Argyll Holidays blog

LOCHGOILHEAD VILLAGE HALL

SUNDAY 07^TH NOVEMBER 3.00PM 

ADULTS £10.00 SCHOOLCHILDREN FREE

TO PRE-BOOK TICKETS EMAIL administrator@fiddlefolk.co.uk OR CALL 01301 703504
CHRIS STOUT and CATRIONA MACKAY

Chris Stout  (fiddle) & Catriona McKay  (harp & piano) also play together as part of the brilliant Shetland band Fiddlers Bid  and the Chris Stout Quintet. Catriona became harp champion at the O’Carolan International Harp Festival (Keadue, Co. Roscommon) when leaving school. A desire to master harp techniques to an advanced level took her on to study pedal harp, Celtic harp and electro acoustic composition at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where she gained a first class honours BA and several solo and chamber music prizes. She was also the winner of the Jakez Francois International Celtic Harp Competition 2004. Chris has a wide range of musical abilities and interests including Electro Accoustic Composition, Jazz, Classical and traditional. With such a versatile outlook, Chris has been busy playing with bands such as Fiddlers Bid, The Finlay MacDonald Band, Salsa Celtica, Celtic feet and in a Duo with harpist Catriona MacKay.  All this playing has taken Chris all over the world including Australia, South America, Scandinavia and Europe where his playing never fails to excite and inspire people from all walks of life.

THANK YOU to all our customers who made a donation to one of the ‘OUR park’ donation pots (pic attached) which have been located at various Argyll Holiday locations over the season. Thanks to your donations, which joined other visitor donations in Cowal, it has been possible to offer a £100 grant to the Cowal Red Squirrel Group to purchase squirrel feeder boxes and feed to help with vital squirrel monitoring works to support efforts to conserve the native red squirrel in the area. The ‘OUR park’ scheme is managed by the independent charity Friends of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs which is helping to conserve and enhance the wildlife and landscape of Cowal and the wider National Park area for all to enjoy. To find out more, please go to www.lochlomondtrossachs.org.uk.

Just a wee tip to all householders, caravan owners and everyone who owns a freezer. Put an ice cube in a plastic bag in the freezer, on your return from holiday if the ice is still a cube then there has been no power cut while you were away and the food is ok to eat.

Posted by Gwen at Stratheck Holiday Park.

Venue: Glenbranter Forest
Date & Time: Friday 29 October at 7.30pm
What is it: Haunted Woods, Spider’s Lair, Fancy Dress, Party Games and more…
Cost: £10 per car
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland

Coming soon – a leaner, cleaner, more-joined-up, easier to navigate Argyll Holidays website.

What to take out, what to leave in, what fun bits to add…. one things for sure, no two opinions are the same.

Do we twitter, do we facebook – just what role does social media play?

Our stats confirm that people are reading this blog and for that we thank you.

The Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop are staging a concert in partnership with Cowalfest, the walking and arts festival. Reserve tickets by calling  Liz Bain 01301 703504 (Adults £10, Schoolchildten FREE)
VeNue: Strachur Memorial Hall Saturday16th October at 7.30 p.m.

More about the band:

Up and Coming Award Winner

The Paul McKenna Band won the Best Up and Coming Act at the Scots Trad Music Awards last December. They combine a love for traditional and folk music with original songs and tunes. The Band has been playing to audiences throughout the UK since 2006. With a contemporary approach to songs, although not straying too far from their roots, their arrangements are both fresh and innovative. Their exciting sound is created through outstanding vocals, driving guitar and bouzouki, intense fiddle playing, a warm pairing of flute and whistles with dynamic bodhrán and percussion.

‘When the Paul McKenna Band released their first CD, Between Two Worlds, it heralded a young band of some promise who were willing to work hard and champion songs and singing above the tendency to favour fast tune playing that’s been the trend on the Scottish traditional music scene over the past decade or so.’ /Rob Adams (Herald)//

More about FiddleFolk/Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop on www.fiddlefolk.co.uk <http://www.fiddlefolk.co.uk/>. Full Cowalfest programme www.cowalfest.org

The Loch Goil Jetty Trust have been active as of late raising funds for the new jetty. They have just launched an excellent comprehensive website jam-packed-full of local information. Anyone involved on the waters of Loch Goil will find the informaton of interest.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the Trust.

Have a look at: http://www.lochgoil.co.uk/index.php

Karen’s organising of a Christmas Fayre held at the Lochgoilhead Hotel last year was such a success that- guess what, she is planning another one!

Sunday, 5 December 10am to 4pm. If you are interested in booking a stall for just £15 contact Karen on 01301 703 208.

http://www.argyllholidays.com/lochgoilhead-hotel.html

Karen and Victor at the Lochgoilhead Hotel are planning a Pyjama Party Charity Event for Saturday, 13th November.

Details to follow but in the meantime you can remind yourself what Children in Need is all about by visiting http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/

Anonymous online travel reviews are very much a hot topic at the moment. These can be a double-edged-sword as accommodation providers are at the mercy of guests posting fair and considered reviews.

Knowing that, it was all the more welcome to be contacted by Zoover holidays reviews with an award for 2010 based on a number of high rated reviews being posted to their site.

Thank you to each and every person who took the time to write a review. Such feedback is valuable.

Reviews are available on: http://www.zoover.co.uk/scotland/scotland/lochgoilhead/drimsynie-estate/holiday-park