Scotland in 4 Seasons Magazine Autumn 2021

ScotlandInFourSeasons Exploring our connections with Scotland

Autumn 2021 £5.95

ISSUE 4

St Kilda revisited, Travelling Auctioneer, Becoorie, No9 Private Chef, Artist Rebecca Underdown, Crofting Claire, Scott on Skye, Autumn Fishing, Enlightenments Kirkcaldy, Forever Scotland, Seasonal life on Pait, Grumpy Factor, Kinloch Rannoch Special, Artist Fiona Matheson, Hoy GP, Gateway1 Boots reviewed, and much more inside....

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Red Squirrel by Richard MacGregor Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021 2

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Autumn Trees by Linda Mellor

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Scotland in 4 Seasons Hello!

Editor's Welcome

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Scotland in 4 Seasons Magazine.

Autumn! I love this season, it gives me a sense of progress and a feeling of change. The cooling winds blow through and revitalise us as the landscape across Scotland changes colour and provides a spectacular display. As the transition towards the shorter days takes place, my thoughts turn to the red stag rut, misty mornings and fireside warmth.

Has your social life restarted? Our Social life resumed in July.

The first night out was a live music and poetry evening in Aberfeldy with Glen Lyon Coffee Roasters, celebrating their 10th anniversary, then an evening at Blair Castle for an out‐ door performance of the Merry Wives of Windsor presented

by Three Inch Fools. Later in July, a Saturday morning trip to Fortingall, for a mooch around the Art & Craft exhibition in the Molteno Hall. In August, back at Blair Castle for an out‐ door performance of Robin Hood. What a treat! Four fantastic events.

I am pleased there is now more publicity about mental health, and well‐being. So many of our lives were strangled by stress, and we put work before everything. Our approach to work/ life balance is changing with the focus on our well-being rath‐ er than long hours and little home life. There is more to life than work but actually achieving a balanced life where your mental health takes priority it is another challenge because many of us in our 40s, 50s and upwards were brought up to believe long working hours were normal, expected, and there were no other options. Thankfully, our attention has shifted to the impact of stress in our daily lives and how we can im‐ prove our awareness of it and take steps to reduce it.

Reading, wildlife photography and spending time outdoors are more activities that also benefit my well-being. I had an opportunity to go high up into the hills and swim in a hill loch on a warm summer’s day in July. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of this year, and a switch off, reset and a mindful exercise all rolled into one. The water was as warm as a lukewarm bath and it felt natural to go for a swim. What do you like to do to ease stress?

With best wishes,

Linda

Linda Mellor, Editor, Scotland in Four Seasons Magazine

What’s the story behind our Summer front cover?

The beautiful scene on our autumn front cover was taken by me in early autumn last year. It was a scene I had looked at many times and photographed throughout the seasons and felt it had something special. When Scotland in 4 Seasons was brought to life I knew the ruined shepherd’s cottage scene would be a great image for the magazine. Not In my experience, making an effort to reduce stress is some‐ many will know this cottage as it is on a private thing you have to learn but once you get started, with small road through an estate near Loch Rannoch. The changes, surprisingly, it does get easier. I love writing in all road can only accessed on foot or by cycle un‐ less you book a holiday in Corrievarkie Lodge forms: making notes, doodling, scribbling plots for my next on the banks of Loch Ericht. The remote route novel, and writing letters to friends. It eases stress, and stirs up my creativity. My love of writing also aligns perfectly with to the lodge has many stunning views my love of quality notebooks, fountain pens and my favourite including this one.

See www.ben-alder.com South Sea Blue ink, and pencils.

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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ScotlandInFourSeasons Editor Linda Mellor Contact Email: editor@scotlandin4seasons.co.uk Tel: 07875 152072 Cover Photograph Linda Mellor Photographers Richard MacGregor, Alan Scott, Linda Mellor.

Collaboration Writers Debbie Anderson, Sheldon Cameron, Joanne Dovesi, Jade Cruickshank, Scott Mackenzie, Simon Barnes, Wills Kass, Claire Nicolson, Angela Phimister, Alan Scott, Jane Barnes, Fiona Matheson, Harriet Fletcher, India Annan, Cara Hutchens, Collette Deighan, Stephanie Wade, Vicki Hutchison, Andy Frazier, Rebecca Underdown, Jane Barnes, SLE, Simon Rudland, Naomi Holcomb and Mr. A-Nonymous.

Subscribe (see page 82) www.scotlandin4seasons.co.uk Printers Stephens & George Print Group, Glasgow G3 Scotland in Four Seasons publication dates for 2021 On sale date Winter issue 5, December 10th

The views expressed by the collaboration writers are not necessarily those of the publisher. All words and photos are supplied by individual writers unless stated otherwise. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited. Copyright is reserved by the publisher.

ISSN 2635-0505

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Contents Page 5 Welcome from Editor

By Linda Mellor

Page 30 Coming full circle

By Artist Fiona Matheson

Page 7 Magazine Contents

Page 35 Autumn Fishing

By Simon Barnes

Page 62 Natural Renaissance Bavelaw Estate

By SLE

Page 37 Mr Rod & Mrs Gun

By Cara Hutchens

Page 63 The Grumpy Factor

By Mr A.Nonymous

Page 10 Autumn is a gift

By Artist Rebecca Underdown Page 14 No9 Professional Chef Services Page 16 The Travelling Auctioneer

By Sheldon Cameron Page 18 Enlightenments

By Vicki Hutchison Page 19 Forever Scotland

By Andy Frazier Page 21 Forever Scotland

By Naomi Holcomb Page 22 Photography Tips

By Linda Mellor Page 23 Favourite Summer 2021 events Page 24 Me & My Dog

By Stephanie Wade Page 26 A Bridge Across the Past

By Linda Mellor Page 27 Rural Life Savers

By Linda Mellor Page 29 Dunalastair Hotel restaurant review

By Linda Mellor

Page 40 Sticky & Sour Pheasant Recipe

By India Annand Page 41 Life on the Remote Pait Estate

By Angela Phimister Page 43 Autumn Season on Skye

By Scott MacKenzie Page 45 Creative Countryside

By Jade Cruickshank Page 46 Jade’s Pheasant, Bacon and Leek Pie Recipe Page 47 Tales from a Skye Croft

By Claire Nicolson Page 50 Collette

By Collette Deighan

Page 61 Gifts for You & Yours

Page 10

Page 66 Walkies with Joanne

By Joanne Dovesi Page 67 The Simple Life

By Wils Kass

Page 18

Page 68 Scotland in Focus

By Alan Scott Page 70 St Kilda Memories

By Jane Barnes

Page 24

Page 76 A Rural GP on Hoy

By Simon Rudland Page 82 Subscribe and What’s coming up in our Winter Edition

Page 30

Page 52 The Wilderness Hotel With Fiona Matheson Page 53 We Love Good News

By Linda Mellor

Page 57

Page 55 Gateway1 Boot Review

By Linda Mellor Page 57 Becoorie

By Debbie Anderson

Page 70

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Fly Agaric Toadstool by Linda Mellor

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Autumn is a Gift

By Rebecca Underdown

“Becoming an artist has been a long road for me. I grew up in Glenrothes, Fife and later near Loch Leven. I have always sketched and loved art in school. Instead of going to art school I chose to read Anthropology at St. Andrews University, where I had a fantastic time living by the sea, but I’d spend more time going to life-drawing classes – and the pub – than I did reading about cultural relativism.

After graduating I took a meandering approach to my career – much to my dad’s despair! I moved to Edinburgh where I spent my time glamorously living in my friend’s living room. I soon realised the living room wasn’t for me and left for London where I started work as a temp for Foyles bookshop, working my way up to manager in one of their branches. Books have always been my passion, ever since I learned to read. My sister and I would wait in the local library for our mum to collect us after school. We steamed through the entire children’s section quickly before moving onto the more exciting novels in the grown-up section. The stories seemed endless – the illicit thrill of a crime novel or a Jilly Cooper has never left me, and I am still a bookworm to this day.

My plan was to illustrate children’s books, and whilst I did take part in an Art of Books exhibition, life in London was so busy that I never seemed to have enough hours in the day to get things done properly. London was fun, just not right for me.

I would always leave the city on my days off, doing every walk in ‘Time Out Walks Near London’, especially enjoying the ones near the seaside. I would often think of home, and when I met my future husband, who was offered a job on a Scottish estate, everything seemed to fall into place. We moved to the West coast where I worked as an Education Ranger on Kelburn Estate, leading school children around its fairy-tale-like glen. Whilst there, a Glasgow shop agreed to sell some of my illustrations, which gave me the confidence to try more painting.

When we later moved with our little boy to South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, it was the first time in my life I didn’t have a full time job. I found myself with time on my hands, so I decided to try painting in oils. The scenery in South Uist is amazing – the colours and the shifting of light made me want to try to capture it. I found the remoteness and different way of life was fascinating. A local shop started selling my prints and I began to take on more commissions.

We like to move around a lot and our next move was to Miserden, a picture-postcard village in Gloucestershire. It is a place that looks as if time has stood still, electric cables and any overhead wires are buried underground so as not to ruin the aesthetic, there are no streetlights, and it is probably the friendliest place I have lived so far. Warm days and rosy Cotswold stone cottages give it a romantic glow in my memory, yet I found it hard to paint. I missed the big, open vistas of the Hebrides and being by the sea. Scotland has always been a wilder place to me, and I wanted to paint the colours of it. I worked part-time in the local pub, and when the regular folk night rendition of Caledonia was making me misty-eyed I knew we had to move back north.

We are now in The Cabrach in Moray, which has become one of my favourite places to paint. The Cabrach is remote and sparsely populated it sits on the northern edge of the Cairngorms and has a fascinating history of smugglers and illicit whisky stills.

It is very beautiful; the river Deveron flows behind our cottage, and we can watch the sky change colour over the hills from our garden. My husband is a hill keeper, which means he knows the best off-road tracks and secret glens to photograph and paint. I try to do them justice with the colours and textures I use in my paintings, but I’m not always successful – it definitely gives me something to work towards!

My work has evolved over the years. I paint in vibrant colours and like to try and capture a mood in the landscape. When someone commissions a piece I want them to have something special, a jewel-like painting that they can hang in their home and love every time they pass it.

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

“Colour features so heavily in my work, so the change of season is a time I look forward to.”

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I also paint portraits and have been a contestant on Sky Portrait Artist of the Year. I really enjoy talking to the sitter to find out what they want from a portrait, “to look like a 19th century polar explorer” was a particularly memorable request.

Moving around has afforded me the luxury of living in some of Scotland’s most beautiful places and my favourites are the ones tied to happy memories. Kinnesswood near Loch Leven is lovely and where one set of my parents still live. It sits happily under the Lomond hills and has fantastic views over the Loch. There’s a village museum dedicated to local poet Michael Bruce (who seems to have achieved a lot despite dying of consumption at the age of 21), access to walks to John Knox’s Pulpit, the fairy steps, and Loch Leven’s Larder, a farm café I never forget to visit for cake and a coffee.

The Forest of Birse is also a great place to walk. We got married in the tiny chapel in the glen there (the plan was to have the ceremony outside, but the weather got the better of us). It is a beautiful little church that you don’t expect to be in such an isolated spot. The nearest village of Finzean is where my grannie was evacuated to from Glasgow during the war. It has an excellent cafe that sells local art and gifts.

For sheer wildness and almost otherworldly beauty, one of my favourite places to explore is Eriskay. It lies between South Uist and Barra and boasts white sand and turquoise water. We saw sea eagles there and ponies wander free all over the island. It’s only small but it’s perfectly formed and connected to South Uist by causeway so it’s easy to get to. Scotland has so many places you can disappear into easily and feel like you have escaped.

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

“Autumn in Scotland is my favourite time of year.”

Perhaps it’s telling that nearly all my favourites are remote, although I do like to be in the vicinity of a nice cake occasionally.

When we lived in Kelburn we would often drive to Glencoe. It is arguably Scotland’s most well-known and romantic spot with an amazing history and views. I think it’s best to explore it in the autumn, when the trees start changing colour, the mists roll in and the crowds have thinned out.

Autumn in Scotland is my favourite time of year. The midges have relented, the heat of summer has faded, and the colours start to change again. Colour features so heavily in my work, so the change of season is a time I look forward to. A crisp sunny day by the river in Autumn is a gift.

I am currently taking on commissions for portraits and landscapes, but things are filling up quickly. I am also working on a series of paintings and illustrations of The Cabrach that I hope to turn into a small exhibition, either live or online. The empty cottages that dot the landscape are being taken back over by nature and I’d like to capture them before they are gone for good. They say so much about the depopulation of the area, for better or worse. There are houses with tumbling walls and fallen roofs, where you can still see wallpaper peeling and ripped curtains flapping in broken windows. The landscape around them continues on.”

Contact information https://rebeccaunderdownar.wixsite.com/rebeccaunderdownart Instagram @rebecca_underdownart Email: rebeccaunderdownart@gmail.com Words & Photos by Rebecca Underdown

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Professional Chef Services

When the draw of fishing and a different lifestyle in Scotland proved to be too attractive, Chef Peter Backhouse and his wife Fiona moved to Perthshire in 1998 and have not looked back since.

In those days, salmon in the 20 and 30 lbs range were the order of the day, but the River Tay banks are where Peter still spends his free time when not engrossed in cooking for guests and clients Scotland-wide.

“We have had the privilege of helping people celebrate very important milestones in life, having chosen the beauty of Scotland in which to do so,” said Peter.

“From 85th birthday celebrations of an American family to weddings and family celebrations in castles; corporate fishing lunches, a week of full catering at Scone Palace or a week-long stalking party near Inverness, all come or return to taste the best Scotland has to offer whether fish, seafood, game, whisky-based desserts or the fresh air blessing outdoor lunches or suckling pig roasts. The hearty wholesomeness, fresh Scottish water and loving care with which our suppliers provide produce means we are already starting from a naturally good place before the dish creation even begins.”

Whilst Peter takes care of sourcing excellent Scottish produce, always seasonal, Fiona manages menus, requirements and any little detail to make the occasion as bespoke and seamless as possible.

They are an impressive team together who appreciate the inspiration and motivation their natural surroundings provide for them - their one great, unique source.

But back to the outdoors … whilst in the Highlands, Peter has taken advantage of the area to go stalking and exerted plenty of energy on the trail of a stag or two.

“The disciplines involved in cooking, fishing and stalking are similar in their concentration and meticulous eye for detail and reading of various raw ingredients, whether in the kitchen or with reading nature, the landscape and the beasts themselves. Ultimately, it is about respecting what we have around us and honouring the providence of food from land to table.”

Visit: no9chefservices.co.uk

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Sheldon Cameron is the T H E T R AV E L L I N G A U C T I O N E E R Straight from the Auctioneer’s desk, Glasgow based Auctioneer Sheldon shares his knowledge & dog biscuits

The shy, retiring Auctioneer doing his Gene Kelly impersonation...

A very popular auction - whisky!

Well that was an enjoyable day on the rostrum conducting our ever popular whisky cask auction. £86000 for a 1993 Springbank, £63000 for a 1996 Ben Nevis, £8400 for some 2009 Glenallachie and, £4950 for a 2008 Craigellachie to name but a few of the lots sold.

A comedy Act? Most definitely!

So a busy Wednesday leads on to a busier Friday with our Antique sale comprising about 500 lots, and with my voice finely tuned and the gavel poised, I’m off again to sell an eclectic mix of old and new, rare, and fine items.

With many people now double jagged, the saleroom is a busy but socially distanced venue for people to bid and hear my dulcet tones and the occasional joke, maybe I should have a one man show at the Edinburgh Fringe......

Oh yes I should! (Editor: so many suggestions for an alternative career, so

little space!)

More gravy bones Once again, after a productive sale, I am back at my desk going through the ever increasing amount of emails with the faithful auction hound by my side, not out of love, but out of hunger, as she knows I’m a soft touch to feed her another gravy bone.

Hallucinations So with the diary filling up fast with appointments, I set off to a lovely, picturesque village in the very remote heather clad hills of the highlands.

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

As I come over the brow of the hill I’m frozen in my tracks, it can’t be surely not, but it is, I have found Brigadoon, with a lookalike Cyd Charisse herding sheep in the distance, so I stop the car immediately and jump out to take in the beauty of my surroundings. I then begin to wonder if this makes me Gene Kelly (answers on a postcard please). I arrive at the property and meet a charming gentleman to value some items for possible sale.

He is a kind soul despite first impressions Though the items are indeed old their value is not as high as it once was, so we chat over a cup of tea and during the conversation I learn his wife has recently passed away due to the dreaded Covid and this has now left a large void in his otherwise happy life in this idyllic village. I sit and listen to him reminisce about the happy times with his wife, Auction Hound Molly, earning her gravy bones by the holidays they posing in a Georgian dog collar shared and events he will miss doing with her in the future. I offer him words of encouragement which I think cheered him up a bit, and really I think he just wanted to talk to someone for a little companionship. So I bid him goodbye and jumped into my trusty chariot to head back to sunny Glasgow with a warm feeling inside (but really I have accidentally just turned the heated seat on in the car!). As well as being the travelling auctioneer, I am able to make time for some‐ one when needed.

It’s never dull when Sheldon is around Later that week I’m back in the saleroom cataloguing lots for the next auction and decide to concentrate on ceramics, which we seem to have boxes of, with the likes of Royal Crown Derby animals, of which there are many and dinner and tea services to unpack and sort through and glassware to match up and put into sets. It’s never dull in an auction room. Back at my desk, with the ever-faithful auction hound by my side looking for a small snack, not to be confused with a treat, you un‐ derstand, just a small morsel to keep her hunger at bay.

I open yet another email to find an enquiry about the contents of a restaurant that has decided to call time, due to the dreaded covid.

Restaurant anyone?

So off I set to cast my eye over catering equipment including huge range cookers, bottle and dish washers, pots and pans, plates and bowls of all sizes, cutlery, tables and chairs, curtains and lighting and everything associated with a restaurant.

A career in therapy is calling!

We discuss the finer points of the catering trade, and, in time, we get round to what the Nicola has done for the hospitality industry, at this point the owner's language becomes very colourful and would probably make a sailor’s parrot blush, but I take it all in and move the conversation along, or at least I try to, but no, the owner of the restaurant is not for changing direction and wants to get it all off his chest, so I sit listening to it all...

It’s old so it must be antique.. not so, says Sheldon A very common misconception I come across on a regular basis from clients is 'the items have been in our family for ages and so must be an antique'. Alas not I fear, as an antique has to be 100 years old to qualify and dinner or tea services or indeed any ceramics that say 'dishwasher or micro‐ wave safe' don't quali‐ fy, don't laugh, as this is said on a regular basis.

Always keen to show off his fishing fashion credentials on the river, but he’s forgotten a crucial part of his kit - his fishing rod.

What’s HOT and what’s NOT? With regard to what's hot and what’s not (obviously I am, before you ask) at auction, old brown furniture from the Edwardian, Victorian and Georgian era has fallen out of fashion with buyers, and achieves very little, which is a shame, as something so old and well made, that will last for many years to come is passed over for more contemporary styles, like teak and rosewood from the 1960's and 1970's.

The Fashionista gives advice But then fashion is changeable. Pictures are another fickle item, Victorian and Edwardian watercolours that depict Highland scenes, cattle, heather, game, mountains, and burns are falling out of favour with the auction going public, with clients preferring more contemporary styles. Now don't get me wrong, quality will always command a high price and will attract a lot of interest, but it seems the goal posts have moved somewhat in today's ever changing world.

Going, going gone..........but not for long!

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There’s an awakening in Fife Visit

ENLIGHTENMENTS The Merchants Quarter Kirkcaldy “There’s a real sense of community spirit here too. I'm excited to see what the future will bring!”

“Enlightenments is a social enterprise hub developed by the Adam Smith Global Foundation, who are a registered charity. The Foundation launched in 2012 and is based in Adam Smith’s birth town of Kirkcaldy. Our aims are to deliver initiatives to commemorate his work on an international scale, as well as raising awareness of the role that Kirkcaldy played in his life.

Enlightenments itself takes its inspiration from the WhyNot? Enterprise hub in North Berwick and is designed to provide and support skills development opportunities in retail, catering and hospitality as well as encouraging and supporting small, local enterprises to explore town centre trading. It also provides a fully flexible and supportive package to anyone that comes on board. It has four core elements namely: 1.A creative enterprise space which is designed to support the development of small businesses within the Fife area whose items are hand-crafted to a good quality.

2. An employability and enterprise hub which gives advice to members of the public, potential traders and trainees regarding employability and enterprise from partners including Fife Council, Business Gateway, and Fife College.

3. A café/bistro which delivers quality food and drink to the public as well as providing skills development opportunities in hospitality and catering.

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Words & Photos by Vicki Hutchison, Enlightenments Manager

“Enlightenments is such a dynamic place to work, full of creativity, talent and positive vibes.”

4. A small food hall and food concessions which we hope will present locally sourced food and drink.

Enlightenments is in its very early stages, having only opened our doors in September 2020 but already we can see the positive effect it is having on the Merchants Quarter in Kirkcaldy and the surrounding area.

Kirkcaldy Foodbank also operate within our venue twice a week so this is a massive help for some members of the community who may also need that little extra bit of support. Enlightenments will also be running community events in the future as well as offering classes, workshops and demonstrations for the public to attend.

Our fourth aim for a food hall is still on the drawing board but we do have several interested parties and hope to have it up and running within a few months. We would also like to encourage other local businesses to develop in the High Street and help contribute to the revitalisation of Kirkcaldy.

Our tenancies operate on a mixture of rental and commission basis. Current rental rates start from £24 monthly, with our commission rate being 25% but our terms are generally very flexible. We have a huge variety of products on sale from handmade candles, jewellery, wooden dishes and clocks, glass items, leather products including bags, wallets and cushions, knitwear, art, photography plus many more and indeed we have a waiting list for certain areas. However we are always interested in new ideas provided they have a local basis and share our aims of developing socially based enterprises.”

Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday from 9.30am until 4.00pm (3Beans coffee Shop closes at 3pm) Facebook:Enlightenments Instagram: @enlightenmentsasgg www.enlightenments.co.uk

FOREVER SCOTLAND with

Andy Frazier We ask Andy Frazier how he keeps his connection to Scotland alive “I was just 14 when I first visited the Royal Smithfield show in London on a young farmer's trip. Growing up on a family farm in middle England with an inbuilt affection for livestock, it dawned on me very quickly that all the best animals at the event were from Scotland and a love affair with the country was born.

From that day began a journey that would see me spend much of my time north of the border grooming and exhibiting cattle and sheep for the rich and righteous right across the region, and particularly at the famous Perth bull sales.

Fast forward 30 years and a variety of careers; I met Wendy, whose family hail from Caithness where her grandfather was head gardener on a big estate. We both knew we belonged in Scotland but for a number of reasons, chose to buy a big old farmhouse in South West France called Chauffour where I would begin a new career as a writer, whilst she continued to work ‘from home’. After a couple of years, a few false starts, and a lot of plasterboard the pull from Scotland became too great and we spent a winter in a cottage in East Lothian, along with our two dogs, promoting my first novel.

The freshness of the winters on the East coast fostered an idea that we could perhaps make a fist of living in two countries at once if we juggled with our lifestyles.

To start with we bought a flat in Gullane, a splendid wee village full of Edinburgh commuters, a great beach and a couple of cracking pubs. We both enjoyed the social side of it but somehow we never quite seemed to fit in. It was on an overnight trip to Fife, arranged by Wendy for Valentine's Day, that we saw a cottage for sale in Anstruther and somehow bought it the next day, much to our own surprise as anyone else's. With limited resources and knowledge I set about renovating this three story house and within three weeks realised I had made more friends in the town than we had in East Lothian in three years. Having played in the property market in my past, I put a plan to Wendy, by then my wife, that if we got the sums right, we could expand on this idea and soon we were on to house number two, just around the corner. It took massive effort from both of us, as often we were 1500 miles apart and her still earning our living but we somehow got through it. Once both were completed I took the lead to buy a row of derelict cottages right on the sea shore in Cellardyke, which date back into the 1700s. It was a ballsy move and I was deemed as a madman by many as I, along with two young lads, ripped both places apart and started from a blank canvas. The resulting two dwellings we created are, I have to admit, delightful.

One with low ceilings and cosy character throughout; the other modern and chic with a full glass wall opening to the Forth.

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In the midst of this I was commissioned to write a history book on one of the main cattle breeds in Scotland, a job I fully relished.

Over a three year period I got to interview some great old-time breeders and record their merits and, more importantly, their stories. Although the book never actually made it to print due to political reasons, it manifested a concern that a lot of these older generation of the farming community died with their stories untold.

When the Covid pandemic kicked in, we were skiing in Andorra and suddenly realised we would need to get home and lock down.

Thankfully our French house is in the middle of nowhere and we both found it fairly easy to isolate for however long it would take, particularly as Wendy had just retired. All the while, the thought of those unrevealed tales haunted me until one day I took up the mantle once more and started a podcast called Toplines and Tales where each week I would speak either to or about some of the great characters of yesteryear, preserving that information forever. I am proud to say it has not only been a resounding success but opened a few other doors to media work, including a two days stint in the commentary box at this year's Royal Highland Show.

With an established flock of sheep on our farm in France, including the infamous Daisy Death-wish who is a whole story in one animal, I decided that I would love to relive some of my youth exhibiting livestock at shows. For a number of reasons this isn’t possible in France so once again we turned to Scotland and have now set up a small flock of Ryeland sheep, currently based on a friend's farm near Stirling. After 20 years away from it, we have plans to turn out at the Highland Show next year, hopefully with a reasonable chance of success. Meanwhile our two seaside cottages have benefitted from pretty much end to end holiday bookings as folks take vacations enjoying their own country, to the point where we have to block out the weeks we want to spend time there ourselves, well in advance. We recently invested in a new camper so that if we cannot get into our house we take ourselves off to explore other parts of Scotland.

Nippy and Wee Eck, Ryelands.

With another history book recently commissioned, this time about sheep, and all things being back to normal, the plan is to spend 50% of our time in East Neuk of Fife, where the vibrant local community offers delicious produce, incredible beach walks, talented artists and brilliant musicians in abundance. The house in France still isn’t finished!”

Andy’s website https://andyfrazierbooks.blogspot.com/ Words & Photos by Andy Frazier

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

FOREVER SCOTLAND with

Naomi Holcomb Naomi lives in Georgia and was born in Scotland when her Father was in the US Navy and stationed at Holy Loch

“I was Lucky enough to be born in beautiful Scotland. It’s one of the many favorite stories I have about myself. I love to tell people that I was born in Scotland and see their eyes light up and then slowly add in, the not as exciting part, that I was an American born abroad.

My Dad was in the U.S. Navy and was stationed at Holy Loch. We lived there as a family in Strachur, a small parish in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. We lived in a historic and (haunted) farmhouse until I was about four.

I grew up on all of the stories and tales of Scotland, and our time there as a family, I live vicariously through my mum and dad’s experience living there.

I have daydreamed about living in Scotland again since as early as I can remember. We have a Family Wedding Venue here in North Georgia called Song Rock and it reminds us of a bit of the land where we once lived in Scotland. So that’s a fun reminder.

We even grow thistle on it.

I am so fascinated with everything about the land, the history, and the pride of Scotland altogether. I feel it running through my veins and have ancestry connections to boot. As an American living in The state of Georgia, I do try to attend all of the Scottish festivals Such as the annual Highland games at Stone Mountain park in Atlanta, and a smaller Highland games in Blairsville, GA. I can’t wait to attend the games in Scotland again someday as I did as a wee monkey. I have the coolest picture of my Dad and brother at the games in 1983 (the year I was born.)

I stay connected to Scotland mostly through the stories, pictures, and faint memories I have as a child. I also follow a lot of Scotland on Social media. It’s so hard for me to list only a couple of things that I want and plan to do in Scotland.

I want to explore and engulf myself in it all. I definitely want to go to the Highlands the most.

I hope to visit Glen Sluain cottages where we lived. I want to go to the isle of Skye. The Glen Finnan viaduct, see the Jacobite steam train, Inveraray, Loch Lomond, I want to stay in castles and B&B’s all throughout the highlands. Visit local pubs. Meet Locals. I want to visit Perth, Glencoe, Glasgow, Edinburgh & military Tattoo at Edinburgh castle. I have so many Itineraries planned out; I almost don’t know which to do first. I want Harris Tweed and to walk through every castle. To purchase tweeds for my teenage sons, and kilts.

And pretty much every castle, and every travel Scotland page that I can. Through these things I feel super connected and must say, it only makes me yearn to touch and see Scotland even more. I have so many itineraries mapped out and planned out for my Ling awaited trip back to the beautiful and mystical land that calls my name so strongly.

I truly want to do it all!

I also would like to experience each season in Scotland.

I cannot wait to come “Home” to Bonnie Scotland!”

Words & Photos by Naomi Holcomb

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Top 10 PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

By Linda Mellor

Creating a wonderful photograph is so easy these days with a vast range of Cameras and Smart phones. There are filters for this, and apps for that, and everything comes with an option to edit.

However, you can improve your images with a few basic tips from a professional photographer.

1. Consider your composition, explore different angles and height, get a feel for what works.

2. Familiarise yourself with the rule of thirds. Using this rule will generally lead to a more compelling image (rules are only guides, and can be broken!).

3. Keep your horizons straight, so many great photos are ruined by a sloping horizon.

4. If you are using a camera or phone, get to know the functions. Most phones are capable of producing high quality images, so check out the settings, and keep your lens clean.

5. Move closer to your subject, 2 or 3 steps forward can improve your image and may turn an okay image into an eye-catching one.

6. Tell the story: if your subject is taking a walk in woodland, take a wider, landscape picture showing the surroundings.

7. Get to know your subject, if it’s an animal, study the species, its habits and behaviour.

8. Understand light, when it’s harsh at midday, or softer in the morning or evening, what will work best for you?

9. Study your surroundings, sit back and consider what sort of picture you’d like to achieve. A little planning is useful.

10. Always have your phone or camera in an accessible place so if you see something you can quickly take a photo.

There are lots of things to remember but I’d say the most important aspects of photography are getting out there with your camera, taking pictures and enjoying it.

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Our favourite Summer 2021 Events

Glen Lyon Coffee Roasters, Three Inch fools at Blair Castle Fortingall Art Exhibition

Glen Lyon Coffee Roasters celebrated their 10th Anniversary in style with a free community gig outdoors at their Roastery in Aberfeldy with poetry from Jon Plunkett, and music from Kim Carnie and Foy Vance. BBQ by Ballingtaggart.

An outdoor performance of ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ by the talented Three Inch Fools at Blair Castle.

In August, back at Blair for a performance of ‘Robin Hood’ by the Three Inch Fools.

Fortingall Art 2021 Summer Exhibition held in the handsome Arts & Crafts Molteno Hall

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Me & My Dog By Stephanie Wade

“Yogi came into my life whilst I was studying at the Royal Agricultural University in 2010 and he cohabited with my fellow housemates’ puppies of a Jack Russell and a Labrador. Having grown up on a farm, I was always surrounded by a mix of working dog breeds and a terrier was always a firm favourite.

Whilst at university, I felt I had the capacity to introduce a dog into my life and Yogi was looking to be re-homed at the age of 4 months, through no fault of his own. Now I hadn’t come across his breed before, but Yogi certainly lives up to the typical characteristics of a Jackahuahua. He’s a charming, tough, devoted little dog with a passion for living and having fun.

And this is certainly reflected in his ability to adapt and take on the challenges I set us, such as our big move from Exmoor to the Scottish Highlands, two and a half years ago for a career progression. I do not think I would have coped with such a big move, as well as I did, if I didn’t have the loyal support and companionship of Yogi, as moving to pastures new meant moving away from the life I had created up until that point and away from the comforts of my friends and family. However, I feel privileged to be able to call the Scottish Highlands our home and we are so lucky to be able to live in and enjoy this wildly, beautiful, and ever-changing environment, every day of the year. Although not your typical working dog breed, Yogi spent his younger years as part of the beating line on our family-run pheasant shoot whilst more recently, Yogi aids me when tasked with moving sheep on the family farm, when we visit Exmoor (I think the pair of us hinder rather than help if I am honest, but we try).

24 Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

When the COVID-19 restrictions didn’t allow us to travel south for Christmas, Yogi and I enjoyed spending Christmas morning at the summit of Carn a’Gheoidh within the Cairngorms National Park, watching the sunrise and sharing this experience with my family via video call. During the pandemic, and when local travel restrictions were in place, this allowed Yogi and I, to appreciate more of the local landscape and the wonderful routes on our doorstep which include Uath Lochans.

The Lochans are a patchwork of small lochans surrounded

by Scots pine with a backdrop of the Cairngorms hills rising to merge into the clouds. For Yogi, the lochans provided a nice circular stroll on undulating ground away from the house, whilst for me, the lochans provided a sense of tranquillity, during a time of constant uncertainty.

Now, standing at a height of 11 inches with a leg length of 5 inches, Yogi’s toughness has been put to the test through our passion of munro bagging. You’ll currently find the pair of us out on the hills most weekends, whilst we undertake the task of completing all 282 of Scotland’s munros. Yogi proves size does not always matter and at the ripe age of 10 ½ years old, he’s completed 118 munros to date, which equates to Yogi walking a total of 671 miles within those routes.

Yogi’s first munro was the picturesque Sgor Goaith within the Cairngorms National Park on 24th August 2019 and the hobby has allowed us to really immerse ourselves within the beauty of Scotland and be at one with the wilderness. Our longest route to date has been bagging a total of eight munros lying between Glen Affric and Loch Mullardoch, which provided a spectacular route rising above a cloud inversion filling the glens below. It’s moments like this that really make you feel like you’re on top of the world. The autumn provides us with our last chance of getting out on the hill for the year, in weather conditions that we are comfortable hiking in and allows us to make the most of obtaining views of the changing of the colours of the Scottish hills and glens.

This autumn will also see Yogi taking on the Inaccessible Pinnacle on the Isle of Skye with myself, which involves Yogi being harnessed for a rock climb and abseil.

We are very fortunate to have friends who are experts in the field of climbing and abseiling and who have been training us and will accompany us on the day.

Yogi is a prime example that a Jackahuahua is not just a designer dog and instead, is a great dog, full of energy, intelligence, humour and happiness in a small package.”

If you would like to follow our adventures and munro bagging journey, you can do so on Instagram @steph_and_yogi

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A Bridge Across the Past

By Linda Mellor

The Scottish countryside is a wonderful place to explore. When out walking and discovering some of the more remote areas, a bridge over fast-flowing water is a welcome sight. These structures safely transport us to the other side so that we may carry on our journey with dry feet.

A bridge, built in the 1980s, reaching over the Alder Burn by McCook’s Bothy, also known as Ben Alder Cottage, is remembered by many, and photographed frequently by walkers. The bridge, like the bothy, has its own story. Every couple of years, Tim Winter goes on a pilgrimage from Loch Rannoch out to the remote spot on the Ben Alder Estate to check and maintain the bridge. Tim is accompanied by a small group of able volunteers who paint the bridge and undertake any necessary repairs.

In late June, this year, Tim Winter, and seven others, made their regular visit out to a bridge he helped build in 1987. This trip was more memorable than most because it was part of Tim’s 80th birthday celebrations. The bridge replaced two previous structures. They had been battered by the elements, and washed away during the winter months when the burn turned into a raging torrent of water as it made its way into Loch Ericht. A safe passage across the Alder burn was crucial for the safety of the pupils from Rannoch School (1959 – 2002) when taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

After opening in 1959, Rannoch soon established a reputation as one of Scotland’s independent schools with a distinct outdoors culture. Tim spent 25 years at the school as engineer and head of mountaineering services. Concerned for the safety of the pupils, plans were made to build a bridge high enough to allow the water, when the burn was in full spate, to travel underneath it. Previous bridges had either been pulled down by the force of the water or they became a gathering point for all debris carried down by water before they were broken up by the weight and washed away. The new bridge foundations were built up, the wood and materials were flown in by a RAF helicopter from Lossiemouth and a group of Rannoch school pupils and staff helped with the building work. The bridge is a treasured link to the past and is Photo (supplied) taken in fondly February 1992 of the Alder Burn in spate, and passing remembered under the bridge. by many.

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Tim was driven to the Camusericht estate (part of Ben Alder Estates) lunch hut by Camusericht Deer Stalker Richard MacGregor in his truck then they travelled the last few miles by Argocat to the bridge at Ben Alder cottage where they were greeted by Tim’s wife, Sandra, and a small group of friends. We asked Tim what it felt like seeing the bridge again, he told us, “it’s great to see the bridge and a relief to see it’s still standing. I can’t walk very far nowadays and am unable to get out to see the bridge as often as I would like but it gives me a great deal of pleasure visiting it with friends.” The small group sat by the bridge and enjoyed a picnic in the sunshine. Everyone posed for photos before they started their homeward journey. Sandra added, “the school used the bothy a tremendous amount and lots of people will remember this bridge, it was very significant in many people’s lives.

Thanks to the estate, they have always helped us.”

The group walked back to their bikes a mile or so away, and Tim commenced his return journey back home in the Argocat with Richard.

RURAL LIFE SAVERS NEED YOUR The Scottish Fire and Rescue Services provide an essential service across Scotland.

Local fire stations are at the heart of our communities and, in this ever-changing world, respond to wide assortment of local needs: keeping people safe and helping protect our surroundings, and working alongside other agencies. Each year, fire crews attend thousands of fires, wildfires, medical emergencies and road traffic collisions, flooding, and water incidents, and provide many more vital community services. With 357* (2019-2020 statistical highlights) stations in Scotland, a large percentage of them are in rural areas. The modern day fire-fighter’s role has evolved considerably over the years, and goes way beyond the traditional image of a fireman and crew in a bright red fire engine racing down the street to attend to a fire. It is a much more expansive job, with a wider focus on community safety and harm prevention.

In the 21st century, one of the biggest challenges the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services (SFRS) face is recruiting personnel for rural stations. It’s an understandable issue when you consider the large areas of remote Scotland and the scattered nature of the population in rural areas. James Black is the Crew Commander at Kinloch Rannoch Community Fire Station, Perthshire, he said, “everyone is needing crew these days and there is a constant recruitment drive to get people into the service and retain them. Our rural communities have changed over the decades, and there is nothing to keep kids and families here, so they move away.” From the four types of fire-fighter roles available, there are two predominately based in rural, remote and island locations throughout Scotland.

HELP

By Linda Mellor The two roles are Volunteers and Retained Duty System (RDS).

The RDS roles are part time, on a call-out basis. Volunteers work on a call-out basis, and typically based in some of the more remote villages and Scottish islands. These are both paid roles and Volunteers have no fixed amount of hours but work on the basis of offering what time they can to the fire service outside their main employment. James said, “we are looking to attract more people into the fire service, it’s a great career with ongoing training and development with many other benefits. The job is highly satisfying, and you can make a difference, when

“The fire service is as diverse as the crews, and they are made up of a range of people from nurses, ministers, gamekeepers, teenagers, grandparents...”

your pager goes off it’s another human being needing your help.”

Typically, rural communities have a fewer population under the age of 44 but a higher proportion of people aged 45 and over. However, age is not a barrier to joining your local community fire service as people at different stages of life and career are invited to join up.

“We welcome men and women living in the community from all walks of life, you have to be fit and able, aged from 18 up to 70,” said James. “The fire service is as diverse as the crews, and they are made up of a range of people from nurses, ministers, gamekeepers, teenagers, grandparents and so on.”

How can dwindling rural populations and small remote communities help the Fire Service? James has served 25 years in the Fire Service, and 5 years as Crew Commander, he said, “community and fire service are inextricably linked. By having a home fire safety visit, by having working smoke detectors and good safety awareness, the community helps us. We don’t really want to be called out in an emergency, we would rather that aspect wasn’t needed! By joining us, the community obviously helps with crew levels but those unable to join can still spread the word that we need crew, grannies telling grandchildren, people talking to friends, and to employers.”

James continued, “there are other ways to support us, we hold car washes and open days, the proceeds of these go to the fire-fighters charity and the fire-fighters benevolent fund which look after injured fire-fighters and their families current and retired.”

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If you are interested in finding out more, call into your local station and speak to a member of the crew. Your local fire service needs your support and will appreciate you reaching out, James said, “everyone has something they can offer the fire service.”

A date for your diary Kinloch Rannoch Community Fire Station

OPEN DAY, SATURDAY 30th OCTOBER, 1-3pm.

Rannoch station will be hosting a raffle, BBQ, fun events for kids and adults, past fire-fighter uniforms, lots of history and old photos will be on display, a modern engine and two classic Appliances will be at the station (who doesn’t love to see a bright red fire engine?).

www.firescotland.gov.uk Twitter: @fire_scot Facebook: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Instagram: @scotfirerescueservice Crew out on a portable pump training exercise, Loch Rannoch

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Reference: *https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/about-us/fire-and-rescue-statistics.aspx

Lunch!

Monadh Restaurant

Dine in Contemporary Style in the heart of Kinloch Rannoch

Scotland in 4 Seasons Food Review 3 course Lunch for two in the Monadh Restaurant, Dunalastair Hotel Suites

We were given a warm welcome. and received excellent service from the minute we stepped foot inside the hotel. Angela looked after us, and made sure we had everything we needed.

Main

Starter

Directions

Dunalastair Hotel Suites is situated in the heart of Kinloch Rannoch village, located only twenty miles west of Pitlochry.

There’s ample parking outside and around the hotel for guests and visitors. Loch Rannoch is only a few minutes away on foot, and Rannoch Station is a 30 minute drive. A beautiful, highland Perthshire setting overlooked by the mighty Schiehallion mountain.

www.dunalastairhotel.com

Summary

Pan-fried Sea Bass, with new potatoes, spinach, dill crème reduction, cherry tomato, smoked salmon mousse. Chicken Supreme, wild garlic pomme puree, broccoli, spring greens, jus. Colourful dishes, full of subtle flavours, tasty sea bass, and tender, flavoursome chicken.

Both dishes decorated with season flowers from the hotel garden.

Each course from the menu offered a small selection of dishes from the land, the sea and the garden to choose from.

We enjoyed the Confit duck salad with roasted cashews, rocket, sesame seeds and crispy noodles Dessert and Haggis Bonbons with Cranachan and Banoffee Pie. Delicious an Arran mustard sauce. with seasonal berries. Heavenly!

A stylish, boutique hotel, with comfortable, flowing interiors and lots of natural light. A tranquil spacious setting, and the very best in friendly service. The chef uses local, seasonal produce, and each course was a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds, with colourful dishes full of flavour and beautifully presented.

A colourful flavoursome feast, and excellent service

9.5/10 Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Coming Full Circle

By Fiona Matheson 30

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

“If I could predict my future on those childhood holidays around the Highlands or on the farm in Aberdeenshire, would I have realised that the influence of those early experiences would become so embedded in my passion as an artist?

I recently came across footage from the Super 8 cine camera on which we inexpertly recorded our travels. Even through the faded film it is easy to see the ruggedness of the land as well as the feeling of wild beauty and the reason I have such an emotional connection to it. It is the subject I am known best for.

It is these places that I have continuously returned to, throughout my life. I am often asked when exhibiting work, where is that, what beach is this... actually, a lot of the time it is all those places that I have seen, touched, heard and smelled. A personal response to an abundance of landscape that has been inside me my entire life and it is constantly oozing out.

‘I’m off ’ were the words I shouted as I hastily made way to Moral for the first cast of the day. Leaving the others at the breakfast table little did I know that was the moment that would go down in history! When my father and husband arrived to see me up on the bank, their immediate thought was she’s tangled her fly line. It would have been a Willie Gunn and a borrowed rod that I caught my first salmon on, alone, in a place that is hard to imagine is real. Easter would be spent fishing on the river Carron, Sutherland, where my parents lived and worked.

The first week of the season would bring hail and sun, a fisher’s bothy was more sought after than the riverbank at times. As the Keeper at Gruinards Estate, Hugh Matheson taught us how to fish and took us out onto the hill in the Argo cat. I was fortunate to be allowed, by the owners, to set up a studio above the old stables to use for painting during holidays whilst studying at Winchester School of Art. There are several deserted townships in Strathcarron, resulting from the clearances at the end of the 19th century. I was inspired to write my thesis on this whilst at university, fascinated to learn more about the people and their way of life. It was Telford’s Croick church that we chose to marry in. The last building on the single, narrow road where it changes to a rough track leading to the shepherd’s hut several miles beyond. Huge wedges of Christmas cake were served up here when we arrived to collect ‘Cora’, who became our hard-working family companion, chosen from a litter of beautiful black labs. On the east gable of the church evicted families took shelter and inscribed their names on the windowpanes so as not to be forgotten. The abandoned crofts of the Highlands are utilitarian buildings I find compelled to include in many of my paintings.

Simple dwellings, where my ancestors lived is a recurring theme.

A stark contrast set against the harsh landscape around them.

The textures, colours and form of the Highland landscape are always changing. It supplies endless inspiration not only daily, but hourly, as the weather and light create a natural masterpiece which is always just out of reach.

Fiona fishing the Smooth Pool, River Carron

This mesmerizing meeting point of land, horizon and sky is what makes me want to go back for more. I am captivated by the blurred line which exists between nature and human activity” My academic background started at Kingston University and Winchester School of Art where I graduated in Textiles and Fashion. I was selected as the Royal Society of Arts, ‘Young Designer into Industry’, and joined Jonathan Thorpe Mills for 12 months developing commercial fabric. This was followed by 6 years of designing men’s knitwear for Marks and Spencer Plc when I was elected as a member of the Courtaulds’ Design Committee. Subsequently I moved to Chellaston Academy and Moray Firth School to begin teaching Art after completing a P.G.C.E. in Art & Design from De Montford University.

We moved here in the millennium of 2000. One month away from the birth of our middle child. An idyllic destination with plenty to offer a growing family and a return, for me, to my birth country, to be nearer family.

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It wasn’t a difficult choice to make a new life and lifestyle change which enjoys the benefits of a lively city, as well as offering vast stretches of wild, deserted coastlines and white sandy beaches just minutes away. A breath-taking combination against looming mountains and sweeping skies.

I work from the Inverness Creative Academy, an impressive B listed Victorian building which has been restored by the WASP organisation, providers of studio space for artistic practitioners across Scotland. I have found it invaluable to work alongside other creatives, to be able to support each other’s ideas and follow up opportunities such as exhibiting at key events such as the Borders Art Fair.

I have recently collaborated with three other landscape artists to form a four-woman collective and spoken in the ‘We chose to challenge’ campaign for International Women’s Day where 100 female thought leaders were invited to share their story.

I paint each day in oil, acrylic and mixed media. It is easy to spot that my background in textiles and design has encouraged the unique bold and vibrant textural style of my work. Experimental mark-making and a creative use of materials is derived from my early training. Whilst judging the art section at the Ross-shire Federation W.R.I. annual show I am often quoted as saying “let the materials do the work”, something I always rely on. Each painting is made from several layers of colour, often working on more than once piece at a time.

The process is as exciting as the outcome…. I am always looking for visual elements that interest me which build in my subconsciousness like a virtual sketchbook. These contemporary, expressive landscapes are exhibited widely across Scotland. My work is permanently represented by Aberfeldy Gallery, Greens & Blues Gallery (North Berwick), Logie Steading Art Gallery (Moray) and Atholl Gallery. Seeing work hung outside the studio in a different context is rewarding.

Colourful atmospheric paintings pay homage to my Scottish homeland and welcome you in, to join me on a visual journey which embraces the history, culture and traditions which thrive throughout the Highlands and beyond. The progress of my artwork has constantly evolved and developed through experimentation, responding to feedback and through sustained execution.

I learn from the reaction of others, to move on and push new boundaries, it is something that was essential as a knitwear designer when meeting buyers.

It is not always easy to juggle family life with a career and arguably an unconventional one at that. I stopped teaching to solely focus on painting in 2007. I always find time to paint, I am addicted. After years of hard work and commitment I believe my work is better than it has ever been and I am proud to share this with the viewer, the public and to celebrate it.

Momentum is building in my desire to turn myself from a painter into someone who believes that creating luxury products from my artwork is adding value to myself.

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“It wasn’t a difficult choice to make a new life and lifestyle change which enjoys the benefits of a lively city, as well as offering vast stretches of wild, deserted coastlines and white sandy beaches just minutes away.”

To be recognised and accessible to all. To celebrate my early years of training with the introduction of textiles for the home and fashion, alongside original art.

I am excited to be launching a brand-new silk scarf range in Autumn. Each beautiful design has been taken from an original artwork. The colours and detail of the textures have been expertly translated onto 100% silk, taking guidance from experts at the Centre for Advanced Textiles which is part of Glasgow School of Art. Every part of the process has been conceived and made in Scotland. Although, not entirely new to working in textiles, it is the first time I have worked in print as well as taking the lead in developing the packaging and promotional lifestyle photography. I am delighted at how each scarf takes on an abstracted quality of the original image and several different looks can be created depending on how it is worn. I am looking forward to reaching a wider audience and make new connections within retail and creating new retail contacts.

To be more in control of my own development and dictate to myself when and where to exhibit is what I have learnt is important to me in the past year. To take back ownership of my artistic creativity and be more active in promoting myself across the world through my own website. To celebrate my artistry. To collaborate with others and regain the professionalism of working on new products whilst maintaining innovation. An aspect of my work I am so keen to maintain.

I am grateful for the busy year I have had; five paintings have been shipped overseas in the last month and I know that new products will grow the brand name even further. Whenever I have had an intense schedule, I need to take time to formulate new ideas and collate source material thus building momentum before starting again. It is not long before I am urged to get back and do more, to explore fresh ideas and discover new techniques. My latest body of work focused on the machair grasses of the West Coast, I am searching for my next subject.”

www.fionamatheson.com www.instagram.com/fionamathesonart/ www.facebook.com/Fionamathesonartist Fiona is our Wilderness Hotel guest, see page 52, and advert on page 51.

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www.fionamatheson.com

www.fionamatheson.com

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

AUTUMN FISHING

By Simon Barnes

“There is a local saying that summer ends at the end of the Crieff Highland Games. Well, it does often rain at the close of the Games right enough! For me though the change is a bit more subtle. The first thing I notice is condensation on the windows and car windscreen first thing in the morning. Then there is the change in the leaves – not the colour change yet but the sound when the wind blows through. The leaves are just that little bit drier and they begin to rustle. The shift in daylight hours is the most reliable trigger in the natural world and the fish respond to it too. The angler must once again adapt.

For the sea angler it can be a great opportunity. The larger cod will begin to migrate from the cooler waters of Scandinavia and will join the smaller juvenile cod which can be found all year in Scottish coastal waters. These larger cod can be great sport and fantastic eating.

Whiting are also beginning to appear in greater numbers and seem to grow well at this time, often at their largest in December. They are not fussy eaters and will take most baits offered, including ragworm and lungworm. People fish for flounder too, in the shallow waters around our coasts. These fish are notoriously slow takers of the bait – so be patient. There is a tradition of “Flounder Tramping” along the Dumfriesshire coast and there are competitions held based on this fun family-friendly activity! Pollock – a secretive fish will hide in rocky places so get to know the hot spots. They will migrate to warmer waters down south so as leaves begin to fall this can be the best chance for you to catch a decent one. You need good strong tackle to catch pollock.

Mackerel! – who could forget fishing for mackerel? Well, I nearly did! I would imagine that this tasty fish would probably be the first one that people fish for in the sea with success. It’s always a surprise to me how very simple lures will catch these fish. A bit of silver paper or a bright feather attached to a hook will suffice. Even hooking them is easy – just jiggle the line up and down at the end of a pier or off a boat and there you are – sometimes two, three or more at once depending on how many hooks you have on your rig.

Fresh mackerel you’ve caught yourself, on the BBQ – a feast indeed.

Turning to freshwater fishing, the opportunities for the angler are immense.

Once again, the changing daylight length brings noticeable changes in the behaviour of our fish. The long sultry evenings have gone, and the water temperature is becoming cooler and more tolerable to the salmonid species.

Remember the physics lesson in the last issue? Very warm water has less oxygen and last summer there was less water too. The systems did get so warm and potentially dangerous for the fish that many stopped fishing.

In autumn it’s cooler and the rains have replenished some of the stale water and fish are on the move again. This is an opportunity, for trout especially, to get into condition for the trials of spawning and the long cold winter. In the lochs there may well be lots of minnows in the shallows after the summer season, and trout will often crash into the shoals in the shallows. Using an imitative perch fry or minnow pattern can bring spectacular sport.

Many sedges and daddy-long-legs are on the water and trout soon adapt to this food source. The canny anglers will reap the rewards if they adapt their flies to suit.

Late summer and autumn will also mean that migratories will be looking to leave the sea and enter the freshwater systems to spawn.

“The angler must once again adapt.”

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“For me, whatever the season, one of the great pleasures of fishing is to meet other people when I’m out and about – not necessarily anglers.”

I have seen shoals of salmon and sea trout splashing in the estuaries, waiting to make a dash upstream as soon as there is enough water.

The congregations of these fish do not go unnoticed. Seals will pursue their prey relentlessly in the sea – some will enter the tidal reaches of the river too. They can be seen regularly in the river Tay as far as Perth city and even farther upstream. The dolphins at Channery Point can be seen close into shore, effortlessly catching the migrating salmon – frustrating for the angler!

As autumn progresses and the leaves fall it can be a bit tricky casting a fly and avoiding getting it snagged up in the fallen leaves. The fish are aggressive at this time and will take your fly savagely.

For the non-angler too this can be an amazing time. Go to a salmon leap and watch these magnificent fish hurl themselves at the waterfalls, attempting to get upstream to the spawning grounds. My local leap is Buchanty Spout on the river Almond and no matter how many times I have witnessed this fascinating natural spectacle, I still wait with many others just to see another fish leap and I cheer when the effort is successful. Amazing – go and watch.

Of course the autumn colours are often stunning, and Perthshire is known as the Big Tree County – a part of Scotland which shows off another of nature’s spectacles. The autumn harvest of mushrooms doesn’t go unnoticed either – chanterelles, ceps and field mushrooms can be abundant. Be sure you know what you are picking – if there’s any doubt then don’t pick it.

If you are up in the hill lochs, it’s not long after summer ends before the great sound of autumn begins. The red stags are gearing up to the rut and the sound of their roaring commences. I love it. Even the little red squirrel (making a comeback recently here in Perthshire) is now busy stashing nuts in food larders ready for winter.

As you’ll have realised from my articles, fishing in Scotland is not all about catching fish. It is so much more. One plea however – if you do plan to keep a fish for eating, just note the time of year. Trout are getting ready to spawn in autumn. I don’t like to take a fish after the end of July. I feel so guilty killing a fish to find it is full of developing eggs -these are our future – so I return them carefully.

I know a lot of people come out in the autumn to catch a salmon – often not having been out all season. Of course the fish are there but they too are preparing to spawn and begin to change. They transform into spawning colours (we call them “tartan”) and the fat reserves are now being used to develop eggs and milt. The simple fact is they are not so good to eat in that state. Putting them in a smoker won’t create delicious smoked salmon – “rubbish in, rubbish out”. So enjoy the sport of course, but please return the fish to reproduce.

For me, whatever the season, one of the great pleasures of fishing is to meet other people when I’m out and about – not necessarily anglers. I was up in Shetland for a couple of weeks with a friend.

We had taken a cottage and were exploring many of the lochs to be found there. Some were on uninhabited islands which couldn’t be reached but there were plenty of others – in fact, you changed your loch, not your fly! I decide to buy some eggs from a croft one day and knocked on the door of the house. The lady laughed and said “no, no you get them in the box!” in a lovely Shetland accent. Realising my mistake, I replied I’d only buy the eggs if I could inspect the hens who laid them. “Come on then” she said, “and I have some Shetland ducks too”.

During the melee of viewing hens and ducks and various other interested parties including a donkey and some sheep, the crofter’s husband appeared and on chatting to him I discovered he had some mussel ropes in a nearby bay, close to an island which I’d noted had two lochs. He offered to take us over to it and, as he dropped us off, he said that if we had time we should walk up to the north of the island “to see what we could see” … Intriguing.

We did walk up and there, still in place, were two massive World War 1 guns, placed there to watch for submarines trying to attack allied ships moored in the Shetland Voes. Fascinating.

At the arranged time the crofter picked us up and in the boat was one of his sons. “Oh, a family outing! Where’s your wife?” I asked.

“She’s clipping the sheep,” came the reply!

When I shook the hand of his son it was evident he was not a crofter, so I asked him what he did. “I’m a concert pianist,” he told me. A very interesting conversation developed, and I discovered he had just written an opera about a Nigerian boy who had the head of a kettle! All this from going to buy some eggs – you couldn’t make it up!

So maybe you thought fishing was boring? Well if you have been reading my articles I hope I’ve shown you it can be far from boring – for sure, it has me captivated and I feel very fortunate for that. Go on, try it!”

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

MR & MRS ROD GUN

By Cara Hutchens

“Or should that be; Mr Ears and Mrs Eyes........himself is a little challenged with distance vision and I can't hear a thing... So I spot things for him, and he alerts me to all sorts of sound waves which slip over the top of my head; between us we do usually seem to get there.

To be noted that PPE is not just a recent fetish; our eyes and ears have forever been covered for fishing and shooting purposes. Unusual genetics and our combined years which make for just over a century under our straining belts have taken their toll. Pardon?

We rather like advancing through the seasons of life. The becoming silver fox and I consider our grey hairs and wrinkly bits a huge privilege. Both runners in the past, we no longer have a good knee between us. Ceilidh dancing these days is much more about holding each other up than whisking each other off! Adventures and a great big lot of fun has been had whilst knackering ourselves.

However, we still thoroughly enjoy our shooting, deer-stalking, or a recreational wander around Scotland's mountains. Also often to be seen doing a spot of rock-wob‐ bling (wading) in pursuit of bars of silver fish. Like many (or should that be millions?!) we secured a new bicycles during 2020 and each reneged on the idea of an E bike, for now. We can be seen whizzing, nay wheezing, our way around the bonny trails and tracks of Speyside. Wave if you see us, just don't expect a conver‐ sation.

Apart from an in‐ creasing inability for the cycling/ speaking combo; he won't see who you are, and I won't hear what you say!

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Whatever the pursuit may be with rod, gun, wheels, or bat, if you can still do it, then do it. At whatever speed you are able. An amount of steadiness and stealth is often the very best approach to a river fishing pool or a hunting vantage point. We recently organised a fishing day on the beautiful river Findhorn for 3 siblings aged 85, 90 & 92: 267 years of life experience betwixt them. Their mission to enjoy a shared lifetime passion for casting a line and to celebrate the 90th birthday of the middle 'girl'! Bright sun and low water conditions dissuaded the Salmon God from smiling upon them that particular day, there were smiles all round and a huge amount of fun and reminisc‐ ing was had.

Lady Luck has a part to play in most of the pursuits we all follow. We firmly believe that age and experience win over fancy kit on so many occasions. Rock up to any fish‐ ing hut on a Monday morning at 9am and there is often a great discussion about skagit, short head Spey, triple density, carbon composites and the next technological advances which will apparently help you cast further and attract more fish. Quite how our tweed clad forefathers (and mothers) ever managed to land a fish on split cane, or bagged a stag with open sights are often forgotten in the mists of time.

And then there's what a body should wear....? And also the subject of hunting/shooting kit, which will help you shoot straighter, higher, and further in almost any visibility. These topics can keep for another day. Do what makes you happy, at whatever speed you can. Wear your favourite scruffy hat, use your Grandma's rod, or Grand‐ pa's shotgun, but above all, have a splendid time!” www.internationalhuntingscotland.com

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Sticky & Sour Pheasant

By India Annand

Warm up that weekday Autumn night, with this fabulous fake-away recipe sure to fire up taste buds. This recipe is perfect with pheasant. Can easily be made with partridge, pork, or chicken. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

Sticky and sour sauce

250ml apple juice 2 tablespoon soy sauce 5cm fresh ginger 3 garlic cloves 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons mirin 1 tsp of tomato paste 1 tablespoons corn flour

4-6 pheasant breasts cut into small strips 1 plate full of plain flour 1 tablespoons Chinese 5 spice 2 chicken eggs mixed with a fork on plate 1 plate of panko breadcrumbs 1 litre of vegetable oil

Ginger fried noodles

200g mushrooms sliced 200g fresh udon noodles 5cm piece of fresh ginger minced 2 tablespoons of soy sauce 1 teaspoon of ground ginger 2 teaspoon of ground Chinese 5 spice

Method

Heat oil in wok on medium heat.

Heat up your oven to 70 degrees and place a ceramic dish in it. This will be used to keep the fried pheasant warm.

Lay out plates of flour mixed with Chinese 5 spice, forked eggs and breadcrumbs. Have a spare plate available for pheasant that has been dipped in all three at the ready.

Dip pheasant strips in flour mixture, then in the eggs and then breadcrumbs. Set them to one side ready for frying. Once the oil is warm, fry pieces of pheasant in batches making sure to not overcrowd the wok. Place the pheasant on a plate in the oven to keep warm. Once all the pheasant has been fried, put hot oil in the wok to one side.

Next, make the sticky sour sauce. Place all the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor and whisk until smooth. Transfer sauce to a small pot and place on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, boil the kettle and place noodles in a bowl covering them with hot water.

Next, make the noodles by frying the mushrooms and ginger in coconut oil in a frying pan. Add soy sauce, Chinese 5 spice and ground ginger. Drain the noodles and stir them into the mixture.

To serve place the noodles, sticky & sour sauce and fried pheasant pieces on plates. Sprinkle over sliced fresh coriander, chilli, spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve with boiled, crunchy broccoli or greens of your choice.

Visit: jboultdesigns.com 40

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Life on the remote Pait Estate

Words & Images

By Angela Phimister

“Autumn arrives with so much beauty, the hills dance with the wonderful colours of the season. Greens, reds, yellows and brown in all different shades. Each day a joy whatever the weather, not only at Pait and Monar but all down Glen Strathfarrar, the colours would just take your breath away.

It would be the proper start to the stag season at Pait, with lodge parties a bit smaller than in Summer but it was just as exciting. Each guest hoped they would be lucky on the hill or, if not stalking, still getting a pike or trout while in season.

Boats would come and go, weather permitting, with guests or, if all going well, with stags down the loch to the Monar larder awaiting collection by game dealer.

We had a few cancelled sailings due to wild windy weather and a few journeys that should probably never have happened! One of the last journeys comes to mind. Fred, the young Laird, was due to arrive with friends but this was put on hold for the first sailing but the next day Dougie set off to pick them up. Weather had not improved that much but off he goes, and two boats come back up the loch, the second driven by young Max. From the shore at Pait, all I saw were two white dots (the boats) getting thrown by waves. They eventually got into shore, faces white and shaken. ‘Never again!’ said Max, followed by same comments from the rest of the party.

Boats unloaded and everything was packed into the Mule ready to go to lodge, then there was still the job of mooring the boats as the gale was still blowing. We watched from the shore as Dougie and Max rowed back in safely. We had several of these journeys over the years, one trip, Dougie, myself, and Neil, who was the ghillie at the time, plus all 9 of our dogs and hind kill for the week left Pait. The weather had not been great all day but then it calmed down, so we decided to move to Monar for weekend. As we left Pait the wind blew up again. It got so bad we could not turn so there was nothing for it but to keep going. Waves crashed over the top of the boat as myself and Neil held on for dear life and the dogs too….

We finally got in sight of Monar, when I looked at Dougie, the expression on his face was not great. We could not get into the pier as the waves too big. So, we bounced about in middle of the loch for what felt like a lifetime, then there was nothing else for it but to just go for it. As we bounced alongside the pier, Dougie told Neil and I to get everything off boat. Then I was to get dogs up to our Monar Cottage, which I did. Shortly afterwards, I returned to boat to find Dougie had moored it and was now in the dinghy trying to get to shore but the oars had been thrown out, so he must be taken in by the waves, it was a heart in my mouth scene as I watched helplessly until he landed.

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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“A sign on my kitchen wall said, ‘Life is simple just not easy’ it summed up life at Pait.”

The stalking days would start with breakfast. The excitement in the kitchen was great. What to wear? Would the weather be kind? Where would they go to find a stag? Then it fell silent after they all left.

I would watch as they set off to the hill in envy some days but other days I would be happy to be cooking in kitchen. I would be at the larder for their return with scones, pancakes and beer. I loved seeing the ponies arrive with a stag in the early days, and latterly, it was the Argo that would bring the deer home.

The parties at lodge would come and go on a weekly basis so this meant my weekends were always busy cleaning, laundry and shopping. For Dougie, it would taking guests up and down the loch and stags to game dealer, re-fuelling for the following week and doing any repairs. At the end of the stag season, we would close down lodge, turn the water off, and everything was put away. Coal, fuel and deer blocks were brought in for the winter before we got snow on Glen Road. Then we would go to Pheasant and Partridge shoots with our dogs. Dougie would manage one a week as he had hinds to cull, I would maybe manage more if possible as I had finished with lodge until springtime which meant I had to stay at Monar as the days were too short to travel from Pait.

Autumn was a mix of rain, sun, wind, ice and snow but the most beautiful season. A sign on my kitchen wall said, ‘Life is simple just not easy’ it summed up life at Pait.”

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WWW.GREATGLENCHARCUTERIE.COM 42

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

AUTUMN SEASON ON SKYE

“Whether you are stalking in the rut or just out experiencing it, for me, nothing brings you closer to a feeling of being a part of that landscape than the sights and sounds of the rut.”

Words by Scott MacKenzie, Head Gamekeeper Stalker

And then, suddenly, the peace is broken, there is a new sound in the glen, not heard this past summer, spring or winter. The stalker frantically, wildly, swings the threedraw telescope to pinpoint the location of the sound.

The ears are now locked in, the hairs on the stalker’s neck raise like a blade being opened from a pocketknife.

The heart beats a little faster, but this sound is nothing new to the stalker, it has been a constant since he has walked these hills as a younger man, yet it never fails to pump some kind of primeval passion coursing through the body.

The stalker looks on as a gentle mist has now rolled in and hinders any chance of glimpsing the source of the noise. An eery silence falls over the area and time seems to pass slowly, enticing the stalker to dwell on the past and think on the untold thousands of years that sound has reverberated around the glen. Then, without notice, the deep moaning sound concealed in the dense mist seems to boom and echo from every angle of the ridge, this serves to sharpen and focus the stalker’s senses once more.

The wind has now picked up and forces a gap through the mist and the stalker brings his attention to the slope before him and he tentatively adjusts the 70-year-old optic bringing the blur of its aged glass into focus. Look‐ ing out to the far side of the slope, the stalker catches movement, through the gap in the mist and boulder strewn scree walks out the familiar dark peat-stained figure of a stag, majestic, menacing and no doubt stink‐ ing from his own urine soaked coat. The rut is on and autumn is here…

For any traditional Hill stalker, I would have to say, almost without exception, the Red deer rut in Autumn is that time of year we all look forward to. Whether you are stalking in the rut or just out experiencing it, for me, nothing brings you closer to a feeling of being a part of that landscape than the sights and sounds of the rut.

It is also an indicator of our seasons, you start to get a sense of change during September, the stag groups become slightly restless with half-hearted jousting and older stags being the first to move away from the bachelor groups.

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021 43

Scott took Scotland in 4 Seasons Magazine to The Game Fair, July 2021, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire

“A fresh south westerly wind hits the face of Sgaithbheinn an Uird, the broken tree line of Birch, Oak and Hazel of the Coille Mhor rustle in its breeze. There is a certain coolness in the air that heralds the onset of change echoed only by the once lush green Bracken now waning and sporting its golden hue.

To the stalker, high up on the ridge, nestled in a bed of wind dried moss and heather, all this is elemental. Spy‐ ing through his Broadhurst & Clarkson telescope at the lower slopes of the ridge, he looks on, checking, analys‐ ing every nook, hilloch and boulder strewn slope.

“The deep, echoing moan that would not be out of place in the Serengeti, now bellows from every corrie, hilltop, woodland edge, and moorland, it truly is a most majestic sound that I hope we never lose in this landscape.”

Photo Stewart Dawber

Most of this is due to older Hinds starting to show signs of coming into season brought on by shorter daylight hours and slight temperature drops. The stags also react as their testosterone levels rise causing them to become aggressive and less tolerant of each other.

When you work with red deer for a long time in one area you really do tune into them, you can feel the change in the seasons too as their behaviour changes. Our an‐ cestors were acutely aware of this and far more in tune with their environment and the animals that inhabited it.

Indeed, we only have to look at our own language to see this, An Damhair (October) literally means “The Rutting Month” in Gaelic.

Observing red deer during the rut is a sight to behold for anyone with an interest in deer as one of Scotland’s iconic animals. Intolerance grows within the bachelor groups, necks muscles enlarge and start to sport a full mane, within days their coats are peat stained black and reeking of their own urine. Master stags are the first to head off, tongues tasting the air in search of those hinds that are now in season but who are not necessarily want‐ ing their male counterpart’s attention. With the occasion‐ al wallow stop to ensure every square inch of his body is suitably adorned in peat and urine, the master stags continue to their respective rutting grounds where they 44

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

will gather and corral as many hinds and their follow‐ ers as possible. Day and night these tank-like beasts are seeing off younger male interlopers, jousting with evenly matched stags and through it all rarely taking a bite to sustain their condition.

When periodic respite comes it does not serve the master stag time to rest and feed, it serves to tell all in the whole glen who is boss. The deep, echoing moan that would not be out of place in the Serengeti, now bellows from every corrie, hilltop, woodland edge, and moorland, it truly is a most majestic sound that I hope we never lose in this landscape.”

Creative Countryside

By Jade Cruickshank “The colours of Autumn are incredible, with long walks and low sun giving us beautiful purple and orange skies and crunchy crimson leaves underfoot. We have a couple of favour‐ ite local walks, one is on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park and the other is Faskally woods in Perthshire, with its beautiful backdrops and colours. We normally travel down to that area to enjoy the Enchanted Forest, which is a beautiful sound and light show in Faskally.

After a day of exploring our wonderful surroundings, we indulge in some of the most amazing local produce from the Autumn harvest, such as homemade jams, apple pie, pear tarts and of course some wild bramble gin, all harvested on our doorstep. Local Game is also a favourite in our house: partridge and chorizo scotch eggs (a big favourite!), venison casserole and pheasant, bacon, and leek pie with wholegrain mustard – yum!

It’s also the time of year that all the root vegetables sown earlier in the year are almost ready. We normally have, car‐ rots, leeks, swede, and parsnips - all the vital ingredients for a delicious homemade soup. I’ve never quite been brave enough to forage for wild mushrooms.

During the autumn months we prepare for winter by stacking logs, it is a family annual ritual. A Scandinavian friend once told me they build fires in reverse order where the solid fuel is on the bottom, then kindling and then the firelighter on the top.

The theory is that when the fire lighter is lit, this heats up and drops hot embers on the kindling which then catches fire and then again the burning embers heat up and light the solid fuel below. They make their own firelighters by collecting waste candle wax, tumble dryer lint and egg boxes. They fill each section of the egg box with dryer lint and then heat and drip

Autumn brings a change of routine for me as it is the begin‐ ning of pheasant season. I take a step back from working in the gardens and turn to my role as Head of Hospitality at Findrack Estate. It’s a great time to revisit menu items for the busy season ahead and experiment with new recipes, especially those using game. I’m always looking for new ways to serve pheasant, but my all-time favourite recipe is pheasant, bacon, and leek pie (see over the page) served with warm buttery mash and steamed green veggies.

Where we live is surrounded by farms, and I enjoy winding down to the view of the tractor lights beaming through the windows as the nights darken, and the harvest is finalised.

The highest elevation fields being last to ripen, and after‐ noon walks through the stubble fields as the sun sinks lower in the sky, these moments define when Autumn is about to begin.

A wardrobe change is a must at this time of year. Swapping summer shoes, light jackets, t-shirts and sunscreen for cosy coats, warm scarves, woolly hats, gloves and chunky boots - season essentials - it’s an opportunity to craft a new look.

Preparing all the winter boots with a generous coating of mink oil is another annual ritual.

Pumpkins are a family favourite too as we all love to get involved and explore our creative side although I think I take it a bit too seriously sometimes.”

the melted wax on to the lint. Each time you need a fire lighter, you simply tear off one section of the egg box.

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

45

Pheasant, Bacon and Leek Pie 50g Butter 200g Streaky Bacon, cut into chunks 4 Leeks, cut into large chunks 3 Celery sticks, sliced 3 Carrots, halved lengthways and sliced 2 bay leaves 3 tbsp Plain Flour 300ml Cider 500ml chicken stock 2 tbsp Double Cream 6 pheasant breasts, skinned and cut into large chunks 3 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard (I add a little more but start with this amount) 1 tbsp cider vinegar 500g block puff pastry Plain Flour, for dusting Egg, beaten with a little milk, to glaze

STEP 1

Heat the butter in a casserole dish and cook the bacon for 1 min until it changes colour.

Add the leeks, celery, carrots, and bay, and cook until they start to soften.

Stir the flour into the veg until it goes a sandy colour, then splash in the cider and reduce.

Pour in the chicken stock, stir, then add the cream.

Season, then bring everything to a simmer.

Add the pheasant and gently simmer for 20 mins until the meat and veg are tender.

Stir through the mustard and vinegar, then turn off the heat and cool.

STEP 2

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

Tip the mixture into a large rectangular dish.

Roll the pastry out on a floured surface, place over the dish and trim round the edges, leaving an overhang.

Brush the pastry with egg, then decorate with any leftover pastry, if you like.

Sprinkle with a little sea salt.

The pie can be frozen for up to 1 month; defrost complete‐ ly before baking.

Bake for 30-35 mins until golden.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 mins before serving.

Tales from a Skye Croft

By Claire Nicolson

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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“For me, autumn, not spring, is the start point: the hope of new beginnings is at hand.”

“It’s oft remarked these days that there’s a “day” for everything: World Gin Day; National Lollipop Day; Cycle to Work Day; Sourdough Day; Play Doh Day...it goes on and on. Whilst I ignore the vast majority of these (including most Bank Holidays, Hallowe’en and Valentine’s Day) I instead give a nod of recognition to my own ‘days’ - not birthdays or anniversaries but tasks and events which bring order to our crofting life and mark our passage through each year. Many of these events occur as summer draws to a close, as I set aside my grumpi‐ ness welcoming autumn with a huge “I’ve survived summer, now bring on the best bits” smile on my face. By the time we get to September, the football season is already underway (not that it ever really stops in our house) and the boys are back in their school routines. For me, autumn, not spring, is the start point: the hope of new beginnings is at hand.

Over the course of the month I take pleasure in digging out the soup pan, the porridge pot and casserole dishes that have been pushed to the back of the cupboards but now promise tasty, nourishing comfort during the darker, colder days ahead. The brambles are ripe for picking and if I’ve time I climb up to the highest shelf to retrieve my Grandma’s jelly pan and happily spend an afternoon burning my lips and getting high on the intoxicating smell of bubbling fruit and sugar knowing that, stirred into porridge or spread on toast, it will warm the soul on a winter’s morning.

I can never move on from a bramble mention with‐ out telling the story of our youngest who, at the age of two, was so tired on the walk home on an autumn day that he could barely put one foot in front of the other. We stopped by the bushes at the old church where he revived himself by gorging on the fat purple jewels and actually ran the rest of the way home – a real sugar-fuelled hit of energy! The dogs love them too and I often watch in fascina‐ tion as they carefully pull the fruit from the prickly branches risking a thorn in their mouths with each attempt, the treat clearly worth the potential pain.

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Having endured shop-bought tatties for too many months the temptation to begin unearthing our crop is held at bay until a day in mid-October. Oh, the joy of this dig for treasure!

Digging carefully to avoid damage, wondering how many there will be, how big they will be and watching the pile grow, filling one bucket, then two, trying to work out how long they will last – hopefully into the New Year. The taste buds can wait no longer and there’s a pot bubbling in no time. Nothing beats that first taste of your own, earthy, creamy tatties.

But it’s not all harvesting, cooking and eating days: there are exploration days! Outside, the landscape is changing, the burnished colours vibrant before fading. As vegetation dies back some of our favourite spaces become more accessible again and happy afternoons will be spent reacquainting ourselves with the woods and burns on the shore side of the croft, boys climbing all the way up the burn from the sea to the road, mending dams to secure the paddling ponds, standing under waterfalls whilst dogs plunge in and out, leaping overhead from one side to the other.

Trees, now bereft of leaves, are easier to navigate and climb. Chase, hide and seek, roll in the leaves, lean against trunks in warm sunshine...

There are, of course, plenty of jobs to do too: my war on the rhoddies recommences, bonfires are lit but more importantly, we begin our preparations to ensure the cycle of life continues next spring as it should. This starts with the sale of this year’s lambs and calves – though we keep the majority of ewe lambs and heifer calves to sustain our homebred flock/herd. Sadly no days out to Dingwall Mart this year or last due to Covid.

A real miss in our calendar. Having ensured the breeding ewes are healthy and strong, tups are prepared and one Saturday in late November they will don their wooing paint (raddle on their chests) and be sent forth to procreate. It’s an exciting moment: their behaviour over the next few weeks will determine the success of our lambing next spring.

Amongst all this, one day I’ll arrive home from work at dusk and will just know that inside the stove has been lit. As I gather autumn around me like a warming shawl, all is well.”

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Collette

Our new columnist from Fife injects her seasonal cheer into Autumn

“I recently moved back to Fife after living in London and Surrey for 20 years, but autumn in Scotland is exactly how I remember it. There’s something almost magical about the changing colours of the leaves, the crisp, misty mornings, and the dark, frosty nights.

For some people the end of summer is a sad affair but not for me. Anne Shirley, the eponymous Anne of Green Gables said, ‘I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers,’ and I couldn’t agree more. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons, second only to winter.

Digging out boots, gloves, hats, and scarves again fills me with absolute joy! There’s nothing better than heading out to a cosy pub on a brisk, bright afternoon, wrapped up warm, collecting shiny auburn conkers and kicking through piles of leaves, to arrive in front of the pub fire and unwrap those outside layers. And if a Sunday roast is on the menu, even better.

A walk along the East Neuk coast afterwards blows away the cobwebs, and if you’re really lucky you might spot a dolphin or two.

Autumn still has an air of ‘back to school’ about it for me, even though my school days are long gone. I like to start a new notebook and plan, prepare, and generally get organised for the coming months. Why wait till January, which can be quite a challenging month for people in all sorts of ways after Christmas, and especially if you’re not a fan of the harsh Scottish winter, to then attempt sometimes drastic adjustments at a time of year which already feels hard? Most of us are still in a happier, sunnier mood in September so it’s the ideal time to put changes in motion. You can then recharge your batteries over Christmas without the looming dread of a New Year's resolution that feels impossible to achieve. September is the new January.

The main event of autumn for me though, as it is for all seasons, is the food. The vegetables we enjoyed sliced in salads and dips are now roasted, mashed, stuffed, or baked. My favourite meals at this time of year don’t get much more complicated than carrot and coriander soup, soda bread, rumbledethumps (surely worth it for the name alone?), beef stew and dumplings - hearty, warming comfort food using the finest of Scottish ingredients.

Just remember to keep a few neeps back for Halloween and tumshie lanterns - much harder to carve than a pumpkin, and the smell of burning turnip stays with you for ever! As the autumn weather gets colder and wetter it’s an ideal opportunity to stock up on some classic Scottish home baking treats like tablet, shortbread, scones, and pancakes. Perfect for a cosy rainy afternoon indoors with a constant supply of tea.

Some candles, a few good books and a bundle of warm blankets are the ultimate finishing touches for my ideal autumn, and set the scene perfectly for the next season.”

“Roll on the Scottish winter!”

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The Wilderness hotel You book a night in the Wilderness hotel, and arrive just as a huge storm takes out the power. The torrential rain floods the road, and the local river bursts its banks. There are no phone signals, no power or communication with the outside world until morning. The staff greet you by candlelight.

Let your imagination flow as you answer the questions below.

Artist Fiona Matheson is our Wilderness Hotel guest.

Q. All the rooms are haunted, and you can pick any room in the hotel to sleep in. What room would you pick, what does it look like and who would haunt it and why?

“I am terrified of anything that mentions ‘haunted’! I feel anxious answering the question. Immediately I need to choose something offering a haven, an easy escape route, the least creepy. It would be on the ground floor, small and basic without mirrors. If the room had an interior designed by Cesar Manrique, I might be able to lose myself as if surrounded by the architectural interior of Jameos del Agua in Lanzarote. He always tried to connect with nature and enjoy life as purely as possible. Hopefully if Manrique haunted it, I could imagine I had revisited this exceptional island retreat and have a conversation about his ideas and gain an insight into his ingenious mind. That would distract me enough not to flee.”

Q. Your clothes and footwear are drenched in the downpour but in your room there’s a wardrobe full of clothes and shoes in your size. You can help yourself, what do you pick to you wear?

“First choice: colour and pattern, then check what the fabric is made from. A strong silhouette would be handy in the dim light so a piece of vintage couture would fit the occasion. I still really need the option of leaving in a hurry so I am going to have to stick with practical footwear, maybe some new golf shoes will provide good grip in an emergency.”

Q. What do you see out of your bedroom window?

“The sea, it would mesmerise me and have a calming influence. Not too calm though, waves are not optional.

If I could just make out a distant island like St. Kilda that would keep my imagination fuelled until morning.”

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Q. You are one of four guests at the dinner table in the Snug by the huge fireplace, who are the three other guests, what is the shape of table and where would they sit?

“I do prefer a round table, it’s easier to speak to and see everyone. Perhaps one would be Lady Diana, we could recreate all her iconic outfits with the napkins. David Bowie would be next to her and be able to design a new image whilst we all listen to Barbara Streisand although David might not be happy about that.”

Q. What would you eat? Remember there’s no power.

What would you drink? Who would serve your table?

“Scottish raspberries, peas from the pods and toasted marshmallow over the candle. Vanilla milkshake with a shot of something mysterious. Margot Fonteyn would pirouette to the table.”

Q. Your bedroom is lit by candlelight, what book do you choose for your night-time reading?

“It would seem appropriate to read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. I am feeling less scared of the whole haunted, stormy situation and as this was the last play I saw at the theatre it would be interesting to turn its pages.”

Q. The power is restored before dawn, so after a hot breakfast, the skies have cleared, and the flood waters have subsided, you check out. Where are you going on your onward journey and why?

“Down to the shore to see what has been washed up.”

Find out more about Fiona and her work on page 30

We all love good news!

Share your good news with us!

Positive happenings, uplifting, celebrations, exhibitions, awards, courageous tales, happy updates.

Editor@scotlandin4seasons.co.uk

Business Awards for Highland Hiddle Harriet Fletcher, said, “you may have read my article in the Summer edition of Scotland in 4 Seasons in which I described my own background and how I came to start Highland Hiddle, an online market-place for high-quality arts and crafts made in the Highlands and Islands.

Well, no sooner had the ink dried on the first draft of that article than I was invited to enter the Highlands and Islands Business Excellence Awards 21 run by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI). The Awards ‘ceremony’ had been set for 24th June, the first such ‘event’ I would attend as a business owner. Given lockdown it was a virtual event... a mega Zoom meeting if you can imagine that.

After a pun-filled welcome by the SCDI chairwoman we were properly entertained by the renowned impressionist and comedian Alistair McGowan.

First up was the Highland Spirit and Resilience Award, in a close-run contest, Highland Hiddle was delighted to win the silver award in this category, coming second to Williamson Food Service who took gold.

The judges made mention of how Highland Hiddle captured the spirit of the Highlands and Islands through bringing together the beautiful products being made by small, independent artisans in the region, at the same time providing greater resilience for the craft community by introducing a brand new sales channel for them. Towards the end of the awards ceremony came the announcement of the Outstanding Business Leader which recognised the business leader who it was thought best demonstrated making an outstanding personal difference to a business and a significant positive contribution to the economy.

I admit to being humbled even to be nominated for this category, given Highland Hiddle is such a new business, but was quite overwhelmed to be presented with the silver award. Many congratulations go to Tony Story of Kingsmill Hotel Group who won gold. As such a young company we were extremely proud to be a finalist in these awards, and it gives us great encouragement in continuing to provide a window of opportunity for the talented artists and crafters living and working in the Highlands and Islands. It was an experience I will treasure, and I hope Highland Hiddle’s continuing success will lead to attendance at future events, hopefully live ones!”

See the full list of finalists and winners in the awards here https://www.scdi.org.uk/hiawards/highlands-and-islands-awards-winners/

To discover the beautiful arts and crafts being made by talented small, independent makers go to www.highlandhiddle.co.uk

Glen Lyon Coffee Roasters celebrated their 10th Anniversary back in July (pictures page 23). If you have yet to try their coffees (and teas) visit the roastery in Aberfeldy (see website for opening times) or order online. All Glen Lyon speciality coffees are 100% traceable and ethically sourced. Every year the team plants trees in the Highlands to offset their carbon footprint.

Earlier this year they launched a Coffee Academy, in partnership with the youth charity Project Northern Lights, to support school leavers into work with a three-month mentoring program, internationally recognised qualifications and work experience. https://www.glenlyoncoffee. co.uk/ Great Glen Charcuterie has been awarded best Game Product in the British Charcuterie Live Awards. The awards postponed from last year had to change the judging process to allow the competition to continue with judging taking place remotely throughout the country.

Great Glen Charcuterie based in the Scottish Highlands, won the accolade for their Green Pepper Venison Salami which is made with locally sourced wild venison.

Owner Jan Jacob Baak said “It is fantastic to be recognised for our salami with this award. The past year has been very challenging for us and the hospitality industry and we are delighted with this exciting news.”

The judges commented: “What a wonderfully crafted salami! Loved the texture - a perfectly balanced flavour profile.” www.greatglencharcuterie. com

Artist Catherine King has a Solo Exhibition.

“A perfect day” is her 60 for 60 collection of portraits of women and some new work in portrait and landscape.

Art Exhibition

Location: The Billiard Room, Glasgow Art Club, Date:16th September to 22nd October.

Ring the bell for entry, 125pm Monday-Friday Visit and subscribe: https://glasgowartclub.co.uk/ events/

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Wise old Hind by Linda Mellor

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

GATEWAY1 Boot Review Over the years my footwear requirements have changed, long gone are the days of heels and im‐ practicality. These days, my footwear decisions involve comfort, wearabili‐ ty, toughness, grip, warmth and also value for money.

Wellies are a crucial part of my foot‐ wear collection, they’re my go-to at all times of year, it doesn’t have to be raining, muddy or snowing. Wellies are always there when I need them and slipped into at any time of the day or night, and for any occasion.

They are essential. My life would be incomplete without wellies.

During the last 20+ years I have spent most of my working life out‐ doors and have struggled to find a welly boot I love. There are a lot of makes and styles on the market, and many come with hefty price tags. I have probably worn most brands over the years, and had the same unsatisfactory result and moved onto the next label.

By Linda Mellor

As Billy Connolly sang in the 1970s: “If it wisnae fur yer wellies wherewud you be?”

My welly dissatisfaction is over. I have discovered a brand I love and, furthermore, they do a fabulous camouflage boot!

Gateway1 boots are superb, they provide a level of comfort and warmth beyond any welly boot I’ve owned, they support your foot and have a highly functional grippy sole and even have a raised lip at the back of the heel to hook your toe under when you pull your boots off.

I’ve been wearing Gateway1 boots (Pro Shooter, 18” in Mossy Oak) since March, and they’ve seen me comfortably through deep snow, freezing and icy conditions, spring, summer, and autumn. I’m looking forward to winter because I know they’ll cope admirably.

Gateway1 have a great range of styles and colours, they have some‐ thing to suit everyone’s taste and requirements. Camusericht Deer Stalker Richard MacGregor has worn the Woodwalker 18” in Khaki this year and enjoys the lightweight boot for it’s comfort and flexibility. He has worn the boot throughout 2021, and gave them a great workout when feeding the stags during the harsh spring months, he said, “It’s a great boot, very light, comfortable and hard-wearing. When you’re on your feet all day you need a light boot with good grip, that’s comfy and up to the job.”

See over the page for more....

For your nearest stockist email: sales@koolbox.co.uk or Telephone 01509 233 333 www.koolbox.co.uk Catalogue can be found at www.gateway1-footgear.com

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Gateway1 Boots 10/10

4x4 Arrow deep-grip(TM) sole system

Croot’s Country Store & Gun Room are a Gateway1 stockist website: https://www.crootscountrystore.com Holy Loch Marina, Dunoon PA23 8FE

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Embrace Autumn, take courage and thrive

By Debbie Anderson

“It will certainly be a season of new beginnings, opportunities, and a leap faith for the brand”

“The darker side of our seasonal calendar is coming… It comes every year. Are you on a downer as we delve into the darkness this autumn? You have a choice; you can get over it and relish the opportunity available. Embrace Autumn, take courage and thrive!

Becoorie and hunker down in comfy clothes, light a candle, look after yourself, your body, your skin and snuggle a cosy blanket. Read a book or plan your next project.

‘Coorie’ means to snuggle or nestle, and has recently been positioned as a lifestyles concept trend, similar to the Dan‐ ish well-being concept ‘hygge’, which involves feelings of cosiness, comfort, and conviviality.

When I started Becoorie ‘A way of life’ the inspiration came to me with a Scottish twist, one that I had clear in my mind. One that developed from a lifelong love of nature and the outdoors and one that would encompass my love of the outdoors with being a conscious consumer, a responsible human in all aspects of life: shopping for ourselves or our home, self-care or for our environment around us, where we visit and how we spend our free time.

And now with the start of Becoorie Jersey with sus‐ tainable travel packages from Secret Escapes and Premier Holidays, there will also be new product ranges, and the launch of a brand new E-commerce site it will certainly be a winter of new beginnings, opportunities, and a leap of faith for the brand.

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“One called ‘Wild and Happy’, to mirror my love of outdoors” The shop in Comrie, with the addition to its new Becoorie candle range, will also welcome a new Becoorie soap and balm range, including handwashes, hair products and body lotions. The products that are natural, organic, and eco-friendly, all have been ethically made in Scotland using natural materials. The skin and hair products are paraben free, promote sustainable manufacturing meth‐ ods and ensure a low carbon footprint buy.

The new candle collection will have some of the popular original scents and some new ones that I have designed to reflect the journey of Becoorie. ‘Holidays' to celebrate the opening of Becoorie Campervan hire in Jersey and an‐ other one called ‘Wild and Happy’, to mirror my love of outdoors, sustainable activities and adventures, (like the ones I promote with Jersey Accommodation and Activity Centre - JAAC). The new candles will come in four sizes from small to a large centre piece, (perfect for Christmas), all Becoorie products aim to be eco-friendly and made with sustainable materials in the UK. Self-care is vital all year round but especially with the colder temperatures and darkness that comes with winter in Scotland. As autumn takes a grip, the available light reduces making our days shorter and the nights longer.

Both the dark days and early nights can have a negative impact on both mental and physical well-being so it’s even more important to have a self-care routine that sup‐ ports you during the autumn and winter months ahead.

As seasons change our activities alter with the available light, and your self-care routine will inevitably change too.

“We all deserve this after these last 2 years!”

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We often look upon the late autumn and winter months as a time to hibernate or perhaps we cast our minds back to the weather of a previous winter and grumble, but it doesn’t have to be like this, we can choose to flourish. I know this autumn and winter I want to thrive so I can look back with satisfaction and remember this time of year with affection, knowing that it was a time of warmth, personal growth, care, and time well spent. We all de‐ serve this after these last 2 years!

Tips for your Autumn and winter months

It is very tempting to overindulge, watch Netflix, and work your way through a giant-sized chocolate bar, binging on episode after episode of the new ‘Outlander’.. but I am going to challenge myself and make this autumn and winter a time of self-love and care, and makes these the months about looking after my skin, getting myself active outdoors and then em‐ brace the cold by enjoying cuddling up in front of an open fire. Getting into habits that promote a healthy lifestyle, a happy human and also having an inviting home to enjoy.

How do you beat the winter blues?

Staying fit, exercise regularly and look after your body, you only get one! Be conscious about what deflates or makes you sad and avoid it. Love yourself more and treat yourself and others with kindness.

Eat well and get enough sleep. Sometimes we need to be active, sometimes we need to slowdown. What‐ ever it is, being honest about our own needs and what we need to do to stay fit and healthy is half the battle to a positive winter. We all know deep down what energises us if we ask ourselves.

A light in the dark

Sometimes you just get up in Scotland and then an hour later the sun is gone, if it even came out from the clouds, this makes me think, ‘What a rubbish day.’ Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) also known as the ‘Winter Blues’ affects more than 3 million people in Britain each year. And Scots don’t suffer any more than other northern nationalities, but it is true, the further away you are from the equator does show an increase in SAD sufferers. This is down to the amount of winter daylight you receive. No mat‐ ter where you live, or how dark and cold the winters are, the good news is that Seasonal Affective Disorder is treatable.

Feel Armed and take on the Winter months - get a light box

Light boxes emit upwards of 10,000 lux (that’s a measure of the intensity of light) their bulbs are far stronger than ordinary incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. The light outside on an ambient day can range from 10,000 to 25,000 lux, but as with light boxes the UV rays are filtered out unlike tannings bed, making a light box safe to use.

It will take a few weeks for the light box to have an ef‐ fect, but it’s a harmless natural remedy that can help and diminish SAD. With the launch of the new products and a new e-commerce site this winter, Becoorie hopes to reach out to other similar brands and products which share the same ethos. So watch this space! I always welcome sug‐ gestions. So please follow us, send your suggestions on Instagram or FB. There has never been a more prevalent time to support local UK business and help our economy thrive again.”

becoorie.com

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EXPLORE

Becoorie.com 60

Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

A way of life...

GIFTS FOR YOU & YOURS

Looking for that something special for a loved one, perhaps a treat for yourself, or maybe some advance Festive gift buying?

Handcrafted in her home on the Isle of Skye, Michelle’s designs are inspired by the land around her. Beautiful gemstones, fossils and vintage buttons feature throughout Michelle’s jewellery ranges with one of a kind necklaces, earrings, brooches and bracelets.

Visit www.indigoberry.co.uk Fife based Mhairi Gibbons designs and makes individual pieces of jewellery from her studio using traditional bench jewellery methods. Inspired by the textures from the Fife landscape and North Sea, crafting by hand, Mhairi creates unique necklaces, earrings, rings, bangles, bracelets and memorial pieces.

Visit: www.mhairigibbonsjewellery.com

Images by Cathryn Archer Photography

Maccessori was launched in 2009 to produce a range of luxury accessories and bags for men and women, using Genuine Harris Tweed.

Embracing our Scottish heritage, Maccessori incorporate the famous Harris Tweed into their designs, elevating the classic material into contemporary fashion.

Visit: www.accessori.com

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Natural Renaissance

Photos Bavelaw Estate www.bavelawestate.org

Bavelaw, Estate, in the Pentland Hills west of Edinburgh is, despite its situation, relatively anonymous. Thousands of walkers and other access takers traverse the Estate annually and yet most of them will not be able to tell you that they have set foot there. Primarily comprising heather moorland, which accommodates their 800 strong hefted hill flock, the Estate is currently undergoing something of a natural renaissance. The Estate management envision a thriving natural environment seamlessly integrated with a working landscape that the many visitors to Bavelaw can both appreciate and be part of.

While elements of this vision have been coalescing for a while now, the most recent piece of the jigsaw to fall into place is the award of accreditation by Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) to the Estate. Bavelaw’s accreditation specifically recognised the holistic approach to restoring connectivity of habitats and also the enthusiasm of the people working and managing the land for the natural world. The assessor noted: “Bavelaw are a fantastic example of where fairly simple and straightforward actions can make a big difference to the natural world” Commercially Bavelaw is a farming enterprise but at heart they are nature aficionados and this passion drives every management decision they make. For example, a relatively recent assessment of impacts from their hill flock determined that a reduction in grazers was required. Accordingly, their flock was reduced from 1400 to 800 Blackface ewes.

To make this commercially viable, changes to breeding were required which both maintained the hardiness and coat but in addition, increased the lambing percentage and size as well as quality of the meat.

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While previously still not an intensive operation, when combined with the cumulative impacts of wild grazers, such as hares and deer, overgrazing was recognised as a concern especially when the annual addition of lambs more than doubled the size of the flock.

This change, in combination with habitat restoration projects, including the creation of ponds and wader scrapes, has worked wonders for the ecology of the heathland.

Furthermore, elsewhere on the Estate, nearly 55 hectares of native woodland has been planted over the last five years for both carbon sequestration and to further enhance biodiversity.

Their conservation success is something that Bavelaw are rightfully proud of and eager to share with the people who utilise the land for access and recreation and with this in mind, they recently restored 7,861 sqm of pathway to improve accessibility across the Estate.

Bavelaw is good example of a mindful approach to land management. Land management is unavoidably multi-faceted with the need to manage nature, commercial enterprise and social aspects in combination with each other but consciousness of this, and recognition of the vital role a healthy ecosystem plays at the heart of management, is certainly standing Bavelaw in good stead for the future. www.bavelawestate.org www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk/wildlife-estates-scotland

OBSERVATIONS FROM A GRUMPY FACTOR By Mr. A. Nonymous

“Visions of being cast in the role of ‘Vlad the Impaler’ disturbed my waking and sleeping hours.”

6.00 am Stornoway harbour on a dark blustery morning.

“What on earth am I doing here?” I thought as I waited for the light to turn to red indicating that we were live. “This is going out live to 24 million people on BBC World” the sound man whispered as he too waited. So began a day of live interviews for the BBC for the World Service, Today programme and BBC Scotland. It was then onto the ITV studios for another set of interviews.

I was there to respond to the Scottish Government’s Land Reform proposals on behalf of the Scottish Landowners Fed‐ eration. My co-interviewee was a Labour Party Councillor from the west of Lewis, who I seem to recall, was as nervous as I was. After a couple of interviews we were in agreement that who owned land mattered less than how it was managed, and by the time we were interviewed by Jim Naughtie for the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme he actually commented on the lack of antagonism and the level of consensus between us!

One size does certainly not fit all, and formulaic solutions rarely meet the complex needs of remote, rural, and isolated communities despite what the policy writers might think. This applies equally to those working for the Scottish Government as to those working with the various local development agen‐ cies. Bespoke solutions involving input from local communities tend to produce better policies designed to meet their specific needs, which will usually deliver better results. It is a pity that so many £millions of much needed investment has been wast‐ ed over the years on projects that had little chance of delivering the transformational change that they were intended to bring.

The Land Reform proposals are a case in point. For some communities they did indeed unlock the opportunity to move forward. For others a partnership approach might have been more successful, with estates and communities working togeth‐ er towards mutually desired goals. However, funding for this model was excluded from the packages available, presumably because this did not meet the ideological requirements of those chanting the ‘Land For the People’ mantras of the day.

It is interesting to recall that this legislation was not introduced by an SNP administration, but by the Labour/Lib Dem Coali‐ tion Government, perhaps providing a lesson for us all that the need to win votes by all parties in the urban areas of Scotland will always outweigh the need for pragmatic policy making.

A couple of years later, I was back in front of the media mi‐ crophones with Jim Naughtie, again on the Radio 4 Today programme. This time I was really worried. I had to defend the decision to eradicate hedgehogs from the island. Visions of be‐ ing cast in the role of ‘Vlad the Impaler’ disturbed my waking and sleeping hours.

“These thoughts are very much those of the writer and certainly do not necessarily reflect the views of the owners of the various estates I have had the good fortune, and privilege, to work on during the last three decades.”

When I heard the other person being interviewed was from Mrs Tiggywinkles my heart sank. My relief as indescribable when their spokesperson stated at the start that they complete‐ ly understood the need to remove this non-native species in the light of the catastrophic damage they were doing to the popu‐ lation of ground nesting birds.

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I didn’t really have much to say other than to agree. Their offer to pay £5 per live hedgehog delivered to their island holding centre was met with delight by gamekeepers and locals alike who all set to work with great enthusiasm!

Fast forward several years to an estate in Strathspey. The wind farm development brought with it a Moorland Management Agreement as part of the consenting process. The management plan included vermin control and muirburn, both designed to protect important hen harrier nesting sites in the vicinity, and to enhance the food sources for them.

Some years later, at the behest of the RSPB with support from Scottish Natural Heritage, the plan was changed to exclude muirburn. This was introduced despite objections from the Es‐ tate that this would be a dangerous and potentially disastrous move, as the risk of a wildfire would be significantly increased with the prospect of damage to both commercial forestry interests, and the very nesting sites the management plan was designed to protect.

Two wildfires in the dry spring of 2019 did untold damage to forestry, peatlands, flora, fauna, and of course, the hen harrier nesting sites. The cause of this destruction can be laid entirely at the door of the RSPB & NatureScot (SNH rebranded in 2020 to become NatureScot), who should hang their heads in shame.

Those who persist in promoting a ban on muirburn demon‐ strate their ignorance of the need for proactive moorland management to mitigate the risks of these huge uncontrollable fires, and their insistence on propagating the myth that muir‐ burn is only undertaken by those estates with grouse interests is completely without foundation. Anyone with an interest in the management of upland Britain should see muirburn as an essential tool in safeguarding these precious habitats, and in mitigating the risk to their destruction by wildfires.

The Scottish Land Commission’s report into the Scale and Con‐ centration of Land Ownership in Scotland is perhaps another example of a policy initiative driven by ideology rather than need. The findings of the report clearly point to dissatisfaction with land management to a greater extent within the public sector rather than with private estates. Not that breaking up the larger highland estates would achieve anything, as in many cases it would reduce their viability and remove the presence of an estate office and effective local management, making lines of communication even more problematic. The Land Com‐ mission’s failure to seriously acknowledge the benefits of the economies of scale, and the lack of recognition that there is a severe shortage of viable alternative land uses for much of the Highlands, gives rise to questions about both the Land Com‐ mission’s competence, and it’s place at the centre of the debate, going forward.

This brings me onto one of the key questions of our time – moorland management. Here I must take issue with some of my fellow Estate managers. Moorland management is about just that – and not simply about grouse moor management.

The management of our moorlands and upland mountain are‐ as has been, and always should be about a holistic, integrated plan bringing benefit to a wide range of species, habitats, and landscapes.

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“Anyone with an interest in the management of upland Britain should see muirburn as an essential tool in safeguarding these precious habitats, and in mitigating the risk to their destruction by wildfires.”

It is not about prioritising any one interest, grouse, deer, harri‐ ers, dwarf birch or the myriad of flora and fauna that abound in our managed uplands, but rather about ensuring that the balance is maintained that permits all of them to co-exist.

The attitudes and actions of the so-called rewilding estates in this respect is wholly reprehensible and should be called out for what it is – wildlife and land management vandalism.

Despite being members of the local deer management groups they have attempted to exterminate the deer populations on their estates with little regard to the impact that this has on the economic viability of their neighbours, on the sustainability of the deer herd (which observe no boundaries), and on the welfare of the deer as they are harried and slaughtered. They appear to pay little heed to the protocols contained within the Deer Management Code of Practice, an SNH document, and supposedly the code by which all Deer management Groups, and their members are expected to adhere. The fact that SNH have consistently refused to call out the ‘re-wilding’ estate for the apparent breaches of the code is perhaps indicative of why this body is held in such low esteem by many land manage‐ ment practitioners. For those of us old enough to remember, it does not seem that long ago when our public agencies were championing the planting of the Flow Country with trees, now regarded as an environmental disaster. At one deer manage‐ ment group meeting an SNH employee described the Deer Management Code of Practice as not being worth ‘the paper it is written on’.

I rest my case.

Increasing numbers of users means more wear and tear, and more damage. At some point it may simply not be cost effective to keep up this level of expenditure for the increas‐ ingly short duration of the timescale before more repairs are needed.

As the clock ticks down to my retirement, I find it increas‐ ingly depressing how little has changed over the years, how short term the thinking is from our governments and public agencies, and how few lessons are learnt from past mistakes.

A wise old factor once said to me: “When you see the same issues coming around for the third time you have been in post too long and it is time to move on.”

“How right he was!”

“When you see the same issues coming around for the third time you have been in post too long and it is time to move on.”

The management of our National Parks both north and south of the border is an interesting one. Having worked within a national park in both England and Scotland, I can fairly state that they are equally confused in terms of what exactly they are trying to do. In almost every other country, national parks are difficult places to access, and deliberately so, in order to reduce visitor numbers and to minimise the adverse impacts of unrestricted footfalls. Not so in the UK, where national parks are seen as honey pots and tourism is promoted. Aviemore is a case in point with development windows being extended and mass tourism threatening the very essence of the environ‐ ment that the creation of the National Park was intended to conserve. The economic impact of this on the local indigenous population is profound, as rising house prices force them out and young people leave the area, unable to afford the rapid‐ ly rising housing costs. The settlements abound with second homes and the upland ‘playground’ suffers increasingly unsus‐ tainable levels of damage.

Of course these problems are not confined to the national parks. Other areas experience similar levels of visitor numbers, most of which is benign and can be mitigated with a careful programme of high mountain path maintenance. However the increasing number of mountain bikes, especially the high speed testosterone fuelled descents, cause huge damage to this fragile infrastructure with blocked drains and damaged path surfaces. Who, you may ask, pays for the repairs? Not the us‐ ers, not those advocating access for all, nor those encouraging greater levels of physical fitness, and certainly not the business‐ es making a living out of promoting access on other people’s land. No, it is the Estates who pay for the repairs to the cul‐ verts, the cross drains, the water bars, and the path surfaces. In our case this costs in the region of £40,000 per annum.

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Walkies

By Joanne Dovesi

“And so it begins, we’re set for another glorious day of sunshine. The dogs are always more cheerful when the sun is shining. Especially the little Dachshund, he absolutely hates the rain, and I don’t blame him. He looks at me with sad eyes, as if to say, “take me home, please!” But I haven’t seen those sad eyes for a while, as the weather has been lovely. I’ve even been lucky enough not to take a jacket with me for a few days on the trot. I’ve actually just been able to wear a t-shirt, yes, just a t-shirt! Which is very unusual, as it can get a bit chilly in the woods but not of late. Walking through the tall grass, I noticed how many wildflowers had popped up. So many different colours and smells. I love to watch the bees, busy at their work and all the little moths that appear and soon disappear when the dogs try to catch them! Especially the dogs closest to the ground, the moths don’t stand a chance.

A new member has joined the group. A Cocker Spaniel called Jack. He’s a lovely boy and very boisterous. He gets on well with all the other dogs. Once off the lead, it’s nose to the ground and tail in the air. Always comes back on command and is very well trained, which makes my life a lot easier. I remember one Labradoodle I walked. Great off the lead but once the walk came to an end, and I approached him, lead in hand, he was off like a shot. He thoroughly enjoyed himself, watching me run around like a headless chicken. It once took me nearly half an hour to catch the little blighter! And that was only with the help of another dog walker. We managed between the two of us to corner him.

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Oh, the joys! I do think that’s what makes my job so enjoyable and at times a little frustrating, is that all the dogs have such different characters. There are the plodders, the jokers, the pack leaders, the mischief makers and the mums of the group.

I must not forget the shy ones who always stick close by me and who always love a cuddle. Of course, working with animals, I know that I will lose some and recently lost two very old Labradors. They had been with me from the beginning, and I also boarded them on several occasions. I often think of them, especially when I walk to some of their favourite spots. They were gentlemen and I will miss them.

I always remember when Nala joined the group.

She is a Saluki/Husky cross and is as fast as a bullet and a mischief maker in the nicest possible way. I always thought my back garden was dog proof. It’s a small walled garden with a lawn, well, it used to be! The walls are high, so no dog can jump over, or so I thought. I was pottering in the kitchen one afternoon with the door open to the garden, watching the dogs play from the window, when I noticed Nala was nowhere to be seen. “Where have you disappeared to?” I muttered to myself. And there she was in the next doors garden. But I couldn’t figure out how she got in there, as the wall was way too high, and no other dog had ever escaped. Then I saw how she did it. She leaped on top of the shed roof in my garden, which is quite a leap and then jumped into next doors garden. Crafty little devil! She is still the mischief maker of the group and very intelligent.

My back garden, I’m sure, would look nice if it were dog free. But with holes that have been dug and plants that have been flattened, I have resigned myself to realise that not much can be done to create and maintain a manicured border.

I never quite understand why the dogs just can’t play on the lawn, but they seem to enjoy rolling around and playing on my lavender bushes which are now like lavender that has been prepared to put into bags. Dried! But I suppose the lawn is just not as much fun! One good thing is that they go home smelling lovely.

My potted flowers are now used to cover up the holes in the lawn, which actually doesn’t look too bad. I might have created a new trend! But these have to be moved when the dogs are on the rampage as they will definitely get knocked over.

So, when my day ends and all my doggies are safely home, I put my feet up, pour myself a gin and tonic and relax in my assault course of a garden. But you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The Simple Life

By Wills Kass

“The seasons bring change to us all and everything around us. Our extremely hot sultry summer is now a memory with Autumn on our doorstep. The summer brought drought to many over Scotland which severely affected lots animals, insects, and fish in the low rivers. I filled little water troughs throughout the garden for, not only, the birds but all the other little creatures living around.

The stream that the deer drink from had also dried up. The ponds nearby were extremely low which are used by our resident swans and their signets.

We have to allow Nature to take its course and sadly at times it is not always a good outcome for our precious wildlife. The leaves around us are slowly changing colours from green to yellow to orange and red. A glorious sight for us to absorb in our minds.

Autumn begins around 22nd September through to the beginning of December when Winter sets in. It is a busy time of year for us as a family with Ben's Game Season having started with partridges in September and pheasants beginning of October. The quarry will be cooked and frozen for the winter. I cook lunch for the clients and always use whatever game is available at the time. Healthy eating and helping people living in the countryside keep their important jobs.

I am retrieving all the fruits from the freezer. Lou being the grower and I the picker and cook! Rhubarb, blackcurrants, gooseberries, elderberry, brambles, apples, pears, damson, and cherry plums grow a throughout our country garden for making chutneys, jelly, crumbles, pies, bespoke Gin, Vodka and Whisky. Probably Rhubarb being my favourite fruit cooked throughout summer and frozen. I love making my own delicious Rhubarb ice cream. Rhubarb is high in anti-oxidants which have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

The swallows, house martins and Ospreys are but a few of the many birds that we have as summer visitors around us will have migrated South for the Winter. Our skies were flooded with house martins this year, such a wonderful sight in the evening as they swoop around the garden catching insects in the air. Lou makes his own hay, and the hay yield was well down due to the adverse weather back in spring when the grass stopped growing. This hay provides feed for our ponies/horses from Autumn until the following Spring. That said we will have more than enough. So many things depend on the weather all year round.

This time of year is also time for preparing and cutting wood for the winter. We collect wood that has perhaps fallen in the wind or rotted limbs. Kindling is collected by the grandchildren when they are here. I make this a fun event: who can collect the most twigs, who can make a little house for the bugs with the twigs. Once the leaves drop from the trees, any branches that need pruning or cutting back are heaped up near the wood pile. Once they are dry usually a year later, we break them up and use them as kindling.

The kids love it! Anyone can make some fun for the kids out of basics. Nature walks are a favourite, with the children still all being under the age of four. We don't have to go far as there are so many things to see. Looking at the natural world through children's eyes brings us a whole new realm. To the little ones, worms are like snakes, sticklebacks are like sharks, and Newts become Crocodiles.

Toys and television are barely looked at here.

The Autumn winds blow all the leaves off the fruit trees, and this provides a leaf bonanza for our two Pigmy Goats. They absolutely go mad for them. So much so, that when we let them out of their enclosure into the garden to graze we have to ration them, or they would explode. At least we don't have to watch out for the garden flowers and plants, as they are too busy. Our intention is to borrow a Billy Goat from a friend and increase our flock a little. Hopefully there will be new Kids on the block!

The deer will be rutting soon when the stags roar in the surrounding hills. It is music to my ears and always a reminder of my childhood and my father going out stalking in the hills of Blair Athol.

Sometimes we look out of the window and see young Stags chasing each other across the fields. We mainly have Roe deer round here so to see the Reds running so close is quite spectacular. There is also a small herd of Red Hinds that come and feast off the bruised Apples from our two old trees. We deliberately throw them over the fence so that they can get to them easily. Much as we love seeing them we quite like having plants in the garden. For some reason the young stags are far more wary and never join in the feast. Some of the fields are still in stubble after the harvest so Lou will often take his old Highland Pony for a ride away from the normal routes he uses.

This will be short lived however as they will soon be ploughed up ready for a new crop to be planted. The old ways of leaving fields fallow for the winter are long gone. The poor fields hardly get a rest, and the next crop is in. Autumn is a season to enjoy the ever changing colours surrounding us.”

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SCOTLAND IN FOCUS Words & Image by ALAN SCOTT

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Ben’s Beach “Those of a certain vintage will possibly remem‐ ber the movie "Local Hero" this beach played a significant part in it. It was released in 1983 with a soundtrack by Mark Knopfler. It also was a debut for Peter Capaldi. One of my favourite films of all time with a great cast. A feel-good classic. This was taken on a much-needed break from home working, with my good lady re-exploring an area which we last visited in an early 80’s summer holiday just prior to us getting married. Have many happy memories of tramping around the hills trying to find hill lochs - it must have been love as Janet was happy to sunbathe while I cast my flies for beautiful small brownies up above spectacular Loch Morar.

This time it was an autumn visit and we had booked a lovely little cottage in Mallaig. We had some fantastic days with every conceivable version of the Scottish weather. A lovely sunny day walking above Mallaig with great views out to Eigg, Rum, Skye and the Knoydart peninsula. Followed by a rain lashed day clambering around Glenfinnan and this stunning autumn day walking on Ben’s Beach look‐ ing out to Eigg on the left and Rum on the right. The real name of the beach is Camusdarach. It’s one of a series of white sandy beaches along the side of the B road between Arisiag and Morar. It’s hard to beat the beauty of powdery white sands and crystal-clear water that looks like a Caribbean turquoise.

One day we climbed aboard the tiny local ferry to Inverie on Knoydart and later that day had an unforgettable trip on the same ferry further up Loch Nevis to Tarbet escorted there and back by a pod of Dolphins over a hundred strong. This scene just takes me back to that wonderful autumn feeling of being free again. However, by the end of that week, we were back home and into lockdown - we were so lucky getting away then.

I had this printed off and framed so I can gaze at it and think of all this wonderful scenery. If you remember seeing “Local Hero” you may recall this quote when the oil company wanted to buy the beach, ‘Would you pay me a pound for every grain of sand in my hand?’

“A beach and a view like this is priceless.”

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ST KILDA, the story so far...

“This is a story about St. Kilda that you won’t have heard before…

The human connections with the “islands on the edge of the world” have, for centuries, fascinated everyone who has visited. The incredible history of those who lived there often commands more attention than the shocking sculp‐ ture of the islands thrown out by the volcanic activity from 50+ million years ago.. But what follows is a short story of modern history and how the magnetic attraction of St. Kilda has kept friendships alive for 50 years.

Friday 6th August 1971, Anderston, Glasgow, seven 16 to 18 year old schoolgirls and four of their teachers (Helen Jamieson our headmistress, her deputy Katherine Black, geography teacher Evelyn Bell and PE teacher Daphne Ferris) from The Glasgow High School for Girls meet with Jock Nimlin from The National Trust for Scotland packed into Miss Bell’s VW van and another vehicle. We headed for Oban to board the Charna, owned and skippered by Bruce Howard. This was the first all-girl working school party to spend 2 weeks on St. Kilda, which The National Trust had organised, at that time, quite a novelty and the press covered the story to our delight. Helen, Doreen, Mar‐ got, Vivien, Jane, Hilary, and Margaret had an eventful, unforgettable experience.

In Oban, the loading “chain” soon moved the luggage and supplies from the pier to below decks and the exciting voyage began the following morning, heading out at about 8.30 a.m. in a calm sea and sunshine, passing Mull, Skye and out to meet the Atlantic swell and rougher weather later on. The voyage was a new experience to us girls, with force 5+ winds giving Charna some interesting moments.

We anchored in Village Bay around 03.30 a.m. and slept on until we woke with the daylight to see our first close-up sights of this fantastic archipelago. Army helpers came out to decant us onto their Zodiac – this was becoming a very big adventure. Ashore on Hirta, we explored our accom‐ modation – the 3 habitable “new” houses which were built after a terrible storm in 1860 had destroyed many of the original blackhouses. We organised ourselves – House 1 was the “Gathering/Dining/Mess”, House 2 was for teach‐ ers, House 3 was for the girls. The houses had earth floors, army issue bunk beds and no electric, the kitchen was a lean-to open-plan arrangement, and the toilet block was a good walk away over tussocks and low walls, every min‐ ute was bringing us some new experience!

Allocated to a few work parties, we got stuck in with the work of digging out and re-roofing some of the cleits – small drystone structures in which the St. Kildans stored and dried birds and eggs, harvested crops, and peat and turf which was used for fuel. We were very lucky to have good weather for our stay, the “St. Kilda summer” had arrived and we could dodge the work for a wee while to get a dip in the sea from the small but lovely sandy beach of Village Bay.

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Words Jane Barnes & Photos by Helen Macdonald

Later on our first evening we had two visitors who joined us for dinner: the RSPB warden, Donald Stewart, and Charlie McLean (a very attractive young man as most of our little band thought) who was busy researching his book “Island on the Edge of the World”. The book was published in 1972 and is an award-winning classic work of social history.

We were able to take advantage of the good weather and alternate the work duties with exploration trips. On a visit to Lover’s Stone, Jock demonstrated the traditional St. Kilda ritual - where the young men of St Kilda, before they could marry, had to balance on their left foot over the edge of the rock, put their right foot in front, and bend down to make a fist over their feet, proving they were able to provide for a family by climbing the rocks to catch birds for food. How impressed the teachers were with Jock’s agility and balance!

The army had extended an invitation to watch a film at their base (“The Bedford Incident” for readers who want the de‐ tails!) and pupils and teachers found it fun to be entertained by the officers and soldiers of Royal Artillery. And it was the first of a few gatherings to watch films or meet in the Puff Inn. The work on the cleits was quite slow and time-consuming but occasionally we unearthed items such as an intact med‐ icine bottle or pieces of pottery which were washed and put on display in the Schoolhouse. Those findings helped to give us a feeling of connection with the St. Kildan people because for young teenagers from Glasgow, their story was from a very different time.

On Thursday 12th August, Margot, and Jane, on cooking duty, were told to plan for some extra visitors – and around mid-morning we watched Britannia sail into Village Bay! The story is well told by this piece from Margot’s diary:

“Jane and I were cooks for the day. We all took turns do‐ ing this. During breakfast we were told that there would be visitors coming to the island, the Royal Family. Some serious cleaning took place, and we were instructed how to act and reply as and when we were spoken to.

Around 11 o’clock Britannia anchored in Village Bay and by 11.30 the party came ashore by launch – no Zodiac for them!

We could take photographs but should be discrete and polite about it as this was a private visit and they would probably be quite casual. We lined up on the path and the Duke of Ed‐ inburgh immediately came over and chatted to us about the work we were doing for the NTS and also about our school.

They all then had a wander round the main street and looked in the cottages. At that point, a lady in waiting to the Queen asked if a cup of tea could be provided for Her Majesty. It seems she is not a great sailor and Britannia has awful stabi‐ lisers… she should have tried Charna! After her cup of tea, the Queen and the rest of the family headed off to see how to re-turf a cleit and then they went by Land Rover to the top of the island for a picnic.

“How impressed the teachers were with Jock’s agility and balance!”

Britannia arrives As the Royal party headed back to the jetty and Britannia, Prince Charles popped his head into the kitchen area and asked what we were cooking. Let’s just say never to invite him for a curry! (Vesta curries were a staple during our trip…) We fed around 17 people that night, not sure who they all were but the meal was enjoyed. The base BSM came up and invited us all for supper at the base the next day.”

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Working party at rest

The Royal Party comes ashore Other adventures included rescuing pufflings who had flown down to the army base, attracted by the lights but then couldn’t get any height from the ground to take off again. So we gathered them up and kept them overnight in cardboard boxes. Next day, first duty was to free them by picking them up gently in both hands and launching them into the air, in the direction of the sea. They are comical little birds and seemed fairly happy about being handled. Not sure about one of Helen’s who got launched back to front though…

Visits were made to the Tunnel with its spectacular foaming seas and playful seals, walks up to the top of Conachair and the highest sheer sea cliffs in Britain – stunning and savage beauty, a trip over to Dun with transport provided by our new best friends from the army.

What an impression that trip has left on 7 schoolgirls. To quote again from Margot – “In hindsight I doubt I ever thought that trip would have such an impact on me. Nearly 50 years later I still recall so much of it and remember, so fondly, our time on that unique place. I know Helen and Doreen have returned. I have not. I think it is now time to rectify that.”

How very fortunate we were to have had that opportunity of a lifetime. Most of the 7 girls have stayed in touch over the years and 4 of us now plan to travel back in time and, hopefully, 50 years to the day we will again land on St. Kilda and remember how those two weeks changed our views of ourselves, our teachers, our friends. It gave us insights into a past way of living we had never heard of, introduced us to the National Trust, the RSPB, the British army, and the Royal Family! And it revealed to us the most magical stunning beauty of St. Kilda.

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Pufflings

Group near the Cambir - Soay in the background

Jock repairing kitchen wall

Leaving St Kilda

Outward Journey Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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The Epilogue August 6th 2021, 50 years to the very day… the local Le‐ verburgh sea eagle, gazing down from the hill on the small island beside the pier, was a treat after a very early start to catch the boat.

Margot describes our feelings very well – we were excited but also apprehensive in case it had changed from the very special place in our memories. Sailing into Village Bay was as wonderful as it could be – we were back in the St. Kilda sum‐ mer. There have been major changes to the Village during 50 years of course – another 4 of the houses and all the cleitan we could see around the village have now been restored, and the Army buildings demolished and replaced with turfroofed timber-clad structures.

We could still visit the special places – Main Street, the Graveyard and the School and Church (not forgetting the ablutions!), inducing thoughts of how we had changed and how our lives had evolved since those days.

Some brave souls walked up the Gap and ran the Skua gauntlet. Others headed up the road and were lucky to see the resident snowy owl. National Trust warden, Sue, had been snorkelling off the pier and we had a chance to talk with her and swap stories.

Having had some time for privatecontemplation, we met up later to toast the islands, our memories, the people we shared our time there with and to our continued friendship.

The tender collected us from the pier and we were back on Kilda Cruise boat “Hirta” for essential tea and cake, before a jaw-dropping tour around Boreray, Soay and the Stacs.

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The sky was full of puffins, gannets, fulmars as we headed home, through water which by now was growing a bit lump‐ ier. A long evening of chat and laughter followed.

We plan to return, though we won’t wait another 50 years.

But whatever other changes may come by human hands, the permanent beauty of the islands still dominates over all.”

Brown Hare by Linda Mellor Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Becoming a GP on the remote Island of Hoy “Becoming a GP on the remote Scottish island of Hoy was some‐ thing friends wanted to know more about. It’s a perfect place to reflect on a busy career to date, have new experiences, and maybe even take some great photos. Everyone has a creative streak, and so with encouragement and help getting the spelling right, I thought maybe I could publish something about my time on Hoy. Here, for family and friends, is the result of my labours, with the kind assistance of many patient wordsmiths. I do hope you enjoy reading about being a GP on Hoy during the Covid pandemic, and that I can transmit the peace, natural beauty, and community spirit that I found there. You might even feel like a visit yourself when you’re finished.

BMJ advert I wasn’t aware that my Sunday evening anxiety was getting worse.

As each new week came around I was worrying if I could man‐ age the huge number of patient contacts without making a critical error, or remain sympathetic, when faced with another staffing issue. I was a GP in a semi-rural market town in Suffolk, settled, comfortable, so what could be more idyllic? The longer I was in the job, the more I was trusted, and the more decisions appeared to be required. The sheer volume of work was eroding my ability to keep caring. I was aware that this empathy fatigue could undermine my clinical interactions, leading to bad outcomes for my patients and myself. I was using extreme exercise as a means of managing this stress, getting up at half past five in the morning to swim or cycle before leaving the house at seven twenty-five. It’s a good method for dealing with life when the pressure is on, but there’s only so many kilometres you can pedal, swim, or run It was with a wife’s intuition that Julia showed me the advert in the back of the British Medical Journal, when we were lying in bed reading one Sunday evening in February 2019. She thrust the advert page in front of my face saying, “If you’re so bloody mis‐ erable why don’t you apply for this”. On reflection I was the only person who could not see that something needed to change. For many years I have been an appraiser of GP colleague, supporting their five yearly revalidation cycle, and observed first-hand what the consequences of the unremitting workload of busy NHS gener‐ al practice can have on some of these talented, conscious doctors. I did not want to lose my passion for medicine or even end up clini‐ cally depressed.

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Words and Images

By Simon Rudland It was an advert for a part-time salaried GP on the island of Hoy in Orkney. Instead of crazy work weeks, it would be a return to the more traditional value of general practice, with more time to explore a patient’s problems. Rather than a personal patient list of well over 2000 individuals, consulting with 40 or 50 patients every day, I would be looking after 400 inhabitants in total. It really did seem enticing. I hopped out of bed, logged onto my iMac and searched on Google maps. There was Orkney, sitting just north of Scotland, it’s a collection of 70 islands, with only the bigger ones inhabited. Wikipedia told me that Hoy was the largest island in the archipelago after the mainland, with a varied geography, and fa‐ mous for the sea stack, The Old Man of Hoy. A quick image search showed me clean wind-swept beaches, towering rock formations and wide-open peat moors.

What an amazing place to work, I was excited and energised.

Could this be the change I unconsciously needed?

Two days later I called the number in the advert and got through to the switch board at the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall, on main‐ land Orkney. They paged Iain, the full time Hoy GP and within a few minutes we were talking about the job, my surgery door firm‐ ly shut, as I didn’t want my colleagues to hear the conversation.

Having worked so hard to build a flagship organisation, recognised nationally for innovative systems and models of care delivery, I felt guilty about wanting to leave.

Iain had moved to Hoy from Cambridgeshire, where he had been a GP for 12 years, after a career as a RAF doctor. His grandfather had been a GP in Stromness, the second largest town on Orkney and once an important stop over for ships heading to Canada with the Hudson Bay Company. His father had been the much-respect‐ ed Chief Administrative Medical Officer and General Manager of the Orkney Health Board. Iain was destined to find his way back to Orkney.

I learnt that his holidays were covered by Sue, a GP from Norfolk, and that Iain wanted to go half time so there was a need for a GP who would do fourteen weeks on the island in each calendar. We shared service experiences, and our love of the outdoors. It was a really engaging conversation and his energy and encouragement inspired me to put all by efforts into a serious job application.

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An interview The Orkney Health Board on-line application process was by no means straight forward, and it had been a while since I had applied for jobs but to my delight, my application resulted in an in‐ vitation for an interview. The next challenge was to get a few days off from my practice and arrange travel plans to Orkney and back, in the shortest time frame possible. Loganair fly into Kirkwall, the main town on mainland Orkney from Aberdeen and Edinburgh, so it would be a long round trip. To be certain of a connecting flight I had spent the night before my interview in an Edinburgh airport hotel. Whilst preparing I came across an article about the NHS Highlands bullying of whistle-blowers but decided against bring‐ ing this up at my interview.

The Loganair flight from Edinburgh the following morning was delayed waiting for a part for another of their aircraft. My metic‐ ulous planning included plenty of time to suit and spruce up in the hospital gents toilet pre-interrogation was in tatters. We final‐ ly took off, and if I were to avoid being interviewed in my jeans, a change of plan was required. I needed to discreetly strip to my underwear and put on my finery. The least overlooked spot was the back of the plane, where the seats were occupied by a solitary female passenger. I caught the flight attendant’s attention and explained my predicament and intentions. The flight attendant walked to the back of the aircraft. “She wants to know how old you are”, he called down the plane, I replied “a young 56”, “she will move” was the response. This little put down was enjoyed by all of the passengers in ear shot.

The passengers wished me luck as I left the tiny plane. A friendly taxi driver got me to the hospital with 10 minutes to spare, and then insisted on giving me several different local magazines about Orkney, which he dug out of the boot. It did my best to be grateful although my mind was on the forthcoming ordeal.

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It had been years since my last competitive interview, possibly partnership application in 1996, which was quite a different world to today. After working through a clinical scenario, I was invited to meet the interview panel. The Director of Primary Care, the Bal‐ four Hospital Medical Director and possible colleague to be, Iain.

My recollection of their questions and my responses is all a bit of a blur. Somehow the bullying of whistle-blowers came up, probably at my own instigation. Ruminating on my performance I ques‐ tioned my good judgment.

I really wanted the job and knew I would be crestfallen if the panel rejected me. My mind was set on something adventurous, and this opportunity seemed perfect.

After the interview I was too wired to settle down and read in my small hotel room. I wandered through Kirkwall, checking that I had enough reception to receive a phone call. It came, I held my breath. The job was mine, subject to a successful practice visit to Hoy. This was the beginning of a new way of life.

The street I stood in now looked different. Kirkwall was part of my life, the shops, the people, the history, all different, after that one call. Later, Iain told me it had been great to interview someone who was so confident that they would get the job! “I must have seemed so arrogant, that’s terrible” was my reply. “Not at all” Iain said, “just very determined”. Going into the interview I had been very nervous, but it must have come across that I really wanted this chance.

A different type of practice

For near a quarter of a century I was a GP in a Suffolk market town. I was privileged to work in an acclaimed, modern surgery, which by 2019 looked after nearly 20,000 patients, employing over 70 staff.

I was a clinician nestled in an effective health-giving machine. Spe‐ cialist diabetic, respiratory, contraception and minor illness nurses delivered great care in their areas of interest. Tricky wounds were dressed by nurses with decades of expertise. There were phlebot‐ omists to arrange and take blood from patients, secretaries to type dictated letters, organise referral and resolve the inevitable prima‐ ry care secondary care interface issues.

Care navigators and health care assistants, guided patients through the primary care pathways, whilst a data team distilled huge amounts of information from the wider NHS into usable and use‐ ful facts for the clinical team. There was still lots for me to do, with 40 patient contacts a day being usual, and perhaps 60 on a busy Monday.

Physically exhausted and emotionally drained by a twelve-hour day, at least I could head for home knowing I would not be called out. After the introduction of the New GP Contract in 2004 the Pri‐ mary Care Trust had responsibility for providing out of hours care and set up appropriate services.

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I had previously worked for the out of hours service, the variety and challenges of seeing sick patients in their homes had been interesting. It was a role I had given up a decade earlier as the day job became more and more demanding.

As I moved and swayed with the waves on the Hoy Head ferry, preparing for my first on-call period, I thought about what was waiting for me at my new practice, which could not be more differ‐ ent in every conceivable respect. My practice population is just 403 people. I am the only doctor on call 24/7 for the next four weeks.

That means that if two doctors are required at the same time, I will need to prioritise and one patient will have to wait. We have a practice building with two consulting rooms, one is mine, and our fabulous island nurse has the other. She offers weekday care and will generously help out after hours if need be. There are two part time administrators who fulfil multiple roles, organising patients and GPs, completing prescriptions from our small dispensary and providing invaluable local knowledge. It’s general practice as it was 30 or 40 years ago, with modern standards of care. In a week I might have as many patient contacts as I previously had in a day. I am also fulfilling all those other roles which I had happily delegat‐ ed to very able colleagues. I am contracted for 18.5 weeks a year, which amounts to 14 weeks on Hoy, as four weeks, twice a year, and three weeks, twice a year. Sue does 12 weeks and Iain who lives on Hoy covers the rest of the year. Between the three of us, we represent the GP options available to everyone on the island. This was a new level of responsibility, and a new way to relate to the community in which I was living.

My first trip to Hoy I was given a heartfelt and very generous send off from my Suf‐ folk practice in September 2019. Was I doing the right thing saying goodbye to the certainty of my position, and support of trusted colleagues who were also friends, to say nothing of a very good income? I enjoyed being part of the lives of people I had known for the best part of 25 years, their trials and tribulations, their joys and heartaches were the familiar tapestry of my working life. The doubts of departure were in danger of obscuring the reasons for change. Julia had decided to let me settle into the job on my own for the first two week of my four-week block. I had to give myself a good talking to as travelled to Orkney on LoganAir. NHS Orkney provides accommodation for us in a lovely cottage on Walls, the piece of land at the southern end of Hoy. Having put away my limited wardrobe of warm clothing, I wandered out to gaze over at the hills at the north end of the island wondering what this new way of living and experiencing remote medicine would be like.

I really didn’t sleep very well that first night. It may have been a little windier and raining more than I was used to, but it was the pager on the bedside table that had me on edge. I have not been first on call for a patient since I worked in a hospital, and that was a very long time ago. If the pager went off what would I do?

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I started running through emergency scenarios, which did little to improve my insomnia. How would I find my way to the patient’s home? I had struggled to find my accommodation after leaving the surgery in pitch black at six pm that evening with no street light‐ ing. My BASICS resuscitation and trauma management training had been back in July 2019 and it is now October. Rather a lot has gone on in between, to confuse my recall of complex protocols. The more I thought about them the more they became muddled in my drowsy head. At last the warm duvet got the better of my concerns and I dozed off.

My anxiety was misplaced, was it a surprise that patients on Hoy have the same problems as those in Suffolk, even if it’s a bit more difficult to tease out the history of their complaint? The inherent stoicism of those born and bred here or the challenge of the accent didn’t matter as I was not under terrible time pressures. I was used to every second counting, which at the end of a busy morn‐ ing made the difference as to whether or not I had 10 minutes to eat my lunch. Now I had time to find out about my patient’s lives.

Were they born in Orkney? What brought them to the island?

Where was their farm? Lovely conversations before getting on to why they had come to see me. On the other hand, the clinical IT system was a disaster. I had been warned that it was clunky, not intuitive and hard to navigate. It proved to be all these things and worse. The cause of more stress and frustration than anything else I have encountered on Hoy. The working day is a mixture of surgery-based consultations, home visiting and a lot of administration. It is a genuine joy to car‐ ry out a home visit, whilst in my previous life it was to be avoided if at all possible. A trip out of the surgery building put an irretriev‐ able time penalty in my carefully planned day. Now the drive to a patient’s home, assuming of course that I can find it, offers unpar‐ alleled views. Perhaps a stop to watch the red-throated divers who are annual visitors to a little hilltop loch or a glimpse of a Hen Har‐ rier hunting over the moor. On a clear day the view from the van‐ tage point of Lyrawa Hill over Scapa Flow is inspiring. It is impos‐ sible not to linger, thinking about the scuttled German fleet after the First World War. The remarkable marine salvage work carried out by Ernest Cox between 1924 and 1931to lift these behemoths of warfare for scrap. The tragic loss of 835 lives when the Royal Oak was torpedoed by the German submarine U-47. On other days, I would just linger to marvel at the beauty of the land, sea and sky.”

In the Winter edition of Scotland in 4 Seasons read about Simon’s challenges as an Island of Hoy GP. “At my job interview I was asked what situation would I find most challenging if I was appointed? There was no hesitation, as I re‐ sponded to this question.....”

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*UK addresses only for paper subscriptions Our ever popular regulars: the effervescent Travelling Auctioneer Sheldon Cameron, and his many exploits around Scotland.

Wills and her Simple Life, Walkies with Joanne, Me & My Dog. Simon Rudland tells us about his career-changing role as a GP on Hoy. Your winter tips survival guide.

Find out how Scotland’s winter is enjoyed.

Claire’s Crofting on the Isle of Skye.

Rural working and living, the lifestyle commitment through the seasons

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

Coming up in our Winter issue!

Our Favourite Cafe page returns to share tasty menus from a popular cafe that’s caught our attention.

We have warming winter recipes, some tales to entertain and a short story from Hugh Munro.

Our new columnist Collette shares her positivity, making the most of the winter months, and festive spirit.

Stuffed full of winter and sea‐ sonal ideas, tales, recipes and stunning photographs.

On Sale early December

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len Lyon Coffee Roasters is proud to be supporting the amazing charity, Trees for Life, through sales of our positive impact coffee ‘True North’.

For every bag you buy, we donate £1 to support rewilding and tree planting in the Scottish Highlands. True North is currently showcasing our delicious new Nicaraguan micro lot from Finca Los Nubarrones with sweet caramel and fruity notes. Buy your bag now from www.glenlyoncoffee.co.uk Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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Scotland in 4 Seasons Autumn 2021

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