Wild Lochaber Blogs
The latest bleats from the sheep on the street...
Blogs (web logs) and blogspots provide a unique insight into Highland life and nature in Lochaber and The West Highlands.
We have put together a collection of Lochaber blogs to highlight the traditions, culture and wildlife in the various regions, including the West Coast Islands.
We show entries from the last 100 days, organised by region, topic and blog. The titles and text snippets give a taste of each entry with direct links to the main blog entry on the host website. We hope you will find time to explore the full articles and further information on the host blog sites.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any suggestions for blogs you would like to see here.
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Press & Journal Article, May 2025 In the difficult years after the Second World War, a small band of determined politicians and engineers – led by Tom Johnston, then secretary of state for Scotland – conspired to go into some of the country’s most inhospitable places and build dams, tunnels and...
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As I hoped, Equisetum pratense (Shady Horsetail) is also present in the next tetrad south. It occurs to me that, despite its vernacular name, I never see this anywhere near shade. Equisetum pratense beside the Eynort River On the banks of the Eynort River, I also found three species that had...
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Yesterday, I took a wander in NG3828, which includes a stretch of the Eynort River and the eastern half of Cnoc Scarall. I had noticed that this tetrad (NG32Z) was a bit low on records of plant species and thought it deserved a better look. In fact, I added nearly forty taxa to the tetrad including...
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Eleanor has found Barbarea intermedia (Medium-flowered Winter-cress) at Cleadale on Eigg. This is the first record for any Barbarea on the island, though this species is known on Rum (and also on Skye and Raasay). Interestingly, she knows another plant that may be the same species near the ferry...
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My Carabus larva has pupated: Carabus pupa I await further developments… Also in the garden recently, I have seen Ctenicera cuprea and a Philonthus that is either P. politus or P. succicola, but it appears that dissection would be required to be sure which. Ctenicera cuprea and a...
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The Yellow Azalea (Rhododendron luteum) in the garden has crown galls. These are caused by the bacterium Rhizobium radiobacter, also known as Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a major tool in plant biotechnology where it is the agent used to introduce DNA into a host plant. I had this on Symphoricarpos x...
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It is always depressing to leave Iona. I needed something to cheer me up, so as we drove east across the Ross, I looked at my tattered OS Landranger Map 48 for inspiration. There were several inspiring notes I’d made on it over the years. One read: ‘Quarry used in Skerryvore’. The note pointed to...
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People leaned into the wind trying to defend their faces from the snow being blown at them, unable to see where they were placing their feet as the spindrift turned everything into a white haze. Bags were shouldered and the slow, steady march started to try to find some shelter from the snow...
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For the second time in four years, I have recorded Andrena ruficrus (Northern Mining Bee) in the garden. This time I spotted its “mine”. After taking its photo. I returned it close by. Andrena ruficrus On gorse (Ulex europaeus) just outside the garden, I found a small bug nymph...
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In May I will be staying the better part of a week on Rùm. Over the past decade, I've made several day trips to the island, but it's been 25 years since I've stayed there. My wife and I spent a week in 1997 and again in 2000. On both occasions, we had accommodations on the top floor of Kinloch...
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Hugely grateful to JP, AP, and IMcD who did a fantastic job on replacing the rooves of Middle and West. Don't they look great? March 2025.
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The kit arrived.The jayger came and the cement was poured. The blockwork was done. The founds were ready.
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Protecting Our Glaciers: Effective Climate Action for the International Year of Glaciers 2025 For those of us who climb, ski, and guide in the Alps, the impacts of climate change are undeniable. Glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate, permafrost is thawing, and routes once considered...
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Tup pedicures with D's help.Kale surviving the winter. Herdwick hoggs overby. Starlings are back. Feeding the Herdwicks.
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Right Medicine Pharmacy has named Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland as its charity partner for 2025. This is the second year in a row that the independent pharmacy group, which has 43 pharmacies across Scotland, has raised funds for CHSS. Last year, it raised £10,000 through the partnership via...
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Kenny Forsyth, who served as CEO of Stramash since 2020, has moved on from the organisation. During his tenure, Kenny played a key role in stabilising Stramash through Covid, restructuring for growth and building essential management processes. The organisation expresses gratitude for his...
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Expression of Interest: Iceland Innovation Week Learning Journey – May 12th-16th, 2025 What is it: Are you interested in hosting a learning journey to Iceland Innovation Week 12th – 16th May 2025? The learning journey would be partially funded by HIE. Iceland Innovation Week brings together...
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MCR Pathways is a life-changing mentoring charity dedicated to unlocking the potential of young people who face challenging lives. Too many face barriers that limit their confidence, aspirations, and future prospects. This school-based mentoring programme matches young people with dedicated, caring...
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In the heart of the Scottish Highlands, where snow blankets the rugged peaks and the wind carries whispers of ancient landscapes, photographer Karen Miller embarks on an extraordinary journey each winter. Her mission? To find and reconnect with Bo, a mountain hare that has become more than just a...
