Thursday 9 May 2013

Lochearnhead Events, Wildlife On Our Doorstep and Frasers latest construction



What on earth is Fraser Proven up to now?

Any ideas?

Did you guess?

Frasers Couch! Can you spot the red squirrel?

Check the close up below


Anyone else would call this a garden bench but Frasers says its a "couch".  Four people can sit here.  Of course it's not a real red squirrel. We don't have to glue resin animals to our garden as there really are red squirrels in the area.  Be careful if you spot them on the road though as they are slow to cross. 

Our friend Tony runs the local wildlife watch centre in Strathyre.  If you don't want to leave wildlife spotting to chance,  book a  session with him for around £15 and he will take you to camera hides focused on red squirrels, pine martins and badgers. He knows where the otters are too! You can also book a "birding weekend" to get familiar with the sight and sound of seasonal birds. Natural Trossachs is an eco friendly wildlife watch business where they run special activity weekends like, birding and bushcraft skills (handy outdoor survival skills). See more here http://www.naturaltrossachs.co.uk   

If you prefer to go off road in a Land Rover, then check out Hidden Glen Safaris.  Owner Alan will pick you up from Briar Cottages and take you to well known parts of Balquhidder Glen to look for eagles, deer, foxes and more. The picturesque terrain was the final stomping grounds of Rob Roy McGregor http://www.hiddenglensafaris.co.uk from £28 per person.
 
The deer have been spotted around Lochearnhead all winter and they leave evidence every night in our gardens.  Normally they go back up the hills however this lot are enjoying local pickings.  Briar Cottages offers a lovely grassy paddock to the rear. The deer and stags love our flowers and laurel bushes appeal to their taste too.  They are in our garden most nights and sometimes during the day much to the delight of guests that report sightings.

Deer visit Lochearnhead regularly

We are extremely lucky to have ospreys fishing all summer. They come back from Africa at the beginning of May and will be here throughout the summer.  Briar Cottages offers a 250 foot loch garden and both cottages face south over Loch Earn so our guests have front row seats.  Watch ospreys fishing all summer. It is useful to have a camera around here at all times.  The swallows are back too and the mallards have had their first ducklings.  One mother has been feeding here all winter. She only has 2 ducklings left however she brings them to the garden every day several times so that we can help to feed them.   We can't look out for them all the time. They are  under threat from other creatures and the trunk roads if drivers don't see them. Our mother duck has an extra challenge.  She only has one foot. We call her "hoppy".  I hope that is not duckist or mallardist as she is named with affection.
Fraser celebrating the 1st day of the fishing season
 



 The fishing season is well under way however we could do with temperatures rising a bit for more trout to surface.  This picture was taken on 15th March when Fraser decided to celebrate the start of the fishing season. He celebrates most days to be fair!


In a week or two the sea plane will be a familiar sight on Loch Earn, based at The Lochearnhead Water Sports Centre. Guests can enjoy the regular take off and landings by qualified pilots who are learning or improving sea plane and mountain flying skills.

 
Photo by Lochearnhead photographer
 Alistair Barclay of Alba virtual tours


 
Power Skiing Event: On the 24th May we see the return of the formula one power boat ski race. Witness all ages of people skiing  at up to 110 miles per hour. No mistake, they really go that fast.See www.skirace.net and http://www.lochearnhead-watersports-centre.com/activities-to-make-you-feel-alive/C
 
Food and Drink?   Great news.  MHOR84 has opened up 3 miles down the A84 from Lochearnhead.  Chef Tom Lewis has woven his magic once again along with his wife Lisa and siblings Dick and Melanie.  They have taken over the old Kingshouse Hotel, whitewashed it and created a Motel with fresh, very tasty and great value food.  You can eat most of the day.  Drop in for breakfast, snacks, soups, Illy coffee and home made cakes and main meals too.  A great place for ramblers and walkers to gather for tea and well behaved dogs can sit on the wooden floors under your table. The Golden Larches restaurant on the A84 has been taken over by husband and wife team Alistair and Alida.  In addition to all day food, snacks and beverages in the restaurant or conservatory, you can now order takeaway fish or scampi and chips.
 
Next  years events: Briar Steading has already been booked for The Ryder Cup 2014 and The Highland Games 2014 however Little Briar is still available.  We are hoping that some Commonwealth Games enthusiasts will take a short break up this way while they are in Scotland.  After all, we are only an hour and 15 minutes from Glasgow.  Give us a call if your need luxury and pet friendly accommodation for a week or short break 01567 830 443 throughout the year in any season.
  
Catch up with more of my news on Twitter @Briarcottages 
 

For other Whats On events in the area:


May 16th
Event: Golf Senior Men's Open. Venue: St Fillans Golf Club St Fillans
Contact : TEL:01764 685312 Email : Stfillansgolf@aol.com, http://www.st-fillans-golf.com,
Time : All Day
To enter please send your details along with a cheque to the club: St Fillans Golf Club, South Loch, Earn Road, St Fillans, Perthshire, PH6 2NJ. Visitors are welcome at St Fillans Golf Club which is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland surrounded by magnificent lochs and towering mountains. The terrain is quite level in spite of the imposing hills that surround the course. It is popular with beginners yet proves to be a difficult course to score well on for the more experienced player.
 
May 24th-26th
Event:   Birding Weekend
Venue: Strathyre Outdoor Centre
Event: Learn about the call of birds.  Watchbirds from a distance in the various habitats; woodland, marshes &  moorland,  Identify birds by sight with visual ID,  bat detection, Pre breakfast bird walks
Price £205 with food and accommodation £150 without. 
 
 
May 25th and 26th
Event: British Power Boat Water Skiing, Loch Earn
Venue: The Lochearnhead Water Sports Centre, Lochearnhead.
Price: Free to spectate
Witness up to 30 power boats pulling brave water skiers at speeds of 70 to 110 miles per hour.
JUNE
June 1st/2nd
Event: Strathyre Music Festival
Venue: Various including The Inn at Strathyre, Creagan House, Strathyre Village Hall
Price (TBA)
Contact Ken Higgens http://balvaig.co.uk/index.html
Time: All Day
Strathyre's 1st Music Festival, hosted by local group Balvaig who have invited another 100 entertainers to join them in creating a memorable music festival. Showcasing an eclectic mix of local and international musicians to suit a variety of musical tastes.
June 8th
Even
Venue: St Fillans Golf Club
Price: See website
Time: All Day from 8.00
please send your details along with a cheque to the club: St Fillans Golf Club, South Loch, Earn Road, St Fillans, Perthshire, PH6 2NJ Visitors are welcome at St Fillans Golf Club which is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland surrounded by magnificent lochs and towering mountains. The terrain is quite level in spite of the imposing hills that surround the course. It is popular with beginners yet proves to be a difficult course to score well on for the more experienced player.
June 12th
Event: Ben Sheann Hill Race
Venue: Strathyre register at The Inn
Time 7.30 -9.30pm
The 4km course climbs steeply through forest looping around the summit of An Sidhean before descending back through the forest. The climb is 426m.
June 22nd
Event The Martin Currie Rob Roy Challenge (All Day)
Venue: Starts at Drymen
Price: Charity Event
Contact: WildFox Events on 01567 820409
The Rob Roy Challenge is one of the most successful fundraising events in Scotland. 55 miles of the Rob Roy Way are covered by teams and individuals. A 16 mile walk from Drymen through the Trossachs to Callander is follwoed by a 39 mile cycle to Kenmore via Strathyre, Balquhidder, Lochearnhead.
June 29th and 30th
Event: Lochearnhead Shears, Scotlands Premier Sheep Shearing Competition
Venue: Lochearnhead Games Field, Lochearnhead
Price: £6
Time: Saturday 4pm, Sunday- Heats 9am, hand shears 12 noon, Finals 5.00pm + Crook makingCeilidh Dance 30th June 9.00pm -1.00am
Contact: Colin McGregor Tel:01567 830236 Email :carstraancroft@btinternet.com Url: http://www.lochearnheadshears
This annual event is one of the larger sheep shearing competitions in the UK. Now in its 20th year. International sheep shearers will arrive in Lochearnhead with the aim of taking the revered "Scottish Blackface Shearing Champion" title. Blackface sheep are predominant in this region. The flighty nature and coarse wool of this mountain breed can be very challenging requiring extra skills. Expect a strong representation from Europe this year for a preliminary European Championship . A lively dance ends the weekend. Licensed Bar and Food all Day

JULY
July 3rd
Event: Golf, Ladies Open, St Fillans
Venue: St Fillans Golf Club, St Fillans
Contact: Managing Secretary: 01764 685312 email :Stfillansgolf@aol.com Url: http://www.st-fillans-golf.com
Time 8.30am (All Day)
To enter please send your details along with a cheque to the club: St Fillans Golf Club, South Loch, Earn Road, St Fillans, Perthshire, PH6 2NJ. Visitors are welcome at St Fillans Golf Club which is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland surrounded by magnificent lochs and towering mountains. The terrain is quite level in spite of the imposing hills that surround the course. It is popular with beginners yet proves to be a difficult course to score well on for the more experienced player.
July 14th -18th August (Sundays weekly )
Event: Balquhidder Summer Classical Music Programme, Balquhidder
Venue: Balquhidder Parish Church, Balquhidder.
Event: Summer Music concerts throughout the summer celebrating classical music through the talents of a number of young, up and coming musicians. Parking available around the church.
Time: 7pm
July 20th
Event: BLS Highland Games Lochearnhead ( Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, & Strathyre Highland Games)
Venue: Lochearnhead Games Field, Lochearnhead
Price: £5 entrance ticket on the day
Time: 12.30
Contact Alex Gargolinski. Tel: 01567 830 231 Email :gus.dundhu@btinternet.com http://www.lochearnheadhighlandgames.co.uk
A thrilling and traditional Highland Games in the magnificent setting of Lochearnhead beside Loch Earn in the lands of MacGregor, McLaren, MacNab, Stewart and Campbell. The traditional events often attract world champions though visitors and locals can take part in the open events. This is a terrific day out for all the family whether you want to watch the caber being tossed, listen to the bagpipes, enjoy the highland dancers or take part in the married ladies sprint!
AUGUST
August 31st
Event: BLS Horticultural Society Annual Show - Lochearnhead
Venue: The Village Hall, Lochearnhead
Price: Adults £1 (includes tea and cake/biscuits), children go FREE
Time: 2-4pm
Contact: Pauline Perkins 01877 384228 email:pollyp1@btinternet.com
Come along and experience the (BLS) Balquhidder, Lochearnhead and Strathyre annual Horticultural Show where locals showcase their growing and craft skills. A number of classes are judged by an external panel including pot plants, flowers, fruit and veg, floral art,
kindred activities (also know locally as "industrial engineering" but good old fashioned baking to most of us!), handy craft and an art section. The presentation of trophies will be at 3.30.
SEPTEMBER
September 14th
Event: Gents Open St Fillans Golf Club, St Fillans
Venue: St Fillans Golf Club
Time: All Day
Contact Managing Secretary, Tel:01764 685312 Email :Stfillansgolf@aol.com Url: http://www.st-fillans-golf.com
To enter please send your details along with a cheque to the club: St Fillans Golf Club, South Loch, Earn Road, St Fillans, Perthshire, PH6 2NJ Visitors are welcome at St Fillans Golf Club which is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland surrounded by magnificent lochs and towering mountains. The terrain is quite level in spite of the imposing hills that surround the course. It is popular with beginners yet proves to be a difficult course to score well on for the more experienced player.
OCTOBER
October 12th/13th
Event: Scottish Aeromodellers "Splash In" (Radio Controlled Water Planes) - Lochearnhead
Venue: Loch Earn - (Lochearnhead Watersports and Activities Centre)
Price: Free to spectate
Time: 10.00-16.00
Contact: Colin McLean, Tel:01592 569981 Email :cmacvulcan@blueyonder.co.uk Url: http://www.saaweb.org.uk
Free to spectate. This is a very impressive event that is suitable for all ages. The setting is the shores of Loch Earn in Lochearnhead against a backdrop of Glenample, Edinample castle and an island that was once a Crannog (dwelling house in the water at the time of the Picts).Come along and be amazed by the enthusiastic flying skills of Aeromodellers Association members. This event is run under the auspices of the Scottish Aeromodellers Association as a "Fly in". SAA members attend and fly a wide variety of radio controlled model water planes, large and small, over two days. This is not just boys and there toys. It takes a great deal of skill and training to do what this team does. You will love the variety of planes. In the interests of safety, the public is asked to remain in the "roped off" viewing area.

October 19th/20th
Event: Tracking and Wildlife Weekend
Venue: Strathyre Outdoor Centre, Strathyre
Price: £150 per weekend or £75 per day (£10 discount if full weekend booked for)
Time: 2 full days: starts 19.00 on Friday night and ends 16:00 Sunday afternoon.
Main lessons will be from 09:00 - 17:00 on Saturday and 09:00-16:00 on Sunday
Instructor Leon is a qualified and experienced wildlife biologist with a BSc (hons) in Ecology and a PhD based on otter research in Scotland. He has over 13 years field experience, studying badgers, foxes, grouse & otters. In 2004, Leon formalised his bushcraft interests and achieved a nationally accredited qualification (with distinction)to teach the subject. This year long NCFE course covered all aspects of leading groups, including bushcraft skills, understanding of the natural environment, teaching ability, knowledge of legislation, health and safety.