Jock's Away

Jock Monteith, our Tay Ghillies rep has been offered the opportunity to work abroad in Dubai and is flying away this weekend. Jock raised a huge amount of private money for this project and forged a very effective link with the other ghillies and the middle and lower river, giving our project tremendous strength and that will set us in good stead going forwards. The world is a small place nowadays, and Jock has certainly not gone away. However, he has more than done his bit in getting us up and running Very well done Jock!

Come January, I will have to get out and about recruiting again, and start turning our survey work in to something substantial for the Tay during 2009.

New Ghillie at Newtyle

Martin Ritchie (centre) is the new ghillie at Newtyle. Martin was hatchery manager on the Tay up until 2007 before heading south to work on the Tweed for a season.

Back in Scotland again after Xmas in Tyrone.......

This is the view out across the Irish Sea yesterday coming back up from the ferry at Cairnryan. The sun is going down and catching the water just nicely. These pictures are taken at Lendalfoot, looking out towards Ailsa Craig, or Paddy's Milestone.

Back at work again tomorrow.......

Ailsa Craig, or Paddy's Milestone

Ailsa Craig is half-way between Belfast and Glasgow.......

Waves lapping the shoreline.....

Yellow Sky

And again......

Close Up of Ailsa Craig

VIDEO- Sunset over Ailsa Craig

Merry Xmas from Aberfeldy

Best wishes to everyone for Xmas and 2009. I have put on below a selection of videos that we have taken during 2008.

Back again 29th December.

Regards,

VC

And again............

Video- Nelly & the Otters

This is the video we launched our blogspot with back in April this year. Arguably, it is still the best one we took all year........

Video- Squirrel in birch tree on the Dochart

Video- Aspen Corner

Nelly gets excited at finding aspen below Schiehallion.........

Video- February canoe Survey down the Dochart

Biscuit & Nelly having fun breaking through the ice.......

Video- Sunset in Glen Lochay

Video- Hole in the Wall waterfall

This was a very windy day at the Hole in the Wall waterfall below Ben Lui.......

Video- Another Otter

This time on the Lyon near Inverinian, found by Nelly and Gordon Wilson.........

Video- Western Source of the Tay

Lost in the mist at 3000 ft on Ben Lui, this was me heading up to the western source of the tay on Ben Lui back in September.........dont do this at home, this was seriously scary and I was happy to find my way back down again in one piece.......

At the Source of the Tay

Nelly and the two dogs were the first to get there on our trip last Wednesday 10th December. There are a number of videos and pictures here, to add to the ones that were put up last week.........

If you want to know more about the Source of the Tay, follow this link:

http://www.commentonline.co.uk/wildlife/WhereistheSourceoftheTay.htm

All these photos can be expanded to full screen size by simply clicking on them.

Moon over the Cononish Again......

Video- Setting off for Ben Lui.....

Video- Up in to the Corrie of Ben Lui......

Video- At the Highest source on Ben Lui.......

This is the source of the highest watercourse on Ben Lui, just below the summit, it is the most spectacular watercourse, the the one you would like to be the true source. However, the longest and most dominant tributary, the Allt Coire Laoigh, is to the easyt of here.....

Video- View from the Source of the Tay

As usual, bit of commentary from Nelly........

Video- Standing on the Source of the Tay

This is Nelly just arrived at the source at the top of the Allt Coire Laoigh....

Video- Well done guys!

Nelly, Peter & John at a very windy Source of the Tay.....

Video- Anointing the Source of the Tay with whiskey

Setting off to Ben Lui......

We managed to get a 4WD to within a mile of the base of the hill. The road was a complete sheet of ice all the way up. A very skilful John Wheeler managed to get us this far.......the drive up was a scary as the climb up the mountain in fact, but it saved us 3 miles of walking along the road.

The centre corrie on Ben Lui......

Looking back down the road........

Planning the route up

Dogs climbing Ben Lui........

Looking up to the summit of Ben Lui........

Looking back to Tyndrum

Noggin

Solo

Taking pictures........

The sun comes out.....

Cameras everywhere......

John & Peter........

At the source of the highest tributary on Ben Lui (not the actual source, but the most spectacular the the one you would like to be the source.)

And Nelly.......

And again........

A trickle of water......

How steep is this........?

You can see the dog bracing itself.....

Another angle.......

No trick photography here.......!!

Time for a smoke......

Going over the top

This is John and Peter & the dogs coming out of the bowl of the main corrie on Ben Lui and moving across to the main source of the Tay at the top of the Allt Coire Laoigh.......

Going up to the Source of the Tay

Burying our time capsule.....

Nelly is happy.......

Nelly at the Source of the Tay

John Wheeler and Solo at the source......

Shadows at the summit......

Three men and a dog......

Reaching the top......

Victor coming up to the summit, behind the professionals.......

Steep gully......

Journey to the Source of the Tay

Here is a series of photos of our epic journey to the Source of the Tay yesterday, marking the end of our 1000 mile walk as part of our Tay Western catchments Project, started almost 18 months ago in July 2007.

This is Ben Lui, to the south-west of Tyndrum. Although not the source, three of the boys, Neil Wardman, Peter Scott and John Wheeler (& dogs Solo and Nobbin) first went to the source of the tribuary that flows out of this corrie at well over 3000 ft, almost right at the top of the mountain. They then went over the top and went to meet us to walk up to the source, at the top of the Allt Coire Laoigh to the east of the main peak. It turned out to be a very long day, battling through snow drifts and not getting back until dark. We believe we have re-defined the Source of the Tay, and left a little time- capsule buried at the source to mark the occasion.

We have many more photos and videos from yesterday that I will put up at the start of next week, so, please do come back and look here again. The pictures extend to a second page on this blog.

A very big Thank You to everyone who has helped us with this project to date. We aim to turn the findings from our survey work in to something really substantial for the Tay in 2009.

Walking up to Ben Lui......

The Team.......

Left to right: David Robertson, Neil wardman, Peter Scott & John Wheeler. The dog is called Solo.....

David & Nelly

David Robertson from Killin and Neil Wardman who helped us with our survey work all summer were two of our team today......

Looking up to the main source of the Tay

Rowan tree in a rock

That is the top of Ben Lui behind......

Closer.......

Trees high up.......

Closer.....

This is a little cluster of stunted rowan trees.......

Looking back down the Allt Coire Laoigh

How cold is this??