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Following the departure of Hamish and Angus, the Highland bullocks, we have been unable to buy breeding Highland cows as the breed has become so popular that prices at the traditional Oban Highland Cattle Sale this year were exceptionally high, breaking previous breed records. For example two quiet old cows who would have been ideal for Hunterston were sold for well Over £1,000 each, compared to the commercial breeding cattle at Hunterston which are valued at approximately £500 each.
The experiment with ewes lambing in January was successful, so over 200 ewes start lambing on 1st January 1990. The previous difficulties experienced with the lIe de France ram have been overcome and the resultant lambs are proving popular at the local auction mart.
The breeding herd of suckler cows continues to expand. The cows and calves are all very quiet, so any members walking over the Estate lands should not be concerned when encountering livestock. We do ask, however, that dogs are not taken through any fields of stock, being exercised only on the Estate roads. The reasons for this are firstly that dogs frighten sheep which then tend to run frantically round their field risking damage to themselves and their young. Secondly, dogs are a source of interest to cattle, which are generally very inquisitive, with the result that cows and calves tend to 'mob' anyone leading a dog. The cattle can also become rather playful, which is often an unnerving experience.
The Estate, together with other adjoining estates, suffers from poachers who walk across the land at night with packs of Lurcher dogs, hunting for hares. During the last lambing season a pack of dogs ran through a field of newly born lambs and caused the deaths of ten lambs, with three more having broken legs. Three ewes and a ram have also been lost in this way. Ian Menzies together with gamekeepers in the area regularly carry out night patrols and so far have succeeded in arresting a number of poachers, but unfortunately it takes time for the cases to come to court and the sentences passed tend to be inadequate.
The northern half of the walled garden has now been sown to lawn and plans are well in hand to start work on Mr Nelmes', of the Royal Horticultural Society, proposal for this half of the garden. A number of shrubs and roses have been purchased by Clan members in memory of loved ones, with descriptive plaques being placed at each plant, and we hope that more members will participate in this scheme.
Planning permission has now been obtained from the local authority to convert South Cottage, which forms part of the Castle complex, into a tea room. This will hopefully be an additional attraction for Castle visitors and Clan members.
Three other cottages in the Castle complex have been let to local professional people. It is a pity we could not continue to keep the cottages available for occasional use by Clan members, but the lack of
demand, the high cost of maintaining the cottages, and then the demand by the local authority that the Estate should be liable for a rateable charge .of over £600 for each empty cottage, all combined to force the Estate to let the cottages for continuous occupation. It is hoped that Cla_n members will understand
the situation and be willing to stay in local hotels and bed and breakfast houses near the Estate. A list of these is available at the Largs Tourist Information Centre office, telephone Largs (0475) 673765.
Clan members may be aware that the original plan to privatise Electricity Boards has been altered so that all nuclear powered generators remain in public ownership. This is disappointing, as it had been hoped that a new private ownership would be more sympathetic to the needs of the Estate. British Steel has not yet changed its attitude towards the land surrounding Hunterston, with the result that we
continue to experience difficulties over any form of improvement to the land. The consortium of engineers (Costain Taylor - Woodrow) which has leased the former Hunterston Development Corporation platform site are working at a tremendous pace to complete alterations in order that it might become fully operational as a Trident submarine related base.
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