Smashing Pumpkins!

Last night we got into the Halloween spirit and went along to the Invergarry Hotel to join in all their spooky festivities, which included a pumpkin carving competition for the children. Of course we couldn't resist having a go ourselves, and they even created a special prize for the best adult entry for Matt - see his winning 'gangster pumpkin' below. Mine was a more traditional affair and looked pretty good in the dark, so both will be proudly displayed in the hostel until they begin to wither.

We also had a go at the pub quiz, we didn't do particularly well but we did manage to avoid the booby prize for coming last, probably due to the fact that we were allocated an extra team member at the last moment, so thanks for the help Albert!!

Jen x

Snow Fun on Aonach Mor!

With business now slowing down for the winter, we just couldn't resist giving ourselves a day off to go out and play in the snow we've had up here this week.

After a brief detour into Fort William to pick ourselves up a couple of brand spanking new sledges, we met up with our friends Mark and Gail and headed up Aonach Mor on the Nevis Range gondola. Despite Matt being sceptical about the amount of snow at the bottom, as we emerged at the top of the gondola we were delighted to see masses of the stuff - perfect for our sledging plans!

Being heavily pregnant, Gail couldn't join us for the sledging so we left her in the warmth of the Snowgoose restaurant and trudged uphill to the top of the Quad Chairlift. My feelings of trepidation were increasing as we climbed higher and higher, especially when I realised I didn't actually have a clue how to sledge. Luckily I had Matt with me, helping me understand some crucial 'sledge science', such as "the deeper the snow, the steeper you need it to be", and "you're lighter than me so you'll probably take off". As I said, crucial.

Luckily all my fears were forgotten when we reached the top and found some pristine knee-deep snow on which to christen our new sledges, and it was all downhill from there!

We had great fun trying to dig ourselves out of the powder at the top whenever we fell off, and it got even more interested towards the bottom as we tried to avoid the large rocks poking out of the snow, and the various ditches which the sledges seemed to be magnetically attracted to.

After a while the fun ran out for Matt when he slid over a rock and broke his sledge. We had a few attempts at tandem sledging but it is somewhat harder than doing it by yourself! We were soon drawn back to the warmth of the Snowgoose, where we joined Gail for lunch and beer before heading home. Definitely a successful day out, measured by the fact that I was still pulling snow out of my pockets on the way home.

Jen x

Invergarry Lodge loves the Snow (It's Official!)

We got everyone together at hostel to have a vote to decide whether we love the snow or not.

The results are in - the dog did, the chickens definitely did not, the cats where unsure, the cows weren't allowed to vote because technically they don't live at Invergarry Lodge, the guests this morning did, Jenny does and I do. 4 ayes, 1 nay and 1 abstention - it's official. Now we just need to find time for a day off so we can get up in the hills and enjoy it properly.

--Matt

Invergarry Lodge goes autumnal!

Well, it must be well and truly autumn up here in the Highlands - the tourist trade has more or less dried up, the leaves are turning beautiful shades of yellow and red, and I have an odd sort of looming sensation which must mean our first tax return will soon be due. Rats.

It has also become seriously cold up here, and we've been piling on the woolly layers and blankets in our attempts to stave off the cold. I have also taken up knitting, and so far have produced a gorgeous pink scarf which is only about 2 feet too short, and a lovely grey woolly hat which might fit a child somewhere between the ages of 5 and 10. Apparently I should have used patterns. Now they tell me.

We've had some entertaining times this month with a brief visit from Matt's cousins Ralph and Bill from the U.S. We took them to Urquhart Castle and Inverness, and also managed to fit in a walk down Glen Nevis (see Ralph's attempt to conquer the wire bridge of doom) and a flying visit to the Ben Nevis Inn for lunch before they left, but I think they most enjoyed the whisky and cask ale sampling session in the local pub the night before. Sorry Shelley for propping up the bar so late!

In other news, Dylan the puppy has had his manhood removed in his neutering operation this week. We thought it was quite funny until the vet mentioned that we'd have to refrain from giving him any exercise for 10 days. 10 DAYS!!! Do they not know how much energy this puppy has and what he will do to the house in 10 days with no exercise?!!! The fun really started when they also revealed he'll have to wear an enormous lamp-shade round his neck for the duration, to stop him from pulling the stitches out. So not only do we have a hyperactive puppy bouncing off the walls, we now have a clumsy 3-foot-wide puppy bouncing off the walls and knocking over everything in sight, including us.

On the plus side, we've got lots of visitors lined up between now and Christmas, and now that the hostel trade is quitening down we are hoping to have more time to get out and about in the hills doing what we love best.

Jen x

Honey, I broke the dog.

Jen and I were trying to get some work done but the dog would not leave us alone, he was desperate to go and see some of the snow that had fallen up on the tops during the night. I volunteered to take him and left Jen with the mountain of paper work.

The afternoon was getting on so we headed down to Loch Quoich for a quick run. The glen looked stunning - autumn colours coming through, blue skies and a dusting of snow on the tops. We had to get up to about 650 meters to get to the bottom of the snow level but it was pretty sparse. Dylan wasn't sure what to make of it so, like everything else, he ate it.


After throwing a few snowballs and posing for a photo, we headed back down, a nice run only interrupted by Dylan not wanting to cross the 3 streams we encountered and him nearly getting run over by the post lady when we got back to the road.


He hasn't moved since we got back and was even reluctant to get out of the van, looks like we might be in for a quiet evening for once.

--Matt