A Summer Holiday

From Wendy Edens

My husband Chris and I visited West Ardnamurchan last August. We have at least one self catering holiday in Scotland every year but that was the first time we had ventured so far west. We stayed in Sirius cottage at Achosnich. From day one we knew it was going to be a superb holiday. We just loved the area and spent the first few days walking to the lighthouse, exploring the beaches and visiting Tobermory. The landscape is stunning and very special. I think it is the remoteness which makes it so different.

We were loving every minute of our holiday when out of the blue my husband became ill. Joyce next door to our cottage arranged for us to see Jessie Colquhoun, the District Nurse at the Kilchoan medical centre. We then had to travel to Fort William hospital via the doctor at Acharacle. We were given the best of treatment all along that long road to Fort William and I cannot thank everyone enough.

Seeing Jessie that morning put my mind at rest even though we had to continue on to Acharacle and then Fort William. I just knew we were in good hands but it brought it home to us how dependent isolated communities are on people like the District Nurses and I hope everything turns out for the best.

Chris is going into hospital next week so he'll be fit and well by next summer. Our few lovely days at the cottage will always be a wonderful memory and we hope to be back.

Many thanks to Wendy for allowing The Diary to publish this.

Photographs of Achosnich.