In September a dedicated team of twenty volunteers, swathed in their bright yellow Isle Martin Trust high-viz waistcoats, took up their gloves and plastic bags and set to the task of keeping Loopallu and the campsite immaculate. A great job was done by everyone and there were compliments galore from festival-goers. Without fail they commented that they had never been to such a clean festival. As well as constantly patrolling the site and campsite picking up the litter our pickers were on hand as soon as a band finished playing and the tent emptied. A squad would then descend on the marquee and clear it of all the squashed plastic glasses and other debris while preparations took place for the next session.

Loopallu’s organiser, Robert Hicks, and campsite owner, Sandor Ross, were also complimentary about the job done as not only the campsite was cleaned but also the beach. Very many thanks to all our volunteers - £1200 was raised for Trust funds.

…..And the good news is that Robert has said the litter picking contract is ours for life! 

Our main fundraiser this year has been the establishment of a commemorative tree plantation on Isle Martin. After much consultation and pacing over the more fertile parts of the island it was decided to plant the trees in an area of ground previously used by board member Derick Boa’s father for planting his potatoes when the family lived on the island in the 1940s.

To our delight the project has been a tremendous success with to date 14 trees being reserved, and more in the pipeline. IMT board member Alex Scott is sourcing the small trees locally and is planting them with the help of Tom Talbot and other willing volunteers when conditions are right. There is a choice of six trees - Birch, Alder, Rowan, Oak, Willow or Aspen. Included in the cost of a one-off payment of £250 is a heavy duty engraved plaque which we are ordering from Johnson’s Jewellery of Dingwall. The plaques are attached to a stake which is being made by board member Gregor MacDonald (he didn’t realise there would be so many when he offered to undertake this task..!!).

If anyone would like to consider having a tree planted on the island to commemorate a special occasion please contact Sheila Didcock at 26 St. Valery Place, Ullapool IV26 2TD or tel. 01854 612937 and she’ll send you a form.

To make access easier to the area we have arranged for a gap to be made in the dry stone wall and warden Cat Logie will strim a path through the bracken from the area of the old graveyard. We have already had one offer of financial help to go towards the cost of this work and we are extremely grateful for this.

Well, what a change from last year! Only one of the walks had to be cancelled because of the weather so six went ahead in dry, sunny, midgie-less conditions. We had a great variety of people on the walks but they had one thing in common – they were all captivated by Isle Martin and went away having really enjoyed themselves. There were local families visiting the island for the time and there was the Dutch couple on their first visit to the Scotland who couldn’t get over the peace and the tranquillity; there were also the two Yorkshire ladies who were so impressed by the work done by all the volunteers and by the ambience of the island that they planted a commemorative tree in memory of a very close friend who had died. It was a splendid summer - so good, in fact, that Sheila and Joan have decided to undertake another series of walks next year. We loved it as much as our visitors…!

Donnella Mackenzie came with her husband to visit the island for the first time since she was a child. Her grandparents had lived on the island and when she got home she wrote to Joan:

Ullapool Book Festival was successful in its application to the Highland 2007 Legacy Fund and because of this it is now able to commit itself to using Isle Martin as the venue for all the Friday daytime sessions. The Summer Queen has been hired to bring the audience out in the morning and take them home in time for tea. The day’s programme is now being finalised – and it’s looking good! Some of it has direct Isle Martin connections and some relate to the fact that emigrant ships left from Isle Martin to go to North America. And at lunchtime there will be the option of joining Joan and Sheila on a history walk and talk. What more could you ask for? Ullapool Book Festival has been accepted as part of Homecoming Scotland 2009 and will feature in its programme – with emphasis on the Isle Martin day during the festival. So, more publicity for the island, this time all over the UK and overseas as well.

Bad weather stopped all but one of the planned visits to Isle Martin this season. The last one was due on 9^th November and Murdo, Sheila and Joan were all ready in their thermals and waterproofs to go to the island to meet the passengers and take them on a guided walk. But the Captain decided to pull out because of squally weather conditions. Better luck next year when they are scheduled to make three visits and when they will be treated to a history walk and talk each time they come.

This summer the Summer Queen took their passengers to Isle Martin for their Sunday cruise – she’s now able to land at our splendid pontoon. On most of these days they had the option of a history walk with Joan - sometimes she and Sheila were already on the island doing walks but other times Joan went out with them from Ullapool on the Summer Queen. For a first year it was a success, one that we hope to be repeated next year. To that end another two or three volunteers will be trained by Sheila and Joan over the winter so a rota can be set up to spread the load of going out every Sunday on the Summer Queen. Thanks to Hooty and Annette Mackay for putting Isle Martin on their list of cruises. Joan would particularly like to thank the boat’s crew – Carl Mackay, Sandy "Boots" Macleod and Will Copestake, for their assistance and hospitality…!

Life is one long round of fundraising and filling in funding application forms. The next big (and we mean BIG) project is raising money to do up Macleod’s House (the one beside the ‘new’ school) as a low tech information and interpretation building (‘centre’ is too high-tech a word for what we plan.) The first thing that has to happen is to bring the house up to standard and this will cost in the region of £60,000. As you may remember from a previous newsletter, Macleod’s House was listed as a Category C (S) building by Historic Scotland a couple of years ago because of its rear fenestration (back window to you and me). Category C (S) buildings are of local importance, lesser examples of any period, style, or building type, as originally constructed or moderately altered; and simple traditional buildings which group well with others in categories A and B. The listing of Macleod’s House means that listed building consent may have to be obtained for any work to be done. The Trust’s board is setting up a small group to take this project forward, look at all the funding possibilities and then go down the long and tortuous form-filling route.

Robert Hicks (what a great supporter of Isle Martin Trust he is) has asked us if we would like to run a stall down at the bonfire during the 2009 fireworks display. We, of course, said yes, please! (We refuse nothing but blows!) It’s a long time away but this is an advance notice to anyone who might like to roast chestnuts, make toffee apples, gingerbread men or treacle toffee for us. If, like us, you haven’t made anything like that since the kids were small you might like to spend the next few months practising. Yes, we’re aware that they’re probably not the healthiest option – but they’re perfect as an occasional treat for round a bonfire. Joan’s sons had these every bonfire night – and one (who is now 36) has never had to have a filling or any other dental treatment in his life! A percentage of the money raised will go to the following year’s village fireworks fund. Early offers of help to Joan Michael, tel. 01854 612036 – if not in just leave a message. Thanks..!

Our warden Cat Logie and her partner Gordon have remained on the island throughout the summer and have asked if they can stay on for this winter also…. Brave souls….!! Cat loves being on the island as a volunteer and it has certainly helped us to have her on hand to tackle the myriad of tasks that arise. She has been doing sterling work building up the path which leads from the pontoon to the Mill House (it was in danger of being washed away by high tides) and has looked after the Croft House and the Mill House when people have been staying as well as painting and decorating both properties. She has also operated the ferry, cleaned the beaches, tamed the elder in the row of old houses we call The Street, and will this winter receive instruction in scything so she can start to work on the bracken around the Croft House and the graveyard areas. According to an article we read by Monty Don the bracken needs to be scythed twice a year, first cut in the spring, before it gives up - Isle Martin bracken is, we think, made of sterner stuff, so it may take quite a bit longer…!!

In the Spring Cat was delighted to report that she had seen puffins on the water close to Isle Martin which is great news as they used to nest on the island many years ago. It would be terrific to have them back so fingers crossed. A flock of geese also chose the island as their nesting ground and lots of goslings hatched and explored before they left for warmer pastures. Another anomaly is the lack of rabbits - last year we had problems with stoats on the island but surely they can’t have eaten the entire population of rabbits…! There used to be hundreds of them… and now there are no signs at all.

The AGM was held in Ullapool Village Hall on Thursday 22 May. There was a full complement of board members but we would like to have seen more Trust members…! Tea, coffee and biscuits were enjoyed by those who stayed for a blether after the official business was done. Fraser Mackenzie brought along some artefacts, including pulley blocks which had come from the Penola, the ship which used to call at Isle Martin bringing grain for the Flour Mill in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Isle Martin Board, which meets in Ullapool on the first Wednesday of every month, now comprises:

Chairman Kenny MacLeod

Vice Chairman Fraser Mackenzie

Treasurer Paddy Stowell

Interim Secretary Sheila Didcock

Derick Boa,

Gregor MacDonald,

Murdo Mackenzie,

Joan Michael

Alex Scott,

Jean Urquhart (Highland Councillor)

The Board meets on the first Wednesday of every month in the registered office of MacLeods w.s., 26 Argyle Street, Ullapool.