Sunday 3 July 2011

Meffan Museum and Loch Forfar.

Loch Farfor.Loch Farfor.

This morning was setting out to be the hottest day we have encountered in Scotland. No time to waste so we headed into town to see what we could find. Dot had established that there was a museum which we found without too much trouble. They were also running an art exhibition of local artist’s in which there were a few interesting piece’s. Even the museum had some interesting item’s even though the museum is small by most standards.

Cossack soldier's watering their horse's. Made by E A Lansere 1878.Cossack soldier's watering their horse's. Made by E A Lansere 1878.

Plan of proposed canal from Forfar to Arbroath(wick) surveyed in 1788.Plan of proposed canal from Forfar to Arbroath(wick) surveyed in 1788.

There were some well presented diorama’s of local craftsmen of the area, weaver,cobbler,clock maker and a very generous civic minded confectioner who donated land for a park and an extra ward on the local hospital for convalescing patient’s. There was also one of the Forfar witches and a full story where the last woman burned as a witch was back in the mid 1600’s.

Stonework from Kirriemuir church demolished in 1787. Old stone work with Gaelic symbol's.Stonework from Kirriemuir church demolished in 1787.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stonework from Kirriemuir church demolished in 1787. Old stone work with Gaelic symbol's.

After lunch Dot had the idea of walking around the Loch which is in the park behind the campsite. Well the weather had deteriorated slightly with dark clouds rolling in over the hills but we chanced it anyway. The walk wasn’t that interesting with just a few birds that I have been unable to identify. The Loch is totally different from all the other Loch’s we have seen with reed’s growing around most of the perimeter and only a couple of very small streams flowing into it. The water was no where near as clear and there was a lot of algae floating around on the surface. It reminded me of a dis-used gravel pit in England which would have had load’s of fishermen sat around it on a week-end. Here there were no fisherman.

Forfar.Old buildings in Forfar.

Whose this then?Who’s this then?

We had read in the museum that the Loch had been lowered by 6 feet in the late 1700’s which would have put our camp site under water. Make you wonder how big the Loch was in those days. Still, we managed the 2.5 mile walk without the skies opening up and with the 1.3 miles we had walked this morning we were a tad weary by the time we got back to the motor home.

We heard about these in the museum.We heard about these in the museum.

The witches circle or where they were burned in a barrel?The witches circle or where they were burned in a barrel?

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