July News

It’s now July 18th and Sam and I are looking out at a “watery” scene, if those of you who know our exact location will appreciate is fairly unavoidable, BUT I’m talking today about the weather, you see! It is a grey outlook and, through the rain we can see the Duncraig shore – just. The Crags are not visible so it is a quite depressing scene…

Yesterday the weather improved hour by hour till we believed that mid summer had arrived. We were wrong! Some large yachts had anchored in the bay and they had probably paid attention to adverse forecasts. So, while I complain to you, I am extremely grateful that we are not cooped up on board, no matter how luxurious the conditions down below!

This week two friends have sailed across the Minch to the Isle of Lewis – the Hebridean music festival will be coming to a very watery end soon. Their sail out was in gale force winds, the time there has been mostly very damp and wild. Their trip home promises to be exciting, with present weather predictions and they’ll breeze in here having had a ball – yachts people are a breed quite apart, for they turn into very sane responsible pillars of society when their feet touch dry land!!

The garden has run riot recently and summer blossoms have been quite spectacular, especially the Kingsgate rose which now stretches some fifteen feet and is about nine feet high, as you’ll see from the photo. The early potatoes are good and the various lettuces are as prolific as they have been in previous years. Sam and I shall be planting the leeks when the weather allows.

Heron’s Flight has had many visitors. I’d like to thank all our guests for coming and congratulate those who timed their stay to coincide with the good days we’ve had! Thank you too for all the lovely messages you left and sent. Sally Shuster has kept me very amused, sending PC’s from America; the views have included Rhu, Plockton and Sally and me!!! Our friend John Townend stayed for a 6th visit and narrowly missed seeing Sam and Catriona. Dorothy and Irene, vintage friends, came for a few days too. It has been a lovely month….

Ruah and her labradoodle friend Malinky have now attended four training sessions - with their fraught owners! There are four more lessons for owners and pups alike and then I’ll report on overall progress – of us all!

The annual Plockton Small Boat Sailing Club regatta begins on the 28th. We are all hoping for fair winds and sunshine. Sam will be crewing and helping at the line. Now that Saranna C is in the water, I’m looking forward to crews of four plus cox rowing to compete for Dolan’s trophy. The rest of the family will be here for most of the regatta fortnight, so Heron’s Flight will be buzzing!

Should you think of coming to the North West corner of Scotland, do call in to Plockton and stay for a few days….
Ann