Expedition 145 - 4th February 2006
Strontian


The first time back after a bit of a break. A cool day but with no rain and we covered a lot of ground. Just five: Fern, Frederik, Jan Hendrik, Nicole and Rowan, plus seven helpers, Christina, Gary, John Dove, Liz, Marilyn, Philippa and Sharon B. with Jonathan riding shotgun in the buggy and Ellie and Cora picking up the odd stick on the way.
We started from the road just past the Seaview Grazings entrance and first looked at the building which was once a girl's school. Then we went round the old Post Office and looked at the walls and crowstepped gables and also the arched storage areas below the shop. The tide was too high to see the old wharf so we carried on to look at Strontian Hotel and the Branks Stone in front of it.
We walked up the old path beside the hotel to the house which used to be St. Mary's Church and had a look at the old garden wall which was once part of Batchelors' Hall and the Grave of Thomas Milles Riddell hidden behind it. Then we went round the school and had a look at the old estate buildings behind Dalmhor.
Coming across to the river we saw the Grey House which used to house the telephone exchange and heard a bit about Peggy Watt the wonderful operator.
Then we walked up the path by the river all the way to the old graveyard at Drimnatorran with its Bronze Age Cairn in the middle. We deciphered some of the inscriptions and had a try at taking some rubbings but the lichen was too thick and we didn't want to disturb it. We took a break here before crossing the old bridge back to Strontian Church, where we saw the gravestone with a London address on it.
Passing the line of big ash trees with their black buds showing well, we carried on past the old school and the site of the Gowanbrae Store and then the Old Smiddy before crossing the road bridge and going back to the cars and then to the Ariundle Centre for our lunch.

John Dye


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