Visit to the Scottish Crannog Centre
On 20th April eighteen of us visited the newly opened Scottish Crannog Centre on the north side of Loch Tay. The museum and craft presentations proved so fascinating that many lingered for more than four hours and it is evident that we shall be returning before long. The crannog itself is to be built within the next year – rather faster than last time, thanks to the experience gained then.
The overall impression of life in the crannog was of unrelenting toil, whether grinding grain, making textiles or hammering iron. Would there have been puppet shows like the one that so amused us? We cannot know, but the point was that people then would have told stories, much as we do.
Are We Nearly There Yet?
On 13th March Bruce Keith, author of ‘Bridgescapes”, gave us another sparkling talk, this time on Scottish milestones, from Roman times until the present day. On the way he told us about the pioneers of mapping; travellers of the 18th and 19th centuries; the removal of milestones and signposts to bamboozle invaders in World War II – an unfortunate loss of part of our heritage – and so much more…