Eriska's Blog

Its funny how certain things in your life allow you to benchmark the seasons, although I must caveat this with the fact that memories play tricks and often you simply remember what you think you do- So it is wity the wetaher as this week is my brother Chays birthday and I always think of hot sunny days coinciding with tea outside and birthday cake.  A stark contrast to my birthday in deecmber when the nights are drawing in and the tea is in front of a roaring log fire. Anyway whats ahead for this week after such a wonderful start to the month.

Sunday: Mainly dry with sunny spells developing. Quite windy.

Monday: It will become cloudy with rain extending to many places, turning heavier for a time.

Tuesday: The rain will die out during the night  and be repalced by very fresh southeasterly winds.

Wednesday: Mainly dry with clouds slowly thinning and breaking to give some bright or sunny intervals.

Thursday: Mainly dry start with some brightness during the day, then cloudy with...

Each year we think we are getting wiser and more organised and in the end we simply end up learning more and realising that we still have infinite knowledge to collect. This year I thiought I was being clever in the garden, I  had noted last season what plants grew well and what suffered. I then kept a track on the plants that started to grow out of control and when they needed control. I monitored what liked certain areas of the garden and what benefited from shade and what liked the shelter.

Sothis year Iinsured that the Horseradish was well marked and not mistaken as Dockens, i constricted the mint inplastic pots so it did not overrun the garden and kept the fennel and dill well apart. It all seemd so simple and was all looking like a plan coming together. But then over the last week the sunshine and and dry weather has put a spanner in the works. Although it has helped fruit in the garden to ripen it has also encouraged plants to go to seed before I was ready for them, we cannot harvest the potatoes...

The team here at the Isle of Eriska have been tirelessly working throughout the year in a bid to help us achieve our target to become more environmentally friendly.  By reducing the amount of waste produced as well as reviewing and adjusting our processes we have already been awarded a Gold award by the Green Tourism Business Scheme which highlighted our environmental achievements earlier this year. Being given this award has not stopped us continually improving what we do here at Eriska, and earlier this week, we received word from the Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards that Isle of Eriska has been shortlisted for their Environmental Award.  The aim of the award is to recognise businesses that are being innovative and creative whilst striving to reduce their carbon...

Once again, the last weekend in August saw one of the biggest turn outs to date, as the Cowal Highland Games took place in Dunoon.  The three day event began last Thursday and culminated in a marching of the 130 bands (over 3000 pipers) and a fireworks display over Coal Pier on Saturday which closed the event - until next year. As always there was plenty to keep the whole family entertained, attractions for the children as well as the finals of the World Highland Dancing Competition and the Cowal Pipe Band Competition – 130 pipe bands from around Scotland competing to win the title of Pipe Band Champion.  We even had local success, with our local high school - Oban High School Pipe Band - successfully beat off stiff competition to be awarded 1st prize in their class! For the athletics amongst us there was the opportunity to enter into the “Heavies” Competitions however, as you can imagine, watching from the side lines was more preferable!  Of...

Well we should not really be surprised that with a bank holiday only being observed in England - Scotland gained a wonderful weekend of weather and it looks set to continue into the week. It might  also be highlighted that after a couple of months of decidedly un summery weather it has improved immensely since the schools went back  just so all the school children can look enviously out as they sit in their classrooms!

So is it set to continue?

Today: After a cloudy dawn it will slowly clear, leaving warm sunny spells.

Monday: after a night  with a  few showers it will again dry up leaving an  otherwise a fine dry and sunny day.

Tuesday: A dry day with some good sunny spells, and excellent visibility. A cold, strong north to northwest breeze on hills.

Wednesday: A fine dry spell of weather with some bright or sunny spells. A cool start with some local ground frost, the day warming up by midday.

Thursday: It will be mainly dry with some sunshine after the clearance of any early morning mist or fog patches.

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One of my childhood abiding memories was being put in the front loading bucket of the old tractor and lifted up into the canopy of a tree in the garden to pick apples from one of the trees. I am sure that child services may have had second thoughts about the misuse of child labour and  health and safety may have wanted to be involved due to lack of risk assessment but no one was ever hurt and certainly it was all part of a wonderful experience.

 

 Whilst much has changed over the years the tree has survived and although the harvest has reduced over the year the tree stood strong. We had been forced to remove some of the limbs due to ingress of rot but there still remained a few branches with leaves although lichen and moss had begun to overtake the tree. Regrettably however this year the moss has won and the tree barely produce a leaf never mind blossom and definitely no apples so we have started to remove it from its spot.

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Each year, and almost every weekend throughout the summer, a different town or village near Eriska hosts their own Highland Games.  Today the Argyllshire Highland Gathering took place in Oban and we were lucky enough to have one of our guests act as photographer for us - have a look at their photos posted on our Facebook page.  This is just one of the many Highland Gatherings Eriska is surrounded by throughout the summer.  Our neighbours at Appin, played host to their 52nd Appin Agricultural Show which took place at Stalker Croft last Saturday.  Despite the torrential rain we were subjected to the previous evening, as always, the weather brightened up on the day.

The show gives the chance for the locals, as well as those from further a field, to showcase their creative talents and of course strength - females as well as males!  This was certainly shown in the most competitive event of the day which has to...

Working in a hotel surrounded by woods, and with a wild food and mushrooms expert like Chef Robert, one's interest and curiosity in wild food will certainly grow. From late June, if one has a good look around in the woodlands, under trees and between the leaves, you can easily notice the earliest specie we get round here. The Chanterelle is a common mushroom in the woods around Eriska. As the mushroom season matures and autumn gets closer, other types of mushroom begin to appear, which include; Hedgehog fungus, Ceps (penny bun), Puff balls, Autumn Chanterelles, Orange Birch Boletus, Brown Birch Boletus, and many more. All of which contribute to a tasty wild mushroom dish such as casserole, risotto, pasta sauce, or simply tossed in nice garlic butter. One general rule has to be kept in mind when collecting wild food and fungi, unless you’re a very experienced mushroom picker always double check everything in a book devoted to identification. Some species of fungi are highly poisonous, so always be sure.        ...

Often we believe we sit in the middle of our own micro climate here at Eriska and watch the clouds part and sunshine beam down on Eriska but that may now be wishful thinking as yesterday | was pushed inside by a sudden downpour of rain and happened to flick on the television only to be depressed by the sight of the Macaulay Cup shinty game going on in Oban where it seemed to be sunshine and summer with spectators in sunglasses and short and tee shirt whilst I gazed out the window- not 7 miles away at the driving rain and strong winds!

  Lets hope this is just a slight oddity and that normal sunshine on Eriska can return!

Today: After a Mainly dry morning with sunny spells we can expect some showers in the afternoon.

Monday: Bright initially but a band of shower swill spread east with some heavy.

Tuesday:Showers clearing to leave a dry afternoon.

Wednesday: A dry bright start with some sun but again it will deteriorate with showers in the afternoon.

Thursday: Scattered...

No sooner have the schools gone back in Scotland than our thoughts start turning to the winter. Fortunately we are not quite as bad as some of the shops who are already talking about Christmas- although no festive windows in Oban yet- but we are having ot concentrate on activities in November and December. In truth this has all been going on for some time as we have to try and tempt the best to join us at Eriska to make the events both memorable and most importantly worth visiting for.

Last year Fabrice was kindly invited on a trip to Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux by our friends at LVMH as part of the work to develop and explain the emerging relationship between South American wineries and France. Fortunately due to Fabrices grasp of French- helped by him being a citizen - he was able to explain all about Eriska to the winemaker from Cheval des Andes and he kindly offered to organise a tasting and evening here at Eriska exploring Chateau Yquem and Cheval Des Andes.

As is often the case much is promised...