Scourie News Edition 96 June 2014 Dates for June Beach Clean Mondays: Keep fit @ village hall Wednesdays: Yoga @ village hall @ 10.30am At the request of the community council and with the Thurs Camera club @ village hall assistance of the the local ranger, Donald Mitchell, the Sat 7th Opening of Sports Pavillion @ 11am, followed by whole primary school recently spent a very windy Friday shinty 6s competition morning picking up rubbish along the shore by the pier. First appearance looked like it would be an easy job as there did not appear to be a lot of rubbish. However, on Seen & Heard closer inspection, the children realised there was lots to Literally…seen and heard…Snow was seen on collect. After and hour and a half of hard labour, the Foinaven and Arkle on 1st, children had collected several bin bags of rubbish, mainly and a corncrake has heard plastic and twine. The children had a short break and on 7th of May. finished off with a final half an hour of beach combing. Along with several bags of rubbish, the children also found an amazing ringing rock which they are know investigating the origins of. As the pupils returned to school, they collected another bag of rubbish whilst walking from the pier to the school, from just one side of the road. Esther Bruar would like to sincerely thank the residents Thanks go to Fiona & Gillon and Rylee’s granny for coming of Scourie, Kylestrome, Kylesku & the surrounding areas along to help the children. for the generosity shown to her to mark her recent retirement from her position as postmistress at Kylesku, following 61 years service. She was quite overwhelmed Letter to the editor with the amount of gifts and cards she received and will be opening cards for some time to come! An Open Letter to the People of Scourie from Mungo, Dave, Rabbit, Molly, Alfie, Peter’s fundraising ends Merlin, Pudding, Socks, Henry and Piggy Richards. First of all, many thanks again to everybody who helped me in my fundraising for Chest Heart&Stroke Scotland. We are upset that someone has reported us to the SPCA On Carolanne’s Karaoke night £201.75 were collected for being locked out of our home, not being neutered, from the raffle. I am very grateful to the hotel staff having weeping eyes and sleeping in other peoples' for making the evening so successful. Towards the end of gardens. The truth is we are not allowed out at night, the my fundraising, a very generous donation arrived from house window is kept open during the day, we are all EWOS Ltd. Altogether, I managed to raise £1146. neutered and healthy and we don't travel far afield - Thanks to Jodie, who collected the moneybox from especially not to Moffat Square where some cats are a Aberdeen, and finally to Aileen for the publicity. Once bit rough and unneutered! again, I would like to say thank you to all of you, who We dine on Whiskers meat and biscuits. Not a bad life supported me. Peter Kliment really! We can't understand the malice of some humans. Signed The Tribe Music, Ministers and SCOURIE COMMUNITY Mountain Climbing! DEVELOPMENT COMPANY North West Highlands Geopark joined Shetland and Sports Pavilion Official Opening Lochaber in an open day and evening reception in The new Sports Pavilion will be officially opened on partnership with Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh on Saturday 7th June 2014 at 11am by Lady Jane Grosvenor Wednesday 7th May. The purpose of the event was to and we look forward to welcoming a big crowd from the provide the public and invited guests with a better village and further afield for the event. understanding of what Geoparks are, how they can The Far North Shinty Sixes starts at 11.30am and benefit Scotland’s economy and in particular benefit its continues throughout the day, with a BBQ, teas and a rural communities. Visitors were able to find out what raffle in aid of Kinlochbervie Camanachd. makes Geoparks so special with short films and information highlighting the beauty, heritage and Dance to Blue Ridge diversity of each of the respective regions. The North Dance in Scourie Village Hall at 8pm West Highlands used a soundtrack composed and on Saturday 7th June performed by our local musician Anne Wood and her with Blue Ridge. students to accompany images of the spectacular Licensed Bar. scenery, its industry and its people. During the day there Raffle Draw with lots of great prizes. were hands on activities for children including fossil Entrance £5.00. moulding, exploring Scotland’s rocks with a digital microscope and making your very own sedimentary rock sequence. Arts and Crafts from the Geopark were also promoted with items for sale from the North West Highlands. The evening reception was attended by MSP’s including Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Councillor George Farlow, chair of North West Scourie Community Survey Highlands Geopark said “We had the opportunity to We will shortly be distributing the Community Survey share our vision for the partnership of Scottish for the proposed new Geocentre in Scourie. Your Geoparks with key decision makers and discuss at length responses and support are valuable and vital to the with the Minister for the Environment and Climate project. Replies can be returned to the drop box in Change not only the challenges we face in the North Scourie Stores. Anyone wishing to complete the survey West Highlands but the potential economic benefit our on-line, please e-mail Glenda at [email protected] to Geopark can bring to local communities”. obtain the link to the dedicated on-line survey. Why not join the North West Highlands Geopark for an afternoon of climbing and abseiling at Reiff sea cliffs. A beginner’s session will be held at Reiff sea cliffs on Tuesday June 3rd and Monday 30th June 2014 between 2pm and 8pm. No experience or equipment is necessary as expert tuition will be provided by Highland Adventures. This is a great opportunity to come and try something new and at the same time learn the unique features of 1.2 billion year old Torridonian sandstone. Booking is essential, sessions will last approximately 2 hours and can be booked to start between 2pm and 6pm T: 01971 521238 E: [email protected] for a minimum donation of £10 per adult, £5 per W: http://northwesttrainingcentre.weebly.com concession and £20 per family. Groups are welcome too Digital Skills at KLB every Mon-Thur 11:30-13:00 by arrangement. Would be climbers should be at least six or 14:00-15:30 do you need a hand with computing years old but there is no upper age limit! Participants are basics or help with a new IT device? Get in touch for advised to wear comfortable clothes and trainers but friendly help and support. remember to dress for the weather. For more details Employability Club: Help with CVs, ICT, Job and to book contact Laura Hamlet at Applications, ring to book a convenient time. [email protected] or telephone 07828 894030. DOG FOULING IN SCOURIE Ranger Service Activities Tuesday 3rd: Secrets of Glen Leireag Dog fouling in Visit the lost township of Glen Leireag and discover the Scourie has sadly secrets of this magical woodland glen. Seek out become a serious moorland wildlife and Golden Eagles. Meet at Nedd issue again, after Bridge 2 miles east of Drumbeg on the B869. 11am- 3pm. the Scourie & Grid ref: NC 148315. Grade C. Adults £5.00, conc. District Community £3.00, family £12.00. Council received a Thursday 5th: Scourie - garnets and dikes number of Coastal walk, fine views, seabirds, geology, wild flowers, complaints. If a signs of otters. Meet at Scourie beach bird hide. dog is in your care, 10:30am- 1pm. Grid ref: NC 152466. Grade B. Adults it is your £3.00, conc. £2.00, family £8.00. responsibility to Tuesday 10th: Bone Caves to Traligill Upland Walk clean up its mess. A fascinating hillwalk linking two cave systems within the In fact it is illegal limestone area of Inchnadamph. Amazing tapestry of to leave your dog’s alpine flowers through red deer and golden eagle faeces lying around in a public area including grassed country. Meet at the Bone Caves Car Park 2.5 miles south verges and you risk a fixed penalty fine. It was agreed at of Inchnadamph on the A837. 10am- 6pm. Grid ref: NC the March S&DCC monthly meeting, that if the situation 254179. Grade D. FREE. did not improve, offenders would be reported either to Thursday 12th: Scourie - north shore. the Police, Dog Warden or other authorised Highland Guided coastal walk with outstanding views, moorland, council staff which could lead to a fixed penalty notice seabirds, bit of geology, rough walking - no paths. (FPN) of £40 which increase if it remains unpaid. Meet at Scourie pier car park. 10:30am- 1:30pm. Grid Anyone who has stepped in dog faeces knows that it is ref: NC 155448. Grade C. Adults £3.00, conc. £2.00, dirty, smelly and difficult to remove from your shoe, family £8.00. which can be unpleasant and embarrassing . If a dog Thursday 12th: Bat Evening, Lochinver owner leaves the mess, not only is it unsightly but it can Join us to watch one of Nature's amazing spectacles as increase the risk of disease (Toxocara Canis) which is up to 100 pipistrelle bats leave their roost. Begins with a harmful to humans. photographic bat talk.