Argyll Holidays blog

On Sunday 21 March at Lochgoilhead we staged a local event as part of the nationwide Sainsbury sport relief mile. A great turn out of over 50 participants, of all ages and abilities, plus dogs. Runners could choose from a 1, 3 or 6 mile route round the Drimsynie Estate.

£283 was raised on the day which will be added the mind blowing total amount of £28 million.

Thank you to all who entered and supported the event

Report from Craig Nobes.

The Lochgoilhead Jetty Trust wish to announce that they have been awarded £2,200 funding from ‘Awards for All’. The money will go towards improvements to the present facilities, including a new web site and Wi Fi access at the visitor moorings. More info available by e mailing Leslie Cuthbertson at cuthbertson367@btinternet.com

We have come to the end of another curling season. The kids kurling club run here at the Drimsynie curling rink was a great success. Kirsty Livingstone won the points tournament with a dramatic finish. Kirsty’s younger brother Stuart took her all the way to a play off. A close third place was earned by George Thompson. All the kids thoroughly enjoyed the competition. Their skill and love of the game was enhanced with the 10 week league. Great coaching from Barry Cullen, one of the top players from the village, who gave up his time every week to encourage and coach. Myself and the children would like to thank Barry and the Lochgoil Curling Club for there time and donation to purchase trophies and medals for all the children. Next year thanks to Drimsynie Hotel we are running the kids and novice club starting later on Friday nights. This is to keep the high school children involved. 

Report submitted by Craig Nobes.

Biodiversity is simply the variety of life. Biodiversity is all living things all around us. It is in our forests and mountains, our rivers and seas and our gardens and parks. Biodiversity is the soaring eagle, the leaping salmon, the tiny ladybird and the lowly earthworm.

Enter the photo competition for the chance to win a great prize, including a one to one tutorial with a top Scottish Nature photographer.

Send us your best photo of animals, plants or landscapes by 31st July 2010 as an attachment in an email to bit@snh.gov.uk with “Photo Contest” in the subject line.

 We are looking for images that move you strongly – tell us how they affected you! Entries must be original, have a title and be accompanied by information about where in Scotland the photo was taken. Up to 2 entries per person may be submitted. Please also include your name and how you can be contacted. Winners will be notified in August. Please read the rules of the competition carefully at www.snh.org.uk/biodiversityweek.

Blog submitted by Jackie McBurney.

Friends of Loch Lomond & Trossachs are organising a Spring beach clean and litter survey at Lochgoilhead & Carrick. Enjoy a few hours in the fresh air and help keep the shores of Loch Goil beautiful.

Date and time:  Wednesday, 7 April at 10am

Details: Meet in the car park opposite the post office.  There will also be a National Park Ranger on hand to give background to marine conservation issues.  All equipment is provided (such as litter pickers, bin bags etc), volunteers just need to bring sturdy footwear, comfortable outdoor waterproof clothing and sunscreen (well, you never know!!)

 It was be useful if anyone wanting to come along to help with this event could register for beforehand as this will help with planning – hot drinks and cake will be provided! 

Contact Alice on 01389 727 761 or e mail alice@lochlomond-trossachs.orgdetails

A date for your diary - a red squirrel volunteer event on the 22 April.

You can become a Friend of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs and get invloved in a number of hands-on events within the National Park. Simply click through to the website and follow the links.

Argyll Holidays is a proud member of the ‘OUR park scheme’ within the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park. This has been set up to help support vital works to protect and enhance the stunning landscape and wildlife within the park.  There are donation pots in our various locations, and money collected will be used to for projects such as helping to safeguard the native red squirrel and keeping the rivers and water of Loch Lomond brim full of wildlife for us all to enjoy. 

For more information please visit www.lochlomondtrossachs.org.uk

The charity Gods listened to our prayers and blessed us with a beautiful, warm, windless sunny Saturday to hold an outward bound type charity team event in aid of Daniel Brett’s Haiti Earthquake Appeal. 

Daniel Brett is a Civil Engineering student in his penultimate year at Strathclyde University in Glasgow. Daniel was brought up in the village and his family still live in the area. The purpose of the charity day was to raise funds to support Daniel and a fellow student, to put their practical engineering knowledge to good use by taking part in two three-week stints in Haiti focusing on the reinstating of the damaged sewage and water infrastructure. This is not a Caribbean break – this is a get down-and-dirty-in-the-ditches to do their bit in helping this devastated country. 

So, to the event: Five teams of six to compete by collecting chocolate doubloons in a series of four disciplines: orienteering, canoeing, abseiling and climbing the Jacob’s ladder. Sounds easy enough, that is until we found out it was three hours of orienteering followed by canoeing across the full width of Loch Goil with the tide in, abseiling down an 80ft cliff and what can only be described as scaling six horizontal swinging telegraph poles by means of a knotted rope. 

Jeannie’s Jokers fulfilled their plan of coming in a respectable fifth out of five teams. A placement all the more surprising considering that the fourth placed team were outed during the presentation as having cheated, plus they included a team member on crutches! 

Jeannie’s Jokers honourable mentions would have to include Neil, who basically threw himself over the abseiling cliff, ran up the Jacob’s ladder, and paddled like a man possessed. At times he was dangerously close to looking like he actually thought we had a hope of not coming last in the competition. Laura proved to be good at climbing on swinging telegraph poles, but surprised even herself at just how uncoordinated she was at paddling. Ewan overcame his fear of heights – which was just as well considering how long we left him straddling the top section of the Jacob’s ladder. His squeals of ‘Can I come down now?’ were met with a resounding ‘No, enjoy the view’. Carolyn, while still clutching a recently recovered broken wrist, showed her dogged determination to take on each and every challenge and gain some doubloons. Jeannie, as self-appointed captain, screamed, shook and knocked-her knees together through every discipline. In true captains form she came into her own during the lunch and evening sessions at the Lochgoilhead Hotel bar, where she basically, organised the round. As for Leonard, he may be middle aged, he may be portly (he says it’s the four layers of clothes) but he was never last. 

A special mention has to go to the management and instructors at the Lochgoilhead Scout Centre, who worked throughout the day to make this a safe and fun event. Their enthusiasm, professionalism and support was much appreciated by all the participants

 Karen, Matt and the volunteer staff at the Lochgoilhead Hotel did a great job in organising the lunch time BBQ and evening event.  

Reports have come in that the after event live entertainment at the Lochgoilhead Hotel in the evening was jam-packed, and that on the first count, in excess of £2,000 was raised for the Haiti Appeal.

Jeannie Neil Laura Ewan Leonard Carolyn

The annual dinner and presentation night was held for the Loch Goil Curling Club at the Lochgoilhead Hotel on Friday, 12 March. With just one more competation to go before the end of the current season, Colin Park collected each and every trophy played this season – with the exception of the Byre Trophy (over 40 competition) which was won by the Ewan Hardy team. While Colin is indeed an excellent curler it would appear that he needs a bit more in the way of competition. Congratulations to Colin and all the club members who took part during the season.

Driving into Inveraray from Lochgoilhead, look right, look up, and you will see what is a watch tower type construction on top of a hill.  The monument on Dun na Cuaiche is a prominent landmark from Inveraray; it is a wonderful viewpoint and visiting it makes an excellent linier or circular walk. Park at Inveraray Castle, which is worth a visit. Its open Easter to October and has toilets, cafe and a gift shop. There are a number of marked walks around the Estate but follow the markers for Dun na Cuaiche. Good paths, muddy in places on the descent. The route includes a steep ascent and is incompletely waymarked. Allow 1.5 to 3 hours. Seats at the top so pack a picnic and enjoy the views. The monument stands on the open hilltop close to the site of an iron-age fort. Being close to the edge of a steep drop, the view is superb on a good day. Inveraray Castle is far below with the town nestled on the shores of the loch to its left, whilst Loch Fyne itself stretches away towards the horizon. A walk with a great reward at the top.

Nothing shows better the variety of jobs on offer than a visit to the new recruitment page on our website.

Presently we are advertising a variety of jobs including work in administration, building and hospitality.

Take a look, you may find something you like or be able to pass the info to friends or family.