"intrigue" and weekend walks

We were going skiing but the weather was misty and rainy,so wrapping up warm we decided
to head out with the camera's. Saturday we explored an area we had never been to before
Loch Arkaig. A short trip in the car the road runs alongside the Caledonian Canal for a while.
Then on reaching the loch which is 12 miles long the road soon turns into a single lane track.
On researching the Loch on our return it revealed to great storys ? Hmmm wished I'd researched before we headed out.
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"October 3rd,1857. This morning my stalker and his boy gave me an account of a mysterious creature, which they say exists in Loch Arkaig, and which they call the Lake-Horse. It is the same animal of which one has occasionally read accounts in newspapers as having been seen in the Highland lochs, and of the existence of which in Loch Assynt the late Lord Ellesmere wrote an interesting article, but hitherto the story has always been looked upon as fabulous. I am now, however, nearly persuaded of its truth. My stalker, John Stuart, at Achnacarry, has seen it twice, and both times at sunrise on a bright sunny day, when there was not a ripple on the water. The creature was basking on the surface; he only saw the head and hind quarters, proving that its back was hollow, which is not the shape of any fish or of a seal. Its head resembled that of a horse.... The Highlanders are very superstitious about this creature. They are convinced that there is never more than one in existence at the same time, and I believe they think it has something diabolical in its nature, for when I said I wished I could get within shot of it, my stalker observed very gravely: 'Perhaps your Lordship's gun would miss fire.'"

 

On the west coast of Scotland is a famous 18th century treasure hoard known as the ‘Treasure of Loch Arkaig’ or ‘Jacobite Gold’. Only one bag of gold coins has ever been recovered and nobody has located the bulk of this real life treasure. If recovered, it would be worth over ten million pounds, but the historical value would be priceless.The story begins in 1746 when Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite army was massacred at the Battle of Culloden near Inverness. Charlie fled to the Western Isles and before news of his defeat reached France, two frigates; the Bellona and Mars, were loaded with hundreds of casks of brandy, medical supplies, guns and ammunition, and hidden below were seven large wooden caskets containing the payroll for Charlie’s Jacobite army and funds for his rebellion – hundreds of bags of gold coins, amounting to 1’200’000 livres.

On the 10th of May 1746, the Bellona and Mars sailed into Loch nan Umah near Fort William on Scotland’s west coast and unloaded the treasure. It was then transported about 20 miles overland and buried somewhere near Loch Arkaig. In September 1746, Prince Charles and his most loyal Jacobite supporters finally escaped to France and Macpherson of Cluny, chief of Clan Macpherson, retained control of the treasure. He famously lived in exile in the Scottish highlands for nine years and spent much of his time hiding out at a mysterious location known as Cluny’s Cave.

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Below some photos from Loch Arkaig.

On the Sunday we stayed local Andy had previously spotted a rocky outcrop that would offer
a great photo oppotunity, although the light and weather conditions left alot to be disired we thought we would check it out for sunnier opportunities in the future.
So below a few photo's from Sunday taken at Rannoch Moor.

We got back to the car and warmed up with hot coffee and chocolate gingerbread :-) 

It's a small world.

I just read Nina's latest blog here and got the urge to share a true story with you all.

My last home was an old stone cottage called " The Belfry" it was an end cottage on a row of four. Ours was at the end of the lane next to a graveyard. It was an old graveyard with a ruined chapel and some amazing old headstones, the old wrought iron gates were always locked and the keys could be obtained from the town hall.

I never worked from home but this particular day I was waiting for a delivery so I did. In the afternoon there was a knock at the door ....an elderly gentleman from New Zealand asked if I had keys to get in the graveyard, I directed him to the  town hall. He briefly told me that he was over on holiday tracing his family history.

So now I have to step back in time to two days previously. The cottage dated back to 1880 and the solicitor rang to ask if I wanted all the old deeds as they were to be shredded as they had all been scanned to disk. So off I trotted to collect an amazing bundle of old parchments tied with red ribbon.

The elderly gentleman returned with keys and thanked me for helping him and he strolled into the graveyard to search for his ancestory. For some reason I asked his family name .....Murray......( hmmmmm ) It rang a bell I rushed upstairs to get the bundle and lo and behold one of the names was, you've guessed it " Murray "

I walked into the graveyard overgrown to waist height and said this wont be the same "Murray" so don't get too excited but, anyway the gentleman had a letter from his great grandfather with his signature and would you believe it the signatures matched. His great grandfather was once the owner of my home. I invited him in  for a look around, our cottage luckily had kept most of the original features doors etc. The man delicately touched the old worn brass door handles, his eyes filled with tears. As did mine, he walked round my home with utter disbelief on his face.Touching doors,walls and handles his great grandfather would have touched. We sat in the garden over a cup of tea and discussed what life would have been like back then.

He couldn't thank me enough, in his wildest dreams he didn't expect to actually find his grave let alone the house he lived in. I scanned the original deeds for him to add to his family tree.

He returned the next day with his wife and a huge bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine, a shell magnet from New Zealand ( which is still on my fridge, 5 years and two house moves later ) and an open invitation to visit him if I ever travelled to New Zealand.

Fate.....I shouldn't have been at home that day. It even made the local paper article here

What a week !

I have been so busy at work, worked a 7 day week it was a long hard week.
A week full of meetings, training and lots of travel.
I also spent the weekend working  on two food related events, one went really well and was hugely successful.
At one of the events I got to have a go of willow weaving, I made a fish and a snail.

My car was due in for a service huge bill, they also told me I needed 4 new tyres.
The next day driving to the Isle of Skye after said car being in for a service.
My engine warning light came on and my car died.
If it never rains it pours.

Then a busy monday updating webpages and facebook etc with pictures from events.
Sunny Tuesday ....yeah get some clothes washed for my impending holiday to Barcelona.
Hang them out on the line to blow in the fresh breeze

and I fell
OUCH !!!!!
Sleepless night in lots of pain, trip to A&E ....result....
Torn ligaments lots of bandaging and super super strength pain killlers.
So sat with leg raised up ( it's really swollen ) going through my magazines
and perusing blogs. :-)

and reminising through old pics here are a few I would like to share.
A baby starfish found on a beach walk.
A evening watching the sunset under the moon with great friends. Final picture taken at the bottom of our old garden so Scottish.