The majority of the team set of from the Ship in 2 mini-buses at 0800 heading North via RNAS Yeovilton where a number were dropped off for a flight North the following day.  Jock, Taff, Biff and Gita continued North in the mini-buses and eventually reached RAF Kinloss at 11:15 PM that night.

The remainder of the team left RNAS Yeovilton in a Jetstream aircraft at 0900 and landed at RAF Kinloss 2 hours later where the mini-bus drivers were waiting for the next leg North.  After collecting a hire car at Kildary we took lunch in Tain before the big hike North-West through Lairg and past Loch Shin, eventually arriving at Sango Sands Camp Site in Durness at around 4pm where we were met by Francis Keith the Highland Councillor for the region.  We subsequently pitched camp and partook of some supper and light refreshment before retiring in preparation for the following day's endeavours.

Following breakfast, courtesy of Francis's daughter-in-law Carol, it was round to Durness Primary School to meet the Headteacher, Graham Bruce, who introduced us to the school children before we headed out to the shores of Loch Eribioll with them along with a number of staff and parents.  On arrival we unloaded the pick-ups of spades, shovels, hoes, masonry paint etc and set out on an arduous 30 minute climb up the loch side to the site of the HMS HOOD stones.  Following a brief by Graham, who hoped to also refurbish a number of other ship's names on the hillside, we set to and soon had them discovered, heather free and gleaming white in the sun.  The next task was the creation of SUTHERLAND's name in stones, and after a lot of hard work (led by our ex landscape gardener Gita Guppy) they now stand 6ft x 4ft, painted white on the cliff side above Port-Na-Con, visible from miles around.  The children were by now head to foot in white masonry paint and after the long climb down we took tea with them at Port-Na-Con guest house courtesy of Mrs Leslie Black before returning to the camp site for a well earned shower. While the majority of the team were addressing the stones the Captain, Jock and Smudge visited Kinlochbervie High School with a member of the Inverness Naval Recruiting staff and enjoyed an afternoon's questioning on all things Naval career wise from some well informed schoolchildren. The evening saw us returning to Port-Na-Con for the inaugural HOOD Memorial Trophy Challenge, a clay pigeon shoot with the Gualin Gun Club organised by Eddie Meyer.  Split into 5 teams of 3, with Biff deigning not to shoot, a bunch of amateurs with only one clay pigeon veteran (the Captain) competed well but, not surprisingly came second to a seasoned Gualin team.  At the open shoot afterwards Twigs, Roger and JJ discovered their shooting eyes and scored highly against vastly more experienced competition.  A significant highlight was the presentation of a first cask single malt to the Captain and Mick, a bottle of whisky to JJ for his high Open competition score, a bottle each to the highest scoring team and a further bottle to Mick for the lowest Open competition score!  It was then back to the Oasis bar adjacent to the camp-site for an impromptu bash which was enjoyed by all.

After a hearty breakfast the team headed for the Durness Village Community Centre where we were met once again by Graham Bruce.  A leading light in a large landscaping scheme for the newly built centre, he briefed us on the Centre's grand design and left us to the task of constructing curved walls out of exceedingly large stones.  Gita brought his latent landscaping skills back to the fore and by the end of the day we had built the edging to the John Lennon Memorial Garden (he holidayed there throughout his childhood) and made a good start on a second wall.  Given the weight and size of the stones, and the boggy state of the mud, the team's efforts werelaudable and they thoroughly deserved the excellent lunch provided by the locals in the community centre. Following a hot shower the team embarked the previously loaded mini-buses and headed South East to Golspie, leaving the Captain and Mick to drive further South to Inverness.  With work awaiting  in Dornoch and Golspie the Lord Strathnaver had kindly offered us an area of his grounds to camp in for the remainder of our stay, unfortunately on arrival in the early evening the site proved to be swarming with midges and a number of the team opted for B&B in Golspie. Whilst the majority of the team had headed for Golspie, Mick and the Captain took the scenic route east and South via the Kyle of Tongue as they headed for an overnight stop in Inverness.  Hosted at home by Nicky Mar  (Moray Firth Radio breakfast show co-host and ex-HMS SUTHERLAND guest during our recent Counter Drugs Operational Deployment in the Caribbean) and her husband Colin, Gary (Nicky's boss at MFR), Mick and the Captain enjoyed an evening of first rate food, company and a heady introduction into the joys of single malt whisky.

Under the direction of Jock and Taff the team gathered in Golspie and headed South to Dornoch to meet Peter Macleod at the West Church Hall.  On arrival they met a veritable mountain of "chuckies" (stone chippings to us Sassenachs) which were used to create a wide path circumnavigating the church hall.  This backbreaking work was alleviated by a kindly provided luncheon and finished in the mid-afternoon drawing many favourable compliments from passers by. Mick and the CO were meanwhile coping with the demands of live radio and during the course of MFR's Breakfast Show announced the winners of the Mess affiliation competition held in conjunction with MFR.  To remove the boring 18, 26, 30 and 39 Man Mess titles of the sailor's Messes on board the Ship, schools were invited to write in and state why a Mess should take the name of their town or village.  Some excellent entries ensued and the winners were read out on air; the 18 Man Mess is now known as Kinlochbervie Mess, the 26 Man Mess - Durness, the 30 Man Mess - Dornoch and the 39 Man Mess - Golspie.  Furthermore the CPO's Mess is now affiliated with Lairg, the PO's Mess with Brora, the Wardroom with Rosehall and the Captain's Cabin with Fanagmore as it only has one resident!  These affiliations will now be built on through contacts in each of the communities.  At lunchtime the Captain flew South for the return trip to the Ship in Plymouth and Mick headed North to catch the end of the "chucky" laying session at Dornoch's West Church Hall.

Saturday was a rest day for the team as they needed a chance to recharge their batteries.  Team members were espied in Inverness, Dornoch and Golspie (particularly the BenBraggie Hotel in Golspie ) where they were able to meet up with Liam O'Neill, a good friend of the Ship who is the Area Administrator for the Highland Council, and get to know some of the locals.

Our last full day was spent working in the grounds of Dunrobin Castle, although Lord Strathnaver was away we were looked after by Keith Jones the Factor, Ian the Head Gardener and his No 2, Billy.  His Lordship was keen for SUTHERLAND to leave her mark, but not surprisingly Ian and Billy weren't keen to let us loose in the immaculate gardens of such a beautiful castle.  We were therefore asked to create a Jubilee garden which, after erecting a rabbit proof fence to protect the azelias, now sits adjacent to the Museum.  We also dug a 150 metre trench in preparation for a further rabbit proof fence adjacent to the kitchen garden wall.  Somewhat fatigued, but with a job well done, we re-loaded the mini-buses and set out on the penultimate leg to RAF Kinloss for the flight back to Cornwall.

After a good night's sleep in a comfy bed most of the team flew South to  RAF St Mawgan where a bus awaited us for the return trip to Plymouth.  We did spare a thought (briefly) for Jock, Taff, Biff and Gita who were coping manfully with the 700 mile trip South, eventually returning at around 11PM that night.  The next morning kit and buses were returned and the teamquickly slipped back into the Ship's routine.

The team had an absolutely fantastic time in their affiliated county and in the best traditions of the Service worked hard and had a lot of fun in the process.  We made a number of new friends and through the Mess affiliations have hopefully started something that will lead to an even closer relationship between SUTHERLAND and the beautiful Scottish County whose name it bears.

PS:     Should any of you have any digital photographs of our visit it would be greatly appreciated if any copies could be sent to the our e-mail address, simply type in FAO SUPPLY OFFICER in the Subject Box.  Similarly copies of any 'traditional' photos would also be appreciated sent to the address at the top of this message.

This document is maintained on behalf of laid Residents Association, mail and comments will be welcome to  webmaster@laid.org. uk

For detailed information on the area and Parish of Durness visit www.durness.org