Sunday, January 23, 2005
New trails
01/23/2005
Round and about the Tower of Glen Trollaigh in good order, for although it is Sunday, we have dry weather. The wind which was a light Northerly yesterday, backs to the North West. The pressure is high, the temperature hovers around zero. It is overcast from time to time but we get good glimpses of the sun from 11.45 till almost 4.00. Just Dotty and myself to-day as everyone else takes a well deserved day of rest. We guiltily skip church to make the most of the weather. In the early afternoon we arrange to walk through the long glen and meet up with the Kerrs walking the other way from Glen Orchy on the new Mountain Access Path. We meet as planned, although I note wrily that the Kerrs have driven their Land Rover up the first hard mile or so from the bailey bridge. Part of our treat is to meet Erica’s brother and his wife. We hike in excellent good humour westwards along the new trail. I am very impressed with the path, surely more money must be found to build paths of this interest and quality. There is a wonderful point where both the snowy tops of Ben Lui and Ben Cruachan can almost be seen at the same time. A super new bridge on one section calls out for a name, “Archie’s” perhaps, or is that too vain?
We greatly enjoy news of Australia from Steven. This reminds us so much of our wonderful extended holiday there in the early 80’s. Noosa Heads, Lady Elliot Island on the reef, such warm weather. I was able to tell Steven that the Island had, of course been named after Lady Elliot Trollaigh. The Dear was wrecked there during a passage to India on a “Diamond T” vessel. Her diaries about the six months stranded on the island with eleven swarthy seamen were published in “A Team of Eleven”. Of course, it was a story of true love,and cemented the long relationship between the Trollaighs and the Bangalore Cricket Club. After tea at Arichastlich, John kindly undertakes the long drive back to the Tower of Glen Trollaigh. In fact, he is still entertaining Dotty in the Long Gallery, more wine is being called for, so I must attend. Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Phd’s and ponytails
01/22/2005
Gail McGrane seems to produce better weather than Heather. The Great Bed of Trollaigh stirs to an Alpine Saturday morning. Most of the day is spent outside although ground work is difficult as the hard frost has welded stone to stone. Over Coffee I ring round the glens and find the Kerrs in high spirits gardening and chopping logs, awaiting the arrival of Erica’s brother, Steven on a visit with his wife Chris, from Australia. The post arrives at lunchtime with invitations to the Colonsay Ceilidh, Dotty and I will certainly attend and look forward to it. Scottish Natural Heritage send their usual tart missive pointing out that they have assumed new powers following the implimentation of some unheard of European legislation. The main change being that not only can one not misbehave in a conservation area, but now any area can be considered a conservation area because SNH are thinking about it. To be called Candidate Special Areas of Conservation. This may sound trite, but woe betide any land owner or land user who crosses SNH, who have the power to overrule the Land Reform Act. I have had my knuckles rapped in the past for clearing a land drain close to a Black Cock Leck with a mechanical digger. This work, if it was required at all, should be carried out by hand. As the hands in question had completed their three score years and ten, the drain remained uncleared. The habitat became waterlogged and the Black Cock moved away. It would seem that PhD’s, ponytails, beards and tasteful body piercing are worth much more than generations of experience and local knowledge! We shall have an early night after all today’s fresh air. Mhairi is instructed to have the electric blankets switched on, in the Great Bed, in plenty of time. A small measure of Ardbeg will send me to the land of nod. Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.