road However, in road safety terms it also reminds us that all 24 25 18 Mixed pairs found in France (5) safety data show clearly that slowing traffic down results in traffic‐calming measures need to be carefully planned and 19 Metal man? (5) 21 Bar of gold found in swinging O awa (5) fewer accidents, so this measure is a welcome contribu on considered, with full community involvement, so that we Thank you to Tony Whitelocke for another great crossword. to the reduc on of risk. can all ensure that we are helping to build the sort of The new Blar roundabout has cut a once long, straight environment that we want to live in. to Kilmallie. introduced sheep years since sec on in two, and 60mph is no longer a viable speed limit. Answers to last issue’s puzzle: So a rather unlikely benefit of the new Blar roundabout is Russell Leaper Across: 1 BISCUIT, 4 MOUNT, 7 GABLE, 9 FIGMENT, 10 ICE CUBE, 11 NORSE, 12 ESCAPE, 14 ANCHOR, 18 PAPER, 20 HONESTY, 22 TEAR GAS, 23 SHISH, 24 RENAL, 25 EIGHTHS hard to imagine hard to imagine Down: 1 BAGPIPE, 2 SABRE, 3 TUFFET, 4 MEGAN, 5 UNEARTH, 6 TITLE, 8 EQUIP, 13 CAPTAINS, 15 NINES, 16 RHYTHMS, 250 17 CHASTE, 18 PETER, 19 REGAL, 21 SWIFT
page 28 Issue No 45, March 2014 a huge thank you to our sponsors delivered free to every address in Kilmallie A huge thank you to the businesses below who have sponsored the newsle er this year. The cost of copying this newsle er has again been very generously donated by Lorna and Finlay Finlayson of Crannog Restaurant, Fort William. The paper for this issue has again been generously donated by BSW Timber, Kilmallie Our other newsle er costs have been met by dona ons from the other businesses below, from KCC’s limited funds, and in kind from all our volunteers. runner-up community newspaper of the year 2012
KCC reports – p2
community policing – p3
bridging past and future – p4
councillors’ corner - p6
Banavie Primary - p7
High Notes - p8
Playgroup – p9
Coastguard - p10
there for your comments and ideas by-election - p10 - Canal News – p11
Community Centre - p12
Locheilnet – p12
Banavie proposals - p13 -16
Annat after the war – p16
Corpach in Colour - p17
Banavie Floral - p17
Heather’s Walk - p17
focus on folk - p18
Corpach Woods - p19 BOYD BROTHERS CLYDEBoyd keep warm - p19 the first step! quarry liaison - p20 welcome news from Transport Scotland (HAULAGE) LTD Fort William Ltd play park regeneration - p20 The speed limit across the Blar is at art lochaber - p20 last to be reduced from 60mph. The present 30mph limit at Lochy Rugby Club - p21 Bridge is to be extended to beyond Shinty Club - p21 the new Blar roundabout, and from
update from Africa - p22 there to Badabrie the limit is to be reduced to 40mph. This is very Showstoppers - p23 welcome news for everyone who Viking Challenge - p23 has campaigned, along with KCC, for lower speeds in Kilmallie over a wild about kilmallie – p24 number of years. In February, KCC history snippets - p25 heard from Transport Scotland that Ministers propose to make a ten years ago - p25 would you like to become a sponsor too? Permanent Traffic Regula ons As well as reducing speeds, it will be Meanwhile KCC are not res ng on green fingers - p26 Order to this effect. The present a welcome improvement to the our laurels... in response to all the We rely on the contribu ons from our business community arrangements for ‘20mph when current confusion on the Blar ‐ at concerns raised by the community, for the cost of distribu ng this free newsle er to every address in our area. feedback - p26 lights flash’ at the High School and present you can apparently whizz we’ve suggested a dra overall plan We welcome sponsorship from all businesses located in Kilmallie, or with principal key personnel resident in Kilmallie. If you focus on business - p26 would you like to see your name or logo in print suppor ng your community newsle er, please join with our current sponsors. the Primary School will stay in through the new roundabout at for improved road safety and place. We don’t yet know when the 60mph travelling east, but must happier road users ‐ see enclosed All dona ons, big or small, are hugely appreciated. puzzles - p27 change will come into effect, but s ck to 30mph if travelling west! colour supplement. Please let us
Please contact us at [email protected] for details. remember the KCC suggestion boxes sponsors - p28 watch out for new signs going up Maybe you could me‐travel if you know what you think. It needs your hopefully in the near future. went round it the wrong way! support to help make it happen.