Attic Rooms Take Shape

From the battlements first thing this morning one could watch two very different fishing boats working the waters to the east of the castle.  The one on the right is a small creel boat, setting creels - lobster pots - to catch prawns (langoustines), while the one on the left is a coble, a boat with a traditional design for catching the wild salmon which still run along this coast.

Progress in the castle continues to be rapid.  On the north range, the wooden roof plates, the timbers which run along the tops of the stone walls to take the roof, are in position, while....

....the floor joist supports, which will carry the wooden floors of the attic level, are being fixed in place.  As can be seen, the attic itself appears quite a small space, but will be one of the best areas of the house as it will have dormer windows which look out over the battlements and across the Sound of Mull.

Within the courtyard, the stonemasons are hard at work rebuilding the inner courses of the walls up to battlement level.  This stonework looks extremely good but the plan at present is to cover the exposed interior of the curtain walls with a layer of plaster.

In this picture we're looking at upper part of the west range, the building that used to house, at various stages, a kitchen, stable, forge, storage areas and sleeping accommodation.  The plan for its future is that it will become accommodation for the housekeeper who will look after the clients who rent the castle on a weekly basis.