High Beech

The house in the center of this picture is 'High Beech', the home where my granny spent a large part of her life. The family have many happy memories of this home and it is therefore sad to know my granny will never return.

What makes 'High Beech' really special is the location looking out over Portree, Loch Portree, and over to the Cuillin mountain range. The view is priceless - my granny on a number of occasions had to turn away hopeful buyers who would arrive without warning on her doorstep offering random sums of money.

My most special memories of 'High Beech' were sitting on my grandfathers lap after primary school, Sunday roast dinners attended by the closest family members, and staying there during the long university summer holidays. Those times were some of the happiest in my life and it is now clear that with the passing of my granny, that chapter has come to an end.

My granny was rightly proud of 'High Beech' and would sit in her rocking chair lording it over Portree. From her vantage point in the living room, she could monitor and recognise (with the help of binoculars) cars entering and leaving Portree. Slightly more disconcerting was the fact that she could also monitor the number of tourists visiting the old Tourist Office where I worked for a few years during university summer holidays.

I suppose it is likely that 'High Beech' will eventually be sold off - let us hope that whoever ends up living there will experience as many happy memories as we had during our time there. Perhaps before that happens, I will be able to return a final time to get some photos from a really special place.