The man known simply as Danny Cluanie to generations of Glenmoriston residents, travellers and shinty players has died aged 76.
His official surname was Stoddart but so closely was he associated with the Cluanie Inn that both the identities merged into one.
For more than two decades Daniel Stoddart and his wife Elma welcomed guests to the premises situated on the road to the isles.
It was a favourite stopping off point for shinty players travelling to and from Skye or to other venues across the Highlands.
Over the years he welcomed many high-profile guests including Billy Connolly and artist Chuck Mitchell who were fishing in the area.
The famous duo ended up thrilling fellow drinkers and playing songs on their banjos.
Shinty players, particularly from Skye, knew there would be a pot of soup ready for them on the way to matches.
Lunch
Danny’s son Fraser said: “It became a tradition for the players to stop off, file into the kitchen and ladle soup from the pot themselves and then sit down.”
Daniel Stoddart was born in Invermoriston to estate forester Angus Stoddart and his wife Kate Macdonald.
He was educated at Fort Augustus primary school and then Fort Augustus Junior Secondary School.
After leaving school, Danny had a short spell in forestry before starting work in the estate-owned bar in Invermoriston in the early 1970s.
Marriage
Around this time he met his future wife, Elma MacColl, and the couple married in 1973. They had two of a family, Scott born in 1974 and Fraser in 1977.
In 1976, the couple were given the opportunity to become licensees of the Cluanie Inn and it was there they spent the best part of their working lives.
“My father loved it behind the bar and my mother ran the kitchen. My father was a real people person and enjoyed nothing better than chatting with customers.”
Fraser said his father joked with tourists that a furry trout had been found in Loch Cluanie.
“We used to get some fishermen come up regularly from Glasgow three or four times a year,” said Fraser.
Joker
“There was Big John, Wee John and Vodka John and they were like uncles to me and my brother.
“On one visit Wee John took a trout on a plaque up but it was covered in white fur. My father put it behind the bar where he would tell everyone it was caught in Loch Cluanie.
“This went on for years. There must be many tourists from all over the world believing that Loch Cluanie is the only place furry trout live.”
Danny and Elma were in charge at the Cluanie Inn until the late 1990s when Elma became head cook at Highview care home in Inverness.
Danny then had a spell working with his friend James Maclennan (Pluto) at the Lock Inn, Fort Augustus, before finally retiring.
Changing trends
Fraser said: “He worked 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday and would do any deliveries or collections in Inverness. But he never quite took to the new ways of hospitality and could never understand why someone would walk into a bar and ask for a latte.”
In December 2020, Elma developed mixed dementia and donations at Danny’s funeral on May 6 will go to Alzheimer Scotland.
Tribute
Colin Mackintosh of Dingwall was one of scores of people who paid tribute to Danny on Facebook. He wrote: “He was a great host at Clunie Inn and assisted many a stranded motorist. He was also very willing to assist the emergency services when needed in the area. He will be sadly missed.”