tourist | Emma Ruthven-Stevenson

http://www.crannog.co.uk/

“A crannog is a type of ancient loch-dwelling found throughout Scotland and Ireland dating from 2,500 years ago. An important part of our heritage, many crannogs were built out in the water as defensive homesteads and represented symbols of power and wealth. The Scottish Crannog Centre features a unique reconstruction of an early Iron Age loch-dwelling, built by the Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology (STUA), registered charity no. SCO18418. This authentic recreation is based on the excavation evidence from the 2,500 year old site of ‘Oakbank Crannog’, one of the 18 crannogs preserved in Loch Tay, Scotland. The STUA continues to explore other underwater sites in Loch Tay and further afield, regularly adding new discoveries to its award-winning centre at Kenmore, Perthshire.”

Firstly I need to send an apology to the three people who were there, staff wise, when I visited because I do not remember anyones name. Especially that apology needs to be placed to our very friendly, informative guide. I wish I remembered names but i just don’t, I really am that useless.

Also a quick hi to the lovely young, professional, couple from Edinburgh we met there.

I knew we were going here, I’ve been saying it for a while and I knew that this time we were going. So despite the rainy weather we went along.

You start of in the gift shop bit and they point you throught the door into a self guided exhibtion. There was loads of information, pictures and videos and archaelogical finds.
We got to the end just as our man was ready to get going.
Like I said, sorry I forget his name.
You go across the wooden bridge bit towards the building. Another thank you to our man who managed to stop me from slipping over on the boards. Warning, it’s slippery when wet!!

Getting into the actual warm and dry building was a relief and he directs you to benchs and as your eyes adjust to the gloom you get your first look around.
He gives you a chance to settle in and then gets started with the information bit.

I’m not telling you what he says but he is very informative, no it’s not a lecture, and he really gets you involved.
You get up and have the opportunity to look about and he encourages you to ask any questions (to which I asked loads, all of which he was able to answer!!)

Then you head to the final stage of your tour where you learn about skills, plants, fire making etc and get a hands on chance to do it yourself.

The whole thing was great, I mean really great! You need to go!
As a writer I loved how in depth and hands on everything was but as a tourist my husband was equelly as fascinated.
This may become a yearly trip for us.