This week’s papers: Oban Times article puts Camelot in Argyll

Argyll is well served by its local newspapers. The prize in a sample of this week’s harvest goes to:

The Oban Times

The paper has a provocative piece on researcher and author, Adam Ardrey, whose work has progressively unearthed evidence that convinces him that King Arthur was crowned on Dunadd Fort in Kilmartin Glen.

Ardrey, who has written a popular book: Finding Merlin – the truth behind the legend, has also come to the conclusion that Camelot was in Argyll. He promises that he will soon reveal exactly which site he has identified as Arthur’s legendary castle.

We’re not giving the evidence away (buy the paper – Page 13 -  and the story’s not included in the website copy) but it’s not trivial and Ardrey says that he arrived at his theory by stripping out all of the romance and the myths and looking at the picture painted by the history that was left. If he’s right, think what Argyll’s re-enactment scene’s going to be like. Quests for the Holy Grail anyone? Richard Lochhead for the Fisher King? Great story.

The Ileach…

… has a very interesting piece on  Highlands & Islands transport planning authority, HITRANS, employing consultants to report on the viability of emergency medical cases from Islay and Jura being airlifted to Lorn and the Isles Hospital in Oban rather than to Glasgow hospitals.

The Ileach has identified two possible factors contributing to this consideration:

• the greater cost to NHS Highland of using hospitals belonging to another health authority
• increasing the use of Oban Airport, in which Argyll and Bute Council farsightedly (our view) made a seious investment

The story directs those interested on how to make contact with Islay’s Transport Forum to express views on the possibility.

Again, get the paper – subscribe through the link above. This is a typical Ileach story, hard-edged, down to earth journalism concerned with the practicalities of island life and eyes wide open to alternative agendas.

The Dunoon Oberver & Argyllshire Standard…

… gets real credit for managing to get the story of the reopening of the A83 yesterday afternoon onto its front page, as the lead item – on a paper that was on the streets this morning.

It’s also got a fun counterpoint on the same page – a piece called Guide Me... led by an image of a fishing boat of that very name, sitting perfectly balanced and soundly grounded on the rocky shore at Ardhallow. An embarrassed crew member ‘was reluctant to speak’ about the incident. Buy the paper.

The Argyllshire Advertiser…

… hits the streets on the same day as the Dunoon Observer but didn’t manage the same speed over the ground and so spent most of its front page on the A3 closure which had ended the previous afternoon.

But it has a great story demonstrating supportive links across the territory of Argyll and the islands. It records the presentation of a cheque for £4,500 from Islay folk to the Multiple Sclerosis Centre in Lochgilphead in Mid Argyll.

The story is one of two Islay women, Kate MacAffer and Margaret McLean, who began fund raising to help build the MS Centre, who were then invited to open it in 1996 and who have been raising money for it since. Buy the paper for the details of this selfless commitment – Page 4.

The Helensburgh Advertiser…

.. the paper which, with The Buteman, has a real commitment to using its website to keep news new, almost beat us to the draw with the news of the A83′s reopening yesterday. The Scottish Government wired the information at 12.02. For Argyll had a fast fact piece up at 12.05, the Helensburgh Advertiser had a short story online at 12.06 and For Argyll had its full story up at 12.15.

This was fun. Great to feel Argyll cranking up response speeds. Respect – and buy the paper.