A slated roof is not that exciting - but it is to us! Got the back finished and it looks very smart. As you get nearer the top and run out of slates you need to use smaller and smaller ones with a tiny overlap so it does get pretty slow. But it's fun working up there - everyone peeps and the ladies are full of admiration of my wandering up and down the roof - but it's nothing compared to the Aonach Eigach!

Mikes now working on the leadwork for the porch on the front and then we can get on with that.
Despite fearful wind and rain recently it all seems very sound and watertight.

The new slates proved their worth, and last week-end we got about a third of the roof covered in no time at all. then we snuck off to Mull for three days - idyllic weather and the west coast at it's very best. I have so often climbed in October in wind and rain, and there we were panting up Ben More wishing we had our shorts on.

Now down to our own old slates which are not bad but need sorting, and get smaller and smaller so more overlap and more per row. Lousy day yesterday meant we didn't get this side finished as planned,but loads to do inside as well.

At the moment when we need wood for the fire Mike just goes into the attic and chops up some of the old roof!

Slates have arrived! This funny little pile cost £1,000. Well not exactly as a third of them are already up on the scaffolding.
Although we removed and sorted all the old slates, Mike decided to treat himself to some decent ones to get the bottom rows neatly started , and augment all the thick, broken, horrible ones.

Where to go for slates? the Carlisle Slate and Tile Company of course, which, fortunately, Mr McKerrals wood lorry drives past when they deliver wood to a mill down there. So a quick couple of phone calls, and there they were delivered to our door by the fish farm feed lorry (also Mr McKerrals!). We were advised to use recycled slates rather than brand new, but they are lovely Welsh slates (not knobbly Ballachulish ones), all beautifully sized and with holes drilled. What's more it looks like we won't need the usual huge overlap which means less work and they'll go further.

Good spell of weather coming up so off we go.

Now you can get an idea what it's going to look like with the two matching porches; the new one is kind of cantilevered over the scaffolding and will eventually have long supports down to the ground ( which was where the wisteria hiatus cropped up) At the weekend we got it all water tight and heavy rain since has resulted in NO LEAKS. So now Mike is desperately trying to fit in the stairs. Lots of cursing and knocking down more and more of existing walls.