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May 2025 Issue

Contents of the online version:

  • Top stories
  • Letter from the Editor
  • Monthly news from Knoydart, Muck, Canna, Rum, Eigg
  • Lifeboat, harbour and railway news
  • Birdwatch

Letters, e-mails and comments are welcome.
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Not to be reproduced without permission.


Inaugural Lochaber Pride set for 1st June

On 1st June, Lochaber's LGBTQ+ community will join millions of others around the globe, by taking part in an official Pride march-the first to be held in Lochaber-in Fort William. To help people in more remote places reach the "big city" on the big day, the organising committee is laying on mini buses from Mallaig and helping to facilitate ride shares for attendees off the beaten track.
Pride began in 1970 in US cities including New York and San Francisco, when marginalised groups took to the streets to push for equal rights and liberation, marching together for safety at a time where their identities could have marked them out for aggression or derision. The movement has since grown to encompass countries all over the globe, and today Pride marches are a celebration of joy and acceptance, as well as commemoration and activism.

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The first Pride march in the UK was held in London in 1972; the first in Scotland, in Edinburgh in 1995. Marches now take place in Oban, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides, Shetland, and many other remote places. But Lochaber has been behind the curve.
"Lochaber is a beautiful, diverse part of the world, and it's time we reflected that by showing queer joy right here on our streets," says Ryan Flay, one of the founding members of the Lochaber Pride meetup group that formed in 2019. "Rural LGBTQ+ folks are often left feeling isolated, like they have to go elsewhere to be accepted or celebrated," says Ryan. The march on 1st June will send a powerful message, especially to young people: "You belong exactly as you are, right where you are."
The team behind the March first started discussing the idea in late 2019, soon after the group begin meeting regularly at the Wildcat Café and the New Connections community hub in Fort William. That year, the pandemic shelved their plans. "There were a few attempts to revive it in some form [after that], but none really took off the way we'd hoped, so we initially just focused on smaller gatherings to try to combat isolation, which is a major issue our community faces in rural areas," says Ryan.
Plans began to pick up pace again in 2024, and in February of this year the organising committee got the green light from Highland Council and Fort William Police to hold the event on Sunday, 1st June. The march will begin at 1pm and follow a route from Gordon Square down the High Street to the grassy area at The Parade, before looping back down the High Street to end at Cameron Square, in front of the Highland Cinema.

The event will feature music from local station Nevis Radio, stalls, face-painting and guest speakers including Miss Scarlett Ruby, a drag queen based in Wick; author Kevin Crowe; and author and broadcaster Helen Scott. A banner-making event in April was a resounding success, with many new faces showing up to pitch in. A second banner-making event is scheduled for Wednesday 14th May, 4-6pm, at New Connections in Fort William.
"We've had so many people emailing us, wanting to help and wanting to join in-it's been amazing," says Gemma Macleod, Secretary of the Pride Lochaber meetup group and a key player in getting the march off the ground this year. "The amount of support we've had from local businesses wanting to sponsor us has been brilliant too-and really signals that [an event like this] is long overdue."
Since the march takes place on a Sunday-notoriously difficult for public transport-the organising committee are planning minibuses to collect people from Mallaig, Kilchoan and locations in between. "We wanted to go beyond just making people feel welcome, and actually make sure that anyone who wants to come has the opportunity to come," says Gemma. There is also an active Facebook group and a WhatsApp chat, where attendees travelling in from the same location can set up lift-shares.
The group extends a warm welcome to all members of the LGBTQ+ community, plus allies. You can find them on Facebook, or email lochaberpridecom@yahoo.com to request to be added to the WhatsApp chat.

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24h Swimathon raises £4.7k for Mallaig pool

Mallaig Pool and Leisure raised £4,700 in a single day last month, thanks to a splashy 24-hour "Swimathon" event. Between 9am on 25th April and 9am the following morning, the water was constantly occupied, with hour-long sessions that included a Lane Swim, a Teenagers versus Lifeguards session, a Candlelight Swim, a Beach Party (complete with pool floats), a Sunrise Swim, and-especially popular-a 3am Glow Stick Swim.
The idea for the event came in a lightbulb moment, as staff attempted to come up with novel fundraising ideas. Eventually, they realised: "We have a pool-let's use it!" recalls the Centre's Manager, Karen Calder. In exchange for an unusual experience, such as swimming to relaxing music at 1am, participants were asked to either make a donation or drum up sponsorship for their swim.
The pool is short on funds and is likely to run at a deficit this year, says Karen. The building that houses the pool and gym is over 30 years old, and a bit "rough around the edges". The money raised will go towards vital maintenance and improvements to the facility, which is heavily used by locals and summer visitors alike.
Grant Holroyd from Knoydart swam a mammoth 6 miles in just over six hours, starting at 1am and swimming with laser focus through some of the noisiest sessions of the night, including the Beach Party and Glow Stick Swim.

photo Left: The first swimmers enter the water at 9am
Right: The Glow Stick Swim proved especially popular

Speaking of massive achievements, while the Swimathon was in full swing, local ultrarunner Pawel Cymbalista raised money for the cause by doing what he does best: running. His challenge this time around was the Skye Trail, an 80-mile route through difficult terrain that encompasses a total elevation of 4250 metres. Pawel completed the route unsupported (carrying all his own food and equipment) in the fastest known time of 17h 18min 21s-smashing the existing record, which was for a supported run, by a full 30 minutes.
"I can see Skye from my bedroom window," says Pawel of his reason for selecting the route. "It was a long time goal for me."

photo At the finish line!

photo Data from Pawel's tracker, showing his Skye Trail route

News of Pawel's feat reached the team at the pool just as the last session of the event-the Celebration Swim-got underway. Once everyone had dried off, swimmers and staff tucked into a hearty breakfast of bacon rolls and pancakes, made and served by the Friends of the Pool along with much-needed teas and coffees.
"Even during the wee small hours, the atmosphere was just brilliant!" says Karen. Not even the fire alarm going off ten minutes before the end could dampen people's enthusiasm.
"The staff and volunteers put in a lot of time and effort to make this work," Karen adds, including lifeguards, swim teacher Cassie Shirley who put in a huge shift overnight and Jayne Eddie who DJ'd the 9pm Pool Disco. "Huge thanks to the local community for really pulling together to help us achieve our 24-hour swim. We are just so grateful."
At the time of going to press, the total raised between the JustGiving fundraiser, raffle and cash donations made on the day stands at £4,700. If you'd like to help tip that total over the £5k mark, visit: www.justgiving.com/campaign/24hourswimmallaigpoolleisure.


LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hello!
The sun is out and there's a song in the air… or is that just the Cuckoo? Fittingly, this one is rather a musical issue, with new singles, albums, concerts, festival lineups and-our centre feature this month-a lookback at the roots of the Arisaig Americana Music Festival. The festival is back this year for it's 6th instalment, 6th-8th June.
Our beloved Cookery columnist, Caroline, has her hands full over the next few months, so we're looking for individuals (or even local cafes, suppliers or restaurants) who might like to take a turn at the recipe-writing desk. Email editor@westword.org.uk to volunteer yourself or your favourite local spot.
My thanks to proofreaders Ann + Robert, and to Simon for help printing.
Ceri Perkins
editor@westword.org.uk
Morar Station Building, Morar PH40 4PB


KNOYDART

It's balmy in Inverie today, which is a relief after spells of heavy rain. The reward for these downpours is that our community woodlands are positively lush-a walk through our fragments of temperate rainforest reward you with a vast array of lichens and mosses in their absolute element, and a forest floor peppered with bluebells, primrose and dog violet.
These flowers are synonymous with Easter and celebrations on Knoydart were boisterous as ever, with the Hall hosting a ceilidh led by the Black Hills Ceilidh Band on the Saturday night. The morning after, the children of Inverie were treated to an Easter egg hunt through our village woods led by the Ranger Service. On behalf of the Ranger Service and the Easter egg bunny, I would like to apologise to all the parents forced to carry their children due to the mildly challenging distance of the hunt...
The Ranger Service moved into its new station earlier this month. We're still adding the final few touches but you're welcome to pop your head in next time you're over in Inverie. The office is situated between the pub and the pier and the space is being shared with local business Knoydart e-Bike Hire.
Pub staff member Sammy celebrated her birthday with a dose of karaoke at the Old Forge. Many hidden talents were discovered with Matt Porter's rendition of Wonderwall seemingly stealing the show.
We were also delighted to welcome Mallaig resident Pawel Cymbalista who gave an inspiring talk on his record-breaking run on the West Highland Way.
Finlay Greig


ISLE OF CANNA

The recent spell of relatively dry weather has meant that all things that grow seem to be off to a slow start. But with a couple of days of heavy downpours mixed with slow, steady drizzle, things have suddenly burst into life!
Not least the calves and lambs. The calves this year are all crackers and the crofters are pleased to welcome a red Beltie girl into the herd. A long awaited gift! Lambing has got off to a good start with lots of twins and a few sets of triplets. Caroline is extremely pleased that her new Badger Faced Sheep have produced fine looking lambs. Let's not forget the Zwartbles, with Target reliably producing a fine set of triplets.
The NTS had a good Easter Trail/Lambing Weekend with visitors learning all about the sheep on Canna and about lambing. Visitors took a tour of the lambing shed, enjoyed a talk on the different breeds we have here, did crafts and hunted for Easter Eggs.

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This coming July, there is the Nature Festival from the 20th to the 26th -visitors will be able to enjoy a host of events throughout the week, including talks on topics such as woodlands, fungi, marine life and seabirds. Please visit the NTS Canna Eventbrite page for more details and to buy your tickets.
The community is having their annual Canna 10K Trail Run on Saturday 24th May. There are still a few places available to register if you fancy dusting off your trail running shoes and running in our beautiful landscape. Runners and supporters can enjoy a post-run BBQ and a lively ceilidh in the evening.
Please visit www.theisleofcanna.com/canna10ktrailrun-2025 to register!
Our brand new Visitor Hub is open and April has seen our visitors start to make use of the excellent facilities. We will be having a formal opening on Wednesday 16th July (during the stopover).
Canna House is officially open to the public with tickets available on the NTS Canna Eventbrite page. Visitors can enjoy a tour of the house and learn all about the Canna Gaelic Archive and the lives of John Lorne Campbell and Margaret Fay Shaw. The garden is open again too, with visitors welcome to look around.
Last but not least, Cafe Canna is open again for the season! The cafe is now open 7 days per week with Tuesdays being pizza night! Yummy!
Margaret Willington


ISLE OF RUM

We've been busy getting prepped for our community ownership event on 9th May - all welcome by the way. Looking forward to the ceilidh and some nice food. We took a community photo outside the bunkhouse to mark this year, but it was the wettest day ever. Elle is trying to photoshop the sun and some blue sky into it.
The new campsite compost toilets are up and going. We have quite a few compost toilets on Rum so we're up to speed with how they work-instructions for users include 'sit down', and that applies to everyone. The new cooking shelter is also finished (thanks Nev) and already well used. Derek's just been firing up the mower for the first cut on the campsite and the dulcet tones of Rh?s with the strimmer are ringing throughout the village, peppered with the odd cuckoo.
Sylvia's new craft shop 'Hebridean Witchcrafts' opened its doors this month, she's selling soaps, wands, smudge sticks, herbs etc. The shop looks great, it's a little crooked house design, also built by Nev and looks really cute, a photo opportunity.

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The reserve team were over at Harris this week worming the ponies, it was a glorious day. I happened to be there too and experienced 14 wonderfully wild Rum ponies galloping past me, it was quite the sight. We still haven't heard back from the vet yet if the mares are in foal, fingers crossed they are.
It's nearly the calving season for the red deer herd. Ali, Sean (and Eve this year) and their gang of volunteers at the long-running Kilmory Red Deer Project are gearing up for long days of deer watching and calf catching. Most of the deer Ali and Sean know by sight, which is amazing, and the project has tonnes of fascinating and scientific analysis which is beneficial to deer and habitat management and shows how the changing climate has affected deer behaviour.
Hopefully see you all on the 9th for our exhibition and ceilidh.
Fliss Fraser


ISLE OF EIGG

Friends and family who came to Eigg for Easter must have been sick of hearing us all saying "if only you had come earlier, the weather was so beautiful" and it was. We all enjoyed it, and all the more so Peggy, who loves feeling the sun at the back of her house. Lots of primroses everywhere and by the end of the month, the carpet of white and blue from wild Garlic and bluebells started showing in our woodlands, always a glad sight. It's been absolutely lovely to sit of an evening outside without any midges! And catching a few instances of aurora borealis for those who like to stay up late; one of the most spectacular seen in recent times, with a good display of pinks and greens!
The good weather has caused much garden activity throughout the island, and quite a few lambs and calves have appeared: amongst them a couple of pure white calves this year! Coincidentally, the Eigg Crofting report also came out this month and made quite an impact, with our MSP Emma Roddick bringing up the topic of how to keep crofting going to the Scottish parliament. We hope the work that went into the report will help make a difference. It's good to see the Crofter Grazing Committee getting organised again.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust Snorkel Trails on all the Small Isles being explored this May with Eigg Guidings multi-activity expedition based on Eigg. The packed week will include various adventure activities and locally sourced ingredients cooked over the fire. We had a great Easter dance with Fras, who played with their customary gusto and even introduced a new fun dance to our repertoire (the name of which completely escapes me) and several islanders taking turn on the decks afterwards. We enjoyed the first of (hopefully) a summer of pizza nights in Cleadale this month, catered by Dougal in his hand-made pizza oven. The summer season has truly started!

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April was also the month we said goodbye to Jackie Brett who, after 37 years or so living on Eigg, has finally moved to the island of Cumbrae where daughter Faith, her children and grandchildren now reside. The whole island turned out to say goodbye, which brought tears to her eyes, but she is keeping in touch with Eigg on Facebook, letting us know how she is getting on with a different sea view! The Brett family certainly caused quite a stir on their arrival from Kent; when disembarking all their worldly goods on the Spanish John, the door of the caravan they had brought over was opened to let a couple of goats and a pony come out for fresh air on Eigg pier! Faith remembers that they had to borrow wellies and jumpers when they arrived, quite unprepared for the Hebridean weather! After the years of the Hole in the Wall at Tigh an t-Sithean, followed by the Whale's Head in the genny shed-her husband Mick's attempts at bringing London pub culture to Eigg-and their successful pod venture, Jackie's departure definitely felt like the end of an era!
Always very fond of children and supporting the school as much as she could, Jackie would be very happy to hear we managed to raise £600 for the pier playground at the Easter fair day at the hall. Combined with the great Crowdfunding prize draw, the total amount raised was more than £2300! Big thankyou to all the organisers and participants, it was a nice afternoon for the whole island with lovely food and fun for the island children.
In the meantime, our new Coast Guard recruits have been super busy with training for a few weekends. A big thank you also to all those who are donating their time and efforts to keep us safe!
Camille Dressler & Eilidh MacGlip

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ISLE OF MUCK

Hello Muck Calling... Well here we are, basking in what seems the perfect climate for the Small Isles during the visitor season. Hopefully unlike the past couple of years it doesn't disappear like Lord Lucan (who l believe resides on Eigg as chief beer taster)... but the Farm will be glad that the weather has held fair to ease Lambing, much easier to get about and to move them around. Muck is seeing a wee upsurge in visitor numbers at the start which I think has been helped largely by our various social media sites and blogger reports.
The School has been very visible with the children being able to do some lessons in the field... literally! They have also benefited from interaction with Eigg Primary popping over for a few hours, and Head Teacher Kieran spending time on Muck (strangely coinciding with the Tearoom's Pizza night...).
We bid a sad farewell to the three and a half Murns this month with John, Murn & Èibhlin moving across to Kingairloch, where John will resume his passion as Head Stalker and estate keeper. They will leave be sorely missed and we wish them the absolute best on their new adventure. The "half" reference was due to Murn expecting a new baby... another prospective beater leaving.
Bird activity is off the charts at the moment with what seems like every species being on every inch of Muck, even Owls flying in the daytime, which results in them being mobbed and chased off. Poor things, why they not sleeping? As Isa says: "I'll funoot".
For those that know me, my guilty secret is Eurovision, which is why I say "Muck Calling". Well, that time is nearly upon us again, and on 17th May we can get our bling on, our Union Jack pants and feather boas... C'mon UK!
Bruce Boyd


News in Brief

  • A new Coxswain has been appointed by Mallaig Lifeboat Station. The new appointee-whose responsibilities will include ensuring the lifeboat is ready for service, commanding the crew at sea, and conducting rescue operations-will take up his position in early June. More details to follow in next month's Lifeboat Station News.
  • Shelves at Mallaig's Co-op took a major hit over the bank holiday weekend, as the shop fell victim to the cyber hack that disrupted the business's supply chain nationwide. The shop-Mallaig's only retailer for many basic staples-was without a milk delivery for four days, and by Tuesday 6th May, a majority of the fresh fruit and vegetable stands and meat fridges stood empty. At the time of going to press, red meat, fruit and vegetables remain absent or in short supply, but stocks of milk are back to normal.
  • Mallaig catering company Bloom & Graze Ltd. is developing half of the village's railway station building to form its new premises. Business owner Brogan Dempster has been awarded up to £40,200 funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprises to help with the costs of construction and new equipment for the business expansion, which will include a 'grab and go' deli counter, bakery kitchen and larger catering kitchen, as well as an office, store, and staffroom.
  • The Glenuig Inn Community Buyout has now raised £256,000 in community shares-smashing their minimum target of £200,000, and inching closer to their optimum target of £300,000. To give more people chance to take part-especially those who've only recently learned of the opportunity-the community share offer deadline has been extended to 21st May. For more information, visit: www.glenuigcommunityinn.org/support-us.
  • BT is consulting on the removal of 110 Pay Phones across Highland. Some of the units up for removal include Rockcliff Mallaig (PH41 4RH), Morar Post Office (PH40 4PA), Lochailort Railway Station (PH38 4LZ) and Glenuig (PH38 4NB). If any of these proposed changes will affect you, Highland Council encourages you to comment on the plans before the consultation closes on 15th July.
  • Arisaig Church is closing. There will be a service to mark the closure on Saturday 10th May at 2pm at Arisaig Church. The following day, the Fishermen's Mission will address the Church of Scotland's Sunday congregation at 11am at Mallaig Church. Anyone with current or past ties to the Fishermen's Mission is especially invited to join.
  • The finalists for the 2025 Scottish Charity Awards have just been announced, and we have several nominations in our midst! RNLI Volunteer Coordinator Juliet Blackie is up for the Volunteer of the Year award; local mental health charity Ewen's Room has been shortlisted in the Charity of the Year (less than 100k turnover) category; and the Scottish Men's Shed Association is a finalist in the Community Impact category. While a judging panel will determine the winners, members of the public can have their say by voting for their favourite overall entry in the People's Choice Award. Visit www.scvo.scot/vote. Voting closes at 5pm on Tuesday 20th May, and winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Glasgow on 19th June.

Mallaig Lifeboat Log

3rd April 2025
The volunteer crew at Mallaig RNLI were paged at 6.29pm; tasked by HM Coastguard to transport the Scottish Ambulance Service to assist a casualty on the Isle of Rum. Upon assessment the decision was made that Inverness Helimed would transfer the casualty to hospital. The lifeboat, crew and ambulance service then made their way back to Mallaig harbour.

5th April 2025
HM Coastguard tasked the Mallaig RNLI crew with collecting Scottish Fire and Rescue crew from Armadale pier and transiting them across to the western shore of Loch Nevis to assess a hill fire. On arrival at the scene, the fire crew determined the fire was of no risk to any dwellings or people. The lifeboat returned the fire crew to Armadale then returned to Mallaig harbour.

8th April 2025
The pagers sounded at 2.29pm when HM Coastguard tasked the Mallaig crew with assisting the Scottish Ambulance Service to help a casualty on the Isle of Rum. Once on scene, the casualty was assessed and it was decided the best option was to bring them back to Mallaig on the lifeboat to continue onward care at Raigmore hospital.

9th April 2025
The RNLI lifeboat was tasked with transporting the Scottish Ambulance Service to a casualty in Inverie. On arrival the casualty was transferred to the lifeboat and into the care of the ambulance service. The lifeboat returned to Mallaig where the casualty and Ambulance personnel were put ashore for onward travel to hospital.

10th April 2025
At 1.04am the Mallaig crew and lifeboat launched to assist in the search for a missing person in the Loch Brittle area off the Isle of Skye. The lifeboat proceeded to the search area and after launching the Y-boat began to search along the shore of Loch Brittle. Shortly after commencing the search the casualty was located on land by the HM Coastguard helicopter. The crew were stood down and after recovering the Y-boat returned to Mallaig, where the lifeboat was refuelled and made ready for service.

20th April 2025
The pagers sounded at 8.41pm when HM Coastguard tasked the Mallaig RNLI crew with transiting the Scottish Ambulance Service to Inverie pier to assess and recover a casualty. The paramedics assessed the casualty and requested a stretcher to carry them aboard the lifeboat, following which the lifeboat returned to Mallaig where the casualty was transferred to a waiting ambulance for onwards care.

23rd April 2025
At 4.24pm HM Coastguard tasked the Mallaig RNLI crew with transiting the Scottish Ambulance Service to Inverie pier to assess and recover a casualty. The paramedics assessed the casualty and decided to evacuate them; aboard the lifeboat and back to Mallaig where the casualty was transferred to a waiting ambulance for onward care.


News from Mallaig Harbour

Unfortunately, the Lighthouse is still not operational. We have ordered a new solar set-up so we are hoping that it will be back up and running within the next few weeks. In the meantime, we are still asking vessels to please take extra care on the approach to Mallaig. The green buoy is still flashing to mark the edge of the channel, providing navigational guidance, and thankfully most vessels using the Harbour are familiar with the approach, but the warnings about the light not being operational are still in force at the moment.
The visiting fishing vessels have continued to land in Mallaig throughout April. We have some smaller visiting vessels using the harbour, as well as larger vessels landing occasionally. Looking at the landings for the financial year ended March 2025, the value of all species landed through Mallaig was just over £5.065 million. This is the first time since I began working at the harbour in 2019 than landings have been valued above £5 million. By far the majority of the value landed is in shellfish (£4.695 million), with the remainder in white fish and sprats. For the year, around £280k of white fish was landed, with £113k of this landed in February this year by visiting fishing vessels!
The solar panels have yet to be installed, but we are hoping that by the time you read this, they will have been, and that there will have been some sun to make them worthwhile! Lochshell Engineering have poured the concrete for two of the pillars under Jary's Wharf, and the contractors were back on site for the spring tides at the end of April to continue works, and hope to finish the last pillar at the end of May.

We've engaged an architect to draw up plans to subdivide Unit 15 on the Industrial Estate (formerly occupied by Andy Race). In the meantime, the contractors working on the Co-op building in Mallaig are using it for their base while they replace the compound at the rear of the shop.
The new pontoon fingers have been installed at the Marina. This has allowed us to rearrange some of the local boats operating from the pontoon, and free up space for more visiting yachts. We've had a pretty slow start to the season, despite the good weather in the run up to Easter.

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The disruption on the ferry service continues. The Loch Fyne arrived back in Mallaig to take over from the Loch Bhrusda on 30th April, and will be operating as a single vessel service between Mallaig and Armadale. This was initially due to be until Monday 16th June, but latest information is that the Coruisk will not be operational from Mallaig before 5th July. Meanwhile, we are hopeful that sailings to Lochboisdale will resume on Thursday 15th May. However, there will be changes to the timetable to accommodate freight back to the mainland. For the period from 2nd June to 20th July, the service will run to Oban rather than Mallaig on Mondays and Wednesdays. There will be one sailing between Lochboisdale and Mallaig on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays during this period, and two sailings on Thursdays and Saturdays. The changing picture is a challenge, especially for our Tourism businesses, and if anyone would like to be involved in the newly established Sound of Sleat Ferry Users Group, then please get in touch.
In more positive ferry news, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced at a 'Crisis Summit' in Lochboisdale that the funding for the procurement of a new vessel to replace the Lord of the Isles had been included in the Scottish Government's budget for 2025/26. Mallaig Harbour Authority have been involved in the working group for this replacement ferry, and the business case is due to go before Transport Scotland in May 2025. The replacement vessel will have implications for the infrastructure in Mallaig, so we are currently undertaking some investigative works to determine the most appropriate way forward in providing new infrastructure. We have also resubmitted our business case to Transport Scotland for the overnight ferry berth with the hope that this will be approved and works can start in September. The British Ports Association's 'Fishing Ports Group' meeting took place in Grimsby on 9th and 10th April. Unfortunately, this was just before our Board Meeting on the 11th so I was unable to attend, but John MacPhee went to represent Mallaig Harbour. Despite some challenges with public transport (trains rather than ferries this time!) he enjoyed his visit, and was made very welcome by Martin and Danny from Grimsby Fish Market.
All the works being undertaken on the Harbour have given Rob Fairley some new subjects to draw. His exhibition of people working around the Harbour over the years is currently on show in Mallaig Heritage Centre, and will be until the end of the year. The cost of the infrastructure for this exhibition was one of the projects that we agreed to support when our Board met to discuss the applications for funding in April. We had applications totalling £11,300 for a budget of £5,000 so we had some tough decisions to make and, inevitably, some of the applicants will have been disappointed by the outcome. In addition to £1,000 to Mallaig Heritage Centre, we agreed to fund £500 for Mallaig and District Men's Shed to purchase tools and equipment; £400 for Mallaig Pool and Leisure to buy equipment for swimming lessons; £900 for Mallaig High School pupils French Trip; £300 for a new shed at the Mackintosh Centre, and to continue our sponsorship of Mallaig FC with an award of £1,500. We do still have some funding available to be allocated throughout the year, so please get in touch if you have a project that you would like us to consider supporting.
Jacqueline McDonell
01687 462154


On and Off the Rails

Hello! it's me again.
As Queen Elizabeth often said: "Look up to the sky, then look straight ahead and carry on." That's what I'm doing this month, it seems! It has been a challenging four weeks "on the rails". On the branch line, we must thank all of the crews who work together to keep "carrying on" delivering services, plus Network Rail and Banavie Control Team for joining everyone together.

Tourist and wildfire seasons ignite
We have been visited daily by ScotRail service trains, the West Coast Jacobite, Colas Rail's Test and Evaluation Train, Network Rail's Weedkiller Train, Trespassers galore, the Royal Scotsman Luxury Tourist Touring Train, the West Highland Pullman and a three-day private visiting touring train… phew! Adding one more train into the mix, the daily afternoon Jacobite service commenced for the season on Monday 5th May; it now joins its morning counterpart in running seven days a week, arriving into Mallaig at 1506 and departing 1700 hours.
In between times, there have been deer on the line and a spate of fires jumping the tracks. On Thursday 24th April, a spectacular fire around Lochailort engulfed both sides of the track. Five fire crews were required to tackle the blaze, and the nearby road was closed in both directions. The fire continued to burn away from the road and railway the following day. The good news is that everyone involved stayed safe.

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Pilot scheme for blind or partially sighted ScotRail users
News has reached me, which could be life changing for blind or partially-sighted persons in Scotland who have an 'Eye + I' National Entitlement Card (NEC). A new pilot scheme will allow yourself and a companion to travel free of charge on any ScotRail service. The card-holder's assisting companion does not need to produce or purchase any travel ticket. If you are at a railway station that has barrier entry to the platforms, assistants will verify your entry to the correct platform. The pilot scheme will be in place until the end of March 2026, and will align with existing bus and ferry travel across Scotland.
To those who qualify, this pilot scheme could mean the difference between travelling and not travelling on a train anywhere in Scotland. It's a step in the right direction. The next step is to ensure that once the trial period is over, the Scottish Government is urged to move forward with implementing a national policy that entitles travelling companions of people with sight loss to free rail travel, written into law.
The Eye + I endorsement on the National Travel Card is not age restricted, and in our PH Highland Council area, it can be obtained from Highland Council, Inverness. Legislation is already in place through Parliament for wheelchair users who stay in their chair on the train to travel for free ScotRail services. Confirmation of all of this can be obtained by paying a visit to your nearest staffed railway station booking office.

Disruption on the far north line
If you were planning on a far north railway line trip in June, take note: part of the line will be closed off to all rail traffic as work begins on an £11.5 million project to upgrade tracks that are almost a century old!
From Sunday 8th June until Monday 30th June, no trains will run north of Dingwall. A five-mile stretch of track will be refurbished between Brora and Helmsdale, and almost nine miles of track will be replaced between Invergordon and Fearn. Ross Moran, Director of Network Rail Scotland, said: "It is really important that this project goes ahead, as we continue to build a railway fit for the future. Once complete, journeys will be much smoother and much more reliable for many years to come."
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director said: "We know how important the far north line is to the communities it serves, and while this work will mean some temporary disruption to journeys, it is a vital investment in the future of the route. While work takes place, we'll have alternative travel arrangements to keep customers moving and get them where they need to be. This includes running as many trains as we can between Inverness and Dingwall, with rail replacement bus services also operating to minimise disruption."
Forewarned and forearmed is the best policy if you are planning to travel to timetable during this period of time, I reckon!

What's with the delay?
The burning question I have for Network Rail, and rail operators on our West Highland Extension Line is: When is the ongoing lengthening of platforms and, hopefully, opening up of the passing loop at Lochailort commencing???
Much publicity, and countless column inches, have been given to the West Highland mainline work already carried out-now we need the same attention given to our line between Mallaig and Fort William. Just this month, a situation occurred where a train had to be shunted onto the Glenfinnan siding to allow a ScotRail service and the steam train to pass. More and more touring train operators want to book pathways for their visitors, but they cannot access the branch line. Guests on touring trains want to come to Mallaig from all over Scotland, as well as England and Wales, and we here in Mallaig are always welcoming to them. We need longer platforms, more carriages on trains, and passing loops.
Think of the Banavie Signal Box Control crew and all the Network Rail engineers-all of whom are stretched to breaking point trying to accommodate access to the Extension Line for Weedkiller trains, Test and Evaluation trains and so on. Spare a thought too for the road and rail engineers who tirelessly keep our line "clear and safe for traffic", clamp points, attend line-side fires, check out reported trespassers and animals on the line, remove downed trees after storms, and more. And don't get me started on the lack of catering on service trains… We in Mallaig love our trains, need our trains, want our trains-but we badly need improvements.
Phew! Where did that all come from? But it needed saying. All of the islands around us depend on the railways, too. Please, Network Rail Nationwide-listen to us.

Caledonian Sleeper merch now available for superfans
Finally a bedtime story. The Caledonian Sleeper service has launched an online gift shop! Guests, travellers and fans of the overnight train can now get their hands on some novel souvenirs. Ten lucky guests who recently travelled on the Sleeper received a surprise Golden Ticket in their room or at their seat, entitling them to a package of Scottish-themed gifts from the range: posters, keyrings, a blanket, a railway map, a mug for tea even! I wonder if any of them have appeared on eBay yet... Fun fact: the Caledonian Sleeper's unique tartan incorporates purple to represent Edinburgh's royal connection; pale blue for Inverness, the "Gate to the Water" and capital of the Highlands; and grey to represent the Granite City of Aberdeen. I am yet to discover if or how Fort William is represented… I'll let you know when I do.
See you on the train,
Sonia Cameron


The Legacy of Arisaig Scottish Women's Institute

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Taken in 1977, can you spot June, Brigid and Yvonne-members even then? Can you pick out Vera MacDonald, Nellie McQueen, Margaret MacEachen, Mary Ann Gillies, Miss Becher and Marie MacPherson? Who else do you recognise? The photo will be one of those on display at an event at the Astley Hall on May 18th, along with a list of everyone pictured.

When the Scottish Women's Rural Institute movement started in 1917-while World War I was still raging-Lochaber groups were among the first to be formed. It was in December that year that a number of village ladies met to consider forming a branch and it was decided to set up the Arisaig Institute, one of the first in the country.
Arisaig SWI folded in May 2021, marking the end of an era that had begun 104 years earlier. The usual story of an aging membership and lack of new members made the decline slow but inevitable, with those in Morar and Fort William closing in 2018, followed not long after by Spean Bridge and Ardgour, and then the final nail, the closure of the Lochaber Federation of SWIs.
Originally called the Scottish Women's Rural Institute, after 98 years the title Rural was dropped in 2015 to encourage new Institutes from all walks of life, with many towns wishing to form one. 'The Rural' was a lifeline for many women, here as in other parts of the country, as more and more institutes opened, forming a network of like-minded women who otherwise might have been quite isolated, starting as it did at a time when women didn't socialise much or go out to work.
Over the years the ladies had a lot of fun, learned many new things as per the unofficial motto of the organisation, "If you know a good thing, pass it on", and did much work in the community, especially during the War years. Arisaig ladies were rightly very proud of their record as frequent winners of the Federation annual quiz, our names on the shield so many times that it sometimes seemed to have taken up residence in the cupboard in the Astley Hall-where it resides today, in fact, as a permanent reminder.
There were many outings, some along with other groups, even Study Tours organised nationally and Summer Schools to attend in different parts of Scotland to hone craft and painting skills. I can't count the number of village parties organised and catered for by the Rural ladies, or the number of tea tents at the Games and the Agricultural Shows, or the fundraising done for good causes. The Federation held annual Spring Rallies and organised competitions and craft classes as well as the Quiz. The monthly meetings had speakers, demonstrations, tea and cakes and competitions. We ran the Senior Citizens' Christmas dinners. There are two trees in the grounds of Arisaig House planted by the group, one a present for Miss Astley-Nicolson in 1957 on the Institute's 40th anniversary.
The WRI contributed greatly to archiving the history of Arisaig by the production of two scrapbooks, which will be on display at the Astley Hall on Sunday May 18th, on loan from The Land, Sea and Islands Centre. The first was made in 1967 and is kept in a glass topped box to protect its silk cover. It was compiled by Miss Forrest, once Headmistress at Arisaig Church School, from contributions by WRI members, and the cover as made from silkworms kept by Miss Mathieson's mother and embroidered by Miss Mathieson. People can view it on request.
The second marked the Millennium and was completed in 1999, with pockets left empty in case anyone wished to update it. Articles, photographs and mementos in each illustrate the changes Arisaig has seen over the years.
SWIs must be part of a Federation and cannot exist on their own. When the Lochaber Federation closed in 2018, we hoped to continue as part of the Argyll one, however, costs and the distance that would have to be travelled for events made it unfeasible. The SWI always suffered from the idea that its members were older women (who in some places have been called the 'pearls and twinset brigade'!) but it is still thriving in some places in Scotland, with teenage girls and young women joining up. Two of Arisaig's last members were in their twenties when they joined.
There was a little ceremony to open each meeting-a small table covered by an embroidered cloth, upon which was placed a gong. Arisaig has two of these tablecloths, embroidered beautifully by members. Too precious to be left in an old cardboard box in a cupboard, we asked Alison Horsley to come up with a way to show them. Alison has mounted them on linen and affixed finials and hangings, and they are going on permanent display in the Club Room at the Astley Hall. The green one, embroidered in 1926, consists of 24 squares of flowers in white, each square bearing the initials of the embroiderer. The orange one was made in 1967 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of our WRI.
Please come along the the 'Unveiling' of the tablecloths, and have a cup of tea with the last members standing! Anne Cameron, June Cairns, Yvonne MacDonald, Brigid Moynihan, Barbara Collins, Jane Foster, and me.
Ann Martin


OBITUARY: Iain (Rogie) Gillies 1935-2025

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Iain Gillies playing for Gisborne Thistle in 1964. At left, his brother Archie. / GISBORNE HERALD

Mallaig-born Iain Gillies emigrated to New Zealand in 1959-but he never forgot his West Highland roots. A long-time subscriber of West Word, Iain was an award-winning journalist and the longest-serving Editor of The Gisborne Herald, a daily newspaper in New Zealand. He played football for his adopted country and had a season on the books for Celtic. But what pleased him above all these achievements was his ability to take a team of underdogs and beat a team of stars.
Iain, 89, died on April 16th, surrounded by family. His last few years were blighted by dementia.
Iain liked to bet on horses, and when it came to football, he loved the art of the calculated gamble. He would devise simple but effective strategies to nullify the strengths of opponents and catch them off guard. Your opponents have a dangerous forward; put two defenders on him. Your defence is porous; play not one but two sweepers. Simple yet unorthodox plans-coupled with an Iain Gillies pep talk-worked wonders.
"I've just heard their coach give his team a rev-up," a typical talk might begin. "He says you lot are a load of rubbish and if they don't put five past you they deserve to walk home to Wellington."
Subtle, he was not; cunning, he most certainly was. And pragmatic. If he could use a player's qualities, he would put up with his weaknesses, while working to eliminate them.
Iain was born in Mallaig on July 29, 1935, to railway signalman Ronald (Rogie) and May Gillies. He was the eldest of four brothers and a sister. In 1949 the family emigrated to New Zealand, where May's sister Margaret and her English husband Charlie Old were living with their two children in Devonport, Auckland. The two families lived in the same home for the best part of two years then, frustrated by their inability to get a house, Rogie and May brought their family back to Mallaig. Their old home had been sold, so they spread out among relatives and friends.
Iain's two-year absence from the Scottish curriculum meant he was well behind the class pace-setters and he decided to leave school and find work in the village. But a teacher he respected urged him to go all out for a scholarship that would enable him to attend secondary school in Fort William as a boarder.
He won the scholarship and, about the same time, a place in the Nairn County Highland League football team. They played him mainly on the left wing to develop his weaker foot. He also played for a Fort William's Argyll Rovers, mainly as a centre-forward. But Iain felt he was at his best at centre-half, and while playing in that position he was spotted by a Celtic scout and offered a trial and then a contract.
In his season at Celtic (1954-55) he never got a run in the first team. The first-choice centre-half was Jock Stein, who as manager later guided Celtic to nine championships in a row and, in 1967, the European Cup.
Given a free transfer at the end of the season, Iain left Edinburgh University-where he had studied geography and history-because he no longer had his football income to support him. He joined the Air Force for his two years' national service and was posted to an underground station near York, as a clerk.
By this time, childhood knee injuries were causing him trouble, so he played as a goalkeeper in forces football. He caught the attention of Crewe Alexandra, who arranged to sign him when his national service was over.
In the meantime, he had met Flora Appleby at a dance in York. Both members of five-sibling families, they were the children of railwaymen and had grown up in working-class families. They married in York on November 19, 1957.
At Crewe, coaches discovered the player they had signed as goalkeeping cover had played centre-half for Celtic reserves for a season. The knee problems that prompted the shift to goalkeeper had eased, but the strain of regular football on heavy grounds meant that, in the end, Iain could play centre half for Crewe at only one game in three. A specialist was not certain an operation would work and, if it didn't, the knee could get worse.
Around this time, May Gillies came by train from Mallaig to visit her son and his wife, and bought a newspaper to read on the way. In it she saw an advertisement from newspaper publishers Thompson and Leng, seeking university-educated trainee reporters who had done their national service. She showed it to Iain, and he applied.
His twin ambitions always were to be a professional footballer and a newspaper reporter. One dream had just died; the other sprang into life.
After training in the company's Dundee headquarters, Iain was sent to help in the Inverness office. Soon he was joined by Flora and their newborn son John. Returning from an assignment one day during that first North Sea-whipped winter, he bought a copy of Charles Buchan's Football Monthly.
"Play football in the sun," the advertisement said. Gisborne club Eastern Union wanted British players with professional or semi-professional experience to fill the gap left by departing English international Ken Armstrong and Scottish international John Aird. Ian knew he could shine in New Zealand football, on its firmer grounds, even on one leg. The club organised Iain a job at The Gisborne Herald and got him and his mate Tony Moynihan berths on a boat arriving in time for the start of the 1959 season. Flora and son John joined him in October that year. Iain and Tony were in the Poverty Bay team that won the EFA (English Football Association) Trophy, the symbol of provincial supremacy, from Auckland in 1959.
Over the next few years, with help from The Gisborne Herald's Muir family and a big win on the horses, Iain got the rest of his family to Gisborne-first Ronnie, then Andy and Veronica, and finally, in 1962, Archie, May and Rogie.
Iain and his brother Archie had a year with Gisborne Thistle in 1964 then returned to Eastern Union when Iain was appointed as player-coach. For a short time the Eastern Union first team had all four Gillies brothers in the line-up: Iain, Ronnie as captain, Andy and Archie.
In 1967, Eastern Union won the Central Districts League, a precursor to the Central League formed in 1968, the year Eastern Union became Gisborne City. Also in 1967, Iain was selected as vice-captain of the New Zealand team to New Caledonia.
He stepped down from the position of Gisborne City coach in 1969 to concentrate on playing, with the prospect of a national league starting in 1970. Ructions in the club towards the end of the season meant he filled in as coach, and he guided the team into one of the qualifying places for the inaugural season of the national league.
He played his last national league game in 1972 at the age of 37, and the following year took over as player-coach of Gisborne Thistle. They won the Eastern League in 1973 and '74, and qualified for the Central League third division. In 1977 he rejoined Gisborne City as assistant to coach John Hill, and took over when Hill decided to concentrate on playing.
After the 1978 season, with funds running low, Iain advised the club to hire Kevin Fallon-who would go on to guide Gisborne City to the Central League championship in 1979, the Air New Zealand Cup and national league title in 1984, and Chatham Cup finals in 1983 and '84. For much of his eight-year tenure, Iain was Fallon's sounding board. Later he helped Martin Ryan with a composite Gisborne side in the Central League and Thistle in the Hawke's Bay league.
Iain played Eastern League football in Campion College teams with his sons and his grandson Iain-Patrick, and had his last competitive game in a beach football competition when he was 70. In 2010 he was awarded the Jim McMullan Trophy for contribution to New Zealand football.
Meanwhile, Iain's career at The Gisborne Herald had progressed apace. In 1969, for the Cook Bicentennial celebrations, he wrote a supplement based on James Cook's journals, and it won him the Cowan Memorial Prize for historical journalism. He received two other Cowan awards, one for a six-part series on the Williams family, and another for a three-part supplement on the centenary of local government in the Gisborne district. He was also a member of the editorial team who won the Cowan award for a supplement marking the centenary of The Gisborne Herald in 1974.
Iain wrote the text for the local illustrated history Baskets Away, and was the lead author for Cook: The County and its People, East Coast Pioneers and a history of the Turihaua Angus stud. He won four awards for sports journalism, and his book The Class of '84 is regarded as a classic of New Zealand football writing.
Soon after his first Cowan award, Iain was made deputy chief reporter, then chief reporter in 1974 and Editor in 1980. He stepped down from the role in 2010 after 29 years but continued to write about sport. He retired in January 2013, after his wife broke a hip on Christmas Eve.
As a reporter, Iain was a fast, prolific writer who could produce running reports from city council evening meetings. During debates he would summarise the comments of councillors as they spoke. When the council went into public-excluded business, he would go back to the office, write opening paragraphs for all the next day's stories, and leave them on the chief sub-editor's desk.
His mentor for council coverage was veteran reporter, railfan and compulsive fact-checker Cecil Steere, while chief reporter Jack Jones was a friend as well as taskmaster. When Iain arrived in Gisborne, Jones advised him to introduce himself as being from Scotland rather than Britain-and avoid being cast as a Pom.
In sport, Iain covered cricket and football, plus any other sport he was assigned, and even had wife Flora phone rugby stories to the Sunday press while he was away playing football. For feature-writing, he used the techniques of a novelist to bring bald facts to life, on the advice of a seasoned Scottish reporter who told him it was vital in historical writing to engage the emotions of readers. In his time as Editor, Iain-a committed Roman Catholic-courted controversy by arguing for the right to life of the unborn child.
Sons John, Angus and Duncan, daughter Elaine and niece Amanda Gillies followed him on to the editorial staff of The Gisborne Herald. Another daughter, Catherine, was company accountant, nieces Angela Evans and Lisa Gillies were on the printing and office staff respectively, Iain's mother May was a proof reader in the 1960s, and foster son Jason Matenga was a driver.
When hiring reporters, Iain trusted his hunches. He gave Karen and Paul Thompson, the daughter and son of family friends, their start in journalism. Karen has had a distinguished career in publishing and communications and Paul is now Radio New Zealand chief executive.
After Iain stepped down from the position of Editor, he wrote a weekly feature on sportspeople of the past-"They Did it Their Way"-as well as reports on lawn bowls and football.
He is survived by his wife Flora, children John, Elaine, Catherine, Angus, Duncan and Marianne, Jason Matenga (whom he regarded as a foster son), 16 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.
John Gillies


Reminiscing on the (Blue) Grass Roots of the Arisaig Americana Music Festival

Next month sees the 6th Arisaig Americana Music Festival take place, held annually on the first full weekend in June. In the eight years since we started (including two Covid cancellation years), the festival has become an established community event. As we gear up for this year's festival, here's a little lookback on its origins...
The idea of an alternative local music festival was already forming when I moved back 'home' to the area in 2015. For years, I'd been involved with the Americana music scene around Edinburgh and the Lothians, and always found it a very welcoming space, where I made some great friends and learned a whole lot about American Old-Time and Bluegrass music… and everything in between!
'Americana' is a term used to cover a wide range of musical styles including Country, Cajun, Swing, Blues, Gospel, Old-Time and Bluegrass. These styles have grass roots in folk music, brought by immigrants who settled in rural areas such as Appalachia and the American South. This melting pot of African, European, UK and Irish folk traditions evolved into the broad spectrum of contemporary Americana music we hear today.

photo Daddy Naggins (2018)

photo The Often Herd (2022) - photo Gordon Nicol

Perhaps not the obvious musical choice for the West Highlands, but after a few years of thinking about it, me and my husband Mungo decided to try out a small one-day Americana festival in Arisaig, to see if there would be interest in this genre. We hadn't done anything like this before and it felt very homemade! We were very grateful to the local funding groups who saw something worthwhile in what we were trying to do and helped us out financially. In our day jobs as graphic designers, we had a head-start in being able to produce the marketing material and digital media. We set about finding the line-up, with a focus on bands with singers and songwriters, even pulling together my own band to make up the stage numbers! We convinced our best friends and family to help us out by decorating the hall, cooking food, selling tickets, stewarding and even cleaning up the following day… we certainly owed them for some time after! Thankfully, the effort paid off and we had an amazing response from locals and visitors alike.
The following year saw offers of help from a pair of like-minded locals, Zoe Pritchard and Aly McCluskie, and we formed the Arisaig Americana Music Festival Committee. With our combined musical knowledge, practical skills and (most importantly) enthusiasm, we have become a strong team of not-for-profit committee members working with dedicated festival volunteers. Arisaig Americana has developed into a full weekend event featuring high-quality artists, accessible workshops and friendly jam sessions.
In terms of the live music we stage, our focus is always on voices and songs. Our selected artists provide stories, connection, empathy, resonance… all carried by highly skilled musicianship. To date, we've booked some incredible artists from the USA including Bruce Molsky, The Horsenecks, Cahalen Morrison and Skip Gorman; and from the UK, including Roseanne Reid, Black Feathers, The Often Herd, Kirsten Adamson and Jaywalkers-just a few of our artists who've lit up the stage at the Astley Hall. Visit our YouTube channel to see some great videos of our artists and audiences www.youtube.com/@ArisaigAmericana.
We get very positive feedback from the artists about the experience of coming here, thanks in part to friendliness of the community and the overall atmosphere. The festival is something we all love doing and feel proud of, and we hope our local community will continue to support and enjoy it with us-well into the future!
Mairi Orr


Birdwatch April 2025 by Stephen MacDonald

With mostly fine settled weather, many more of our summer visitors arrived as the month progressed.
On the 8th, Willow Warblers were heard at Morar and Loch Ailort. On the same day, Blackcaps were reported from Arisaig and Rhubana, Morar.
The first reports of Cuckoos came on the 12th, with birds heard in Arisaig and Rhu.
On the 13th, Common Redstarts were heard calling near Loch nan Eala, and two Swallows were seen in Arisaig village. On the 16th, at least four Common Sandpipers were at Loch Ailort, and two were seen on the Morar Estuary.
Tree-Pipits were also reported the same day, with two seen by Loch Ailort.
Grasshopper Warblers were reported from Arisaig, Rhubana and Mallaig during the fourth week of the month. Sedge Warblers were reported from Loch nan Eala and Rhubana during the same week.
The first Common Terns were reported from Loch Ailort on the 29th.
Many other birds were on the move, with increased wader passage. Small groups of Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Knot and Sanderling were seen on the shoreline at Traigh from mid-month. Whimbrel were reported from the 24th, when four were seen at Traigh Farm. The next day, a flock of 20 were seen on the south shore of Loch nan Ceall. Singles and small groups were reported until the month end, with further sightings from Gorsten, Back of Keppoch and Traigh-where a flock of 28 were seen on the 30th.
Still movements of Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese heading north. Three Tufted Duck seen on Lach nan Ceall on the 29th were most likely migrants. Increasing numbers of Great Northern Divers gathering offshore from Arisaig to the Morar Estuary, prior to their departure to their breeding grounds in Iceland, Greenland and possibly Arctic Canada.
Other sightings of note during April included a report of a White Stork in the Roshven area on the 14th and 15th.
An Osprey was seen hunting over Loch nan Ceall on the 25th.
A male Crossbill was seen near Druimindarroch on the 26th.


World Wide West Word

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Sam Mettam took West Word to Lake Garda to bring him luck competing in the RS aero European Championships, after training through the winter on Loch Morar. Sam finished an impressive 7th, out of 45 sailors!

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Kirsty Martin and Roslin Sutherland found time to scrutinise their copy on the famous Ferris Wheel in Osaka, Japan.

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Willy Simpson and Stephen Burt (one of West Word's founding members) leafed through their copy while chilling out in Dubrovnik.

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Peter Morrison (age 6) took a copy of West Word to Holland (near Breda) during the Easter holidays, where he met up with his aunt, cousins and grandparents from Germany.


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