The Ileach newspaper of 16 January contained a very interesting article about a family on Islay that lives "off grid" and "off mains water". Now don't think they live in a room lit by candles and lack other facilities, on the contrary, it was an eyeopener for me to read this article and at the same time something we can all learn from.

Carl Reavey: I went to visit a family at Kelsay who live ‘off grid’. This means they have no electrical connection to the mains - at all! They have a wind turbine to generate electricity and store it in large batteries to use when required. They have neither mains water nor bore hole. All their water requirements are met by harvesting rainwater from their roof. Graham and Robyne came here from North East England around twelve years ago. Six years ago they purchased a small stone ruin. Together they worked to rebuild it - during which time Graham Jnr came along. When Graham and Robyne started the renovation, Graham was stripping old plaster from the roof. He heard a strange hissing noise - it sounded like a gas leak! He removed the last piece of plaster, and they found a baby Barn owl on a nest.The mother had been feeding the owl by dropping food in behind the plaster. Not wishing to disturb the owl, but needing to continue building, he built a wooden box for the owl to live in.

The owl grew used to Graham and Robyne. When they wanted to work, Graham would say ‘Right, Barney, into your box’, and the owl would hop along the roof joists into her box. As they progressed with the roof they left a hole near the ridge for the mother to get in, and Barney to fly the nest. Robyne even managed to take a photograph of Barney emerging from the house and taking her first flight. As the owl grew bigger Graham shot starlings round the building to help feed her. This also taught the starlings to stay off the roof that would be used to harvest rainwater. Continue reading....

I love Islay in any season, even in winter when waves flail Carraig Fhada lighthouse.

These are the words of author Lennox Morrison who wrote a lovely article in the Independent on Sunday about Islay, a place she visited many times as a child and a place that brought back many fond memories as you can read in her article. The article itself, titled Scottish Isle of simple pleasures is fascinating to read and I can highly recommend it. I picked a few interesting paragraphs to give you an idea:

I didn't grow up here, but in the 20 years since my parents made the place their home, time and again, when visiting, I've found myself transported down the rabbit hole of memory to reconnect with my seven-year-old self. With its white sandy beaches, traffic-free roads (mostly single track) and sea-bathing warmed by the Gulf Stream, this southernmost of the Hebridean isles is the perfect destination for families with young children. But it's also one of the best places on the planet to experience the deep sense of relaxation that comes from conjuring up your childhood self. The spell is cast partly by simple pleasures which cost very little, or nothing at all: catching ribbons of seaweed between your toes as you pad-dle through the shallows, island-spotting from cliffs crowned with wild orchids, buying fish and chips cooked by an island family. But a large portion of the charm comes from spending time in a community of 3,000 or so where people leave their house door open, their car unlocked, cash for the milkman on the doorstep.

Islay is therefore the gentle beginning of beyond; just remote enough for you to have a beach to yourself. (In August, admittedly, things can become more crowded. Last year, I counted eight beachcombers, two dogs and four pony trekkers all on the same bay.) The official tourist board delights encompass eight whisky distilleries in idyllic settings, including Lagavulin and Laphroaig, a celebrated links golf course and some of the finest natural wild brown trout-fishing in Europe. Add to that a world-class example of Celtic carving, the bluestone Kildalton Cross, and the former home, at Finlaggan, of the Lords of the Isles, who once ruled much of western Scotland.

Tag: travel report

For Argyll published the following story on their website re the FilmG Awards in which Islay High School participated. A quote from the first paragraph: "The young film-makers of Islay High School were jubilant last night (5th February) at the FilmG Awards at the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness. They won no fewer than two awards with their entry, An Tur (The Tower): the Best Production in the Young People category; and the Peoples’ Choice award, which is awarded on an online vote." Congratulations to the film makers and below you can see the winning production. Well done!!!

The story: A girl is dreaming in class of a tower and sees her friend walk into it. She wakens with a fright from the teacher and sees him wearing the same cloak as she saw in the dream. She warns her friend not to go to the tower. Her dream becomes reality where she goes on a mission to save her friend. Upon saving her, she remembers that there are three other girls missing....

Tag: award high school filmg

The BBC just published the following information on their website re the Ferry crash at Kennacraig. From what you can read there were no injuries but it is likely that disruptions will take place. A quote from BBC:

Fourteen passengers were brought to shore safely after a ferry crashed into a pier on the Kintyre Peninsula. The Caledonia MacBrayne ferry, the MV Isle of Arran, was reversing into the harbour at Kennacraig at about 0930 GMT, after sailing from Islay . The ferry, which was also carrying a few commercial vehicles, hit the pier but no-one was hurt in the incident. A spokesman for the ferry company said early indications were that a mechanical fault was to blame. Engineers are now assessing damage to the pier, which is not thought to be too severe.

The left hand linkspan and passenger walkway are out of action at Kennacraig and the pier is not the only thing damaged. I've heard that the Isle of Arran ferry has a hole in the hull and will be taken out of service, which was planned already from next Tuesday onwards, and as a result of the crash will now be a couple of days earlier. Calmac amended the timetable as follows: Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th February 2010 on the Kennacraig/Islay Service detailed below :- Monday 8th February 04:15hrs from Port Ellen (Operating instead of the 07:00hrs) 07:00hrs from Kennacraig ( As timetabled) 09:45hrs from Port Ellen ( As timetabled) 13:00hrs from Kennacraig ( As timetabled ) 15:30hrs from Port Askaig ( As timetabled ) 17:00hrs from Port Ellen (Withdrawn) 18:00hrs from Kennacraig ( As timetabled ) 20:15hrs from Port Askaig ( Additional ) Tuesday 9th February 07:00hrs from Port Askaig (Withdrawn) 07:00hrs from Kennacraig (As timetabled) 09:45hrs from Port Ellen (As timetabled) 13:00hrs from Kennacraig (As timetabled) 15:30hrs from Port Askaig (As timetabled ). For more information and updates visit the Calmac website

Tag: ferry travel calmac

I'm taking a certain risk writing this post since it is based on no more than a tweet from the Ileach Newspaper, although I take them very serious of course. The tweet I'm talking about is as follows: "Overland route through Jura, move freight Clydeport/Port Ellen and service cattle sales from Oban. See next issue". That's all. When I read it I had a pretty good picture in my head what this could mean although it is only based on speculation from my part. Let me explain please. A couple of months ago information leaked from the Ferry Review which has planned to publish their future ferry proposals in spring 2010. If you read the report carefully there is one very interesting and relevant paragraph I'd like you to keep in mind:

A shorter route from Jura to the mainland will be specifically considered as the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change committed the review to including this at his TICCC appearance on 3rd June 2008

Parts of the report that leaked out contained information that could lead to a proposal in which Islay could be served by ferry from the mainland through Oban. If this is realistic or not is not up to me but where there is smoke there is a fire and Lord George Robertson protested against this very scenario in his letter to First Minister Alex Salmond. So you could say that if someone like George Robertson took the effort and wrote such a letter to the First Minister a one port (Oban) scenario must have been mentioned somewhere. Continue reading....

We visited Margaret Rozga back in 2007 for the first time and we were pleased to get a warm welcome and a grand tour of Kilmeny House. Kilmeny is situated on a beautiful elevated position near Ballygrant with stunning views over the rural heart of Islay. The interior is very luxurious and the guest house is rewarded with five stars from VisitScotland. Together with her sister Rachel from Glenegedale House she also received a gold star from VisitScotland. There are many ways to describe this beautiful accommodation and the best way perhaps is to watch a video, available from Margaret's website at www.kilmeny.co.uk/video.html and below. Enjoy!

Tag: video accommodation kilmeny

The Glasgow Islay Association has launched an appeal for funding for the restoration of the memorial to the folklorist John Francis Campbell, better known as Iain Òg Ìle, at Cnoc na Dàl on the outskirts of Bridgend. The monument was originally provided by the Comunn Ileach which raised £300 for the project by public subscription. In today’s money, we are talking about a sum in the region of £159,000. The association was also responsible for the provision of the monument at Ballygrant commemorating local dominie Hector MacLean who assisted Campbell in his collection of Highland tales. Continue reading......

It's nice to write again about the ferries and ports on Islay. A subject that I like very much and it's something that is generating a lot of newsworthy articles and concerns everyone, both the people on Islay and its visitors. It has been silent for a while so let's recapitulate what's been going on with Islay's ferries and ports. In a nutshell: Islay will see a new ferry in 2011 and so far she doesn't fit Kennacraig, Port Askaig and Port Ellen's link span. Port Askaig, which has recently undergone a £13m reconstruction, will need more work on the linkspan which will cost another £0.5m. Kennacraig and Port Ellen need a huge upgrade of around £38m. With that in mind there is a ferry review and information leaked out that there is a possibility that Islay will be served by a Oban to Port Askaig single ferry route and no longer from Kennacraig which means exit Port Ellen AND Kennacraig and £38m are saved. A silly proposal which should be stopped immediately but with the huge financial gaps left by the economic crisis the government will try and save lots of money and closing both Port Ellen and Kennacraig for Calmac ferries and not invest there is an easy win. There is lots of opposition against the single port option and perhaps you'll remember the ferry route poll I ran in December last year amongst the readers of this blog. A huge majority, 106 people, want to travel to Islay from Kennacraig to either Port Askaig and Port Ellen and only a few, 15 people, prefer Oban. Lord George Robertson, former Secretay General of Nato and Ileach, is against the possible changes too and he wrote a letter to First Minister Alex Salmond which was printed in last weeks Ileach: Continue reading.....