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Benvalagan site |
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map. Any local information anyone had was also added.
Alistair showed us a corn drier at the edge of the river and corn grinder which is situated on a rock further up the glen. Finally we took photographs we thought relevant to the recording of the site for discussions the following day.
A group of us are now going to start recording Ben Ime Cottage. We were very kindly lent a very interesting letter with amazing drawings, written about a family coming to Ben Ime Cottage for their holidays in 1881, so we thought it would be good to record a ruin that we knew some history about”. Dot Chalmers If anyone is interested in becoming involved in our project then please get in touch with Dot at HWA. |
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Here We Are |
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Here We Are Clachan Cairndow Argyll PA26 8BL Scotland UK Tel: 01499 600350 Fax: 01499 600331 Email: mail@hereweare-uk.com Web: www.hereweare-uk.com |
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Summer 2008 newsletter Issue 9 |
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Cairndow
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Here We Are TODAY
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SCOTLAND’S RURAL PAST - Weekend workshop
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Scotland’s Rural Past supports local communities across Scotland to investigate deserted rural Settlements. They work with local communities to research, record and promote the vanishing settlements of Scotland’s rural past. The project is hosted by the (RCAHMS), with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland and HIE.
On the 17th and 18th of May Scotlands Rural Past had a training weekend, incorporating Here We Are and Strachur & District History Society, Saturday was to be spent in Cairndow and Sunday in Strachur.
“We met on Saturday morning at Cairndow Village Hall. After a brief introduction and overview of historical maps and aerial photographs, we travelled up Glen Fyne where we spent the day looking at shieling sites and the deserted farmstead of Benvalagan at the head of Glen Fyne. A group of about 25 trainees walked from Inverchorachan to the head of the glen. Some of us got a lift from Alistair in the landrover, Alice and Christina included, the rest of us had sore feet!!
On arrival at Benvalagan we looked over the site and put together a hypothesis of what we thought life would have been like there. On the main farmstead there were three different stages of building. What was thought to be the original building was now only stones on the ground, which had then been built onto, forming the new house. At a later date this too had been added to making the house bigger. Rendering was used on the latter part of the building as well as lime mortar.
We all made drawings of the building, noting things like windows, doors, chimneys, height of the gable end, height of the remaining walls, drainage and how the house was roofed. We measured the size of the overall building and making a brief description of the area the house was in and locating its position on the |
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NEWS ASSIST SOCIAL CAPITAL - is a social enterprise that promotes best practice in social capital. We are very flattered that they got funding to do a case study and have chosen HWA.
CROWN ESTATE AWARD - We have been invited to the Crown Estate Scottish Marine Aquaculture Awards 2008 ceremony as guests of Lakeland Smolts who are in the running to receive the award due to the installation of their biomass boiler, fuelled with our chips. Also on the shortlist are Loch Fyne Oysters and Lighthouse Caledonia.
COUNCIL ASSISTANCE - We are delighted to have been granted (dependent on our poshed up business plan) a grant of £20,000 for each of the next 3 years as contribution towards core costs for HWA’s survival until revenue from our chipping plant kicks in.
An excerpt of the letter borrowed from Eila Crawford, showing Ben Ime Cottage.
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Alistair at corn drier |
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that well planned.
Pick (with gloves on) about half a dozen large handfuls of young nettles, only the top bit not the course stalky bit (if out of season nettles can be substituted with spinach).. Put this into a tub and cover with very hot water from tap or kettle, this will take the sting out of it. Leave for a few moments for water to cool. Wash well and pick off stalks and course bits. |
WE ARE A REGISTERED CHARITYAND OUR SUPPORTERS ARE :-
Crown Estates, Heritage Lottery, Leader + Argyll & Bute Council, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Hugh Fraser Foundation, P F Charitable Trust, Robertson Trust, AIE |
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Alice Beattie Carol Burnapp Kevin Farrell Alistair MacCallum John MacDonald Lizzie Maguire Alexander Miles Christina Noble Glyn Toplis
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Designed by Jackie MacPherson, Here We Are |
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OUR POWER - National Parks opening day |
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THE SHED DO - Midsummer night |
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FOOTBALL TALENT - Local boys rising stars |
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Cairndow boys Frazer Chalmers and Craig Callander have been selected to play for the West of Scotland Under 13’s Football Team. The boys were put forward by their coach at Ardencaple Boys club in Helensburgh and were up against players from all across the west region. After two nights of trials, the boys were successfully selected from over 200 hopefuls. On the 29th & 30th of July they will be attending a Regional Camp in Stirling, during which all the Regions will come together to play each other. |
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COMMUNITY COUNCIL - The Clachan Flats Windfarm Trust is to emulate the system of the existing Cruach Mor Trust in the Colintraive and Glendaurel area. More information will be available and discussed in more detail at the community council meeting on Thursday the 4th September. For more information contact Jon Pope on 01499 600277. |
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Michael Russell Minister for Environment |
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SPORTS DESK SHINTY - Inveraray 1st team are in the final of the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup against Glen Orchy at Anniesland on the 28th of June. They have also reached the MacAuley Cup semi-final; the Camanachd Cup is still in the early rounds. Contact David MacPherson on 01499 302273. CURLING - A poor season for the Curling Club, finishing second bottom of the league with no cups lifted. Thank goodness for the next Generation! New season starts in October. Contact John MacDonald on 01499 600292. BOWLS - Again Cairndow didn’t have much success, ending near the bottom of the league, however they remain upbeat about the new season. Andrew Coulton ran a bowlathon to raise funds for the club and Cairndow Childcare. New season starts in October. Contact John Smart on 01499 600129. GUN CLUB - The Annual Trophy shoot will be held on Saturday the July 26th. Contact Morven Short on 01499 600201. ARDKINGLAS DOG TRIALS - Held annually on the first Friday in August. Contact Carol Burnapp on 01499 600397. |
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Our Power was delighted to get the contract to supply chips for the biomass boiler at the new National Park headquarters at Balloch.
Our manager - John Smart – took the tractor and chipper there for the official opening on May 20th by Michael Russell MSP who gave a very motivating speech before unveiling the plaque . It would hardly have been safe to be chipping on the spot with all the crowds around but John and his chipper raised a lot of interest – and we hope new customers for chips will be coming along as a result. |
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Wash and soak in hot water about 125g pearl barley. Boil gently in water or stock if you have it, or with stock cube. This takes quite a while for the barley to be really soft. Can be done the day before if you are |
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Fry some good quality chopped bacon in some butter (bacon optional – vegetarians will not want). Add the nettles and fry gently when the bacon is cooked – or just fry nettles in the butter, add a little water (or stock) and cook for 5 mins. Add the barley which should be really soft, its liquid should have been absorbed, if not discard. The risotto should be the consistency of porridge but not sloppy.
Adjust seasoning – be generous with the black pepper, add a dash of cream if desired. Serve with a salad |
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and also the existence of our chipping shed, we held a party in the shed on the 21st June. All friends of HWA were asked and all who live and work in Cairndow. Staff and committee – specially Kenny MacKay and John MacDonald - set their expertise to organisation. |
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After a pleasant midsummer day Midsummer Night set in with midwinter weather. John Renton and musician sons Graham and Hamish as well as Agnes MacCallum kindly came along to cheer us with fine music. Ahmed and Mohammed cooked mouth wateringly delicious Indian food - to a quality seldom found outside Indian homes. Despite the wind and the rain a good time was had by all – especially the kids. And its now thought our shed could double up as an events venue??? |
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Meantime Lorna and Christina enjoyed the first class fish and chips that were being offered, and met lots of people old and new. Christina then dashed on to the ALL Energy conference in Aberdeen to learn more about renewable energy, particularly information that would help with our proposed micro-hydro scheme which we hope to have more information on in our next newsletter. |
THE HWA COMMITTEE |
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Here We Are... We are a member of the Development Trust Association and our purpose is to develop and sustain the locality of Cairndow as a cohesive community for the benefit of residents, workers and visitors alike.
In addition the Here We Are centre is a community resource providing information on the development, education and history of a rural area, designed and resourced by local people for the benefit of local people, visitors and researchists. |
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To celebrate 10 years of HWA’s existence as a concept and a company, our postponed Christmas party |