Scotland in 4 Seasons Magazine Winter 2021

WINTER 2021

Scotland in 4 Seasons

EXPLORING OUR CONNECTIONS WITH SCOTLAND

Scottish Bees. Travelling Auctioneer. Tales from a Skye Croft. Scotland in Focus. Cornbeef Windfall. #YofE2021 Me and My Animals. Creative Soul. Hoy GP. Festive Gifts, Cocktails and Seasonal Game Recipe. Discover What You Love. Step Back in Time. Peat Insight. Fishing. Changing Seasons. Wildlife Photography...and more inside!

Sheldon Cameron is the THE TRAVELLING AUCTIONEER

“Auctioneer: one who picks your pocket while using a hammer while still smiling.” This is how a recent client greeted Sheldon at the Scone Game Fair.

“As ever, the Indian summer didn’t quite make it, but the weather at the fair was indeed good, and so was catching up with old friends and talking to clients both old and possibly new ones. A memorable highlight of the show was when I decided to walk over to the clay pigeon shooting to spy my ball and chain putting a few more holes in the ozone layer, and only just missing (by a country mile) Princess Anne’s helicopter. Now, that would have been something to write about! With the advent of winter, the auction scene is in full swing. I have already conducted a 300+ auction of costumes and props, with items from the Scottish Ballet and outfits from numerous films, including Waterworld, Nutty Professor, Liar Liar, Legally Blonde 2, along with an outfit worn by Madonna in Evita, a tabard worn by Sean Connery in Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves, props and clothing from the ever popular Harry Potter films, along with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr’s suits from the early ‘60s, and all with certificates of authentication.

But my favourite was a pair of yellow hot pants and a bra top (Editor: is yellow your colour?) belonging to Britney Spears, one of many used in the music video Baby One More Time. A memorable sale. Also, in the same week, I conducted our Antique and Fine Art sale, with jewellery and silver achieving huge prices, along with furniture, which was a pleasant surprise, as brown furniture from the Edwardian, Victorian and Georgian periods have been fetching very low prices, which in turn as winter approaches would have made for ideal tinder dry fire wood! But luckily I see a glow (possibly in the embers) of light that the brown furniture, once a main staple of all auctions, making a somewhat slow come-back, we can but hope! So the ever attentive auction hound and I are truly wrapped up against the elements, as all auction rooms are Baltic in the winter months and sweltering in the summer-time (even in sunny Scotland) so many treats for us both are in order. So as I sit at my desk with the auction hound on my lap for extra warmth, I troll through the ever increasing amount of emails to find many people asking for advice on furniture. Yippee! They have obviously been following the auction online and listening to my dulcet tones.

12 Scotland in 4 Seasons Winter 2021

Collette

“Winter to me means good food, candles, fireplaces, blankets and good company.”

34 Scotland in 4 Seasons Winter 2021

Scotland in 4 Seasons Winter 202135

Creative Soul

“Tempting as it might be, I have resisted packing golf clubs instead of brushes and set off to capture the first snowfall on the tops of the West Munros. It has happened, it is already here, the rich autumnal colours have been replaced. Snow-capped peaks in brilliant winter white now adorn my paintings and ‘Affric Glow’ is the first in a new body of work to celebrate the change of season. Every inch of the blank canvas has been covered in delicious textural mark making, in cool tones of emerald greens and cobalt blues. Glen Affric is a spellbindingly beautiful glen in the Highlands of Scotland. Golf and gardens at the Crask of Aigas are always a welcome pastime, but knowing there is a bigger distraction en route, in the form of the ochre walls of the Kilmorack Gallery, I realise the need to focus on the visuals.

Having laid empty for 25 years, the reused B listed Kirk now houses a unique and spiritual blend of Scottish art. And I am not disappointed, delighted to rediscover Allison Weightman’s masterly hand-built ceramics and so fortunate to have been gifted one of her innovative pieces, I can marvel again at the explosive patterns of the entry and exit wounds inflicted on the leather-hard material by her unusual choice of tool, the shotgun. Alison was accidentally shot in the leg as a child. Realising the intense focus required to shoot, this process almost became a meditative action for her. Firing through clay, from different angles and distances, to achieve distinctive and individual effects.”

SCOTLAND IN FOCUS Words and images by Alan Scott

“I’m a lifelong obsessive Rolling Stones fan, and to quote from one of my favourite Stones ballads ‘Winter’.

“It sure been a hard, hard winter My feet been draggin’ ‘cross the ground And I hope it’s gonna been a long hot summer And a lotta love will be burnin’ bright” I love winter especially the weak wintry light, and I don’t need to stay up late or get up too early to see sunsets. The weather makes simple scenes so dramatic, mist floating down the valley on a freezing morning. Snow, rain and hail. Dark moody skies, long shadows and the dreich make for great photos. We Scots need to learn celebrate the dreich. You just can’t beat winter. Last winter, we were all locked down and our only choice was making the most of what was in our neighbourhoods. I’ve always felt it’s great as a photographer to be inspired by visiting and seeing new places, but this was a great opportunity to challenge the imagination and discover that there is as much to photograph on the doorstep. There is beauty and interesting stuff all around us when we look. So here are few photos from winter scenes no more than 500 yards from my home.

A step back in time

Words and images by Linda Mellor

“Do you love exploring? I certainly do. There’s always something new to uncover when you have a rake around a remote area normally under water. Earlier this year, Scottish loch levels were very low due to the dry summer when rainfall was minimal. I took a walk around the south-western banks of Loch Ericht in August and explored an expanded area usually hidden from view under water. The loch had receded a fair amount to reveal lots of old trees and boulders sitting on a sandy base. Loch Ericht is 14.5 miles long, approx 3/4 mile wide, and is unusual because it is dammed at both ends. The work to dam the loch took place between 1928 - 1954. It is the tenth largest freshwater loch in Scotland, and it is very special to us at Scotland in 4 Seasons because it was on the banks of Loch Ericht the magazine was brought to life.

I discovered a footprint in one of the boulders, and wanted to find out more so I contacted, Dr Neil D L Clark, Curator of Palaeontology, University of Glasgow. It wasn’t a large footprint but it could possibly be from a small dinosaur. I shared images of my discovery with Dr Clark, he told me the rocks appeared to be psammite (metamorphosed sandstone). He said, “the heel and foot-shaped depression is caused by the weathering of a patch of the metamorphosed sandstone that is, for some reason, less cohesive than the rest of the rock.” After studying the other images, he told me the majority of “the Grampian Mountains have been metamorphosed by intense heat and pressure many hundreds of millions of years ago, making it virtually impossible to find fossils preserved there.” Oh well, so it wasn’t a dinosaur footprint after all, but, to date, it is still one of my more intriguing finds.”

The Simple Life

By Wills Kass

“The Autumn has come to a close, and with the beautiful autumnal colours that surround the hills at this time of year remind us just how stunning is our country of Scotland. With our ever changing weather patterns, the seasons seem to just blend into one another without much notice. Spring is much wetter and later, Summers alternate between hot and dry and cold and wet, Autumn is wet and milder, and we have very little snow, compared to past decades here in Perthshire. Winter used to be quite fierce. Long hard frosts and heavy snowfall. It is all so confusing for flora and fauna. This last wet and windy Spring was bad for the early nesting birds and stunted the buds on the fruit trees. The grass was slow to grow, and the wet field conditions caused poaching and more foot problems for sheep, cattle, and horses. Sadly, some spring crops have been rotting in the ground. This year, our fruit trees produced a small harvest so there was very little to make chutney for xmas gifts for friends. As we all see the weather changes around the world there are so many consequences of climate change. We let the fallen leaves lie in our borders in the garden as this helps to protect the Spring bulbs and any early plants from the onslaught of the frosty days. The garden has been tidied up and ready for jack frost to appear. We are quite exposed here and frosts, when they come, can be quite severe. Our grandchildren help to plant bulbs in the pots for Spring. Learning about how the plants require nurturing through the winter to be ready for Spring. I feel it is our duty as custodians of our delicate countryside to encourage the younger generation to care for the land no matter how small or large. We encourage our grandchildren to help us do chores outdoors. Our Pigmy goats, horses, dogs, and the garden all need looking after. These simple but very special times gives them and us a sense of achievement and it is so much fun. Oscar and Orla, both now 4 years old just love helping with feeding the animals.

This saves a lot of money on feed bills for the year. Our Highland ponies have free access to both grass and hay as this is better for their digestive systems. There is no need to complicate their diet with costly cereal products. Horses were designed to eat mostly grass. This helps to keep their teeth healthy. So far, we have not had to use the service of an Equine dentist in over forty years. This year the annual red deer rut seemed to be short and sweet. We have hardly seen our usual small herd of red hinds gathering with their calves in the fields in front of our house. The Stags also have not shown, but we could hear them roaring in the distance. A quite ghostly sound in the quiet of the night from a nearby Forest. The big boy that jumped out of the wood onto the car bonnet in front of me two years ago sadly did not survive his injuries. The skies are awash with geese flying in long skeins with their wonderful honking call. Orla checks out the sky with her little hand as a telescope to see the birds! They do love the crop fields. Eating grass and leaves but also glean grain on cereal stubble fields. At the time of writing, we were in the middle of the Game Season, and as always I am cooking the pheasant, partridge, and duck, freezing them for cosy Winter suppers with friends. Why buy chemically injected foods when there are so many organic and fat free alternatives to source locally. Winter in Scotland brings so many different economic benefits. Shooting clients from all over the world come over not just for the sport but for the scenery and great company. Skiing, Winter Climbing, Fishing all contribute especially providing employment. Sadly, the change in weather has seen a lack of snow in the mountains in the last few years. Being skiers ourselves in our younger days the skiing then was wonderful. It was said if you can ski in Scotland you can ski anywhere in the world! This being due to the ski runs having random rocks and boulders appearing suddenly and the ever changeable weather. Lovely hot sun one minute then a snow blizzard within seconds. Or worse still freezing rain. The fields are flooded once more. No matter what the seasons bring we embrace them all with joy, and all the excitement they bring.”

SLIP SLIDING AWAY THE ULTIMATE END FOR UPLAND PEAT BOGS?

By Victor Clements

Photo by Linda Mellor

Big companies want access to it to demonstrate their environmental credentials, and this can be worth a lot of money too. The extent and formation of peatlands Peatland covers about 20% of the area of the Highlands. It is difficult to define the exact area concerned, because while peatland itself is easily recognized, peat will form on or around other habitats, and gradually replace these as it grows. So, peatlands in their very early stages can simply be little pockets of accumulating peat in a wider wet heath landscape, and we will refer to it as something else. Come back again in 5000 years, and that area might well be peatland also. It is so extensive because it does well under cool, damp weather conditions in which suitable vegetation breaks down very slowly once it has died. If dead plant matter breaks down more slowly than it is being added to, then you have conditions in which peat can accumulate. If it is saturated with water, then further decay becomes impossible, and capillary action within the peat tends to keep it wet and holds it together. Peat will usually start to form in a hollow, and over time, it will get both deeper and spread out to form a low dome shape. Once established, peat formation will become self-sustaining.

Venison Stuffed Peppers By India Annand of J Boult Designs

“There’s something incredibly nostalgic and underrated about stuffed peppers. If I’m in the mood for comfort and warmth in winter, stuffed venison peppers are an excellent cheesy way to get a feed without the heaviness of usual wintry meals. Please note that I use goose fat as I feel adding fat sometimes to lean venison works really well. If you’d prefer to use butter or oil, feel free to substitute these out. This dish is a great way to hide some of those vegetables that tiny humans (and larger ones too) have a dislike for. I used mushrooms, but carrots, celery, and anything else you have in your fridge or pantry that need to be used, works well too.”

Serves 4 Ingredients 400g wild venison mince 4 large red peppers (bell or pointed works well) A handful of mushrooms finely chopped 6 garlic cloves finely chopped 1 red onion finely chopped 2 tablespoon of rose harissa paste 1 tablespoon of goose fat 1 shot of coffee or small cup of instant coffee 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 300ml of organic chicken or beef or venison stock Grated smoked cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper Recipe Preheat oven at 180 degrees Cut the peppers in half carefully. Remove the seeds and white bits from the core of the peppers, placing the peppers on an oven tray. Place the peppers in the oven for 30 minutes. Whilst the peppers are in the oven cooking, fry the onion, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil for 10 minutes on high heat. Remove the cooked vegetables from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of goose fat and once hot add the mince to brown. Once the mince is cooked through add the rose harissa paste and onion, garlic and mushroom mix stirring through generously. Mix the 300ml of stock, coffee and Worcestershire sauce making a beautiful savoury juice. Add this to the pan and stir in. Leave on medium heat with the lid off until the peppers are ready. The venison mix needs to be not too saucy, so that it is easy to transfer into the peppers. Once the peppers and venison mince sauce are ready, take the oven tray of peppers out. Carefully spoon in the venison mix into the peppers. Placed grated smoked cheddar on top. Put the tray back in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and browned slightly on top. Serve your peppers with boiled potatoes and crunchy warmed greens in front of a roaring fireplace with a glass of red or single malt of your choice.

MR & MRS ROD GUN

Words and images by Ali Hutchens

“Shouting those immortal words “Fish on”, “That’s him”, “I’m in”, or your very own special version of that phrase, is one of those moments that any fisher knows is usually accompanied by a rush of adrenaline, occasional moments of fear and anticipation until we safely net the prize of all prizes – The Atlantic Salmon. Described not lightly and quite rightly, as the King of Fish. However, I wonder how many of us uttered those very special words, this season? Trying to ease ourselves out of the Covid-19 restrictions on travel and slip into 2021 to enjoy our much-loved pastimes would prove more of a challenge than most expected. But along with the restrictions, it did ease – eventually. However, 2021 tested us hardy anglers in many ways. The travel restrictions meant traveling between Local Authority areas (5km into the neighbouring one) was a strictly no-go and with that meant fishing on our favourite fishing spots or trying out new adventures would cause a much need re-think. This season we had the pleasure of letting out fishing on one of the most prestigious fishing beats on the River Findhorn – Spring Home Beat, on behalf of Moray Estates. Now this place is what one can only describe as a Scottish Highland “fishing mecca”! But alas, the fishing Gods, once again, would have the very last word. We saw unseasonal low water conditions and high water temperatures, resulting in very late runs of fresh spring fish on many Scottish Salmon rivers. Our Highland spate rivers (rivers that traditionally need higher water conditions to allow the Salmon to migrate) simply needed water to make them realise their true potential. That trend unfortunately continued for most of the season.

Now, you can already tell that this is not my first Rodeo in respect of salmon fishing. Because, even when I write about fishing, I always get the excuses in early! Very similar to my shooting days alongside my much better half Cara (she told me to say that). Now that the excuses are out of the way, on to business……. The fishing season did pick up in places, along with the easing of travel restrictions. Many “home based” anglers from the UK stayed home and explored some of the true beauty Scotland has to offer. I saw repeat guests not only returning this season but encouraging their others to trust in Scotland and experience that beauty for themselves. Some were rewarded handsomely for their efforts. But you need that magic ingredient – Uisge (water). A very close friend of mine – Geordie Doull, the Head Ghillie on the Thurso, always reminded me that of the Thurso River – “Give the Thurso water and it’ll give you fish”. He proved that to me and other guests time and time again during our trips to that River. Our Highland spate rivers were no different and this season was testimony to those wise words. This was not restricted to the Highlands. Our Big Four Rivers, The Spey, Dee, Tay and Tweed also faced their own challenges because of similar conditions despite their size. However, it was not all doom and gloom and why would we fishers love this sport as much as we do if it were so? When the rivers levels lifted, we had guests that were catching numerous fish each per day and experiencing red letter days.

Celebrating rural workers in the Year of Employment #YofE2021

With environmental protection becoming more important, many people believe the ‘heavy lifting’ of meeting targets will be done by environmental charities and campaigners. What is less talked about is the skilled delivery resource Scotland already has at its disposal in the shape of its existing rural workforce. Did you know, there are more people directly employed in fishing and shooting in Scotland than in all of the big environmental charities combined? On top of their paid work, these individuals are deploying centuries of local knowledge to control invasive species on riverbanks, to nurture habitats to sustain declining butterflies, bees and moths and to humanely manage populations of our iconic deer. They are providing conditions so that declining species such as the red-listed Curlew have a fighting chance at avoiding extinction. Alarmingly, in Wales, the evocative call of the Curlew is projected to be silenced forever in only 12 years’ time. These rural workers are an unseen climate and biodiversity force, providing goods for nature and climate - without the public getting charged with the bill. Unlike charity conservation - which is 80% funded by Scottish tax payers - the work of river and land ghillies, deer managers and gamekeepers is funded privately from income generated by visitors paying to enjoy world class angling and shooting experiences in Scotland. Even if you never cast a line for a fish in your life, or hold a gun, you are still benefiting from the work of a gamekeeper or a deer manager; work which is largely unseen, unsung and unheard. That is why The Scottish Gamekeepers Association has devoted the next 12 months to recognising the work of these individuals in their Year of Employment, #YofE2021. Not only are the stories of these quiet individuals fascinating, their role in helping Scotland meet its biodiversity and Net Zero emissions targets will become even more important as the clock ticks down towards 2045. Where we stand today, there are more people directly employed in fishing and shooting in Scotland than in onshore and offshore wind, adventure sports and on every RSPB nature reserve the length and breadth of Britain. Learn about their work by scanning the black and white square QR Code with your phone camera or visit www. scottishgamekeepers.co.uk

Life on the remote Pait Estate Winter Words and images by Angela Phimister

“Winter at Pait was spectacular, wild, isolated, happy, and maybe a bit lonely at times.

After all the hustle and bustle of the season it would now be Dougie, myself, our dogs and sometimes a ghillie at Pait. What would winter bring? Well, like lots of other places it brought the unknown. Snow covered hills and the silence that came with it was lovely, just white hills with the tracks of whatever wildlife cared to stay here. Bright blue skies or very dark skies could look amazing. There could also be storms like no other and cold east wind that would bite you hard, the loch could freeze from one end to the other leaving us stranded and nothing else for it but to walk out over the hill to our little cottage at Monar taking with us our nine dogs. It was not an easy walk let me tell you, the drifts up to thigh and beyond. Dougie making tracks for me and the smaller-made dogs, the big girls romping through having a ball. I would be stopping every 5 minutes taking photos. The deer would gather round the outside of our garden trying to get shelter I loved watching them out the window finding their spot for the night and hoping all would be okay in the morning. Sadly, this was not always the case and that still carcass would bring sadness. Dougie would be busy trying to get hind cull done, but with the days growing shorter it made life more difficult especially if he were to go further up the loch. Some days I would go to help Dougie, well, I am not sure if I was a help or hindrance. I was a fair-weather girl, and looking back, sadly, I probably did not go out enough but that’s what happens when it’s on your doorstep.

On days when weather was horrid outside, I would love nothing better than being in my kitchen making cakes and chutneys to give out at Christmas. We always moved down to Monar for Christmas as my parents, children, grandchildren, and friends would come to stay, weather permitting, and if the glen road was passable. Some years, it would be so cold that the diesel for the generator would freeze, and also the gas tanks and the water coming into the house. When the water froze, we would have to break the ice and fill buckets. This is when you realise how much water one uses in a day. I would love nothing better than getting out with my camera when we had a snow fall. The silence and beauty was just amazing. Everything looked so clean and fresh, it was just magical but not so nice if it had been frosty for a spell and thawed then it would mud everywhere, dogs covered in it, and garden looking like a ploughed field. The lodge by now was cold and very damp I would go along and check it regularly. The wall was sometimes running with moisture as there was no heating whatsoever. Thankfully, our little cottage was always warm and cosy with the most amazing views you could ask for. We were lucky to have stayed and experienced such a unique place, it’s not for everyone, but we were happy there. This is my last piece for the magazine I’m very amateur at this but have enjoyed sharing a very small part of our life at Pait. Thank you, Linda, for asking. It’s a great magazine, keep reading it folks and keep safe everyone.”

Scotland in 4 Seasons Winter 202161

Tales from a Skye Croft

By Claire Nicolson

WINTER FISHING with Simon Barnes

“First – a confession. I don’t like being cold. This came about since my heart surgery. For years I could stand the cold no problem. Now, not so much. This means that my winter fishing is somewhat curtailed. Standing in a cold river fishing for grayling does not have the same appeal. That said, I do go out occasionally. It’s lovely to be back on the river waiting for a take. I have even managed to catch fish on a dry fly in January. However, once the line starts freezing in the rings I reckon it’s time to go home. My workshop has a wood-burning stove. What better than lighting it, then heading out with the dogs and returning to a lovely cosy space. The weather can do its worst – I’m warm, got a coffee, music is on, and I can make rods in great comfort. Far better than standing in cold water grading trout as I did in my trout farming days. Fishing in winter and spring in Scotland does have its risks. I was up on the lovely river Deveron in Aberdeenshire in late March, trying to catch my first brown trout of the season. The river was in fine fettle and there was the occasional fish rising. I saw a fish and as I tried to move into a better position to cast to it, I lost my footing and despite my wading stick as an aid (an essential piece of kit when wading), I went head first into the river. The cold takes your breath away. As I submerged into the icy river my life jacket went off as it should have done. Great! But I wasn’t expecting the inflated yellow bladder to completely block my vision and I struggled to see my way back to the edge to climb out. Climb out? Well, with my waders full of cold water this was a challenge. The next problem was that I’d no spare clothes except for my pyjamas. So nothing else for it – I hung up my wet clothes, donned my PJ’s and drove to ASDA in Huntly. No one batted an eyelid at my bizarre apparel. The moral of this story is to be sure to pack some dry clothes – a rookie mistake. Moving into April, my chum Rick and I decided to venture to a favoured hill loch in Glenshee. It involves quite a drive from my home and then a hoof up the hill to the loch. The first serious hike after winter tested the lungs and legs. It was a fabulous day but only one fish to my rod. It was a beauty however, and remained the best of the season from that particular loch. I went back later in April with another fishing pal, Alan. He had seen the fish caught earlier so off we went. It was Alan’s first venture up this hill, so we took our time. Once up there you have to drag the boat out of the boathouse, so it is all a bit of an effort. The boat is not a big one and is nicknamed “The Coracle” as it is not that stable. We were fishing away out in the middle of the loch and there were some trout rising. After about twenty minutes, Alan decided to stand up and stretch his legs. The boat tipped and much to his astonishment he found himself in the water! Let me tell you, trying to row that boat with a fifteen stone man attached to the rear was a task and a half. So – pull the boat back in, walk back down the hill and drive back home – for twenty minutes fishing! But it could have been so different Alan’s fishing waistcoat has a built-in life jacket – thank heavens. I managed to take a photo of the event and placed it on Facebook. It certainly caused some comment – “Is that the new outboard?” and “I’d throw myself in too after twenty minutes fishing with Simon”… Alan was very sporting about the ribaldry, even when I got the photo blown up and displayed it at the Game Fair. Funnily enough, he hasn’t mentioned going back up there for another go. I have another friend, Iain, who is well experienced in loch fishing (as his brother Duncan), but had no knowledge of river trouting. Now I have a friend who used to work for me in my trout farming days and he is now fishery development manager on the River Annan. Michael is also a superb guide and instructor. So off we went in search of an Annan trout. The river was quite low (a feature of the whole of the 2021 season) but was fine for trout fishing. There were plenty of hatches going on with millions of Grannom sedges and Large Dark Olives. Michael took Iain under his wing, and we fished all day with some success. Fishing the upstream dry fly for wild river brown trout is for me the epitome of the sport.

“There’s a shift going on as people seek to connect with the outdoors and nature.”

Changing Seasons Words and images By Caroline Pringle

“In this moment in time where, globally, we are more aware than ever of the issues surrounding climate change, many of us have become acutely aware of the not-so-subtle changes occurring to our seasonal weather patterns, not least during winter. Until recently, winter weather largely had a predictable nature with the odd occasional extreme event, whether that be very little snow or a 1 in 200-year heavy snow event. Prolonged frosts and long-term snow cover were, for the most part, the norm and something which our environment and its wildlife were both well adapted for and accustomed to. However things are changing and changing at a rate which is throwing ecosystems off course. It is hard to conclusively say whether our increasing tick problem is as a result of shorter, wetter and milder winters but for ptarmigan, stoats and mountain hares which depend on the camouflage of snowy ground cover for safety during the winter, the issues are definitely more apparent. The Spring of 2021 saw a mild start, however snow in May threw our flora and fauna into chaos, with flowering trees and ground nesting birds particularly hard hit. In some parts of the Scotland, there was little fruit and few nuts to be seen on apple, oak and hazel trees this Autumn, while successful red grouse broods were almost non-existent.

“These erratic winter events not only severely impact nature but as a result of their impacts on biodiversity, they directly affect rural livelihoods.”

This was the second time in three years that the species had suffered severe population decline as the beast from the east in 2018, which is etched on our minds as the most significant recent event, struck them a significant blow, alongside noticeable declines in small bird populations. These erratic winter events not only severely impact nature but as a result of their impacts on biodiversity, they directly affect rural livelihoods. Most grouse shoots have not taken place this year and while this may not immediately appear to be an issue to some, this inactivity has significant socio-economic and environmental impacts. Tourism through shooting supports accommodation businesses, food and drink enterprises and direct employment through the estates and this business source helps keep rural communities afloat through winter, a time where other tourism significantly decreases. Importantly, the income also allows land managers to reinvest in their employees and the natural environment the following year.

The Isle of Skye Corned Beef Windfall

Words and images By Neil Cunningham Dobson

“The Outer and Inner Hebrides shores and reefs are the home to many shipwrecks. Tales of rescue and survival are part of its long seafaring history. One of my favourite shipwreck stories is not that of the ship itself but of its cargo. This cargo was 264,000 bottles of Scotch whisky onboard the T&J Harrison Line general cargo ship the SS Politician. In a severe storm on the 5th February 1941, she foundered on the sandbanks off Rosinish Point on the Isle of Eriskay. War time rationing saw supplies of whisky on the islands drying up so the chance to “rescue” a cargo of whisky was not to be missed. 24,000 bottles of whisky were taken from the wreck. The story was immortalised by Compton Mackenzie in his 1947 book, Whisky Galore, and in the 1949 Ealing Studios film comedy. Not to be outdone, the Isle of Skye has its “Whiskey Galore” shipwreck but the cargo in this story is different. During WWII, Britain was highly dependent on imported goods that came by sea. Merchant ships travelled in protected convoys and followed set routes to reduce attacks by German U-boats. The SS Urlana was a Clyde built 6852 gross tonnage,428 -foot-long steel steam turbine powered general cargo vessel. Launched on the 8th August 1941, and owned by the Scottish founded British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. My father Norman Walker Dobson was a Marconi Radio Officer and on the 25th March 1943 joined the Urlana in Barrow-In-Furness as the 2nd Radio Officer. She sailed on the 27th March visiting various UK ports and finally London. Life at sea in the British Merchant Navy during WWII was hard. The daily threat of being sunk by a German U-boat and/or bombed by enemy aircraft meant you kept your lifejacket close to hand. Emergency drills and safety equipment checks were a daily event. Even when sailing in protected convoys it was still a danger. Worse of all was when your ship sailed independently between ports. Many merchant ships were armed with guns with some of the crew trained to use them. It was common for Radio Officers to be gunners and my father attended a gunnery course during his time on the Urlana when the ship was in Middlesbrough. He was certificated for Machine Gunner duty and in the cleaning, oiling, and firing of Oerlikon, Marlin, Hotchkiss, and Lewis machine guns.

Eagle Photography by Stewart Dawber

Wildlife chooses our encounters, and I have no control, how close or how far they approach is their decision. My skills as a photographer are pushed to the limit, and I always give them their respectful space. I need to be ready for the opportunity when I feel their presence, and when this happens, this for me is the adventure I have sought. I do not want to push nature into submission but allow it to present its beauty when she wants to, at her pace and her rules, the images I capture are the decisive unique moment.” Visit: skyehighwildlife.com

“We all have a star to follow, our star is our passion, our purpose. It’s what drives us and makes us be who we are. I know this because of my experience, and this is how I feel about my own business Becoorie. For me, my business is much more than a job, it is my way of life. I know that sounds like such a cliché, but when you find what you love and turn your passion into your profession, then you truly feel alive and moving in the right direction. So we all have our purpose and a star to

Be a conscious consumer

This is why ethical shopping; low carbon foot print travel and sustainable experiences are so important to me. It has given me the ability to follow my star which was always inside of me. My story started when I was 8 years old living in the beautiful countryside of Perthshire. For as long as I can remember, everything about Scottish culture, landscapes, scenery, and nature inspired me. The lush green hills filled with soft colourful flowers, the dramatic highlands, the castles, cattle and even the distilleries.

Becoorie is ‘a way of life’

It is an expression of who we are and what we believe in. My family have been in Scotland for generations and now I hope that the future generation will continue supporting my sustainable ethical lifestyle brand. But forget the idea of this being of our time and sustainable products being new because sustainable clothing, for example, has been around for centuries. While there are quite a few sustainable fashion brands that have re-emerged to take advantage of this ‘new’ sustainable market, sustainable fashion can actually be traced back to ancient times. With ancient Greeks and Romans taking inspiration from nature in their sustainable textiles—fibres were hand spun on spindle wheels—the use of sustainable materials was common practice during this time period.

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