AN CARRANNACH The General Interest Magazine of Lochcarron, Shieldaig, Applecross, Kishorn and Torridon & Kinlochewe Districts

NO: 355 JULY 2017 £1.00

On Saturday 15th July from 11:30 am to 5:00pm the games will be held at Attadale again. Save the Date!

This will be the 39th year of the games and we are very proud of all the people who, over the years, have helped to make it happen. Some 60 people are required to volunteer on or around the day to set the field, erect the tents and stalls and manage the day, be that working on the gate, assisting in controlling the parking or running the actual events. Can you help?

The Lochcarron Highland Games is supported by other local events over that weekend, the shinty team with their Friday night dance, see separate advert, another dance on the Saturday night, for those still needing to spend some energy.

All money raised does return to the community and since 2014 we have awarded £13,500 to over 13 local organisations, some multiple times.

So this year we will run a regular bus service from Lochcarron to Attadale, so leave the car at home. Along with your admission to the Games we also include free entry to Attadale Gardens.

All the regular events return including the distinctive, one of a kind Hill Race, track and field events for all ages and increased prize money this year for juniors. Official Heavy events including Caber Tossing, Weight for Height and Throwing the Hammer will ensure a fun packed (Continued on page 2)

1 (Continued from page 1) AN CARRANNACH day for everyone.

We have arranged more rides for children and Published by An Carrannach Society, Lochcarron. by popular demand, Mrs Bubbles will be back to paint faces and make balloons into Chairperson: Joanna Macpherson amazing shapes. This ensures we have an Editorial Content: [email protected] event for all the family. There will be more stalls than ever full of different things to buy Treasurer: Tony Caminiti and you can enjoy all the beer and food tents 10 Kirkton Road have to offer. Lochcarron IV54 8UF 01520 722 148 As always we are grateful to our lead sponsor [email protected] The Scottish Salmon Company as well as

Mailing: Hilary “Post” Rooke sponsors Kishorn Port Ltd and Gilkes Energy for their support and all our advertisers both Distribution: Anthea Zell large and small. Raffle tickets are available now with a top prize of £200 and many other Area Representatives: prizes, so our thanks to all those who Applecross: Lenore Small 01520 744 337 donated. Kishorn: Carol Cocks 01520 733 213 Shieldaig: Lucy Kerr 01520 755 368 Torridon: Glyn Meredith 01445 791 270 Look out for the 2017 Games Programme available free in local shops and check our Features: website at www.lochcarrongames.org.uk for A Word from the Church/On Reflection additional information and any late changes. Gardening – Maureen Lyon – 01520 733 488 Entry remains as last year with Adult tickets email: [email protected] £7.00, Children and Seniors at £3.00. Pay at Nature Notes – Jean Stewart – 01520 722 238 the gate. email:[email protected]

Advertising: [email protected] Local Rate: Proposed Let of a Croft Entertainments, Sales, Services, Trade – Whole Page £24, Half page £14, Quarter page £7 Iain Macrae is applying to let the tenancy of the Single items for sale or wanted - £4 with advert or £5 if croft at 171 Lochcarron Village in the parish of invoiced Lochcarron to Ruairidh Macrae of Sgurr Fhuran, Out of Area Rate: Please email us for prices 171 Lochcarron, Croft Road, Lochcarron, IV54 8YA. Insertions: Births, marriages, deaths, acknowledgements. Congratulations, thanks notices – No charge Written comments from those with a relevant interest (which may be made public) to: Subscriptions: Crofting Commission, Leachkin Road, 11 issues post paid, U.K. £25.00 : Australia £66.00 Inverness IV3 8NW, Canada and USA £60.00 info@crofting.scotland.gov.uk by 28th July 2017. Contact [email protected]

Editorial Content CLOSING DATE FOR THE JULY 2017 ISSUE Material for publication must be emailed to [email protected] or a phone call to reserve MATERIAL MUST BE RECEIVED BY space on 01520 722148 NO LATER THAN 15TH JULY 2017 PLEASE E&OE. Material intended for publication must include your name and address. The An Carrannach Society does not accept responsibility for the content/accuracy of reports, For general information or enquiries email articles and advertisements received. The views [email protected] expressed by contributors are NOT necessarily those of the Society. Please note we can now accept copy in any format.. Cover photograph by Unknown

2 Scottish Episcopal Church Courthill Chapel, Kishorn Are you looking for occasional Sunday Worship? Services for July Sunday Service 10.30 a.m. The Scottish Episcopal Church July 2 Holy Communion (Part of the Anglican Communion) Marcus Given 10.30 a.m Pentecost 4 meets in July 9 Eucharist Kinlochewe (Church of Scotland Rev. Heather 10.30 a.m Pentecost 5 Widdows Building) on the first Sunday each month at 2.30pm July 16 Eucharist Rev. John Searl Celebrant and Preacher: Revd Pam 10.30 a.m Pentecost 6 Shinkins July 23 Eucharist Rev. John Searl Next service: Sunday 2nd July 2017 10.30 a.m Pentecost 7 Tel: (01445) 781346 July 30 Eucharist (Scottish Charity Number SCO20389) Rev. Francis Minay 10.30 a.m Pentecost 8 Everyone welcome (Spotted on a church notice board: August 6 Holy Communion Jan Overmeer “Faithbook: You have one new friend request 10.30 a.m Pentecost 9 from Jesus!)

For more information, ring:

Marcus Given Rita Sykes 01520 722 617 01520 722 995

Rev. Heather Widdows or Rev. John Searl CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 01445 712 176 01445 741 231 APPLECROSS, LOCHCARRON & TORRIDON Roman Catholic Mass Father William MacLean Charity No: SCO32334 Monthly on Thursdays Times and Places of Worship for June Contact 01478 613 227 2017 Urgent 07881 956 660

nd FREE CHURCH 2 July Lochcarron 10.30am Torridon Community Hall 1.00pm LOCHCARRON & 9th July Lochcarron 10.30am APPLECROSS Shieldaig 1.00pm You are welcome at our services Applecross 1.00pm Lochcarron Church Street IV54 8YP 16th July Lochcarron 10.30am Sunday 11am and 6 pm Kinlochewe 1.00pm (Crèche and Sunday 23rd July Lochcarron 10.30am school) Applecross 1.00pm Midweek Wednesdays Shieldaig 1.00pm 7.30pm 30th July Joint Parish Communion Applecross Camusterrach IV54 8LU Applecross 12.00 noon 3 pm every Sunday Other events as intimated. Minister Scottish Charity SC038169 Rev. Anita Stutter, Church of Scotland Rev M. Florit 01520 722 999 Manse, [email protected] Colonel’s Road, Lochcarron Tel. 01520 722783 www.freechurch.org

3 cultivate a mindset that can accommodate and interrogate (so to speak) apparently opposing viewpoints, given that the reality we perceive is ON always complex, and often apparently ambiguous. Some would have it that nothing that cannot be REFLECTION logically or scientifically proved should be allowed the status and name of “truth”. That may be the case as regards “facts”, but “truths” are different from “facts” and not amenable in the same way to demonstrations of proof. People (both religious When we first started holidaying up here, it was a and otherwise) can often be dogmatic about what while before I began to understand that this or they hold to be “the truth”, whether it be from a that landmark that we were looking at (usually religious or a secular point of view, but hills!) was the same one that appeared so very dogmatism necessarily implies (demands!) a differently from elsewhere. It seems obvious, single point of view. once you’ve cottoned on to the fact that roads The great French painter Paul Cezanne painted must necessarily take the line of least resistance one mountain, Mont St.Victoire, over and over in getting from A to B, and that in a mountainous again in his attempt to express, or convey “the district that route will often be extremely devious, truth” of the mountain, as he saw it, and near the but it’s less obvious when you are encountering end of his life, wrote as follows:- “ I am working things for the first time: the point being that, doggedly, for I see the promised land before me. depending on your point of view, any particular Shall I be like the great Hebrew leader” - (ie. feature in a landscape may wear a totally different Moses, who saw, but was not permitted to enter aspect. What looks like a shapely, pointed summit the promised land) - “or shall I be able to enter. I from from the South may look like an amorphous have made some progress. Why so late and with lump from the North! such difficulty? Is art really a priesthood that The same thing goes, I feel sure, for the inner demands the pure in heart who must belong to it landscape of our perceptions and beliefs. It goes entirely?”. without saying, of course, that as individuals we I am certain the pursuit of “truth” is. What do you all come at the world from a different perspective, think? though not usually so different that we cannot Francis A.R.Minay appreciate each others point of view. Unless this were the case there could never be that meeting of minds that makes society possible: we should all be odd-balls, living in isolation and defending our territory with suspicion and alarm at any approach! (Well, yes, we all know people who really are like this!) However, I mean something more than that. What my example from topography demonstrates is that this or that “truth” inevitably has a number of different aspects, dependant upon where a person stands in relation to it – and the more someone can factor in how differently a thing may look from a variety of viewpoints, the more confident he or she can be that what they perceive has some relation to “the whole truth”. Don’t get me wrong! I’m far from suggesting that there is no such thing as “the truth”, or that what we call “the truth” is purely subjective. Truth can never be just what anyone happens to choose to believe. But I do believe that it is important to

4 WEATHER RECORD - SLUMBAY MAY 2017

Max Temp Min Temp Rainfall in Date: in oC in oC inches 1 18.40 5.40 ----- 2 20.80 6.10 ----- 3 19.80 4.70 ----- 4 19.10 4.40 ----- 5 19.30 4.20 ----- 6 21.20 5.20 ----- 7 16.10 4.10 ----- 8 16.80 2.00 ----- 9 15.30 6.40 ----- 10 11.70 5.20 ----- 11 18.50 9.10 ----- 12 19.80 9.60 0.01 13 16.70 8.70 0.33 14 15.70 8.20 0.01 15 17.30 12.10 0.03 16 17.70 9.80 0.02 17 15.80 4.40 ----- 18 15.20 5.00 0.01 19 17.80 8.00 0.13 20 10.30 6.80 0.37 21 15.40 10.30 0.06 22 17.60 9.30 0.22 23 14.90 10.70 0.09 24 13.20 10.90 0.09 25 25.60 13.10 ----- 26 28.20 13.40 ----- 27 25.10 10.50 0.11 28 17.40 9.30 ----- 29 16.60 10.80 0.33 30 12.90 6.80 0.11 31 20.10 11.50 ----- TOTAL MAY 2017 1.92 RUNNING TOTAL 2017 26.37 TOTAL MAY 2016 4.71 RUNNING TOTAL 2016 29.52 5 NATURE NOTES the right time). May 16th – June 15th 2017 The Swallows that come back to the Bank House I have often said it and I make each year are busy feeding their four young – no apology for saying it again finding the empty egg shells on the ground under nature watching brings with it the nest (almost always in perfect halves) is a many wonders and privileges. happy moment, as you realise new life has Over these last weeks, the started. It seems to me that Swallow numbers natural world has provided so many beautiful and within the village are down again this year and heart-lifting things for us to revel in and such I’ve personally only seen one House Martin at the joyous times with the exhilarating dawn chorus west end of the village. However, I do know of at reaching its peak. least one house up on Croft Road that has, for the Every year I tell myself that the gorse bloom ‘is first time, got House Martins nesting on it, which better than last year’ and I really do think that this is great news (the house owners are delighted!). I was the case this year. Maybe one’s appreciation would be interested to hear from anyone who is just grows more. Then, the Broom comes out, fortunate enough to have these birds nesting on adding to all that magnificent colouring, with the their property. The Sand Martins near colour spreading onto verges as Bird’s-foot Strathcarron Station are busy – there seem to be Trefoil begins to bloom in large patches. Yellow roughly the same number flying around as last Flag are at their best and Bog Asphodel will soon year (10 or so) but sadly, the Achnashellach be making its delicate contribution to the yellow colony would seem to be deserted again this year. fest. The pink sweeps of Thrift on the shoreline It is very close to the road and I think there must opposite The Carron were stunning as usual, just have been too much disturbance for them at wonderfully delicate pink Ragged Robin flowers this site. are out, Early Purple Orchids are blooming, Human disturbance would seem to be the reason Cotton Grass is now dotting the landscape, the for the local Ospreys to relocate as well. one patch of Monkeyflower I discovered some Unfortunately and very annoyingly, the report is years ago is looking fantastic so many wild that people had been thoughtlessly and flowers to see. senselessly ignoring a sign that had been put up As you cross the level crossing at Balnacra, there to deter them from approaching the nesting site, is growing a very healthy looking but rather out of with the obvious result. th place tree. It is, I believe, a Chinese Dogwood On May 17 at around 10.30 a.m. working at the (cornus kousa var. chinensis) and is stunning to front of the house, I heard the call of Whimbrels look at. I don’t quite know how I’ve missed (VN Peedie Waup, Tang Waup, May Bird (Orkney noticing it before, with its abundance of delicate, & Shetland)) and, looking up, saw three flying white bracts and I wonder how it got there. Does down the loch. I can’t remember if I’ve written anyone know? about them before so I apologise for any As I write this, the garden is alive with the sound repetition. Its old Gaelic name, Eun-Bhealltuin, of newly fledged baby birds calling to be fed by translates as ‘Beltane bird’ and reflects its their parents. Mentioning some, not all, I have appearance in northern Scotland around the date seen young Spotted Flycatchers, Blue Tits, Great of the ancient Celtic festival (ref: Birds Britannica). Tits, Coal Tits, Song Thrushes, Pied Wagtails, They have a very distinctive six or seven note call Goldcrests, Blackbirds, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, of whistling notes. The call is similar to that of a Dunnocks and Siskins. Alas, the young Robins in Curlew but the fluty whistles accelerate into a the garden didn’t make it. ‘My’ Tawny Owls straight, even, stammering trill without the hatched and successfully reared three young this throbbing quality of a Curlew. year and the owlets left their nest towards the There are not many Eiders on the loch but the end of May (young birds will eventually move ones there are have young, and I was watching a away from their breeding area in the autumn). pair of Mergansers feeding three young on June th th, Sally Parker ‘phoned with news of a Common 7 . On June 12 near the recycling point, I was Sandpiper with young and sight and sound of a treated to the sound of a Sedge Warbler in full Barn Owl (I haven’t seen one of these for a couple song. If you can, listen to the recording of a Sedge of years now. Just not been in the right place at Warbler’s song on the RSPB website, from start to 6 finish. It reflects pretty much the treat I had. Just GARDENING wonderful. The Grey Wagtails that have nested down by the I was talking recently to someone who is burn at the bottom of our garden for quite a few particularly enthusiastic about herbs in cooking, years, turned up as usual but sadly, moved away both for the flavour they can add and for their to nest elsewhere. There have been regular health benefits. It took me back to my childhood appearances of Red Deer walking down the burn when mint was the only herb used by my mother. on their way to feed in people’s gardens and on She did not have any in her own garden but she the shinty pitch and I feel sure that it is they who had access at any time to our next door are upsetting the natural balance on the burn neighbour’s patch and I (which is, by the way, a Sight of Special Scientific would often be sent Interest – SSSI). Likewise, I believe it is down to through to get some. It increased disturbance by deer on the beach that was used in cooking new the usual nesting areas of Ringed Plovers, potatoes and for making Oystercatchers and Common Sandpipers have mint sauce to been disturbed. accompany a lamb joint Happily, having not seen any Hedgehogs in the on a Sunday. garden, I am now finding fresh droppings pretty much daily which means they must be around. Since then so many herbs, both fresh and dried, Good news. have become available for use both in European The midges are back (hooray) and it is with great cooking and in dishes from further afield. Many pleasure that I watch Pipistrelles feeding in the of us, perhaps, have parsley, thyme, sage, evenings, enjoying the thought that at least some rosemary, chives, oregano (or marjoram) and bay of the varmints are getting eaten by the bats. as well as mint. A couple of days ago we admired Butterflies have been few and far between. I have these plants growing along the wall of seen two Tortoiseshells, quite a few Green-veined Gille Brighde, the restaurant in Diabaig, where we White and a number of Small White. took some visitors for a delicious meal. No doubt We have a Hooded Crow’s nest in one of our pine those flavours are all used in the dishes they trees and one day, there was a loud commotion make. going on when an outsider crow attacked the From the point of view of the gardener herbs nest. The next day, I found a youngster dead on fall into two kinds, those that are natives of the the ground at the bottom of the tree. As I moved Mediterranean which need poor soil and plenty it, I must have disturbed, at the very least, twenty of sun to thrive, and those that need cooler, or so Sexton Beetles. These beetles (black with richer conditions. The first group includes thyme, orange stripes) are often referred to as burying rosemary and marjoram. If your garden is on one beetles. They lay their eggs in the soil close to the of the many raised beach areas here which are dead bodies of small mammals and birds, which fast-draining you can probably make them very they bury by excavating the soil from around and happy. If your garden is of the wetter kind it will beneath the corpse so that it slowly sinks into the be necessary to add lots of grit to the soil, to ground. Not particularly nice but all part of improve drainage, or maybe grow them in nature’s ‘tidying up’. containers where you can give them just the right I look forward to hearing news about any of your conditions. Thyme, in particular, easily rots in nature observations, It is always good to speak water-logged soil. with fellow nature lovers and maybe share some The herbs for cool, damp areas include mint, of your experiences through these retrospective tarragon, comfrey and borage. Mint is really best Nature Notes. Happy listening, looking and given a spot to itself or grown in a large container, watching. to avoid it taking over the space of other, less vigorous, herbs. The running shoots spread HATTY ARTHUR enthusiastically and although they are close to Bank House 01520 722551 the surface and so can be dug up quite easily, that [email protected] (Continued on page 8)

7 (Continued from page 7) come. We have not seen it process can seriously disturb other nearby plants. here before but after nine There are, of course, many varieties of mint and years of managing long probably as many views about the ‘best’ one. I grass as a wild flower believe the one I enjoy most is apple mint, also meadow this is our latest known as woolly mint because of its hairy leaves reward! and stems, though I recently came across a quite different one with an ‘Apple Mint’ label. I have never grown tarragon, though I love the flavour. There are two kinds, generally known as Russian and French, the Russian being easy to grow but not considered to have a good flavour, and the more desirable French sort which is a bit LOCHCARRON LIBRARY more challenging. We are pleased to have been NEWS able to buy a plant of the French variety recently at Garden Cottage Nursery. It needs moisture but We start the month of July, does not like to be water-logged in winter so we officially the summer, with the will grow it in a container which can be moved weather we have unfortunately into the polytunnel later in the year. It does not grown to expect, light, fine set seed so will need to be increased by cuttings; drizzle and cloudy skies with always a good insurance policy with a somewhat definitely NO sunshine. But we are a stoic lot, temperamental plant. beavering away as we do borrowing our We will probably always need to buy our exotic gardening and barbecuing books despite the herbs, if we want them, from the supermarket, midges and the deer eating anything they fancy! but not long ago I heard of one exotic plant, a At times like this when the rest of the U.K. is feijoa, growing in Lochcarron. It is a tropical and basking in Mediterranean temperatures, I often sub-tropical fruit from South America and other suggest some appropriate reading material such parts of the world but widely grown and loved in as ‘The Wind In my Face’ (Shelf mark 508) which New Zealand. The fruit has a powerful and boasts some magnificent photographs, ‘on the distinctive fragrance trail of a nature photographer’ it says proudly, although the flavour is said whilst sporting a picture of a deer on its front to be hard to describe, cover! including elements of guava, Thank you for those who have brought in their quince, strawberries, unwanted but very good condition books to pineapple and a hint of mint. become library books. You may soon see them adorning our shelves at the library as we have It is used for jam, chutney, in baking, been able to retain many of them for our own confectionery, smoothies and salads but is also Lochcarron stock. Please keep these contributions eaten straight from the skin, with a spoon, like a coming if possible, as it helps us considerably with kiwi fruit. Although originating further south in stock levels. There is also a slight change on the the world they do need some winter chilling in pricing of our withdrawn stock in that instead of order to fruit, but if the temperature gets below the previous suggested prices, for example £1 for about minus 11 it will kill the flower buds. That nonfiction, we are now happy to accept monetary should not often be a problem in Lochcarron so donations for these books and there is a donation the owner of the tree may well be lucky here. box on my desk. One last personal delight for this month is an Our withdrawn book stand, where our Public extraordinary new orchid which has just appeared Access pc’s are situated, and also where our in the meadow area of our garden. It seems to be photocopier stands, are often quite busy areas in a western marsh orchid, also called the broad the library. For instance our photocopier is used leaved orchid, and is currently a foot high with very regularly by the general public for a variety of seven inches of deep purple flower and more to different reasons, for example: enlarging quilting patterns, or medication leaflets, or areas from a 8 map. Photocopying of certificates even folder is split into 3 sections or ‘scenes’ called photographs in A4 size and A3, in both black and Writing on the Wall, Café Crime and Caught white and colour are also popular demands, and Red-Handed, and you will receive a different with 10p for a single A4 size B/W photocopy, I sticker/gift after reading 2 books for each scene! believe we are the cheapest in the village! For more details, just go to animal-agents.org.uk On the topic of children’s events, I’m afraid we Please note we still have our self-service unit in are having a big ‘think’ about the future of our the reception of the Howard Doris Centre. It is after school Chatterbooks Reading group. Sadly, mostly used for returns, but there is a small the numbers this year have fallen to such an selection of books available on the adjacent stand extent that is no longer feasible to continue for borrowing providing you have your card. The running the session. It is impossible to compete unit will also read ‘One Scot/Bus pass type cards. with shinty and badminton and on other days of It is also able to renew, so it is well worth a visit at the week there are clashes with other groups to any time in or outside our opening times which consider! Let’s face it; none of us can be in two are as follows: places at once but I would like to say sorry to our Tuesday 9.30am-12.30pm 6.00pm-8.00pm few, very committed supporters! However, I am Wednesday 2.00pm-4.30pm planning to perhaps run one maybe two sessions Friday 2.00pm-4.30pm if demand increases again, including our much Telephone: 01520 722679 loved Treasure Hunt! We are also hoping to Email : [email protected] dramatically increase our contact with the school in the next school year with planned activities in the library on a regular basis during school hours, so all is not lost! I am also hoping to schedule Storytime Sessions for Pre-schoolers all through the year, including holiday time! Having worked here for over 10 years and having a family of my own, I have seen time and time again how children benefit from being read to, and I’m afraid on this occasion I believe I am safe in saying that a screen CANNOT do this better. So, throughout the year on Tuesday mornings at 11.30am, I will be on hand to read a few selected stories during our morning library session. Please note this will be in addition to our usual Bookbug Sessions run during term time and will start on Tuesday 25th July! As said previously, the summer is now upon us and as we have done in previous years we are running the TescoBank Summer Reading Challenge! This year it’s ANIMAL AGENTS who will call upon you to read 6 books over the school holidays and report your findings in your special agent’s wallet/folder! For this you will be awarded bookmarks, room signs and other trinkets including, yes they are back again, those smelly stickers! There’s an assortment of agents to keep you motivated including Bernice the bear (the head of the Animal Agency) as well as Slip and Slide the snake twins and many others! And there are plenty of crafty crooks of the human variety (The Unusual Suspects) that have been up to no good in the library! Your secret wallet/

9 Project Torridon Rescue average around 24 call outs a year. Incidents vary from the relatively minor to protracted searches HELP US TO SAVE MORE LIVES and highly technical crag rescues, sometimes with The Torridon Mountain Rescue Team came in to assistance from neighbouring teams and, often, being in 1972 under the leadership of Charlie with helicopter support. Sadly, not all our rescues Rose. Since then we have had another five leaders: have a happy outcome. In 2015 alone, we had 6 Terry Doe, Seamus McNally, Neil Hinchliff, fatalities. Eoghain MacLean and, currently, Arjan Hendriks. We are one of 27 mountain rescue teams in We are funded by Scottish Government and Police Scotland but the only one without an independent Scotland but we depend on donations from the base – for the past forty years we have operated public for the majority of our income. St John out of a large cupboard in the Torridon Youth Scotland have generously committed to fund most Hostel. At last we are set to move to custom-built of the construction cost of the new rescue centre. premises where we will be able to store and St John Scotland are, in fact, the unsung heroes of manage our kit, host regular training sessions, and mountain rescue in Scotland. They have most importantly, manage call-outs – including looking after the friends and family of casualties.

Torridon MRT covers the area between Loch Maree to the north and Loch Carron to the south, and from Applecross in the West to Achnasheen in the East. In all, there are 16 Munros (mountains over 3000 feet) and 12 Corbett's (mountains over 2500 feet) within the search area. The new rescue centre will be ideally situated next to the Loch Torridon Community Centre, at the foot of Liathach, the team’s most frequent call out contributed nearly £4 million pounds to fund location. Building work is expected to start in the vehicles and bases for Scottish teams. We could next few weeks. not have contemplated this project without their support. But, in spite of the generosity of St John Scotland, we have an urgent funding challenge to raise at least £50,000 to complete and equip our new rescue centre. Further information about the Team and our plans can be obtained from our website, http://www.torridonmrt.org.uk/ or from our fundraising coordinator, Richard Cockburn on [email protected]. We can also be followed on Facebook and Twitter and you may enjoy our video at, https://youtu.be/NSIQGXvZNlc

As we embark on the building phase of Project Torridon Rescue, we would like to thank St John Scotland for their funding, the National Trust for Scotland for selling us the site, the Loch Torridon The iconic Torridon trio of hills, Liathach, Beinn Community Centre for granting us access across Alligin and Beinn Eighe (Britain’s first National their car park and the Scottish Youth Hostel Nature Reserve) are a major, all year round, Association for their generous hospitality over the attraction for climbers and hill walkers. They offer past forty years. some of Britain’s most challenging winter and summer climbing routes and, consequently, some To support our appeal, of the most technically difficult and dangerous Text TMRT33£5 to 70070 to donate £5 rescue situations. Or donate online at: https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/torridonmrt Torridon MRT currently has around 30 members, all unpaid volunteers. Team members are widely Thank you. scattered, from Lochcarron, Applecross and (Torridon MRT is a registered Scottish charity, Gairloch in the west to Inverness in the east. We number SC015356)

10 around the course. He offered really useful advice and a few interesting techniques. Afterwards we went back inside and there was a question and answer session and Luke told how he became an Olympic medalist. He explained how he tried to be better in small things-first to rig a boat, first to reach a mark, first to finish. Luke moved from optimists to lasers but when he was 16 was told if he wanted to progress he had to move to double handers as he was too small! Luke's parents were also very obliging and transported him around the country to Lochcarron Sailing Club News competitions. One year he tried out for the Olympics and got a place on the GB team, sailing The sailing season has started well. There have 470s. been great turnouts for Wednesday night free I really enjoyed the day at Chanonry and took sailing, and the club race program is well away a lot of advice and techniques. underway. The first week in July is the sailing club’s training Merryn Biss week, with RYA courses offered at all levels for adults and children aged 10 years and over. These SAMARITANS run either mornings, afternoons or evenings, and Whatever you’ve done. everyone is welcome to come and try out sailing, Whatever life’s done to you. or improve existing skills. There will also be a taster session for children going into P5 mid-way Call Samaritans. through the week. Please contact No pressure. [email protected] for more information. No judgement. We have had a busy spring program. The rowing We’re here for you any time. skiff Meaghdeann Carrainn and LCRA were welcomed to the club on the 27th May, and 0845 790 9090. rowing crews have been out on the loch regularly since. The topper tournament on the 3rd June ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING was a fun afternoon, with sailors of all ages sailing The Wester Ross Area Salmon topper dinghies in a series of races, and Dave Fishery Board’s Annual Public Murray taking first overall. On the 10th of June, the club held a Coffee Meeting will be held at 1500hrs morning, games and wetsuit sale and boat jumble on Thursday 3rd August 2017 at in conjunction with 1st Lochalsh Cubs. This was a Harbour Centre, Pier Road, successful morning, raising funds for both groups Gairloch, Ross-shire, IV21 2BQ Club members have also been away to other clubs for regattas, and away with the Ocean Youth At which the following matters Trust. In the spring, Luke Patience, an olympic will be discussed: sailor and medalist, came to Chanonry Sailing 1) THE ANNUAL REPORT Club, Fortrose, to run a coaching session for 2) STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS junior sailors. Merryn Biss attended this and you can read her report below: 3) LOCH MAREE FISHINGS 4) WILD FISHERIES REFORM On the 20th May I went to Chanonry sailing club (WHAT NEXT?) for a coaching session by Luke Patience, an Members of the public are Olympic silver medalist. Luke set up a windward welcome to attend the meeting mark and start line and we sailed a few races

11

Wester Ross Biosphere starts new participate in international meetings. Meeting project aimed at developing themes will develop as we start to understand the ecotourism needs of each area.” The Wester Ross Biosphere has teamed up with SHAPE Project officer, Laura Hamlet said: “Over groups in nine different countries to access a the next three years there will be a range of share of a €1.5 million funding pot for a three- opportunities to air views and work together. If year project. anyone is interested in finding out more, having The project is called ‘Sustainable Heritage Areas: their say or taking part in the project get in touch. Partnerships for Ecotourism’ or ‘SHAPE’. The idea The easiest way is through our website; behind SHAPE is that if done carefully, ecotourism www.westerrossbiosphere.com”. can increase visitors’ awareness of our way of life and its history, provide jobs and help us look after our landscape. The Biosphere will be working with other Northern countries to find out how they have already found solutions to the challenge of making tourism a sustainable industry. Then there will be many chances for local businesses and community groups to get involved and see how they can apply fresh ideas in Wester Ross. Wester Ross Biosphere officer, Natasha Hutchison said: “Our incredible landscapes, heritage and culture have long been celebrated by locals and visitors alike. The aim of the project is to work together to discover and develop new ecotourism initiatives that will bring direct benefit to the families and small businesses in Wester Ross. We Many thanks to those who attended the talk by are already a popular tourism destination but this Roddy John Macleod, Lord Minginish, on 9th project is also about identifying what we might June in the Hall. The talk was informative and want to protect from over-use and how we can stimulating. We also enjoyed tasty baking do that.” thereafter. Thanks to those who contributed Wester Ross Biosphere chair Audrey Sinclair said: their bakes. The total raised for Society Funds “As a UNESCO site, the Wester Ross Biosphere was £178. aims to be a neutral non-political banner, under Also many thanks to Roddy Maclean and which groups who might rarely collaborate can Lesley Kilbride who donated the collection work together to identify common goals for the from their walk and talk on 10th June to benefit of the area. The SHAPE project is a great Society Funds. £50 was raised. The Society depends on such generosity to run opportunity for WRB to help achieve this aim.”. the Heritage Centre and to fund our other Board member Iain Turnbull said: “we have just expenses. We also depend on our fantastic launched the project in Dumfries where we met small band of volunteers who work in the with project partners from Finland, Norway, Centre, and we greatly appreciate them, Greenland and Iceland. We discussed how we can especially as the holiday season gets make the best use of this funding and the underway. strengths that each partner brings. We can all Moran taing! learn from each other. There will be opportunities Fiona Mackenzie for people from Wester Ross to come with us to Toscaig Applecross

12 Family history

Hi I am doing family research and have found that some of my relatives were born in Lochcarron and was wondering if there was any family still in the area. The information that I have is as follows:

Margaret McKenzie b 1797 her parents were Thomas and Hellena, she married William Greig. Helen Greig b 1826 in Applecross she was living in Lochcarron in 1871 she married Donald Bain their son John Bain was born in Lochcarron on October 20th 1863. They emigrated to New Zealand in 1874. The family moved between Lochcarron and Applecross.

John Bain is my Great Grandfather. After moving to New Zealand the family settled in Burke's Pass where they were quite well respected for what they did in the community and have a lot written about them. I don’t have a lot of information regarding what they did before they came here, so if there is any family members still in the area or people that may have known family members I would appreciate anything.

Thanks from down under, Denise Bain email: [email protected]

Self employed person required to help with living with a disability. Flexible hours. Payment by invoice. I value a sense of humour and people showing initiative. Please telephone for more details.

Alison on 01520 722717 email: [email protected] Congratulations to Joshua Holder on attaining a first class distinction in his masters degree in Chemical and Process Engineering. Well done.

13 Contributors wanted: Radio Scotland THANK YOU “Our Story” Program The family of the late Janet Mackay My name is Rhona Brudenell and I'm a radio (Applecross) wish to thank features producer with BBC Radio Scotland based at everyone for their kind messages Beechgrove in Aberdeen. I'm currently working on a and cards of sympathy following social history series called "Our Story" which is presented by Mark Stephen (who also presents the Janet’s recent death and to those Saturday morning "Out of Doors" programme). Each who attended the funeral. We half hour programme has a particular theme. We've would also like to thank the district covered a huge variety of topics over the years from nurses, GPs and the Howard Doris the Klondykers in Ullapool.to the story of Brechin City Football Club.to Ravenscraig ! The key thing Centre for their kind care and about the programmes is they focus on people's attention over the past few months. stories and memories rather than taking an The funeral collection raised £500 academic or news style focus. which will be split between the We would be really keen to look at Kishorn for one of the programmes. I thought it would be quite Howard Doris Centre and the timely, given the recent announcements, to take a Applecross Historical Society. look back to the 1970s when the dockyard was first Thank you all for your generosity. developed through to its closure. And most importantly how this impacted on the local community. As well as being keen to speak to some of the people who worked at Kishorn back in the The Strome More grazing's 70s/80s, we would also particularly like to look at it committee is holding an AGM from a local angle and hear from the people who on 24/7/17 at 6pm in the Old lived in the area before the dockyard was developed and witnessed the changes first School, North Strome. hand! Maybe a teacher at the local school someone who ran the local hotel people who lived close to the dockyard. People who built housing to accom- AL ANON FOR FAMILIES AND modate the workers children who remember FRIENDS OF PROBLEM watching what was going on Whatever the DRINKERS. memories, we would really love to hear them! I am really keen to make contact with local CONTACT NO: 020 7403 0888 people who might be interested in taking part in the programme. All the recordings for the programme would be done in the local area around the end of TREE SURGERY July, and everything is prerecorded in advance. My direct telephone number is 01224 384881. I Tree Surgery carried out work part time Monday – Wednesday but do pick by an experienced and up emails each day when I'm out of the office. fully insured operator. Up I look forward to hearing from you. -to-date test certificates. Rhona Lop and top can now be chipped on site. Rhona Brudenell Content Producer Radio Features All aspects of garden Tel: 01224 384881 work carried out, grass cutting,hedge Mobile: 07803 926040 trimming, strimming etc. Email: [email protected] Also fencing undertaken. Address: BBC, Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen. AB15 5ZT Phone DAVID THOMSON on Lochcarron 722347 (evenings)

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THE STRATHCARRON PROJECT Mill Brae Lochcarron IV54 8YQ Tel: 01520-722541 A COMMUNITY CARE INITIATIVE

The Howard Doris Centre provides support, nursing, medical and day care for the people living in the Strathcarron Electoral area. We have a vacancy for a

CARE ASSISTANT (Shift pattern including night duty – 14 hours per week with the possibility of some relief hours) Previous experience in care and support work an advantage SVQ level two or three desirable but not essential Good Communication Skills, both written and verbal Driving Licence preferable We seek to employ enthusiastic and caring individuals who have a genuine desire to work with people. Full job description and application form for the above post can be obtained from Kerry Watson at the Howard Doris Centre. Applications to be returned before 10/07/2017.

15 £1165 at the end of the day. We’ll be putting it to good use.

Ross-shire Primary Football Competition: Lochcarron triumph. At the inaugural small schools 7-a-side tournament. As we fast approach the end of the school year, I After a fantastic and full-on day of football, our 9 would like to take the opportunity to reflect on pupils who made up the team returned with the the last couple of months as the joint Head winners’ shield. Well done Finlay Miller, Maxwell Teacher of Applecross and Lochcarron Primary Halifax, James Brown and James Brown, George Schools. Murphy, Arlo Beveridge, Owen MacKenzie, The value we place on all our young people’s Joshua Whittingham and Charlie MacLaren-Lee. education defines the culture of the communities Lochcarron impressively never lost a game all day which they are an essential part of. My early – having a final unbeaten record of 6 wins and 2 experiences of leading both schools is shaped by draws. the collective sense of support, care, and belief in The semi-final was a nail biting affair, going to a how we can do magical things when we all work penalty shoot-out against Bonar Bridge. Finlay together. Miller produced a wonder save to push away The children clearly see this here every day, and it their first penalty, and the game was put to bed is these experiences of having imaginative when Maxwell Halifax slotted the spot kick with learning opportunities which shape the positive the panache of Ronaldo. personalities they are already developing. In the final against combined team Marybank / I will go into the forthcoming summer holidays Strathconon, the squad pulled together for one with both a sense of positivity about what already last effort and took on an early 3-nil lead. Holding exists in your communities, as well as great on a little when the opposition pulled a goal back, anticipation of what we are going to achieve in victory was ensured when our defenders repelled the next chapter of both schools’ history. all that was thrown at them. I look forward to you all being part of this We will obviously be back next year to defend our fantastic journey. title – so many thanks to all the players and the Remember, if you want to contact me at any time please ring me at either school on (01520) 722445/744325. Have a great summer. Robert Gill, Applecross and Lochcarron Primary Schools Head Teacher.

Coffee Morning: On the same subject, can we say a huge thank you to everyone who helped in any way towards the school coffee morning at Lochcarron. We were overwhelmed by the help and support we received. Thank you to the local businesses and individuals who donated money or contributed coaches Mr Urquhart and Mr Gill for such a some fantastic prizes for the raffle; to parents professional performance who helped and gave us so many great items to Strathpeffer 6s Shinty Tournament sell; to those parents who made a fantastic array Every year we attend the Strathpeffer 6s. This of baking; to the children who helped and year we entered 1 team in each age group. All the performed; and to everyone else who came along children performed well in hard fought matches. or helped and contributed in any way. We really We were treated to a day of weather for all appreciate all your help. It’s hard to single out seasons with sunshine, thunder, lightening, heavy anyone for special thanks as there were so many downpours! After a long day of shinty our P1-3s very kind people giving amazing prizes. We raised (Continued on page 17)

16 (Continued from page 16) Lochcarron Camanachd th returned home with runners up medals. Very well On Saturday 20 May, we played done guys. Well done to all of the teams who at home against Glengarry. Lochcarron made a strong start took part. Pictured below with their runners up to the game and had the visitors medals are Owen Mackenzie, Poppy Mackenzie, on the back foot immediately. Orla-Rose MacPherson Raffell, Jack Stewart & Plenty of opportunities were Charlie McLaren Lee. made, but these were not getting capitalised on. Glengarry, finding their rhythm, began to get into the game. The scoring was then opened by the away team on the half hour mark. The home side, from the throw up, put pressure on the Glengarry goal and found themselves equalising shortly after with a good strike from Liam Arnott. With it looking like the score would be equal at the half time whistle, Glengarry managed to create one more chance that would see them going 2-1 up at the break. Glengarry came back out and were relentless, immediately increasing their lead minutes into the second half. Ten minutes later, a further Glengarry goal took the score to 4-1 through former Lochcarron player Nick Dalgety. He then went on to score twice more, increasing the score to Lochcarron 1, Glengarry 6. With the game coming to a close, the visitors slotted in a further goal, just before the full-time whistle. Final score: Lochcarron 1, Glengarry 7.

The following weekend, 27th May, The Battery Park hosted Kilmallie 2nds. Looking to get over last week’s On Thursday 15th June, we travelled to Dingwall heavy defeat, the home side had a point to make and took the game to Kilmallie from the outset. Lochcarron to take part in the County Sports. We were treat- were playing a good passing style of shinty and had the ed to a lovely bright sunny afternoon along with opposition stuck in their own half for much of the fantastic performances from the children, opening period. Creating plenty of chances, the home throughout the afternoon, in their various events. side eventually found the net through Crisdean At the end of a very enjoyable afternoon Finlayson. Not resting on going a goal up, Peter Lochcarron returned to Lochcarron with the Mackenzie scored another after some good play by the Shield – a brilliant performance from you all. forwards. Ten minutes later, Finlayson found himself on Thanks to Mrs Stark for all her hard work in the score sheet again with a well taken strike from 15 yards. Liam Arnott, who played well throughout the putting together the teams for the day. game, was getting himself forward from midfield at every opportunity, creating chances for the forwards and assisting Crisdean Finlayson grabbing his hat-trick just before half time. Lochcarron came out after half time continuing to press on and looked to increase their lead. The young Kilmallie 2nd side, defended well and started to make opportunities of their own. With plenty of goal scoring chances in an open second half, neither team were able to find the net. Full time score: Lochcarron 4, Kilmallie 2nds 0.

Dates for your diary: 8th July – Inverness (A) 14th July – Summer Shinty Games Dance, Lochcarron Village Hall 22nd July – Boleskine (H) th Lochcarron Primary School – County Sports 29 July – Lewis (A) Winners 2017

17 HELLO FROM THURSO TORRIDON RIB CHARTER CREATES WAVES We want to say a big thank you to the people of IN SHIELDAIG Lochcarron, and the surrounding area, for all their friendship and support over the thirteen years A new business has opened on Loch Shieldaig, that we stayed there. It was a real privilege to live called Torridon RIB Charter. The company will be in such a lovely place and we always felt very offering skippered charters on a rigid inflatable much at home there. It has been a great wrench boat, operating from Shieldaig Community to leave such wonderful friends and neighbours. Pontoon. This is an exciting new venture for Iona We had rather mixed feelings when we sold our & Gordon Drysdale, who in recent years have house Allt-A-Chuirn after 3 years of waiting and moved to Applecross peninsula, close to Iona’s made the move to Caithness. However, we are roots. A tour with Torridon RIB Charter is ideal sure that the new owners will be a real asset to for tourists who want to see Loch Torridon, with the village and hope that they are happy there the thrill of a bit of speed on a boat that can visit and will find the same welcome and friendship from the community that we enjoyed. Thurso has grown on us and we are getting used to the bigger skies and to living in a small town. It is a novelty to be able to have Indian, Chinese and Turkish takeaways all within a short walk from our new home. We can even walk to the cinema anytime we want although it is usually less busy than the Screen Machine in Lochcarron. It is also nice to have easy access to banks and cash machines anytime we need them! We still miss you all and were delighted the other day to bump into Jean and Angus Davidson in town and get an update on Lochcarron. Thanks again to the community of Lochcarron, the loch’s nooks and crannies. especially our friends and close acquaintances. Gordon comments, “We offer wildlife tours on We also send thanks for all the gifts we were Loch Shieldaig to look for the sea eagles, but also given, the plants are all settling in our new more project specific charters. For example, we garden, the chocolates have all been consumed can access shallow water to drop walkers off at and the fire crew’s lovely glassware is in pride of the start of coastal walks, collecting them later in place in our kitchen. The cakes that Geoff and the day. We can take diners to Diabaig to enjoy Kate gave us on our final morning in Lochcarron Gille Brighde restaurant, or take people to the sustained us for the first couple of days in Thurso pier at Torridon village.” while we were settling in and we have now found Torridon RIB Charter’s arrival is a testament to a nice café for our morning coffee but it isn’t a the small band of volunteers who championed friendly as the Waterside! installation of the pontoon in Shieldaig. Four Jan & Phil Picking businesses now operate from it and contribute to its upkeep – Torridon Sea Tours, Torridon Yacht BOOKS WANTED !! Charter, Torridon RIB Charter and Shieldaig By Lochcarron Drama Club Adventures. The facility was installed in 2013,

following funding from The Crown Estate, All donations of paperbacks and LEADER, HIE, Highland Council and a local donor. hardback books gratefully received. Gordon comments again, “We’re really lucky to Modern crime and detective novels have the pontoon as a community resource. The especially popular. beautiful William Fife-designed superyacht,

Kentra, came in last week, and I know they come Contact Pam Bright to Shieldaig partly for the pontoon. Maybe they’ll Lochcarron 01520 722396 come on a RIB charter on their next visit!”

18 If you are serious about tourism, you should be serious about facebook! And...... Digital Tourism: Following a survey last season, we now have over 40 local businesses that have asked about the possibility of IT training on a variety of subjects. Each of them will have a personalised plan created to address identified issues / problems etc. This plan will then be delivered by a third party via a variety of methods. Email us on Some general news...... [email protected] more information. Well, we now have Red Squirrels in several parts of Wester Visitor Centres and attractions: Ross! Apart from the “original” grouping in Dundonnell, Award winning NTS Inverewe is celebrating a near - there's now Red Squirrels been seen towards Ullapool, doubling (yes, doubling) of its visitor numbers in a spectac- Inverewe, just outside Gairloch, Torridon, and Shieldaig! ular start to its 2017 season. Its wide-ranging events And just the other day, came the news that Jays appear to programme started with a ‘first of its kind’ Erythronium have taken up residence in the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve! Festival, headlining experts from the field of horticulture That is a first for Wester Ross, as these birds are not found and art. And the top line figures did not disappoint - visitor anywhere else in a wide area (that we know about!) spend in retail increased by over 200% and catering has We also now have a Snorkel Trail! The North West almost doubled on last year. Highlands Snorkel Trail has been set up with assistance The story has been repeated at both Attadale Gardens & from the Scottish Wildlife Trust, and includes a series of the Beinn Eighe Visitor centre, where both April and May nine fantastic snorkeling sites along Scotland’s north west are well ahead of previous years. Tell visitors about all the coast. The sea along this coastline is bursting with marine brilliant attractions we have here in Wester Ross – it's not life; from small sea squirts, sponges and anemones right up to dolphins, whales and harmless basking sharks. Tell your guests about this! Roomhub...... What's that?“Roomhub” is aimed at assisting visitors and accommodation providers to fill locally available accommodation throughout Wester Ross. So...... The idea is that if you are a visitor, and are struggling to find accommodation in the area, then you post the dates you are looking for and our accommodation providers may be able to help. Equally, if you are an accommodation

all about mountains and lochs! North Coast 500: A full economic impact report is nearly complete on how the NC500's has affected the region in its first full season. The results should prove to be interesting reading for the industry and the communities – we'll bring you details of this as soon as its ready! Finally: We are once again looking at working with the local High School in Gairloch, and in partnership with the NC500. This provider - YOU post details of any cancellations or immedi- work is aimed at addressing the matter of “transferable ate availability onto the page. Note that this is about ad- skills” such as communication, quality of work, and dressing short term accommodation problems – it's not encouraging and developing entrepreneurship in the pu- about saying there's a space in three months time! That's pils. Probably with S3 onwards, this work has already what websites and booking services are for! started, and is aimed at getting into gear for the next term This is very much a trial to see how this works in practice – onwards. More news as this develops. and in actual fact, there's now a few FB pages that seek to . do the same – most for specific areas, one covering the Who are we? Why...... we are: www.visitwester-ross.com whole Highland area. But we'll stay focused on Wester Ross. www.facebook.com/Wester.Ross This is a totally free facility, but you do need to use Facebook to take advantage of this. However, if you do not use FB, we really have to ask “Why?” - it has developed into Should you want to contact, comment, feedback or even join us a terrific marketing and promotional tool for a vast range of Speak to : Douglas Gibson, Secretary, 01445 712085 or businesses. email : [email protected]

19 Skiff News very keen to welcome rowers either just for fun or to compete at regattas. Our first competition is likely to be the Sheildaig regatta on 12th August and we need to start training. Rowing the skiff is not hard and it’s great fun as well as healthy exercise, so please get in touch and the more the merrier - we look forward to seeing you on the water... Contact either Nick Reiter on 07879 177280 or Steven Proudfoot on 07584 229405 ([email protected]) and watch the Facebook page for further information (LochCarron Coastal Rowing Association) About the skiff The St Ayles skiff was designed by Iain Oughtread now resident on Skye. Iain is From L-R. John Murphy, Angus Mackenzie, Doug well known for designing beautiful boats that just Angus, Rob Teago, Steven Proudfoot, Sue Robb, Joe Burton. look right on the water and the St Ayles Skiff is no exception. The design was originally commissioned by the Scottish Fisheries Museum Over 100 people turned out to watch the launch in Anstruther in 2010 as a community boat that of Lochcarron’s rowing skiff, Meaghdeann could be built and rowed by amateurs. Iain must Carrainn (Maid of Lochcarron) in the early have got it right as, since that time, almost 200 evening of Saturday 27th May. The forecast boats have been built and interest has spread thunderstorms thankfully stayed away and the worldwide with teams now competing in regattas conditions were perfect with light winds and only in Canada, Australia, Holland and many other a little rain. The ceremony started with the crew countries. Regattas in Scotland regularly attract walking the skiff from the village hall led by more than a dozen boats and with juniors, talented pipers Beatrice Westerduin and Eilidh women’s, men’s and veteran’s teams all MacInnes. Some stirring tunes and wonderful competing - enough to make it a busy day and playing drew locals and visitors alike to watch this plenty for the crowds that follow the skiffs to fine vessel en-route to Lochcarron pier and the enjoy. atmosphere was truly festive. A welcoming speech from Lochcarron Coastal Rowing Association Chair, Steven Proudfoot was followed by a blessing from newly arrived Church of Scotland minister Anita Stutter. Ewen Macpherson then poured a Quaich of champagne over the bows and with his best wishes the skiff proceeded cautiously to the water where, to the relief of the build team, she floated elegantly alongside the pier. After some 2000 hours of work over six months the team were delighted to jump aboard and, under the eagle eye of cox Doug Angus, tossed oars to salute the crowd and set off for the sailing club escorted by Ian Mitchell and George Hendry in the Sailing Club rescue boat and Commodore Angela Goodman in a Laser Dinghy. Progress was swift (she’s a fast boat) and the crew were fortified by chocolate eclairs provided by the cox, laced with rum, so he said... The sailing club has generously provided space for the skiff and an affiliation agreement with the Rowing Association is being agreed. We’re now

20 21 area. Recently the Highland Council’s policy of employing a piping tutor for the local schools has also kept the piping tradition of the area strong. First, Iain MacFadyen came here as the schools’ piping tutor in the 1970’s. he was a famous solo competitor and now judge. Niall Stewart followed on as the current schools’ piping tutor and also the band’s Pipe Major. It was his idea to form the band. Niall started piping aged ten in Easter Ross and found he had a talent for piping which took him through all the competition levels in solo piping Lochalsh Junior Pipe Band 2017 up to the most prestigious, the Premier Grade. The success that the Lochalsh Junior Pipe Band has Niall’s idea to form the band came from noticing that achieved so far in 2017 has been remarkable. The if his students had nothing to prepare for they didn’t Band came first in the Novice Juvenile B Section of the improve and would tend to drift. In the early days Niall British Pipe Band Championship in Paisley and the was getting regular requests to put together a group Schools Pipe Band Championship in Edinburgh. Both of pipers for a local event like a gala day. It was hard impressive feats for a band with quite a few members finding tunes everyone knew for those events. He also still in primary school. The British Pipe Band realised that while very few pipers wanted to compete Championship in Paisley in May is one of the main individually, which can be a nerve wracking competitions for Pipe Bands. Around 120 bands experience, Pipe band is more enjoyable and compete; the standard at Paisley is always high, with encourages players to focus. the best bands at every level competing and it is inspiring to see the famous Grade 1 (highest level) As well as Niall, the Highland council now employs bands performing. Drew Caldwell as schools’ drumming tutor. Drew, the band’s Drum Major, is himself a highly accomplished Lochalsh Junior Pipe Band is formed from the pipers drummer with plenty of competition experience taught by Niall Stewart at Plockton High School and drumming in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Band from drummers at Plockton High and at Auchtertyre and the Highlanders Band. It is Drew and Niall’s Primary School. The High School is small with around competition experience that has enabled the band to 280 students and when compared with other bands move from a competent local band to competition formed from a catchment of several High Schools with standard. To say Niall and Drew coach the Lochalsh over 1000 students in each, the extent of the band’s Junior band with military precision is about right. The achievement is clear. To form a band of 20-30 pipers band has to be completely accurate, for example: and drummers from so few and still be able to play at when marching the pipers have to play the first note competition standard is remarkable. exactly as their left foot hits the ground. Nevertheless, Niall and Drew still manage to make two hours of solid Piping is highly regarded in Wester Ross and the band piping and drumming practice fun; they know how to has impressive community support. Traditionally this inspire and encourage. is a strong piping area with famous piping dynasties originating locally. If you look back to the sixteen and The Band piped on the shinty teams at the MacTavish seventeen hundreds the MacCrimmons in Borreraig, Cup in June and are looking forward to piping at the Skye ran a famous piping school and formed a 2017 Camanachd Cup Final. The Band will also be teaching method that became legendary. The playing at the Lochcarron Highland Games. Two more MacCrimmons were pipers to Clan Macleod of big competitions are coming up this summer: the Dunvegan Castle and are credited for many of the European Pipe Band Championships at Forres and the classical pìobaireachd that are played today. World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green so The South West Ross Piping Society has held an annual the serious practice continues. competition for 50 years to encourage piping in the

22 23 Newcomers and visitors to the area may not know much - if anything - about the Howard Doris Centre. So here is a very brief introduction to what we know to be a hugely valuable local resource in so many ways. Situated in the heart of Lochcarron, the Centre provides a wide-ranging care for those living in the Strathcarron electoral area. This comprises Strathcarron, Lochcarron, Kishorn, the Applecross peninsula, Shieldaig, Annat, Fasaig Torridon, Alligin, Diabaig, Kinlochewe, Achnasheen and – and all smaller villages within this general area. Services for adults include supported accommodation, medical, nursing, social facilities and day care. With its friendly and flexible environment, the Centre allows people with varying needs to stay and to be cared for in their own community, enjoying their own culture and chosen activities. There is also a warden service, beautiful linen and lace project over the past to the tenants of the nearby sheltered housing. seven months. It is over eight square feet in size, Whatever the reasons for coming to Howard heirloom quality, and could be used as a bedcover Doris Centre, staff will respect privacy, promote or large tablecloth. One of 14 panels of Ina’s independence and dignity, and strive to meet the project, beautifully embroidered in greens, needs of individuals. purples and gold is shown below. To see it, visit There is always something interesting going on, the foyer of the Centre, where you can ‘buy a and there are large numbers of hobby clubs, square’ for £2 to win it! All proceeds will go to the activities and talks to suit the interests of amenities fund of the Centre. everyone. Last month’s highlights included a Garden Sale, Boccia Bowling, Outings, Tai Chi, Yoga, Massage, Gardening, Manicures, Reiki, Exercise, Skittles, Healthy Living Programmes, Embroidery, Tapestry, Knitting & Knattering, Bridge, Quilting and Patchwork, Praise and Worship, Film Club, Singing, Gardening, Quizzes, Poetry, Points of View, Guided Imagery, Bridging the Years, Art & Creativity and a Diabetes Awareness programme. Here are just a few reminders of recent activities…Ina Mackenzie has embroidered a

24 Marjorie Michael and Enid Simpson, complete Aline Forrester, busy at the Art and Creativity with tiaras, enjoying the Royal Banquet at the class. Centre, celebrating the Queen’s 91st birthday. Gillian Green completing some silk painting

Nick Wheelan and Barbara Welding show their skills in clay sculpture. Monday 3 July Poetry Group, Small Lounge, 11.30am Tuesday 4 July Singing for Fun, Small Lounge, 11.30am Boccia Bowling, Lounge, 1.30pm Wednesday 5 July Toasting Wimbledon, Lounge, 1.45pm Thursday 6 July Discover Your Creativity, Lounge, 11.00am Shopping in Kyle, departing HDC directly after lunch Friday 7 July Clients of the Howard Doris Centre meet with Exercise Class, Dining Room, 11.45am local children for a Bridge the Years session Monday 10 July Reiki, Small Lounge, 10.45am Tai Chi, Dining Room, 11.30am Tuesday 11 July Fit as a Fiddle, Small Lounge, 11.30am Photography Workshop, Lounge, 1.30pm Wednesday 12 July Skittles, Lounge, 1.45pm Thursday 13 July Tarneybackle in Concert, Lounge, 1.45pm Friday 14 July Craft with Jane, Lounge, 1.45pm Monday 17 July Gardening Day, 10.30am – 3.00pm Wilma Holmes strikes a regal pose at the Tuesday 18 July Royal Banquet. Singing for Fun, Small Lounge, 11.30am

25 Pampered Palms, Lounge, 1.45pm Wednesday 19 July Nanny's Cafe in Shieldaig Points of View, Small Lounge, 11.30am Thursday 20 July will be closed from Discover Your Creativity, Lounge, 11.00am Saturday 1st July and will Friday 21 July Exercise Class, Dining Room, 11.45am reopen for business as Boccia Bowling, Lounge, 1.30pm Tuesday 25 July usual on Friday 14th July. Outing, Caledonian Canal Cruise, All Day Wednesday 26 July Three Degrees Meeting, Conservatory, 11.00am North Coast 50, leaving am However, do not despair, Skittles, Lounge, 1.45pm lots of exciting things will Thursday 27 July Guided Imagery, Small Lounge, 11.15am be popping up in General Health Wellbeing, Dining/Treatment Room 1.30pm Massage (Treatment Room) Shieldaig while Nanny's is - 2.00pm Yoga (Dining Room) Friday 28 July closed. National Friendship Day, 12.30pm

Other regular weekly events: Little Swallow Foods Cafe

Sunday will be popping up in Praise and worship, Main Lounge, 4.00pm Monday & Friday Shieldaig Village Hall from Bridge Group, Conservatory, 1.30pm rd th Monday Monday 3 to Saturday 8 Cross Stitch & Tapestry, Lounge, 2.00pm Tuesday July, (except Thursday Knit and Knatter, Small Lounge, 2.00pm when they will be at Wednesday Quilting & Patchwork Group, Dining Room, Torridon Craft Fair). 2.00pm

Please contact us on 01520 722012 / 541 - or email: [email protected] regarding Day Mia's Asian Fusion Centre queries or any of the events. You can pop into the Lounge for a chat if you prefer. Restaurant will be popping up every evening at Our website gives further information: www.HowardDorisCentre.org.uk Nanny's from 1st July to 13th July. Christian Aid Week

Thank you to everyone in the See Nanny's website or FB area for supporting Christian page for more information Aid week so generously. and booking details. We raised a staggering £889.88. www.nannysshieldaig. Many thanks com Claire (Munday)

26

SUMMER EXHIBITION Wild For Colour Information at www.lochtorridoncentre.co.uk

In this issue

Gallery Newsletter Interview with Rosanne Wiseman JULY 2017 Spotlight on Derek Young

Interview with Rosanne Wiseman Artist

I was born in Fife in 1951 where I lived until the age of seven. I attended several different schools as my parents travelled a lot and my final education was at Hyndland Secondary School in Glasgow from where I was accepted for Glasgow School of Art but dropped out in second year. I came to live in Mellon Charles, Aultbea in 1969 when my parents decided to retire there. Getting married two years later and spending the next twenty years bringing up my family, as well as helping with the family business, left little time for creativity but thoughts of painting and art in general were never far from my mind. As far back as I can remember I was always drawing, colouring or painting something. I even spent lunch breaks in the art room at secondary school when everyone else was out and about messing around in the playground. I gradually got back into painting when a lady in the village started a weekly art class, then in 1994 I enrolled on a distance learning introductory course in art and design with the Open College of the Arts. This really got me going again as well as attending workshops at art. tm (Inverness Print Studio), Bridge House Art and An Talla Solais both in Ullapool. In 2010 I decided to enroll once again with the Open College of the Arts, this time to complete the studies I started away back in the 60s and I’m now in the final year of a BA (Hons) painting degree.

Initially I painted still life and landscapes in oils but this course has opened up endless possibilities and I tend to use acrylic and mixed media now. My style of painting has also changed from being representational to a more abstract and expressionist approach Fissure1

For me there is no shortage of subject matter in this part of the world be it the landscape, the weather or the effects of the fabulous light. The west coast offers dramatic changes of scenery throughout the seasons, sometimes in a single day. Living close to the shores of loch Ewe I am fascinated by the sparkling sea and marvel at the intense blue reflected from the sky. I love to watch the sun’s rays enhance the colours of a rusty tin roof and light up the whitewashed croft house walls as it starts its daily journey across the sky ending with rosy hues reflecting on the rocks and mountains as it disappears. Watching a drama unfold as snow or rain showers make their way up the loch or across the horizon followed by rays of sunshine as the land reappears in their wake is yet another act in nature’s play. This is a place of harsh contrasts, lush greens of summer, hard winter landscapes of yellow ochres and burnt sienna. Mediterranean blue skies, watery grey skies or heavy slate grey thundery skies all appeal to me. The shoreline is also a special place of discovery and inspiration. I feel privileged to be a part of it all. ROCKPOOL 3

27 As I approach completion of the Open college of the Arts course I am busy creating a body of work for my final degree show in October. Taking inspiration from the shore, I have been exploring aspects of rock pools, water surface and rock formations using mixed media to reflect my love of colour, texture and Abstract Expressionism. Studying the works of Expressionists Richard Diebenkorn and Willem de Kooning as well as the textural work of Arte Povera artists Alberto Burri and John Blackburn has been a great inspiration to me. I have been using acrylic to describe the enhanced colour of submerged pebbles and weeds in the rock pools as well as investigating the surface and reflection on the water through layered collage and paint. From here I have looked at the fissures in the rock face itself which I am describing through mixed media to create a more textural finish. I find I am becoming more abstract as I progress. As a member of An Talla Solais, Ullapool Visual Arts, I regularly exhibit in the members’ shows. I also have work in Loch Torridon Centre, The Perfume Studio, Aultbea and have taken part in Inchmore Gallery’s CD collection Exhibitions as well as holding Open Studios and exhibiting at Gairloch Heritage Museum. More work can be seen at: https://facebook.com/RWisemanartwork/ https://rwisemanart.wordpress.com

Spotlight on Derek Young Artist

Since my early teenage years I have been strongly attracted to the outdoor environment. Looking back, this was probably a reaction to the rather drab life that I lead as an engineering apprentice in a large factory on Tyneside that produced marine steam turbines. Cycling was my first way of escaping the dirt and noise of my day-to-day life, and each weekend I would be away into the Northumbrian countryside.

Although Northumberland is not without hills and has an attractive coastline, it was not until I discovered the higher and wilder hills of the Lake District that mountains became a central part of my life. My interest in cycling changed into a passion for being in the mountains and climbing on crags. It was because of this that my career as an engineering officer in the Merchant Navy was so short-lived. Three decades later and after quite a few career changes, I managed to find work and live in Scotland. Sketch books and watercolour paints were added to the contents of my rucksack and I joined the ranks of the 'self-taught' artist. Initially, I focused on developing the skills and knowledge necessary to enable me to depict the mountain and coastal scenery that I visited. Books, tutorial videos, attendance at art workshops and membership of a number of art groups helped my progression to the extent that I eventually went on to tutor various art groups in the Strathspey and Badenoch area where I live

Challenging Conditions To Glen Brittle Isle of Skye

A few years ago, I made the acquaintance of the late Peter Barton, an artist who had left his Oxford home to set up his studio in Shieldaig. Peter had a very unique way of interpreting mountain scenery which I, along with many others, found particularly intriguing. He generously agreed to tutor me in his methods although by the time that I had made contact with him, he was living again in Oxford. This was when I made the change from watercolour to oil painting and I work exclusively in oils since then. Peter's influence can be seen in many of my paintings, although from time-to-time I like to experiment with other ways of interpreting a scene.

28

The views and subjects are of places that I have encountered over the years while in the hills or on some shore. Photographs are used to record detail and these supplement sketches and notes which are intended to help when I start to develop the painting back in my studio. I never create a painting intended for sale out of doors. For me, painting is difficult enough in my studio where I have everything that I need to hand, including coffee with a jazz CD playing in the background. I also have a trombone sitting in a corner which occasionally can be persuaded to emit a triumphant blast when things are going well or a rude noise when things are not.

I am a member of Creative Cairngorms Art and Crafts Association and occasionally exhibit with this group. I have also had two shared exhibitions with watercolour artist Jim McDowal but find participating in exhibitions too time-consuming to be of real interest to me. I really just want to paint, so I rely on galleries to display and sell my work, mainly to folk who can identify with a particular location or atmospheric condition. Through galleries, I now have paintings in various parts of the U.K. and the wider world, although why a lady from Kyoto would want a painting of Loch Avon I have no idea!

Artistic influences on how I view subjects and proceed to paint them have included Lake District artists Heaton Cooper, Richard Fisher, David Bellamy and his book 'Painting in The Wild' and the etchings of Norman Ackroyd have also inspired me. However, the greatest influence comes from the late Peter Barton and whenever someone asks about a painting of mine, I always mention Peter and his generosity in helping me on my way. I suppose my regular and frequent visits to galleries and exhibitions must also help shape whatever turns out when I push paint around.

With regard to plans for the future, I hope to just keep on going on keeping on going on – painting. Gallery opening times Contact 1st April – October 31st Manager: Loch Torridon Centre Monday to Saturday Torridon , Achnasheen. IV22 2EZ 10am – 4pm Tel. 01445 791361 Closed Sunday Email. [email protected]

LOCHCARRON MEDICAL PARTNERSHIP FERGUSON MEDICAL CENTRE

Contacting the Surgery

In order to make things easier for patients and to help the surgery stay efficient, please use the contact details below:-

Making Appointment - 01520 722215

Ordering Medication - 01520 722661 Re-order form can also be handed into the surgery

Home Visits - 01520 722215 Please ring before 11am

Emailing the Surgery - [email protected]

Community Nurse - 01520 722224

Emergency - 999

Out of Hours - 111

Opening Hours - See table below

Monday 9am – 1pm 2pm – 5pm Tuesday 9am – 1pm 2pm – 6.30pm Wednesday 9am – 1pm Closed Thursday 9am – 1pm 2pm – 5pm Friday 9am – 1pm 2pm – 5pm 29 Community Councils’ Minutes Comhairle Choimhearsnachd Gearr-chunntais

MINUTES (draft) of LOCHCARRON COMMUNITY 3. (17/02391/FUL) Demolition of building and erection of COUNCIL house, former Sailing Club Building, North Strome. Meeting Monday 12th June 2017 4/5. (17/02476/SCRE) (17/02534/SCOP) (22/5/17) EIA 7:30 pm Village Hall SCREENING & EIA SCOPING: Marine Fish Farm, Members Present: Atlantic Salmon. New site consisting 16x100m Mrs Helen Murchison BEM (Chair), Mr Roger Cundiff circumference cages moored in two groups with feed barge, (Treasurer), Mrs Emma McCallum (Secretary), Mr John West Strome, Lochcarron. The Scottish Salmon Company. Macpherson, Mr Alec Cormack. Also Present: Treasurer’s Report: Mrs Natasha Hutchinson (Wester-Ross UNESCO Biosphere The Treasurer submitted the financial statement: Project Officer), Mrs Kristine Mackenzie (Lochcarron Community Council: Project Officer), Mr Stan Jackson Balance c/f £1344.61 Apologies: Amounts received Nil Cdr Q Banting RN (Minute Sec), Miss Hannah Cundiff, Cllr Expenditure: £6.00 (Hall hire) Biz Campbell, Cllr Kate Stephens Current Balance: £1338.61 [These minutes completed by E McCallum] Community Fund: Approval of Minutes Monday 8th May 2017: Balance c/f: £47.64 The minutes were proposed by Roger Cundiff, seconded by Amounts received: Nil John Macpherson and accepted as a true record. Grants made: Nil Matters Arising: Current Balance: £47.64 DOG FOULING BATTERY PARK New Wreath R Cundiff will arrange purchase of the wreath No reply from the dog warden (Nell Macdonald). for November. TRAVELLERS Secretary’s Report: It looks like they have left, leaving caravans, vehicles and Correspondence received: rubbish behind. This is a matter for the land owner to deal (email) (12/6/17) An update from Cllr Campbell with with. respect to local community bus. She has sent an enquiry to DEER David Summers that he gets prices from contractors and it Marauding deer is an on going issue everywhere, but runs at least once a week. hopefully being resolved in Lochcarron and Kishorn. Cllr (email) (8/6/17) Fire Service Inspectorate: Proposed Campbell has secured funding for a cattle grid to be replaced Inspection of Highland. Decided at meeting to not complete at Kishorn glen. Glenmore are looking at fences and will survey sent. repair. R Cundiff attended the last Lochcarron Deer Action (email) (8/6/17) Free training opportunity to develop village Group. They were to meet with SNH last week. halls and community buildings. E McCallum will pass email PLANNING KISHORN to Village Hall Committee. Update from Graham Sharp on chalet, the building does (email) (7/6/17) Licensing Legislation for firework displays require planning permission and there are talks with the – need to apply now if you are holding an event. owner concerning future plans for it. (emails) (5&9/6/17) REMINDER Proposed West Plan Consultation. This is the final consultation stage in the Chair’s Report: preparation of the plan. The Deadline has been extended Speeding in the village from 30th June to 12 noon 21st July. Speeding in the area is a continual concern. There are http://consult.highland.gov.uk/portal/westplanpp further complaints with respect to speeding along the Main (email) (30/5/17) Development of Highland’s Local Outome Street, especially now with the volume of traffic generated Improvement Plan SURVEY. See survey to provide views by the NC500. R Cundiff will write to Cllr Campbell, Cllr about the development of the local outcome improvement Stephen and the Police concerning the issues. He will raise plan for Highland. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ whether a painted white roundabout could be placed at (HOlP2017) Church Street/Kishorn Hill Junction at the end of the Main (email) (30/5/17) Scottish Water Kishorn Complaint. Gavin Street – there should be enough room there for this. White Steel (Regional Communities Team Manager) responded lines were not remarked after resurfacing of Church Street, that he has spoken to colleagues who are involved both with which creates an issue at the junction. [Noted at meeting, no the operation of the existing plant within the water treatment white lines have ever been marked at Strathcarron!]. works at Lochcarron, and with the longer term programme New Minister in Village of investment in improving the resilience of sites by making H Murchison attended the induction of the new minister Rev provision for standby generation. They have an ongoing Anita Stutter. investment programme which seeks to address the resilience of a number of sites by making provision for standby Planning Applications: electricity generation which would start automatically in a The Community Council has been notified of the following power cut. A proposed design solution is in development for planning applications, for all of which the case officer is Lochcarron water treatment works and, if accepted, they Graham Sharp. 01478 613808 expect it to be delivered in the coming years. With respect [email protected] to recent complaints raised by Lochcarron Community 1. (17/02051/FUL) (18/5/17) Erection of three bedroom Council, the delivery team has been asked to explore detached bungalow. Land east of Lotta Dubh, Ardaneaskan. whether this work can be prioritised. 2. (17/02389/S42) (18/5/17) Section 42 application to (email) (6/6/17) Stromeferry Rock Works programme to develop land without compliance in full with condition 12 begin on 10th July for approximately 8 weeks. The works (Planning permission 13/02272/FUL). Land at Kishorn will require traffic management. Base. Kishorn Port Limited. (Continued on page 31)

30 (Continued from page 30) Applecross Community Council Meeting (email) (30/5/17) Scottish Parliament Committee to look at MINUTES (Unapproved) – 13th June 2017 @ 8pm Gypsy Travellers: the lack of suitable sites (permanent, Present: Ali MacLeod, Ann Fletcher, Ewen Gillies, Ali transit or temporary). This will be passed to Kenny Maclean Brown, Tim Daplyn, Kate Stephens to raise at joint meeting of Community Councils (planned Apologies: Henry Robertson for September). Members of the Public: 1 (email) (29/5/17) Inclusion Scotland are hosting a Highland Time Opened: 20:05 Time Closed: 21:15 Project to increase the number of disabled people and their Previous Minutes: Approved by TD & AF. organisations taking part in local decision making. There is Matters Arising: None a survey, and they are keen to hear from disabled people, Financials: Opening: £3122.90 and Closing: £3072.90 (£50 their organisations and local decision makers http://bit.ly/ deducted for hall hire) InclusionScotlandHighlandSurvey Correspondence: Email for HC about Garden Waste (email) (18/5/17) All invited to the Skiff Launch on 27 May. Collection Service & Brown bins. Outcome: Noted (brown E McCallum attended and was extremely impressed. Well bins not distrusted here). done everybody involved. Email from HC reminding residents about changes to HC (email) (16/5/17) 20mph members bill consultation. The bill rail concessionary travel scheme. The concessions for people proposes reducing the default speed limit on restricted roads aged 60 and over will cease from 21 May. KS reminded us from 30mph to 20mph. Request from the Community that the Highland Rail card which costs £9 is still available Council to submit a response by 7th August. R Cundiff will and provides the same discount. Outcome: Noted. consider replying (especially with speeding on Main Street Email from newly elected Kate Stephen, Councillor for and NC500). Ward 5 introducing herself and letting us know to contact (email) (14/5/17 and 11/6/17) An introduction newly elected her with any CC issues we required her assistance with. Kate councillor Kate Stephen. There are now 3 strategic will try and attend meetings as often as possible but intends committees at Highland Council (People, Places and on visiting all the CC’s in her Ward throughout the year. So Corporate Resources). Kate is on People Committee (and more on an as needed basis at meetings. Outcome: also NHS Health & Social Care committee). Capital Plan to Welcome to Kate. – see Agenda item 1. be reviewed for next 3 years minimum – try to get road Email from Dales surveying about Pre-consultation for improvements included. Locally, the new bus stop has been proposed Telecommunications Mast at Cnoc nan Uan – See installed and the drains have been cleared (now clear outside Agenda item 2. garage). Email from Scottish Resilient Communities Conference (email) (12/5/17) Highland Council Rail Concessions change 2017 notifying us that this conference will be held on 27th of on 21 May. The half fare rail concession for people aged October in Cambuslang. If you are interested in attending, over 60 has ceased. you are advised to book soon. Outcome: Noted and poster Police Feedback: displayed. No police attendance. Letter from the Highlands Small Communities Housing Any Other Business: Trust with membership renewal form. Outcome: This will Several complaints have been received with respect to a be renewed with EG as the nominee. caravan parked on and half off road in Kirkton. The matter Email from Policy at HC reminded organisers of community will be forwarded to Cllr Campbell, Cllr Stephen and PC firework displays that they need to have a fireworks licence Allan. (from 1 January 2017). The process can take 3 months so There has been a complaint with respect to vehicles parking please apply soon. Check out the HC website or contact the directly on the road outside the Village Hall – when parking licensing dept. Outcome: Noted, poster displayed and Hall spaces are readily available on the opposite side of the road. committee notified. Concern has been raised about the Battery Park restriction Letter from B&J Wall, owners of house at Cruary requesting barrier being bent. R Cundiff has looked at it and considers more information about the proposed telecommunications it to be functionally fine. tower at Cruary. It was noted, the CC have not official been K Mackenzie mentioned that the plans for the new electric notified about this by the developers or asked for comment. substation will include screening of the recycling bin area. The only reference has come through the Applecross Trust. Hopefully, they might also place a security camera and Outcome: AM will write to B&J Wall advising of the lighting over the area. This would be a great! current situation regarding the CC’s position. Wester-Ross UNESCO Biosphere Email from Val Cameron at Ross-Shire Voluntary Action N Hutchinson (Project Officer) attended the meeting to give group about training opportunity to learn about development an update on the biosphere. A year ago they were awarded of village halls on 28th June in Contin, it’s free of charge and status. They are now in process of creating a 10 year those involved in halls are encouraged to apply. Outcome: development plan. The will support organisations within Noted & poster displayed. Wester Ross that have sustainable development goals. They As per correspondence last month, a letter was issued via are seeking feedback and ideas. After a quick brainstorm, email to the Applecross Trust thanking Richard Wills. the following topics were suggested: marauding deer, Email notifying the CC that the proposed West Highland & NC500 (extra demand for accommodation, restaurants, Islands Local Development Plan consultation period has toilets), speeding, heritage trails. To increase public been extended to 21st of July. Outcome: Noted, see agenda awareness of the Biosphere and its aims, they will place an item 3. article in the An Carrannach and, hopefully, will attend the Police Report: Not received. the Highland Games. The Community Council was grateful ITEMS to N Hutchinson attending the meeting. Condition of the Bealach & Road Safety concerns – The Meeting Closed at 8:45 p.m. Letter outlining all these concerns will be issued by AM, Date of next meeting: very soon, to Ian Moncrieff, Laura McAlister & Donnie Monday 10th July 2017 at 7:30 pm Lochcarron Village Hall MacLeod. There was also some discussion about the recent (Upper) introduction of the car counters on the other side of the Members of the public are most welcome to attend Bealach and further afield. Their origin is not known for sure Community Council Meetings which are held on the second but it is thought they have been arranged (and paid for) by Monday of each month. the NC500 to monitor volume of traffic. KS informed us (Continued on page 32)

31 (Continued from page 31) about the HC budget for roads and schools under the capital We are just home from a week on the Outer plan being £100m but realistically this is closer to £50m Isles. Uist was our first port of call where we allocated to roads. There are major works outlined under this plan including the Stromeferry Bypass and the Balnacra to enjoyed watching a large variety of birds, Lair improvement. It is more likely the Bealach will be un- some with young chicks, which were a joy to der a maintenance only undertaking for the foreseeable fu- watch as they displayed little fear of people. ture. Kate’s main concerns with the roads and the increasing traffic are the size of some of the campervans and the The short eared owl was especially convoys. It was also noted multiple cyclists and motorbikes memorable, hunting like a beautiful giant were also causing problems and concerns. Kate will report her concerns back to HC too. moth in broad daylight. Pre-consultation for proposed Telecommunications mast The flora on Uist was spectacular with drifts of at Cnoc nan Uan – Further to last month’s minutes this was followed up with Dales Surveying and the Archie from the colourful blotched monkey flower and ditches Trust via email and phone calls. The CCs position was full of marsh marigolds and the orchids were relayed to Dales of being broadly in support but more consideration was required about the position of the tower the size of fat candles! The small flowers being less prominent on the Cnoc. Dale’s agreed they would growing close to the turf were plump and speak to the Trust and would take our concerns on board and hopefully be able to look at re-positioning as an option for us healthy...pink lungwort , yellow trefoil and to consider with details about the impact of this on the deep blue milkwort to name but a few. The service position being provided. More detailed plans of the tower’s description and positioning were received and are flora should be similar on Harris, where we posted on the noticeboard locally. Outcome: Awaiting went to next, but the machair is being confirmation from Dales surveying. West Highland Development Plan – As per destroyed by the sheep and now it is mainly correspondence, the deadline has been extended. Consensus daisies, silverweed and buttercups. There are at the meeting was Applecross is now mentioned in the plan whereas prior to the CCs previous feedback it wasn’t! orchids but they are tiny . Off the beaten Outcome: This will be reviewed again prior to revised track, where the sheep have yet to graze, we deadline and comments sent if needed. Proposal for a permanent community consultative forum found butterwort and sundew, and blue wild – Based on his involvement with the local Applecross Trust iris in a couple of chosen locations. The bog working group, TD had prepared a paper about this. Outlining what the CC does and with whom it proposes that grass waved its head happily in fields a working group is established as a ‘sub-group’ of the CC everywhere - the sheep have not eaten this! where the 2 bodies can work together whilst providing the You may wonder why I am writing about Uist working group with a ‘home’ related to an existing community organisation which has a similar remit. The and Harris, but it is to illustrate how fast our actual set up and its formality would be determined by countryside can change if we are not aware of further discussion with the working group. Outcome: The CC were in favour of Tim’s proposal and for him to follow what we have. On the Dell, this month we up with the working group. have an enviable amount of wild flowers AOB Smiddy Corner – AB noted the ongoing concerns with this and the installation of private signs. which collectively make it a special meadow. Outcome: This is dealt with under agenda item 1. The white butterfly orchids are coming out in Restocking of Kishorn River – Mark Pattinson has made contact with the CC & Trust & LC large numbers, the earlier pink orchids having Estates about restocking the Kishorn River for flowered well. I counted twenty five different community benefit. Next meeting: July is a holiday month so, second Tues- species this week, and I am sure some of you day in August, Tuesday the 8th of August @ 7.30pm. could add to this. Without taking a crop of Members of the public are reminded they are welcome and encouraged to attend these meetings. If you would silage off the Dell at the end of August, we like to add any items to the agenda please have these to would not have this abundance of wild the Secretary by the Friday before the meeting – email: flowers and at all costs sheep must never [email protected]. graze here! FIRST REGISTRATION OF A CROFT The weather this month has been wet and Ronald Mackenzie has registered their croft 399 windy so despite being a good community, Upper Easter Slumbay, Lochcarron. on the crofting doors have been closed and general beach life register. held by the registers of Scotland. Any person who wishes to challenge the registration has been very limited (except for the may apply to the Scottish Land Court by 14 dedicated few who have swum in all December, 2017. weathers). We hope for the summer to Details of the registration can be found at return, for our visitors as well as our residents. www.crofts.ros.gov.uk/register/hime. This croft registration number is C3834.

32 The Applecross Inn Shore Street, Applecross, Strathcarron, Wester Ross. IV54 8LR Tel: 01520 744262 [email protected] www.applecross.uk.com/inn

VAT NO 481 5977 04 JULY @ THE INN

Sunday 2nd Its music time afternoon MUSIC SESSION with our friends from Lochcarron, and sadly time to say bye bye to Sally & Robin who are venturing to pastures new. Thank you so much for all the lovely afternoons you have given, we know that you will be back !...... All Welcome 3pm to 6pm.

Thursday 13th TARNEYBACKLE are back for another great night of music, song and fun.

Saturday 22nd APPLECROSS GAMES DAY, our games are always fourth Saturday in July. SEE SEPARATE ADVERT FOR DETAILS As usual we will be serving meals 12 to 9pm and hope to get last orders in by 8:30pm. The bar closes at 10pm as we like to go to the Marquee Dance too! Applecross-Inn-Side-Out will be open 10am to 9pm.

The games committee are still looking for craft stalls for the games. We are happy to pass on your details if you contact us.

Annual Raft Race takes place every August. This year it’s the 18th, from Miltown jetty to the front of the Inn. It is always a great evening, and if possible the Portree lifeboat and occasionally the Coastgaurd helicopter put on a fabulous display in the bay and we have music and BBQ at the Inn. The prize for the winning raft is 88 pints of Beer, and this year I hear on the grapevine that we have several new contenders busy designing and planning victory! The rules are: it must be a homemade vessel and paddles, four max on board, all must be wearing life jackets. We also have prizes for best fancy dress and first Ladies Raft.

Do take extra extra care if visiting us over the Bealach: POTHOLES= PUNCTURES We are dealing with several a week for guests at the Inn

33 34 Blythswood Care

Anniversary time again -

and time for us to say

for your support throughout another year

Do come along for a complimentary cup of tea or coffee

and strawberry cream scones.

Thursday 20 July 2017

11am – 3pm

And we’ll have lots of new stock for you Christian care for body and soul

35 36 37 38 Lochcarron Bistro HOLIDAY COTTAGE TO LET - ELMBANK, LOCHCARRON Open 5 till 9 Monday-Saturday Situated in a quiet lane and enjoying 01520 722799 stunning views across Loch Carron, Elmbank is a traditional detached stone cottage set in its own delightful country gardens. This attractive cottage is beautifully presented throughout. The pretty living room has wood effect floors with lovely rugs, and a welcoming wood-burning stove. There is a separate dining room with comfortable seating as well as a sofa bed for extra guests. The three bedrooms on the first floor are bright and cosy and all rooms have superb views across to the sea loch and the surrounding hills. The gardens are a real feature of the cottage with masses of flowering shrubs.

07960 443475 [email protected] www.lochcarroncottage.co.uk Elmbank Cottage, Church Street, Lochcarron, Ross-shire IV54 8YQ

Angus Robins George Macleod Chimney Sweep Funeral Director APICS, HETAS & SFA - Registered Sweep HETAS Registered Installer 3 Braes, Inverasdale, Poolewe, £5,000,000 Public Liability Insurance Achnasheen, Ross-Shire. IV22 2LN Chimney Sweeping Chimney Surveys and Reports

Solid Fuel Appliances Installed, Serviced and Maintained

Tel. 01445781434 HQ Camera Inspections Mob.07909946715 Video Capture for insurance purposes

Applecross ALL 01520 744366 / 07774 631970

ARRANGEMENTS

UNDER PERSONAL

SUPERVISION windiesweep@gmailcom

39 ADVERTISEMENT FOR SUMMER HOLIDAY RENTAL IN LOCHCARRON FOR 2017 Robin Lodge: A newly prepared summer let.

Robin Lodge at 4 Kirkton Avenue, Lochcarron is a newly prepared self-catering lodge. It consists of 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with showers. There are options of double and single beds between the three different rooms. Robin Lodge is on a quiet and strategic hillside plot. It is placed above the tree-line with panoramic views from the lounge over Lochcarron to the Attadale Estate. The Lodge is available for a minimum of 7 days at a time from the 1st of May 2017 until September 2017. It can sleep 6 people, 5 beds: one double and four single (one fold down bed). It is a fully equipped, modern, comfortable, well decorated home with a relaxing homely ambience. It has up to date tech- nical facilities with a Wi Fi internet connection. In addition, Robin Lodge has a modern fully equipped kitchen consisting of glass top cooker and micro wave / convection oven. The laundry facility is in the form of a washing machine and dryer. Robin Lodge is close to all amenities in Lochcarron such as the restaurants, hotels, golf courses and shops. It is an ideal base for exploring the North West of Scotland, now one of the gateways to the popular North Coast 500 tourist route. Robin Lodge offers a garage for one car and off street parking for two cars. If you are interested in renting for the com- ing summer contact: David Fraser Brown by email: [email protected] or on 07565239518 UK mobile.

Regards

David Fraser Brown Lochcarron.07565239518

40 HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION music teaching Broom Cottage is a detached bungalow in Lochcarron available throughout the year as Piano, keyboard, theory. self-catering accommodation on a weekly basis; part-weeks are also offered. Exam specific coaching - Broom Cottage sleeps up to four people in one all instruments. double bedroom and one twin-bedded room.

A modern property, equipped to a very high standard, it has everything required for a comfortable stay. Free use of an Internet link is included in the accommodation price.

Broom Cottage offers ample off-street parking and a pleasant garden.

No smoking is allowed in the property. Pets are welcome by prior arrangement. www.broomcottagelochcarron.co.uk Joy Pedley B.A. (hons), ARCM., tel: Louise Martin 01520 722607 PGCE

Acarsaid, Kishorn  : 01520 733372 Mob : 07827338967

WATERSIDE CAFE Are you stressed out at Main Street the thought of Lochcarron Telephone: 01520 722 MOVING 303 HOME? Regional winner of Britain’s It is reckoned to be one of life’s Best Café 2016 most stressful events. Would you like to have a Monday- Saturday 9am -7pm stress free move? Sunday 10am-4pm Then call us NOW Call in and have your favourite from a bacon roll to the Ultimate SCOTTISH REMOVAL Breakfast. SERVICES Homemade soup to fresh Haddock and chips. PHONE : 01471 822777 A wee stick of homemade shortbread to a large wedge of or visit our Web site Cheesecake. www.scottish-removals.co.uk All our menu and cakes are available to take away. or e-mail us [email protected]. We look forward to serving you.

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A. L. J Plumbing and Roofing

Primrose Cottage Main Street Lochcarron

Pitched Roofs Bathroom Suites Lead flashing Soil Pipes Fascia soffit Drains Guttering Sinks Windows fitted Cold and hot water tanks Flat roofing And all plumbing work carried out And all general repair work carried out

Telephone: 01520 722 886 Mobile: 07952 869 962

Road Haulage Shipping Storage & Warehousing Craneage

Ferguson Transport & Shipping offers a comprehensive range of distribution services by road, rail and sea, covering the whole of the UK for general haulage, distribution and plant and machinery movements. Extensive storage and warehousing facilities throughout Scotland are also available, 365 days a year. Superb service from a long-standing family run business, whether for long-term, short-term or ad hoc contracts.

HEAD OFFICE: KISHORN PORT Integrated Freight Facility, Annat, Corpach, Sea Freight & Logistic Services Inverness-shire, PH33 7NN Kishorn Base, Kishorn, Strathcarron, IV54 8XA T: 01397 773 840 F: 01397 773 850 Operations Manager: Alec Cameron Email: [email protected] Contact: 01520 733 358 or 07554 456 540 www.fergusontransport.co.uk

Joint venture between Ferguson Transport and Leiths Group www.kishornport.co.uk

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A & J BROWN LICENSED GROCER & POST OFFICE CAMUSTEIL, APPLECROSS (Branch Right at Fire Station) TEL Shop: 01520 744421 TEL P.O.: 01520 744491

AGENTS FOR CALOR GAS AND CAMPING GAZ

** NORMAL HOURS **

SHOP HOURS POST OFFICE HOURS

MONDAY: 9AM – 5.00PM MONDAY: 9AM – 12 NOON TUESDAY: 9AM – 5.00PM TUESDAY: CLOSED WEDNESDAY: 9AM – 5.00PM WEDNESDAY: 9AM - 12 NOON THURSDAY: 9AM – 5.00PM THURSDAY: 9AM - 12 NOON FRIDAY: 9AM – 5.00PM FRIDAY: 9AM - 12 NOON SATURDAY: 10AM - 5.00PM SATURDAY: CLOSED Lunch 12 -1

SUNDAY CLOSED SUNDAY CLOSED

SCOTT’S GARDENING SERVICE RONALD ROSS GENERAL GARDEN MAINTENANCE Funeral Director

4 Camusnagaul TREES: FELLED OR PRUNED AS REQUIRED BY FULLY DUNDONNELL INSURED AND Ross-shire CERTIFICATED OPERATOR.

GRASS: FULL GRASS CUTTING ALL ARRANGEMENTS MADE SERVICE INCLUDING SCARIFICATION TO FOR BURIAL AND ERADICATE MOSS FROM CREMATION. LAWNS.

24 HOUR PERSONAL HEDGES: TRIMMED AS REQUIRED. SERVICE. ALSO

PAINTING: INSIDE AND OUT. Tel: 01854 633 237 TEL: 01520 722526 or MOBILE NO: 077997 52175 01854 633 380

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ASHBOURNE David Whittingham JOINERY Cabinet Making and Joinery

All types of work undertaken - Kitchens Bedrooms • Cupboards Bathrooms • Chests of Drawers ALSO • Hand Made Kitchens Tiling • Staircases Plastering • Bookcases & Shelving Roofing, etc. • Wall Panelling • Internal & External Enquiries welcome Doors & Frames • Old Joinery Refurbished • Casement & Sash Windows John Ward • Floorboards Taobh-an-allt, Lochcarron • Experience with Reclaimed Timber Telephone : (01520) 722377 Phone Dave on 07900 957371 Mobile : 07768 894891 01520 722867 [email protected]

Kiki’s M & D MACLEOD FUNERAL DIRECTORS Craft Corner Station Road Kyle of Lochalsh Classes & Workshops Ross-shire IV40 8AE

Over 40 years local service Hand - made 24 hour availability Gifts Home Visits

Spinning & Felting Funeral Plans Memorial Stones Patchwork & Quilting

Knitting & Embroidery Tel. 01599 230 355 Notions & Accessories

Smithy Heritage Centre, Lochcarron, IV54 8YS www.kikiscraftcorner.co.uk, Tel. 01520 722919 Opening times: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm Crafty Saturday: every last Saturday of the month 2 – 4:30 pm.

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VISIT OUR ICONIC SHOP THIS SUMMER

Hand Sewn Kilts and Highland Wear 25% off when you by a full Highland Dress Outfit

Tartan and Tweed to purchase from the bolt. Made to measure service for skirts , waistcoats, trews, and many other items.

We have a wide selection of beautiful designer scarves in a variety of colours and styles. Stoles, Serapes, Sashes, Tweed Coats and Jackets.

Just new in are our candles, diffusers, aromatics, soaps and hand lotions.

SALE knitwear galore – including cashmere

Summer hours (Easter to end of October) – Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm (out of hours appointments available on request) TEL: 01520 722212 Email: [email protected] www.lochcarronweavers.com

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Book Catering CHRIS HINGLEY TREE SERVICES Home Farm B & B Genuine Home Cooking and Baking Catering for all events

PAT Testing

Linda Hoejlund Attadale

079587 44410 All aspects of tree surgery & [email protected] felling undertaken by certified and www.bookcatering.co.uk insured operator.  Chris on 01520 744452 Or email K and A CAMERON GENERAL CONTRACTORS [email protected] AND HAULAGE and CAMERON CARRIERS Achintee STRATHCARRON IV54 8YE SP BUILDING & We operate a DAILY collection and delivery PROPERTY MAINTENANCE service from Inverness to local areas including: TRADESMAN WITH 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE • APPLECROSS • ACHNASHEEN • KINLOCHEWE GARAGES & SMALL EXTENSIONS • TORRIDON • ALLIGIN KITCHENS & BATHROOMS • SHIELDAIG • KISHORN TILING • LOCHCARRON • STRATHCARRON TIMBER & UPVC DOORS AND • STROMEFERRY • ACHMORE WINDOWS • DORNIE • KYLE ALL ENQUIRIES • PLOCKTON WELCOME NO JOB TOO SMALL WE ALSO OPERATE A LIGHT REMOVALS SERVICE - ENQUIRIES WELCOME. Simon Phillips, For all enquiries please Ardrock, Lochcarron Telephone/Fax 01520 722450  : 01520 722 126 Mobile 07876233717 Mobile : 07971 081 568

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