2 Photographs from our Xmas guest. It truly is a beautiful place, Glencoe.

Just sent to us from the cottage by our guest, Ben. He is staying for Christmas with his brother.
They are lovely aren't they? Even without any sun it is gorgeous. Look at the colours.

John

Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland Last minute, late availability Glencoe, self catering cottage Our cottage details and photos More details about the cottage 20 brilliant walks around the cottage area

Gillian and I each woke up in the middle of the night with this nightmare

Bill McKenzies lovely pic of the cottage and the Bay. He gave us permission to use it from his Flickr site. He has some brilliant photos of Glencoe here


This is everyone's personal horror story, if they offer accomodation. Double booking.

Saturday evening last. Arrive home to find 2 emails waiting for us through this brilliant co-operative email service which Glencoe owners use between us. When there is no room at the inn - or b&b or cottage then the visitor's need can be circulated to everyone in the Glencoe area so they can find somewhere to stay.
In our absence, the Glencoe people were trying to find somewhere for a French family who had  turned up at our cottage thinking they were booked in only to find that existing people had arrived earlier that day.

Aarrgh! The French family were now at the Pineapple House in Duror. They were out at dinner but at least I had their name. Worryingly they were clutching a piece of paper with our cottage details on it. I searched the computer for them, nothing found. I checked Paypal, nothing. I knew we had had no bookings nor enquiries from France in the past year. But I can be notoriously inattentive sometimes. Can you imagine what feelings the poor family had on the first day of their holiday in Scotland?

Gillian and I each woke up in the middle of the night worrying about it. If it is our fault then we would have to find somewhere good and pay for it. Would the Holly Tree Hotel have vacancies for a week? Unlikely in the middle of the school holiday. Then the Clachaig said they might have a cottage available.......

In the morning, Jan the new owner of Pineapple House rang to say that it was all a false alarm. When they looked for their papers, they found they were booked in a cottage in Strontian, across the water, and were on their way there. Oh, the relief.

How did it come about, how did they come to us, why did they have our cottage details with them?

I'm guessing, but this is what I think may have happened. Three years ago I signed up with a big French Holiday directory to list our cottage. When I raised questions with them about their trading I received no reply. I even tried to reach their Chief Executive in Paris. Nothing happened. We seemed to get a number of unsuitable enquiries from them and more just before our renewal date. We asked to be taken off their site but WE ARE STILL ON IT. They send us enquiries from the clients, but we are not enabled to reply, presumably to encourage us back in to this directory. So their clients are disappointed to receive no reply and book elsewhere. The Directory is on our Spam list.

I think this family tried to book with us, received no reply, but by mistake brought a printed copy of the website listing with them.

Tricky this modern world. Keeps you awake at night sometimes.
John

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Sophy's Tale...

Ok, it was April, so I've taken time to upload it. Which hill is it Mark? 

Hi John
We had a really smashing holiday thanks, and the cottage was excellent and comfortable. Here are some of the pics I took on the holiday and you can use any of them
Marks' lovely pics of Glencoe
As you can see we did some big hill walks with snow above about 2,200ft. There was all sorts in the way of weather but it was kind to us when we were up high. You'll recognise some lowland walks we did too, such as on the evening of arrival we crossed the bay from the cottage and walked along the coast a bit.
Good birdwatching too! Again, the photos give an idea, but the highlight was a pair of ptarmigan. Great Northern Diver came a close second.
As I said, the cottage was great. Having WiFi was a real bonus.
We went twice to the Holly restaurant - excellent and (in a different way) the Onich Hotel was great too (twice there!)
Thanks again, we had the holiday we hoped for.
Mark & Megan Scott

We loved having you both there.
John
LINKS THINGS TO DO

Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland Last minute, late availability Glencoe, self catering cottage 20 brilliant walks around our cottage area Easy hill walks in Glencoe Why not walk up Ben Nevis one day? Easier Munroe walks in Glencoe Skiing Glencoe and Nevis range, cottage is midway between the two Video. Skiing on Glencoe mountain Weather in the West of Scotland Rock and Ice climbing in Glencoe Cycling and fishing Glencoe Spectacular wild life around our cottage Golf in the Highlands, Dragons tooth golf course, Glencoe Cruising the islands, using Glencoe as a base Safe, beautiful beaches and bays in Glencoe area Touring the Highlands by car from Glencoe, Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe Winter breaks, Jan Feb March in the cottage Autumn breaks November December in the cottage Our new Appin blog site

The Aonach Eagach ridge in Glencoe in mid Summer. Sophy's tale

Prologue to Sophy's tale.

February 1955. Imagine a young chap, loves climbing in Scotland. Takes a motor bike to Glencoe from London to celebrate finishing National Service. A valve blows, bike caput. Ring the AA from the repair shop by the Ballyhoo hotel by the ferry for a spare in Birmingham. (Ferry then, no fancy bridge of steel) Nothing to do. Youth hostel in Glencoe, thinks "I'll pop up the Clachaig gully, and along the Ridge". No one to go with, so do it solo. Wet in the gully, thank goodness for clinker nails in the climbing boots - no vibrams in those days. Very very wet. Beautiful day on top, cloudless sky, 360 degrees of snow all around. This vision is seared into my memory until the day I die.

Epilogue to prologue. I came off the ridge as soon as I got frightened. The valve arrived the next day, having been transported from AA man to AA man for 400 miles. Those were the days.

Sophy's tale

Hi John,

Well that’s us back to reality, boo hoo.

What a week we had, it actually feels like we were off for two weeks because we did so much.

That’s the sign of a great holiday!

We had a lovely time so thank you both once again for letting us stay.

We loved the cottage, its very comfy and cosy and just what we needed.

The weather was great as well, we were very lucky.  The only heavy rain we had was when we were on the Aonach Eagach ridge, just when we wanted it to stay dry!

Ah well, we survived!   We also had a lovely walk up Bidean Nam Bian and sunbathed at the top, while watching a thunder storm roll in from the east.  It was spectacular.

I’ve loaded up some of our better photos from our walks – there aren’t many of the Aonach Eagach proper though as there was no way I was stopping to take photos on the really scary bits!

Sophy's album.

ps. I have to confess, I was quite glad of the cloud on top of the ridge a few times, as it meant that I couldn’t see the huge drops below me!

John

Links

Appin is beautiful Bed and breakfast and hotels from Oban to Fort William Walks around our cottage Autumn short breaks in Glencoe Ben Nevis walking is a slog, but worth it Cottage holidays Scotland in the Autumn, Winter, Spring The highlands of Scotland Find holiday cottages anywhere Gorgeous photographs of Glencoe Hill walks in Glencoe Munroes in Glencoe Port Appin Barcaldine Accommodation in Lochaber Kentallen Ballachulish Onich How to find cottage owners self catering websites

John is staying with us next week

The Winter is a wonderful time for photographers in Glencoe. We have one of the top ones staying with us next week, John Taggart of Antrim. Hope it is cold and crisp for them. Look at these shots of his taken from a previous visit.

These shots for me are of the highest order. Works of art. I ave permission from John to publish them. Here is John's professional photographer's website. I'm going to put them on our other blog site, Glencoe Photographs after he has stayed with us.

Have a lovely time John. Would it be too cheeky to ask for a wee pic?

John

Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands

Late availability Appin, self catering cottage

20 brilliant walks around here

Easy hill walks in Glencoe area

Will you walk up Ben Nevis one day?

Easier Munroes in Glencoe

Skiing Glencoe and Nevis range, our cottage is midway between the two roughly 30 minutes from each

Video. Skiing on Glencoe mountain

Weather West of Scotland

Rock and Ice climbing in Glencoe

Cycling, fishing Glencoe

Spectacular wild life around the Appin cottage

Golf in the Highlands, Dragons tooth golf course Ballachulish

Cruising the islands

Beautiful beaches and bays in the area

Touring the Highlands from Glencoe,

Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe

Winter breaks, Jan Feb March in the cottage

Autumn breaks November December in the cottage

Our Appin blog site

Highland cattle to the rescue in Loch Arkaig

A little colony of rare butterflies has grown again this year at a remote loch. About 30 minutes to the North-west of Fort William is the gorgeous Loch Arkaig.  Called the Allt Mhuic butterfly, they've found 15 chequered skippers, whatever they are. In 2005 there were only 38, and by 2009 they found only 3 but then there was a recovery of sorts, to 8, and now they've found 15.


They sent in Highland cattle to graze the area, and this let plants flourish, which the butterflies loved. With this limited success, they are going to try the same thing again in other areas. 

The approach to Loch Arkaig takes you past several scenic sites - the Commando Memorial, Caledonian Canal and Loch Lochy. In the Mile Dorcha, or 'Dark Mile' you pass the picturesque Caig (Chai-Aig) Falls and out to Loch Arkaig. Arkaig is a beatiful Loch, with many types of trees along its shore

The French funds, the treasure of Prince Charlie, the Bonnie One, is supposedly hidden near here.


John

The story they don't tell you about the Glencoe Massacre
History around the cottage in Appin
Did the Vikings stage a battle in Glencoe?
The Pictish broch in Lismore
West of Scotland millions of years ago
Robert the Bruce and the Ardchattan parliament
Robert the Bruce and the Knights Templar
The story of the MacDonalds of Glencoe
Ancient roads of the Highlands
Glencoe, the 4th Wonder of Scotland
Castles in the Glencoe area

Ancient Scottish hunter-gatherers traced to Benderloch, in Appin

Reconstruction of Mesolithic settlement in Finland.

When our girls were young we used to go caravanning at Ledaig, near Benderloch on the Oban road. Once we climbed a small hill overlooking the village and picked up a tiny rock which seemed to be sliced into layers, interleaved with fibres, which looked burnt. It could not be natural.

I sent it to the British Museum who sent a report back to me that it looked like the remains of a Vitrified Fort. These strange embankments have no lime or cement to hold the stones together. It seems to have been done by the application of intense heart. But no one knows why. I remember our young Joanne was particularly disinterested at the time. When you are seven you have other things on your mind.

Now the archaeologists have gone back a lot further. They’ve found the bones of the Mesolithic people at the end of a garden in Benderloch. They lived between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago. They’ve found a jawbone and other bones and have uncovered some caves – in a garden! They think there are the remains of two individuals there possibly a youngster s well.

Times past, people roamed throughout Scotland, in small tribal groups. For 4,000 years, after the ice retreated the climate was warmer and wetter, For their living, woodland was good with its plant gathering possibilities, rivers and sea were good for fishing, They travelled, pursuing herds of animals as they moved inland in the Summer and to the West Coast in the Winter with its more tranquil, warmer climate. They butchered the animals with their stone tools, cooked the fish on open hearths. Nuts, fish and game is what they ate.

But the West Coast had one other thing in its favour. Caves. Caves were the housing estates of the day. Lewisian gneiss one of the oldest rocks in the world and it is perfect for creating rock shelters. That is what we have around this part of the country.

You know, this land is absolutely marvellous. We can trace the story of our people from the Mesolithics in their caves, the Neolithics with their the standing stones which are everywhere. The biggest in Argyll is just 2 miles down the road from the cottage. Then we have the unexplained vitrified Forts and the equally mysterious Brochs – on Lismore.

The duns and burial mounds of Kilmartin, the early Scots from Ireland, St Columba, the clash between the early Gaels and the Picts, followed by the Vikings, then their settlement and integration with the population. Angus Og, son of Somerled ruled the Western Isles and formed an alliance with Robert the Bruce. He won the War of Scottish Independence at the famous Battle of Bannockburn. This led directly to the Stewart Kings and Queens. The first Stewart to rule was his son-in-law. He led directly to Mary Queen’s of Scots, her son, James, the first Stewart King of England, ending with Bonnie Prince Charlie himself.

The rest is history.

What a place this is!

John
Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland
Short Breaks Glencoe
Winter breaks in Glencoe
Special offers, short breaks, off season

"You'll not beat this place, Johnnie"

Gllian never calls me Johnnie unless she is happy. New place just opened in Glencoe village street, Carnoch Restaurant. (They do Take-away too – very valuable if you are fed up with cooking for yourselves)

Our meal bill totalled £26 for a Salmon dish of superb quality and beautifully cooked , and Haddock and chips, but with a very light batter, followed by Banana pancakes, and cream, two lattes, two large glasses of wine. The ingredients were of the highest quality and so was the cooking.

The owner’s eye – it makes a big difference
They are lovely people, too, and unlike all the other restaurants in the area, the young owner is out front mixing with the customers. Book 01855 811140

This might not be too fair on David at Crafts and Things across the road. He is always around welcoming people, saying hello, but he does not do full meals.

Our lady at our table was from Glasgow, as you can tell probably from the following exchange.

“Did you take the tip from the change?”
“No, I never touch your money, I’m not married to you.”

For quick with you’ll never beat Glasgow people. I was brought up on it, because I was raised there and am proud if it.

John
www.bayviewkentallen.co.uk/appin.html
www.bayviewkentallen.co.uk/holidayhomelinks.html
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www.bayviewkentallen.co.uk/touringscotland.html

Three feet of rain per second. We loved it.

Youngsters only care about rain, cold and snow if the parents make a fuss. This wonderful family just gets out there and does it. They stayed at the cottage last week.

HI John and Gillian,
Thanks for having us at Bayview. We had a great week. The whole place is stunning and the cottage was perfect for us. All the little ones enjoyed being there.

We had one glorious sunny day and walked the old road through Glencoe (with buggy and baby rucksack!) Phenomenal views. The last 2 days were snowing heavily, which made doing things tricky, but one of the snowy days we walked (unbelievably the three year olds did walk themselves) up to the first waterfall up Glen Nevis path.

The next day was difficult to do anything, but when the clouds cleared (for about 10 seconds at a time) the views of snow covered tops were breathtaking. In between times it followed the traditional three feet of rain per second, so we did some the other things you suggested eg sealife centre (great for our kids), Ice
climbing at Kinlochleven (hard work!) but good play area for the kids at both.

We had a great time, thanks.
With best wishes
Damian, Barbara, Elizabeth, Catherine and Ruth

That story takes us back to our own family - quite a few years back, it must be said. You can see the details of where they went on the following pages

http://bayviewkentallen.co.uk main site

http://www.bayviewkentallen.co.uk/glencoewalks.html

http://www.bayviewkentallen.co.uk/trackwaysfromglencoe.html

http://www.bayviewkentallen.co.uk/wildlifeglencoe.html

John