Experienced Chef Returns to Head The Four Seasons Hotel Team - St Fillans

David Errington -Head Chef At The Four Seasons

We are pleased to introduce our ‘new’ Head Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel St Fillans.  David Errington has worked with owner Andrew on various occasions as a temp chef, and eventually took up the post of Head Chef in 2003 and worked for two seasons. Since then, he has gained experience in various establishments in Exmoor, Somerset, Ireland and eventually back to sunny Scotland where he worked for three years in Kenmore, before returning again to the Four Seasons Hotel in June.

Here are some questions put to David on his return:-

1. Why did you come back to the Four Seasons?

It is a great hotel in a great location and I am really happy to be staying in the Breadalbane area, where I have made so many friends over the past few years.  I am lucky to be able to do what I love in such a fantastic area.

2. What inspires you / your cooking style?

I am influenced by nature, the abundance of fresh, natural produce available locally, and our outstanding landscape.  My cooking style is inspired by French Provincial produce, people who love producing, harvesting and cooking good quality ingredients, whether in this area or further afield.

3. Where would you like to dine locally and why?

I would like to eat at one (or all) of the Mhor Restaurants.  Incredibly, I have not eaten at any, although I have  bought from Mhor Bread and Mhor Fish.  Clearly, the Mhor brand is a great success story locally!  So what am I waiting for?

4. What would be your choice for your ‘last meal’ and who would you invite to dine with you?

My ‘last meal’ would be

Steak Tartare,

‘Baveus’ Omelette Arnold Bennet,

Isles Flotante. 

I would invite Marco Pierre White and Edwina Curry to dine with me J

"STILL" mirrored man sculpture beside The Four Seasons Jetty
 in the Garden on Loch Earn, St Fillans
by Lochearnhead photographer Melanie Lewis

MHOR Festival 2014 - Monachyle Mhor 24th & 25th May

MHOR Festival MAY 2014

Another exciting line up for this years MHOR Festival on the grounds of Monachyle Mhor and the shores of Loch Doine, Balquhidder. A fun weekend of activities & antics, feasting & frolicking, music & magic.

Saturday 24th May 2014:

Raft Race
The MHOR Festival opening event is the Raft Race on Loch Doine with the theme of "Clans".  Who will pick up the £100 prize money?  Get building now and take part or cheer the participants on the day.

Plenty For The Children

Magwitch Monsters will organise a host of activities including; songs, dancing, musical instruments, traditional party games, giant parachute play, bubble time and Mini Commonwealth Games.

The MHOR Bake Off

This year's cake competition theme is "Commonwealth Cakes" - classic cakes inspired from any of the Commonwealth countries. £100 prize money for the winner. Enter your cake before 3pm.

The Great Scottish Feast

1 Meal with 5 Great Chefs cooking 5 Great Courses

Plus

• Bugsy Malone Bar
• Big BBQ
• DJ's: Mash (Mixmag)
• All Guns Blazing
• Live Music: Eilidh Shaw & Ross Martin
• Oyster and Champagne Bar /Pimms

Sunday 25th May 2014: 

Bake a loaf with Masterchef 1/4 finalists 

Bake or bring your best loaf. Two Masterchef quarter finalists will guide you through techniques for the perfect loaf of bread. Enter your loaf into the competition. £100 prize money for the winner 

Omelette Challenge

As seen on James Martins Saturday Morning Show - it'll be a cracking competition!

Shivering Sheiks
Live Music- 50's R&B

A Play A Pie and A Pint

From Glasgow's Oran Mor "arguably the best-vale cultural event in the country" Sunday Times

Ceilidh

The legendary Brian McAlpine and Session A9 -back again by popular demand

Plus

• Food and Beer Market
• Hog Roast
• Live Band: Rail Fan
• Mash (Mixmag) & Joshua (Stayfresh)
• Oyster and Champagne Bar /Pimms

There's Something for everyone and MHOR.  

Travel and Accommodation?

• Dedicated parking on site
• Local taxi Highland Glen Travel Lochearnhead or Kingshouse Taxi's
• Arrange to camp out in the MHOR field with your tent or camper van
• Check in at Monachyle Mhor or MHOR84
• Click to enquire about alternative area accommodation here.

NB: Under 14's go free

More information:

www.mhor.net/festival.net

Tel: 01877 384 622

Monachyle Mhor Farm

Balquhidder

Perthhire

FK19 8PQ

Strathyre Music Festival 24th and 25th May 2014

Jenny Reeve

The Strathyre Music Festival is hosted by local Balvaig Music Group and takes place on 24^th and 25^th May 2014. 

The Festival has attracted Celebrate Lottery funding towards the costs of delivering what is now widely considered as the Largest Community based Festival in Scotland in 2014. This accolade is even more remarkable for a small community of only 200 residents. This was recently acknowledged by a motion read out and supported by 33 Members of the Scottish Parliament.

Muckle Flugga

Strathyre is the first village in the Scottish Highlands and also resides within Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. 

The Festival is set at several venues in the heart of the village of Strathyre and enjoys the beautiful natural amphitheatre backdrop of Ben Ledi, Ben Sheann and the Two Munro’s Stuc A Chroin and Ben Vorlich. 

The Deadly Winters

The Festival boasts no less than 260 participating musicians representing 53 Solo artists, bands and choir members. The small communities of Strathyre, Balquhidder and Lochearnhead hold a wealth of local talent and many will participate in the Festival. The Festival is an essential event that pulls the local community together in a sense of common purpose and helps with an essential contribution to the local economy, which relies almost entirely on tourism. The Music Festival is helping to restore Strathyre’s position on the map as popular Tourist stop.

Callander Pipe Band

Kenny Higgins chairman of local music Group Balvaig, stated; “We have been overwhelmed by the interest in the Music Festival and we are delighted at the quality of the artists that have agreed to support the event. Demand has been so good we have a sizable waiting list and already bookings for 2015.

Kenny Herbert

The Festival line up includes: The Deadly Winters, Adrian Spina, Stefan van de Sande (Netherlands), Jim Lee and the Edge of Chaos Orchestra, (W.Sussex) Kenny Herbert and the Applebeggars, Muckle Flugga, Dwight and Jo-ann Pereira (Malaysia), Kim Seymour, Chief Chebe African drummers (Ghana) Plus many other impressive acts. Jazz & Blues are also well represented with Callander based Jenne Mcclure Jazz band and Edinburgh’s top Jazz band “Jazz main” led by Nick Gould. Renowned drummer, Phil Ragsdell and the Big Band Rhythm section for Glasgow based GCBB.  Riverside Ceilidh band and Jock the Box will round of the Festival on the Sunday evening with a Big Ceilidh Party Celebration.

K T O'Neil

Festivities start with the Festival Market and it’s special “Commonwealth” theme opening up from 10:00 am with local Crafts, Food and local produce, Music Workshops, busking, face-painting, Juggling and many other attractions likely to appeal to visitors of all ages.

Jock The Box 

The opening ceremony at 11:30am on Saturday 24^th May will be preceded by Callander Brass band, Forth Bridges Accordion marching band and Callander Pipers heralding the start of the Festival Celebrations. A special surprise is also planned as part of the opening ceremony.

                                                               

Wine tasting from Barefoot Wines on  Saturday 24th and the Sunday 25th May. 14 other Stalls with a wide range of  Food and Goods on display. A special opening ceremony will take place on the Saturday at 11:30 am and a large crowd is expected.

Further enquiries:

Kenny Higgins, Balvaig                     

e.mail:kenny@balvaig.co.uk

Tel: 01877 384660

Festival Web site: www.balvaig.co.uk 
Tickets http://balvaig.co.uk/strathyre-music-festival.html

Accommodation: Click the following link and send your accommodation request to local B&B, hotel, cottage, cabin, campsite, Inn, Guest House, Restaurant With Rooms and other accommodation owners. Enquire Now

      

                  

  

Stuc a’ Chroin Hill Race, May 3rd 2014, Strathyre

Strathyre: In 2013, on an action packed day, the Stuc a’ Chroin Hill Race celebrated its 25th Anniversary and we hosted the Scottish Athletics Long Hill Race Championship and one of the two Scottish Hill Runners Championship races. 

Stuc A Chroin Hill Race Competitors Set Off

In 2014, our race is one of the more popular races with the runners, and for good reason – stunning scenery, good timing (Bank Holiday), it’s well marked all the way to the summit, plenty of water stops, and our marshals always provide loads of encouragement for the runners, not to mention plenty of energy boosts to the runners in the form of jelly babies & jelly beans and chocolate.

There are prizes for the 1^st 3 places for every category of male and female ( adult, 40+, 50+, 60+ and 70+), as well as team prizes and Marshals spot prizes.

Normally for a non-Championship event, we attract 150 – 200 runners, all of whom require water, and have to be timed and marked at the staging posts. If you’ve been thinking about helping out or would like to be involved, this is the year to do it. We’re always on the lookout for marshals to take water up the hill, keep the runners on track and dispense water for them. 

Marshals are usually out on the hill for a couple of hours plus walking time and it’s an immensely satisfying day. We’ll need people to help set up the field on Friday 2^nd  including erecting the marquees.

For anyone interested in either coming to watch or helping out, a brief itinerary follows and don’t forget to come to the Strathyre Inn on Saturday night for live music to celebrate a great day out. 

Contact details can be found on the website www.stucachroin5000.org.uk

Fri 2^nd May

Hill Marking, Field preparation & marshals meeting.

Sat 3^rd May

08:30     Marshals’ muster and leave for hill

13:00     Race starts

15:00 +  Anticipated first finisher

21:00     Music at the Inn

Sun 5^th May Field take down

www.stucachroin5000.org.uk/marshals for information on the race, or follow the marshals link on the home page.

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LETI: If you are looking for accommodation in Strathyre or the surrounding area,  use the time saving live enquiry service on The Loch Earn Tourism Initiative website. Type in dates, party numbers and essential criteria and let the local accommodation providers get back to you with up to the minute availability. Additional tourist information, photos, events, services, where to eat and drink and more can be found at www.robroycountry.com.

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