2014 World Stone Skimming Championships Easdale

Las Ramblas Ramblers (Stone Skimming Division) make the annual Pilgrimage to Easdale  

Justin Hayward made himself unavailable when he saw the weather but the Namby-Pamby did send a little ditty to try and make up for his absence.

Marion, Bruce Linda, Neil, Alfie, Jill Andy, Bob & Sally head to Ellenabeich to meet up with Steve, Trish, Chas & Jaks For some Stone Bouncing Fun.

 

Ellenabeich (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean nam Beitheach, meaning "island of the birchwoods.” is a small village on the isle of Seil (Scottish Gaelic: Saoil) - an island on the east side of the Firth of Lorn, 7 miles southwest of Oban. It is a former slate-mining village and is where parts of Ring of Bright Water were filmed. Seil is one of the Slate Islands.

The village gets its name from the former slate island within proximity of the village, called Eilean nam Beitheach. The island was mined out of existence and its name is now the current Scottish Gaelic name of the village.

The village is sometimes called "Easdale" because of its proximity to the island of that name. In the village can be found:

The Ellenabeich Heritage Centre which was opened in 2000 and is run by the Scottish Slate Islands Heritage Trust. The centre has been created in a former slate quarry-worker's cottage and has 19th century life displays, matters relating to the local dominate industry of slate quarrying as well information relating to the local flora, fauna and the area's geology.

Highland Arts - which exhibits the works of the late C J Taylor, a poet, artist, and composer.

The local slate contains pyrites or "fool's gold". The former slate works' manager's house was a hotel for a number of years, trading as the Easdale Inn; this has now been converted back into a private residence.

A small ferry runs from Ellenabeich to Easdale.

The Field Of Dreams

 

Just Incase The Excitement Proves to Much

 

Alfie Prepares to Defend His World Title & The Budgie Trophy

 

Weather Turns A Bit Moist

 

Marion Stakes a Claim For The Puffin

 

Defending Puffin Champion Jill Suffers In The Rain

 

The Crowd Votes with its feet In Response to the Weather or Chas's Shirt

 

Sorrows Being Drowned Behind Closed Doors

 

Jill Presents The Puffin To New Champion Marion

 



Last Look For Another Year, More Practice Required



Budgie, Pufffin & International Results 

Budgie

Bruce   34mtrs

Alfie   29mtrs

Neil    21mtrs

 

Puffin

Marion    10mtrs

Jill    0mtrs

 

International

(No Award)

Chas    0mtrs

 

Team

Lasramblas        129mtrs (28th)

 

 

We would Like to thank Mellon & the rest of the team who Organise the Championships

& Steve & Trish for the wonderful Hospitality they provide every year

So if your looking for a place to stay in the Oban area we highly recommend

http://www.garraghmhor.co.uk/

 

 

A Pre Skim Stroll Nr Ardfern

For various Reasons Sam. Kay. Kevin & Captain Haddock couldn't be with us as we took a pre-skim Stroll Around Ardfern they were all greatly missed . Unfortunatley Hayseed Dixie failed to make it to the meeting spot The Galley of Lorne

 

Marion, Bruce, Linda, Neil, Alfie, Jill, Andy Bob & Sally

have a short stroll on the Craignish Peninsula

After 1778, when most of the peninsula was in the ownership of the Campbells of Craignish, who had been the dominant local clan since the earliest recorded times around 1100, parcels of land were gradually sold off, and by 1850 most of the land was part of two estates;  Lunga, purchased by the MacDougalls (of Lunga island), to the north and the Craignish estate to the south end of the peninsula. This division essentially remains the same today, though in 1983 a part of the Lunga estate was sold off to a developer to create Craobh Haven, a marina and village created in and around a natural harbour on the west side of the peninsula.

There is evidence of habitation going back to pre-history. Contemporaries of St. Columba settled by 600AD and the earliest church on the peninsula, Kilvaree, now a ruin, is 12th Century or earlier. Until modern times farming was the main occupation and cattle from the off lying islands, Jura, Scarba, etc., were landed near Craignish point and driven along the peninsula to the mainland proper. Of the three inns that ‘supported’ the drovers only one, dating from the 17th – or even 16th century - now called the Galley of Lorne, survives in Ardfern. Farming, together with a busy weaving industry and three mills, carried on during the first part of the twentieth century.

The latter half of the twentieth century saw farming and traditional industry decline and the population fell to less than half its now 400+. The current Laird of Lunga, saw that for the community to survive, things must change. To re-vitalise the area, he created a yacht centre at Ardfern to attract the ever increasing numbers of cruising yachtsmen on the west coast; re-opened and developed the old Inn (the Galley of Lorne), sold housing plots to attract people into the area, encouraged artists of all sorts and the trades-people necessary for a thriving community, to stay on his estate.

Ardfern today has a diverse and growing population.

Abandoned View 

 

Sally, Jill, Linda & Alfie take in theView

 

Andy, Alfie Linda Jill, Marion & Neil Formation Ramble

 

Northern Panorama

 

Southern Panorama With Distant Ramblers

 

Linda. Bob, Marion, Andy, Sally, Jill & Neil
listen for the rumble of Corryvreckan in the distance 

 

Weird Rock

 

Spot the Deer

 

Time for a quick Pint in the Galley Of Lorne then back to Trish & Steve's to gorge ourselves on Kay's Lemon Drizzle Cake & Trish's Flapjacks & Fruitcake washed down with Lashings of Wine & Orkney Ales before the seriousness Of  tomorrows Skimming Contest.

 

http://www.galleyoflorne.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A West End Walk, Sculpture Science & Spray Paint

Vince & Neil had an hour or two to kill so suggested a saunter round the West- End, But got distracted by the Commonwealth Games preparations.

 So Time to head off without them

Route

Arty Graffiti

Kibble Palace

The Elf By Sir William Goscombe John

Kibble Interior

King Robert of Sicily by George Henry Paulin

River Kekvin

Remains of the North Woodside Flint Mill

More Arty Graffiti

Thomas Carlyle

Heron, Mallard & Pigeon

Newly refurbished Bandstand

Todays Temperature is 286.15 Kelvin

Joseph Lister

Glasgow University Spire

Kelvingrove Art Gallery

Art Gallery Interior

Spitfire Exhibit

The Heads



Strathyre Forest Walk

Las Ramblas Ramblers keep in constant touch with the jive Aces in case any help is required of a meteorological nature and as the clouds looked rather heavy a quick call was made

 

Gillian. Alison, Marion, Bruce, Linda, Neil, Avril, Gary, June, Dougie, Sam, Alfie & Layla have a stroll round the Forest at Srtathyre.

Strathyre is a district and settlement in the Stirling local government district of Scotland. It forms the south-eastern part of the parish of Balquhidder It is within the bounds of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

The district of Strathyre extends from east of Balquhidder, following the River Balvaig which flows out of Loch Voil, almost due south to Loch Lubnaig. The River Balvaig is 8 kilometres in length, almost all of which lies in Strathyre. It falls by around 5 metres between Loch Voil and Loch Lubnaig. The A84 road and the route of the former Callander and Oban Railway run through the strath, as does the old 18th century military road.

The Strathyre Forest, which extends well beyond the limits of Strathyre proper, is managed by the Forestry Commission, forming the easternmost part of the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. At the heart of wild and rugged Strathyre Forest is a sheltered 'S' shaped glen, which was chiselled out of the land by the brute force of a glacier during the Ice Age.

Strathyre's name comes from the Gaelic Strath Cor, interpreted as 'broad winding valley', which describes the surrounding landscape perfectly. Start exploring this quiet wooded glen from the car park and picnic site in the village or head for the southern end of tranquil Loch Lubnaig to find trails at Ben Ledi and the Strathyre Cabins.

This area is steeped in Scottish history and many stories abound, especially of Rob Roy MacGregor, notorious 18th century outlaw and local legend. His grave is in the peaceful kirkyard at Balquhidder.

The village of Strathyre is largely a Victorian creation, having grown up with the arrival of the railway in the 1870s and the establishment of Strathyre railway station.

Route

Gary, Avril, Sam & Alfie set off

Heavy looking Clouds maybe time to call the Jive Aces



Gillian leading her troops

A light shower just as we lose the Tree cover

Brighter Skies

Rain heading north

Tackling a route chosen by Alfie

Almost time for a beer

June, layla, Alison & Marion have a post walk refreshment at the Inn

If your looking for a refreshment in the area try

http://www.innatstrathyre.co.uk/