General Information
Useful Contacts Bars and Hotels Supplies T.V On Arrival On Departure
Ballochmore Cottage : 01681-705206
Donald : (Home Canada) 001-613-232-2845, email: donald.semple@sympatico.ca
(Canada Mobile) 001-613-769-6850, (UK Mobile) 07300-473847
Tourist Office Craignure : 01680-812377
Argyll and Bute council web site
Filling Stations
Salen : MacDonalds Filling Station
Craignure : Bayview Garage
Fionnphort : MacDougals
Tobermoray : MacKay Garage (01688 302103) - also does van and car hire
The Inn at Port nan Gael The Inn at Port nan Gael web site
Graignure Inn Craignure Inn web site
Mishnish Hotel (Tobermory) Mishnish Hotel web site
Salen Hotel
Grocery Shops : Pennyghael - Port nan Gael Stores
: Coop Tobermory
: SPAR Craignure
: SPAR Salen
Garbage Collection : Check notice board in kitchen
(Note : There are three different wheelies - a green one, black one and blue one. The green one is for general mixed waste, the black one for glass and the blue one for cans, plastic, paper and cardboard. Collection alternates every week.
For more information - see Link to Argyll & Bute Website
Garbage Tip : Garmony Road just outside Tobermory
Emergency Spare Key : Hidden place near cottage
Arrival Checklist (UPDATED 23rd Sept 2024 - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)
1 - Switch on Water System - move the rotary switch on the Water System Control Panel in the Front Porch to the ALL position.
2 - Check the Water System water level - confirm that the LEVEL indication on the Control Panel display is HIGH (ie storage tank full and overflow running). If it is not HIGH then press the FLUSH button on the Control Panel and hold down for 30 seconds (this automatically closes valves at the pump and back flushes the tank inlet pipe). After this, the tank will take some time (up to 30 minutes) to fill up and when full, water should be coming out of the tank overflow pipe at the stream and the LEVEL indication in the cottage should be HIGH. If this does not happen, go down to the stream and confirm that the inlet pipe is submerged in the pool directly above the bridge. If not then fix as necessary and manually prime. To manually prime, close the green marked tap (clockwise turn) beside the storage tank and open the yellow marked valve by rotating (approx 1 turn) the black cyrindrical solenoid on the green valve which should cause the pump to start (audible). Allow the pump to run for approximately 30 seconds and then return the small black lever to its original position and open the green marked tap (rotate anticlockwise). The inlet pipe at the tank can be lifted to confirm that water is flowing ; if not then repeat the operation. The tank will take some time (up to 30 minutes) to fill up after which water should be coming out of the overflow pipe at the stream and the LEVEL indication in the cottage should be HIGH. The LEVEL indication on the Control Panel display should be checked DAILY to confirm that the level is HIGH (or confirm that water is coming out of the overflow pipe adjacent to the tank and into the stream). If not then prime as necessary as indicated above.
3 - Switch ON Immersion Heater for hot water - Immersion heater switch / timer is located on the upper left hand wall in the bathroom cupboard. The timer should be set to timed (not ON all the time). If additional water required then set the timer to manual until water available then set back to timed.
4 - Switch ON bathroom towel heater (as required).
5 - Switch on the Storage Heaters system - move the rotary switch on the Heater System Control Panel in the Back Hall (close to coat pegs) to the LOCAL position (if heating required). Control the 4 storage heaters (located in the kitchen, rear hall, bedroom and living room) using the INPUT / OUTPUT controls on the heaters.
6 - Switch fridge ON.
7 - Check mailbox and put any mail on top of the box in the front porch.
1 - Switch off the Water System - change the Water System Control Panel rotary switch from the ALL position to the REM position.
2 - Switch the Storage Heater system to remote - change the Heater System Control Panel rotary switch from the LOCAL to the REMOTE position. Ensure that the Input / Output controls on all storage heaters are set to mid position.
3 - Switch OFF Immersion heater.
4 - Switch OFF bathroom towel rail heater.
5 - Switch fridge OFF and leave door OPEN.
6 - Clean out the fire and leave it set for the next person (warning - if the fire place is still warm then clean out but do not set).
7 - Make sure that the outside drain channel adjacent to the shed is not blocked.
8 - Put any mail on top of the box in the front porch.
9 - Make sure all gates are properly closed and latches set.
TV / DVD / CD Operating Instructions
The TV system has a DVD player which can play DVDs, CDs, JPEG files and MP3 files. In addition the TV can also be used to view pictures from a digital camera if a standard video phono cable is available with the camera. Audio (Sky TV, CD, and MP3) is available at the TV and in the bedroom and kitchen via the remote speaker units.
If the TV (Sky Digibox) is required then the DVD must be switched OFF. Also if the DVD (CD, DVD, JPEG, MP3) is required then the Sky Digibox must be switched off.
There are 3 remote controls as follows :-
Sky Digibox (blue)
TV Remote Controller R-28B03 (black)
DVD Technika
Sky TV :
1 Ensure that the DVD is OFF (Red / Green indicator on DVD OFF)
2 Press the POWER ON button on the TV such that the red indicator on the TV illuminates
3 Press the red button on the TV remote control (R-28B03).
4 Press the TV GUIDE button on the Sky remote control such that the power indicator on the Sky digibox changes from red to green.
5 Repeatedly press the picture button (very important) on the front of the TV until the blue Sky page appears.
6 Use the Sky remote control to select the required channel.
7 Use the / and \ buttons on the TV remote control to control the volume.
To switch OFF Sky TV:-
1 Press the red button on the TV remote control.
2 Press the POWER button on the Sky remote control.
3 Press the POWER button on the front of the TV.
DVD (DVDs, CDs, JPEG and MP3 files)
1 Ensure that the Sky digibox is OFF.
2 Press the ON button on the DVD (indicator on right comes ON red. If disk aleady inserted then after a few seconds the indicator goes green)
3 Press the POWER ON button on the TV such that the red indicator on the TV illuminates
4 Press the red button on the TV remote control (R-28B03).
5 Repeatedly press the picture button (very important) on the front of the TV to select the correct signal source ie press until the DVD screen appears.
6 Use the / and \ buttons on the TV remote control to control the volume. Sound also available in kitchen and bedroom via remote units.
DVD Region Settings :-
DVDs and DVD players are coded for different parts of the world such that a DVD bought in North America cannot be played in Europe. North American DVDs are Region 1 and European DVDs are Region 2. The DVD player should already have be set up to be regionless (ie can play all regions) and should not need to be changed. If this is not the case then :-
1 Open DVD tray (from control on player, not from the remote)
2 On remote press Up, Down, Up, Down
3 Now press 3 4 9 7 3 4 then 0 (for multi-region)
4 you should now see the words "Region Full" appear. The DVD is now multi-regional.
Telephone
1471 - last number
1571 - mailbox
If the dailing tone is pulsing when the handset is lifted then there is a message(s) in the mailbox. To listen to the messages dial 1571. If a PC modem is plugged into the telephone jack then the mailbox must be emptied (messages listened to) before the PC modem will recognise a valid dialing tone..
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