DEAR DIARY !

New Year 2018

A very Happy New Year to all our readers of this website.

Take Care and Stay safe

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Monday, 1st January 2018

For the statistically curious these are the Litter totals for 2017:

KYLEAKIN VILLAGE (1st January - 31st December)

Total Litter collected = 301 bags

Total Dog Poos collected = 276 bags

Total KEG Volunteer Hours = 306 hours 20 minutes

OTHER AREAS

Total Litter Collected = 23 bags

Total Dog Poos collected = 7 bags

Total KEG Volunteer Hours = 18 hours

Other Areas include Uig Woods, Kyle Co-op Car Park and the Skye Bridge.

DEAR DIARY continues after the photos below...

 

The Obe in Winter Viewed from across the Stepping Stones at low tide	The Obe at Low Tide On very low tides The Obe nearly dries out!
Kyleakin Play Park Thanks to the Kyleakin PTA, children now have a great new Play Park in Olaf Road	Operation Joint Warrior 2013 The Royal Norwegian Navy ~ S304 Uthaug passing Eilean Ban towards The Skye Bridge
Lochalsh Junior Pipe Band Playing on The Corran on the evening of 10th June 2013	Memorial to Andrew Gordon This Memorial Tablet is located at the Old Telescope by the Foreshore and is in remembrance of Andrew Gordon who tragically died in 2015 whilst out swimming by The Skye Bridge
Vectis Osprey at Kyle of Lochalsh This 8500 tonne UK Registered Cargo Vessel docked in early May to unload some truly enormous blades (57m long) for the 66 turbine Wind Farm at Stronelairg near Fort Augustus	Vectis Osprey at Kyle of Lochalsh The truck beds used telescope out for these really long loads
The Skye Bridge & Eilean Ban Lighthouse Viewed from Hill of the Red Fox	Tom Leppard Known as the Leopard Man of Skye, Tom died in June 2016 aged 80 years
Marine Harvest - Kyleakin Quarry Drilling and installing piles - May 2017	New Housing Site off Olaf Road

Thursday, 18th January 2018

MGL Quarries should be congratulated on the excellent work carried out to repair the ornamental stone pillars at the entrance to the Village.  Both were damaged by ice and the southern one nearly flattened after an apparent car thief, whilst fleeing from the Police, misjudged the roundabout and hurled into it.

The resulting chaos brought down road signs and power lines.

Thursday, 15th February 2018

Following the very loud thunder and lightening storm last night and the high winds, it was noted this morning that about twelve feet of the northern wall on Castle Maol had collapsed.

Whilst this has been reported to TEC Services at The Highland Council and until such time as Engineers have had a chance to assess the structural integrity of the ruins, The Council have advised that Visitors to the Castle stay away (in case of further collapse).

The damage can be safely viewed from the former CalMac Slipway area (not through the gates) by the Pontoons in the Harbour.

Litter Picking recommenced this morning (in a blizzard!) and a shinty stick was recovered.

Thursday, 21st March 2018

We appear to have had Summer earlier this week with balmy days and, yes, sunshine!  Today, back to the winds and rain but the prospect looks good.

The Tourist Season officially started in the Village this week, as can be seen by the increase in Litter!

Monday, 9th April 2018

Drinkers using the rear terrace to the Haakon Bar in the Village seem to have adopted a new game 'Lob Your Glass the Furthest', judging by the huge number (32) of broken and intact glasses KEG have de-littered from the Foreshore there over the past three days!

HM Coastguard were out in force around the Village today, seemingly on an Exercise or training new Staff.

There is still quite a problem with Dog Owners not picking up after their pooches at the Kyleakin Roundabout area.  Ninety-nine (yes, 99) Dog Poos were cleared from the Village last month alone, excluding the Roundabout area.

Wednesday, 30th May 2018

At last, a decent breeze!  Still roasting hot and the ground is still tinder dry, so please heed the information on our FIRE SAFETY page.

However, change at least for a few days is afoot and with a bit of luck some rain to drench the hillsides overnight and to provide much needed water to crofters who have livestock.  So there could be some spectacular thunderstorms on the way.

For Paddle Steamer lovers the PS Waverley is on a two or three day sailing from Kyle of Lochalsh from tomorrow, departing at 10.00am each day.  Tickets can be purchased on board. (www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk)

Thursday, 21st June 2018

In addition to our daily Litter Picking and Dog Poo Collections KEG have also (since 11th June) been picking up cigarette ends, which are both unsightly and unhygenic, and if picked up by children and containing illegal substances may be toxic causing ill health or be fatal if ingested or inhaled.

To date, over 1,700 cigarette ends have been picked up in this Village alone.

It was noted this morning that the Contractors repairing Castle Maol have begun operations.

Wednesday, 4th July 2018

For the period 11th - 30th June a total of 3,633 cigarette ends were picked up and disposed of in Kyleakin alone.  Worryingly, we have to date this month alone picked up 936 cigarette ends!

The worst affected areas are the Main Car Park, all of Kyleside, the CofS Car Park area and grass verge and the roadside areas by all three Public Houses.

Also, a wee reminder to all interested in future development (work on the new houses off Olaf Road has begun, by clearing the site) of this Village there is a Public Meeting in the Village Hall at 7.00pm to hopefully set up a new Kyleakin Community Development Company.

The Kyleakin Gala 2018 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 11th August.  Raffle tickets are now on sale at various retail outlets.

Tuesday, 17th July 2018

Local residents and visitors have been commenting on the recent neatness of The Corran, which is solely down to the excellent voluntary works by local resident Mark.

On a secondary note, particularly to Visitors - if you see a full or overflowing Village Bin - please don't try to cram more rubbish into it.  Tour Buses - please use the Bins where your party is staying.  Better still - take it home!

Also, the 1100 litre Bin by the Pontoons is for users of that area and general litter, and not as a convenient dump for builders waste!  Last week it had just been emptied, when, within TWO HOURS it was full again!

Wednesday, 1st August 2018

The Screen Machine (local mobile cinema) is in the Village today and showing two films, both 12A rated: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Swimming With Men.

Tickets can be bought online through the Cinema' website at - www.screenmachine.co.uk

Friday, 3rd August 2018

The Turbine Blade Movements this week have caused some complete idiots on the road to become wholly frustrated and become a danger not only to other motorists but to pedestrians as well.

Yes, CCTV in cars pays dividends. 

Thursday, 9th August 2018

Don't forget the Kyleakin Gala 2018 this weekend with a slight change to the standard - Family Disco and Bingo Night on the Friday night, with the normal Skye Bridge Road Race, Field Events and Dance Night on the Saturday.

Tuesday, 14th August 2018

The Gala Weekend went off very well with no sign of the threatened rain!

The newly formed Kyleakin Community Development Company are holding their first Community Event on Saturday, 18th August 2018.  This involves the upgrading of the section of Public Footpath from the rear of the Village Hall to the Gate onto The Obbe.

You will require a spade (the lighter the better) and waterproofs are recommended.  Refreshments will be provided for all volunteers attending.

Meet at the Village Hall at 10.30am.

Oh aye, a wee reminder - SSE are still moving Turbine Blades from Skye Airfield to their Site near Fort Augustus.  Movements this week are from Monday - Friday inclusively, leaving the Airfield at approximately 2.45pm (1445hrs) and arriving on Site at about 8.30pm (2030hrs) so they advise adding about 20 - 30 minutes to any intended journey times.

These huge blades are 57m in length and they will be under Police escort.

Tuesday, 21st August 2018

The KCDC have done a great job in upgrading the Public Footpath from the Village Hall to the Obbe.  It is now much wider and more even underfoot.

Wednesday, 29th August 2018

Two great new Projects have started nationwide:

SCRAPbook is an initiative that involves Pilots and Aircraft from the Civil Air Patrol flying over coastal areas of Scotland and photographing marine litter in various locations.  The information is then recorded on an interactive map on their new website at www.scrapbook.org.uk

Keep Britain Tidy have launched a new initiative to inform smokers of the potential harm that dropping cigarette butts can ultimately have on marine life, as the filters contain many chemicals that are poisonous to fish - and not very healthy for humans!  Their website is www.keepbritaintidy.org

KEG have been picking up cigarette butts since 11th June and have collected over 12,000 to date.

Saturday, 14th October 2018

ILLEGAL CAMPSITES ON PRIVATE LAND

We were informed by a local resident that persons had been camping in an area close to the Skye Bridge, later to be discovered as in Kirsty's Field.

Two bags of Litter, including the haft of a burnt out axe haft and a large cushion (and an interesting piece of paper giving evidence of the campers' origins) were uplifted and disposed of.  Except the piece of paper.

The litter picked up included:

• 2 bags of assorted detritus
• large grey and white cushion
• lots of abandoned tent pegs
• 50+ spliffs and cigarette cartons
• numerous burnt out cans
• a pair of black overtrousers
• and alot of human poo by the sewage works

TO OTHER THINGS

The Annual Deer Rut is about to start.

This involves the Village overlooking or adjacent to the Obbe from the bridge to South Obbe to the Village Hall.

To explain it:

Annually the wild red deer herd on the hills above the Village have an occurrence known as 'the Rut'.

This is when the male adult red deer stags (boys) want to have their randy way with the hinds (girls) in a herd.

Usually this involves a clash of antlers as the stags fight to be the dominant chap in charge of of the herd.

You may hear the dominant stag roaring locally as he has won the fight and his harem of hinds will follow him.  This usually can be heard at dusk.

DURING THE RUT - STAY WELL CLEAR

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TAKE PHOTOS OF ANY HINDS ON THE OBBE

DO NOT TAKE YOUR DOG ANYWHRE ONTO THE OBBE FOOTPATHS AFTER 1700hrs

An adult Red Deer Stag can cover 10 metres in 3 seconds - Can You?

Also - please take great care when driving on our country roads as Deer can quite literally spring from cover and if you have the misfortune to hit one, it could quite literally write off your vehicle.  Particular road in question is the A87.

Monday, 5th November 2018

From the BBC Scotland News website:

The new Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) season is to start on 14 December.

Every winter, SAIS assesses avalanche hazards and provides daily information on the stability of snowpack in the six mountain areas.

The areas are Lochaber, Glen Coe, Creag Meagaidh, Southern Cairngorms, Northern Cairngorms and Torridon.

Hillwalkers, climbers and skiers use the information to help them plan trips.

You can contact them via our LINKS page under Weather Forecast.

As it is officially Guy Fawkes Night - please take care if holding outdoor events (do not set off fireworks indoors!) and use fireworks in a safe and sensible manner.  Remember a firework is basically an explosive device and has the capability to maim or blind a person.  Follow all instructions.

But enjoy yourselves!

Friday, 16th November 2018

As this is being written, the scaffolding on Castle Maol is being removed following repair works over the Summer, after the northern part of the ruin was struck by lightening.

Works are also in hand to repair the Fishermans Pier, so vehicle access in that area will be very limited for a while.

And finally, Mark is continuing to do a fantastic job in tidying up the verges in the Village.

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