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| Every cup makes a difference! |
When we got to the museum, a group of young children from one of the nearby primary schools was already there for a specially designed program, giving them a most positive experience in a museum. It was a little noisy for a while, but I found it delightful to see these happy little ones dressed in their neat school uniforms, getting excited about finding things on their clipboarded checklist.
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| A robin landed near one of the overlooks where we stopped. |
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| Highland coos, happy to see each other. |
In one gallery, this museum had some very interesting items in it from the bronze age, the iron age, the neolithic age, and more recent years. On the other side of the meeting room in the second gallery were lots of natural history items, including plants, animals, birds, shells, and island geology, and it included a "touch me" table with lots of items just begging to be handled.
By the time we left the museum, we had an hour or so to explore on our own before meeting up with Jimmy Duncan for a tour. That time passed quickly, we had a quick lunch, and then we drove to Jimmy's car shop around 2.
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| This cottage sits on land that was kept longer by an Mcc family than any of the other farms granted by King James IV. |
Jimmy had told us he would focus on the south end of the island where several Makconochy families had been granted land by Britain's King James IV in 1506. Several of these farms were still identified in records as having belonged to descendants of these families, and we were eager to look at the land and cottages. The spelling of the name changed through the years, and over time the land grants were all sold off; currently, no Mcc's live on Bute.
Words are inadequate to describe this lovely island. Both Smoky and I felt as though this place allowed those who live here as well as those who visit a chance to slow their pace a little, take a deep breath, and just be content. The land itself, the fields where livestock graze and crops are raised, all look well loved and well cared for.
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| Beautiful Bute beach. |
It doesn't take very long to drive from one side of the island to the other (it is roughly 15 miles long by 3 to 5 miles wide), and in that distance there is a wide variety of topography, from mountains to sandy beaches to rocky outcroppings. We saw an old Viking fort today (really cool), some interesting old buildings now in ruin, and some great old homes built in the 1800s and still in use today.
Jimmy gave us lots of history and stopped the car most patiently so that Smoky could take some photos. Today's trip was designed to give us an idea of what was here so that we could return tomorrow to the places we found most interesting. A personal tour and overview by a local Bute person -- what more could two folks from Tennessee want?
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| Jimmy and Sophie. |
There was something more we wanted, and that was a chance to say thanks to Jimmy for his kindness and time. He and his granddaughter Sophie joined us for dinner tonight at The Esplanade, a local hotel and bar that served excellent food.
Our dinner was great, including a most interesting dessert called banoffee pie. But the best part of the evening was spending time with two new friends, one a beautiful young woman who loves horses, and the other a kind and generous man who spent the best part of an afternoon showing two people who started out strangers but ended up friends around the little jewel of an island he calls home.
--Shann
I must add one of Smoky's favorite photos of the day.
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| Best part of a beautiful day -- a walk with your best friend! |
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