Pine 'Munching'

Ah ha!

Caught in action...the Torridon Pine Martin caught 'nearly' midnight feasting at Coire Roill Lodge...

In the Training...

Sunday's Inverness Half Marathon thankfully went ahead despite the possibility of a snow cancellation.

The weather was a little damp, cold & windy but nothing to worry about.

The Vienna marathon is getting closer, 17th April 2011 so this half marathon was part of the training.

1 hour, 40 mins, 51 secs

A traveller's findings...

A recent guest has kindly offered us his travelling notes.

Back in 2001 he toured Scotland with his friend & stumbled upon our hotel & village. This is what they said back then!

• Fort Augustus
• The then Lovat Arms

Email us on info@thelovat.com with your past stories, renditions, recollections & memories.

Hideaway but we aren't hiding

The Lovat has been honoured by Petra magazine in Germany as 1 of top 8 hotels worldwide to hideaway to chill out after a long winter...so - book your holiday now & kick back & relax with us, here at Loch Ness.

Pride & Projection!

The Lovat team certainly did Rabbie proud on 25th January 2011.
















Considering the cancellation of the 2010 celebrations due to bad weather, the organisation for 2011 started with a little trepidation....we need not have feared!

With bookings flying in, even until the very last hour, all 44 guests were welcomed with open arms to the Lovat's second exceptionally successful celebration of Burns' life, love, lifestyle & literature.

Highland music was provided by 4 talented musicians, adding some background ambience to balance the tasty supper & the switched on staff.

Julia again put her creative hands to work on the tartan clad decorations, while Neil whipped of his troosers & donned a kilt for the evening. The 'Chieftain o' the Pudding Race' was staggered into the Dining Room to the sound of 'A Man's a Man' - was cleverly Addressed & then washed down with a whisky nip.





















To make sure that the event 'went' as it should, Rabbie watched over the gathering from his aloof yet approving projection on the wall.



Roll on 2012!

Panama...Hats off!

D&G are cruising the Panama Canal throughout December, missing the big freeze & enjoying the sunshine with David's 91 year yound mother!

They are celebrating both David's 69th Birthday as well as their 41st Wedding anniversary.

We look forward to their return just before Christmas.

Loch Ness Trail

Voluntary Payback Scheme Update from Destination Loch Ness

















Thank you all for your contributions.

Since the scheme was launched in December last year participating members have now raised almost £600.

All monies to date are going towards interpretation on the South Loch Ness Trail Project (Update attached for your information). When the Trail is officially launched early summer next year, all participating members of the Scheme will receive acknowledgement of their contribution in publicity material for the trail.

We hope in due course to make contributions to other environmental projects around the loch but until we have more DLN members participating in the scheme, this is unlikely. So please, if you know someone whose business could be part of the Scheme we would appreciate some gentle persuasion! As we are all aware, visitors are more than happy to make a contribution.

All wired up..

David had a lucky escape whilst driving home along the A9 on his return from New York. A roll of wire fell of the back of a farm vehicle & got caught around the car's prop shaft!

The AA came to the rescue to cut out the wire & set David back on his way!

Phew!

New York...New York

Well...Caroline did it!

Out of 44, 829 runners, Caroline came 8649 – this means she came in the first 19% of runners. She also came 1480 out of all the females running.

It truly was an immense experience – the sun shone, the skies were blue & the skyline was amazing. The crowds were around 2 million & were an incredible boost along the route. David, Caroline's father, went out to support her & managed to catch a glimpse of her running 3 times along the way.

In the end, Caroline ran, representing the Fire Department, FDNY – they also gave her a little preferential treatment: from 7am there was a pre-race tent with coffee & cover until the start at 9:40am. They then all met for drinks & managed to get showered up after the marathon in a posh Central Park hotel!

Caroline's final time was 3hrs, 43 mins & 59 secs.

So 'Congratulations' goes to: Joe Guadagno who guessed 3hrs, 44mins so was 1 second out! A voucher will be on its way to him!

Thanks for everyone’s support – role on Vienna when Caroline will be doing another one!

No No No...

Do you often find yourself in a similar situation? Hampered by Scotland's inability to offer you what you want, when you want it & how you want it?

Well maybe a few years ago businesses could be picky - they could dictate to you what they gave you, how they gave it to you & if they gave it to you.

However, cunningly enough this recession has certainly sharpened attitude...it has made the customer wise to the fact that actually...they are entitled to get what they want, when they want it & how they want it...they want quality, they want to know that their hard earned money is going on something that will be a benefit to them, enrich their lives & have a positive impact. If they don't get this, well - they'll think with their feet & never return or more likely they'll think with their computers, type until their heart is content on sites such as Tripadvisor...then they'll never go back...

So the recession has affected the customer, the consumer & the visitor - it has changed their way of thinking...& why not? Why should the business be complacent - expecting the visitor to come whatever the consequence. Businesses need to wake up, if they haven't already & home in on the fact that actually - we are in business to be a business, to make a business & to offer a future business. It is not all about now - it is about the...I can't quite reach it yet bit...

This picture makes me laugh but if you really think about it - it is incredibly sad because you only have to look around you to see that subconsciously, this is all around us...'Don't park here'; 'Don't do this...'; 'Don't do that...' - why can't we educate people to actually do what should be common sense because we should have a pride in our country. Do we really have to indicatively tell people not to litter? I mean c'mon...is respect so low?

Well, if hard times are making people think about how they spend their money & what they get for it then maybe it is only time before this will spread into other ways of life. We need leadership, action & positivity to bring those who are quite happy to be complacent, with us or indeed leave them behind to moan & groan...well they are good at it, aren't they?