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We had several explorers away to Murrayfield for the Rugby
match and word didn't get round to the others so we had only
six explorers this time: Aelish, Amy, Claire, David John,
Ellen MacG., and Kathryn with Ewen and Mairi to help.
We started out from Langal and moved along the Low Road counting
all the Funerary Cairns as we went. When we got to the far
bridge we made a small detour to look for the old clay pit
which Ewen had once collected clay from. Shortly after this
we walked across the field to Austin's Croft where John showed
everyone the big old foundation stones which were part of
the house built by Father Austen in 1788. Then we walked up
the road to Mrs Parrish's house, counting cairns on the way.
At the Old Poor's House, John explained how the building was
once a church, then three small houses for poor people and
finally had been converted into a single house. We all went
in and had scones and also a look at the big map on the wall.
After a rest the expedition resumed with a walk down the road
to Langal, stopping to examine an old structure which could
be a round house. We drove to Mingarry and had another quick
walk up into the woods to see four houses of old Mingarry
village, together with some of the cultivation areas.
The Pictures
Mairi (M.B.) did a sketch of three of the cairns and the caims
also featured in pictures by Ellen and Claire, both of whom
tried to cover the entire expedition, Ellen's picture of Austin's
Croft is particularly good, showing the large stones close
to the ground. E.B. (Aelish?) did a very nice picture of Mrs
Parrish's house showing a cairn and two explorers and a dog
outside. Amy drew a picture of her and David John having an
argument, although they got on quite well really, and Ewen
(signing himself as Amy!) did several good drawings of features
all through the walk. Kathryn obviously thought the outing
was too cold and drew her cup of soup. David John did a picture
showing the buildings associated with Father Austin: the church
the two poor houses (with someone working on the roof) and
his small cottage.
John
Dye
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