The Return of Winter

After the gales of last week, we woke this morning to a grey overcast, with drizzle at lower levels but snow on the hills and a distinct chill in the air; and, in contrast to the end of last week, hardly a breath of wind.

The picture looks across the Sound of Mull to Tobermory lighthouse. The summit of Ben Talla (Beinn Talaidh), 2,502ft, is lost in mist at top right, while the mountains of western Mull are visible at left.

Even Ben Hiant has a cap of snow. With a new moon, the morning tide is high, 4.4m at just after 8am. The only building visible is the Coastguard Station at the end of Pier Road.

Kilchoan Coastguard was out on a map-reading exercise at Strontian on Saturday. Almost all the team now have a bronze qualification in OS map reading, and some are planning to continue to silver. Saturday's exercise enabled some of the team to explore Strontian's lead-mining area and even find some specimens of the mineral the old miners were looking for: galena.

The weather doesn't seem to bother our new neighbours. Their plot now resembles a field which a world war has been fought across. We still don't get so much as a "Good morning" out of them, only one pausing briefly from his rooting to stare at us as we passed. However, we're pleased to be able to report that they haven't escaped again. It's little wonder they were out on the rampage during their first few days in Ormsaigbeg as someone had forgotten to check the electric fence: it had earthed, so was about as much use as a string of cotton.