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We had several explorers, but only one car, so Sheila volunteered
to help out as well as Ewen. The team was: Claire, David John,
Frazer, John Donaldson, John MacArthur, Kathryn, Robert, Ewen
and Sheila, plus Mist the dog.
We had intended to revisit the Three Old Maids, but it was
wet and would have been too cold and slippery for the high
hill, so we went to the Torr Mor Lookout for a second visit.
Actually only two of the party (not counting John) had been
before so most were seeing it for the first time.
We left the cars at the White Gate and walked along the riverside
road opposite Shielfoot. When we got to the woods we climbed
up the hill and Robert, Frazer and Johnny went to see a hidden
corner where cattle could once have been hidden. After a break
we carried on up the hill to the top where John showed the
explorers a rock covered with glacial striae - scratches made
by rocks embedded in the ice being scraped across the surface.
Then John found the secret entrance to the Lookout and all
the explorers plus the dog climbed into it and enjoyed the
view and another wafer while John explained how the lookout
was used in the defence of the area against invaders from
the sea.
Everyone climbed back onto the hill, where it was now raining
and blowing very hard, and crossed to the Glac Fuar, the cold
pass, which used to be used as a rifle range and has now got
cages for rearing pheasants. On the way to the pass, we were
watched by a red deer hind standing on the ridge above us.
Once through the pass we went down the old road past the powerhouse
building which once had a turbine, and walked along the shore
to the old fishery.
At the fishery we first examined the pond which was once used
for producing ice in the days before refrigeration. John showed
everyone the old ice houses with their thick, turf-covered
roofs and they continued around the old fishery building and
past the keeper's house.
Close to the falls everyone looked at an old croft which used
to belong to Mary Ann, and all of the adults had stories about
her. Finally we went through the gate to the fishing hut close
to the falls. Although there was an enormous flow of water
in the river, the tide was high and the falls were silent.
The Pictures
Claire was very enthusiastic about the possibility of calling
out the rescue helicopter and she attempted to make a case
for it this time on the grounds of being very cold. She drew
a picture of an imaginary rescue - rather exaggerated. John
Donaldson also drew the helicopter, he was cold too. Johnnie
MacArthur drew himself going up and down the hili, in the
lookout (with its internal wall) and going back Robert drew
the lookout, with his trademark hollow tree, Kathryn drew
the deer with Frazer and John trying to scare it, Frazer drew
a rather confused battle scene showing the team as both attackers
and defenders, David John did a confused scene with people
shooting at a deer target at the bottom. Ewen (who signed
as Catherine Nairn), drew the castle and the Torr Mor to illustrate
the signalling.
John
Dye
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