Homework

Any hope The Diary had of finding peace in West Ardnamurchan's hills on our Saturday walk appeared to have been shattered when, on rounding a corner on the track we were following, we came across a group of young gentlemen who were - so they said - 'doing their homework'.

A brief enquiry ascertained that this was the truth - the lads really were doing their homework, and this homework was in preparation for another of those excellent courses being run at Pat Glenday's Kilchoan Learning Centre.

They were practising their marksmanship using two rifles, a .308 and a .243.  They were trying to achieve groupings of three shots in a 4" circle at 100 metres prone, two shots in a 6" circle sitting or kneeling, and two shots in a 6" circle at 40 metres standing.

The course is highly relevant as it is in response to a Government decision that everybody who shoots deer in the course of their employment or for pleasure needs to hold the Deer Stalking Level 1 Certificate, which is awarded by DMQ (Deer Management Qualifications). What is being offered at the Learning Centre has a number of elements, including deer biology and ecology, legislation, stalking techniques and taking the shot, deer identification, safety, shooting, and large game meat hygiene.  And the reason that these young men were working so hard on a Saturday was that there are paper-based tests, a test of identification, and a shooting test, this last being at the very demanding levels for which they were practising.

The course, which runs over three days starting on Friday, is being tutored by local gamekeeper Niall Rowantree, but because it is his first time the assessments are being overseen by an experienced assessor from North Highland College as well as somebody from BASC. There are no places left on this course.

Pat is particularly grateful to Donald Houston and William Kelly for helping her organise the course and allowing the use of Ardnamurchan Estate's larder and shooting range.  Because the Estate has such excellent facilities, Pat is hoping that West Ardnamurchan will become recognised as the best place in Scotland to do the course - so there should be plenty of opportunities for others to follow it in future.

This picture, thanks to Kilchoan Early Bird, shows the need for those who go out stalking to be proficient in their skills.  The area is suffering from a surge in the number of foxes, animals wich regularly take down one-year old sheep as well as lambs in the spring.  This big dog fox was killing sheep until he was despatched last Friday.

It was good talking to the young men and enjoying their enthusiasm, and it was surprising how, very soon after we left them to continue our walk, the peace of the countryside flowed in around us.

Many thanks to Pat Glenday, the Kilchoan Riflemen, and Kilchoan Early Bird.

Top picture shows Beinn na Seilg and one of the Twin Lochans