TFL week on Skye 23rd April, sunshine included

So, my only TFL work week of this spring, and it felt like I must have picked the best week of the season, not least because of the sunny weather.  I was Focalising with Paul Knights, someone who I’ve met a couple of times before at the 2010 conference and Saturday changeovers.  He’s been coming on work weeks for 15 years and he’s still only half my age!  Anyway, I think we did ok.

We were also lucky enough to have a fine group of volunteers, some of whom I knew, and some I was meeting for the first time.  We planted 3020 trees on a fairly steep slope over the road from the plantation in Glen Kylerhea (down towards the Kylerhea ferry).  During our three days there we heard, and occasionally saw, at least two grasshopper warblers, and twice a golden eagle, once soaring higher and higher and then twisting and feinting as it dropped into the next glen, and the next time flying low over us with a bunch of hoodies in tow.  This was in addition to a fine array of other birds, caterpillars, bugs, etc.

We also spent a day felling Spruce at Balmacara and, on our last working day, clearing smaller spruce from a beautiful spot near Leitir Fura (look it up and pay it a visit).  For my day off I walked to Gleann Meadhonach and Dalavil woods.  There is an area of planted young woodland before the Glen opens up, and the whole walk was absolutely stunning.  I’ll create another post to discuss my wildlife sightings.

As usual big thanks must go to Peter and Julie MacDonald for being great hosts at the Flora MacDonald lodge.

Also worthy of mention was the food, especially the cakes (I may, at last, get some sleep tonight after Kevin and Rob’s chocolate brownie hit!), a snipe with a strangely high pitched tail near the lodge, some fine philosophical debate with the legendary Mr Knights (mostly not serious!), and the late night conversations around the fireside.