Brave Events and The BLS Highland Games Lochearnhead

Little Briar in Spring 2012

Spring is long gone. Funny to think back to these 22 degree hot sunny days in March when there was still snow on Ben Vorlich and Stuch a Chroin opposite. April and May teased us with scorching days when Fraser and I swam in Loch Earn. The barometer on the summer house read 35 degrees (sorry no photos of us in our swimsuits!)

We witnessed an amazing event on Loch Earn during Jubilee weekend 2nd and 4th June. The British Water Ski Racing Championships. Water Skiers were pulled at up to 110 miles per hour around a course with life jackets and crash helmets by formula 1, 2, and 3 power boats. Incredible! Lets hope they return next year.

The Lochearnhead Water Sports centre was the perfect venue to host the event and the evening entertainment on 4th June.  See my video of a boat warming up the day before and you will appreciate the speed! There is also some footage live from one of the teams here on You Tube. If you are more into fun and leisure water sports then look out for the giant  doughnut ride, banana boat, pedaloes, kayaks and water zorbing balls.  You can also hire a 4 man motor boat to take for a pleasure cruise or for trout fishing.  There is a kiddies soft play area inside the cafe and a sand pit made from a rowing boat flying the skull and cross bones.  Sit inside the cafe or outside and watch activities or feed the greedy local mallards.

The 19th Lochearnhead Shears, sheep shearing competition will take place in the Lochearnhead Games Field 30 June-2nd July 2012.  An incredible display of skill and strength, speed and accuracy and well worth  witnessing even once.  Then we prepare for the traditional BLS Highland Games in Lochearnhead on 21st July. This year the chief of The McNabs will lead the parade with his clan followed by local clans McLaren, McGregor, Stewart and Campbell who will also do battle against each other in the  tug of war.  A great day out for all the family with open heavyweight events as well as; local fun races, a hill race, dancers, pipers and popular band Pure Malt perforning in the beer tent.  Luxury Briar Steading is already booked however Little Briar cottage is available 21st -28th July.

August sees the launch of Disney Pixars cartoon Brave. Having seen the adorable Brave trailer with voice overs by Kelly MacDonald, Billy Connolly and Robbie Coltrane amongst others you might think that the story was based on the ancient clansmen from the territories around Loch Earn where we still boast; local clan chiefs, naturally beautiful mountains and glens, ancient forests, folklore stories, castles, standing stones, an abundance of wildlife,  a sense of humour and some smart and feisty females.  Come to the BLS Highland Games 21st July, Lochearnhead and see for yourself! 

Wee Santa poses in the calm before the Storm

santa in the west loch garden, Loch Earn 

Happy New Year. Please look at these pictures of wee santa at Briar Cottages, Lochearnhead. 

Wee santa at the picnic table Briar Cottages

He is an antique little guy that belonged to Frasers Aunt. A possible contender for BBC Antiques Roadshow if it were not for the fact that his red hat was actually a 1980's red sock! Sshh! Dont tell him. 

He is lovingly brought out every year with a big smile on his face. Fraser's children and grandchildren get a little spooked by his appearance however he is a fun little man once you get to know him.  All he asks for is a little respect. 

Briar Cottages summer house Big and Wee santa catch up

He looks magnificent against the back drop of snow around our holiday cottage grounds. Look at him sitting with big Santa Claus who is stuffed and propped up at Briar Cottages every year. This year Big Santa was at home in the summer house.  No wonder. What a view he gets of Loch Earn, Edinample Castle and Glen Ample.  

Wee santa sits on the swing in the garden, Loch Earn

Swing in front of xmas tree

Wee santa on one of the loch garden lights

Wee santa near the stair to the jetty, Loch Earn

In front of Briar Cottage and Little Briar

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Venus protects wee santa near the slipway, Briar Cottage garden

Wee santa in front of Briar Steading

These photographs were taken around Christmas 2011 when the snow fell. Look how calm and pretty the loch was then compared to the video below taken in yesterdays storm on 3rd January 2012. Or was it a hurricane?  It blew out in about 3 hours then the sun came out. Hard to believe when you see the loch. Click on the arrow and take a look.

Thank you to everyone who stayed at Briar Cottages Lochearnhead in 2011. Wishing you a magnificent, happy and healthy 2012 with long sunny days in spring, summer and autumn.   Okay... maybe a bit of rain to keep Scotland looking green and luscious with quality crops.

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Happy New Year from Briar Cottages Scotland - for stargazers, wildlife watchers, romantics and those who like a wee dram at Hogmanay followed by a BBQ on the 1st January!

Happy New year from Kim and Fraser in bonnie Lochearnhead, Scotland.  A big thank you to everyone who stayed in Little Briar cottage in 2010 and to our first guests in our luxury holiday cottage,  Briar Steading over the festive period. The Hogmanay village party was a sell out. A good laugh and a few wee drams were had by all. We  are delighted that our guests have secured a booking for this years event.  Both couples can testify that we really do have a barbecue on 1st January outside in the loch garden.  We had fireworks this year too.  Anyone who enjoyed BBC Two Stargazing live will appreciate the location we are in.  There are no street lights polluting the natural light in our section of the road.  It means that you see everything on a clear night and can enjoy the moon rising and setting. You need the cottage torch on dark nights as it is pitch black without the moon, though temporary search lights do come on around the  cottages.  Fireworks are a spectacular contrast to the night skies over Loch Earn.  A friend bought multiple fireworks from Lidl this year. You only light them once and they pop off about 30 fireworks. I have to say that they were first class, excellent value and we would use them again.  For those of you who are aware that we have a 17th century thatched cottage on the grounds;  I promise we were careful!  Briar Steading is booked however Little Briar cottage  is there for the booking if you like a weeks holiday for 2-4 with a party atmosphere around New Year.   Any dogs would have to stay indoors for the fireworks bit of course.  

Winter has been glorious here.   Lochearnhead is stunning when the snow falls.   Fraser and  I could not resist trying out the sledge from the top of the garden.  I would encourage any age group to have a go. We have had regular visits from  a herd of deer and a stag this winter.  They come down in search of food and water when it gets colder.  I am a great fan of BBC Springwatch and Autumnwatch however they sometimes go off on a mission hoping for a glimpse of something.  Our  first guests sat looking out of the full length windows of Briar Steading and the deer came down most nights almost performing in front of them.  I wish I had a better camera, photogaphy skills and a webcam here.  Summer watch and winter watch are just as entertaining at Briar Cottages.  We can get close to the malard ducklings in spring.  They literally eat out of your hand as does the robin in winter. The robin gets very close to Fraser, usually because he is digging  up insects and worms as he weeds. It did fly  into our bedroom in the spring which is maybe a bit too familiar. A brave attempt but it failed to mark its territoy in our boudoir as we politely showed it the door... or was it the window.  An otter has been digging a shelter under our jetty stairs and ospreys catch fish in front of us on the loch all summer. Eagles, owls, red kites, cranes, red squirrels and other creatures can be spotted all year round.  This is a great venue for wildlife and bird watching throughout the picturesque seasons.  Now that Briar Steading is up and running we can concentrate on landscaping around it.  We have plans to put in some trees shrubs and flowers however we better double check that they are not in a deers top 10 favourite things to eat or it will be an annual event. 

  

If you are interested in booking  either or both cottages please check our website and do not hesitate to contact us with any questions briarinfo@btinternet.com,  Tel Kim or Fraser: 44 (0)1567 830 443, Mob: 07876 122 505, http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/   

The Briar Witch Project, Lochearnhead at Halloween

  

Cross eyed pumpkin trying to be taken seriously

  

Shy Pumpkin Girl

Perhaps Halloween at Briar Cottages self catering in Lochearnhead, Scotland should have been eerie and creepy.  After all, the setting is perfect. There are no street lights and it is very dark at night unless the moon is out. There are real bats in the area. The stags rutting over the last few weeks in Achraw Hill behind the cottages sounded a bit like ghosts and goblins in a haunted mountain. 

Pumpkin loving the sunlight instead of moonlight




More Tommy Cooper than Frankensteins monster


Fraser was put in charge of the Briar Witch project. All he had to do was set up some frightening masks and evil pumpkin heads. Somehow he managed to make them all look very cute or comical, a bit like Casper the friendly ghost. I love the cross eyed pumpkin.  We lit a few fireworks on the night of the 30th October 2010. This also happened to be Fraser's birthday. They were set up on the slipway in our garden on Loch Earn. 

New luxury Briar Steading, Autumn

We viewed them from the patio of our luxury new build cottage Briar Steading, in front of the full length patio doors and windows.  The views from there are exceptional.  The fireworks were a great success against the black loch and sky. The only things that were glowing were the pumpkin heads placed on top of the 2ft high garden lights. They looked as though they were floating in mid air over  Loch Earn. What fun. Another memorable weekend at Briar Cottages in Scotland. Pumpkins are effective and easy to carve but for me, you can't beat the childhood smell of a Halloween carved turnip, neep or tumshie with a burning candle inside.



Squashy pumpkin more frightened than frightening



Garden gnome plays Briar witch