Wi-fi for Ach na skia Croft

Just a quickie before we head off to the windy Western Isles for a week of sea kayaing (maybe!).... Four of our party set off from Mallaig last Saturday and have spent the past 2 days sitting out the wind and waves at Lorgill on the west coast of Skye. Hopefully today will see them on the water and heading for a rescue point so we can all get across to Lochmaddy at the weekend.

We finally got the Wi-fi connection set up for guests at Ach na skia Croft. Not yet been tested by any guests so there may still be some teething problems and we may have to try to get a booster to extend the signal range. Hope it's worth it; I know we find the option to use the Internet when on holiday useful, though that may be a rather sad confession, so hopefully it will be an asset that helps people plan trips, check email, etc.

The house has been at a total standstill. The wagtail family, nesting in the dining room, have fledged and are feeding on the lawn, but the swallows are still feeding hungry chicks in the nest in the bedroom. The latest addition to the wildlife park that we hope will one day be our house is leaf cutter bees, who are busily making leaf nests in the gaps in the polystyrene walls. Oh dear! We haven't seen the deer again, since it demolished our bird feeder and part of the wall.

The drought is over, by the way!

Must go and pack.......

Drought on Eigg

Almost eight weeks since the last blog and virtually every day of it has been clear blue skies. One day of rain and a couple of days with a few drops then a small patter last night. It's been bliss and perfect for a bit of patio laying, but on the Isle of Eigg, just across the water, they are having to ration the water, which must be an all-time first. And just when they've finally got mains electricity and can have a washing machine, they can't use the water. Poor Maggie! Maggie and I were in full fashion in our Crocs at Ann (of West Word fame) and Richard's wedding dance in the Astley hall last month - a great celebration, but no dancing for me and my poorly foot. Eight weeks on it is still a bit swollen and I am having to practise balancing on it, which is surprisingly difficult. Luckily it didn't prevent me from doing the 4 star Leader (sea kayak) training and assessment on Skye with Gordon Brown and Ken Nicholl at Skyak Adventures, which was brilliant (and successful). Met some great fellow kayakers and had lots of fun playing (and doing some rather tiring towing) in the tide race at Kyle Rhea and developing navigation skills amongst the skerries near Kyeleakin.

Another success last month was the news that Ach na skia Croft has achieved a Silver Green Tourism Award, which validates our Green credentials. Most of the work around the properties is now complete for the time being and we are hoping to be able to get back to some house building. We arrived back from Skye to find that we had swallows nesting in our bedroom and wagtails in the dining room, so it was as well to keep a low profile and let them get their chicks raised and out into the world. The wagtail was not too bothered by our proximity, but the swallows were much more wary.

To add to the wildlife park we have up there at the house site there was a young deer wandering about the other day. You can just see Eigg to the right of the deer, which is standing on the mound of earth beside the house. We thought it was quite cute until next morning when we found the bird feeder in our garden had been wrecked - pulled apart, stamped on and a stone loose from the wall. The deer seems like the most likely culprit. A few deer having been making a nuisance of themselves in the village so I guess this was one that had made its way to Back of Keppoch. Speaking of pests, the entire area is overrun with rabbits. Around us we have a family of black rabbits, descendants of a neighbours pet liberated by a younger brother some years back. Over the river at Bunacaimbe, hwoever, there is a family of mostly white, with a bit of brown, rabbits, descendants of an escaped pet from there. They make a colourful contrast to the gorgeous black foal. The garden is awash with bird parents trying to appease their demanding offspring with tasty morsels. Altogether a great time of year.

Speaking of off-spring, the annual Mallaig and District Canoe Club barbecue paddle, organised by Mike with off-spring in mind, was a great success this year. Sunshine, an 18km. paddle for 17 paddlers (and a shorter one for one and longer one for a few) and a barbie on the beach at Camusdarach, where we were joined by a further 12 parents and children, from 7 weeks to 10 years old.

The parents were keen to get their youngsters initiated into the black art of sea kayaking once the eating was over.

This year's challenge was for the best bbq'd desert and there were some great contenders.

There have been numerous sightings already this season of minke whale and basking shark in the little Minch. Many of our visitors who have taken a day trip to one of the Small Isles on the Sheerwater have been treated to a sighting.

Daughter Laura has had a successful month as well, having sold two of her paintings that are exhibited at the Resipole Studio Gallery's Landscape Exhibition, which finishes this Thursday, 13th. June. A great little gallery if you are in the area. Visitors to Ach na skia Croft will find examples of Laura's work in the properties.