(Not so) Smart Cars

Aren't Smart Cars brilliant! With little wheels in each corner they're really manoeuverable and can park just about anywhere!


Smart cars; not so smart owners? (Yes, you know who you are - and so do we!)

The Clachaig Glacier

So, how's the weather where you are then? A remarkable spell without doubt. Here at all-but-sea-level on the west coast we don't see much in the way of lying snow. Plenty on the hills, but not a lot in the glen. Unusual then, to see any snow that does fall lie for more than 24 hours. With a slow thaw now setting in, we're saying farewell to snow that fell on 19th December, nearly 4 weeks ago. I've been (mostly) here since 1984 and that's a first!

So, what of the thaw? Has global warming reached Glencoe? Well, it is true that the Clachaig Glacier is receding. This little ice flow has been gathering in the sometimes ridiculously low temperatures over the Festive Break in the lower car park. It has now reached the magnitude of the Mer de Glace, high above the Chamonix Valley. The British Antarctic Survey have set up a camp. It is said that when it melts the sea level in Loch Leven will rise by a full 2 feet. And its a real bugger when it comes to staying upright when you get out of your car.


The odd thing is that the ice has actually been formed by rising water, rather than flowing water. As the stream descends Clachaig Gully it gradually disappears underground and unless there's a real downpour on you won't see any water once it leaves the bottom of the gully. The car park is where at least a little of it makes a bid for the fresh air once again.

Higher up the wintry weather still has a firm grip. Southerly winds this weekend look like they'll take the freezing level to near the summits. How long this milder spell will last remains uncertain just now. However, chances are it will be a while yet before we see the last of ice at Clachaig.

More Car Park Improvements

Ironically, we have just had some of the best autumn weather you could hope for and yet it was our quietest weekends of the year. Lots of snow on the hills, crisp clear days, a big yellow thing in the sky and barely anyone around to witness it. I blame Christmas myself; a couple of days in the year disrupts a good 2 months of trading.

The new enclosed area - the tarred access road will run from the road edge, past the dumper, to the road on the right.

Still, plenty of time to crack on with other jobs that we just don't get the time for during the rest of the year. Like phase 2 of the car park works here at Clachaig Inn. Visitors to Glencoe during 2009 can't help but have noticed that we now have a lovely big car park where once there was just a swamp.

A new sleeper wall parallel to the public road will partially enclose the lower car park

Wonderful improvement to both amenity and visual impact that it was, you still had to get through the original lower car park to get to it. Phase 2 will see more formal parking in the lower car park with an enclosed area, a tarred access road through to the aforementioned new car park, and a more informal area set aside for further parking which can also be used by larger vehicles.

More photos in due course.

Car Park Extension Phase I Finished

Finally, Phase I of the car park extension works is finished. Ok, there's some signs to add, some grass seed to sow and a fence or 2 to erect, but we're done. For this season at least!

Today

The front elevation of Clachaig has been transformed.

Last Summer. Most of these trees have been retained.

In the process we've added in a dozen or more extra car parking spaces and included a couple for 'oversized' vehicles - ideal for those mini buses we see so many of these days. There's signs that the grass (and the weeds) are beginning to grow, despite the frost this morning, and so we'll be out sprinkling the grass seed fairly soon.

We're having slight problems deciding on what to do about the proposed childrens' play area. Our aspirations for the most modest of facilities have come back with a 5 figure price tag on them and that's without some of the ground works, but do come with a British Standard attached. On the other hand, our insurers are just interested in the British Standard (and the ubiquitous 'risk assessment') and this comes at a price.

Hopefully, we'll be able to move on to Phase II in the autumn. Phase II is essentially tidying up and rationalising the rest of the car park areas, especially the existing lower car park. In its current form, the informal layout is very handy for all sorts of vehicles that we find using it (including those that just park up and disappear onto the hills for a few days). However, it looks bloody awful!

Phase II should see the lower car partially enclosed with a sleeper wall, more easily recognisable parking bays and improved signage & lighting. More news on this later in the year.

Car Park Extension

As promised, here's a few more photos of the ongoing works.


None of this work would be possible without being able to obtain various fill materials from others in the area. And we've been really lucky with the timing of things. Some resurfacing of the A82 has meant that we were able to secure some planings which will bind to provide a really strong sub base. Next up is some surface dressing which is hopefully coming from the soon to be finished works replacing the bridge at the Clachaig road/A82 junction.



The area set aside for a play area is clearly visible now. And though exact plans are still being worked on (along with a budget - jeez, these commercial things cost a bit more than a swing set from Argos!), we're hoping to be able to find room for a mid sized play frame and a couple of sets of swings.

As soon as the growing season starts, we hope to get some seed into the 'green' bits and have it all looking good for the summer.

Busy as ever.

Every January its the same. We go from the busiest week of trading (Hogmanay) to the quietest. Its as if all our customers are in one big bath and someone pulls the plug on the first weekend of the New Year and everyone goes whirling round and round, down the plughole and back to work.

So are we all sat on our laurels doing very little as a result? No, and neither are we dashing up those ice covered hills in anticipation of a great day out on the tops. No, we're mostly planning, scheming, cleaning and preparing for the year ahead. As busy as ever.

Not least of which is the ongoing landscaping work which you might just have noticed if you've been past Clachaig in the last month.


These photos were taken a few days ago and the site has moved on significantly already. More photos soon. The plan is to create further parking - probably 13 car spaces, plus 2 oversized vehicles with turning head, a new access through to the Chalet car park and a childrens' play area. The play area being at the foot of the bank where the drain pipe is currently visible, ideal for M&D to sit out by the Bidean Lounge seating and enjoy a drink while keeping a watchful eye.


If the saying that you learn something new every day is indeed true, then today's education has been in how much space you need for a swing in order to comply with British Standard EN1176 and keep your insurance company happy!