Las Ramblas Ramblers

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

The 2013 World Stone Skimming Championships

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

Easdale Island for the world Stone Skimming Championships

Unfortunately David and the rest of the Jackalopes had a prior booking

But recorded an appropriate song in Celebration of the sound of Slate on Water

So if your in the Bristol area give them a look you may find dates here

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Jackalopes/133388810092198

Marion, Bruce, Linda, Neil, Sam, Alfie, Andy, Jill, Kevin, Kay, Haddie, Bob & Sally

head over to Easdale for the Competition

An early explanation of the physics of stone-skimming was provided by Lazzaro Spallanzani in the 18th century.

The stone generates lift in the same manner as a flying disc, by pushing water down as it moves across the water at an angle. Surface tension has very little to do with it. The stone's rotation acts to stabilize it against the torque of lift being applied to the back.

Research undertaken by a team led by French physicist, Lydéric Bocquet, has discovered that an angle of about 20° between the stone and the water's surface is optimal. Bocquet and his colleagues were surprised to discover that changes in speed and rotation did not change this fact. Work by Hewitt, Balmforth and McElwaine has shown that if the horizontal speed can be maintained skipping can continue indefinitely. Earlier research reported by Bocquet calculated that the world record of 38 skims set by Coleman-McGhee, unchallenged for many years, required a speed of 12 m/s (25 mph), with a rotation of 14 revolutions per second.

Or you could take our advice and pick up a stone, Chuck it, Hope for the best.

Ellenabeich

Ferry to Easdale

Advertising

Easdale

The whole worlds watching & so is the Pub

Heading to the Arena

Spectators start to assemble

Alfie stakes his claim for 11-15 world dominance
as Blue Peter presenters look on in admiration

Marion & the Blue Peter team celebrate her scoring throw

The Dutch team enter the Fray

Chas makes a Bid for the International Award

Neil begins the defence of the Budgie

Sam's stylish technique impresses Wally

Bruce tries not to be distracted by the proximity of a bottle of Orkney Blast

Kevin Stakes his claim for the Budgie

Las Ramblas look on as Mellon takes his attempt

Winning throw from Dougie Isaacs after a 4 way toss-off

Alfie is proclaimed Boys 11-15 World Champion

Time for us to head back to the Oyster for the Presentation of

The Budgie

The Puffin

& The Cockatiel

Chas is overjoyed at winning the Cockatiel (International Award)

Former Boys under 10 World Champion
Current Boys 11-15 World Champion
And now Holder of The Budgie
surely BBC Sports Personality of the Year contender

2013 Results
Budgie
Alfie = 45m
Bruce= 39m
Kevin = 33m
Neil = 29m
Sam = 26m

Puffin
Jill = 17m
Marion = 8m
Kay = 0m

Cockatiel
(International)
Chas = 50m

Boys 11-15
Alfie = 45m (1^st )

Team
Las Ramblas 258m (14^th)

Ellenabeich

Thanks are due to Mellon & everyone who organised the event

Special Thanks to Steve, Trish, Gillian & Angus

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

Monday, 30 September 2013

Pre- Skim Saunter on Kerrera

Las Ramblas Ramblers (Stone Skiming Division) Head to the Island of Kerrera for a Pre-skim Saunter to Gylen Castle, Ronald Binge missed the ferry so headed into Oban to drown his sorrows

Marion, Bruce, Linda, Neil, Sam, Alfie, Andy, Jill, Kevin, Kay, Haddie, Bob & Sally are joined by Chas & Jaks.

Gylen Castle, on the southern part of the island of Kerrera in Argyll and Bute, juts dramatically into the sky on the tip of a promontory overlooking the Firth of Lorne.

Built in 1582 by the Clan MacDougall. Gylen was only occupied for a relatively short period of time. The castle was besieged then burned by the Covenanters under General Leslie in 1647 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

In May 2006 a restoration of the castle was completed with a £300,000 grant by Historic Scotland and £200,000 raised by worldwide members of Clan MacDougall.

Kerrera

Who pays the Ferryman

Heading south from the Jetty

Cattle cooling off at the shore

Looking north to Oban

Neil, Jill, Jaks & Marion head for the View

And what a view

Gylen Castle

Chas has a Highlander Moment "there can be only one" (thankfully)

Sally finds a spot to cool off in

Time to head over to Ellenabeich and prepare for tomorrows competition

The Training Room

Monday, 9 September 2013

Taking the High Road or maybe the Low Road

Las Ramblas head out to Loch Lomond for a Sunday Stroll,

surprisingly Neil arrived first at the meeting point unlike Martha Tilton who came up with the feeble excuse that she was helping Bruce in Cowdenbeath with a couple of big sums

Gillian, Alison, Marion, Neil, Alfie, June, Avril, Gary, Layla, Ryan & Wilf set out from Rowardennan for a saunter on the shores of

Scotland's loch that doesn't rely on a Monster to pull in the tourist.

Loch Lomond is a freshwater loch lying on the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands. It is 39 kilometres (24 mi) long and between 1.21 kilometres (0.75 mi) and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) wide. It has an average depth of about 37 metres (121 ft), and a maximum depth of about 190 metres (620 ft). Its surface area is 71 km2 (27 sq mi), and it has a volume of 2.6 km3 (0.62 cu mi). Of all lochs and lakes in Great Britain, it is the largest by surface area, and the second largest (after Loch Ness) by water volume. Within the United Kingdom, it is surpassed only by Lough Neagh and Lower Lough Erne in Northern Ireland.

Traditionally a boundary between Stirlingshire and Dunbaronshire, Loch Lomond is currently split between the council areas of Stirling, Argyll and Bute, and West Dunbartonshire.

Loch Lomond is now part of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Ben Lomond is on the eastern shore: 3,195 ft in height and the most southerly of the Scottish Munro peaks. A 2005 poll of Radio Times readers voted Loch Lomond as the 6th greatest natural wonder in Britain.

The loch contains thirty or more other islands. depending on the water level. Several of them are large by the standards of British bodies of freshwater. Inchmurrin, for example, is the largest island in a body of freshwater in the British Isles.

Several of the islands appear to be crannogs, artificial islands built in prehistoric periods

One of the loch's islands, Inchconnachan, is home to a colony of wallabies.

Alison & Layla

Loch Lomond

Marion & Avril express a preference for the Low Road

Fly Agaric

Neil gets some practice in for the impending championships

Ramblers Rest

Alison realises she cant get a signal on her Phone

Taking the High Road

Our Glorious leader receives running repairs

Avril inspects the work of the Midge

Alfie in a contemplative mood

Time to head homeward

Sunday, 12 May 2013

Comrie; the de'ils Cauldron & Melville Monnument

Las Ramblas head into Perthshire for a Bimble to the De'ils Cauldron in Comrie.

Carole King had hoped to join us but took fright at the amount of Seismic activity in the area, she sent this little ditty so we could whistle while we walk.

Gillian, Alison, June, Marion, Bruce, Neil, Linda, Sam, Alfie, Avril, Garry, Ryan & Wilf are joined in the Shaky Toun by Geraldine.

Before we set of let's check in with Sean for a quick Weather Report.

"Well Las Ramblas Light Showers in the morning giving way to a very pleasant day for a saunter "

Comrie sits at the confluence of three rivers. The River Ruchill and The River Lednock are both tributaries of the Earn , which itself eventually feeds into the Tay . The name Comrie is of Gaelic origin and is derived from the Gaelic word conruith meaning 'a place where rivers meet' or 'confluence'. Due to its position astride the Highland Boundary Fault it has historically experienced frequent earthquakes and Comrie is now nicknamed the 'Shaky Toun. In the 1830s, around 7,300 tremors were recorded and today Comrie remains one of the most geologically active areas in the United Kingdom and records earthquakes more often, and to a higher intensity, than anywhere else in the United Kingdom. Comrie became the site of one of the world's first seismometers in 1840.

The village's position on the Highland Boundary Fault is unique. To the north of the village, Ben Chonzie and the Grampian Mountains rise majestically, while to the south of the village wide and open moorland is joined by lesser mountains and glens which provide a unique range of terrain and ecology.

There is significant evidence of prehistoric habitation of the area, characterised by numerous standing stones and archeological remains, which give some insight into the original Pictish and later Celtic societies.

In 79AD the Roman General Agricola chose what are now the outskirts of Comrie as the site to build a fort and temporary marching camp, because of the area's strategic position on the southern fringe of the Highlands. The fort is one of the lines of so-called "Glen blocking" forts which runs from Drumquhassle to Stracathro and includes the legionary fortress of Inchtuthil.

A granite obelisk atop Dùn Mòr to the north commemorates Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville. This monument is reached via a woodland trail through wooded Glen Lednock in which is to be found the Slocha'n Donish or De'ils Caldron. The trail begins in the village, at Laggan Park and ascends through a native forest of pines, oak, elm, ash rowan, alder and beech to Glen Lednock. Via The Shaky Bridge (although the original shaky bridge was replaced with a decidedly less shaky successor) the hiker is greeted with a splendid view of Glen Lednock, a truly highland landscape where a single lane road leads higher to Glen Lednock Reservoir and the Munro, Ben Chonzie. From here Dùn Mòr and the Monument are easily reached, offering unparalleled views across Strathearn and further west to the central highlands. A swift descent (or ascent depending on route chosen) leads through a long, steep, wooded gorge which contains the impressive Deil's Cauldron. Here the river has cut a high, cascading waterfall in the surrounding rock, with pools below resembling a boiling cauldron. It is said that a water-elf, Uris-chidh resides here and attempts to lure victims into the treacherous waters. Following the path down a lesser companion to the great falls, The Wee Cauldron which offers a calmer view of the river. Following the path through the forest eventually returns the walker to the village.