|
When I was starting the expeditions we had one really awful
day and I decided to go to Kinlochmoidart since it is a fairly
sheltered route. Well, on 25th October it was forecast to
be awful again so we paid a return visit. My young explorers
were not in the least put off by the weather and eight turned
out to brave the gale and rain: Benjamin, Calum, Fern, Jonathan
C., Nicole, Robbie L., Rowan and Thomas, with eleven adults,
Gary, Heather, Howard, John Dove, Jonathan, Pamela, Peter,
Phil C., Philippa, Richard L., and Sharon, plus four dogs,
Ellie, Jess, Mojo and Roo. Incidentally, I have been doing
some counting up and, with this expedition, the dog attendances
have now passed 260, an average of about five paws per expedition.
We started out from Kinlochmoidart Bridge and crossed the
soggy ground to the little hillock where they used to keep
the local bull. The hillock is nicely wooded but the main
feature of interest is a strange seven-stemmed oak which appears
to be over-grown coppicing. We did a circuit of the wood and
found some stone piles and a patch of cultivation ridges near
the west end.
Retracing our steps, we crossed the road again and stopped
to look at the old building next to the bridge, which Jemima
Blackburn had once painted when it was being used by the local
blacksmith. Later on it was a joinery shop where coffins were
made.
We crossed the bridge and followed the walk along the river,
looking at the big trees on the way and eventually we crossed
back to the public road and made a short detour to look at
the Cryptomeria tree. Then back to the road and along to the
East Lodge, which is an unusual example of an early kit house.
Just after the Lodge, several of the boys took the opportunity
to use a swing to see how long they could dangle before dropping
into the torrent – Ben dropped in, although he didn’t
seem to be any wetter than the rest of the boys. We carried
on down the old drive and crossed the field to a strange building
close to the hill. This had three rooms, with a small stove
in the end room and heating pipes in the other two rooms.
Ben and Tom had asked Nino about this building and it was
apparently a kennel, clearly offering a high degree of comfort
to the dogs. We stopped here, during a slight lessening of
the rain, for our wafer break before continuing to the old
cobbled square.
Here the boys looked at the mill, the old turbine and the
saw blades standing by the wall, before pushing on to look
at the timber house which was moved on rails some years ago.
We crossed the garden and then went up the Prince’s
Walk, once used by Bonnie Prince Charlie. We looked at the
well and at several of the oaks and other trees and stopped
when we reached the church. After looking at the barn owl
nest, we went into the church, but unfortunately there was
a power cut at that time and we couldn’t see much.
We went down the road to the bridge and soon we were back
in the Pantry, which was fortunately empty, since we filled
it up. Some excellent pictures were drawn, which was just
as well since it was too wet and dark for an expedition picture
this time. I have picked out Nicole’s view of the old
‘smiddy’ shed.
John
Dye
|
|
