Tag: Islay
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walking experiments
After the Finlaggan walk turned out successfully, I decided to attempt some further walking experiments on Islay. While I potter about indoors without a stick or other support, all of my outside walking so far has been with an elbow crutch. Because my balance is now appalling, I am not great at moving about on…
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finlaggan
When I considered the Islay walks I’d be capable of doing, the first place I thought of was Finlaggan. On the boat over from Kennacraig, I was longing to go, and we drove there as soon as we made landfall. During the Middle Ages, Western Scotland retained a strongly independent Gaelic culture whose political centre…
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vancation
It was probably inevitable that I would return wanting a campervan. . . (yes, I am the blurry gnome in the tartan blanket) . . . unfortunately, my only prospect of owning one right now is winning the one currently on offer over at Dorset Cereals. But who can argue with the luxury and convenience…
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fat rascals! competition! adventure!
I am foolishly excited. This is because we are going away for a few days this weekend. Guess where we are going? that’s right! Islay and Jura! As wild camping is a bit beyond me at the moment, Tom has hired a camper van in which we shall zoom about the islands in comparative luxury.…
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repair
A few weeks ago, something rather unpleasant happened while we were camping on Islay. I’ve not talked about this much. I found it quite disturbing at the time, and — because it happened in a place I am very fond of, while engaged in an activity that I love — I’ve not really wanted to…
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looking down
We had some fine weather on Islay, and on Sunday enjoyed a glorious day’s walking. When we last visited this part of the world in May, we sat by the water at Ardfin, and gazed across the sound of Jura to some very good looking Islay hills which we had never ascended. So we decided…
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congrats
It’s Dollheid prize time! Congratulations to ten randomly-selected commenters: Celia, Luisa, Arndis, Lillicroche, Yulian, Maaike, Lizzi, Pat (J) and two Marias (one German, one Canadian) to whom I’ve just emailed a copy of the pattern. And thanks for all your comments, everyone, which I enjoyed reading: I was thrilled to discover that dollheid translates into…
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the gardens at ardfin
Would you like to come for a short walk on Jura? Leave your money in the honesty box by the tree, and follow the path to Jura House garden. With its mix of Scottish wild flowers and victorian woodland planting, the surrounding landscape looks like a fairy glade. Then you open a door in the…
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in with the new
After the conclusion of my clothing-myself project in 2008, I have a new project for 2009. I think that most things are seen better when seen from on foot, and I am often struck by just how much more atuned one becomes to the changing uses and meanings of a landscape when walking through it.…
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the best wee yarn shop in the world?
If you are lucky enough to find yourself at Kilchiaran, where lichen, wind and water claim the graves of Islay’s ancient dead. . . (Kilchiaran) . . . if you take the narrow road that winds up the curve of the bay; if you follow that road in sight of the sea; and if you…
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whisky and women
Bunnahabhain. Monday morning. I’m a woman that likes whisky. Now, I know I don’t need to explain this to you. I know that you may like whisky too. And I’m sure that if you do like it, if you have any sort of taste or enthusiasm for any type of usquebah, that you will probably…
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pitch
(After the storm. Bowmore.) Is it possible to be a militant wild camper? If it is, I am one. Unlike the rest of the UK, where camping is currently legally restricted, in Scotland you can camp anywhere you like, as long as you are sensible, responsible, and follow the terms of the Outdoor Access Code.…