Monty Zoomer and the Times.

The latest arrival here goes by the name of Monty Zoomer and is a pure Jocker Sprussel, sporting the head of a spaniel on the body of a Jack Russell. For the time being he is making a mess and trying to run without falling over himself.

He arrived just in time to be sweet and clumsy for Tom and Katherine Whipple who were writing a piece for the Times about a romantic and isolated weekend in the yurt. Its going into a camping supplement later this week. So much for isolation, it was a weekend of food and boats and walks and company, plus the ongoing Insider castle build. The yurt was resplendent with its pink doors and over the weekend they watched fascinated as a pair of wasps, seemingly oblivious to their presence, weaved a little nest in the roof, a papery shell with hexagonal compartments for eggs, which I have to now remove before the next rental.

Fishy.

St. John is a long time visitor to Inshriach and the face of the Inshriach fishing page. Yesterday he kept 4 beautiful brown trout. Maybe it's their diet, maybe the exercise from the constant current and occasional floods but the river trout taste far better than the fish from the stocked loch on the farm, firmer, fitter and with much more flavour.

We include fishing in the rental here but if you come fishing please bring your own equipment, we don't lend kit because inexperienced fishermen tend to lose or tangle it and experienced fishermen wouldn't want to use my quirky dated rubbish. Our stretch of the Spey is a shade under 3 miles, varied, scenic, technical but very rewarding once you get to know it.

Nothing like a deadline.

The first rental in the yurt arrived yesterday so this week has been a scene of frantic activity. We have carved out a bathroom in the farmyard for said yurters, had license meetings for the Insider and undertaken a major salvage operation on behalf of the festival (see Medieval Knieval). On top of that the Joe Acheson Quartet made an outstanding appearance at the Old Bridge Inn and to top it all off the yurt gained some cushioned, smoky pink velvet door liners studded with brass buttons.

The Insider.

The Insider is now 5 weeks away, the license and the line up just need a polish and we are about to hit the highlands with our motley PR campaign.

Get your tickets at www.insider2010.com