I'd urge all Challengers to be vigilant regarding incidents that may point to illegal poisoning and/or trapping.

Here's a link for detail on the most recent instance. Click here to read more

Many Challengers will know this area well - it's some 6km due south of Tarfside.

Equally, many Challengers passing east of Tarfside will have seen the egregious bull-dozed tracks that have scarred the upper Glen Turret / Mount Battock litoral in the past three years. Current Scots law exempts all works and/or structures deemed as "agricultural" in nature from planning permission.

The current estate owner - who channels Downtown Abbey by naming two buildings as "Gamekeeper's Cottage" and "Under-Gamekeeper's Cottage" - bless his little cotton socks (and don't you just love this exquisite classist sensibility. It's so cute and furry!) - has positioned multiple electric fences, traps and additional measures simply to secure revenue from killing grouse.

There's an an interesting legality here. Currently all wild birds are protected under UK law. The grouse - unlike the pheasant, which is commercially raised for a certain death - is a wild creature. The habitat is certainly managed, but the species per se cannot be bred.

Any lawyers amongst us who would care to address this issue?

My partner was recently witness to a particularly unpleasant case of a raptor killing, which is now in the hands of Borders and Lothian Police. And my sister works with the RSPB in West Yorkshire and reports that these instances are nation-wide. Typically, alas, it is the gamekeeper or factor on minimum wage and with tied acommodation who pays the penalty. The land-owner walks.

Don't even get me started on the invidious politics.

And a very Merry Ho Ho Ho to all of our Family. We came to Tromp but stayed to Stomp !!