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| Recent
News for 2007
(Phew, what a year!)
What's happened ... |
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| and then it was all over ..... |
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the Auchendean Lodge Hotel closing weekend .. |
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Friday
26 October 2007 : the last - explosive - dawn over Auchendean
Lodge HOTEL
with David & Helen enjoying the spectacle
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Saturday
27 October 2007: grade IV White Water Rafting on the River
Findhorn with fantastic Ace
Adventures |
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Lee
cares for Brian, Nicholas & James who
all remained dry throughout! |
Tom steers Tony, Paul, Stephen
Helen & Eric - who didnt stay dry! |
Jim
sorts out Rob, David, John
Anthony & Ian - who also got wet!! |
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The
Weekend House Party - Paul couldn't wait to
cut the nose off the cheese!!!!
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...
at midnight everyone changed
from black to white |
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Picking fungi is only half of the fun.. |
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There
is also the cleaning ...
and finally -
there's the eating!
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Want
one of
Auchendean's Recipes? -
The book's coming but
take a peep
at what's available now >>>>>>>> |
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20 Oct 2007:
All the guests stood
and sang Happy Birthday to Bill |
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| Minnie
1987 to 2007
Grand Old Lady Rabbit-Catcher of Auchendean died aged
20 years! |
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The
first picture of Minnie I can find - with pup Jock in
Curr Wood - December 1989 |
Our
Christmas card 1990 - with Golly,
our
only other cat
(out of 12) to live a natural
life span. They'd crept
into the bird feeder despite the wire
placed to
keep them out! |
In
May 2007 cuddling up with Lizzie - and always willing
to "talk" to anyone! |
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| 13
Sept - Helen had a significant birthday.. |
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...
Tom had a birthday too ...
above - Helen enjoys blowing
out her candles - with Tom
far
left - with hubby Robert
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Now there
are three ways to keep up to date with what's happening
in and around Nethy Bridge
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The
Nethy Bridge community web
site |
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The
Nethy Newsletter, published quarterly |
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A new E-News system: Nethy Bridge Tourist Association
is periodically producing
an Email Newsheet sent directly to your email address.
Click opposite and follow through a few contact details
to receive your own copy!
(They guarantee no spam and instant unsubscribing should
you not want it in future) |
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Thunder
in The Glens
The Harley
Davidsons came to
Strathspey again this year, seen
here in their ride-out which went
(throbbed) past Auchendean!
left:
a passenger with 2 heads
driven by a scull....
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| We
met a great friend from NZ - Bronwyn, to go to the hills above
Loch Ness.
We arrived at Urquahart Castle as the mist was burning off..
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The
objective was to see a tree planted by us in 2005 for "Trees
for Life" on a moor above Loch Ness.
It was donated by a Scottish friend in memory of her brother
Alastair.
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On
the moors above Loch Ness: Bess & Bronwyn lead, followed
by Ian, Alan & Christine
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The
whole party with tree (at Bronwyn's feet) |
In
it's first year it grew 1/3 of an inch: this
second year, it has grown 1 1/2 inches |
We
finished with a picnic on the moor, &
with Bess chasing sticks in the water |
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| Aug
2007: We are legal again: our old oil tank was not bunded
- and started leaking slightly,
so we got another ...
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| End
of July 2007: We had a wonderful walk with friend Howard near
Tomintoul: The Ailnack Gorge - Scotland's largest glacial meltwater
gorge
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We've
had a funny old summer
so far but luckily much drier
than further south.
We have enjoyed some spectacular
lighting conditions though .... |
| Rain
storm coming up from the south
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A
late sunbeam lights up the bends of the Spey ... |
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and just before sunset, the Cairngorms are picked out |
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July
2007: Bess - with stick - and Eric
(picking the season's first chanterelles)
are in their element, but the Chucks are
not so sure about these new fangled things ... |
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4 July
2007:
We had a very nice write-up in The Scotsman newspaper
Thanks
very much Craig!
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AUCHENDEAN
LODGE HOTEL "This tiny converted hunting lodge may not
look much, but it offers some of the best food and views anywhere
in Scotland. The owners, Ian Kirk and Eric Hart, make all the
meals themselves from local produce - including a breakfast with
pinhead oatmeal porridge cooked slowly overnight you will remember
for years. One of Scotland's best-kept secrets". Craig
Naples |
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21
June 2007: Our annual, Mad Mid
Summer Golf Match was almost sunk by a particularly
heavy and long lasting thunderstorm ...
but it cleared just in time ... leaving the Spey rising rapidly
& bright red brown - See
the tough competition in previous years |
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| Stylish!
- EH - keeping his head down
? first time ever? |
Stylish!
- Helen & Celia - outstanding in red |
Stylish!
- Ian & Janet
- simply stylish |
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With
the highest score in 2007 : Trish |
The
2007 Ladies prize goes to Ann |
John
gets the 2007 Men's prize |
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| June
2007: The Twin-Flower in Curr
Wood is strutting it's stuff well this year ... even
Bess takes time to enjoy it! |
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| May
- June 2007:
The annual lamb feeding..
much enjoyed by guests during the day and after dinner |
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Betty (in brown) celebrates her 91st birthday |
Amanda
gives a hand ... |
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& for the first time cows got in on the act |
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Jamie
& Joanne |
Steve
& Marion |
David,
John Ian & Troy |
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| June
2007:
Does anyone know the whereabouts of Dulnain Bridge? |
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Like
Brig 'O'Doon, Dulnain Bridge kept disappearing ... from maps
put out by .. Cairngorms National Park Authority; Visit Scotland,
The Outsider Festival ....etc - so a march was organised all
the way from Morayshire to Inverness-shire (in fact, just across
the bridge!)
to show all and sundry that we really are here - I bet they
don't forget us again!! See the full story at www.dulnainbridge.com |
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Double
Click any word on the Auchendean site to get an explanation
from Answers.com/Wikipedia |
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Auchendean
hits the
21st Century head on!...
See
more >>>>
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1)
We have installed a complimentary
wireless broadband internet connection
for guests staying at Auchendean. There are two networks to
chose from, depending
on the strength of signal in different parts of the house.
2) a laptop computer is available
free of charge to guests so that they
can keep in touch without having to carry their own laptop
around with them.
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Whilst you are here, check what events are available in the
area ::
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Keep in email contact with home ::
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Confirm Flights :: ------ ::
Plan Routes ::
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Make reservations for the rest of your trip ::
Not surprisingly,
all this is
proving very popular with guests!
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April
2007: Bess is fulfilled ...
we took delivery of this year's lambs
and whilst guests are feeding them, she
runs round .. and round ... and round ...
and round ... and round .. |
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Highland
2007:
the year Scotland celebrates
Highland culture
www.highland2007.com
Gaidhealtachd
2007: a' bhliadhna a chomharraicheas
Alba cultar na Gaidhealtachd |
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End
of March 2007:
Friends gave us a 2 hour flight from Inverness... |
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Inverness
& the bridges over the River Ness
and Moray Firth |
Auchendean
and garden |
Nethy
Bridge - Auld Kirk & Castle Roy |
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Approaching the top of Bynack
More |
Deep in the Cairngorms: Loch
Avon,
Ben Mheadhoin (L) & Cairngorm (R) |
The Tors on Ben Avon |
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Grantown-on-Spey (looking north-east) The
Square and High Street (R)
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Castle Grant |
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The Wolf's former lair ....
Lochindorb .... |
... & the Wolf's sport!:
Elgin Cathedral |
Fort George |
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| March 2007: We had a snowy GOC weekend |
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We discovered a very ruined
"Castle" in Glenlivet |
Next day: Bess revels in
snow |
Dramatic, heavy snow started
at Loch-an-Eilien |
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5 of us almost lost in
the snow ... |
... then it stopped as
suddenly as it started ... |
... leaving a pretty scene! |
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| Wonderful
site for travel around Scotland >>>
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We
win recognition for being amongst the GREENEST in the UK!
As well as having a super entry in the prestigious
independent Good
Hotel Guide, the new edition for 2007
lists Auchendean as being one of the UK's 10 best GREEN establishments.
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See
our GREEN policy >>>>
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| For
20 years we have always worked hard to reduce our inpact on
this beautiful area. It is very disappointing that the new
Cairngorms National Park and VisitScotland have not done more
to encourage small businesses to join in their Green Tourism
Scheme
without imposing other irrelevant restrictions on membership
as well as demanding high membership fees. This current accolade
from a truly independent and respected national Quality Standards
publication demonstrates how wrong their policy is. |
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| On 4
January 2007 we celebrated the completion of 19 years of operation....
and the start of our 20th Season ....
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Our
trip to the Himalaya autumn 2006 |
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Andrew,
Christopher, Bill, David, Chris, James, Joyce, Nicholas. Len,
Eric, Glyn & Ian - and Kangchenjunga behind Darjeeling |
Kolkata
- festivals of Diwali & Kali |
Darjeeling
Light Railway |
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Sunrise
on the Singalila Ridge |
Walking
towards Jannu, Kangchenjunga & Pandim |
Nuptse,
South Col, Everest, Makalu, & Chomolonzo |
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Suspension
bridges & Prayer Flags |
Mountains
& Mist |
High
breakfast |
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Samiti
Lake |
Sunset
on Pandim |
Sunrise
on Kangchenjunga & Kabru North |
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Above the Ratong glacial
moraine |
Pandim |
Sirdar Uden leads the last
night party |
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