Colonsay’s autumn food and drink festival is under way, running until October 28.
Today (Thursday’s) historical walk to Oronsay with Andrew McMorrine, titled ‘Norsemen, monks and chieftains’, is followed by a botanical walk called ‘Byrne on Fern’, where Kevin Byrne introduces a dozen of his favourite Colonsay ferns.
Colonsay’s own gin distillers, Finlay and Eileen Geekie, conduct a gin-and-tonic tasting tonight (and on Monday), before Scottish-Italian food writer and TV presenter Mary Contini hosts a cookery demonstration on Friday. The same day also features an enlightening walk to the ruined village of Riasg Buidhe with Andrew McMorrine, touching on history, folklore and Gaelic. Fiona Houston leads seaweed foraging on Saturday and Sunday, and suggests culinary uses back at Colonsay House, while chocaholics can learn how to make handmade chocolates using foraged ingredients with master chocolatier Charlotte Flower on Sunday and Monday.