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.
Simon Willis
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Visitors on Sanna BeachSome of this year's challenges I've had to go looking for. Others have just found me. September has been one of those months. It started great with a campervan trip to Benbecula, North Uist and South Uist. I spent two days as part of the team filming The Heb...
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Last December when I wrote about my plans to tackle a 'special' challenge each month in my 60th year, I listed swimming The Sound of Harris as a possibility.We came close. We swam IN the Sound of Harris. yeah, OK - not close at all.I was nowhere near swim-fit enough to manage the crossing and...
Volunteer on Eigg
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The Isle of Eigg Tree Nursery project so far….
Craigard Croft
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Press & Journal 22nd August 2018While I was away in France a photograph taken by a holiday maker appeared in the Press & Journal of a pine marten and a "wildcat" together. The pine marten appears to be retreating and we ( my neighbours and I) are pretty sure that the photograph was...
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I found a dead, male barn owl this morning, under the beam in the barn where they normally perch and roost. It was so light weight almost as it were only feathers. When I weighed it on my kitchen scales it was a mere 216g a healthy adult male should weigh 360g.All white breast without any spots of...
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House sparrows There has been a steady decline in the population of UK house sparrows during the last 100 years, probably since the motorcar replaced horses on our streets. Changes in farming practice have had an effect too, particularly the lack of winter stubble after a swing to autumn sown...
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Fifty years ago I read a short account of a two person expedition into a remote and then inaccessible region of the Pyrenees, " the Enchanted Mountains" by Robin Fedden", then " The Pyrenees" by Hillaire Belloc and " Backpacking and Camping in the Pyrenees" my imagination was captured.When I...
Otter Adventures
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As the summer season tails off, it is time to rest the arms and exercise the leg. Time to head back into the mountains and explore ready for next year. This is when I hope to be offering more guided family mountain walking adventures. Stunning location for a family mountain walking experience For...
Marc Calhoun
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While researching the locations of beehive cells on Lewis I came across a reference to a linear layout of three cells on the north side of Eilean Chaluim Chille. I had been to the island, which lies near the mouth of Loch Eireasort (eastern Lewis), a couple of times. Those visits had been made to...
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Ten months and counting. That's when I hope to return to Rona on Hjalmar Bjorge. I was fortunate, back in 2011, to have visited the island on Hjalmar Bjorge for two consecutive days of perfect weather (see Chapter 29 of Book 2).There is only one spot left on our 2019 cruise to Rona (for a male...
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Last month I made a three-day hike into the interior of Lewis. I was searching for beehive cell dwellings, and found plenty: the most amazing at Loch a' Sguair, Gearraidh Ascleit, and another place further south called Airidh a' Chlair Mhoir. Along with the delight of finding intact cells,...
Highland Titles
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From fairytale castles and fascinating stately homes to eerie ruins and haunted rooms, Scotland is fortunate to boast well over 2000 historic castles. As it would take anyone a considerable time to visit them all, we have compiled a list of our must-see castles in Scotland. Once you’ve...
Ardtornish Estate and Gardens, Self catering holidays Scotland
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A good old classic loved by everyone. Ingredients 500g Ardtornish beef mince 1 diced Ardtornish onion 2 peeled and chopped carrots 1/2 tablespoon of flour 1 cup of beef stock 4 potatoes 100g milk 50g unsalted butter Salt and pepper 1 teaspoon of...
Alan Kimber Mountaineering
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Getting home from Durness might be the trickiest part of this wonderful trip. Try these links before you travel. Fortunately, I imposed on a good friend to take my bicycle back to Fort William, whilst I took the Durness Bus to Lairg, followed by the train to Inverness and a Citylink coach to Fort...
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A welcome rest day at the hostel on day 10, waiting for two friends to come along with me on the final couple of short days to Cape Wrath. A night in Kearvaig bothy had always been in my plan and I was fortunate to stay in this idyllic, sandy bay, surrounded by vertical sea cliffs in good...
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A short sunny day, only blighted by a strong headwind going south around Loch Eriboll on the A838, after climbing over the ridge to the west of Loch Hope. The gravel track over to Eriboll enjoys some great scenery and views toward the Pentland Firth. From the previous day this link might be...
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This day evolved into good distance and some speed. Plenty of paved surface and a wind astern was welcome. Leaving the Oykel Bridge Hotel, a short seven mile downhill section on the A837 leads to Rosehall and the entrance to gentle and quiet Glen Cassley and the Achness Hotel Rosehall for...
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Another day of mixed, showery weather to start with, which gently improved and by the time I arrived in the beautiful Glen Alladale Estate the sun was shining. The large groups of Highland cattle are no doubt being used to improve the landscape Gleann Mor in it’s lower areas...
The Rum Ranger Diaries
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Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum - some of the many sculptures are being photographed as part of the Art UK Sculpture Project. The project hopes to find out a little more about them at the same time. https://www.artuk.org/about/projects For more information about the castle visit the...
Treshnish Farm
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Summer has definitely lost out to Autumn, which to my mind started early. And today, there are only 2 Swallows left in the barn. The others have already flown. It feels very quiet around the farm yard without their graceful flight and calls.So the lambs are all sold. They...
