Summer 2011

AWARD WINNING MAGAZINE

CAPERS

WITH KIDS

Family-friendly adventures to enjoy this summer

Savour wild isolation on the Isle of Rona

JOURNEY THROUGH TIME Discover Argyll’s remarkable Kilmartin Glen

SECRETS OF THE BASKING SHARK Scotland’s most impressive summer visitor

PLUS: Explore Loch Ness • Lesley Riddoch • Win an outdoor photography workshop for two

www.scotoutdoors.com

Summer 2011 £3.80

PORTRAIT OF AN ISLAND

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WELCOME

A word from the editor

W

hat a magical place the world is when you take the time to view it through a child’s eyes. Paddling in the shallow waves, throwing pebbles into a stream, watching bumblebees and stomping in puddles – even the simplest activities are entertaining to toddlers, and it’s hard not to share in their contagious enthusiasm. Life is an adventure to my two-year-old son, and how I’ve enjoyed that journey with him. As he grows, I know, it’ll become a little trickier keeping him entertained, but for now, just being outside (whatever the weather) is fun enough. Our lead feature on page 28 draws on the ideas and experience of fellow parents to bring you inspiration for family-friendly outdoor adventures.

Beachfront camping is, of course, a summertime favourite with families. Our selection of top five sites on page 14 is eclectic, but if your idea of bliss is an altogether wilder island retreat, the Isle of Rona might appeal – tucked away off Raasay, its isolation is fiercely guarded by the elements, as our reporter found (page 36). By contrast, the shores of mighty Loch Ness are well-trodden thanks to its mythical monster, but the area still harbours a few well-kept secrets worth exploring, as we show on page 44.

Tales of myth and legend also abound in Argyll’s Kilmartin Glen (page 50), birthplace of Scotland’s people and one of the country’s richest archaeological sites. And finally, the secret lives of two vulnerable and often misunderstood creatures are revealed – the basking shark on page 56, and the hen harrier on page 60.

Enjoy this issue, and make the most of the all-too-brief Scottish summer!

Ida Maspero Associate Editor, Scotland Outdoors This issue is dedicated to Jayne, soul mate and wife of editor Richard Rowe. Her unwavering support, patience and enthusiasm allowed this magazine to grow from a dream to a successful reality. See page 64 for a longer tribute.

R Rona p36 Inv Inverness Skye

Rest in peace, dear friend. May the sun warm you, the wind carry you and your freed soul forever savour the view from the summit.

EXPLORE LOCH NESS

Frrom p43 p4

Scotland Outdoors online You can find our website at www.scotoutdoors.com Look out for special online features and sign up for our e-newsletter to receive regular updates Kilmartin tin Glen en p50

Join us on Facebook and tell your friends! www.tinyurl.com/somagfb

Hawick

You can also follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/scotoutdoors

Langholm Moor p60 PHOTOGRAPHY: COVER: ENJOYING THE WOODLAND SCULPTURES AT PRESSMENNAN WOOD, EAST LOTHIAN, HELEN PUGH/WOODLAND TRUST SCOTLAND ABOVE LEFT: BOULDERING ON THE BEACH BELOW CEANNABEINNE, NEAR DURNESS, DAVID FARMER

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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CONTENTS

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Contributors

Nick Williams Better known as the author of Pocket Mountains guides to Scotland’s hills, mountaineer and writer Nick Williams takes an altogether different journey – back in time – as he explores Argyll’s Kilmartin Glen. Journey through time, page 50

Anne Saunders As the Marine Conservation Society’s Scottish Projects Officer since 2007, Anne Saunders has worked on beach litter and pollution, and has studied turtles, jellyfish and basking sharks.

Here, she lifts the lid on the secret life of Scotland’s most impressive summer visitor. Secrets of the basking shark, page 56

CONTENTS PHOTOGRAPHY: JASON BAXTER PHOTOGRAPHY; JAMES CARRON; NICK WILLIAMS; GAVIN PARSONS; VISIT LOCH NESS; KENNY MUIR; CLIFF CARRIE; CLACHTOLL BEACH CAMPSITE; ROSS DEMPSTER; ANDY WIGHTMAN

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Dr Aly McCluskie An ecologist with a special interest in predation and situations where predators come in conflict with man, Aly McCluskie has been studying the hen harrier for more than ten years and is part of the scientific team at the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project.

Harriers’ haunt, page 60

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The Scotland Outdoors team Editor: Richard Rowe t 01721 588140 e richard@scotoutdoors.com Associate Editor: Ida Maspero t 0131 538 0348 e ida@scotoutdoors.com Copy Editor: Ruth Noble Editorial Board: Nick Williams, Chris Surgenor, Charlotte Manwaring, Andy Ross Advertising sales: Alison Fraser t 0141 946 8708 e alison@scotoutdoors.com Design & Production: CMYK Design e production@scotoutdoors.com w cmyk-design.co.uk

subscription and through in-room copies at high-quality accommodation providers; Green Tourism Business Scheme and Wild Scotland members; leading wildlife and adventure travel companies; activity and visitor centres; outdoor retailers and other specialist suppliers. For a full list of stockists see: www.scotoutdoors.com ISSN 1757-224X

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All contents © Big Bend Publishing (2011) This magazine is printed on Claro Silk, which is FSC-certified and produced using ECF pulp.

Subscriptions: Please contact subscriptions@scotoutdoors.com Printing: J Thomson Colour Printers Published by: Big Bend Publishing, 16 Rosetta Road, Peebles, Borders EH45 8JU, Scotland Scotland Outdoors is published quarterly. It is available by

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Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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FEATURES

ADVENTURE

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Capers with kids

Summer’s upon us, the schools are out and the whole family is looking for a bit of adventure out in the fresh air, away from the rat race. Here is our selection of the best family-friendly adventures (and how to ensure the trip doesn’t end in tears)

PORTRAIT Rona reborn

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Tucked away off the north coast of Raasay, the Isle of Rona was once home to a thriving crofting community, then only sheep.

Now, with two residents and a landscape returning to the wild, it makes an ideal getaway for those who savour solitude, finds James Carron

EXPERIENCE Journey through time

50

Nick Williams explores Argyll’s remarkable Kilmartin Glen, a landscape rich in both prehistory and natural history

WILDLIFE AND ECOLOGY Secrets of the basking shark

56

Take a peek inside the secret world of Scotland’s most impressive summer visitor as Anne Saunders reveals what is known about the giant basking shark

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Harriers’ haunt

Langholm Moor in Dumfries & Galloway is the site of a major effort to broker a lasting peace between the threatened hen harrier and those who manage grouse moors. Aly McCluskie explains

EXPLORE LOCH NESS

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Beyond the monster

Loch Ness is famed for a certain elusive beastie, but there is so much more to do in the area than hunt for Nessie. Here are ten of the best to explore

Visit our website for additional online features submitted by readers www.scotoutdoors.com

REGULARS

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22 www.scotoutdoors.com

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Reader adventures Reader photographs of wild getaways

Big picture The Devil’s Beef Tub, Dumfries & Galloway

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Competition

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Board & lodging

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Day in the life

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Innovations

2020Vision

More than just trees Niall Benvie makes the case for restoring and reconnecting Scotland’s fragmented pinewoods

News Outdoor news from around Scotland

Top five…

Beachfront campsites Scattered along Scotland’s beguiling coastline are some pretty perfect pitches. Here’s our pick of five to try this summer

Events Celebrate summer with our round-up of outdoorsy events

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Win a two-day photography workshop in the west Highlands

Nick Williams finds a welcome haven at the Galley of Lorne Inn, Argyll

Sea kayak guide, outdoor instructor and clothing entrepreneur Carol Lang reflects on the highs and lows of a varied working life

Kids’ gear, nifty tents, versatile shoes and more – this season’s innovative new products

Outdoor passions Broadcaster and political commentator Lesley Riddoch reveals her love of cycling and strong opinions about Scots’ troubled relationship with nature

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OUTDOOR • ADVENTURERS

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CHECK OUT OUR SELECTION OF THE BEST READER PICTURES SUBMITTED IN RECENT MONTHS

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Who done it?

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1 Southerness Lighthouse, Galloway, Susan Rowe 2 South Glen Shiel Ridge from Creag a' Mhaim, Jim Cassidy 3 A rain-sodden Aros Park, Isle of Mull, David Rowlinson 4 Looking north to the Parallel Roads of Glen Roy, near Roy Bridge, Hilary Temple 5 First taste of sailing, near Port Appin, Jules and Cliff Carrie 6 On the Beinn Eighe Mountain Trail, Torridon, Michael, Emma and Lottie Wilkinson 7 Dunottar Castle, Aberdeenshire, Fiona Leslie PLEASE KEEP THE PICTURES COMING:

Show us what you get up to and we will publish the best pictures in our next issue. Just tell us where you are and what you are doing.

Email your high-resolution images to: adventures@scotoutdoors.com

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Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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Historic hollow PHOTOGRAPH: KENNY MUIR / WWW.KENNYMUIR.COM

The Devil’s Beef Tub, Dumfries & Galloway The Devil’s Beef Tub is one of the most impressive landmarks in the south of Scotland. Located five miles north of Moffat, this plunging glacial hollow is surrounded by four hills – Great Hill, Peat Knowe, Annanhead Hill and Ericstane Hill – while the valleys form the headwaters of the Annan Water and mark the watershed between the Annan and Tweed rivers. Dotted across the hills are small relic stands of rare mountain plants and the occasional pocket of ash and hazel woodland – a reminder of landscapes past.

Today, it is a place of great tranquillity, enjoyed by walkers, fell runners and the occasional paraglider, but it is also a landscape with a turbulent past. The Beef Tub has great historical and cultural importance and was immortalised

by Sir Walter Scott, who wrote: “It looks as if four hills were laying their heads together, to shut out daylight from the dark hollow space between them. A damned deep, black, blackguard-looking abyss of a hole it is.”

The evocative name came from the notorious Border Reivers who hid stolen cattle in its cavernous hollow. It is also known for its association with William Wallace, who is reputed to have gathered men from the Ettrick Forest and the Border clans at Corehead and from nearby Corehead Tower led his first attack against the English in 1297.

Since the days of William Wallace, when the ancient Ettrick Forest covered this land, the hills have been grazed bare, leaving natural habitats such as heather moorland and native woodland much reduced. The Beef Tub forms part of the 1,580-acre Corehead Farm, which was purchased by Borders Forest Trust (BFT) in 2009 with the aim of bringing the upland sheep farm into conservation management.

Through traditional agricultural practices and ecological restoration techniques, the Trust is now creating native woodlands, wetlands, hay meadows and heather moorland habitats. Just a short distance away is another BFT project, the Carrifran Wildwood. Together these projects form building blocks in the restoration of the Ettrick Forest.

One of the key aims is to encourage the return of wildlife – from black grouse and golden eagle to mountain hare and Scotch argus butterfly – while people are also encouraged to visit through a range of special events and volunteering opportunities. Over 100,000 trees have been planted in the last six months – the first step in the longterm transformation of this landscape. Trees will be planted across the farm, but not in the Beef Tub itself, where grazing will continue to retain the open aspect and dramatic views.

LOUISA FINCH, BORDERS FOREST TRUST

Getting there Located five miles north of Moffat, the Devil’s Beef Tub is one of the highlights of the Annandale Way, a recentlyestablished long-distance walking route linking Moffat and Annan, see www.annandaleway.org. The Beef Tub can also be viewed and accessed via a layby on the A701 at Annanhead (NT 055127) – from the forest gateway, pass through the wooden gate on the right-hand side, then ascend Annanhead Hill. For more on Corehead Farm and the Devil’s Beef Tub, visit www.bordersforesttrust.org

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BIG PICTURE •

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2020 VISION • PINEWOODS

More than just trees TREES PROVIDE VITAL ‘ECOSYSTEM SERVICES’, WE ARE TOLD, BUT WHY ELSE DO WE NEED OUR NATIVE PINE FOREST? AS NIALL BENVIE ARGUES, THE EFFORT TO REGENERATE AND CONNECT THE REMAINING FRAGMENTS OF SCOTLAND’S CALEDONIAN PINEWOOD IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST TREES

PHOTOGRAPHY: MARK HAMBLIN/2020VISION; PETER CAIRNS/2020VISION

I

t’s sometimes easy to forget just how far north Scotland is. If you traced a line westwards from where I live, you would eventually come to Churchill, Manitoba – famed for its polar bears. From there, you would cut across the Alaska Peninsula and encounter Russia in Kamchatka. But thanks to the ameliorating effect of the North Atlantic Drift, northwest Europe remains on average several degrees warmer than places at similar latitudes on the western side of the ocean.

Were it not for the movement of water from the tropics (keeping at bay the North Atlantic Oceanic Polar Front), we would live in a very different landscape. Perhaps even one with bears in it.

So while we may have only the scantiest covering of tundra (on the high Cairngorms), Britain does have the westernmost extension of the massive boreal forest that stretches eastwards through northern Scandinavia, Siberia and Canada. It is our part of the true north. But it is a frayed edge, much diminished by the onset of cooler, wetter weather about 4,500 years ago and, 1,500 years later, by Bronze Age farmers. Today, perhaps one percent of the original 1.5 million hectares of

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Tree treasures (clockwise from top): dawn mist rising through the Caledonian pinewoods; pine marten; red squirrel; pines reflected on Loch Mallachie in Abernethy Forest; capercaillie

the ‘Wood of Caledon’ remains and too often these remnants are scattered and disconnected.

If we are to enjoy the full benefits of the boreal forest, we need to reconnect these and expand their area.

So what good is native pine forest? What do we need it for? The answers to some extent depend on the store you set on keeping your home in good order. We can, of course, survive in a place with a leaking roof, overgrown garden and rotten woodwork, but isn’t the experience of living somewhere that is well maintained much more satisfying? The asset you have to pass on to your children is certainly worth more. Practically, pine forests sequester carbon and are net producers of oxygen.

They provide shelter, building materials, fuel and stability for fragile mineral soils. They are sponges that regulate the flow of water into rivers. These things all matter to society: if the pine forests didn’t happen to do this for us (for free) then we would have to pay directly, or indirectly through our taxes, to stop a part of our ‘home’ from becoming derelict.

To those who have spent any time amongst the old Scots pines, stilling themselves so intensely that they feel part of the forest, the

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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Wood of Caledon is more than a mere provider of ecological services. It is home to some of the most charismatic animals in the land: red squirrels, crested tits, crossbills, pine martens, red deer and capercaillie. These creatures provide a link to a greater boreal realm far beyond these shores, and encourage the imagination to roam.

Those who are working to reconnect and expand our boreal forest practise ‘cathedral thinking’ – the results won’t be seen in their own lifetimes but they are driven by a vision of what could be, often informed by having seen wild boreal forests on the Continent.

Trees for Life (TFL) is a charity working hard to restore wild woodland in the Highlands, not for any utilitarian reasons but simply for its own sake; it believes that, culturally, we are enriched by having extensive natural forests.

In practical terms, the long-term deforestation of most of the Highlands and resultant leaching of nutrients has been disastrous for biodiversity and abundance. Re-establishing woodland is the first step in improving nutrient cycling in the landscape.

Woodland regeneration is about a lot more than simply planting trees in empty glens. A forest’s vitality begins with the mass of tiny threads, known as hyphae, woven through the soil and around plants’ roots. These form the main ‘body’ (mycelium) of a fungus, and without these partnerships, trees would be unable to access vital nutrients from decaying vegetation. Their roots are also shielded from disease and harmful chemicals in the soil by the mycelium. Trees for Life, ideally, prefers to work with existing woodlands, improving

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their capacity to spread by keeping deer and sheep out of adjacent areas. Given the presence of the vital mycelium, new woodland should generate and spread. Planting seedlings (of local provenance) in open areas is sometimes less reliable (especially if the mycelial network has been compromised) but is often the only option available throughout much of the Highlands.

In the meantime, TFL’s work is concentrated on its 4,000-hectare Dundreggan Estate to the west of Loch Ness which was acquired in 2008. Native tree cover is currently very restricted but TFL aims to restore woodland to 60% of the estate within the next 25 years.

It will then link to neighbouring woodlands, including those of Glen Affric, creating a larger, more ecologically viable network. The work of repairing the Highlands has begun.

Whether, in time, these wild woods are home again to lynx and other large predators is largely a political question. But one mammal that has recovered from a century or more of sustained persecution and taken advantage of new woodland is the pine marten. For many visitors to the Highlands, the captivating sight of this apricot-fronted weasel at the bird table in a bed and breakfast garden offers just a taste of the wild encounters that a reforested landscape could offer. g

About 2020VISION This is the second in a series of articles following photographers on assignment for 2020VISION – an ambitious communication project that aims to demonstrate what a wilder Britain could look like and how people could benefit from it.

Alongside the 2020VISION iWitness Assignments, the Scottish-based team of photographers has been out in the field covering a range of subjects including the frenetic dawn displays of black grouse on the moorlands of the Cairngorms National Park, and the breeding waders and magnificent coastal machair of the Outer Hebrides.

June is especially busy, kicking off with a week-long visit to the Flow Country to cover peatland restoration, quickly followed by our second visit to Coigach and Assynt, which will coincide with the official opening of the exciting Living Landscape project. We will also look at eco-tourism on the Outer Hebrides and Bass Rock, and how this benefits local communities.

For much more on the project, including how to get involved, visit www.2020V.org

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OUTDOOR • NEWS

EXPLORING Scotland’s byroads in a camper is an ever more popular way to travel, leading to a growing campervan rental scene in Scotland. This season’s newcomer is Atlas Motorhome and Campervan Hire, based in Glasgow.

Says founder Richard Offord: “We consider ourselves a holiday company before a vehicle hire company. We’ve gone a long way to understand why our clients hire campervans, what they do with them, where they go and what we can do to add extra touches.”

Options include a pressure washer for cleaning bikes, watersports gear and walkie talkies for staying in touch.

Families can choose wi-fi internet, games console-compatible flat screens or ipod-compatible entertainment systems, while vehicles for intrepid explorers are kitted out with 240v power, central heating, drying racks and full-size showers. www.atlashiredrive.co.uk Meanwhile, established Perthshire rental outfit Big Tree Campervans has responded to the rising price of petrol by converting two of its six vehicles to dual-fuel, running on petrol as well as LPG autogas. “We’re really proud to be

the only campervan company offering dual-fuel,” says owner Simon Yearsley.

“Two of our vans now have a normal petrol tank as well as a 50-litre LPG autogas tank. LPG autogas is about 78p a litre and you get the same miles per gallon, meaning much cheaper fuel costs.” What’s more, carbon dioxide emissions are 20% lower compared to equivalent petrol vehicles. Big Tree will be converting all its campervans over the next couple of years. www.bigtreecampervans.com Lastly, Inverness-based Highland Campervans was recently awarded Approved Workshop Status (AWS) by the National Caravan Council. The AWS scheme was introduced to raise standards in the caravan and motorhome industry; to gain AWS, Highland Campervans had to demonstrate that the customer experience is at the heart of its business, and that its workshop staff had gained a range of qualifications. www.highlandcampervans.com

PHOTOGRAPH: ANDY HAY/RSPB IMAGES

Hitting the road

Good newts story GREAT CRESTED NEWTS at Culzean Castle and Country Park in Ayrshire are thriving and responding well to efforts to extend their habitat. Three new ponds were created in February 2010 (with part-funding from Scottish Natural Heritage), and now a recent survey has shown that the newts are moving into this new territory. Culzean, managed by the National Trust for Scotland, has been home to the rare amphibian species since its reintroduction to the estate more than a decade ago. Deirdre Mackinnon, head ranger at Culzean, said: “We’ve been working hard to ensure we provide the best possible habitat for these rare creatures and there are clear signs of success.” Palmate newts were also recorded in the new ponds.

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Nature’s heroes A BRAND NEW award scheme to celebrate achievements in Scottish nature conservation is now open for entries. Leading conservation charity RSPB (which manages Abernethy Reserve, pictured) has created the Nature of Scotland Awards to honour exceptional achievement, excellence and innovation across six categories: Marine Conservation, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Outstanding Contribution, Politician of the Year and Species Champion.

Teams of experts will assess the entries after the closing date at the end of August, and will submit a shortlist to the judging panel, which includes the Director of RSPB Scotland Stuart Housden OBE, BBC presenter and wildlife expert Euan McIlwraith, respected naturalist and author Sir John Lister-Kaye OBE and Dr Ian Jardine, Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The awards will be presented in early March next year.

Sponsors and supporters of the awards include SNH, The Scotsman, The Black Grouse whisky, the Centre for Scottish Public Policy, Aigas Field Centre, Holyrood Magazine, the James Hutton Institute, the Royal Town Planning Institute, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), Marine Scotland and the Scottish Government.

Nominating someone is easy – see www.rspb.org.uk/natureofscotland

Taransay’s speedy sale THE UNINHABITED Hebridean island of Taransay, located off Harris and featured in the BBC reality show Castaway, changed hands for an undisclosed sum in a whirlwind sale in June. The island went on the market for £2 million, attracting interest from the likes of Ben Fogle, whose career was launched by the TV series in 2000. Within six days an offer was accepted from Adam Kelliher, a New Zealander with connections to the area – his family already owns property on neighbouring Harris and the pharmaceutical company he heads is based on Lewis.

In a statement, Kelliher said he and his wife Cathra were “deeply humbled when we learnt on 7 June that our offer had been accepted... We are fully aware of what a privilege and a responsibility it is to own this most beautiful and unspoilt of islands. We look forward to many happy years as caretakers of this magical island and hope that those who have been used to visiting Taransay in the past will feel they can continue to do so.”

Battle of the bungee

PHOTOGRAPH: HIGHLAND FLING BUNGEE

A TASTE OF New Zealand arrived in Perthshire at the end of May, when Britain’s very first permanent bungee jump platform fixed to a public bridge opened for business near Pitlochry. Adrenaline junkies can now fling themselves from a specially erected platform under Garry Bridge in the picturesque, historic Pass of Killiecrankie.

Attached by the ankles to a ten-metre-long elastic bungee cord, jumpers plunge 40m towards the river Garry at over 50mph before recoiling and being winched back onto the platform. Highland Fling Bungee, a group of local adventure sports specialists, is behind Perthshire’s newest attraction, which was four years in the making. Kiwi-born company director Murray Trail said: “A big asset is the natural beauty of the site but this [the bungee jump] also provides something that Scotland has been missing.”

Commercial bungee jumping was pioneered in the late 1980s in Queenstown, New Zealand, by A. J. Hackett. www.bungeejumpscotland.co.uk

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Cave find IN MAY, Scotland’s caving community welcomed the discovery of a new cave at Applecross, Wester Ross. The 180mlong underground chamber is beautifully decorated with stalactites up to two metres long. The impressive find was made by David Morrison, Ritchie Simpson, Toby Speight and Jane Stewart-Boland, members of the Grampian Speleological Group (GSG).

The cavers had discovered a small

entrance which they soon enlarged to explore a water-filled passage leading to a series of underground chambers.

Group member David Morrison said: “This is a significant discovery in the context of Scottish caves and I believe we have probably found the ‘mastercave’ of the area.” GSG described its new find in Applecross as a sensitive site requiring careful management for conservation purposes. GSG is Scotland’s oldest caving club and marks its 50th anniversary this year. www.gsg.org.uk

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OUTDOOR • NEWS

Scotland’s best beaches FROM FIRM favourites like Aberdour in Fife to remote island idylls like the Sands of Breckon (right) on the isle of Yell, Shetland, a total of 56 Scottish beaches are entitled to fly Seaside Award flags this season, announced Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) in May. Scotland’s Seaside Award beaches are divided into two categories: resort, often popular holiday spots with lifeguarded swimming areas and bustling promenades; and rural, which includes secluded bays or dune-fringed shores that are havens for wildlife.

This year, KSB is inviting beach goers to ‘score the shore’ online, so that other visitors know what to expect when they arrive. www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/coastal

New trek for cancer A CHARITY TREK in Scotland will see hundreds of walkers put their best foot forward for breast cancer. The inaugural Perthshire Trek 2011 takes place on 9 and 10 September, and aims to raise funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

The new hiking challenge covers 16 miles of the 64-mile Cateran Trail in Perthshire, and will take in one of the most scenic sections, including the highest point. The charity trek is designed to appeal to a wide range of walkers and, with training, will be an achievable goal even for walking newcomers. Breakthrough’s Director in Scotland, Audrey Birt, said: “We’re really excited about the Perthshire Trek and hope as many people as possible will rise to the challenge, while at the same time having fun, raising money for charity and seeing a beautiful part of our country they might not have previously seen.” The minimum fundraising pledge is £250. Enter at www.bit.ly/ms5tzg

Walk smart Highlands in flames AFTER A WARM and dry April, early May saw extensive wild fires lay waste to thousands of acres of woodland and heathland in the northern and western Highlands. One of the largest fires raged in Torridon (above) – according to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), some five square miles were affected. In Coigach and Assynt, a group of landowners joined forces to bring the fires under control and prevent further ecological damage. The Assynt Foundation, Eisg Brachaid, John Muir Trust and Scottish Wildlife Trust all contributed to the costs of fighting the fires, along with Inverpolly Estate and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Landowners and conservation charities in the affected areas are still counting the ecological damage and financial cost of the blazes, as valuable tracts of replanted and regenerating native woodland went up in flames, and vegetation essential to ground-nesting birds and other wildlife was destroyed. “Quite devastating, all in all,” is how an NTS spokesperson described the situation.

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AWARD-WINNING walkers’ website Walkhighlands and top mobile phone app ViewRanger have joined forces to offer hikers the chance to download the website’s detailed walking routes straight onto their mobile phones.

Walkhighlands, which is Scotland’s busiest outdoors website and features more than 1,350 routes, aims to boost Scottish tourism and encourage walking by publishing online guides and mapping. Meanwhile, the ViewRanger app turns smartphones into a comprehensive countryside guide with GPS, maps, navigation and location sharing. The app is available for iphones, Android and most Symbian (including most Nokia) smartphones, as well as ipads. For more details on the app, including pricing, visit www.walkhighlands.co.uk; www.viewranger.com

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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Living landscape launched

Ant antics A NEW colony of the hairy wood ant has been discovered on the Balmacara Estate in Ross-shire. This is the most northerly colony ever found on the west coast of Scotland, say experts, and is 40km from its nearest neighbour in Glen Affric.

The hairy wood ant (Formica lugubris) is related to the Scottish wood ant – more common in the west – but is distinguished by its larger size and much hairier body. It is widespread in Scotland and northern England, but its populations are often very scattered, with just a few nests in a plantation or relict patch of old woodland.

The six nests were found by a National Trust for Scotland conservation officer and independently verified during a survey by the Highland Biological Recording Group (HBRG). Murdo Macdonald of HBRG said: “Wood ants are vital keystone species in the biodiversity jigsaw of Scotland’s forests and have been in decline throughout the 20th century, as their preferred habitats have been destroyed and fragmented.”

ONE OF THE largest ecosystem restoration projects in Britain was officially launched at the start of June. Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape (CALL) sees the John Muir Trust, Assynt Foundation, Culag Community Woodland Trust, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Eisg Brachaid Estate and Tanera Mòr (one of the Summer Isles, pictured above) join forces to deliver an aspirational 50-year plan for bringing woodland networks, thriving wildlife and economic prosperity to the northwest Highlands.

The Coigach and Assynt region, north of Ullapool, is home to a range of wildlife including nationally important populations of golden eagle, black-throated diver, Scottish wood ant, wild cat, freshwater pearl mussel and basking shark. It also harbours rare Atlantic oak, birch and hazel woodlands. CALL, a partnership of the major landowners in the area, aims to nurture large-scale habitat restoration projects, but also create local jobs, training opportunities and economic growth in the area. Chief Executive of the John Muir Trust, Stuart Brooks, said: “This project...joins up estates which cover one of the most stunning areas of wild land in the UK. Assynt and Coigach is a world-class landscape that attracts visitors for a wide range of activities, including hillwalking and fishing. There is a lot we can do as individual landowners to improve the landscape, and by pooling our expertise and resources through this partnership we hope to be able to achieve even more.”

Outdoor alliance SCOTLAND’S WILDLIFE and adventure tourism operators are now represented by a single new body, the Wildlife and Adventure Tourism Association, following the amalgamation in early April of Activity Scotland and Wild Scotland. “The merger unlocks the strong synergy between the two organisations to create clear benefits for members and visitors,” a joint statement read. “The new organisation brings together all outdoor activity providers and offers a ‘one stop shop’ for visitors looking for outdoor activities in Scotland.”

Wild Scotland was launched in 2003 and, as the sole association for wildlife and nature-based tourism operators in Scotland, it comprised over 90 members. Chairman Ben Mardall commented: “This is a logical move for both organisations. In the current economic climate it is critical that we ensure the strongest possible foundation for our members.” Meanwhile, Activity Scotland’s roots stretch back to 1987 when the Scottish Activity Holiday Association (SAHA) was formed to promote activity holidays in Scotland.

The newly merged organisation represents the core of Scottish activity providers. www.wild-scotland.org.uk; www.activity-scotland.org.uk

www.scotoutdoors.com

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TOP FIVE • BEACHFRONT CAMPSITES

Pitch perfect WITH THOUSANDS OF MILES OF BEGUILING COASTLINE, IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT SCOTLAND OFFERS A HOST OF AMAZING BEACHFRONT CAMPSITES. HERE IS OUR PICK OF FIVE TO TRY THIS YEAR PHOTOGRAPHY: CLACHTOLL BEACH CAMPSITE; IDA MASPERO; HUGH MCLEOD/GLENBRITTLE CAMPSITE; TANTALLON CARAVAN AND CAMPING PARK; IAIN CAMERON

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Clachtoll Beach Campsite, Near Lochinver

Located in one of the tiny settlements scattered along the coast north of Lochinver, Clachtoll offers a friendly, small-scale camping experience surrounded by some of Scotland’s most dramatic landscapes. The campsite is just a stone’s throw from lovely Clachtoll Beach and is within easy reach of the Old Man of Stoer, Knockan Crag, Handa Island and other local attractions. Facilities are good while campers can stock up on supplies at Lochinver or from the excellent village store in nearby Drumbeg.

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GETTING THERE Six miles north of Lochinver on the picturesque B869 coast road. www.clachtollbeachcampsite.co.uk

Portnadoran Caravan Site, Arisaig

When the sun shines brightly (and it does from time to time) there can be few better places to pitch a tent than Portnadoran – one of a clutch of outstanding campsites in the Arisaig area. Set on a working croft, the campsite has direct access to a coastline renowned for its collection of fine sandy beaches and rocky bays.

And that’s before mentioning the exquisite views out to Rum, Eigg and Skye. If full, try Camusdarach and Invercaimbe campsites just a few miles along the coast.

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GETTING THERE Two miles north of Arisaig on the B8008, just off the main Fort William to Mallaig road (the ‘Road to the Isles’). Pick-up from Arisaig train station can be arranged. www.arisaigcampsite.co.uk

Nestled beneath the great rock amphitheatre of the Cuillin ridge, Glenbrittle offers a near wild camping experience with a scattering of grassy pitches between the mountains and the shoreline of Loch Brittle. The campsite is a favourite of climbers as well as those

Possibly a bit busy and ‘caravany’ for some, Tantallon nonetheless offers comfortable camping above a typically gorgeous stretch of East Lothian coastline. The beach at North Berwick is just a short hop across the golf course, while the raised position of the site ensures wonderful views over to Bass Rock and a whole coastline to explore. If you can’t be bothered pitching a tent, wooden wigwams are available for hire.

Tantallon is hard to beat if looking for an easy, family-friendly campsite with plenty of attractions nearby.

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Glenbrittle Campsite, Isle of Skye

looking simply to check out of modern-day living for a while. The beach itself may be pebbly and more grey than gold, but it hardly matters: the setting is magnificent.

GETTING THERE Follow the A863 west from Sligachan, turning off at Carbost before following the single-track road all the way to Glenbrittle. www.dunvegancastle.com

For more on camping in general, look out for the slick Cool Camping Scotland (www.coolcamping.co.uk), or for family camping, check out Camping with Kids, a great new book from www.scottishcamping.com

Horgabost Campsite, Isle of Harris

Set amidst glorious machair and with direct access to one of Harris’s trademark white sand beaches, Horgabost is all about location and views rather than fancy facilities. A place of true relaxation, the site’s westerly aspect makes it an ideal spot for watching the sun dip over nearby Taransay – the Castaway island recently sold for an undisclosed sum.

GETTING THERE Just off the main road between Borve and Seilebost on the west coast of Harris. CalMac ferries serve Tarbert to the north and Leverburgh to the south. www.tinyurl.com/5rawb36

Essentials

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Tantallon Caravan and Camping Park, North Berwick

GETTING THERE On the A198 east of North Berwick, on the way to Dunbar. The campsite is ten minutes by bus from the train station. www.meadowhead.co.uk

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There is also wild camping, but be sure to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Wild camping is all about experiencing beautiful, unspoilt backcountry.

Let’s keep it that way.

ads_Layout 2 copy 4 23/06/2011 17:29 Page 15

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Tel: 01688 400256

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OUTDOOR • EVENTS

Inspirations - what’s caught our eye for the months ahead • Guests staying at The Torridon – recently crowned Scottish Hotel of the Year 2011 – can now enjoy a complimentary programme of activities running every day of the week.

Choose from guided walks and sea kayaking to rock climbing and gorge scrambling, courtesy of Torridon Activities.

www.thetorridon.com • Mull-based whale watching operator Sea Life Surveys is offering the chance to spot whales and dolphins alongside wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan this summer.

During the trips, Gordon will be on hand to discuss the wealth of marine wildlife found in the area where he grew up. Cruises depart Tobermory on 24 and 31 July, with trips lasting eight hours. Cost £200/person, with 10% donated to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust. www.sealifesurveys.com • Join Wilderness S cotland (pictured left) on its Scottish Sea Kayak Trail – recently listed in National Geographic’s 2011 ‘50 Tours of a Lifetime’. New for this year, the trip is designed to allow paddlers to sample some of the best bits of what is an unofficial trail

PHOTOGRAPH: WILDERNESS SCOTLAND

15 July

20 August

3-11 September

SixSixOne Gravity Enduro, Innerleithen, Scottish Borders

Great Wilderness Challenge, Kintail

Fife Outdoor Access Festival

Come and enjoy a weekend of gravity defying racing as top riders take on one of the country’s downhill mountain biking tracks. www.visittweedvalley.co.uk

12-14 August Art exhibition, Oban Mountain Rescue Team Post

Usually held in and around Poolewe, the Great Wilderness Challenge has a change of scene this year as this immensely popular event heads south to Kintail. With routes of 8, 10 and 18 miles – the latter a circuit of Beinn Fhada – there should be something suitable for all levels of hill runner. www.greatwildernesschallenge.info

The Fife Outdoor Access Festival brings together a wide range of events covering activities that include walking, canoeing, cycling, kayaking, orienteering, sailing and more. www.fifeoutdooraccessfestival.co.uk

4 September The Tour Ride, Peebles

21 August Glasgow Riverside Rat Race Billed as a fun and achievable 10km run (or walk), this new urban event will see a waymarked journey along the banks of the Clyde, starting and finishing at Glasgow's new Riverside Museum. In true Rat Race style, competitors will encounter a variety of special water and shore-based activities along the way. www.ratraceadventure.com/glasgow

PHOTOGRAPH: TOUR OF BRITAIN

PAINTING: LIZZIE ROSE

Come and support artists Lizzie Rose and Fiona Macrae as they exhibit work that showcases the trees and mountains of the west coast. A commission from all sales of paintings and drawings will go to the Oban Mountain Rescue Team (of which Lizzie is a full member). www.lizzierose.com

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PHOTOGRAPH: RAT RACE ADVENTURES

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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along the west coast, with a series of day trips that journey through the most scenic parts of the route.

www.wildernessscotland.com • The Scottish Seabird Centre’s Seaside Science programme runs from 2 July to 4 September, with interactive activities and adventures focussing on wildlife migration, environmental issues and climate change.

All are included in the entry price to the Discovery Centre at the North Berwickbased attraction. www.seabird.org • Get a taste of arctic-alpine life, with Cairngorm Mountain’s Walk @ The Top – a circular, ranger-guided walk from the Ptarmigan top station to the summit of Cairn Gorm and back. Walks last 90 minutes and run daily until the end of October.

www.bit.ly/walktop • Mountaineering Council of Scotland is running a series of safety-related courses over the summer, with courses covering first aid, navigation and use of GPS (pictured right). www.mcofs.org.uk/courses.asp

PHOTOGRAPH: MOUNTAINEERING LIGHTSTALKERS SCOTLAND COUNCIL OF SCOTLAND

Riders in this year’s Prostrate Cancer Charity Tour Ride have the chance to tackle part of the Scottish stage of the Tour of Britain, riding through some of the most scenic parts of the Borders, plus Dumfries & Galloway.

17-18 September Scotland Coast to Coast Now in its second year and open to all those with a good level of fitness (racing solo or in pairs), this spectacular event sees competitors run, cycle and paddle their way across Scotland in one very challenging weekend. The 109-mile route starts with a run from Nairn and ends with a paddle up Loch Leven near Ballachulish.

www.visittweedvalley.co.uk

16-19 September Arran Mountain Festival

www.scotlandcoasttocoast.com

15-16 October The Scottish Outdoors Show, SECC Glasgow

PHOTOGRAPH: ARRAN MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL

An exciting four-day event offering a range of guided walks and scrambles in the spectacular setting of the Isle of Arran.

The event promises a wide choice of routes to fit all interests, from wildlife watching strolls along the coast to airy scrambles on challenging granite ridges. www.arranmountainfestival.co.uk

17 September Running in tandem with the Scottish Ski and Snowboard Show, sponsored by Chamonix resort, this major outdoor event promises to cover every possible outdoor activity. The show will see Scotland’s outdoor community come out in force, with a host of exhibits, workshops, talks and activities for visitors to get stuck into.

Crathes Half Marathon Starting at the National Trust for Scotland’s Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire, this new event takes runners out onto country roads to the north and east of the estate grounds, with much of the route mercifully flat. www.nts.org.uk/Crathes_Half_Marathon

www.scotoutdoors.com

PHOTOGRAPH: RAT RACE ADVENTURES

www.scottishoutdoorsshow.co.uk

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18_SUBS_SO_SUMMER11_Layout 2 copy 5 23/06/2011 17:49 Page 3

Subscribe to Scotland Outdoors and save 30% off the cover price A regular subscription to Scotland Outdoors will ensure that you: 

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Save up to 30% off the cover price UK subscriptions cost just 12.00 for one year (four issues) and 20.00 for two years (eight issues). International subscriptions (one year) also available.

And don’t forget, a subscription also makes a fantastic gift for outdoorsy friends and family

There are three easy ways to subscribe:

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19_COMP_SUMMER11_Layout 2 copy 5 23/06/2011 13:57 Page 19

WIN Lightstalkers Scotland

SCOTLAND OUTDOORS SUMMER COMPETITION Ever fancied honing your outdoor photography skills with a private session in the company of an expert? Well, now’s your chance. Scotland Outdoors has teamed up with Lightstalkers Scotland to offer readers the opportunity to win a two-day photography workshop in the Highlands.

The winner of this prize, along with a friend, will spend two full days on location with Lightstalkers Scotland’s Glen Campbell, an educator, guide and awardwinning master photographer. The location will be weather-dependent, but will most likely focus on Torridon or wider Wester Ross – a particularly photogenic part of the country.

Based in Inverness, Lightstalkers Scotland offers the chance for photographers to really get to grips with their camera and learn how to capture fantastic outdoor images. With a background in commercial photography and over seven years’ experience providing expert photography tuition both in Scotland and overseas, Glen’s workshops and tours are suitable for all skill levels.

Glen’s passion for the landscape, handson approach and knowledge of the subject guarantee a productive and memorable learning experience. Whether a complete novice or already a talented photographer, all will benefit from Glen’s approach to understanding how to capture the landscape. The winner can expect a fun, sociable learning environment, fantastic images, magical light and a memorable Highland experience.

Accommodation will be at the Lovat Arms, a stylish, family-owned hotel in the village of Beauly, just 12 miles from Inverness. It’s a perfect spot from which to explore the whole of the northern Highlands.

HOW TO ENTER To enter, see this page or visit www.lightstalkersscotland.com to find the answer to the following question: Where is Lightstalkers Scotland based?

Please send the answer together with your name, address and telephone

number in an email headed ‘Scotland Outdoors competition’ to competition@scotoutdoors.com or complete the online form at www.scotoutdoors.com/competition

PRIZE DETAILS The prize is for a two-day photography workshop for the winner and a friend with Lightstalkers Scotland. The closing date for this competition is 31 August 2011 with the winner notified shortly afterwards by email. The prize will be taken over the weekend of 1-2 October (or by arrangement with Lightstalkers Scotland).

The prize includes two nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation at the Lovat Arms, Beauly, for two people in a shared room. Lunches will be provided, while dinners will be taken in pubs near locations visited (at winner’s own expense).

GETTING THERE Inverness is well connected to the rest of the UK by road, rail and air. If travelling by public transport, Lightstalkers Scotland can collect the winner by arrangement.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: The draw will be made on 31 August and the winner notified directly. There is no cash alternative. The contact details you provide may be used for reservation and marketing purposes only by the providers of this competition (Scotland Outdoors and Lightstalkers Scotland) but will not be shared with any other third parties, except when disclosure is required by law.

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BOARD & LODGING • THE GALLEY OF LORNE INN, ARDFERN

Skippers’ delight (clockwise from left): Ardfern nestles at the head of Loch Craignish; the Inn’s Uist Suite; whiskies behind the bar; an ornate welcome; follow the finger!

A welcome haven NICK WILLIAMS ENJOYS THE HOSPITALITY OF A SMALL HOTEL IN THE MARINA VILLAGE OF ARDFERN

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PHOTOGRAPHY: NICK WILLIAMS; ANDREW STANTON; JOHN REVIE

MBRACED by hills on the landward side, and defended from the seas by a chain of rugged islands, the village of Ardfern offers the perfect shelter. And when you eventually get here, either by heeding the carved wooden finger by the main road, or sailing up Loch Craignish, you’ll definitely want to stop.

The Galley of Lorne Inn sits in the heart of the community (year-round population of 400ish) and serves as a restaurant, hotel and bar. The owners, Andrew and Sarah Stanton, moved here four years ago from suburban Coventry and, after an initial “what have we done!” moment, they set to work to reverse a failing business and transform the interior. Their aim was to create a place locals would be proud of, and to do the best with the buildings they had bought.

Despite having no prior experience in the trade, losing the whole roof to a storm in 2008, and bringing up two young children, they have made considerable progress.

The six rooms are comfortable and, thanks to their position away from the bar, are very quiet. Décor is simple with clean lines, without the chintz and tartan so common in Scotland.

There’s good wi-fi connectivity, and the ‘things to do’ folder is one of the best I’ve ever seen.

The Galley was a drovers’ inn from its beginnings in 1680, and became the first stop for Jura cattle being swum across the straits, tails tied to noses, on their way to market.

The bar has exposed beams and a cobbled floor that befits these rural times, though nowadays cows are not usually admitted. Two dozen

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different whiskies line the mirror, and bar manager Chris recommends a trophywinning Ardbeg ten-year-old.

He pours, and I get chatting to the locals. After much banter, I’m only just standing when the barman clanks the ship’s bell and mutters something. It’s just past one in the morning.

The Galley hopes to be known as the place to come for dinner in the area. The main restaurant is an airy room with great views out to the loch, but you can also eat in the residents’ lounge or in the public bar if you’d prefer. On the menu, local seafood and game feature most prominently: there’s no point in serving, nor in eating, anything that has to be driven miles. The scallops, freshly caught, were extremely juicy, and I was glad of the recommendation. Next morning at breakfast, I order the full works, and this arrives perfectly cooked by Sarah. She tells me they are taking on a two-rosette chef who is due to start the following week. I’ll have to come back.

The Galley is a great base for a magnificent area. The rich archeology of Kilmartin Glen (see feature on page 50) is close by, and there’s plenty of walking, biking, and an infinite number of possible adventures getting to and exploring the Hebridean islands. But most of all, I was struck by the friendliness of the place. It started with the staff and the locals, but all the visitors I met opened up as well. Everyone seemed to be benefiting from the fresh sea air, the relaxed atmosphere and the sound of rigging clicking against masts. g

The Galley of Lorne Inn Rooms from £30 to £55 per person based on two sharing, depending on the season.

Restaurant starters £5-8; mains £11-25. www.galleyoflorne.co.uk

Getting there By road, Oban is 24 miles and Lochgilphead 14 miles.

By boat, Mull of Kintyre lighthouse is 55nm, Oban 25nm, and Crinan 6.5nm. Ardfern Marina has a daily pontoon fee £2.05 per metre. www.ardfernyacht.co.uk

In the area Biking: mountain bike the purpose-built Fire Tower Trail, tour the many miles of Forestry Commission hardpack, or cycle the towpath.

Hire available from Crinan Cycles at Lochgilphead, t. 01546 603511, www.crinancycles.co.uk Corryvreckan: two-, three- and four-hour trips to see wildlife and the world’s third biggest whirlpool with Craignish Cruises at Ardfern Marina. t. 07747 023038, www.craignishcruises.co.uk Island hopping: CalMac ferries from Kennacraig and Oban; contact the Ardfern Marina for private charter or water taxi.

Wildlife: Moine Mhor National Nature Reserve is nearby (see page 50).

Yachting: Crinan Canal, t. 01546 603210, www.scottishcanals.co.uk

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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PHOTOGRAPHY:

ELLIE FORRESTER

OUTDOOR • PEOPLE

Day inthe life of...

Carol Lang Sea kayak coach and guide, outdoor education instructor and clothing entrepreneur I’m having a rare day off following a four-week spell of work, and as I sit by the window in the warmth of the sun with a cup of tea, I realise just how weatherbeaten and tired I feel. It’s an unusual feeling for May – my season as a sea kayak coach and guide has not long started – but then again, the last year or so has been a little different than most!

About a year and a half ago I awoke with the idea of creating designs for tee-shirts. A couple of months later this evolved into gael8 – a small ethical lifestyle clothing company that makes tee-shirts, thermals and hoodies, albeit with a slight bias towards kayaking. Woven into this and my work on the water is my other job... that of an outdoor education instructor. All this means that I am always on the go with very little downtime. So today I feel I’ve earned my day off and I’m glad for the chance to stop and reflect on just how I’ve found myself here.

Though most of my seasons are dictated by weather, it still never fails to amaze me how a little sun and warmth rejuvenates my mind.

Despite today’s sense of weariness, I can’t help feeling a bit of a cheat calling my job ‘work’.

My mind is full of incredible memories created by the people I have met, the grins I’ve seen as they witness those amazing snap-shots of wildlife, their tolerance to midges, their

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acceptance of the weather – beautiful or foul – the perseverance and willingness of people wanting to learn, and the laughs and conversations shared with me.

Almost two years ago, I was camped on the island of Belnahua on the first night of a fourday sea kayaking expedition. Though it is the smallest of the old slate islands on Scotland’s west coast, Belnahua commands stunning views south-west to the Garvellachs, Luing to the east, and the islands of Rubha Fiola and Lunga, set against the backdrop of the great whaleback of Scarba to the south.

It had been the end of a great day with a couple of clients, who had left me to wander around the ghostly ruins of the slate workers’ cottages and to muse over the rusty relics of machinery now abandoned and unloved. My companions had decided to go for a swim in the island’s quarried heart that lies well below sea level and is full of brackish water. I could only admire their enthusiasm, but standing on the high point of the island, watching the sun sink towards twilight, I had a few reservations about their sanity! In that same pondering moment, I had an overwhelming feeling of contentment pierced by a small but significantly poignant thought... that of just how much I loved my job and how there was nothing else I’d rather do.

Wandering back to the bottom of the hill and unconsciously weaving my way around the ruins to my tent, I wondered what else I would do if I couldn’t share my time with people on the sea. On reaching my tent I’d resolved that that was just not an option, and surprised by my unusual flush of decisiveness I pushed the thought to the back of my head.

At that exact moment a hand appeared over my tent offering a hot mug of tea – they may have been crazy, but they sure knew how to make an Irish person very happy!

The three of us sat on the black sand beach below where we were camped, and watched

the last of the evening’s A paddler's life: Carol fiery offerings wash over and a guest kayaking the beginnings of a little on Loch Shiel; the tidal movement between slate island Belnahua; us and the beautiful exploring Raasay's sea caves Fladda lighthouse.

Conversations, laughter and stargazing had well outlasted cups of tea by the time sleep and the thought of another great sunny day’s paddling chased us towards our tents. The next three days were filled with sunshine, dolphins, seals, a distinct lack of midges, and a little more sunshine – something that I’m sure every guide wants to bestow upon their clients!

My life as a guide and coach will always be what I choose over any other, but in acknowledging how much I love it comes the realisation of just how lucky I am to be able to do it. I remember Belnahua because it had a bit of everything (minus the midges!). But more than this, I remember Belnahua because that night, in that moment of contentment standing atop a small island, something in my mind shifted.

Now, sitting in the warmth of the sun with only a cup of tea for company, I realise it was from that point onwards that I began to create other elements to my working life, just in case my luck began to ebb. But for now, with life as full and as busy as it ever was, I know I will waken tomorrow, ready for the next tide. g

Further details Carol works as a coach and guide with Seafreedom Kayak and with the adventure travel company Wilderness Scotland. www.seafreedomkayak.co.uk www.wildernessscotland.com Her business, gael8, offers ethical outdoor wear for men and women. www.gael8.co.uk

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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Activities

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The RANGER series models also feature a unique DryFlexTM rubber grip for easy handling especially in the cold or wet and a detachable safety-release lanyard. The RANGER S model has the additional benefit of 45-degree angle assistance on the mirror sighting function.

Go anywhere tools for outdoor adventurers!

Read more about the Silva compass range at: www.silva.se

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OUTDOOR • INNOVATIONS

KIDS’ KIT, NIFTY TENTS, AMPHIBIOUS SHOES AND DIE-HARD HATS ...

HERE’S OUR PICK OF THE SUMMER’S NEW OUTDOOR PRODUCTS If you would like to submit details on innovative new products or send samples for testing, please contact the Scotland Outdoors team at products@scotoutdoors.com

Children’s softshell range, Kozikidz The Scandinavians send their kids to outdoor nurseries in all weathers, so it’s no surprise that Swedish design is behind the outdoor childrenswear label KoziKidz. New this season, its softshell jackets and trousers are perfect for outdoor play in the unpredictable Scottish summer.

Lightweight and breathable yet very warm and showerproof, this really is junior performance gear. What’s more, the stretchy fabric allows full freedom of movement.

Our two-year-old tester spent a particularly chilly spring day sailing on the Forth and playing on the beach in the charming blue and green softshell jacket pictured here.

Hybrid sandal, Keen

Some shoes defy convention and try to do a bit of everything – sometimes succeeding, sometimes not. The new McKenzie footwear from Keen is a case in point: a versatile combination of shoe and sandal, the McKenzie takes Keen’s rugged trail sandal as its basis and then packs it with the kind of foot protection expected of a much sturdier shoe. The result is something that falls between two camps, but succeeds in both.

True to form for Keen, the McKenzie is a well-built, good-looking piece of footwear that should put in plenty of years of service. Although obviously not as light and airy as its sandals – the classic Newport being this tester’s favourite ever sandal – this latest offering is perhaps a better option for when hitting the trail, with sturdier construction and mesh panels that stop those annoying little stones from finding their way between your toes.

RRP £74.99 (available in men’s and women’s fits) www.keenfootwear.com

Pocket torch, SOTO

Features that impressed his parents were the pop-off hood, adjustable velcro wrist bands, reflective tabs and zip positioned slightly to one side (to avoid chafing under the chin). What impressed him most were the admiring smiles cast his way – it’s a cute, eye-catching outfit. The only downside is the price. But these items look made to last, so they’ll be handed down. Sizes available for ages six months to eight years.

RRP: jacket £49.50, trousers £35 www.kozikidz.co.uk

Walking shoe and travel sandal, Karrimor Walking boots, climbing shoes, trail running shoes, wellies, aqua shoes, rugged sandals ... it’s amazing how you collect a vast but motley cupboard-full of shoes for just about every outdoor occasion. What this lady tester aspires to is a smaller, carefully chosen collection of far more multi-purpose footwear. Trusted British outdoor brand Karrimor obviously had girls like me in mind when they designed two of their latest offerings, the Serenity walking shoe and the Hydro II travel sandal.

The ladies Serenity is available as a mid-ankle boot or low shoe featuring a waterproof, breathable eVent liner (Karrimor’s answer to Goretex). We tested the low version and found it to be a solid yet lightweight, versatile shoe, perfect when you only want to pack one pair for a weekend away. The Hydro II, on the other hand, is truly amphibious, ideal for wading and watersports (we tested it boating). Features include a synthetic nubuck and mesh upper, moulded phylon footbed and a very handy shock cord lace.

Finally, for good grip, both models boast the leading name in performance outsoles, Vibram. And just as importantly, both are exceptionally lightweight without compromising comfort.

Function and style come together nicely in these shoes, while the colourways are suitably feminine without being dominated by pink. Now it’s time to pare down that shoe collection ...

RRP: Serenity Mid and Low £82 and £72; Hydro II £80 www.karrimor.com

Small, light and powerful, the new Pocket Torch from Soto is one of those useful added extras that won’t weigh you down on lightweight backpacking trips. The torch produces a wind resistant flame to reach temperatures of up to 1,300 degrees centigrade, powered by a disposable lighter which increases its lifespan by up to 60% when used with the Pocket Torch. Extremely versatile, the torch can be used to provide a superfine, centralised flame for lighting lamps and stoves and any other equipment where a strong windproof flame is needed.

RRP: £19.99 www.allcord.co.uk

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Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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Rogue hats, Kendrick Imports In South Africa, where our resident hat-fanatic and tester hails from, every respectable outdoor man owns a bush hat, and all the rangers you’d meet out on safari sport rugged leather numbers seemingly glued to their heads day in, day out.

Well, the authentic African bush has now come to these less sunny shores, courtesy of Kendrick Imports. Just as good for keeping heads dry in summer showers, hats in the Rogue range include the classic rangers’ choice along with suede, canvas and ‘breezy’ models. Our tester loved the Rogue Packaway Hat, which neatly folds in half for storage in its own calico bag. Its solid leather and traditional shape make it every inch the authentic bush hat, but the pack-away design is ideal for slipping into backpacks.

RRP: £25 (for canvas) to £45 (for leather ranger) www.kendrickimports.com

Summer waterproof jacket, Finisterre Cornish clothing brand Finisterre has unveiled its new Anabatic MK II – billed as the world’s first fully recyclable membrane jacket, and ideal for summer use. Extremely lightweight and breathable, the jacket promises to keep wearers dry in even the most torrential summer downpour (and there’s been a few of those already).

The jacket, which is helmet compatible and cut to allow maximum range of movement, incorporates the company’s own C-Shell fabric which is part-recycled and 100% recyclable. It’s also available in some pretty striking colours. Well worth a look.

RRP: £180 (men’s), £150 (women’s) www.finisterreuk.com

Help for Heroes socks, Horizon

Exceed tents, Lichfield This new range of tents from Port Glasgow-based Lichfield (part of the AMG stable along with Vango) claims to make camping hassle-free with its patented ‘tiered arch’ pole system. Indeed, it took our testers a mere ten minutes to pitch the Exceed Findhorn 4 even without the instruction booklet, which had blown away during unpacking in a near-howling gale. It was a gale that the tent withstood admirably for two days, despite being high enough to stand upright in.

Inside, the four-man model we tested felt roomy, with handy storage pockets inside the sleeping area and porch. Large windows and a mesh door mean you can savour the sunset from the comfort of the porch, which is warmer, drier and midgefree thanks to a fully integrated ground sheet. The Exceed range is designed to be comfortable rather than compact, but weights compare favourably with other tents in this class. Family-friendly configurations for three to eight people available.

RRP: £190 to £450 www.lichfield-outdoor.co.uk

www.scotoutdoors.com

For the hillwalker, foot comfort is obviously worth spending money on, but it is not often the feel-good factor of socks extends to supporting a worthy charity. As part of its new season range, UK specialist sock manufacturer Horizon has created a custom designed collection for services charity Help for Heroes.

The range includes outdoor, ski, golf, sport and welly socks. A portion of sales from each pair will be donated to Help for Heroes, which has enjoyed celebrity backing and unprecedented fundraising success since starting up in 2007. The new range of socks features the charity’s now iconic tricolour of red, RAF light blue and Navy blue. We tested the Deluxe Outdoor, a merino blend performance walking sock sold as a two-pack. Comfortable and durable, they’re what you’d expect from a specialist manufacturer. With an added sprinkling of the feel-good factor, of course.

RRP: £7.99 to 14.99 www.horizonsocks.co.uk; www.helpforheroes.org.uk

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OUTDOOR • PASSIONS

Lesley Riddoch Journalist and broadcaster COLUMNIST AND FORMER BBC BROADCASTER LESLEY RIDDOCH IS ALSO AN ADVENTUROUS CYCLIST WITH STRONG OPINIONS ON URBAN SCOTS’ ISOLATION FROM NATURE, AS SHE REVEALS HERE PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS SMITH; MAXWELL MACLEOD; ANDY WIGHTMAN; MORVEN GREGOR You’ve earned a reputation for hard-hitting political commentary. Tell us about your other side.

Well, I have always absolutely hated being cooped up inside.

Growing up in Belfast, I was a bit of a tomboy, good at football and nicknamed “boy’s knees” by my dad. I’ve always loved bikes and long hikes, though recent injuries have made walking tough.

I have four bikes – my favourite has always been a Claude Butler touring bike I used cycling up the Western Isles in 2006. I have two great hybrid bikes as well, and a wee collapsible bike.

You’ve cycled the length of the Western Isles three times, is that right?

My first time was solo in 1994 – I had a bit of time on my hands before starting as Assistant Editor of the Scotsman, and wanted to do something different. I did it again in 2005 with my husband Chris. It sounds like a really big journey, but if you have enough time and get your act together, it’s not herculean. For that first trip I had wildly overestimated the amount of stuff I needed, and ended up posting back three parcels!

My third time, in 2006, was documented in a BBC radio series On the Bike. I’d originally suggested a series revisiting Johnson and Boswell’s Tour of the Hebrides of 1773. The BBC decided that sounded a bit dull, would you believe, so I offered to cycle the length of the Western Isles, from Barra to the Butt of Lewis... and they agreed in an instant. I’m not saying the bike was a gimmick though – you really do meet people, notice more and absorb more by not driving, on islands especially.

What was your most memorable experience on that trip?

Well, cycling along with then Transport Minister Tavish Scott was rather memorable and nerve-racking. I’d challenged him to chum me for a day to prove the government backed cycling.

And blow me, he agreed. When we got to the Old Tom Morris course near Askernish, I realised why Tavish had really come – he had even brought his golf shoes in a wee day bag. During three holes played against a local man, Tavish was interrupted by golf balls being lost in knee-high, flower-filled machair and cows grazing on the green... it was eccentric, rule-free fun!

Apart from being an astute observer of Scottish politics, you’ve taken a personal interest in community land rights.

Tell us about your campaigning.

I’ve never felt good about reporting on a dodgy situation and then walking away. A good friend of mine was one of the Assynt crofters, so I got involved with them. By the time the situation on the island of Eigg came to a head, I was Assistant Editor of the Scotsman – useful for making sure the long haul to a community buyout stayed in the headlines. I was happy to be an active trustee for seven years until ‘D-day’ in 1997. Having now moved to Fife, I am no longer that involved, but the island still feels like a home from home. Playing a tiny part in encouraging the Eiggachs has been one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Most recently, you’ve been writing about the lack of huts in Scotland. Why? For seven glorious years, I rented a bothy in Glenbuchat, Strathdon.

Most people thought I was crazy, spending days at a time without running water and electricity. It was only after visiting Norway that I realised I would have been normal there. Since

26

then I’ve always wondered why so few Making tracks (clockwise Scots have huts, cabins, bolt-holes, from top): the causeway mountain retreats. It bothers me that, between Colonsay and in this country, second homes are often Oronsay; in the rough at seen as elitist – many think second home Askernish with Tavish Scott and local Donald McInnes; owners rob others of the chance to own Russian-style log hut in a their first. But simple huts are not the Scottish forest; pedalling problem. over pebbles on Lewis; Looking at it differently, you realise outhouse at Carbeth hut community near Glasgow that, in a relatively empty landscape, we’re fighting over scraps of land.

Councils and planning laws discourage hutters, and for centuries landowners have resisted cabins and huts in the Scottish landscape. The perception is that Scotland’s beauty relies on its emptiness – I’d like to challenge that.

And you’re doing a PhD on this issue?

Supervised by the universities of Strathclyde and Oslo, I’m comparing the cabin traditions of Norway and Scotland – they have one and we don’t. It sounds a bit obscure, but I think it cuts to the heart of a lot of our problems as a country. The Norwegians and everyone else at our latitude can escape from their working city lives to reconnect with nature, family and themselves. The Scots’ escape is chemical – drink. Is it a coincidence that Scots have the lowest rate of hut ownership in Europe and the highest rates of problem drinking? I don’t think so. My thesis is that radically different patterns of land use have produced a nation of ‘rootless’ Scots with nearly no experience of nature, and a nation of ‘rooted’ Norwegians with nearly no desire to spend spare time in cities.

You’re also pretty passionate about renewable energy?

With my film-maker husband Chris, I’ve been involved in Europe’s biggest marine energy project, Equimar – a new area of work for me, though I have always been conscious of the potential for tidal power. When I was young, we went on holiday to Caithness every year, and bumping around in a small boat to Orkney, the massive power of the Pentland Firth tides made a huge impression on me. Even as a child the penny dropped – all these huge forces are making life hell for us, but they could be harnessed.

What was your most recent adventure in Scotland?

At the end of April, Chris and I visited Colonsay in amazing weather. We cycled around, exploring gorgeous white sand beaches – our favourite was Balnahard, right at the top of the island. A bit of a slog getting there, but what a beach! We call Colonsay our best kept secret... leave the car at home, just take the bike. We’ve produced a ‘rap’ – a wee slide show with commentary – and we plan to explore more of the inner isles we’ve not been to, and do the same.

Lesley Riddoch is supporting Reforesting Scotland’s Thousand Huts campaign. www.thousandhuts.org Signed copies of Lesley’s book Riddoch on the Outer Hebrides (Luath Press, 2007) are available at the special price of £10 including post and packing (RRP £12.99). Send your name, address and a cheque made out to Feisty Productions Ltd. to: Jamesfield Farmhouse, Newburgh, Cupar, Fife KY14 6EW. Allow ten days for delivery.

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www.scotoutdoors.com

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ADVENTURE

CAPERS WITH KIDS PHOTOGRAPHY:

SUMMER’S UPON US, THE SCHOOLS ARE OUT AND THE WHOLE FAMILY IS LOOKING FOR A BIT OF ADVENTURE OUT IN THE FRESH AIR, AWAY FROM THE RAT RACE. HERE’S OUR SELECTION OF THE BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY ADVENTURES (AND HOW TO ENSURE THE TRIP DOESN’T END IN TEARS)

C

HILDREN ARE BORN ADVENTURERS, programmed to explore their world through fun and play. With a bit of ingenuity and a touch of novelty, any outing or activity can be thrilling – it need not mean travelling huge distances, spending plenty of money or lugging along lots of kit. “For our kids, the highlight of their first camping trip was ‘getting to brush our teeth in the burn while wearing head torches’,” laughs father-of-three Jim Sutherland.

And as they play, family capers in the great outdoors offer youngsters the chance to learn and understand more about the natural world, wildlife and conservation... and how their own actions affect the world around them. But, warns experienced dad and outdoor educator Rob Bushby, don’t try to actively teach these things; allow kids to absorb at their own pace through fun and first-hand experience.

Trying out new activities – like sailing, climbing or orien-

teering – together as a family is a great way to build camaraderie, share laughs and challenge parents too, while nurturing physical and mental skills for the future.

FARMYARD FROLICS If raising children in the city has you wondering how much or little they really know about where their food comes from, a farm holiday is the antidote. While any number of children’s farms around the country make for a fun, educational day out, some places just have extra magical ingredients for a special family adventure.

Two things that set Harvest Moon Life’s a journey: camping Holidays in East Lothian apart are its in comfort with the kids in a retro campervan (left); spectacular location and unique accommeeting the orphan modation. Sitting just behind the dunes lambs at Lochhouses Farm (below) of Tyninghame beach, with views to

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ADVENTURE • FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN

Bass Rock, are its seven safari-style tents, complete with wood-burning stoves and snug duvets. This is glamping on a working farm, so there’s a chance to bottle-feed the orphan lambs, collect eggs for breakfast, admire the fields of turnips and potatoes... and play on the beach, of course. The woodlands and wetlands on the farm, called Lochhouses, are also a haven for birds and other wildlife. www.harvestmoonholidays.com Down in the south west, farm life and wildlife combine with that universal children’s treat, ice cream, at Cream o’ Galloway by Gatehouse of Fleet. With daily tastings and farm tours, pedal karts and a children’s adventure playground, there is plenty to fill the day, while nature trails give an insight into how the organic farming methods at Rainton Farm have helped wildlife. www.creamogalloway.co.uk A farm of an altogether wilder nature is Highland Farm on Glenlivet Estate near Tomintoul. Here, reindeer that are part of the now famous Cairngorm herd spend their summer months. Also resident are wild boar, fallow and red deer, and a flock of tiny Soay sheep. The Wild Farm Walk on Wednesdays and Thursdays offers close encounters with the reindeer and other animals, and a chance to feed them. www.wildfarming.co.uk

MAKING TRACKS “We love trail cycling as a family,” says Jim Sutherland.

“Our most recent outing was a visit to the Witches Trails near Fort William – perfect for mum and dad to nip off for a practice lap of ‘Ten under the Ben’ while the children do the lovely blue route. It’s a great location with a brilliant café!” Another favourite is Learnie Red Rock Trails on the Black Isle, near Inverness. “There’s a great wee green route that is so much fun, my kids wanted to do it twice.

It’s an undulating single track with a good surface and some angled bends to give youngsters their first taste of this sort of biking.”

Mountain bike photographer and father-of-one Andy McCandlish rates Aberfoyle and the Trossachs as “a great place to go with the kids for a day out. The area is littered with fire roads, cycle paths, lochs, tea rooms and hill-top viewpoints. From Aberfoyle, you can take in the trails round Loch Ard or up to David Marshall Lodge (where Go Ape is perfect for some time off two wheels). The closed road around Loch Katrine is ideal for families on bikes.

Time it so you can ride to one end of the loch and catch the steamer Sir Walter Scott back to the car park.”

No discussion of family cycling would be complete without mentioning Glentress. Though renowned as a destination for serious riders, the trails around this forest near Peebles have a softer side to their personality too, says Andy.

“Take the family for a pedal round the green trails for a relaxed introduction to the forest, stopping at the numerous benches and viewpoints to take in the views. Don’t forget some cakes at the café as a reward afterwards!” Fiona Russell agrees: “Glentress is a superb place for all ages and abilities of mountain biking, especially thanks to the children’s obstacle area.” www.forestry.gov.uk/mtbscotland Andy also recommends Tentsmuir Forest on the Firth of Tay. Just as suitable for walking, Tentsmuir provides acres of family-friendly woodland to get lost in, with fire roads criss-crossing the area. If you get fed up of trees, you

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are never far from the gorgeous sandy beach too. Another top location for biking with children is Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries and Galloway, where purpose-built trails around the estate grounds offer something for all levels of cycling. There’s an on-site bike shop for spares and bike hire, and the tea room provides that all-important incentive. Drumlanrig’s extensive grounds are just as good for short or long family walks – waymarked trails lead through woodland (look out for red squirrels), open farmland and past pretty lochs. www.drumlanrig.com Top tips for harmonious family cycling? “I encourage my kids to get off their bikes and push if it gets too steep – better than them trying to ride up a steep hill and getting too tired, or even falling off,” says Jim Sutherland.

“Push-along bikes without pedals are a great way of developing a young child’s balance. Bring a length of string or a climbing sling to slip around the handlebars to tow them when they get tired. Towing also saves you from getting a sore back from pushing them from behind.”

HIGH JINX The truth is, most kids love to clamber, swing, slide and scramble. And they’re fearless, less likely than adults to baulk at heights. If they show enthusiasm for going vertical, and seem keen to tackle a whole lot more than what’s on offer in the local play park, you could encourage them to develop their budding skills with organised or selfmade adventures to do together.

With 27 locations around the UK, three of which are in Scotland, Go Ape is synonymous with monkeying around in the treetops. Children from age ten (and adults, of course) get to be Tarzan for a day, making their way among the trees as they clamber up rope ladders, swing from tree to tree, shimmy across precarious wooden walkways and zoom down zip wires. The Aberfoyle and

Action adventure (clockwise from top left): trail cycling at Glentress in the Borders; bouldering at Glen Nevis; zip wire fun at Go Ape; endless golden sands at Tyninghame, East Lothian; monkeying around at Treezone

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Beecraigs venues are handy for the Central Belt, while the brand new course at Crathes Castle near Banchory, Aberdeenshire, offers the added attractions of the castle with its magnificent gardens and woodlands, and a restaurant. Lure your sulky teen along with the promise of the UK’s very first skateboard zip wire. www.goape.co.uk In the Cairngorms area, Treezone Aerial Adventure on Aviemore’s Rothiemurchus Estate offers a similar high ropes experience among the trees, and the chance to spot red squirrels along the way. There are rope bridges, Tarzan swings and an exhilarating 100m zip wire finale along two courses, the Treecreeper and the Buzzard, the first of which is suitable from age seven. www.treezone.co.uk Equally appealing to kids as swinging like a monkey is clambering like a gecko. A number of indoor climbing walls around Scotland provide easy, fun and safe places to start from around seven years of age, often with instruction tailored for children. The Glasgow Climbing Centre (www.glasgowclimbingcentre.com) and the Edinburgh Indoor Climbing Arena (www.eicaratho.com) are well-known; for other locations, see www.mcofs.org.uk/find-climbing-wall.asp Bouldering is a family-friendly way of moving on from indoor climbing walls to the outdoors. Climbed at low level without the protection of a rope, but with a portable mat for a soft landing, bouldering requires little specialist equipment and is generally suitable for kids from around seven years. And it’s super fun for grown-ups too.

David Farmer, Borders-based father of two avid young climbers, says: “Bouldering is a sociable activity the family can enjoy together, taking it in turns to climb and to act as ‘spotters’ to safeguard each other. It’s easy to while away a day sharing climbing and a picnic in some fantastic locations.” The activity can be tailored to suit pretty much any ability, and the older kids love the social scene, hanging out with their pals while trying bouldering problems in turn, reckons David. The Farmer family’s favourite locations include the upper reaches of Glen Nevis, Achnaha Crater on Ardnamurchan and Tràigh Allt Chàilgeag, the beach below Ceannabeinne near Durness.

WATERWORLD

TOP TIPS How to keep smiles on faces? Our expert parents reveal their secrets. ● Buy decent outdoor clothing for your children, so they won’t moan about sore feet or being wet and cold. You could always pass on or sell what’s been outgrown. ● Practise in the garden or on familiar terrain first. ● Don’t be too ambitious. Encourage but don’t put kids off by doing things they find frightening. Keep the 30mile cycles for when you are with other adults.

www.scotoutdoors.com

● When planning a day walk or cycle, have a few things to do along the way – visit an attraction, stop for ice cream, or do a tick list of things to spot. ● Cafés are a great incentive. Make sure there’s cake or lunch along the way or at the end. ● Pack lots of healthy snacks, drinks and extra layers of clothing; carry a first aid kit. ● Make it fun and keep it safe.

A love of water-based adventure tends to run in families – you either grow up messing about on boats, or in a landlubber home with little chance to get out on the water.

While you could send the kids along to well-known outfits like the Scouts or various cadet programmes, why not give water sports a try as a family this summer?

At Galloway Activity Centre on the beautiful shores of Loch Ken, Dumfries and Galloway, families can have a go at sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and kayaking, all with expert instruction. The Centre’s mix-and-match Family Activity Day package has proven extremely popular, and includes all sorts of dry thrills too – archery, Laser Quest, and a go on the outdoor climbing wall with zip wire. For a weekend break or longer, the choice of accommodation at the Centre includes camping, a bunkhouse, lochside cabins, a tipi and yurt. And there are light meals, hot drinks and home baking aplenty at the café. www.lochken.co.uk Further north, the golden, sandy shore of Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms National Park is known as ‘Scotland’s

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ADVENTURE • FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN

inland beach’. Here, windsurfing novices can get to grips with sails, booms and boards before taking to the water in the care of fully qualified instructors. Stable boards and a range of specially reduced adult and junior sails mean more time on the board, and less in the water. Other watersports on offer include sailing, canoeing and kayaking. www.lochmorlich.com The Cairngorms area now also offers its very first river tubing experience. Clad in a wetsuit and sitting on the specially designed river tube with padded seat, folks from ten up float their way down a tributary of the river Spey, through the serene pinewoods of Rothiemurchus before joining exciting natural water chutes and rapids. Full On Adventure’s gentler family river rafting trips are suitable for children from five years. www.fullonadventure.co.uk There’s wet and wild, and then there’s simply wild – looking out for marine wildlife, that is. More sedate than squeezing into a wetsuit is a boat trip aboard Farsain, based at Croabh Marina to the south of Oban, to view the famous Corryvreckan whirlpool and spot dolphins, porpoises, otters and eagles and all the other wildlife that can be seen. Enthusiastic skipper Duncan Phillips makes a point of engaging young passengers, encouraging them to ask questions and even take the wheel when it is safe to do so. “I recently took out an Australian family touring the world and the Wet and wild: windsurfing eight-year-old son declared their for novices at Loch trip on Farsain the best thing so Morlich (above); river far!” says Duncan. No website, tubing down rapids in the Cairngorms area (right) t. 01852 500664 If you find yourself further up the west coast, Torridon Sea Tours also prides itself on being a family-friendly (and family-run) boat operator, offering the chance to spot sea eagles, minke whales and basking sharks in the summer months. “We use our onboard ROV [remotely operated underwater vehicle] to search the seabed for creatures great and small. Along the way we feed everyone yummy cakes, and kids can have a go at steering,” says skipper Kenny Livingstone. The full-day trip to the Isle of Rona (see page 36) is a real sea-faring adventure. www.torridonseatours.com

“

ON THE ROAD “We love campervanning,” says Fiona Russell, outdoor writer and mum of one, “My daughter and nephew were taken with the novelty of being in a car with beds! It offers a weekend break with guaranteed dry accommodation and comfy beds but still with lots of outdoor adventure.”

David Farmer agrees: “My wife and I have always liked camping lightly, so the exponential relationship between a growing family and the amount of kit required was one we faced with some trepidation. Our kids enjoy being outdoors whatever the weather, but need to have somewhere warm, dry and comfortable to come back to at the end of the day. The solution has been to share our family excursions with our Mazda Bongo, a nippy, compact van that nevertheless offers ample living and storage space.”

Campervan ownership is a big decision, so hiring for a weekend or holiday is a good way to try it out. Established campervan hire outfits in Scotland include Highland Campervans and Big Tree Campervans, while

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”

FIVE MORE FAVOURITE PLACES FOR FAMILIES Rothiemurchus Estate, Cairngorms So much to explore on bike and foot with the magnificent Caledonian pinewoods as backdrop. There are numerous options for shorter or longer adventures under your own steam, or join one of the organised activities on offer. ww.rothiemurchus.net

Loch and River Tay A part of Perthshire rightfully popular with outdoorsy families. Great hills and forest tracks for walks, while the magnificent loch itself is just the spot for a gentle bit of paddling or fishing. A number of operators offer canoeing on the loch and rafting down the river. www.perthshire.co.uk

Isle of Arran Easy to reach from Glasgow, for many Arran is synonymous with childhood

holidays. Hike up Goatfell, walk sections of the coastal way, join in gorge walking or other organised activities (www.arranadventure.com) or simply enjoy long days playing on the beach. www.visitarran.com

Isle of Tiree Brilliant for bodyboarding, kite-flying and having a go at surfing, as well as for cycling – absolutely flat terrain, quiet roads and grassy coastal tracks with a sunny beach at the end of every ride. www.isleoftiree.com

East Lothian and Fife For coastal walks a stone’s throw from the capital. Walks of varied length and terrain along the John Muir Way and Fife Coastal Path, with lovely sandy beaches. www.johnmuirway.co.uk; www.fifecoastalpath.co.uk

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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ADVENTURE • FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN

Atlas Motorhome and Campervan Hire has just opened for business in Glasgow (see news item on page 10). If the thought of campervanning makes you nostalgic for your own ‘70s childhood, whisk the family away in a charming retro VW camper from Classic Camper Holidays, based in the Borders. www.classic-camper-holidays.co.uk

FLAG HUNT Orienteering combines the thrill of a treasure hunt with the potential for competitive development offered by major organised sports. “My 11-year-old daughter Havana and I have taken part in several taster family orienteering competitions over the years and we have always enjoyed the challenge,” says Fiona Russell. Orienteering is a timed race in which participants use a map and compass to navigate through a course of sequenced control points. The courses can be laid out in all sorts of terrain, from country routes to urban locations, and vary in technical difficulty and length.

“With my daughter setting the pace I follow on behind, helping her to read the map and collect controls,” says Fiona. “Orienteering is something that both of us can participate in and it brilliantly combines a keep-fit activity with cerebral skills.”

Non-competitive, family-friendly Come and Try afternoons are ideal, although many competitive events have a course for novices too. Though most orienteering competitions are for solo runners only, it’s possible for adults and children to work in pairs (but this excludes them from prizes). Some events do allow adults to ‘shadow’ children to make sure they do not get lost. www.scottish-orienteering.org

WOODLAND TREASURES Woodland walks are a long-standing family favourite, offering scope for bug hunting, bird spotting and learning the names of trees. But sometimes added man-made attractions help to spice up a woodland walk and keep the little people’s interest from flagging. At Pressmennan Wood near Stenton in East Lothian, managed by Woodland Trust Scotland, fantastical wooden sculptures turn a walk in the woods into a bit of a treasure hunt. A leaflet available at the car park guides visitors in search of the magical forest dwellers, whose homes – charming little doors and windows carved in trees – can be spotted along the way.

Also created by Robin Wood, the sculptor behind Pressmennan’s installations, is a new sculpture trail at Moncreiffe Hill near Perth. Guided by the accompanying treasure hunt map, youngsters can explore sights and sounds of the wood, and search for the oversized wooden shapes of bugs, birds and other creatures. See www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/scotland and www.naturedetectives.org.uk, a Woodland Trust children’s website with loads of resources for exploring and enjoying nature.

On the theme of nature detectives, the survey Nature’s Calendar transforms young nature lovers into budding scientists as they discover and record for themselves the occurrence of seasonal events – a study known as phenology. Recording such events – from the appearance of snowdrops and frogspawn to the first ripening of wild berries and autumnal tinting of leaves – turns any trip outdoors into an intriguing quest for evidence.

Fact packs are available to download for free. www.naturescalendar.org.uk g

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Wonderful woods: exploring the sculpture trail at Moncreiffe Hill (above); homes of magical creatures in Pressmennan Wood (left)

OUR EXPERT PARENTS David and Helen Farmer have an 11-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son, and own the outdoor shop Out & About in Peebles.

Fiona Russell is a freelance outdoor writer with an 11-year-old daughter.

Jim Sutherland, Torridon-based outdoor guide (www.nineonesix.co.uk) and father of three, aged four, five and seven.

Andy McCandlish, mountainbiking and outdoor pursuits photographer with a young baby.

Rob Bushby has two girls aged nine and 11, and manages the John Muir Award. www.jmt.org

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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36-40_RONA_SUMMER11_Rona 23/06/2011 16:57 Page 36

RONA REBORN PHOTOGRAPHY: BILL COWIE; JAMES CARRON

TUCKED AWAY OFF THE NORTH COAST OF RAASAY, THE ISLE OF RONA WAS ONCE HOME TO A THRIVING CROFTING COMMUNITY, THEN ONLY SHEEP. NOW, WITH TWO RESIDENTS AND A LANDSCAPE RETURNING TO THE WILD, IT MAKES AN IDEAL GETAWAY FOR THOSE WHO SAVOUR SOLITUDE, FINDS JAMES CARRON

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R

EACHING THE island of Rona is no easy task.

While the nearby Isle of Skye is connected by bridge to the mainland and neighbouring Raasay enjoys a regular ferry link, car-free Rona lies on the wild periphery of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transport network. Its only regular connection with the outside world is a weekly boat from Portree, and whether it sails or not depends entirely on the west coast weather. There is a small island launch, MV Rona, which may be tempted out in fair conditions, and a couple of tourist boats offer day trips from the mainland and Skye. In such an exposed location, the elements dictate access to this remote offshore enclave and passage to and from Rona is never guaranteed. But when you are escaping to the edge, the last thing you expect is an uncomplicated ride.

After spending several days attempting to secure passage to Rona, I eventually strike lucky and with the ocean enjoying a rare period of peace and tranquillity, I

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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PORTRAIT • ISLE OF RONA

board the Seaflower at Shieldaig for the crossing. Operated by father and daughter team Kenny and Gemma Livingstone, the Seaflower is a relative newcomer to the waters off the west coast and Rona is their first island destination.

“The beauty of Rona is that it has a pontoon where we can land whatever the state of the tide, so passengers can go ashore,” says Kenny, a skipper and fisherman with over 30 years’ experience of the waters in and around Loch Torridon. Making Rona just that little bit more accessible and offering the promise of time ashore, the Seaflower’s voyage from Shieldaig Pier takes around two hours. It can be a lively crossing and there is much to see along the way – we spot a sea eagle, seals, a pair of puffins and a distant school of dolphins on our voyage.

In no time at all Rona is upon us and, after crossing the Inner Sound which separates island from mainland, we cruise round her ragged northern tip, negotiating the spat-

www.scotoutdoors.com

tering of rocks below the island’s solitary lighthouse. Constructed to aid navigation through the oft-perilous channels, it was first lit on 10 November 1857 and, until automation in 1975, was manned by a crew of keepers who were for many years the island’s only inhabitants.

The lighthouse was not Rona’s first maritime beacon.

In the mid-19th century, islander Janet Mackenzie kept a light in the window of her cottage to warn boats of rocks at the entrance to Big Harbour. Prompted by the tragic deaths of her husband and sons at sea, her commitment to keeping the light burning was unwavering and is said to have saved countless lives.

While most of Rona is now privately owned, the northern tip belongs to the Ministry of Defence – below the lighthouse is the hub of the Rona Noise Range, a unique facility where the radiated acoustic signatures of surface ships, submarines and underwater vehicles can be measured. Measuring 12km in length, it is the only

Splendid shores (clockwise from left): Rona’s holiday cottages nestle in the crook of Dry Harbour; the lighthouse at the island’s northern tip; the Seaflower in Big Harbour

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PORTRAIT • ISLE OF RONA

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range in Britain where submarines can exercise at full speed.

We spot no military activity on the water as we motor down the west coast and prepare to land. The island boasts one of Scotland’s most stunning and sheltered natural anchorages, Acairseid Mhor, or Big Harbour. Protected from the open waters of the Sound of Raasay by Eilean Garbh, an arrow next to the letter ‘H’ for harbour daubed in white paint on rough rock guides vessels into the kilometre-long channel.

BYGONE HARDSHIPS Big Harbour was one of the last spots abandoned by the island’s indigenous people and the first to be reclaimed.

As such it is now the focal point for life here. Above the landing stage is Rona Lodge, currently the only permanently inhabited building. It is home to island manager Bill Cowie and his partner Lorraine and commands a spectacular view across the harbour.

Originally constructed in 1866 as a shooting lodge, it was renovated following the island’s purchase in 1993 by present owner Dorte Mette Jensen, a Danish woman with a passion for conservation and ecology. With farming and forestry interests in her homeland, she was looking to buy woodlands in Scotland when she spotted Rona was for sale. “We had not set out to buy an island,” she explains. “We wanted to make an investment in forestry, but by chance saw particulars for the island. This was quite a change from what we originally planned.”

At the time of the purchase, there were no people on Rona, only a scattered flock of 500 sheep. It has not always been this way. In common with many parts of the West

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” Highlands and Islands, Rona once boasted a thriving population. Settled during early Christian times and visited by the Vikings, the population peaked in the 1880s when around 180 people lived here. They eked a meagre existence from the land and sea – it was not an easy life.

In an article published in The Scots Magazine in 1969, former islander Duncan MacSwan recounted: “Earning a living was not an easy task. The ground was difficult to work and, in spring and harvest especially, life was hard but the people worked together, helping each other as much as they could, and this, and the friendliness that existed between everyone, made things easier.”

Friendliness could bind the people for only so long and in 1943 – following two decades of sustained depopulation, many crofters moving to more fertile lands on Raasay and Skye, and earlier efforts to clear the ground for sheep – the last crofting family left. Save for the keepers who manned the lighthouse, Rona fell silent.

Today, ghostly reminders of the past litter the landscape.

Remarkably well-preserved ruins of derelict townships can be found at Dry Harbour and at the northern end of the island; and there are the remains of a third settlement, Doire na Guaile, at the southern end, close to An Teampuill, the remains of a 14th-century chapel.

Return of the wildwood (clockwise from above): waterside aspens in autumn; red deer hind at Big Harbour; the island’s Highland cattle; remains of the 14th-century chapel; Rona Lodge; an old buoy at the harbour

NATURE’S RECOVERY Rona may have lost its native population, but over recent years it has undergone a gentle regeneration. Since her

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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purchase of the island, Dorte has funded the renaissance of Rona’s natural heritage, combining reforestation and conservation with the development of discreet tourism.

As part of a long-term plan to restore the native woodland habitat, sheep were removed from the island early on, and Highland cattle and deer were introduced. “When we started there were still sheep on the island, living wild,” Dorte continues. “We removed the sheep and brought in some Highland cattle. We planted native trees in some areas and, with the sheep gone, there has also been natural regeneration.”

In 2003, a small herd of red deer was released on the island. Traditionally part of the native woodland ecosystem in Scotland, the deer roam free across the island. They have bred successfully, attracting stags from Raasay, to create Rona’s very own population. The Highland cattle, which have now done their bit towards woodland restoration, are gradually being phased out with one or two kept for meat. Meantime, eight black-faced sheep have just joined the island’s resident herbivores to provide additional low-key, targeted grazing and meat.

The careful management of grazing animals and changes in land use have resulted in significant recovery of birchwood habitat, new areas of naturally regenerating woodland and increasingly diverse ground vegetation (there are now over 300 different species of plant on Rona), while the narrow paths created by the deer have opened up the island to walkers. “Over the years we have really succeeded in developing the native woodlands and encouraging an increase in the number of plant species.

The cattle and deer have been a key part of that,” says Dorte. “The balance is very important.”

www.scotoutdoors.com

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PORTRAIT • ISLE OF RONA

ISLAND HIDEAWAY Despite the unpredictable nature of reaching the island, the self-catering accommodation attracts visitors looking for a level of peace and relaxation that is hard to find elsewhere. When the day visitors have departed, those staying over find they have the island to themselves – they alone can savour the spectacular views and dramatic sunsets.

At Dry Harbour, once the largest of the island’s three main settlements, the former Mission House has been renovated to provide two self-catering holiday lets while a third holiday cottage has been created within a former manse. Planning permission has also been granted for the

renovation of the island schoolhouse although at the moment the structure has simply been stabilised.

Both Dorte and Bill, who is now in his tenth year on the island, are keen to use as much carbon-free energy as possible: although some power comes from diesel generators and bottled gas, they also have wind turbines and solar panels, Bill confirms. There are no shops on the island, but visitors can buy seasonal produce, home-grown meat and shellfish from Bill, while there are plenty of opportunities to forage for food both on land and at sea.

While there are no plans at present to develop a community on the island – Dorte believes it would be difficult to do this without opportunities for employment – she is keen to encourage longer term visits by those with expertise in nature, geology and history. “I would love to encourage more people to study on the island,” she says.

“Rona’s hard Lewisian gneiss is the oldest rock in Europe and there are some very interesting plants and minerals on the island. There is a lot we are still discovering and I’d love to work with people who can help us with this.”

For those visiting Rona, whether for a day, a week or longer, there is a whole island and its coastline to explore.

Short, signed footpaths have been created to the top of Meall Acairseid, Rona’s highest peak, and down to Church Cave, one of the most popular attractions for day-trippers.

Set into the cliffs on the eastern side of the island, the cave was a place of worship prior to the construction of a church in 1912. Within the natural cavern, rows of boulders acted as pews while a rock pulpit sat beneath the cavernous opening. One of the most interesting features is a font fed by water dripping from the rock above.

Unlike Bill, who enjoys Rona’s blissful isolation all year round, the time comes for all visitors – including myself – to leave. Back at Big Harbour the Seaflower is ready to depart but there’s just enough time to pop into the bothy by the bay, offering bunkhouse accommodation for those on a budget. Blending seamlessly into the landscape,

40

it is not only a cosy refuge complete with a welcoming wood-burning stove, but also another fine example of Rona’s efforts to attract visitors while not impinging too heavily on the striking natural beauty of the place.

“The environment is the most important part of Rona,” concludes Dorte. “It is nice to show guests the island and everything that is going on, but we also have to be aware that if too many people visit, it could impact on this.”

Regenerating Rona and allowing people to enjoy it without altering its unique character and wild allure is a delicate balancing act, one that will continue to challenge both owner and manager as more people discover the fascination of the place for themselves. Doubtless Rona will play her part, preventing an unsustainable rush by conspiring with the elements to ensure access to her shores is by no means easy. g

Island life (clockwise from left): inside Rona’s cosy bothy; Church Cave; Bill’s polytunnel for growing veggies; local produce for sale at Rona Lodge

ESSENTIALS Reaching Rona Rona is located off the west coast of Scotland, to the north of the island of Raasay and to the east of the Isle of Skye. MV Spindrift runs a regular service on Saturdays from Portree on Skye, a journey of around an hour. MV Rona operates a shuttle service from neighbouring Raasay, plus wildlife tours and fishing trips.

Torridon Sea Tours run day trips on Seaflower to Rona from Shieldaig while Spindrift Boat Trips operate day trips from Portree. Day-trippers usually have a couple of hours on the island. All sailings are weather permitting. www.torridonseatours.com www.boat-trips-charter-hire-skye.co.uk

Accommodation There are three self-catering cottages – Seascape, Skyescape and Escape – available for weekly lets throughout the year. The bothy at Big Harbour offers simpler, bunkhousestyle accommodation. Those planning to camp on the island should contact the island’s manager, Bill Cowie (t. 07831 293 963), first. Although Bill sells some local produce, there are no shops on Rona and visitors must bring all their supplies with them. www.isleofrona.com

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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PINE TREES HOTEL PITLOCHRY Enjoy the peace and quiet of this former Victorian mansion. Pine Trees has 19 comfortable, well appointed rooms and one luxury suite, all non-smoking. The hotel is located five minutes walk from the centre of Pitlochry, but is secluded in its own garden and woodland.

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Roaring log fire to give you a warm welcome in the winter months.

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Come and enjoy the tranquil surroundings of Glenspean Lodge Hotel and Restaurant, situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the Highlands close to Ben Nevis.

Originally an old hunting lodge, the hotel has been beautifully refurbished to provide 17 individual and en-suite bedrooms.

Try out one of over 100 whiskies in our Macintosh Bar. Enjoy the panoramic views from our Nevis View Restaurant.

Or relax in the jacuzzi overlooking our five acres of landscaped grounds.

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43_EXPLORE INTRO_SUMMER11_Layout 2 copy 2 23/06/2011 16:25 Page 43

Explore Loch Ness PHOTOGRAPHY: VISITLOCHNESS; RSPB; WOW SCOTLAND

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

Although by no means the most physically striking of Scotland’s many lochs, Loch Ness is by some distance its most famous. Filling a steepsided, flat-bottomed trench, Loch Ness is – by UK standards – very long (23 miles), very wide (up to a mile), extremely deep (averaging 600ft) and contains over two cubic miles of fresh water. It is the largest of the three lochs found in the Great Glen, that great cleft that cuts its way through the Highlands from Fort William to Inverness.

However, it is not the loch’s dimensions or the landscape around it that makes it so famous: it’s the possibility that its depths might, just might, contain a legendary monster. The first recorded sighting of a creature of the deep dates back to St Columba’s day, while tales of strange goings-on in and around the loch have continued ever since.

Our modern-day fascination with ‘Nessie’ stems from the 1930s when a couple visiting from London claimed to have seen an incredible creature cross the road in front of them and disappear into the loch.

Subsequent decades saw grainy shots of a multi-humped beast in the middle of the loch, various observational, ecological and seismic surveys using mini-submarines and echo-sounders, countless sightings, plus almost as many hoaxes.

To this day, there is no scientific proof that Big sky (clockwise from such an animal exists, or ever did. Fact or fiction, top): Loch Ness in all its hoax or reality? It’s hard to say, but Loch Ness glory; black grouse at the remains a place of mystery and fascination, lek; old farm building above the loch; runners drawing millions of people from around the ‘enjoying’ the Loch Ness world. Unsurprisingly, a whole industry has marathon grown up around Nessie, with local tourism doing very well indeed out of the monster.

But, fascinating as the idea of a strange creature lurking in its depths may be, there is a lot more to Loch Ness than just Nessie. From learning about the wider ecology of the loch to exploring nearby trails, there is much to do in the area once your monster intrigue has been satisfied.

Wonderfully central, Loch Ness is a perfect jumping off point for a host of activities and magnificent places: Urquhart Castle with its bloody history, the attractive village of Drumnadrochit and those on the loch’s south shore, as well as nearby Cannich, gateway to a trio of spectacular glens.

Of course, the wider Great Glen is a place that lends itself to epic journeys, be it on foot, by bike, paddle or all three. The choice is yours.

But don’t forget to at least take a moment to gaze over the water when passing Loch Ness itself. After all, you just never know ... g

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EXPLORE • LOCH NESS

Beyond the monster LOCH NESS IS FAMED FOR A CERTAIN ELUSIVE BEASTIE, BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO DO IN THE AREA THAN HUNT FOR NESSIE. HERE ARE TEN OF THE BEST TO EXPLORE PHOTOGRAPHY: AIGAS FIELD CENTRE; VISITLOCHNESS; JACOBITE CRUISES; WOW SCOTLAND; ROS ROWELL; NTS; RSPB; GLEN URQUHART HIGHLAND GATHERING; JOHN MACPHERSON PHOTOGRAPHY/GREAT GLEN CANOE TRAIL PARTNERSHIP

Beavers, badgers and more VISITORS TO Aigas Field Centre can enjoy close-up views of beavers – Scotland’s wildlife celebrities of the moment following a trial reintroduction in Argyll, trapping of escaped wild beavers in Perthshire and plenty of TV coverage. Located just 20 minutes from Loch Ness-side, Aigas has run a beaver demonstration project for five years and is one of the best places in Scotland to watch these giant rodents going about their daily lives.

The centre’s beavers, which live as wild on an eight-acre hill loch, have bred, felled trees and built lodges. All of this industry is visible from the centre’s beaver hide, with the long summer evenings ideal for watching the beavers come and go.

While beaver watching is available by arrangement at any time, the centre is also running a series of wildlife related one-day workshops throughout July and August. Visitors will be able to watch not just beavers, but also badgers and pine martens, as well as enjoy days out in nearby glens learning about the wildlife, cultural history and landscape of this magical part of the Highlands.

FURTHER INFO Aigas workshops include either afternoon tea or a threecourse dinner in the Baronial dining hall of the House of Aigas, an impressive Victorian castellated country house. www.aigas.co.uk

Secret shores DUE FOR COMPLETION in July, the South Loch Ness Trail promises to open up the relatively undiscovered south shore of Loch Ness for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. The trail will stretch for almost 30 miles from Loch Tarff near Fort Augustus to Torbreck on the edge of Inverness, passing through Whitebridge, Foyers, Inverfarigaig and Dores.

A stiff physical challenge, the trail also offers the chance to explore the impressive natural and social history of this lessvisited side of the loch. Highlights include several General Wade bridges, the Falls of Foyers, the remains of an Iron Age fort, areas of rich woodland and of course spectacular views over Loch Ness itself.

Near Inverfarigaig, the trail also passes Boleskine House, at one time the most notorious house in Scotland. The house was bought in 1899 by self-proclaimed magician Aleister Crowley – dubbed the ‘Beast of Boleskine’ – who became known for dabbling in black magic and the occult. Much later, it was bought by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame who was obsessed by Crowley and did little to diminish the house’s sinister reputation.

FURTHER INFO Much of the route links up existing trails, while there are long-term plans to extend it even further to connect with the Great Glen Way on the north side of Loch Ness. www.visitlochness.com/south-loch-ness-trail

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Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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Take to the water

GAZING AT Loch Ness from the shoreline is one thing, but you can’t beat actually getting out onto the loch if you really want to experience one of the world’s most famous bodies of water. Visitors can join the masses and jump on one of the many boats that cruise its waters, providing interpretation on what lies beneath.

The long-established Jacobite Cruises has three vessels making daily trips along the loch, all of which are equipped with sonar to detect any mysterious shapes far below. At 23 miles long and 230m at its deepest point, there is certainly room for something big down there…

FURTHER INFO Jacobite’s tours and charters range from a one-hour trip to a six-hour coach and cruise outing to the loch and Corrimony Cairns, a nearby ancient burial site. www.jacobite.co.uk Other tours are available from Cruise Loch Ness (www.cruiselochness.com) and Loch Ness Cruises (www.lochness-cruises.com).

www.scotoutdoors.com

Loch Ness from on high WOW SCOTLAND runs a variety of guided hill walks throughout the Highlands, but concentrates on Loch Ness and nearby Glen Affric. One popular trek is a six-hour guided walk up and around Meall Fuar-mhonaidh, the highest peak overlooking Loch Ness. Trips are aimed at adventurous tourists with an emphasis placed on getting off the beaten track. Even on such a popular hill, guides promise to take their own ‘secret’ trail that explores areas many other hikers never see. The summit provides particularly impressive views of the loch and far beyond – not to mention regular sightings of huge herds of red deer. The hike is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness.

FURTHER INFO WOW Scotland also runs private guided tours throughout the Highlands and recently introduced an Inverness city centre walking tour. www.wow-scotland.co.uk

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EXPLORE • LOCH NESS

Savour gorgeous glens ALTHOUGH THERE are many contenders, it is Glen Affric that is often touted as the most beautiful glen in Scotland.

Stretching some 30 miles from Kintail in the west to just short of the village of Cannich in the east, it certainly has all the right attributes for such an accolade: high mountains, a magnificently scenic river, interesting wildlife and – best of all – a large remnant of ancient Caledonian forest that clings to its steep slopes. Visitors in autumn will discover colours that are a match for anything found in New England.

FURTHER INFO Glen Affric can get busy during high summer, so why not ditch the car and cycle into the glen instead?

And don’t forget to also explore the neighbouring glens of Cannich and Strathfarrar – both of which are scenic in their own right and provide access to some incredibly wild back country. www.glenaffric.org

Discover your inner artist FOR THOSE looking for a more creative way of experiencing the landscape around Loch Ness, joining a painting class might just fit the bill. The Highland Art Studio near Dores offers regular painting classes from February to November, with sessions tailored to suit even those who have never painted or drawn before.

While the studio itself has glorious views across open countryside to the hills surrounding Loch Ruthven, the teacher, Ros Rowell, also takes participants out on location, including taking small groups to Dores beach for Loch Ness painting sessions.

FURTHER INFO Although Ros specialises in watercolour, she also teaches drawing, oils and acrylics. Children’s painting workshops are also available during the summer holidays. www.highlandart.com

Relive history

ON 16 APRIL 1746, the Jacobite army’s dreams ended at Culloden when it was crushed by the superior Hanoverian army in what was the last battle to be fought on mainland Britain. Today, the battle site, just to the east of Inverness, remains a poignant place for visitors, but new technology is being used to explain what happened on the battlefield.

The National Trust for Scotland’s new Culloden Visitor Centre tells the whole story of the events of April 1746, including the build-up and aftermath of the battle. A 360-degree immersive film recreates the horror of the battle, an animated battle table gives a bird’s eye view of the battlefield and a new rooftop viewing area provides a completely fresh perspective on the site. Both the battlefield and the visitor centre are must-visits for anyone with an interest in British history.

FURTHER INFO www.nts.org.uk/culloden

Drink it in THE RSPB’S Corrimony Nature Reserve is one of the best places in Scotland to witness black grouse at the lek – a dramatic courtship ritual that sees the male birds compete to win the favour of the waiting hens.

Corrimony occupies 1,530 hectares of moorland and Caledonian forest south-west of Inverness and is a centre of black grouse conservation. Each spring, RSPB rangers offer black grouse safaris that take visitors close to the action without disturbing the birds.

Since 2008, the safaris and wider conservation work at Corrimony have been funded by a partnership with The Famous

46

Grouse that coincided with the launch of The Black Grouse whisky. Those of drinking age attending the safaris receive a free miniature of The Black Grouse and an invitation to a tutored tasting of The Famous Grouse range.

FURTHER INFO To date, the partnership between The Famous Grouse and RSPB has seen donations from whisky sales top £200,000 with £50,000 being spent on conservation work at Corrimony alone. For more details on black grouse safaris and other RSPB events, visit www.rspb.org.uk/events

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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EXPLORE • LOCH NESS

Let the games begin

Paddle through the Great Glen

EVER FANCIED visiting – or even participating in – a traditional Highland Games? If so, the Glenurquhart Highland Gathering and Games might be just up your street.

Now more than 60 years old, and this year held on 27 August at Blairbeg Park, Drumnadrochit, the Games will include all of the usual events, from track and field to heavy events such as putting the shot, hammer throwing and, of course, tossing the caber.

THE COUNTDOWN continues to the completion of Scotland’s first dedicated canoe trail – a 60-mile route along the Caledonian Canal and Great Glen from Fort William to Inverness. Although the route itself is not new – it is an increasingly popular journey for adventurous paddlers – what will be new is the raft of facilities for canoeists and kayakers along the way. This includes improved paddler access to the water, informal camping areas with toilets, information panels along the route and a dedicated website with route map. The canoe trail is due to be completed by 31 March 2012.

FURTHER INFO The paddle from Fort William to Inverness usually takes between three to five days and can be a serious undertaking – particularly when the wind whips up on the open expanses of Loch Lochy and Loch Ness. www.greatglencanoetrail.info

FURTHER INFO This year’s Games will also include the Glen Challenge – a 15km walk or run, or a 23km cycle – plus the Achmony Hill Race. www.bit.ly/gugames

ESSENTIALS GETTING THERE By road: The main trunk road is the A82 which runs along the north side of Loch Ness, linking Fort William with Inverness. The quieter south shore of Loch Ness is served by the B852.

By rail and air: Fort William and Inverness have good rail connections (www.scotrail.co.uk), while those travelling from further afield can fly to Inverness Airport (www.hial.co.uk).

People power: The more energetic can explore Loch Ness and the length of the Great Glen on foot (www.greatglenway.com) or by bike (www.bit.ly/mbgreatglen).

ACCOMMODATION

at the foot of Glen Strathfarrar, Craigdarroch House Hotel (www.hotel-loch-ness.co.uk) situated in the forest close to the Falls of Foyers and Inch Hotel (www.inchhotel.com), a foodie haven in Fort Augustus. Elsewhere, the Benleva Hotel (www.benleva.co.uk) near Drumnadrochit has developed a reputation as one of the places to sup real ale in the Highlands and even has its own brewery (www.lochnessbrewery.com) coming on-stream this summer. Another hotel that comes highly recommended is the stylish and eco-conscious Lovat (www.lovat.com) at Fort Augustus.

For self-catering ideas, Culligran Cottages (www.culligrancottages.co.uk), Tomich Holidays (www.tomich-holidays.co.uk) and the unusual Aonach Mor (www.aonachmor.co.uk) make an excellent trio.

As befits such a popular tourist destination, the Loch Ness area has a variety of accommodation options – some excellent, some much less so. For the budget traveller, there is Morag’s Lodge (www.moragslodge.com) near Fort Augustus. A popular rest stop for walkers on the Great Glen Way, the hostel offers discounts for those arriving on foot or by bike. It has also teamed with Haggis Adventures and Active Outdoor Pursuits to offer an activity-based trip through the Great Glen by foot, bike, canoe and sea kayak (www.bit.ly/haggisadv).

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

The area also has plenty of top-quality inns and small hotels. Try the Loch Ness Inn (www.staylochness.com) close to Urquhart Castle and recent recipient of the ‘Inn of the Year’ Rising Star Category in the 2011 Scottish Hotel Awards. Also look out for Cnoc Hotel (www.thecnochotel.co.uk) in a lovely location

You’ll need sharp elbows during the busy summer period, but Urquhart Castle is a magnet for good reason, while the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition Experience will tell you all you need to know about the ecology of the loch (and not just the monster). For a change of pace, Abriachan Gardens (www.lochnessgarden.com) offers a lovely retreat on the shores of Loch

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Ness, while engineers and sailors alike will enjoy the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre.

Further afield, the Tomatin Distillery (www.tomatin.com), 16 miles south of Inverness, has an excellent visitor centre and tours, with the chance to enjoy a free nip of a 12-year-old single malt.

MONSTER MAGIC For the ultimate Nessie tour, Inverness Tours (www.invernesstours.com) offers a specialist trip for all those who really want to get under the skin of Loch Ness. Tour leader Tony Harmsworth is also the author of a definitive book (www.loch-ness.com/bookindex.html) on the natural history of the loch, including everything you could ever want to know about the presence (or not) of Nessie.

EVENTS Finally, two fantastic B&B options are the Evergreen B&B (www.evergreenlochness.co.uk) at Inverfarigaig and Great Glen B&B (www.greatglenbandb.co.uk) at Drumnadrochit – the latter even has its own hot tub for guests to enjoy.

Loch Ness Marathon, 2 October. Starting at Whitebridge and with a route that follows the shores of Loch Ness for much of the way, the views should help ease the pain as the miles rack up. www.lochnessmarathon.com Natural High Guiding organises two excellent walking festivals, one in the winter and one in the summer, well worth noting for next year.

WinterFest will run from 3-6 February 2012, while dates for next year’s OuttaAffric are still to be announced. See www.naturalhighguiding.co.uk for details of both festivals.

For much more on exploring the Loch Ness area, visit www.visitlochness.com

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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EXPERIENCE • KILMARTIN GLEN

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Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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NICK WILLIAMS EXPLORES ARGYLL’S REMARKABLE KILMARTIN GLEN, A LANDSCAPE RICH IN BOTH PREHISTORY AND NATURAL HISTORY PHOTOGRAPHY: NICK WILLIAMS; LORNE GILL/SNH; LAURIE CAMPBELL; AARON WATSON/ KILMARTIN HOUSE MUSEUM

W

ELCOME TO ARGYLL, a different place. It is nothing like the Highlands with their tall mountains and deep glens, or the Lowlands, where humans have cut the landscape and cluttered it with cities.

Mists of time: early No, Argyll tells quite a different morning view over the Moine Mhor raised bog story. Here, long tongues of sea (left); standing stones at lick at the land, and ragged Nether Largie promontories stand like flags stripped by westerly storms. The rock and the water have made an uneasy truce, and those who call this place home must be at one with both.

Kilmartin Glen, on the western fringes of Argyll, is widely regarded as the birthplace of Scotland’s people, according to the evidence here and on the nearby islands.

Only Orkney can rival it for prehistoric treasures. The story is an exciting one. Men and women migrated north and west up the British mainland hot on the heels of bears, wolves and wild boars, which themselves followed the retreat of the ice. The Neolithic peoples fished skilfully, and hunted silently, and learned what they could pick to eat and what might kill them. They had no artificial light, no telephones, no satnav. Instead, they had an understanding of the landscape, the cycle of the flora and the habits of fauna in ways we cannot even grasp. Otherwise they wouldn’t have survived.

AN ADVENTUROUS PAST But I’m not a historian, nor an expert on the area. I am really just a tourist passing through, accompanied by my amateurish perspective on human development. It was easy to make assumptions as I rambled about and admired the views, but an hour or so with archaeologist Dr Sharon Webb, Director and Curator at Kilmartin House Museum, has blown all my ideas out of the drink. When I show my photographic proof of a ‘brilliant new find’ up on the hillside, she lets me down with good grace: it was just a rock with a hole in it. But, she explains, new things are found each year. There are now 800 sites of interest in the area, twice as many as listed by the Royal Commission on its official survey. These include standing stones, and others more subtle, such as bunches of mysterious cup and ring marks for which Kilmartin has gained an international reputation.

www.scotoutdoors.com

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The evidence here, she tells me as we walk through the small museum, covers every major human period. The Neolithic is preserved in shellfish dinners on Colonsay and flints, awls and needles close to Oban. They worked with bone, stone and wood, but we can only imagine how these people dressed, what they thought and how they organised themselves.

My host points out of the museum window at Glebe Cairn, one of a series of huge burial mounds set in a unique linear cemetery that makes its own pilgrimage along the glen. It’s from the Bronze Age, says Sharon, and excavation in 1864 unearthed two rings of standing stones: this was a tribute to someone very special, telling of a definite hierarchy and perhaps even a matriarchal society. The people must have been trading when they built this, because to make bronze you need copper and tin, and neither is local. As I leave to visit the rest of the glen, she tells me to visit Temple Wood, one of her favourite sites.

Only a few miles south is the rocky knoll which spies across the peaty flatlands of Moine Mhor (or Great Moss).

A short climb leads to the top of Dunadd, first settled as an Iron Age fort and later, from around the sixth century, the royal seat of the mighty Gaelic sea kingdom, Dalriada – still visible are a footprint and basin carved in the rock, said to have been used in coronation rituals. It was to Dalriada that Saint Columba brought Christianity, marking the start of reliable dates, and of writing, and where history lessons usually begin.

Slowly, I start to understand this journey through time. It’s the immediacy of this place, with the evidence right here, and the explanations so simple; you only need to look outside. There are the striated, quartzy rocks and the glaciated moraines as flat as railway embankments. And if I climb back up the hillock of my fraudulent discovery, I can view the alluvial plain and the sea just around the corner. It is a rich, inspiring landscape that can help us find some connection with our ancestors, with their struggles and with their world.

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“ ” CONSERVATION NOW The sites and their contents are protected – Kilmartin House Museum shares exhibits with the National Museum of Scotland and duties with Historic Scotland. Further down the glen, there is another type of protected landscape that is also unique. Moine Mhor is a National Nature Reserve and a prime example of lowland bogs. Of the original habitats of this type in Scotland, only 10% remain, and this is one of Britain’s best examples. John Halliday of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) oversees the management of the Great Moss. It’s a big area requiring very subtle skills, and as ranger he also maintains Glasdrum Wood near Creagan Bridge and Taynish National Nature Reserve close to Tayvallich.

The main task, John tells me, is to maintain the high water levels in the moss. It was slit and drained several hundred years ago to tame the bog and make way for cultivation. But since then, our philosophy towards the landscape has shifted. SNH aims to return the area to natural conditions, and so John has to block or slow the

Seat of kings: Dunadd looks out over the glen (above); stone circle at Temple Wood (below)

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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EXPERIENCE • KILMARTIN GLEN

run-off by artificial means, often by piling in small dams.

By doing so, he hopes to recreate the perfect conditions for sphagnum mosses, which in turn build an environment for marshland insects and birds including the hen harrier and short-eared owl. It turns out everything is delicately balanced, because on the other side of the bog lies the sea, where a different ecosystem plays.

The reserve does not cover the entire wetland area, and John negotiates with local farms to improve the marginal lands which border the bog. Part of this includes reestablishing grazing at the sidelines to reduce the cover of rough vegetation. There are no volunteers working on Moine Mhor at the moment, but the objective would be to use local people who already understand and have a connection with this habitat.

There are currently 8,000 visitors a year to the reserve, many of whom visit the interpretation area towards Stockavullin, and others who might admire it from the Crinan Canal or the rocky viewpoint of Dunadd. John admits that the popularity of the Great Moss has benefited from the archaeological attractions at Kilmartin Glen and it is fitting that this is the case, as there are similarities. Both the bog and the prehistory are a result of the retreating ice, and modern techniques are required for the preservation of both.

INSPIRING TOMORROW’S VISITORS The award-winning Kilmartin House Museum is the place to start or end your journey, or to visit in the middle of your stay. But it shouldn’t be missed. Even if you don’t like history because you had a rotten teacher, the friendliness of the staff in the gift shop, the quality of the cake and coffee and the panorama from the café window cannot be faulted.

Workshops are run for adults and children throughout the year, visitors are welcome to trek the new footpath down the glen past numerous sites, and the hills are always free if you want to undertake your own archaeology: there’s bound to be more out there, waiting to be found.

But even if archaeology does not float your coracle, it is hard to pass through and not for one second imagine how other people lived, celebrated and honoured one another. Perhaps because it’s in this glen, with its glaciated features not much older than the first people here, that it feels so raw, and so encircling.

For fans of travelling on two wheels, there is plenty of mountain biking on the hundreds of hectares of Forestry Commission land. The new, purpose-built Fire Tower Trail starts close to Lochgilphead, and on a near infinite combination of trails and quiet roads south of Crinan Canal you can twist your way through less-visited parts towards Loch Sween and Knapdale. If you’re a more sedate cyclist, the canal gives a colourful ride. It is exactly nine miles in each direction, and almost flat.

But for me, the attraction of the area does come back to the history. Not the dates, or the arrowheads, or the markings on the rock, but through some inexplicable spirituality. Though these people had different technology and values, their brains were not so different from ours, and they had to have found inspiration, solace and entertainment from something. It cannot have only been hardship and fighting or making Bronze Age babies.

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Perhaps they smacked wood onto hollowed-out rock, got excited when the flame brightened, saw patterns in nature and copied them with sticks in the mud. Maybe this was their music, their fireworks and their art. I felt it must be so, for these things fire up our souls no matter where we live: they are universal, enduring, human. And in Kilmartin Glen, you can breathe this.

For once I followed advice, and early the next morning I found Temple Wood entirely quiet as the mist cleared and spidery dew clung to the ground. The bluebells had come late this year and were out in force. Ahead were the rocks in their ragged circle, like the hours of a clock, just as they have stood for thousands of years. The sun threw long shadows to cast its mark in some other time. g

Eye to eye (clockwise from top): short-eared owls hunt on the bog; lock at Crinan Harbour; estuary of the River Add fringed

by Moine Mhor

ESSENTIALS Getting there Kilmartin Glen is reached by taking the A816 between Lochgilphead and Oban. A limited bus service runs from Lochgilphead, and the nearest train station is in Oban, 33 miles away.

Kilmartin House Museum Based in a cluster of converted buildings in the village of Kilmartin, the museum is open seven days a week from 10am to 5.30pm,

and offers a programme of events and workshops. www.kilmartin.org

Moine Mhor NNR For good views of the Great Moss, climb Dunadd Hill or stroll along the canal bank at Bellanoch. At the car park and picnic area off the B8025, you can pick up a leaflet and explore the Tileworks Trail. www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/moine-mhor

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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Kylebhan Charters – a world apart

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WILDLIFE & ECOLOGY • BASKING SHARKS

SECRETS OF THE

BASKING SHARK PHOTOGRAPHY: COLIN SPEEDIE; ANTHONY O'CONNOR; CHRIS DENEHY; RACHEL HOSKIN

TAKE A PEEK INSIDE THE SECRET WORLD OF SCOTLAND’S MOST IMPRESSIVE SUMMER VISITOR AS ANNE SAUNDERS, SCOTTISH PROJECTS OFFICER AT THE MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY, REVEALS WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE GIANT BASKING SHARK AND THE THREATS IT FACES

I

F YOU ARE HEADING along the coast or out to sea this summer, you can expect to see seabirds, seals, maybe even dolphins or harbour porpoises if you are lucky. But what about sharks? In Scotland? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. Besides the 20 or more species of smaller shark found in UK waters – including dogfish, porbeagle and tope – the enormous basking shark is a summer visitor to our shores.

On a calm summer’s day, scanning the sea from the shore or aboard a boat, the ultimate prize for any marine wildlife enthusiast must surely be catching sight of a basking shark feeding: the slow progress of shiny shapes – a massive dorsal fin, possibly a nose tip and tail tip – breaking the surface. It’s all the more special because the life of this gentle giant is mostly hidden.

Reaching lengths of 11 metres and weighing up to seven tonnes, the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the largest fish species found in the UK, and second largest in the world (after the whale shark). Yet despite their size, these creatures are elusive, and many aspects of their lives are a mystery. They make their appearance along our shores in the summer months, feeding in shallow waters. But until recently, we knew very little about what they do and where they go in the winter – the widely held belief was that they hibernate in deep water.

This incomplete picture of the basking shark’s world prompted the Marine Conservation Society Open wide (clockwise from top right): a feeding (MCS) to launch the Basking basking shark seen from Shark Watch project in 1987. As above; accidental entanglement in fishing more and more data was gathered gear is a major threat; through this public sightings kayakers enjoy a close project – we now have informa- encounter tion on over 15,000 shark sightings – we began to improve what is known about the species, and eventually gained protection for it in UK waters and internationally. However, it remains vulnerable to accidental by-catch and disturbance, so our vital work to expand our knowledge of the species continues.

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SOLITARY, GENTLE GIANTS Amazingly, given their huge size, basking sharks feed only on plankton – tiny floating animals found in the sea – which they filter from the water using their gill rakers.

With their huge mouths wide open, they can filter up to 2,000 cubic metres of water every hour, the equivalent of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

The species is found around the world in temperate waters in both the northern and southern hemispheres. They migrate into shallow UK waters during the summer months to take advantage of the abundant plankton, and to breed in selected secluded spots. They may be found anywhere around the UK and Ireland, but west coasts are favoured due to the warmer waters created by the North Atlantic Drift, which enables large volumes of plankton to thrive.

Basking sharks are usually solitary and are generally only seen in surface waters whilst they are feeding. However, occasionally they are spotted in large shoals – at feeding hotspots and when engaged in courtship behaviour.

They have been recorded in pairs or small groups in synchronised formations, such as nose-to-tail following or parallel swimming, which are thought to be matingrelated behaviours. Very little is currently known about courtship and mating, but ‘social’ interaction takes place every year in some Scottish hotspots, where basking sharks are regularly seen breaching – thought to be a form of communication between individuals.

The sharks only reach reproductive maturity when aged between 12 and 20 years old, and after that only give birth about once every four years. Gestation is thought to take up to three years. The pups are born live, with up to five or six in a litter. This low reproductive rate, coupled with their susceptibility to disturbance by humans and threats from fishing, makes the species very vulnerable.

Around September, the basking sharks move on from our shores to deeper waters. We now know that they do not hibernate in winter, but remain very active indeed.

Satellite tagging shows that some sharks migrate to

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Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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continental shelf waters around Britain, or to other continental shelf edges, like the southwest of Ireland or the Bay of Biscay. There, they spend a greater proportion of their time feeding in deeper water rather than near the surface, as they do in summer. By migrating out to continental shelves and diving deep, they are able to locate food year-round.

Our knowledge of the distribution, population size and biology of this elusive species remains very limited, but since 1987 we’ve been more confident in our knowledge of when and where they are likely to be present in shallow waters. The little that is known about numbers of individuals raises concerns, and the species is listed on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List of Endangered Species as vulnerable worldwide and endangered in the Northeast Atlantic.

TANGLES, TOURISTS AND TURBINES Basking sharks were once hunted in the UK for their liver oil, which was used as a fuel and as an industrial lubricant.

The UK’s last basking shark fishery (in the Clyde) closed in 1997. Although fishing here has now ended, it caused such massive population declines that the species is still classified as endangered in UK waters today. Sadly, the sharks are still being hunted elsewhere in the world for their fins, which are a valuable commodity for the Asian shark fin soup trade.

Accidental entanglement in fishing gear (by-catch) poses a threat to many species, including basking sharks.

Fishermen have reported them entangled in gill nets, trawler nets and buoy ropes. The scale of this problem is unknown, although it is likely to be greater than is currently thought, as many entanglements will simply not be reported because fishermen fear prosecution, or closing of their fishing grounds, although this isn’t the aim of the Marine Conservation Society.

As wildlife tourism increases, it is becoming ever more important not to disturb the very creatures we are keen to see. While collisions with boats can be fatal for the sharks, we do not fully understand how the presence of sightseeing boats around basking shark groups may affect their feeding and social interaction, and subsequently impact on their health or reproductive success.

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It is illegal to intentionally disturb or harass a basking shark in the UK. As such, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) developed the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code as guidance for individuals and the wildlife watching industry, whilst MCS and partners have produced the Basking Shark Code of Conduct. In addition, the Wildlife Safe (WiSe) scheme trains wildlife boating operators to be sensitive to the natural behaviour of vulnerable marine species. So, if you are planning to go on a wildlife watching trip, try to choose a WiSe-accredited operator.

Meanwhile, the drive for green energy brings new concerns. Though renewables are crucial to delivering a low carbon future, their construction sometimes proves hazardous for wildlife. Marine renewable energy developments may pose a threat to basking sharks. Ideal sites require a consistently strong tidal flow to maximise the energy generated by tidal turbines. However, since such areas are often favoured as feeding sites by basking sharks, the installation of these devices may pose a significant risk of disturbance.

Current flow patterns may be permanently altered and this could affect the location and abundance of fronts in the water, and subsequently affect concentrations of plankton.

Two significant basking shark hotspots are known in Scotland – around Hyskeir lighthouse (just west of Eigg and Canna) and between Coll and Tiree – though ongoing research may reveal further sites of similar importance.

Devices sited in these places – in the narrow channel between Coll and Tiree, for example – may significantly disrupt the natural habits and feeding zones of basking sharks in the area. We at MCS are calling for thorough monitoring of potential tidal energy sites before, during and after any installation. SNH and environmental consultants working with renewable energy developers have already requested

data from the MCS Basking Shark Watch project, showing how valuable this information is when planning marine energy projects.

VITAL SIGHTINGS Here at MCS, we promote public involvement and collect sightings through the Basking Shark Watch project, which has developed into the world’s largest and most comprehensive database on basking shark surface sightings. The data is regularly analysed, and the results are published and used to promote species conservation measures.

MCS is also a lead partner of the UK Government’s Basking Shark Species Action Plan steering group. Our campaigning successes include gaining full protection for basking sharks under UK law through the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) in 1998; closer monitoring of the trade in basking sharks and their by-products through the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 2002; protection by the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention) in 2005; and entirely banning landings from European fisheries in 2007.

The basking shark historically faced a direct threat from fishing. To a large extent, we’ve done our job, and it is no longer legal to directly target basking sharks in European waters, but they are still accidentally killed and disturbed by human activities, so our work continues. The more knowledge is gathered from Basking Shark Watch and other research, the more can be done to help protect this species from accidental harm. So, the several hundred reports of sightings we receive from the public in Scotland every year are absolutely vital. g

Three’s a crowd: harassment by sightseeing boats could disturb natural behaviour (above); tell-tale form of a basking shark feeding at the surface (below)

FURTHER INFO MCS Basking Shark Watch Keep an eye peeled this summer and submit your sightings to MCS Basking Shark Watch by calling 01989 566 017 or online at www.mcsuk.org

WiSe Scheme Choose a wildlife watching trip run by a Wildlife Safe-accredited operator. www.wisescheme.org

Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code SNH’s code for individuals and tour operators. www.marinecode.org

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Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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WILDLIFE & ECOLOGY • LANGHOLM MOOR

HARRIERS’ HAUNT PHOTOGRAPHY: LAURIE CAMPBELL

LANGHOLM MOOR IN DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY IS THE SITE OF A MAJOR

large-scale loss of heather, largely through overgrazing, EFFORT TO BROKER A LASTING PEACE BETWEEN THE THREATENED HEN was linked to the historical HARRIER AND THOSE WHO MANAGE GROUSE MOORS. PROJECT ECOLOGIST decline in grouse bags. Subsequent research developed a ALY MCCLUSKIE EXPLAINS technique, known as diversionary feeding, that greatly ANGHOLM, THE ‘MUCKLE TOON’ as it is reduced the losses of grouse to one of these raptors, the affectionately known, nestles beneath the hen harrier. The Langholm Moor Demonstration Project, monument on Whita Hill in Dumfries and a collaboration between five partners – Buccleuch Estates, Galloway, some ten miles north of the Border. Running Scottish Natural Heritage, Game and Wildlife Conservato the north and east of the town is Langholm Moor, tion Trust, the RSPB and Natural England – uses this the focal point of nearly 20 years of rigorous research, technique to demonstrate that an ecologically viable vigorous debate and finally, hopefully, a resolution to hen harrier population can coexist with an economically the conflict of interest between those who manage up- viable grouse moor. land estates to produce a shootable surplus of red Fundamentally, the project acknowledges that the grouse, and those who seek to conserve birds of prey, responsible management of grouse moors brings environparticularly the hen harrier. mental, as well as economic, benefits. Such management From 1992 to 1997, Langholm Moor was the focus of is threefold – habitat management, maintaining the the five-year Joint Raptor Study, a crucial research proj- health of the grouse, and predator control. Habitat manect which showed that predation by raptors could reduce agement is largely through controlled burning of heather, the economical viability of grouse moors, and that the or muirburn. This creates the mix of younger and more

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mature heather characteristic of grouse moors – the young heather is a food source for grouse, while deeper strands provide shelter and cover from predators. Carried out correctly, muirburn creates a diverse habitat favoured by grouse and other upland birds, as well as many plants including cranberry, bog rosemary, orchids, tormentil, cotton grasses and blaeberry.

The health of red grouse has perhaps been studied more than any other wild bird, and important concerns have always been intestinal parasites and tick-borne disease.

Grouse naturally ingest small stones to help break down vegetative matter in their digestive tracts. So a method has been developed to deliver small but effective doses of anti-parasitic drugs to grouse by carefully placing medicated grit within their range. Ticks are controlled by regularly dipping sheep to prevent them from becoming hosts to diseases.

The final and most controversial aspect of grouse moor management is predator control. Predation is a natural part of all ecological systems. In situations where the biological balance has been tipped in favour of the predator, particularly when the predator – notably foxes and the crow family – can scavenge on human by-products, there is a strong argument for controlling (humanely Life on the moor (clockwise from top left): a male hen harrier returns to the nest with prey; female with chicks on the nest; view of Langholm Moor with cotton grass

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WILDLIFE & ECOLOGY • LANGHOLM MOOR

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killing) such predators. Controlling these predators on grouse moors also creates refuges for ground-nesting birds such as curlew, lapwing and golden plover.

ICONIC BIRDS IN CONFLICT A conflict arises when a predator is of conservation value, as is the case with many birds of prey. Finding an acceptable alternative to the illegal killing of protected raptors is vital. The predator-prey relationship between the red grouse and the hen harrier is born of an ecological intersection, so getting to grips with the ecology of the two species is key to understanding this relationship and the solution being demonstrated at Langholm Moor.

The red grouse and the heather moorland it inhabits are iconic of Scotland. The bird itself is highly cryptic and many walkers tell of surprise encounters with a grouse when it suddenly and noisily banks up and flies off, seemingly from nowhere. This powerful flight makes it attractive to game shooters. It is also a bird of great character: in spring, the cock struts on his territory with bright red wattles standing proudly above his eyes and flies in short, demonstrative displays, calling to other birds in what can build into a moorland cacophony.

Grouse generally lay their eggs in late April and early May. The chicks start venturing out of the nest 24 hours after hatching and their diet consists mainly of young, tender heather shoots (hence the importance of muirburn) along with some insects in the early weeks. Other sources of food for grouse include cotton grass shoots in spring, blaeberries, the seeds of grasses, sedges and rushes, and the leaves and flowers of other plants.

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The spectacular hen harrier is another bird characteristic of the Scottish uplands. The male and female of this medium-sized raptor species differ distinctly: the male is smaller, it is silvery bluish-grey with black wing tips and white lower breast and belly. The larger female is broadwinged and generally dark brown, paler underneath, with a white rump. They are less common on the moorland in winter, but in spring males announce their arrival with a dramatic flight display known as sky dancing. After a steep climb, the bird will turn or flip over into a sudden dive terminating very close to the ground before ascending again. He repeats this pattern up to 100 times while calling out, all to attract a female into his territory.

Once he has attracted a female he provides her with food, often using another distinct move, the aerial food pass. This dramatic trick is crucial to the female, as she alone sits on the eggs and is entirely reliant on the male for food during this time. She makes her nest on the ground among dense vegetation, most commonly in heather. Once the eggs have hatched, the female hunts again but stays as close as she can to the nest containing her still fragile chicks. Young grouse are also out and about at this precise time, and unsurprisingly the female harrier picks off the easily available grouse chicks. So it is in this particular period, while feeding their young in the nest, that hen harriers impact on grouse numbers.

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FEEDING SOLUTION The technique of diversionary feeding targets this period, exploiting the fact that the female harrier needs to hunt close to the nest. Feeding posts are put up near the nest and alternative food – day-old cockerel chicks and white rats – placed on them. The technique is clearly successful – previously it had been shown to reduce the number of grouse chicks taken into the harrier nest by up to 86%. Observations at the nests during the demonstration project, over more than 120 hours, have not seen a single grouse chick taken in.

Being fed in such an artificial way seems to have no detrimental effects on the harrier chicks. A male chick born last year, along with two of his siblings, was fitted with a satellite transmitter to track his movements. He completed a remarkable journey to Spain, where he wintered in the Basque country before returning to Scotland in May. Such migrations have always been thought of as unusual in hen harriers, and indeed his sister spent much of the winter in the less balmy Lammermuir Hills of East Lothian.

Now in its fourth year, the demonstration project itself has seen harriers successfully fed, along with increased grouse numbers on the moor and improved condition of the moorland, although progress can be frustratingly slow. However, the hallmark of the project has been a genuine spirit of collaboration among the

www.scotoutdoors.com

project partners, the gamekeepers and ecologists, and the wider community of Langholm. This spirit is inspirational – an indication of what could be the way forward in a decades-old conflict. g

EDITOR’S NOTE

Feeding and breeding (clockwise from far left): a female harrier homes in on feeding posts; red grouse; a young harrier is fitted with a tracker; hen harrier nest with eggs; slow worm with young

The hen harrier's drastic decline

The hen harrier remains one of the most threatened of all birds in the UK. It is also the raptor species most affected by illegal persecution on managed grouse moors. The latest national hen harrier survey, conducted in 2010 and published in March, shows that Scotland is home to fewer than 500 pairs – though this is the majority of the UK population, it represents a worrying 21% decrease since the previous survey in 2004.

In England, the harrier teeters on the edge of extinction as a breeding species, with 12 pairs recorded. Wales, where there are no driven grouse moors and no recorded persecution, saw a rise in numbers. The 2010 hen harrier survey was funded by RSPB, Scottish Natural Heritage, Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales.

FURTHER INFO For more about the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project, see www.langholmproject.com

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TRIBUTE

Jayne Rowe I

T IS WITH overwhelming sadness that we announce the loss of Jayne Rowe, one of the founding team members of Scotland Outdoors, who succumbed to post-natal depression in April.

Although not one of the ‘public’ faces of the magazine, Jayne was instrumental in its launch in 2008, and played a pivotal behind-the-scenes role ever since. Without her, this magazine simply would not exist.

However, Jayne’s main job was as learning coordinator at the Social Enterprise Academy, an Edinburgh-based organisation that offers development and leadership skills for people working in the social economy. Formed in 2004, Jayne was the Academy’s second member of staff and was a key figure in helping develop a sector that trades for social and environmental purposes.

Originally from Bramhall, near Manchester, Jayne enjoyed a varied working life, much of it overseas in Italy, Greece and New Mexico, before finally settling in Scotland a decade ago. She was drawn first to Edinburgh before putting down family roots in Peebles on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders. There, Jayne found many of the things most important to her in life: fresh air, room to roam and friendship – something that she was never short of wherever she lived.

Although Jayne was often found exploring the hills around Peebles, she had plenty of adventures elsewhere in Scotland; she was just as happy cycling through the

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Western Isles as jumping in a sea kayak, or climbing obscure peaks in the Highlands. She also loved swimming, yoga and being run ragged by her dog, Rolf. But there was so much more that she wanted to do and so many other places she wanted to explore. She had only just begun.

Family, friends and colleagues have lost a truly extraordinary person, one whose warmth, generosity of spirit and sheer love of life touched everyone who met her.

A best friend to many, Jayne leaves all who knew her with countless happy memories, but also a deep sorrow that her life was cut short so tragically.

Jayne is survived by her husband, Richard, the editor of this magazine, and their baby daughter, Morven. g

Jayne Rowe, 15 November 1971 – 8 April 2011. With love. Always.

Scotland Outdoors invites donations for the Galashiels-based charity, PND Borders. Those wishing to raise awareness and help support those suffering from what is often a misunderstood and taboo illness can send donations direct to the charity, either online or by post.

Cheques made out to PND Borders to be sent to Kathryn Peden at PND Borders, East Lodge, Elm Row, Galashiels TD1 3HT, t. 01896 751609. Or donate online at www.pndborders.org.uk

Scotland Outdoors Summer 2011

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