Friday 4th September I set off from Darlington at 8am to the Isle of Skye for another week as ghillie for a booked stalking party. The weather on the way was mostly good. Stopped of at the Drovers Inn (ghost house) for lunch on the way. Traffic flowing nicely no hold ups and arrived at Portree around 4.30pm.
Went to the Caledonian Hotel (where I've stayed before)to book in for the night to learn from Tom on reception I was not booked there. On looking at my email he was right I was booked at the Tongadale Inn across the road
. Tom kindly said I could leave my car in his car park as Tongadale do not have one. Thanks Tom! Crossed over the road and booked into Tongadale. Good evening meal and nights sleep.
Saturday morning down to the pontoon for 8.15am for Seaflower to take us to Rona. Met up with the party of 5 Danes booked for the weeks stalking. Loaded everyone's kit onto the boat and off we went. Calm crossing
.
Arrived at Big Harbour to be met by Bill Cowie ,Island Manager. All kit taken off boat, loaded onto trailer and we went into bothy for a coffee,scone and of course a wee dram
. While waiting to go to cottages it was decided we would sight rifles in, at the front of Rona Lodge, to ensure they were all working properly and sighted in. After sighting in rifles it was time to take the guests to the cottages, their accomodation for the week.
Sunday it was decided ,due to lack of wind, that myself and 2 of the guests would be dropped off by boat half way down the south of the island and make our way back towards the lodge seeing what we could spy on the way. We all met up at lunch at the lodge and decided to go out on the boat and check the creels and do a spot of fishing. One lobster in pots returned to the sea as was a female and full of eggs.
Creels were then reset.
Monday myself and 2 guests stalked the area of hills at the back of the cottages at Dry Harbour.
Both guests had a fruitful stalk dispatching one stag each.
Back to larder for a dram.
Tuesday we walked towards the lighthouse at the north of the island. We didn't get any shots due to a yacht having moored and the people from it were walking on the hills even though there were plenty of signs up clearly asking people to stick to the signposted paths!!!
So we decided to sit, enjoy the view and have our sandwiches.
Went fishing in the afternoon and caught some pollock.
Wednesday, due wind direction we went south again as far as Braig settlement returning on the west side of the island. We managed to see a group of hinds but no stag but on getting closer to them we noticed a grand stag which was dispatched with a Browning 243 Winchester 100 grain.
Phone call to Bill to pick stag up with quad bike and trailer. Back to the larder again for another dram hic!!! Back out on the boat in the afternoon checking creels and fishing again. Large crabs in the creels and more pollock caught which was taken back to the cottages.
Thursday we spent the day in the larder, cleaning heads and butchering the venison. Over 200 venison burgers made and all sold to be picked up from Portree on Saturday.
Friday morning back in the larder preparing 4 haunches of venison to take back for my local butcher. In total 5 stags for the week.
In the afternoon we were all invited to the cottages for a meal prepared and cooked by the Danes. Fish soup, crab meat on a strip of brown bread and venison heart cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce. All from the stalking and fishing on the island. After a beautiful meal it was time to go back to the lodge and pack ready for our trip back to Portree in the morning. Another fantastic week with great friends. Roll on the end of January when I return for another week stalking for hinds this time.
Went to the Caledonian Hotel (where I've stayed before)to book in for the night to learn from Tom on reception I was not booked there. On looking at my email he was right I was booked at the Tongadale Inn across the road
. Tom kindly said I could leave my car in his car park as Tongadale do not have one. Thanks Tom! Crossed over the road and booked into Tongadale. Good evening meal and nights sleep.Saturday morning down to the pontoon for 8.15am for Seaflower to take us to Rona. Met up with the party of 5 Danes booked for the weeks stalking. Loaded everyone's kit onto the boat and off we went. Calm crossing
.Arrived at Big Harbour to be met by Bill Cowie ,Island Manager. All kit taken off boat, loaded onto trailer and we went into bothy for a coffee,scone and of course a wee dram
. While waiting to go to cottages it was decided we would sight rifles in, at the front of Rona Lodge, to ensure they were all working properly and sighted in. After sighting in rifles it was time to take the guests to the cottages, their accomodation for the week.Sunday it was decided ,due to lack of wind, that myself and 2 of the guests would be dropped off by boat half way down the south of the island and make our way back towards the lodge seeing what we could spy on the way. We all met up at lunch at the lodge and decided to go out on the boat and check the creels and do a spot of fishing. One lobster in pots returned to the sea as was a female and full of eggs.
Creels were then reset.
Monday myself and 2 guests stalked the area of hills at the back of the cottages at Dry Harbour.
Both guests had a fruitful stalk dispatching one stag each.
Back to larder for a dram
.Tuesday we walked towards the lighthouse at the north of the island. We didn't get any shots due to a yacht having moored and the people from it were walking on the hills even though there were plenty of signs up clearly asking people to stick to the signposted paths!!!
So we decided to sit, enjoy the view and have our sandwiches.
Went fishing in the afternoon and caught some pollock.
Wednesday, due wind direction we went south again as far as Braig settlement returning on the west side of the island. We managed to see a group of hinds but no stag but on getting closer to them we noticed a grand stag which was dispatched with a Browning 243 Winchester 100 grain.
Phone call to Bill to pick stag up with quad bike and trailer. Back to the larder again for another dram
hic!!! Back out on the boat in the afternoon checking creels and fishing again. Large crabs in the creels and more pollock caught which was taken back to the cottages.Thursday we spent the day in the larder, cleaning heads and butchering the venison. Over 200 venison burgers made and all sold to be picked up from Portree on Saturday.
Friday morning back in the larder preparing 4 haunches of venison to take back for my local butcher. In total 5 stags for the week.
In the afternoon we were all invited to the cottages for a meal prepared and cooked by the Danes. Fish soup, crab meat on a strip of brown bread and venison heart cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce. All from the stalking and fishing on the island. After a beautiful meal it was time to go back to the lodge and pack ready for our trip back to Portree in the morning. Another fantastic week with great friends. Roll on the end of January when I return for another week stalking for hinds this time.
nice to read someone is happy and trusting in taking a good stag wi an all rounder rifle 
