Latest news with #Eowyn
The Herald Scotland
18-07-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish garden that came back to life after Storm Eowyn devastation
Such a happy occasion would have been unthinkable just six months ago when Storm Eowyn hit the west coast of Scotland with such ferocity that it brought much of the country to a standstill and, in some places, changing the familiar appearance of the landscape. Sitting at the southern end of Gigha, at the bottom of the Inner Hebrides, Achamore stood directly in Eowyn's path and by the time the winds finally died down, almost 500 trees across the garden's 52 acres had been ripped from the ground. The shelter belt, which had protected this part of Gigha since the garden was first planted in 1944 by Colonel Sir James Horlick, had been devastated. Twenty four fallen trees blocked the short path from the car park to the main gate and a line of 150-year-old beech trees had been scattered in all directions as if caught up in a vortex. This couldn't have come at a worse time for Achamore, which had just been regaining its stature as one of Scotland's most fascinating gardens after decades during which its owners, the Gigha Island Trust, had been busy with other matters, including upgrading the island's housing stock following a successful community buy-out in the year 2001. However, after the initial shock, head gardener Bryony White launched a 'GoFundMe' page to help to combat the damage and within less than a week her appeal had raised almost £20,000, enough to bring specialist teams and all their equipment over to Gigha from the mainland. Camellias at Achamore (Image: Discover Gardens) The clear-up lasted for months and replanting continues, but Achamore is open once again, allowing visitors to the island to enjoy its collections of rare plants from Asia and the Southern hemisphere. The garden boasts a collection of rare Rhododendrons, including Rhododendron protistum var. giganteum, collected by Frank Kingdon Ward, and Rhododendron arboreum ssp. albotomentosum from Mount Victoria in Myanmar. Plants from Chile and Madeira also flourish here and many of them reach huge dimensions, including the Echiums, which develop giant blue flower spikes that can reach more than six metres in height. These tender species grow on Gigha because of the Gulf Stream and because the island enjoys higher levels of sunshine than other parts of the west coast. This temperate climate is one of the reasons why this small island, just seven miles long by a mile and a half wide, has a history of occupation stretching back to prehistoric times and evidence of this can be found in the standing stones that are dotted around its fields. Achamore Gardens (Image: Achamore Gardens) The Vikings settled here too, naming it 'Gudey' or 'God's Island' and more settlers have arrived since the community buy-out, swelling the population from just 98 to 163. Recently a 20km walking route has been laid out around the island, connecting its important sites, including Achamore, with Ardminish, the island's only village. Details Achamore is open from dawn to dusk 365 days a year. Tickets: £7.50/ £5.00 for children under 16 /£20.00 for a family of four. Entry is paid via cash or contactless card honesty boxes at the visitor entrance. www:// In association with Discover Scottish Gardens
Daily Record
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Record
North Ayrshire Council chiefs deny future of swimming pool is at risk
There have been fears amongst the community over the future of the facility. Rumours that Harvies Swimming Pool may be set to close have been firmly quashed by North Ayrshire Council. Concerns were raised about the future of the facility at a meeting of Irvine Community Council last Wednesday. Auchenharvie centre was badly damaged by Storm Eowyn in January, and the pool remains out of use owing to damage to the roof. Treasurer Jean Walker said: 'There are rumours that the pool is not opening again. Although it is not our remit, a lot of people from Irvine use it." She added that a class at the Portal swimming pool in Irvine on a Monday held 30 people and that all places were taken within 10 seconds of the website opening. Jean added: 'I hear the council stopped maintaining the pumps which suggests to me they are not opening the pool back up again.' Chairman Chris Pless said the council did not have a time line for its restoration yet but would approach KA Leisure for an update. A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: 'We expect to be in a position within the near future to confirm positive news regarding repairs to the roof of Auchenharvie Leisure Centre. 'Following the extensive damage caused by Storm Eowyn, our team has been working behind the scenes to draw up a plan of action which will see the centre brought back into use. 'A contractor has been appointed and as soon as we are able to do so, we will confirm when they are likely to start on-site."
Belfast Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Climate
- Belfast Telegraph
U-turn by insurer as it agrees to pay NI farmer's £55k Storm Eowyn damages claim in full
Buildings on Gary McConnell's property outside Glenarm were severely impacted by Storm Eowyn on January 24.
Wales Online
27-06-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Emergency alert to be sent to every UK mobile phone
Emergency alert to be sent to every UK mobile phone There will be a 10-second siren and a warning message People got the first messages in 2023 The Government is to send an emergency alert to revert mobile phone in the UK, with a message taking over the screen and a loud siren sounding for 10 seconds. The alarm will come from a system that was launched in 2023 to alert people across the country to immediate threats. According to the Sun, this will be a nationwide test of the system - designed to tell people if they are at risk of everything from extreme weather to disease and war. The message will read: "Severe Alert. This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby. "In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.", reports the Express. An Emergency Alert from the UK government During the 2023 test, people reported the alarm being loud' and frightening. The test signal will be sent later this year on a date to be set, and will be tested every two years to make sure it is still working. Article continues below A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "This system is not designed to cause panic, but to ensure people are aware of imminent threats and can act test is part of building national resilience and saving lives in future crises." The system has already been used in real-world situations. Earlier this year four million people got an alert ahead of Storm Eowyn smashing into the UK. Three million were sent a message ahead of Storm Darragh in 2024. Roger Hargreaves, director of the Cobra emergencies committee unit at the Cabinet Office, told MPs in 2023: 'It is international standard practice to do regular test messages. I think there is a case for doing it every two years, but we haven't got a ministerial decision on that. Every two years is what we would probably advise ministers but we're yet to get a view on that.'
The National
19-06-2025
- Climate
- The National
Met Office invites public to help with new storm names
Naming storms helps effective communication among the media and the public regarding the impacts of severe weather events, the forecaster said. There have been five named storms so far in the 2024/25 season, with Eowyn the last one named on January 21. Factors to be considered during the naming process include how difficult it might be to pronounce, whether a name has different meanings in different countries and whether it could be controversial. READ MORE: Anas Sarwar urged to whip Scottish Labour MPs against welfare cuts The Met Office will work with Met Eireann in Ireland and Dutch weather service KMNI to compile the list which will reflect the diversity of the three countries. Will Lang, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'We all remember the impactful storm names of recent years. 'Whether it's Eunice, Franklin, Bert or another impactful event, the storm-naming system has helped us communicate weather to help people stay safe. 'Now we need the UK public to help us compile this year's list. 'Whether you want to honour a weather lover in your family, remember a family pet or get a friend's name in the headlines, we welcome submissions from the public to help us pull together next year's list of storm names.' Mr Lang said storms are named because 'it works', adding: 'For Storm Eowyn in January, the UK's most powerful windstorm for over a decade, post-event surveys suggest that 99% of people within the red warning area were aware of the warnings, and 89% of them took action.' Names are selected for each letter of the alphabet, apart from Q, U, X, Y and Z. People are being invited to put forward names on the Met Office website, with the option to add a reason for their suggestion. The shortlist will be announced in September. Suggestions can be submitted at
