Scotland on eBothy Blog

storm 2

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Quite a storm today. Power’s been off most of the day. Not quite the 165mph recorded on Cairngorm but it was around 80 here. Got blown away getting the post! A couple of vids from down at the shore. Between 2 and 3pm all hell broke loose. Very violent wind indeed. Great stuff!

welcome to the next generation environment environment

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The First Generation Environment enters our modern consciousness with the Picts, Vikings, Highlanders and sundry other groups to whom the environment was a source of fear. A place to be hurried through and not to be caught out at night. Devils, demons, gods, nymphs and sprites inhabited every rock, pool and hill. Places were named after the effects of the environment. Names like Carn Gluasad (moving), Aonach Air Chrith (shaken), Sgorr Gaoith (wind), Sgurr an Fheadain (chanter, from the noise of the wind). They also reflected the later conflicts of the First Generation. Names such as Meall an Fhudair (gunpowder), Coire a’Mhusgein (muskets), Beinn a’Chleidheimh (sword) and the politics, Sgurr nan Spainteach (Spanish), Stob Coire an Albannaich (Scotsman), Drium an Eireannaich (Irishman).

the first snows have arrived

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Had to go to Inverness on business today so managed to take some pics of the first snows of the winter, down to about 1500 feet. Not a drop on the Cuillin of either Skye or Rum though. It’s all on the mainland. Looks wonderful. Forecast for tomorrow is horrendous!

alladale project presentation at the mcofs agm

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000

We were across at Glenmore Lodge for the MCofS AGM at the weekend, although we were primarily there for the birding seminar (which was a complete washout unfortunately), the hog roast (which was superb) and the ceildih (which we just watched as we were caught up in animated blethering with new friends we’d made!). We popped along to the lecture by Hugh Fullerton-Smith, Paul Lister’s project manager for the Alladale “re-wilding experiment” and I was interested how both Hugh and the assembled mountaineering audience would react to each other. I’ve blogged about this before, in Wild animals and fences and To wolf or not to wolf and I was hoping some of the confusion might be cleared up about the fence.

our friends across the pond

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I was trawling through my blog reader and stopped by PTC* World’s to be reminded of possibly the greatest comedians who ever lived. It’s a funny thing comedy, ho ho!, no really. I can sit through an American “comedy” show, stony faced and wondering why the audience is standing on the seats, whooping like banshees, punching the air and screaming with laughter. Is there something off camera I can’t see, like a fight or something? It only takes the appearance of a star on the show to set them off. Even during Billy Connolly’s heyday, himself walking on stage wouldn’t have got me thinking “there’s Billy, man, I can’t contain myself, I’m going to stand on the seat and scream like an idiot!”.

man what a night

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

I’m not normally into football but it seemed that Scotland had found a new lease of life and a real football team. The last time I remember such hype and excitement was in 1978 when we were “on the march with Ally’s Army” to Argentina. I was in primary school and we were all taught that song and it seemed everyone in the country was following the team to the world cup. It all climaxed in Scotland going out but it was capped by possibly the best goal this country has ever produced, by Archie Gemmel. The place went wild after that genuine display of footballing genius.

a new slant on the history of the roman empire

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

I’m not a sports fan, other than snooker and cycling and certainly not football but this is just brill! I do appreciate a top level game and especially one where new experiences depend on the outcome. Thus it is with Scotland. Not content with riding a wave of footballing success, they stuff it up against some unheard of team (for me anyway) just to make it that bit harder to beat one of the best teams in the world and get through to Europe (I thought we were already in Europe. Must be a footballing thing). Normally Scottish football fans are expert statisticians. Every 4 years the tartan army get out their calculators and slide rules to plot the critical path to world cup qualification.