Winter 2007/8

The winter was mild and windy. There was less rain than the 2006/7 winter. There were several force ten gales and one storm force 11 (which collapsed one unoccupied house being built in Torridon and saw several boats break from their moorings and subsequently grounded).

There were only two days of settled snow at ground level.

 

Dolphins

In Mid August 2007 (for several days) Loch Shieldaig had the rare sight of 30 + common dolphins swimming up and down the loch. The school seemed to be working cooperatively, dividing into two groups, one waiting in the shallows at the end of the loch, while the bulk swam at high speed (in a line) towards them ...

...presumably driving fish into the waiting trap.

 

Shieldaig School - 2007/8

Talking of Schools, Shieldaig Primary now has just three pupils, although there are now eight infants in the village that will hopefully bolster thier number in due course. We thought you might like to see this photograph (kindly supplied by Harra Cameron) of the staff and pupils from 1912. Times have changed (as happily, has the presence of footwear)!

More views from the past HERE

Shieldaig Fete 2007

This year's Shieldaig fete was again a sucsess, raising a great deal of money towards the village association funds (figures yet to be confirmed but at least several thousand pounds). With Mexican food, fresh fish and shellfish for sale, egg throwing, canoe race, weightlifting, tug 'o' war, hill race, five-a-side football competition, lots of stalls and arts and crafts for sale, late night music and a ceilidh - the event proved popular (though the weather forecasters again got it wrong, putting off many people).

more photo's here

 

Loch Torridon Hotel wins 'Scottish activities hotel of the year' award.

Residents (and non-residents by appointment) of either the Loch Torridon hotel or the Torridon Inn (formally named the Ben Damph Inn) can now take part in many outdoor activities organised by the Hotel. Located at foot of Liathach and the shores of Torridon are some of the best walking, mountaineering, rock climbing, and kayaking anywhere in the U.K.

Watermark image: Kayaker at Poolewe Bridge

 

The hotel activities team led by Chris Wilson cater for the novice to the expert, offering fun and tuition to develop skills. Activities that are provided include kayaking, mountain guiding, rock climbing, gorge scrambling, guided glen walks, archery, clay pigeon shooting and mountain bikes. All sessions, holidays and courses are run by fully qualified professional instructors who have a passion for their sport.

For further information or to book an activity follow THIS LINK

 

 

Earthquake hits Shieldaig!

click here for full story

 

 

Langoustines in Loch Torridon: Traditional fishing methods prove to be best

Langoustines are the largest of the prawn family of shellfish. As the UK’s’ most commercially valuable shellfish species, this is an important industry.

75% of all langoustines caught in the UK are from Scotland; moreover, Scotland supplies the world market with 40% of its langoustine stocks. The cool, deep waters of Loch Torridon and surrounding areas provide ideal conditions for these prawns, who eat the plankton and small shrimps carried along by the Gulf Stream.

Based in Shieldaig, the award-winning Loch Torridon fishermen run Britain’s first sustainable fishery, where they specialise in catching Nephrops Norvegicus (‘green prawns’) using traditional methods.

Twenty years ago, the langoustine industry was in jeopardy, because trawlers seemed likely to put local creel fishermen out of business. In 1985, the three-mile fishing limit around Britain’s coasts meant that the trawlers could come near to the shore to extract fish. Their large nets not only damaged creel equipment but also caused havoc to the seabed and local marine species. Fishermen from Shieldaig campaigned successfully for a trawler-free zone, and from 2001 trawling was banned in Loch Torridon.

Torridon langoustines are caught mostly in creels which are strung together in lines of over 100. The cages are dropped onto the seabed to depths of 200 m. On a good day, 100kg of langoustines will be caught in this way. About eight to ten tonnes of langoustines are caught every year now. Shieldaig Export Limited supplies local hotels and restaurants with local langoustines as well as selling to Spain and Italy. The Marine Stewardship council accredited this local fishery in 2003; this accreditation has only been given to 14 other fisheries worldwide.

E-mail Torridon Nephrops Management Group at: info@shieldaigexport.co.uk