We attended the World Stone Skimming Championships on 25 September a took a few snaps.
Onlookers at the World Stone Skimming Championships
The stage is set, let the stone skimming begin!
The weather on Easdale Island was perfect with sunshine and flat calm water – ideal for skimming stones – and attracted a healthy crowd of onlookers and competitors vying to become World Champion.
A new male beaver named Christian was released successfully into a Knapdale loch by the Scottish Beaver Trial on September 21. The hope is that he and a female beaver, Trude, already living on the loch will form a breeding pair, increasing the breeding population in the area.
The main indicator that they have formed a pair is if they build a lodge together, and once it’s established they can set about starting a family.
By assessing the success of breeding pairs of beavers, the Scottish Beaver Trial can determine their impact on the environment as well as how well they adapt to living in Scotland.
The introduction of beavers to Knapdale Forest has attracted a lot of attention from the public with beaver watching trips proving very popular. For Trial updates and details of visitor facilities, visit the website of the Scottish Beaver Trial.
The Scottish Labour Party Conference descends on Oban from 29-31 October when about 600 delegates will pour into the Corran Halls.
The Party last held its conference in Oban in November 2006 when Tony Blair gave a keynote speech and Jack McConnell was First Minister of Scotland.
A special treat for delegates this time will be the appearance of the new Labour Party leader who will make his or her first conference address after becoming leader which is sure to attract a lot of media and public interest.
If 2006 is anything to go by, Oban will be transformed by the Party Conference. Security surrounding this event is always high with a large police and media presence, traffic diversions will be put in place and even police boats patrolling Oban Bay. We’re just glad Loch Melfort Hotel is handy for Oban, but just far enough outside the town in a tranquil, scenic setting.
In a special deal for the days surrounding the conference, Loch Melfort Hotel is offering reduced accommodation and meal rates.
Scottish Labour Party Conference Special Deal – save £24 per night on B and B accommodation!
£45 per person per night with breakfast-to-go if you want an early start. Stay 3 nights and get third night for £20!
Based on 2 sharing a standard Cedar Wing room (single supplement £25 per night, bring your dog for £8 per night)
To take advantage of this special conference deal, please contact the hotel on 01852 200 233.
The Highland town of Oban is always a hive of activity. Affectionately known as the “Gateway to the Isles”, Oban attracts locals and tourists every day as they soak up the town’s special atmosphere, hop on a ferry to an island or two, enjoy the delicious local seafood, or take a boat trip to the nearby seal colonies.
As the largest town on Scotland’s west coast, Oban also attracts many organisations who want that special location for a conference, the most high profile being the Scottish Labour Party. The town has excellent amenities, has good road and rail transport links with Oban airport only a few miles out of the town, and high quality accommodation and eateries.
Anyone attending a conference in Oban is struck by the stunning views the town affords. However, here at Loch Melfort Hotel a few miles south of Oban, we believe we have the finest views on the west coast. Our position commands breathtaking views of the magnificent Sound of Jura and its islands, and because of our position in Asknish Bay, it is beautifully tranquil.
Indeed, this is one main reason conference delegates and business executives choose to escape Oban’s hustle and bustle and stay with us. They enjoy not only the scenery and tranquil setting, but our delicious, award winning food made with fresh ingredients sourced locally, cosy lounges and relaxing atmosphere.
We also have full conference facilities of our own and an experienced team who are well-versed in creating tailor made set ups for conferences, seminars, and meetings. As an added bonus, our boardroom has an incredible inspiring view which helps create a perfect, stress-free environment for corporate gatherings.
A group of five cyclists popped into the Chartroom II Bistro for coffee on the morning of Sunday 29th August. The dauntless Joglers were on day five of their ride from John o’Groats to Land’s End (JOGLE) and took a well-earned breather and enjoyed the magnificent scenery looking down the Sound of Jura.
The Joglers enjoying the magnificent weather and scenery at Loch Melfort Hotel.
Al, Bob, Fred, Keith and Richard set off from John o’ Groats on August 25 and finished their epic ride at Land’s End on September 11, eventually cycling 1010 miles, and raised substantial funds for the charities Sustrans and Everyman.
All of us here at Loch Melfort Hotel send the boys our warmest congratulations. If you want to catch up on their adventures visit the Jogle2010 blog.
Hotel guests watched a dramatic sea resuce unfold when a yacht sailing from Croabh Marina smashed into rocks in front of the hotel at breakfast yesterday morning. Oban Lifeboat was called out to rescue the crew and as the tide dropped, the full extent of the damage to the boat was revealed!
Yacht stranded in Asknish Bay.
Low tide reveals the damage.
Ashling and Ewan celebrated their marriage with a lovely outdoor ceremony in Arduaine Garden followed by photos over looking beautiful Asknish Bay.
Ashling looking beautiful in red.
To keep the sea-themed wedding complete, the wedding cake, made by a friend, was inspired by Ashling’s job as a marine ecologist.
Sea themed cake.