NEW HEAD TEACHER APPOINTED AT MALLAIG HIGH SCHOOL

Congratulations to Pamela Watt, who, following her second stage interview last week, has been appointed as Head Teacher of the Mallaig 3-18 School Cluster, which is made up of Mallaig High School with Arisaig, Mallaig, Inverie and Lady Lovat Primary Schools.
Previous Depute Head at the High School and more recently Acting Head Teacher of the cluster, Pamela is the daughter of Bruce and Jeanette Watt, and a proud former pupil of Mallaig Primary and Secondary Schools.
Pamela says, 'I am delighted, proud and humbled at the privilege to serve our communities - Arisaig, Knoydart, Mallaig and Morar, and our associated schools on the Small Isles. I am so grateful for the wonderful support from our parents, colleagues, wider community and, of course, our children and young people.
'Together, Deirdre Beck (Depute for our Primaries), Colin Masterton (Depute for our High School) and Shivan Geddes (School Admin Leader) head up an amazing team - ambitious for all our children and determined to do our best.'

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year everyone!
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to, and helped out with, the paper this year. I look forward to reading all your contributions next year!
West Word is a charity, and we do appreciate donations large or small from supporters which help to keep the paper thriving. If you'd like to 'buy us a coffee' you can do so via the button below. Thank you so much!
And lastly thanks again to Simon for helping out with the printing!
Kirsty Bloom
editor@westword.org.uk

West Word goes (a bit) digital!

West Word is entering its 31st year, and despite the current climate of newspapers and magazines suffering closures through rising prices and the encroachment of social media, we have every hope we will safely reach our 31st anniversary. We'll need you, our readers, to help us ensure that.
West Word started in 1994 when the internet and emails weren't in general use and we received everything as paper copies which had to by typed in. There was no social media, and only dial up internet! We got one of the first digital cameras in the area and had to get a grant to pay for it! We had the single-track road connecting the communities and no-one then really knew what was happening the next village, let alone on the Small Isles and Knoydart. The connections between everyone brought about by West Word were astounding as neighbouring communities could see what was happening and celebrate successes - and we've had so many of them!
The result is we now have a unique record of life in our communities in the last 30 years and West Word is an extremely valuable archive resource. There is a search engine on our website, where you click to go to past issues - we have been online since June 2000. There are full collections of paper copies too. We've had numerous comments that our archive is the only place someone has found information on a particular thing - for example, it led to the long-lost plaque from the old Nurses' Hut in Mallaig being returned and put in its rightful place in the Health Centre, after it was found in a refuse bag in Muir of Ord!.
We recognise that sales of printed newspapers are falling, and that we need to change our business model to reflect this. We know that our paper is a valuable source of news and information, and a good way of bringing our communities together, but we need your help to sustain it. Electricity and Postage costs have increased substantially, our subscriptions have dropped over time, and we have been subsidising the overseas ones for a number of years. Reluctantly, we have had to raise our subscription charges to a realistic price - £45 for a UK address, £75 for the Republic of Ireland and Europe, and £90 for the rest of the world.
However, we have been working on an online version of the paper, as we know that a lot of our readers access news online now. We want to give people that option and, having trialled this digital version of the newspaper, we are now ready to market online subscriptions: these digital versions of the whole newspaper will be in full colour and delivered monthly to subscribers at the same time as West Word hits the shops!
As a thank you to our readers, we are offering these introductory online subscriptions at a reduced cost of £22 for a year - 12 editions. This offer is valid for December only and would make a great Christmas present for those who love the area, but don't have regular access to West Word. We'd love to hit a target of 200 new subscribers, and to encourage this, we are offering the 200th person to subscribe a whole year's access to West Word Free!
To set up a subscription, please email the Editor on editor@westword.org.uk.
Digital subscriptions will never replace the printed copies - for some of us the printed version will always be the preferred medium. However, they are a way, for less than the price of a coffee each month, to have access to West Word for those who love the area and its goings on but who are not based here. We hope that the online subscriptions will open West Word to a wider audience - whilst bringing a welcome boost to our finances to ensure that we can continue to bring you all the news from the area for years to come! Please spread the word about West Word digital!
West Word Board

KNOYDART

November was a month of remembrance and farewells as we said goodbye to two much loved members of our community. Anne Trussell's funeral was 5th November and Toby Robinson's celebration of life was 30th November. It's hard to find the words but was lovely we could all gather, be together and tell stories and share memories of two special people who will be sadly missed. Our love and best wishes go to both families.
The Old Forge has had a busy schedule and this month saw the bar turn into a casino and horse racing night. It wasn't real money, which was a shame as it turns out that this Miller isn't just lucky in raffles . . . It was a fun night and £345.20 was raised to go towards this year's panto (Oh yes it is!) and the fireworks at new year. The team did a great job transforming the place, we had amazing canapes thanks to chef Brodie and the customers looked like extras from Peaky Blinders.
The Pub quiz nights have been great fun and has been a competitive affair. Don't think many of the Knoydart guest quiz masters will get a call from Who Wants to be a Millionaire but that's the nation's loss. Daniel Wood's quiz was a favourite with an immersive crisp round! There's been some changes to the pub winter hours so please check in advance if you're heading over, and our community Christmas party is in the Pub on 16th December. The Pub has been nominated for the Readers Award from The Great Outdoors Magazine for 'Walkers Pub of the Year' but they need your vote! Check out The Old Forge pub socials for the link or go to The Great Outdoors website. Voting closes 15th December.
Knoydart Pottery and Tearoom will be closed for a fortnight over Christmas from 20th December and will reopen weekdays 10-3 Monday 6th January, Thanks and Merry Christmas to all our customers near and far.
Well done to the Knoydart dog walkers last month who each walked over 50 miles for The Samaritans. Judy and Mopsy, Sammy and Spot, Abbie and Copper, Steph and Ada, Cathy and Ned and Jo and Lily collectively raised £920 for the charity and smashed their £200 target.
Thanks to South Knoydart Community Council for securing funding for a defibrillator which is on the outside of the hall. Training will take place this week and another training session in January.
Congratulations to Tom and Yasmine Harris and kids Innes, Ivy and Faraquhar on their new house. They'll be moving in soon.
Talking of housing, well done to Knoydart Forest Trust for planning approval for their workers' accommodation units and full planning approval for Knoydart Foundation to renovate and convert Millburn Cottage.
Thanks to Kyle and the team at Knoydart Renewables, we now have a shiny new turbine runner at the turbine house. I'm told it's no just for looks - it is a lot more efficient and uses less water to make the same amount of power. There's a battery storage system installed in the village (in the old Genny shed) and will help control the turbine and further help with the efficiency of the turbine.
Date for your diaries with two theatrical performances in Knoydart Hall. Hey Ewe! Inverie Primary School's play at 1.30pm on 18th December and the hotly anticipated Cinderella by a bunch of vigilantes that should have known better is on 29th December at 3pm! Both productions are one offs and will both be a lot of fun.
Finally, on behalf of the folk of Knoydart, I'd like to wish our friends and neighbours across the water a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Cheers!
Isla Miller

ISLE OF CANNA

Two weeks ago Winter finally arrived. Not because we had snow but everything changed colour. The sky, instead of being a warm blue, turned to a cool blue; the spectacular sunsets turned into spectacular sunrises and there is now a crispness in the air that only the bite of the Winter wind can provide. The once upright unmown grass now lies flat and slightly burnt by the salt air; the plants in the garden a rustic brown, dormant now until Spring.
We've had a couple of fatalities hitting our beaches - a couple of seals and a stag. The seals are small, possibly young pups caught out by the stormy seas. The stag on Sanday Beach has provided carrion for the island's resident Hooded Crows creating a scene reminiscent of the pages of Edgar Allan Poe.
Kelp and Furbelows lie in tangled heaps along the shoreline and the water line is choked with the tiny remnants of seaweed bashed to smithereens by stormy waters. Occasionally, one can find Oar Weed with bryozoans and periwinkle eggs glued to the slick, umber surface.
The island is quiet again. Visitors are now infrequent except for those coming to Canna for work. The final stages of the Canna House refurbishment are underway with conservators putting the last bits of the collection in place. The AV and garden interpretation are installed and stored for the Winter. Canna House will be open to the public in Spring 2025.
Our new Visitor Hub is near completion with the last bits of snagging to be done. It's a good looking building and we are looking forward to our visitors enjoying the facilities; hot showers, toilets and a laundry. Tom, our Ranger, will have his office there and it will provide a meeting point for his guided walks and talks. There is also a community room which the GP's will be able to use for patient appointments.
We gathered together at the start of November for a bonfire. In the preceding weeks, everyone went on the hunt for wood that would be suitable for the fire and by the time the evening came around, we had a splendid bonfire with flames licking up to the skies. A chance to chat, have a dram or two and enjoy some sparklers. Davy, our Pier Manager, serenaded the dying embers on his pipes.

Early next year, we will be welcoming two new residents to Canna. We had a baby shower for them on Sunday with cake made by Vicki and it was a good chance for everyone to get together before people start heading off island for the festive season. The balloons were a particular hit for our youngest resident, Hector, who I am quite sure slept for an eternity after one of the longest games of keeping the balloon in the air which everyone had to participate in. In all fairness, the adults totally loved it as well!
The Lucky 2 Be Here team paid a visit to Canna at the end of November to train the community in the use of our defibrillators and how to perform CPR. The training was well received and we are very grateful for the team coming out to do the training as well as deliver our new defibrillator.
Another set of new faces have appeared in Canna too - Badger Faced Sheep! Caroline has been adding to her flock and some more will be arriving in the new year. They are fine looking sheep and really do look like badgers! We are yet to discover whether they will stay in the field where they are meant to or whether they will join the Zwartbles in marauding around the island being feisty and mischievous.
Here in Canna we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas when it comes and we hope to see you visiting our shores very soon!
Margaret Willington

ISLE OF RUM

November, filled with frost, bonfires and more rain than we knew there was in the sky.
Firstly, welcome to Elle and Coinneach Hutchinson, our new visitor services duo who moved to Rum at the start of November and started work at the bunkhouse!! it coincided with Elle's birthday so a double celebration. It's now one month later and they're still here, bunkhouse website and booking system revamped and forging ahead with plans for next year. The bunkhouse is now using Freetobook so customers can make bookings online.
Bonfire night was held, back on the campsite, the school made a cracking guy, and we tried out the newly constructed campsite barbeques for the venison burgers, also made by the school utilising the bunkhouse kitchen. Thank you, Rum primary!!
In bird news, Sean spotted a Black Redstart at the pier on 10th November and the Ovenbird he saw on 23rd September has been accepted by the British Birds Rarity Committee and now appears in the rare birds in the UK 2023 report. Go Sean! Last Saturday we had a community curry night on the hall; it was all vegetarian, which was great though by accident rather than design and among the tasty fare, we had three different dals to choose from and Jenni and Stuart cooked so much rice, it kept my chickens going for a full week afterwards! Easily done.
When the sky has been clear, it's been stunning, and we got a brief show of northern lights on 10th November. Jupiter and Mars are very clear in the night sky and I spotted a meteor during the Leonid meteor shower. A Dark Sky Sanctuary launch event is planned for January: details will be provided on both the Isle of Rum and Rum Bunkhouse websites.
Exciting news for drinkers of Rum! Askival Rum announced it was folding some time ago, but after interest from our local shop keepers, Jenni and Stuart, it will continue to be produced. Jenni and Stuart are excited to be continuing the brand as a new venture which is a popular business, potentially creating more jobs and opportunities on the island. If anyone wants a bottle for Christmas, there is plenty in the shop.
Also, for last minute local Christmas presents, local craft studio Drift has opened a pop-up online shop hosted by the Ivy Cottage website, and the bunkhouse still has stock of the fab dark sky hoodies if anyone wants to buy one.
November birthdays are Fliss (the younger) 7, Jocelyn 15, and Elle.
Fliss Fraser

ISLE OF EIGG

November finally brought the start of proper wintery weather, with snow covering the island for a few days. It has been a busy month on Eigg with lots of events. Solas Eige raised over £6,000 towards a project to purchase and then renovate St Columba's Church (above). We also kicked off a project to open a community larder which the Eigg Primary pupils have named Food For All/ Biadh dhan a h-Uile. It will be stocked with near-expiry/unsellable items from the Eigg Shop and Mallaig Co-op as well as pre-cooked, nutritious meals batch-cooked at free warm lunch events over the winter.
Work has begun at the site where two new homes will be built over the next 10 months, marking an incredibly exciting and important step in improving housing for residents on Eigg. This goes alongside some massive improvements to Eigg Electric with the installation of three new transformers and the upgrading of a further three transformers, in addition to maintenance of the wind turbines - the Eigg Electric team have been busy!
We had our Christmas Craft Fair last week: a personal highlight was the whacky races fundraiser for the school, for the coveted prize of a soft-close toilet seat. Earlier in the month Jen and Kat put on a classy, sophisticated cheese and wine night and quiz at the tearoom, raising money for a children's play area at the pier. Well done Labhaoise who was the champion with her unrivalled wine knowledge!
Finally, a big thank you to CalMac for putting on an extra Tuesday boat for us at the end of the month when Storm Bert had many of us - and most importantly the wine - stuck on the mainland.
Eilidh MacGilp

ISLE OF MUCK

Hello Muck Calling . . . I'm back and raring to go. Thanks to the school kids for filling in last time! They are heading off to Panto for a few days . . . " Oh yes they are!" . . . and will have a fab time I'm sure. They had a wee end of year sing song in the school with carols in both English and Gaelic.
We had a massive bonfire this year which could have been mistaken for one of the Beacons of Gondor and is most probably still smouldering. There was the usual Guy competition with the winner going on top of the pyre, and an excellent display of fireworks kindly donated by the Andrew Smith shoot party.
The weather has been living up to wintery expectations so the island is quite challenging for both livestock and us; it's like a very rural sad version of dancing on ice, and we're all reminded of the leak we were going to get round to fixing last year ?? thank God for buckets.
Well the Jolly Hap Hap Happiest season is fast approaching and we now have to navigate the minefield that is the new CalMac web pages whilst trying to find a car spot within the block bookings from contractors, then hoping that once you get one that the ferry sails, and who would want to be a haulier hoping to make the journey now with the added red tape to conform to before being allowed on, hopefully!! More incidents lately of being turned away on technicalities.
Well guys that's it for this time . . . we wish you all the very best and hope you have the Happiest of Christmases, we'll see you all in 2025.
Bruce Boyd

Mallaig Lifeboat Log

Mallaig Lifeboat Log Sunday 3rd November 2024 Lifeboat tasked to the island of Muck to undertake a medical evacuation of a person with an injured hand. The lifeboat departed Mallaig at 11.55am, making best speed towards Muck and arriving on scene at 12.45pm. The weather at time of launch was benign with a light breeze from the SE. The casualty was taken onboard the lifeboat and transported back to Mallaig arriving at 1.35pm where they were handed over to the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Lifeboat News

With only one lifeboat shout in November, you might be thinking that the Mallaig RNLI volunteer crew have had a bit of a quiet period recently. However, it's been quite the opposite as everyone has been working hard to keep their skills up to date and even earn new qualifications.
Congratulations are in order to Cameron Muir and John Cameron for passing out as ALB (Afloat) Mechanics on Mallaig RNLI's Severn class lifeboat, Henry Alston Hewat. The lifeboat was out more than usual the days before their assessment as the two of them immersed themselves in training. The nerves were high as they were put through their paces and officially passed out on Wednesday 13th November. This is great news for the Mallaig RNLI lifeboat to have more accreditations amongst its experienced crew. Well done Cameron and John!
The Mallaig RNLI Fundraising team would like to thank everyone who came along to or volunteered at all of their events this year. The Gala Day in June was particularly well attended and the team look forward to organising the next one in 2025. Over £18,000 has been raised this year, through both events and donations, and the team are absolutely delighted. They are always looking for new people to join so if you have an idea for raising funds then look out for details of the next meetings which will resume in January.
Jessica Logan
Lifeboat Press Officer

News from Mallaig Harbour

The Sprat pump arrived on Monday 4th November, which always feels like it marks the change from the Summer season to Winter. There has been a fairly steady fishing, although around the time of the full moon on 15th November, it was too bright, and there have been other nights when the weather hasn't been in favour of the boat. The Sprats this year seem to be small, which is positive for future years, but frustrating for this year!
After my mention of Modern Slavery and People Trafficking last month, we had a significant police presence on the Harbour on 5th November, searching one of our regular visiting vessels in conjunction with Modern Slavery allegations, and this did result in a member of the crew being charged with various offences.
We have hit a snag with the funding application to Transport Scotland for the overnight ferry berth and so have reached the stage where we had to take a decision to postpone the project until next Autumn, as the works would not start now in time to be complete before the summer season is in full swing. It has been a frustrating couple of weeks, but we think we have a way forward now, and it will allow us to start in the Autumn and not be rushing things at the end to make way for summer ferry traffic. We're hoping to proceed with some of the other smaller works over the next few months so that these are complete before any major works start.
CMAL are hosting a drop-in session on the new ferry for Mallaig-Lochboisdale in the MMCC on Wednesday 11th December between 3.30 and 6pm. Everyone is welcome along and we have shared more information on our Facebook page. The slides for the event include a first look at the proposed new vessel, and will be available on CMAL's website after the event www.cmassets.co.uk/projects/mallaig-lochboisdale-new-vessel/.
I was off on my travels again this month, firstly to Glasgow to the Scottish Ports Group Meeting, and then a trip though to Edinburgh that evening to celebrate 25 years of Seafood Scotland at their Parliamentary Reception. It was great to be part of the celebrations, and to hear some of the positive stories. It was especially good to hear about the work being done to encourage the next generation into the industry through working with schools and other training partners.
We are in the process of interviewing for the Deputy Harbour Master as I am writing this, so will hopefully have news on this in the New Year. We are also hosting a Consultation meeting for Harbour Users this week, on Thursday 5th December. This is part of our statutory responsibility under the Port Marine Safety Code, and we have emailed many of the stakeholders who use the Harbour to come along. We hope that this will evolve into a Harbour User's Group, which will meet twice yearly, so if anyone is reading this who uses the Harbour and has an interest in being part of this group, then please let me know.
You may have seen the Harbour Staff in the forklift this month, as they helped the Community Council and others (special mention to William Simpson and Nick Murray) with the Christmas tree and lights, which were all in place for the switch on event on Friday 29th November. After a few days of lovely weather, it typically broke that afternoon to wind and rain, but it didn't dampen spirits.
As a Trust Port, we are able to support the community both with resources like the forklift and the use of our staff time, but also with small amounts of funding. We receive various requests over the year, and the Board have taken the decision to formalise the process for funding requests. We're ironing out the fine details of how this will work, with the aim to have guidance and an application procedure in place early in the New Year. It will not be a complicated process, but it will be a bit more structured than it has been in the past. More details to follow.
Finally, we'd like to wish all Harbour users, and the wider community, a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year when it comes.
Jacqueline McDonell 01687 462154

On and Off the Rails

Hello, it's me again.
Settling down to write the final column in West Word for the year. The 2025 railway themed calendars are arriving daily by post, even before the 2024 ones are turned to December! Along with catalogues promoting rail touring trains, which give me an excuse to 'hug-a-mug' of comforting, really hot golden tea as I read them.
I'm just back from the Mallaig railway station having taken delivery of a rooted non-needle dropping Nordic fir, for the booking office/waiting room. It will be all lit up with a train running around its base. After Twelfth Night it will be planted in my garden where it will be seen when the LSL's West Highland Pullman train visits us on Saturday 25th January 2025. Top and tailed with power cars no's. 43050 Loch Morar and 43047. Having arrived to overnight at Fort William to claim the first touring train date of 2025. They are departing from St Albans. We will welcome the train in with 'Allan the Piper' and hopefully some fine weather. They will spend a second night in Fort William before departing on Sunday 26th January. If you have time and the inclination, call in at the railway station in Mallaig.

Photo by Oliver Dean

Glenfinnan to benefit from £500,000 fencing investment
Network Rail is set to renew over five kilometres of lineside fencing near the Glenfinnan Viaduct in a project worth £500,000. The work, which was due to begin at the end of November, will see life-expired boundary fencing - which separates the track from public areas - replaced to help keep the public safely separated from the line. The new fencing will not only secure the railway but will also be sympathetic to the scenic nature of the local area.
Tree and vegetation management around the existing boundary fence will be needed ahead of the renewal and this will also improve the public's view of the viaduct. Train services will not be affected by the fencing project. Hayley Simpson, Network Rail scheme project manager, said: 'The investment we are making in renewing the fencing in Glenfinnan will help secure the railway and keep the public safe as they enjoy the world-famous views of the viaduct and surrounding scenery.' In addition to the new fencing, Network Rail is also currently completing a £3.5m project to refurbish the viaduct itself carrying our repairs to the concrete structure and improving the track bed and drainage.
Network Rail own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. They run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies. Their role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so they carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

Vital £3.2m West Highland Line project completed on time
"Hats Off" to Network Rail engineers who worked around-the-clock for four days at locations between Craigendoran and Crianlarich recently. At Craigendoran, work took place to renew track and replace switches and crossings - movable sections of rail that allow trains to swap between lines.
Further track renewal work took place between Helensburgh Upper and Glen Falloch with over a mile of railway being replaced across these locations. A bridge over the railway at Garelochhead has also been refurbished, with engineers blasting off old paint, carrying out steelwork repairs and repainting the structure. Specialist geotechnical engineers also undertook earthworks inspections between Helensburgh and Crianlarich during the four-day closure of the line. Bustitution was used.
Ross Moran, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: 'This vital work will help improve performance and reliability for our customers. Our engineers have worked around-the-clock to complete these projects quickly, with as little disruption as possible, and we thank our passengers and freight customers for their understanding while this crucial investment took place.'

Network Rail planning application for Mallaig platform
I covered the proposal in full in last month's column. The closing date for objections to the proposals was the 29th November. Subject to the proposal being given the green light it is likely that the platform extension, along with the installation of a barrier, gate, hand rails and steps would proceed sometime between the end of January and the end of March 2025. The proposed work would not take that length of time - just within it. The platform extension will allow space for the Highland Explorer carriage which we have seen occasionally on the line. It has 20 cycle spaces, extra luggage space, better heating, more legroom, comfier seating with laminated maps set into the tables. Visit www.scotrail.co.uk/scotrail-highland-explorer for more information. The available Highland Explorer coach on the Oban line seems to not run as frequently as timetabled. Let's hope it is not a bad omen.

North Highlands Line trains to be fitted with Elon Musk's satellite internet
Musk's 'Starlink' technology is to provide internet to the trains via 'authorised reseller' Bathgate-based Clarus Networks Group, who say the partnership between them and Starlink represents a pioneering approach to solving traditional rail connectivity challenges. The installation of Starlink's low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology on ScotRail trains aims to deliver consistent high speed Internet access, even in remote areas where conventional mobile networks struggle to maintain coverage. They are promising a connection speed of up to 350 Mbps. The company said, 'ScotRail is taking a trailblazing leap of faith as the first customer in the world to deploy the rail certified antenna, with the wider industry expected to follow.' Initial testing on selected routes is intended to be followed by a gradual expansion across the whole ScotRail network. Network Rail's dedicated track monitoring trains, which check the network, are also understood to be being equipped.
Mike Butler, director of rail and innovation for Clarus, said, 'Our certification of the latest Starlink terminal specifically designed for trains is a game changer for rail communications. We're delivering unparalleled connectivity that transforms operational efficiency and the passenger experience.'

West Coast Railway Company / The Jacobite 2025 season
I'm following on from my November column, which was elaborated further by Alastair Dalton in The Scotsman, The Press and Journal, the Scottish Sun and The Times newspapers the following week - all of whom credited my column and West Word for bringing to the attention of the readers the request for more interaction in 2025.
Lochaber Chamber of Commerce chief Frazer Coupland acknowledged (as do I) the economic benefits brought by the train, but said there had also been negative impacts. Mr Coupland said, 'It is crucial that WCR engages meaningfully with local communities to find solutions that balance the needs of visitors, residents, and businesses. We urge WCR to prioritise open dialogue, transparency, and a commitment to long-term investment in the region.' In these matters we are fiercely proud of what we consider is award-winning hospitality and we would be more than happy to work with WCR (as we did in the past), to all benefit from being proud of them, and The Jacobite, for adding to the area the chance to bring guests to us, and rebuild trust so we are all 'singing from the same hymn sheet' in 2025.
To be fair, and open minded, WCR have now issued details of The Jacobite 2025 season on their website. The morning service will run from Monday 7th April to Friday 24th October and the afternoon service will run from Monday 5th May to Friday 26th September (both seven days per week). The fares for a return trip per person (they do not offer one way tickets) are as follows:

First Class / Standard Class
Adult day return £105 / £69
Child day return £69 / £39
Private table for two £229 / N/A
Compartment coach £425 for six passengers.

The private table for two rate is for two people. There is a minimum booking of two passengers in first class. Fares are subject to a minimum £3.75 booking fee. Please note (WCR states) that there is a £15 admin fee when an amendment is made to a booking. Child fares are for 16 years and under.
Bookings can now be made online. On the 5th December it was confirmed that The Jacobite compartment carriage will not be available to book until the New Year, as essential maintenance work on it has been carried out. WCR say, 'Once we receive confirmation of the completion date for these works we will then be able to take bookings for the compartment coach.'
There is more detail online I am assured. So we now have an outline for the 2025 season. That is a start for an open dialogue. Thank you for that, West Coast. If you have any questions please contact by e-mail to enquiries@westcoastrailways.net
One more interactive detail: WCR reserves the right to use diesel traction if unforeseen circumstances dictate, this includes but is not limited to, the event of high fire risk, emergency operational incident or any form of mechanical failure experienced by the steam locomotive. This will only be done as a last resort by our train suppliers and as such no refund will be available to any party in the event of diesel traction being used on the day under such circumstances.

To end this very long column (sorry Ed.!)
There is a saying in Mallaig that, 'The past is very present in this place'. It reminds you that you should cherish every day and don't count the days, make the days count. Tonight as I write this, the 'named storm' is raging and the street lights are out, including the community Christmas tree lights. We are facing the closure of the Bank of Scotland and the 24 hour ATM in two days time, but tomorrow the sun will shine I'm assured, the gales will abate, we will rise above it. Winston Churchill famously said, 'If we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find we have lost the future.'
I thank each and everyone of my extended 'team of helpers'. Keep your loved ones close. Seasons Greetings, and thanks.

Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ùr
Happy Hogmanay when it comes.
See you on the train,
Sonia Cameron

Birdwatch November 2024 by Stephen MacDonald

A mixed bag weather wise, with a mild start then a more wintry spell, with frost and lying snow for several days. Large flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares continued to flood into the area feasting on the Rowan berries. By mid month with the Rowans much depleted the bulk of the birds moved on south, although small groups were still to be seen feeding on Hawthorn, Cotoneaster and windfall apples.
Amazingly presumably the same Hoopoe that was seen last month around Back of Keppoch was spotted in a garden near Moss, Back of Keppoch on the 14th. It was reported on several occasions, with the last confirmed sighting on the 18th, just as the colder weather arrived.
Whooper Swans continued to arrive early in the month, with sightings from Morar, Arisaig and Loch Ailort. A family group of four were on Loch Eilt from mid month. On the 16th there were nine on Loch nan Eala, increasing to 12 on the 18th. Goosanders were seeing at Invercaimbe and the Morar River on several occasions. Red-breasted Mergansers were reported from the Morar Estuary and Loch nan Ceall.
Little Grebes and Common Scoters were on Loch nan Ceall throughout the month and on the 14th, six Slavonian Grebes were seen there.
Goldeneye numbers increased on Loch Morar as the month progressed.
A late Swallow was seen feeding on insects at Invercaimbe on the 10th and on the 16th there was a report of two or three House Martins feeding over a garden near Woodside, Morar.
Several reports of Blackcaps, with two females seen at Loch Ailort on the 8th, feeding on Rowan berries along with Redwings and Fieldfares. Both male and female Blackcaps were feeding on Elderberries in a garden near Woodside, Morar from the 11th to the 14th.
A Chiffchaff was seen in the same garden on the 18th.
Jays were reported from Loch Ailort, Arisaig and Morar, with five seen near Rhubana, Morar on the 17th. A Kingfisher was seen on the Morar River upstream of the Hydro dam and several reports of Dippers on the Morar River and from the west end of the loch itself.