Catching up on the Torridon news

Finally we're back again in Torridon and gosh, it seems there's a lot of news to catch up with. 

So a walk yesterday morning across to Inveralligin and back, which normally takes about 45 minutes, lasted well over two hours and it wasn't all due to me taking time to check out the peemail. 

First we met local crofter Donnie, who complained how the midges had been the worst ever this year. Which at least made Gail a bit less sorry we hadn't been able to spend much time here this summer. (I, Bertie, don't understand why humans make such a fuss about these wee insects - they don't bother me). 

Then there was neighbour Bridget, fairly dancing with glee because, after years and years of trying, she and her husband had finally obtained planning permission to build a new house on their land. Further on, Gail had to stop and check out the local produce, although I opted to steer well clear of the scary scarecrow.

But it was when we stopped by Glyn and Pete's place and heard the dramatic story of the accident which earlier this year befell Shannon, their five year old cocker spaniel, that for a while we forgot all about the passage of time.

If we hadn't caught a glimpse of Shannon happily scampering around in front of her house, we would have feared the worst when told how back in March, during a visit to St Abbs Head*, she had disappeared over a cliff. Pete called the coastguard but it wasn't until an hour and a half later that Shannon was located, severely injured and clinging to life by a thread, on a rock accessible only by sea. A dramatic lifeboat rescue ensued. Shannon's tail wagged on recognising her humans. Thanks to the outstanding care of the lifeboat men and the local vet, and then some high tech surgery in the 'Royal Dick' Hospital for Small Animals in Edinburgh, Shannon survived a broken pelvis, shoulder, ribs and jaw, and much internal bleeding. She was home in Torridon just before the lockdown. And now, quite incredibly, with the help of bits of metal holding bones together here and there, she's back to romping around the Torridon hills, almost as good as new.

Shannon, you are a star!

*You can see pictures of the steep cliffs of St Abbs head in my post from September last year. Gail says if we ever go there again, I'll definitely be on my lead...