Not a man to mind getting his hands dirty, His Grace the Duke of Argyll, with his sons Archie and Rory, led a party planting 2,000 native bluebells along the margins of the road into Inveraray. The party included children from Inveraray Primary School whose massed planting forks looked like an attempt to recreate some legendary defence of Inveraray Castle. The children were productively supported by members of the local community included business people and regular visitors who felt like lending a hand – or a foot.

The event was the launch, this morning (18th December 2008) of the May 2009 Bluebell Festival – in a miraculously dry, bright hour against a frightful weather forecast which shortly did its worst,

Inveraray Castle and the Inveraray area are already home to a superb collection of woodland bluebell glades. These are now under threat due to cross pollination with the Spanish Bluebell. The new bulbs planted today are designed to greet visitors on their entrance to the town every May.

The Bluebell Festival has a pretty intensive programme of its own. It aims to provide a range of active experiences for people of all ages and degrees of fitness, family entertainments, talks, music and some events unique to this festival.

Even at this stage of planning the following events are already confirmed:

• Sat 2 May – A light hearted look at women in words and music from the Walking Theatre Company. Inveraray Castle. Ticketing Information: Inveraray website
• Sat 9th May – Neil Munro Society Lecture. Argyll Hotel. Ticketing Information: Inveraray website
• Sun 10th May – Clan Campbell History Story (Historic Scotland). Inveraray Castle. Ticketing Information: Inveraray website
• Sat 16th Sun 17th May – Spirit of the West: Food & Drink Festival. Inveraray Castle. Ticketing Information: http://www.spiritofthewest.co.uk
• Sat 16th May – Burns Ceilidh Dinner. Inveraray Castle. Ticketing Information: http://www.spiritofthewest.co.uk/
• Sun 17th May – Hamish McHaggis visits Inveraray (Children’s Book Character). Author Linda Strachan will be signing books. Inveraray Jail. Ticketing Information: Inveraray website
• Sat 23rd May – Crarae Gardens Murder Mystery. Crarae Gardens. Ticketing Information: Inveraray website
• Sat 23rd May- Murder Mystery Trial (Play). Inveraray Jail. Ticketing Information: Inveraray website
• Sat 30th May- Dunnaquaich Fun Run. Inveraray Castle. This is a reintroduction of a contest that was once a traditional event in the Inveraray Highland Games. The ascent is no light matter and the view is stupendous. Ticketing Information: Inveraray website
• Sun 31st May – Neil Wilson Classical Guitar Recital. Inveraray Castle. Ticketing Information:  Inveraray website

Throughout May there will also be:

• story tellers, day and night, every weekend in different venues throughout the town and in nearby venues like the Auchindrain Township Museum
• official Bluebell walks and horse rides every day throughout the month
• traditional folk music every weekend in May during the evenings in the hotel bars

Further events will continue to be added to this programme. Keep up with developments at the Inveraray website.

Further information is also available at any time from:

• John Patrick (Argyll Adventure) 01499 302611
• Jane Young (Inveraray Castle) 01499 302551

Group photograph copyright John Patrick. Other photographs copyright Rebecca Martin.