Life on Loch Ness.

A very pleasant week weatherwise, warm temperatures with a lovely balmy breeze and it was great to sit outside whenever possible and watch the boating life of all sizes pass by.The sport of kayaking and canoeing has become very popular, often wih an instructor shouting encouragment. Other users are not quite so responsible and cause some concern.

 Another favourite activity now is going on the RIB [Rigid Inflatable Boat] the 'Ness Express' from Fort Augustus up to Urquhart Castle and back at great speed.

As it passes in front of our house we wave at the RIB and the passengers all wave back - great fun.This exciting service only began last year and has proved very popular and many of our guests go on it for a thrill.

The breeze has enticed a few yachts to tack across the water.
The biggest craft to use Loch Ness is the luxury cruise ship 'Lord of the Glens' which travels down the Great Glen from Inverness to the Inner and Outer Hebrides depending on the cruise booked by passengers.Built in 1988 the Lord of the Glens underwent a complete re-construction in Spain in 2000. This makes her the only vessel able to navigate both the Caledonian Canal and the open sea.

Juvenile Woodpeckers come to visit

The male Great Spotted Woodpecker has at last bought his family of three youngsters into  the garden. He watches them carefully as they try out the various feeders hanging up amongst the trees and sometimes he actually feeds them as they wait on a nearby tree trunk. They seemed to enjoy the birdbath and we are so pleased to have seen them for the first time.

RockNess Music Festival 2010

The RockNess Music Festival is based at the village of Dores at the eastern end of Loch Ness and take place on Friday 11th June through to Sunday 13th June. We have watched them setting up the big blue and red tents used as stages as well as the rows of sleeping tents that people can hire for the three day event. The line-up includes Fatboy Slim who was the driving force behind the original RockNess event four years ago. Some of the other turns on show are Friendly Fires, Leftfield, The Strokes, Ian Brown, Doves and Blondie as well as many more. The weather is set to be fair over the weekend so the beautiful backdrop of Loch Ness should be amazing, hopefully with a smashing sunset.

Woody makes a meal of it...

The male Great Spotted Woodpecker has been really providing for his family who are no doubt holed up in a nearby tree. He has his meal first then fills up his beak to bursting point to take food back to the youngsters. He really uses his tail well on the suet ball for support and balance and flits about from the peanuts to the suet balls and then onto any oddments left on the ground. We hope that he will one day bring the entire family to the restaurant at Lower Birchwood. Look out for the surprised male pheasant and the baby siskin in the video.

Bluebells,blossom and butterflies.

The recent showers and warm sunshine have encouraged the wild bluebells to suddenly appear at last alongside the fading primroses producing an amazing blue carpet in certain areas of the woodland. 

The rowan blossom is on the trees but a sudden gust of wind causes a confetti effect when the delicate petals spiral down to earth.

The rhododendrons are starting to appear in bud in the forest and the yellow gorse bushes line the roadside.
In our garden the winter pansies planted in tubs last November and then covered in snow for two months are still in flower although some are beginning to fade but they have given us the best show ever. The summer azaleas are beginning to flower and attract the bees and butterflies. It is suddenly very colourful everywhere.

Nairn

The seaside town of Nairn is about 16 miles east of Inverness and became a very popular holiday destination since the Victorian times with the coming of the railway. It has a beautifully clean long sandy beach leading to sand dunes and the busy marina.

There are two 18-hole Champoinship golf courses in the area and the town hosts two well attended festivals in the summer months - a Books and Arts Festival in June and a Jazz Festival in August. We enjoyed a day out last month, before it got too busy with visitors, and enjoyed a stroll in the sunshine along the empty sandy beach followed by a picnic near the sea front.... a good day trip from Aspenwood whatever the weather. 

Red squirrels aplenty.

The native red squirrels are now regular visitors to Aspenwood and enjoy scampering along the new fence from Farigaig forest to the nut feeders where they will stay for some time unless they are disturbed. They can be seen at very close quarters from the comfort of the lounge through the large panoramic window. They have amazing claws - just perfect for the job. Guests often send us their photos....thanks to Ron and Irene for the above.
They also make the journey down to our garden to see what is on the menu and they are spoilt rotten. We were worried about them during the harsh winter but they have survived and are great fun to watch especially when the young are playing around together. These 3 youngsters would have been born in late March or early April and a second litter could be born in September if there is a good food source - which of course there always is. They must have been from the same family as they were very comfortable with each other and appeared from under the bushes one after the other to our surprise and delight.

World record on Loch Ness

Last week a 28-strong group of Asda employees from stores throughout the UK completed the 21 mile paddle along the length of Loch Ness in just 5 hours and 19 minutes claiming a world record for this event.Their feat means they have raised a sizeable amount of money for the Tickled Pink initiative supporting breast cancer. They started at 7am and crossed the finishing line at Dores beach just after noon....we were tired out just watching them!