Isle of Rona Red...

[Stalker62]

It is (almost) two years, since my trip to the Isle of Rona, with Bill and Lorraine Cowie.

A tiny wee island, with less than ten folk on it (don't go to the north of the island - HMG has a wee 'base' there)...


When we left, Bill gifted us a 'Venison Box".

Two years later (two years!), and my wife digs it out of the freezer, and cooks it up for dinner.

I am not hopeful.

Turns out to be some of the finest venison, I have ever eaten.



Just wonderful memories of a wonderful week, on a really rather special place, with really rather nice folk.

If you are reading this Bill, I am still saving that wonderful gift of your 'illicit' whisky, for a very special day...

 

[doric_prince]

As a child I remember Wild camping nearby the old both on north raasay isle (just south of Rona isle), a good few hours hike from Calums’ road. nice part of Scotland. Cheers

 

[sundog]

In a previous life I used to supply the fish farm at the South of the island with provisions and fish food using a wee flat bottomed boat called the Lizzy G.
We would go for a ceilidh round to the cottage of an evening
Lovely part of Scotland looking over to Skye
Happy times

 

[Stalker62]

I dropped an email to Bill last night, just to thank him again, for his generosity and the wonderful trip we had there.




I also mentioned that we had very much enjoyed his venison (almost two years later).

He made an interesting observation, and I wondered what others experience was?


"...venison is one meat that comes on in the freezer, the freezing I think tenderises the meat."


Bill is a man who knows about deer - he is also something to behold in the larder.


It reminds me, this was the first (I think) trip, where I had to load the deer into a dingy to get it back to the boat, to get it back to shore...

 

[bullet chucker]

Is that a leak? No' just the antler poking through! Hurry up!

BC.

 

[Bluey]

Is that a leak? No' just the antler poking through! Hurry up!

BC.

I am going up to Rona the first week in October help Bill will a stalking party. The wife and I have been going up to Rona for the past 15 + years

 

[Stalker62]

I am going up to Rona the first week in October help Bill will a stalking party. The wife and I have been going up to Rona for the past 15 + years

It is a lovely place and both Bill and Lorraine were a delight.

I would love to go back but not sure I could drag MrsS62 back to a place quite so isolated.

 

[Stalker62]

@Bluey

Mention has been made on here and other threads of the great pleasure of 'saving' a decent bottle of Whisky/Whiskey.

I have oft chided @Foxyboy43 on that account, and yet have been guilty of the same offence.

I have a bottle of Edradour whisky gifted me by Bill; on my trip to the wonderful island of Rona.

This evening, I have finally found an excellent reason to 'celebrate', and have cracked it open in order to do so.

Tonight I raise a glass to a serving colleague, in recognition of the service he and his colleagues still perform, on our behalf, and the oft times, terrible price they have to pay in order to do so.

"Slàinte mhath Martyn - God love you".

 

[Foxyboy43]

Mention has been made on here and other threads of the great pleasure of 'saving' a decent bottle of Whisky/Whiskey.

I have oft chided @Foxyboy43 on that account, and yet have been guilty of the same offence.

I have a bottle of Edradour whisky gifted me by Bill; on my trip to the wonderful island of Rona.

This evening, I have finally found an excellent reason to 'celebrate', and have cracked it open in order to do so.

Tonight I raise a glass to a serving colleague, in recognition of the service he and his colleagues still perform, on our behalf, and the oft times, terrible price they have to pay in order to do so.

"Slàinte mhath Martyn - God love you".


View attachment 389572

Excellent reason to salute a man who has gone far beyond what any of us are likely to ever encounter sir.
I salute him and the others, including a good pal of mine who stared down a gun barrel but sadly is no longer with us, who in their time stepped up and did what was necessary.
We are blessed to have them.

PS
Just for info - I am still clinging hanging on to it…..

 

[Bluey]

@Bluey

Mention has been made on here and other threads of the great pleasure of 'saving' a decent bottle of Whisky/Whiskey.

I have oft chided @Foxyboy43 on that account, and yet have been guilty of the same offence.

I have a bottle of Edradour whisky gifted me by Bill; on my trip to the wonderful island of Rona.

This evening, I have finally found an excellent reason to 'celebrate', and have cracked it open in order to do so.

Tonight I raise a glass to a serving colleague, in recognition of the service he and his colleagues still perform, on our behalf, and the oft times, terrible price they have to pay in order to do so.

"Slàinte mhath Martyn - God love you".


View attachment 389572

I will have one with you cheers

 

[Ratel]

Same here but more than one. Indeed a special occasion

 

[Rafter]

Back in the mists of time when I was an apprentice fitter and turner - living constantly on the edge of starvation (beer isn't free, you know) I shot a Red stag at the end of the roar. He had probably gone 3 weeks without eating, and between nonstop fighting and the other stuff they get up to he was looking like he'd just escaped Biafra, and he STUNK!

Nevertheless into the flat's fridge he went, and after 2 weeks into the freezer.

Eating the meat was akin to eating a Somalis sandal, and nothing I did improved matters. I moved out, left the meat in the freezer and thought nothing about it until 3 years later I got a phone call from my old flatmate - would I come and get this meat, the flat was shutting down and all had to be removed. Just for a laugh I cooked up a backsteak, and it was superb. The rest of the meat was the same - 36 months is the perfect time to age manky old stag, it seems.