This time we got a good day with only one very light shower
- the first time it was possible to use cameras for months.
We had nine explorers: Amy, Eilish, Ellen, Iain, Kathryn,
Kerry, Jack, Rewa and Robert, with Ann, Craig and Mairi as
helpers. We also had Jess the dog, although during the course
of the expedition seven other dogs joined us at various times.
We started from Kinlochmoidart Old Bridge where the explorers
looked at the mountings for the old water gate. We tried to
see the inscriptions but they were not showing well. We went
down the recently cleared steps to the bottom of the bridge.
Then we walked along the river walk to the Nursery Pool, we
looked for mussels but the water was too high and flowing
too fast. Several explorers collected cones from the Douglas
fir trees. We carried on along the old river course towards
the gardens, meeting Ben Powell on the way, and looked at
some of the interesting trees along the road. John explained
that the East Lodge was a historic building since it was one
of the earliest prefabricated houses in Scotland. We carried
on up the drive passing the old kennels to look at the Coach
House and the Mill, with some of the old sawmill blades and
the old turbine lying nearby.
Then we went into the garden where John explained that there
used to be four old yew trees, only three of which are now
left. Crossing to the Prince's Walk we had a snack by the
Prince's Well before going down the walk.
Along the walk we stopped to look at a dead mouse which had
been hooked onto a wire fence; John explained that this would
normally indicate the presence of a bird called a shrike,
but he didn't think there were any in Kinlochmoidart. We also
looked at the big tree, which was now completely dead at the
top, although a side branch was growing upwards.
When we got to the church Frances came out to meet us and
show us round the building. Several of the children conducted
parts of services, at least one in Gaelic. Frances showed
us a pond in the garden which Eilish and Kerry's mother had
helped to build.
The last thing we saw was a charcoal-burner's platform in
the woods above Robert and Frances' house, nearby was an oak
tree which had lost some very big branches in the last gale.
Before we started back, Ellen and Kathryn counted the rings
on a big tree stump - they got 105 rings.John Dye
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