Easter holidays: Black Isle bliss in a Boathouse - and a beautiful baby, too

So, I said to the Liberal Democrat Voice team just before I headed off for a week in the Highlands mostly sans internet signal "Don't let anyone do anything interesting while I'm away." That worked out well.

A wee bit of insight into how normal people live, though. When I found out about Margaret Thatcher's demise I was in the car en route to my sister's for some baby snuggling. On arrival, I told my niece. In my own house, I'd have switched onto the News Channel and kept that on in the background all day. They were watching the Simpsons Movie. And they kept doing so. When it ended (a blessed relief, let me tell you), I asked if we could see some news. After just ten minutes, they got bored and put something else on. I always new that my political geekery was weird, so this wasn't a revelation

We stayed in the Boat House on the Rosehaugh Estate near Avoch. I've loved the Black Isle with a passion all my life. Rosemarkie beach is one of my favourite places on earth and my Great Aunt Vera and Great Uncle Sandy lived in Fortrose for over 20 years. 

The Boathouse itself is beautiful. It's very well equipped and decorated inside. I wasn't so keen on the evil spiral staircase, but I loved the view from the bedroom -  even though I wasn't quite to wake up to this on the first morning:

It wasn't a particular surprise that it could snow on the Black Isle in April. It did last year, just a few weeks before my sister's wedding. At least this time the power didn't go off, although we did scurry off to Inverness to buy a couple of torches just in case as there were none in the house.

The Boat House has a lovely terrace and I'd envisaged spending lots of time out there reading, but although the weather improved, the temperature only really got higher than Baltic on the last day.

Here is the house itself:

When it was originally built over 100 years ago, it sat on the middle of the lake, not at the end of it and was only half the size. The Estate restored it and added the extra wing which contains the kitchen and one of the bedrooms in 2006.

There are lots of walks round about. Just down the road is a very pretty waterfall.

The lovely people in the photo are my lovely brother-in-law, niece and sister. I'm on the nice safe path with the baby.

I'm not good at anything that isn't a nice path - but fortunately my husband and daughter are much braver than me.

One disappointment was that we totally mistimed our visit to Chanonry Point, arriving at high tide, so we had no chance of seeing the dolphins.

We enjoyed exploring the Estate. I just wish we could have been there in its heyday. It's so sad to think that all that's left of this magnificent house is its terraces.And the wine cellar.

We found these cute pixie houses, too.

The real highlight of the holiday was meeting my younger nephew Baby Ethan for the first time. I spent lots of time snuggling him and looking at him in utter awe and amazement. He's such a perfect wee thing. Not that I'm biased or anything. And he clearly adores his Auntie Caron. All my nieces and nephew are perfect, of course. And they all adore their Auntie Caron too.

I hate being away from the wee one, though - I saw how much he changed just over the course of a week and he'll be all grown up before we know it.

It was a lovely week away - and I coped better than I thought I would with the social media and internet deprivation.

Now I'm back and my to-do list is very long and scary. I'm sure there aren't enough hours in the day for it.

Willie Rennie and Nick Clegg kick off Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference

In just over three hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference gets underway in Inverness. It looks like we've brought the sunshine with us.

I'm really thrilled to be welcoming members of my family to see parts of the Conference. The only other time my family and political worlds have mingled was at my 40th birthday party. I decided that I knew so many fabulous people who had never met each other that I didn't want the first time they got together to be at my funeral. That night was a hoot, it has to be said.

Before I go any further, I should also thank my niece Laura. She never lends her MacBook to anybody, yet I am being allowed to type this from it.

But on to the serious business. Willie Rennie has set out what he thinks this Conference is about, showcasing Liberal Democrat achievements at Holyrood that belie the size of our group, the fantastic things our Councillors have done - slashing crime and homelessness in Edinburgh, for example, and how our ministers in the UK Government are putting the lowest paid and vulnerable at the top of our priorities.

Willie said:

“Liberal Democrats at all levels of government are delivering for Scotland.

“In the Scottish Parliament, our hard working team is punching above our weight. On college funding we have shown that strong liberal voices can make a real difference to government policy when it is heading in the wrong direction.

“Liberal Democrats in the coalition government are doing the right thing during tough times. Delivering tax cuts for low and middle earners while stopping the Tories from forcing through tax breaks for the wealthy is the right approach to get our economy back on track.

“And hard working Liberal Democrats councillors are delivering for local communities across Scotland. With the council elections fast approaching I want to highlight the great work that these unsung heroes do on a daily basis.

“Our conference will hear from these strong liberal voices and set out how Liberal Democrats will continue to focus on what really matters to people as we face present and future challenges together.”

Nick Clegg will be going in to more detail about what the team of Liberal Democrat ministers he leads have been doing to boost the economy. He will say:

 Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government don’t believe in simply throwing a few headline measures at Scotland and hoping that is enough.

“We have a real vision for Scotland’s future.

“I want nothing short of a green economic renaissance for Scotland.

“A Scotland where green jobs fuel a thriving economic future.

“Dockyards reopened as wind farm factories.

“Wind and wave power providing the green energy of the future.

“Scottish universities developing new green technologies for Scottish companies to export around the world.

“With Scotland’s young people trained in the skills they need to be at the heart of our green economy.

“It is early days, but we are seeing the start of this green energy revolution already.

“As we build a new economy from the rubble of the old, Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government are giving you real, practical help in tough times.

“That’s why we have cut your taxes, even as we’ve had to take difficult decisions to raise money elsewhere

“Thanks to Liberal Democrats, by raising the point at which you start paying income tax, we put £200 a year back in your pockets last year and another £130 from next month.

“And we want to go further and faster, lifting millions of the poorest workers out of tax altogether by raising to £10,000 the amount you can earn tax-free, putting £60 a month back in your pockets.

“Already 2m Scottish workers have received a tax cut.

“Liberal Democrat tax cuts for the many – not the few.”

It all sounds good. I still think there are better ways of expressing what the tax cut means because nobody feels like they have extra money. I feel that we need to show that we've effectively paid someone's Council Tax for a couple of months, or filled their car a few times.

I'm about to head from the tranquility of my sister's dining room table to the bustle of Eden Court Theatre. 

If you are at Conference, you would be well advised to head to Hootenanny on Church Street for the Liberal Youth debate tonight at 7:30. It does clash with the Home Rule Commission, sadly, but it is usually a fabulous night.

I hope he doesn't dwell on that there referendum for more than a couple of sentences. We're here to play our game, not Alex Salmond's and the focus needs to be on what we are doing and the sort of Scotland we want to see.

My pick of the Scottish Conference Agenda

This weekend, Scottish Liberal Democrats gather in Inverness for their annual conference. This is the second most important event to take place in the city this year (the most important being my sister's wedding on 8 April).

I'm particularly looking forward to it as I was brought up there and the venue, Eden Court Theatre, is within a few minutes' walk of virtually everywhere important to me as a child. The Cathedral where I was christened is next door, my Grandma's round the corner, my primary school a wee bit further down the road. I also get to save on accommodation costs by staying with my sister and her family.

Every Council seat in Scotland is up for election in May so the Conference will be a good launch pad for the campaign. It's also new leader Willie Rennie's first Spring Conference speech, a chance for him to map out where he wants to take the party over the next year and remind us of how the small but strong Liberal Democrat voices in the Scottish Parliament have made their mark. Willie Rennie's campaign to reverse college cuts bore some fruit in the recent Budget, the Campbell Commission leads the way on developing thinking on further devolution as opposed to independence, we've stood up against draconian and ill-advised anti-sectarian measures and pushed for action on the scandalous neglect on women prisoners. Rennie's task for the weekend will be to show a vibrant, forward thinking party that's indispensable on the Scottish political scene. He will want to show how the influence of the Liberal Democrats in the UK Government is vital to the Scottish economy.

Highlights on the agenda include:

Keynote speeches by all five Cabinet ministers: Danny Alexander, Nick Clegg, Vince Cable, Ed Davey, and Michael Moore as well as President Malcolm Bruce and, of course Willie Rennie.

Debates on fuel duty, prison rehabilitation (where I hope to be proposing the amendment which specifically deals with women prisoners), housing and youth unemployment, tackling high interest credit companies like payday loans.

Fringes on the Arab Spring, human rights, alcohol harm, victim support, RNIB Scotland's manifesto for the local authority elections, devolution/independence, land value taxation, Liberal Democrats and the Coalition from Social Liberal Forum (Scotland) and the Council elections.

Training on being an election agent, getting the most out of your time on the doorstep, making the most of media and social media and making sure your voters turn out for you. The Party's also launching a mentoring scheme with an event loosely based on a speed dating session. That should be fun. There's also 1 to 1 campaigning advice available from Mark Alcock on the ALDC stand and leaflet design advice on the PagePlus stand.

Social scene Saturday night has the annual dinner and the usually hilarious, unmissable Liberal Youth Scotland quiz.

Speaking ahead of the Conference, Willie Rennie highlighted the record of the Liberal Democrat ministers on the economy:

"Scotland’s economic strength stems from the UK being on firm fiscal ground. “After the mess that Labour left behind, Liberal Democrats in the coalition government are delivering the economic stability we need to deliver jobs and growth. “Giving over one million Scots a tax cut is a real help to many families. I am proud that it is Liberal Democrats who have driven that forward and continue to press for more help during these tough times. “I’m delighted that all the Liberal Democrat Ministers will be at conference to underline the difference they are making for Scotland and the UK.  “With the SNP fixated on independence, Liberal Democrats are getting on with the job of the here and now and getting the economy back on track.”

 The full agenda can be viewed here. 

John O'Groats a carbuncle? - How very dare they!

I am spitting nails this morning at the travesty of justice that is the 2010 Carbuncle Award. I can't believe that John O'Groats has been awarded the title of the most dismal place in Scotland.

I already expressed my horror at its inclusion on the shortlist, along with the beautiful highland capital of Inverness.

Ok, it doesn't have a boutique hotel, or a Starbucks, or a whomping big theme park, but does it really matter that much?

There is potential for improvement, but surely to goodness all you need there is a pair of binoculars to see the wildlife - birds and seals and otters - and your imagination. It can be very atmospheric there as the mists roll in and surround you. On a good day, though, you can see for miles, the sea is gorgeous, the coastline incredible. Is that not enough?

I'm not sure I like the presumption in this award that unless somewhere is developed to the nth degree, it's ugly. What is actually ugly is the dumbing down of people's expectations about what constitutes beauty.

Like I said, it could be improved, but worst and most dismal place in Scotland? That's ridiculous.

How on earth can Inverness be considered ugly?

I am spitting mad with fury that Inverness, the town of my birth, has been nominated for a Carbuncle Award.

This is not a simple matter of me looking back with rose tinted spectacles. I visit the city regularly and although you can't help but wonder exactly what the architects who designed some of the questionable 60s architecture at the bottom of Bridge Street were on, I still think it's one of the loveliest places I've ever been to.

I never fail to smile at that bit on the A9 where the Kessock Bridge comes into view and Inverness unfolds before you. Although it's 31 years since I actually lived there, I feel like I'm properly home when I see that.

There have been huge changes since I lived there, of course. The city has really expanded with many new housing estates being built, like many other places, but still, the sights that made me happy as a child are still there. If you start walking along the river at the Greig Street Bridge, looking over to Huntly Street and St Mary's Cathedral hall where I did so many of my primary school concerts, and walk alongside the river until you come to the green, lush, cool and beautiful islands, I defy you to find anything unpleasant about it. Ok, you'll need to turn your backs on the Caley Hotel and the aforementioned monstrosities on Bridge Street, but the rest of the walk, looking up the hill to the castle, going past the lovely Ness Bank church, going past the Glen Mhor hotel (a favourite place for family "occasions"), looking across to the awesome St Andrew's Cathedral, where I was christened in the font which could easily be mistaken for a weeping angel, Who fans..

Seriously, even away from this walk, as you go out of town towards Lochardil, Stratherrick Road is gorgeous. So is Culduthel Road, going out of town from Castle Street which has trees, gorgeous gardens, lots of side roads with lovely stone houses.

I also think that the Inverness Caley Thistle football stadium on the shores of the Firth, is just gorgeous. There is nothing like basking in the sunshine watching the team play.

I just find it really insulting that such a beautiful, thriving city should get within a million miles of this shortlist.

I would seriously go back to live in Inverness tomorrow if I could.

And as for John O'Groats' inclusion on the list, just because the last house in Britain hasn't turned into a concrete sprawled theme park does not mean it should be condemned as a ghost town.

I really wanted to be in Caithness yesterday afternoon when Phillip Schofield tweeted this

The long walk begins. John O Groats to .... afternoon tea :)

.

If a southern softie like him can stand at John O'Groats in short sleeves, then it must have been a glorious day.

He then posted a series of photos throughout the evening showing the amazing Summer evening Caithness sunset, still not dark at 11pm. I hadn't realised that his wedding had been at Ackergill Tower and he'd returned there yesterday.

It's made me want to find a nice Highland holiday cottage for this Summer.