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| Looking west to the Ardnamurchan Pennisula & Ballachulish Bridge from Loch Leven |
Colin & I have just returned from an uplifting & memorable weekend on the Ardnamurchan Pennisula, in the Scottish Highlands. My schoolgirl friend Fiona (Ayr Academy days) was ordained as a Church of Scotland minister. She has been called to the Parishes of Acharacle & Ardnamurchan - the most westerly ones on the UK mainland. Unfortunately we do not have photos specifically of the moment but I'm hoping that they will appear soon on the parish website - http://aandaparishes.wordpress.com/news
After the official ceremony there was a splendid sit down 'high tea' & speeches in the village hall. The local primary school children sang in gaelic - Morning has Broken. We chatted to Fiona's friends from Glasgow and some of her new parishioners; one was a farmer (his abstract sheep motif tie revealed the nature of his farming practice) while another lady had lived in the furthermost west farm house; here it is -
After the ceremony we visited the lighthouse and blew all our cobwebs away in the process:
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| I wasn't shouting - honestly |
These young fellas turned out,
but no one was prepared to give an interview!
We were (of course) delayed in the evening highland rush hour -
Colin captured Sunday morning's tranquility with these photos of Loch leven
&
Glen Coe
The Massacre of Glencoe Lyrics
The Corries
Oh cruel is the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
And cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house o' MacDonald
They came through the blizzard, we offered them heat
A roof ower their heads, dry shoes for their feet
We wined them and dined them, they ate o' our meat
And slept in the house O' MacDonald
They came from Fort William with murder mind
The Campbell had orders, King William had signed
Pit all tae the sword, these words underlined
And leave none alive called MacDonald
They came in the night when the men were asleep
This band of Argyles, through snow soft and deep.
Like murdering foxes, among helpless sheep
They slaughtered the house o' MacDonald
Some died in their beds at the hands of the foe
Some fled in the night, were lost in the snow.
Some lived to accuse him, what struck the first blow
But gone was the house of MacDonald
And covers the grave o' Donald
And cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house o' MacDonald
They came through the blizzard, we offered them heat
A roof ower their heads, dry shoes for their feet
We wined them and dined them, they ate o' our meat
And slept in the house O' MacDonald
They came from Fort William with murder mind
The Campbell had orders, King William had signed
Pit all tae the sword, these words underlined
And leave none alive called MacDonald
They came in the night when the men were asleep
This band of Argyles, through snow soft and deep.
Like murdering foxes, among helpless sheep
They slaughtered the house o' MacDonald
Some died in their beds at the hands of the foe
Some fled in the night, were lost in the snow.
Some lived to accuse him, what struck the first blow
But gone was the house of MacDonald
&
of course a little retail shopping was always a possibility!
I really, really needed to complete my Katie Morag library
We finished our journey with a visit to Stirling to see our son & heir, Jamie before heading back to the Lowlands and home to Cumbria.
