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Private Notes
Monty throws himself into island life: Highland Games, fishing for salmon and trout, and exploring the wildlife and remote reaches of his new domain. But winter is just around the corner, and he also needs to dig peat for fuel and fatten up pigs and turkeys for Christmas.
Serious adventure beckons for marine biologist and professional diver Monty Halls when he gets to go on a boat-trip to the islands known as the 'Edge of the World' - St Kilda.
Monty has begun to restore walking trails that have been abandoned for years, but he needs to raise several thousand pounds to pay for marker posts and trail guides.
With the proceeds from the Great Feast banked away, Monty can get going on some hard graft with a trip down to the island of Barra. After an encounter with the resident pod of bottlenose dolphins, he helps the ex-ranger Jonathan Grant establish a new walking trail.
As November starts, Monty realises that he has loads of work to do and little time left. To help open up the islands to tourists, he is writing a guide book to a series of trails. He investigates the Bonnie Prince Charlie route on horseback, following the prince's escape route from the islands in 1746 after his abortive attempt to seize the English throne. He also heads south to Vatersay, to help with an anti-erosion project, then up to Benbecula to join a hedgehog patrol, trapping this introduced and unwanted species for relocation to the mainland.
With all the research for walking trails and interpretation boards done, Monty has recruited graphic designer Richard Chyzy to help get the material published. He gives Richard until Christmas - three weeks away - to get everything ready, and sets out to raise enough money to pay for a big print run of the trail guides.
