Eriska, Scottish Island

Stables Spa comes of Age!!

When we started with our indoor facilities back in 1992 we simply ran out of funds to complete the whole envisaged project so finished what we could to the best of our ability and shelved later developments. In truth the Spa was not part of these planned later developments but one of the advantages of the fact that we built the stable in stages was that it allowed us to change and evolve our plans rather than having to actually structurally alter already completed facilities. to this extent we have now added the restaurant, the balcony and now the spa with it separate entrance and amenities.

When we started offering spa treatments we probably, like the rest of the world, -apart from those who spa-, believed a hot tub and pool served the purpose but we have learnt that there is a great deal more to the whole operation than water and massage, it is all about the journey and the ambiance, personal wellbeing and spiritual rest! You see I have learnt something!

Anyway this year we were approached about being considered for an entry in the Good Spa Guide and after discussion decided that we were not only ready but needed to stand up and be counted so agreed to the inspection and visit. I was therefore delighted to receive the report which offered us the second highest accolade for Scotland- 4 Bubbles- and gave great credit to the team at the stables. It highlighted the benefits of a small personal spa and the fact that although we do not have endless rooms and facilities we have more than sufficient for our needs and most importantly excellent service and treatments. What more can we ask for! 

Weather wc 27th June

After a week watching images on the television of reservoirs short of water and smiling as it all seems far away, it suddenly moved a step closer to us when Mull declared a drought and water started to be exported from the mainland and even closer to home when I suggested to a guest to fish at the reservoir behind Barcaldine only to have them return the next day with stories of an empty dam and no fish to be seen never mind caught! Anyway I think this is a combination of a drier winter than normal- due to the cold conditions freezing the rain and a lower general rainfall but it may all be about to change as I heard several claps of thunder last night over the hills to the east and there is more cloud about now looking menacingly at us!

Sunday: Staying dry in most places with some warm sunshine. However a few sharp showers may break out in the afternoon. Also mist patches will linger around the coast.

Monday: Scattered showers developing during the day becoming heavier at night so no need to water the gardens!

. Tuesday  will see a return to mainly dry weather with some sunshine. Warmer again too with light winds.

Wednesday: Another warm and bright day is expected with some sunny spells, but a few showers possible during the afternoon.

Thursday After a dry start we are expected to have rather more in the way of cloud with outbreaks of rain or showers for much of the period, but with some drier and brighter interludes.

Friday: again we will see a mixture of sunshine and perhaps a few showers, some of these heavy and thundery especially in land

Saturday: Remaining fairly unsettled, with rain or showers at times although it will remain warmer than usual for this time of year

Water panic misplaced!

As I was in my office yesterday afternoon I receive a panicking phone call- my mother had run out of water and disaster was looming. I immediately joined the hyperventilating run to the water well. The news of my mothers shortage not only worried me on her behalf but also concerned me as she shared a supply with the hotel and if she was short of water then the likelihood that we would join the dry tap brigade was not far behind. However as I arrived at the well I met Duaine who too was concerned but also  little bit puzzled as the well seemed full and the water was flowing when required.- Time for Inspector Clouseu

Next stop was the storage tanks and again a puzzle as both seemed relatively full and not in any great need for replenishment. At Eriska luckily we pump our water from a bore hole underground and then store it in an old reservoir up the hill giving plenty of pressure to the hotel and allowing us to spread the precious commodity around the other outlets on the island. Unlike many of te properties around us we do not rely on rain (although most of the time there is and unlimited supply) to fill our reserves and this seems a good choice today as we have heard of properties running not only short but actually dry. 

Anyway back to my mothers shortage and the solution to the impending disaster as she was due to host one of the victorious teams of the Three Peaks challenge who after a week on a boat and several thousands of metres climbed and miles run were probably in desperate need of a shower. The solution proved easier to solve than find, but it was eventually admitted that during the week when she had had a boiler fitted to help her hot water system a cold water feed tap had been turned off and forgotten. So soon we managed to rectify the problem, calm down my mother and allow the runners and sailors to freshen up! all just in the  nick of time and then we could let our own panicking hearts calm down!!

In te end I would rather panic and find the solution than suddenly be confronted with an unsurmountable issue- like no water.

Wine Knowledge Progress

Last year we set about looking at areas we could offer real education for our team here at Eriska and tried to put together an in house training programme to expand the teams knowledge of wine and spirits, but whilst it was easy to deliver real success in the bar-as often the staff there have quieter moments it was difficult to offer real progress with the wine list. Either we were too busy and had no time, too quite and had no staff or simply had no wine. Therefore we looked at different ways to progress the training.

As luck would have it coincidentally I was approached by a friend who is also a Master of Wine and he was about to set up a training company to help deliver courses to hotel and restaurant staff. We met and discussed my dilemma here at eriska and decided we would try and run a course here at Eriska using the Wine and Spirits Education Trust course. We offered the opportunity to the team here and not only did waiters and bar staff sign up but also a couple from the kitchen and the course began.

Yesterday after 6 monthly training sessions the day of reckoning arrived and the exam day was upon us. lots of last minute cramming, open text books in the staff room and nervous conversations in corridors then into the exam room and complete silence. Afterwards much discussion about the answers and worried faces but now we all have to wait 2 weeks for the results and then if successful some may continue onto the Advanced course

Eriska Goes Green- Its official

We have over the last few years been working towards a greener more environmentally efficient and acceptable policy and have worked closely with several outside authorities to help us achieve this end goal. initially it was simply enough just to try and persuade all those at Eriska that our target was achievable and most importantly worthwhile and then we simply had to begin on the road with a commitment to a target.

At the start of this year we appointed an Envirmental Ambassador or as she became known "Green Katrine" and she became our concisions keeping us on the correct track and working with us to develop ideas and policies. Her hard work and understanding of the subject allowed us to develop quickly and every step she monitored progress and documented decisions and evidence. The next stage was to prepare for a full environmental audit and for this we asked the Green Business Tourism Scheme to become involved and benchmark our efforts with others in the industry. Clearly at first sight luxury and five star hotels are not expected to follow the envorment and green plans  however it soon became clear to us that not only could following such policies help our achievement of a certification but they too could be beneficial for business and therefore the more we investigated the more we learnt and then the more we adopted.

Last month we underwent a full audit and the assessor left without giving too much away so we had to await the result and I was delighted today to hear that Eriska has achieved the top award of a GOld Standard. It not only rewards us and especially Katerine for her perseverance but it also spurs us on to further developments and puts our environment high on our agenda whenever we change policies or products. So now armed with our Gold Award we must not rest but continue to achieve!

Eriska Goes Green- Its official

We have over the last few years been working towards a greener more environmentally efficient and acceptable policy and have worked closely with several outside authorities to help us achieve this end goal. initially it was simply enough just to try and persuade all those at Eriska that our target was achievable and most importantly worthwhile and then we simply had to begin on the road with a commitment to a target.

At the start of this year we appointed an Envirmental Ambassador or as she became known "Green Katrine" and she became our concisions keeping us on the correct track and working with us to develop ideas and policies. Her hard work and understanding of the subject allowed us to develop quickly and every step she monitored progress and documented decisions and evidence. The next stage was to prepare for a full environmental audit and for this we asked the Green Business Tourism Scheme to become involved and benchmark our efforts with others in the industry. Clearly at first sight luxury and five star hotels are not expected to follow the envorment and green plans  however it soon became clear to us that not only could following such policies help our achievement of a certification but they too could be beneficial for business and therefore the more we investigated the more we learnt and then the more we adopted.

Last month we underwent a full audit and the assessor left without giving too much away so we had to await the result and I was delighted today to hear that Eriska has achieved the top award of a GOld Standard. It not only rewards us and especially Katerine for her perseverance but it also spurs us on to further developments and puts our environment high on our agenda whenever we change policies or products. So now armed with our Gold Award we must not rest but continue to achieve!

Weather wc 20th June

Well it is called midsummers day and certainly the long day and shortnight last night made it feel like summer especially the breeze from the North, clear blue skies and warm sunshine. The whole season seems about 4 weeks delayed with the best rodedendrons flowering and the summe rflowers only now peaking above the bushes. Anyway it cannot go on especially as one Scottish Newspaper warned of drought- a sure sign it might change so whats ahead for the week .

Today: anfer a chilly night it will be warm again and will stay dry with sunny intervals to end the day,

Monday:The dry weather will continue with sunny spells during the morning then rather cloudy in the afternoon,

Tuesday: sunny start to the day, but some cloud building through the morning, though remaining dry with light breezes.

wednesday:Mainly dry and bright monring with light winds but rain will spread in from the Atlantic.

Thursday:Rather unsettled with rain or showers,  and the showers maybe thundery in places.

Friday: a drier day but still the chance of showers in spells throughout

Saturday:After a somewhat changeable start, the weather is likely to become less unsettled and more dry than wet although the wind may make it seem cooler.

Spa Development

About three years ago we were starting to redevelop our spa reception at the Stables and along with moving the changing rooms, building a barbers shop and creating a shopping arcade we had also plans to reorganise the reception area and the entrance to the spa. However as with all projects our ideas were bigger than both our pockets and diaries and although we discussed the reception and even had some drawings done we never progressed the idea any further-

That was until this week when we finally had enough saved up to move the project off the drawing board and into the workshop. Once again we are working with Ward Robinson and Swandeneto come up with a multi purpose framework that will also take into account all the foibles we have. So Today one of the team from Swanede came to eriska to "measure" up, I know from our experience with thedining room that this was the pretence but the real reason was so that they could understand exactly what we thought we wanted , cajole and push us to allow them to create what we need and then we would all be happy with the end result.

In the end they have slightly altered the functionality- for the better and have by visiting us noticed some measurements which may with our input not quite have matched so now it is back to the workshop for them, a couple of weeks for us to save up some more to pay for the extras and then hopefully by the end of July we will be up and running more efficiently, more comfortably and most stylishly!! If only life was so simple!! 

Neverending task of fixing Grasscutters!

Last week we arranged for an engineer to call in and check our coring machine for the golf course. we bought it over 5 years ago and I was reliably informed that it has never worked properly so the solution would be to purchase a new one. this to me was not the first option but the last option so I arranged for an expert to call and inspect the machine and he duly arrived. Immediately I liked him as he told  me the machine was an excellent choice and that he was certain he could fix it.

True to his word he immediately identified the major issue and then set about rectifying it and even spotted some minor niggles which were attended too. However in the time he was with us Gerry had pointed out a couple of other problems with machines and he then moved onto them however not expecting these issues he left promising to return with parts the following week. I could see light at the end of the tunnel, a full fleet  of cutters a golf course ready for attention and Gerry keen to get started.

So the engineer returned and for 20 minutes all was working and smiles spread but then disaster- Gerry limped back into the shed with a toiling greens machine and after another 2 hour investigation not only was it described as broken but looking terminal! Not to fear the engineer would depart and seek advice and our old hand mower would be exhumed from the mothballs and pressed into service. Well it started and it went but not very far and soon that too was on the medical bench but today Duaine has persevered with it and it is now in much better health and ready for tomorrow on the greens, vowing not to be left unattended for so long and Gerry promising to run it monthly if it keeps going for the next week until the main greens machine is fixed!

That is now the key to firstly keep the machines operating and secondly to keep a back up ready so |robert has been working on a back up fairways machine that had been mothballed by Chay and is now in full working order and ready to leap into action!! So all being well by Tuesday night we will not only have a full complement of cutters working but also a couple of spares- and no doubt a huge bill!! Now whats the next disaster to be

New Website nears completion

In truth although we are luddites with many of the technological advances here at Eriska, we have always tried to adopt new technology. Having stated this and after having completely embarrassed myself with my lack of jargon and understanding with our website designers, they were then equally amazed to hear that we had been "on the net" for almost 20 years and indeed the new website will be our 5th generation site.No sooner have we completed the last site than it is apparantly out of date and requires updating however experience has taught that me that even major refurbishments cost money and often a complete redesign is the best optioon.

Having said that it also then eads us to endless unanswered questions as each new disgner has their ideas and theories and they must combine this with our suggestions. I do sometimes wonder that if we stayed clear of it and did not interfere would we end up with a far more successful online presence or would we simply be just more disgruntled and disappointed with the feel and look of it. This time we are working with a Glasgow firm called Peach Digital who pitched for the business and impressed us with their understanding of both Eriska asnd what we needed.

This has further been supported by the fact that we have had little interfering and have simply sat back and waited for the progress. In truth waiting and watching has all stopped now as we are having to work and now we are on the funal leg of the operation testing and correcting text and images. The next step will be the handover to our new server and launch of the site and we will then and really only then have  chance to crawl through it and make final adjustments. Each time we redesign we add more ideas to it and try to keep what is best about the old system. Therefore the new site- due for launch this week, will retian "badger bedlam" but have increased images and easier to navigate pages. Now we await the great launch and the comments!!