Evergreen News - Sunday 6th April 2008Hello everyone
Well Easter may have passed but Spring is far from here! After a brief
warmer spell, it started snowing yesterday and today it is very cold with a
mixture of sunshine and snow showers. Such are the joys of our weather these
days...
When I was in Foyers this morning, our nearest village only two miles from
Evergreen, I was very pleased to see that our local council have been
working with the Forestry Commission to improve visitor information at the
Falls of Foyers. The Falls or as they are sometimes known, Eas na Smudh
(Waterfall of Smoke) have been admired since Boswell and Johnson first
wrote of them in the late 18th century and later, our national bard,
Robert Burns. In full spate the Falls really are a spectacular sight.
However, the village of Foyers itself has
a rich and varied history, much of it centred around the Foyers
Hydro-electric scheme and the British Aluminium Company's works established
at Foyers in the late 1890's. As a result, by the early part of the 20th
century the village was a hive of activity. In 1904 the smelter was
producing 1000 tons of aluminium annually and this output was to continue,
in greater or lesser measure for the next 63 years. In each of the world
wars production was stepped up and over 500 men were employed, a fact which
accounts for the terraced house of Foyers, built by the Company to
accommodate the workers and their families
Perhaps though, the most surprising story
of Foyers is the fact that during the second world war, in 1941, the
Luftwaffe sent across a single Heinkel bomber and dropped two 500lbs bombs
on the aluminium works. However, one bomb missed the target completely and
the other only partially exploded tragically killing one man. By the next
day the works had returned to partial production and within a short time was
back to normal!
For our second look at Scots who have made
an impact across the world in our countdown to the Year of Homecoming in
2009, we focus this month on Sir Alexander MacKenzie. Alexander MacKenzie
was born in Stornoway in the Western Isles and in 1788 he discovered and
charted 2,500 miles of Canada's longest river. The MacKenzie river is one of
eleven physical features Canada named after him. In May 1793 he was the
first to cross the American continent and his book "Voyages" was a best
seller in English and German! His fur interests made him one of Canada's
wealthiest men, before retiring to Scotland and buying an estate at Avoch
(pronounced Och) on the Black Isle, just north of Inverness. He is buried in
the church yard in Avoch.
Changing the subject, this afternoon I'm
off out for a 'fell run' into the Monadhliath Mountains that rise sharply a
few miles inland of Loch Ness. For those, like myself, masochistic enough
to enjoy such activity, the reward is the most fantastic views down over
Stratherrick and Loch Ness. Two weeks ago I did a similar run with a friend
in the late afternoon. It was extremely cold with over a foot of snow on the
hill summit but we were rewarded with the most sublime sunset against a
white landscape. So, for anyone who comes to stay with us and is up for
something a bit different, please ask...
Finally this month for those of you who
wish to do more normal activities, we are pleased to be able to offer guests
the 'Waterhorse' ticket. This ticket offers a discount on all three of the
main Loch Ness visitor attractions, namely Urquhart Castle, the Loch Ness
Exhibition Centre and a Jacobite cruise on the loch. Three attractions which
we would highly recommend and excellent value for money.
Until next month, when we hope that spring
will really be here...
Graeme & Fiona
Evergreen News - Saturday 8th March 2008
Hello everyone
Spring may not quite be in the air, but there are signs at
last that winter is loosing it's grip. Daffodils are beginning to push
upwards and the snowdrops are out. But on south Loch Ness, the flower we await
most is the wild primrose. In a few weeks the grass verges and woods will be
carpeted by clumps of yellow primroses, the sign that spring has arrived.
At present it has to be said that the ground is very very
wet and the water is pouring off the rocky bluffs above Inverfarigaig. All very picturesque but not much fun to run across.
Recently I have been doing a lot of trail running in the woods behind
Evergreen. The tracks are fantastic but more often or not I return looking
as if I have had a mud bath!
On a completely different tack, we are starting this month
with our first look ahead to 2009 as 'Year of the Homecoming'. Officially,
(www.homecomingscotland.com)
this is a 'year long celebration of a unique modern nation' based around the
250th anniversary of the birth of our national poet and cultural icon Robert
Burns. But this aside, it is an opportunity for Scots across the world to
remember their roots and 'come home' and celebrate with us. As someone who
has strong present family ties to Canada and further back in time to Italy,
the Homecoming has a resonance which I'm sure will strike a chord with
thousands of others worldwide. Indeed, it is estimated that there are
approximately 40 million people worldwide of Scottish extraction.
So, for all the Macleods out there, we remember this month
one of Scotland's great unsung heroes, Calum Macleod of The Island of Raasay.
Inspired by the relentless decline in population and culture of his island,
one spring morning in the mid 1960's Calum took his wheelbarrow, axe and
shovel and set out to build a road. Not just any road, but a road that he
hoped would lead to the population regeneration of north Raasay. Calum
spent the next 15 years building his road. When he finished he had
constructed single handed 2 miles of road cut through the most wild and
harsh Hebridean landscape. What vision, what determination but above all
what devotion to the land of his people! The full story is
beautifully told in 'Calum's Road by Roger Hutchinson, published in 2006.
Not perhaps in the same heroic mould as Calum
Macleod, but Loch Ness has it's own local hero in the form of Willie
Cameron. This month 'Mr Loch Ness' is featured in the 'Executive' magazine.
Willie is passionate about everything "Loch Ness" and over the years has been
instrumental in bringing film, TV and media to the area. It was also
he who first became convinced, four years ago, that World Heritage status for
Loch Ness was a possibility worth pursuing. Willie Cameron was also
instrumental in getting me my
first (and only!) part in a television series in 2003 talking about the
military roads of General Wade that pass down the south side of the loch.
And that's it for this month. A happy and peaceful Easter
to everyone.
Graeme & Fiona
Evergreen News - Saturday 9th February 2008
Hi Everyone,
At this time of year many of our guests
hope that we will have snow here on Loch Ness and in recent years due
to climate change, many are disappointed. However, this year we
have had snow in abundance, particularly at high levels, in the hills behind
us here at Evergreen. Last weekend it snowed heavily on the Friday night and
on Saturday we woke up to a winter wonderland. Realising that the snow would
bring the red deer down from the hills,
I took a drive up to Suidhe Chuimein viewpoint. At 1200ft, it is the highest
road in the area and as the photos show,
the deer were there in abundance. I only spent about 15 minutes taking photos
because the wind was blowing and coupled with the already low temperatures,
the wind chill temperature was -10C - not good to be standing around in!
But then just as we were getting used to the
idea of a semi normal winter, the past three days have been unseasonably
warm along with strong winds. Not so much fun, but it did turn Loch Ness in
to what I think looks like a stormy sea! Have a look at some of the photos
on the photo gallery page
Anyway enough of the weather, tomorrow
sees the UK release of the film Waterhorse - Legend of the Deep. Loosely
based on the story of the Loch Ness Monster this is a fantasy adventure film
that will appeal to children of all ages! Fiona and I were at a preview of
the film in Inverness two weeks ago and it really is worth going to see,
staying clear of most of the monster cliches and with fantastic special
effects. No doubt it will boost tourism in the area this year, having been
released in the US before Christmas. But it is the achievement of World Heritage status for Loch Ness that
will deliver long term benefit to the area based upon the unique natural
environment of the area and rich cultural heritage
Talking of the cultural heritage of the
area, a guest's recent request as to where the nearest catholic church was
to Evergreen, reminded me of how many churches of all the main
denominations there are in such a small rural area as the South Side of Loch
Ness. This of course reflects the powerful influence of the church in the
Highlands right up until the 20th Century. So strong was their power in the
18th century that the civil courts were expected to reinforce the teachings
of Presbyterian church. Thus for poor unfortunate young women who concealed
pregnancy or committed infanticide, the punishment was a capital offence,
and so was the fate of one Helen Preston who was hanged for her sins in
Inverness in 1766!
But to finish on a more cheerful note, the
days are getting longer, Spring is just around the corner and with it will
come the wonderful wild yellow primroses that cover our verges and woodland
floors. Look out for the photos next month...
Graeme & Fiona
Evergreen News - Monday 7th January 2008
Hi Everyone,
Happy New Year and we hope that you had a
relaxing festive break. We certainly did, and we even managed a couple
of nights away staying in rooms at the famous
Three Chimney's
restaurant on the Isle of Skye. This restaurant has been voted one of the
top 50 restaurants in the world (The Restaurant Magasine) and we certainly
were not disappointed - the food was truly wonderful and backed up by first
class service. As if that was not enough, the restaurant enjoys a
sublime location on the shores of Loch Dunvegan and thanks to some good
weather we got in a couple of excellent walks in the area and in the nearby
Cuillin Mountains. But perhaps the best part of all this - it is only a
three hour drive from Evergreen...
Back on Loch Ness, despite some very
wintry weather elsewhere in the Highlands, the New Year has got off to a
cold but pleasant start and Fiona and I have been able to get out on a few
'winter walks around
Loch Ruthven
(famous for supporting a large breeding
population of Slavonian Grebes) and Loch Farr (famous for having one of the
largest populations of common toads in the Highlands!). Both of these are
lovely easy walks but undoubtedly the best local walk that we have been on
recently was up what is known as the Fair Haired Lad's Pass. This walk has
only recently been opened up by the South Loch Ness Access Group as part of The
Trail of the Seven Lochs. Rising sharply 1300ft from the loch side in a
series of switchbacks this is a sublime walk that opens up to give
fantastic panoramic views of Loch Ness and takes you up in to some of the
most wild and beautiful landscape in the area. On the day that we walked we
did not have time to do the 'full circuit' back to Evergreen so three days
later I ran it 'in reverse', a distance of approximately 9 miles and all I
would say - if you like running and want do something that is
off road and challenging then this is perfect!!
All of what I have just said of
course emphasises that there is much more to Loch Ness than
merely a monster!! This is a theme taken up by Geoff Holder in his excellent
new book, 'The Guide to Mysterious Loch Ness' which focuses not on the
monster, but everything supernatural, paranormal, folkloric, eccentric
and mysterious around Loch Ness and the surrounding area....and believe me
there is plenty of it. I thought that I knew most of the ancient stories
about Inverfarigaig but clearly not all. For instance I was aware of the
site of St Moluag's 6th century chapel about a mile from Evergreen. What I
didn't know was that long after the site was closed, unbaptised children
were buried there giving the place, from my perspective, a rather chilling
and sad aura.
However, finishing on a more upbeat note,
Highland Year of Culture comes to an end on January 12th in Inverness with a
dazzling firework display and rightly so. While the whole concept has had
it's critics, 2007 has been a fantastic year in the Highlands with the
continued growth of Inverness reflecting the fact that the area is for
quality of life one of the best areas in the UK to live (not that I'm
biased of course!!)
Till next month
Graeme & Fiona
2007
Hello and a Merry Christmas to Everyone,
Yes, it is that time of year again - a time to reflect, enjoy and look
forward to 2008. It has been another very busy and hectic year for Fiona and
I. We keep saying that we need to take more time out for ourselves but
somehow it hasn't quite happened yet! I suppose a lot has to do with the
fact that we really enjoy meeting people and sharing our enthusiasm for Loch
Ness and the Highlands. I have also been increasingly involved in the
tourism industry in general. This year I have been very active in the role
as chairman of Destination Loch Ness, an organisation which is very much
focused on improving the whole experience for visitors to the Loch Ness area
and just last weekend I was elected onto the committee of 'Scotland's Best
B&B's.
Tourism on Loch Ness is changing and
changing for the better or more specifically there is much more to do in the
area than a few years ago. Evidence of this at present is that Aldourie
Castle, the 'pink castle' of the south side, which for several years lay
neglected is finally being restored to provide luxury accommodation in the
castle and in nine eco-lodges to be built in the expansive grounds. When
finished Aldourie Castle will once again be a place for people to relax and
enjoy. It is a castle with a rich history. Most of it is 19th century but
parts of the castle date back to the 17th century. Owned by the Fraser-Tytler
family for the best part of two centuries and laterally through inheritance
by the Cameron family, many of the stories that surround the castle are in a
booklet entitled 'Tales of old Aldourie' compiled by Neil Fraser-Tytler in
the 1920's. I suppose one of the most well known stories is of the 'Gray
lady' who haunts the castle but my favourite image of the castle is one I
think which captures it's unique history - a party in front of the castle in
celebration of the Lovat Scouts about to leave for the Boer War in 1899.
Back on a more festive note the famed
Evergreen Christmas tree goes up this weekend on the decking. Subject to
sufficient numbers of 'Santa's Little Helpers' and copious quantities of
mulled wine, I hope once again to have wrestled our 12 foot tree into
position and decked it out with lights. All that is then needed is a white
Christmas and who knows, we could get one - the signs are good. For the most
part over the past two weeks it has been cold enough for snow in the
mountains and sleet down at our level. Indeed, there has already been skiing
in the Cairngorms which is much earlier than last year But if skiing is not
your thing, there is still much to look forward to in the Highlands over the
festive period. Inverness has a full programme of events and on Loch Ness,
the major attractions such as Urquhart Castle and Jacobite Cruises are open.
Alternatively, if all you want is peace and quiet and a chance to relax then
certainly we have it all. As someone who spends what little spare time I
have running, it is an absolute joy at this time of year- I can run along
for considerable distances with barely a car passing me!
And on that note a very Merry Christmas
and Happy New year to Everyone out there,
Graeme & Fiona
Evergreen News - Sunday 11th November 2007
Hello Everyone,
Well, it may be November but there is still much
happening in the area. Pride of place must go to the reopening of the Eden
Court theatre in Inverness last Saturday night after being closed for
extensive redevelopment over two years ago. For Invernessians the theatre is
an institution that has been at the cultural centre of Inverness since the
mid 1970's (even I remember going to it in 1975!) and therefore Saturday
night was an eagerly anticipated event. Apparently there were hundreds
of people queuing by the time the doors opened at 6pm for a performance by
two of Scotland's finest traditional musicians, Aly Bain and Phil
Cunningham. And no one was to be disappointed as the pair turned in a superb
performance.
On a more local note, the
local newspaper this week carried an article on the memorial to Roderick
Mackenzie which is situated in Glen Moriston, but sadly falling into
disrepair. Sadly, because in the eyes of many, this man is a true hero of
the Jacobite cause who gave his life selflessly to protect Prince Charlie.
The story goes that Mackenzie, who was a member of the Prince's bodyguard,
was surprised and captured by a party of redcoats looking for the Prince
shortly after Culloden. Mackenzie bore a strong resemblance to his leader
and, knowing this, resisted. The troops shot him and his dying words were
'you have killed your prince'. Taken in by his words, he was beheaded and
his head taken to London. It took a month before the government realised
that the wrong man had been killed during which time the real Bonnie Prince
Charlie made his escape.
Another story appearing in
the press this month is of a mystery sea creature, found washed up on Orkney
nearly 200 years ago, which is believed to fit descriptions of the Loch Ness
monster. The carcass of the beast, fragments of which have been discovered
in storage at the Royal Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, was found on the
rocks off the island of Stronsay in Orkney in 1808. The scientist
researching this creature, Dr Yvonne Simpson, will present her research
along with Loch Ness Project leader Adrian Shine on Tuesday this week aboard
the Jacobite Queen on Loch Ness. We await the results......
The Jacobite Queen is one of
the fleet of Jacobite boats which operate on Loch Ness, and is part of
Jacobite Cruises, an award winning, 5 star, tour and cruise company.
Recently Jacobite has published a fascinating book chartering the history of
the company on Loch Ness and the Caledonian canal. What makes the book
particularly interesting is that it is not just about Jacobite but also
provides an insight into the colourful history of cruising on the Loch.
Jacobite and it's owner Freda
Rapson along with a small number of other influential businesses around the
loch have been instrumental in promoting the loch as a future World Heritage
site. The loch is about very much more than a monster - it is an area as we
know, which has a rich social and cultural heritage as well as being an area
of outstanding natural beauty. It was therefore with great encouragement
that following a short presentation by Graeme to the Economy, Energy &
Tourism Committee of the Scottish Government and their visit to Jacobite,
Destination Loch Ness Ltd of which Graeme presently chairs, received full
endorsement by MSP's (Members of the Scottish Parliament) for the bid to
UNESCO for World heritage Status for Loch Ness & the Great Glen (for more
details see
www.visitlochness.com).
And on this upbeat note, till
next month
Graeme & Fiona
Evergreen News - Wednesday 10th October 2007
Hello Everyone,
We start this month with the now annual report, on the Loch
Ness Marathon. This fantastic event (rated 3rd best marathon in the UK by
the readers of Runners World) and now in it's 6th year, took place Sunday
past. The weather this year was warm and sunny as over 2000 competitors
(including Graeme) lined up at 10am for this challenging marathon. Also
this year, the event was filmed for the first time by Channel 5. Graeme was
actually interviewed at the start and so is looking out for his 15 seconds
of fame when the event is shown on TV in a few weeks time! They
did not film him at the end which is probably just as well. He completed in
a respectable 4hrs. 4mins but was pretty well exhausted at the end!
The
good weather on Sunday was typical of last week. We have enjoyed some
wonderful autumnal days here on Loch Ness recently with bright sunshine
during the day and cold overnight. As a result both Graeme and I have been
out with the camera trying to capture some of this very normal seasonal
weather. Very different weather it has to be said from the previous week,
when the first snow of autumn fell on the Cairngorms. Although only 2
inches fell, it is very early sparking hope that it will be a cold winter
this year with plenty snow high up in the mountains to sustain our
beleaguered ski industry.
Loch Ness also experienced an
event with a difference at the end of last month when one of the fastest and
most eco-friendly powerboats in the world, with the ability to submarine
seven metres underwater, travelled through Loch Ness before it attempts to
set a new powerboat sped record to circumnavigate the globe. The Earthrace
powerboat which runs on 100% bio diesel and with a net zero carbon
footprint, moored at Drumnadrochit overnight on 25th September. Then in the
morning as it made its way down the loch past us here at Inverfarigaig like
some strange monster from the deep, we were fortunate enough to catch a
glimpse of this truly incredible craft
Talking
of monsters, there has been much speculation of late that the lack of
sightings of the 'Loch Ness Monster' in recent years will have a
detrimental effect on the tourism industry in the area. Here on the south
side of Loch Ness we have never promoted the area on the basis of 'The
Monster'. Yes, Loch Ness owes much of it's iconic status the world over to
it's association with Nessie, but there is so much more to the area than the
monster. As our photos in the gallery
this month hopefully show, it is an
area of quite breathtaking beauty.
Finally
though on a less pensive note, at this time of year as the days get
shorter, our favourite furry friends, the red squirrels, are very active
collecting nuts to store away over the winter months. Every morning we look
out the window here at Evergreen and see two or three frantically going back
and forward collecting and burying hazel nuts in the garden. We are very
fortunate here on Loch Ness to have so many red squirrels mainly
because as yet no grey squirrels have moved in on the area. Long may it
continue!
Until next month.
Graeme & Fiona
Evergreen News - Friday 7th September 2007
Hello Everyone,
August has been an extremely busy month
for us and there has been a number of first class events on and around the
loch. We have had a music festival at Borlum Farm, overlooking Loch Ness
near Drumnadrochit with a number of excellent local bands and headlined by
Runrig, a Catamaran race the whole length of the loch - from Dores to Fort
Augustus and back and just last weekend the first "Monster Duathlon" -
cycling and running all the way round the loch! So, musicians, sailors,
cyclists and runners, not forgetting the audiences have enjoyed the delights
of the loch from very different perspectives.
The Runrig concert attracted 17,000 fans from
across Europe. Runrig mix traditional Celtic with rock to create
powerful stirring music. Unfortunately the only thing to dampen the day was
the weather - and I mean dampen as it rained constantly for 24 hours! We got
to the event at 4.00 p.m. and enjoyed all the support bands including Great
Big Sea. Great Big Sea hail from Nova Scotia, Canada, a part of the world
with very strong social and cultural links with Scotland. By the end of the
concert the field was just a sea of mud but everyone left happy and with a
great sense of achievement.
The Loch Ness Monster
Catamaran race had one of the fastest boats in the world competing for the
honours and with an all-star crew it did not disappoint. The day started
with low visibility and minimal wind but conditions improved and the sun
came out and the wind picked up. The best sailing was seen on the return
journey from Fort Augustus - with the sun behind it Basilica flew down the
centre of the Loch finishing the 50 mile course in four hours and thirty
three minutes!
I managed to take a few photographs of
some of the smaller catamars which took part - I have put these onto the
photo gallery
page
The inaugural First Monster
Duathlon started in Inverness and took the route of the Great Glen Way on
the north side of the loch before reaching Fort Augustus and then continuing
along the quiet roads on the south side of the loch, right past Hazelgrove.
The event attracted around 100 teams of 4, with each competitor running
around 10k then cycling 20k in a relay event. It is hoped that the event,
which attracted some of the UK's fittest celebrities will raise thousands of
pounds for the charity Save the Children. The event, although challenging,
was such a success that it has already been announced that the event will be
staged again next year so if you are interested??....
But to finish this month, do
you ever wonder as you travel through Scotland how we ended up with
the St Andrew's Cross (Saltire) as our national flag? Tradition has it that
the flag, the oldest in Europe and the Commonwealth, originated in a battle
fought close by the East Lothian village of Athelstandford in the dark ages
(the date is believed to have been 832AD).
An army of Picts under King
Angus, and aided by a contingent of Scots, was invading Lothian (at that
time still Northumbiran territory), and found itself surrounded by a larger
force of Saxons led by Athelstan. Fearing the outcome of the encounter,
Angus led prayers for deliverance and was rewarded by seeing a cloud
formation of a white saltire (the diagonal cross, on which St Andrew had
been martyred) against the blue sky. The kind vowed that if, with the
saint's help, he gained victory, then Andrew would thereafter be the patron
saint of Scotland. The Scots did win, and the Saltire became the flag of
Scotland!
