The Glencoe community has this wonderful system. If anyone wants accommodation and everywhere is booked, they circulate everyone else to find rooms. It truly is a good system.
Sometimes you get lovely, simple, silly incidents like this.
This is the internet at its best. This is a community at it best. Isn't this gorgeous?
This is the message which was circulated
Hello all,
This wee dog was found this morning on the A82 near the
Old Ferry Road junction.
If anyone is looking for it it has been taken to the dog
warden in Fort William.
Please feel free to phone me if you want to know more.
Sarah Holroyd
01855821277
But here is a different story.
A man was taken ill in Stalker Castle a few days ago. This is the 3rd most photographed castle in Scotland, absolutely gorgeous. But it is a private home, and is open to the public only once or twice a year.
It is surrounded by water at most states of the tide. So this chap had to be winched off the top of the castle by a helicopter.
From the Oban Times. For Oban’s lifeboat crew – on what was their 1,000th call-out – it was also their most unusual rescue ever.
Usually they are called out to sea. But this was 80 feet up on a 15th century castle roof.
The lifeboat team assisted a Royal Navy helicopter crew to airlift an ill visitor from the top of the historic Castle Stalker, a picturesque building in Appin which is completely surrounded by water on the west coast of Scotland.
Iain Fulton, of Oban Lifeboat, said: “We were called out because the castle is not accessible by ambulance.
“The casualty had taken ill at the upper level of the castle and when we arrived it was decided it would be easier to take him to the top to be winched up, rather than tackle the massive spiral staircase down.
OLD BATTLE 1653 RE-ENACTMENT
This lot are going to re-create the 1653 battle around Duart Castle. Resisting an invasion of Mull no less.
Duart castle was in the Wars in the mid 17th century. In the Civil Wars, the nastiest Wars of all.
In 1647, Duart Castle was attacked and laid siege to by the Argyll government troops of Clan Campbell, but they were defeated and driven off by the Royalist troops of Clan MacLean.
In September 1653, a Cromwellian task force of six ships anchored off the castle, but the Macleans had already fled to Tiree.
In 1678, Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, son of the Marquess of Argyll, successfully invaded the Clan MacLean lands on the Isle of Mull and Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet fled the castle.
Less than 20 years alter, in 1691 Duart Castle was surrendered by Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet to Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll. The Campbell clan demolished the castle, and the stones from the walls were scattered. Donald Maclean, 5th Laird of Torloisk used some of the stones to build a cottage for his family close to the site of the castle.
MOVE ON TO 1752
One the most publicised stories of the area is the Appin murder. It was publicised widely by Robert Louis Stevenson the Victorian novelist no less, who called it "Kidnapped" a sort of Boys Own romp through the Highlands. The truth was nastier. They, the Campbells, got someone for it, hanged him beside the Ballachulish Bridge - it was a ferry then - and left his skeleton in chains for months, high on a rock so that everyone could see it.
The only problem was the jury was packed, and they hanged an innocent man. As ever.
Well, the story is that they are going to re-enact the Trial of James Stewart in Fort William. Actually it took place in Inverary but don't let that stand in the way of a good re-enactment.
Organised by the Royal Society of Eninburgh there are going to be talks by experts about the trial, and
a proper re-trial. Ben Nevis Hotel, Sep 3, 7.30. A case review same place following day.
You can go if you want to, but you'll need to register first at Registration for the Re-Trial of James Stewart
James Stewart is buried in a very small graveyard which is now situated in a farmyard off the Appin Road to Oban just south of Duror. The owners do not make it easy to find and explore. You'll get chased out by a bull. Gillian and I have seen it. We chased back the bull. No prob.
John
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