Misty Isle Mailing List

I know that some of you who read the blog have sailed on the Misty Isle boat trip to Loch Coruisk on the Isle of Skye or may be looking to sail with them - if so, it is a truely stunning trip and definately worth your while.

I have been asked by the owners (my Mum and Dad!) to put a wee note on here letting folk know that the season is finished now until they restart for Easter.

I organise an email newsletter for the Misty Isle. We only send out emails about 4 or 5 times a year so you won't be inundated if you sign up! If you want your email address added to the list for these occassional news updates please use the contact form on the Misty Isle Boat Trips web site.

A little video slideshow!

Sorry - it has been AGES since I have posted on here! We have been away here and there and all kinds of things going on. However, I've got a treat for you today! Our friend and next-door neighbour Gavin Mitchell has put together a little video compilation of photos he and his son, Dan, have taken around Elgol, and of the walk between Elgol and Loch Coruisk for use on an exciting new website, "Love To Escape".

Enjoy the footage! You can find more video of the area on the "Elgol The Video" link at Gavin's website "www.wingedisle.com"

Loch Coruisk - Britain's Favourite View??

I hope you caught the TV highlight of the year yesterday?! Loch Coruisk featured on ITV's "Britain's Favourite View"!

It was lovely to see a view like this made accessible to the wider public - and hopefully an encouragement to you all to come and experience Loch Coruisk for yourselves! Also, there were some really nice shots of around Skye generally and of the shore at Elgol where the school is (I think the pupils are all better behaved than I was when I was in the Elgol school ?? years ago!)


We won't know until the finale whether Loch Coruisk received enough votes to get that far, but hopefully it will, giving it the chance to feature once again.

It has also been great to hear from some of you who were passengers on Dad's boat The Misty Isle at various times - some of you saw the program and wrote in to let us know it brought back great memories... it's always great to hear from you!

Sorry - I still haven't got round to posting the photos of the walk from Loch Coruisk back home to Elgol - I am leaving it for a few days to try and get it into a kind of 3 or 4 page structured walk-through rather than just a few random photos (that's the plan anyway!)

Loch Coruisk Blogs are like buses...

There are no new blogs for ages and then... well, you get the picture!

I was working on Dad's boat, the Misty Isle, doing the trips to Loch Coruisk over Friday and Saturday, and it seemed very eventful for only 2 days!

There were the previously mentioned local kids out with us for their last swim of the boat before the holidays ended, and the also-previously-mentioned BBQ, and then on the Friday morning about 5 minutes after folk had dissembarked for the walk to Loch Coruisk, 2 people appeared to let us know that someone had fractured their ankle up by the Loch. They were ferried over on a different boat but in need of help getting from the Loch to the landing steps. It was such a shame for them - half way through their holiday! But though in a lot of pain, she kept smiling and seemed to feel a little better after the ordeal of being half-carried over the rocks was over with and she was sipping a cup of Dad's strong-as-it-gets tea!

The whole incident reminded me why Dad chose to run a real boat-trip experience - staying over at the landing steps for the time people are ashore - rather than simply a ferry service. It's great to be around should something like this happen (and it happens a few times every year) or in case folk need some shelter during a sudden downpour... or simply if people just want an early cup of tea and a chat about the area.

To the lady with the sore ankle - if you're reading this, I hope it is feeling a little better now! (Actually, I still hope it is better even if you're not reading this! :-)

I'll post about this probably tomorrow, but I took the day off work today and went over to Loch Coruisk with Dad then walked back home from there. It was an amazing day of beautiful weather and I took loads of photos so I plan to share a few here on the blog.

Back to School!! We'll miss you!

It's that time of year again - back to school! It's been great having the local kids coming along on the Misty Isle so often to go swimming at the Loch na Cuilce landing steps where my Dad drops people off to see Loch Coruisk and I thought I'd put this picture on - I managed to get a shot with Kyle, Robbie and Rozz all jumping of the boat at the same time! (It makes a nice change from Dad throwing them in!)

I thought about just puting in the picture with the title, "What happens to people who don't have a ticket!

Loch Coruisk BBQ for Young Carers

On Friday 10th August, 9pm, Loch Coruisk wasn't as quiet as ussual for a Friday evening. The hills around the Loch became home to a group of folk from all over Skye - and further afield - enjoying an evening barbeque to the sound of some guitar and fiddle music (courtesy of Sandy and Roxy).

It was a perfect evening, and a perfect setting, for a BBQ - the red deer that gathered very close to us were really putting themselves at risk as I toyed with the temptation of helping one onto the BBQ... venison steaks!

The evening was made even more memorable by the dolphin that came right into Loch na Cuilce and put on a grand display for those present.

Marjorie Jagger of the Skye and Lochalsh Young Carers Project let us know some more about what the evening was all about - the outstanding work that the Project is involved in, providing for the area's young carers.

Who, you may wonder, are these young carers? I'll let them answer that themselves with a quote from their publicity leaflet: "We are children and young adults under the age of 18, whose lives are restricted because we need to take responsibility for the care of someone who is ill, has a disability, is experiencing mental ill health or is affected by alcohol or substance abuse."

The Young Carers Project provides ongoing support for these carers in an environment which allows them to enjoy something of the normality and fun of childhood.

I think the total sum raised on the evening, from the ticket sales and raffle, was somewhere around £940. If you would like to make a donation to this cause, or to find out more about the work of the Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers Project, email Marjorie Jagger on mjagger@slccf.fsnet.co.uk

To see more photos of the BBQ, go here.

Dolphins near Loch Coruisk

No - not dolphins in Loch Coruisk but dolphins very near Loch Coruisk! (From the news this last week the last fresh-water dolphins have just become extinct!)

On Friday night at the Loch Coruisk barbeque (more in the next blog entry) those present were treated to a little dolphin display with a dolphin coming right in to Loch na Cuilce (the sea loch where boats land passengers to give them access to Loch Coruisk). It was a real treat to see that dolphin and an even bigger treat for me to see them in the same area from the boat the next day. I had been working over the weekend - the first time I have been to Coruisk for about 3 weeks so I was beginning to suffer withdrawal symptoms (!) - and while returning to pcik up a group of 6 ladies from Fife (Hello to you if you're reading!) we were suddenly surrounded by bottle-nose dolphins!

It was great! The only thing that wasn't great about it unfortunately was my skill as a photographer! I have never really used manual focus before and the camera just wasn't focusing so wouldn't take the shot. It was a little frustrating (I guess it was because of the heavy rain and the water getting on the lense but would be keen to hear if that would have affected it) but I managed to get a few shots in focus.

You can see a few more of the dolphin photos and a bigger version of this photo at www.mistyisleboattrips.co.uk on the photos section.

Return from Loch Coruisk!

I have realised that I haven't put any photos on the blog yet! Sorry about that! Here is a picture of the local boat that runs trips from Elgol to Loch Coruisk sitting at the Elgol pier with a glorious Skye sunset over the Cuillin Hills. The sunset is slightly enhanced as I am trying to learn a bit in experimenting with Photoshop. (You can find a larger version of the photo on http://www.mistyisleboattrips.co.uk under the photo gallery section).

My next door neighbour, Gavin, is thankfully dragging me up Ben Chleat (above our house here in Elgol) quite a bit these days (He needs to drag me to get me started, but once up there it is unbelievable and... indescribable!!) I haven't taken my camera yet (I can barely manage up there myself let alone start taking luggage!!) but I hope to in the next few days - it is a fantastic 360 degree viewpoint (you can actually look down into Loch Coruisk from up there). I will get some photos to post - as much as anything just to prove I made it up there! (and yes, to those who know the area... I do know that Ben Chleat isn't exactly Everest, but then... I'm not exactly Sir Chris Bonington! I had to Google "Britain's most famous climber" and find out that it was Sir Chris Bonington to make that last sentance work!

Loch Coruisk - Coming to a TV screen near you!

Loch Coruisk - my favourite view in Britain (or anywhere come to think of it!).

Loch Coruisk - "Britain's favourite view"!!

Could this be true? Well, this month ITV are to air a program called "Britain's Favourite View". Here's how it works: 16 contenders were picked from all over Britain to battle it out for the title of "Britain's Favourite View". Each week, beginning on the 12th of August, 4 of the 16 views will be shown with a celebrity talking about why he or she loves that view. There will be a phone vote (no program is complete without one these days!!) to find the winner of that week. On the fifth and final program, the 4 weekly winners will compete for the ultimate title of "Britain's Favourite View".

Loch Coruisk will feature on August 19th's program. The film crew chartered the local boat 'The Misty Isle' (see link to the right) because they wanted the program to have a 'local' feel and to be able to do a bit of a feature and interview with the skipper, Seumas, who has been running trips to Loch Coruisk for 40 years now. Charles Kennedy went across with the folk at Misty Isle Boat Trips and was interviewed at Loch Coruisk. And guess who got to go along to help out while they were filming? Yeah! I even fell on the rocks with a large film crew standing by! Thankfully they didn't have the cameras rolling or I guess I'd be featured on YouTube and You've Been Framed by now!

Anyway, do watch the program! And... VOTE for Loch Coruisk!! It would be great to see them return to Loch Coruisk for the finale - and even better still to see Loch Coruisk receive its rightful title of "Britain's Favourite View"

Coruisk-E-Q!

Well... A BBQ at Loch Coruisk!

On 10th August there is going to be a charity fund-raising Boat Trips & Barbeque at Loch Coruisk, leaving Elgol at 7pm.

The event is planned as a fund-raiser for the "Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers Project" with all money taken going directly to the charity. I guess all that's needed is good weather, and plenty of midge cream!!

Tickets are already dissappearing very quickly (saying this is not just a marketing ploy - they really are!) so if you are interested please do book early to avoid disappointment.

The Misty Isle will sail for Coruisk at around 7pm, returning to Elgol some time around 10.30 - 11pm. As well as the food there will be a few games around for all ages and possible a little music as well, and a raffle. Tickets are £20 per adult and £10 per child.

If you want to come along (and who wouldn't - Loch Coruisk is the ideal place for a family BBQ!) then log onto the Misty Isle Boat Trips website and go to the "Contact" page. Remember to tell them that you found out about the event through the Loch Coruisk Blog!

Doggie Recovery Team!

I managed to convince Jamie to take the weekend off so was out on the boat on Monday. We had a few adventures - not least our doggie recovery!! Try and picture the scene... Imagine if you can the cutest little dog in existence! Now imagine that dog wearing a tiny little life jacket! Now take the picture a step further and imagine there being a handle on the back of his life jacket so he can be carried along! Now that's what I call cute (slightly absurd, but cute!).

We'll call the dog 'Shadow' (real names have been omitted to protect the identity of the dog... actually, I can't remember!!). He had come on board for a brief visit on his way to Loch Coruisk and a few folk were back early for a cup of tea and a rest after their walk. Immediately everyone fell in love with Shadow. They kept joking that they all wanted to keep him.

While we were off the pier briefly to let another boat use the steps Shadow appeared around the steps on his own! The owner shouted to us from his yacht and asked if we could help as Shadow had obviously broken free from the friends who had taken him ashore, and he was a bit worried about him (even with his wee life jacket! A seal could swallow him whole!!). So, when we tied up again to await the return of our passengers, we took on an extra passenger, rescuing Shadow! We delivered her to her owner's yacht.

It was a nice end to the day - the only problem was that I half expected a fight to break out on the Misty Isle - no one wanted to let us give Shadow back and were all keen to take her home!!

Maybe we need to get ourselves a little 'Shadow' for a boat mascott!! Any ideas?

PS - if anyone reading this was on the boat and has a picture of Shadow, I'd love to hear from you as I had forgotten the camera on Monday!!

Welcome to the Loch Coruisk Blog!

This is my first post... so what can you expect to find here? Well, the random ramblings of someone who was born and brought up in Elgol, Isle of Skye, and who loves the area and the people. I have called it Loch Coruisk because I think Loch Coruisk is the simply the most astounding place on earth - as simple as that!

In this blog - which I'll try and keep updated at least weekly - I'll be keeping you up to date with what is happening in the area, coming events, reports on past events and, most importantly... Photos!!

There is a local boat that runs from Elgol to Loch Coruisk and I occasionaly get to crew for my Dad (the skipper), so I'll try and keep updating the photos as often as possible.

To keep you going just now, here's some I prepared earlier!! Go to the Photo Gallery section.