Kenmore and the Loch Tay Crannog, Scotland
An evening in April spent at Loch Tay, Kenmore, Scotland. The recreated Crannog is a brilliant feature on this beautiful Loch.
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Scottish Crannog Loch Tay Kenmore Perthshire Scotland August 4th
Tour Scotland video of the crannog in Loch Tay, by Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland. An overcast and rainy day at Loch Tay. A crannog is a type of ancient loch dwelling found throughout Scotland and Ireland dating from 5,000 years ago. 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.
Clyde Crannog
The Romans called the Clyde 'Clota'. When they arrived they would have found Crannog structures around it's shores.
LOCH TAY CRANNOG
Many Scottish lochs are littered with small, tree-filled islands, poking their heads up just above the waterline. What most people don't realise is that they are often man-made islands, and once contained spectacular Iron Age dwellings. Thatched, timber roundhouses were supported on huge, wooden piles driven deep into the bed of the loch. The surrounding water was the inhabitants' defence.
There are over 600 recognised crannogs in Scotland. Some, such as Eilean Dòmhnuill in Loch Olabhat on North Uist, are believed to date back to Neolithic times. More commonly crannogs typically date to the Iron Age.
Crannogs were probably the centres of prosperous Iron Age farms, where people lived in an easily-defended location to protect themselves and their livestock from passing raiders.
The settlement would have consisted of a farm house, with cattle and crops being tended in nearby fields, and sheep on hill pastures. Local woodlands would have serviced the home with fruit, hazelnuts, wild cabbage and medicines, as well as with wild boar and other woodland animals suitable for hunting.
Since 1980 archaeologists have explored the waters of Loch Tay for crannogs and have excavated one at Oakbank, just off the village of Fearnan. It was a remarkable discovery. Preserved in the loch's cold, peaty waters were structural timbers, food, utensils and 2600 year old clothing. They even discovered a butter dish with butter still clinging to the inside of it - a bit past its sell-by date though.
In 1994 experimental archaeologists from the Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology began to discover the secrets of the Iron Age crannog builders when they set about reconstructing a crannog on Loch Tay using exactly the same material as the original at Oakbank.
The reconstruction at Kenmore involved building a thatched roundhouse on a timber platform 15m across, which was connected to the shore by a timber causeway 20m long. The whole structure is supported on 168 timber piles.
Timber was obviously the most important building material for the crannog builders. To provide all the varieties of timber required, the Iron Age farmers must have carefully managed their woodlands. They would have been skilled woodworkers and would have understood the differing properties of tree species for everything from structural supports to making cooking bowls.
Considerable skill is required to build a crannog. To begin with rafts and boats must have been used, as well as wooden scaffolding built out in the loch. The first stage was to create an artificial island out of timber piles. Alder trees, 8-10m long, were used for the piles. Buoyant on water, the alder piles would have been easy to manoeuvre on the water's surface but very difficult and tiresome to pull vertical.
One of the most challenging tasks the archaeologists faced was how to drive the alder piles up to 2m into the lochbed using only Iron Age technology.
A crosspole would have been lashed to the upright pile and twisted back and forth to create enough momentum to drive it two metres into the loch bed. It has been estimated that it would have taken 12 days for the Iron Age builders to erect and secure the 168 piles needed.
Once the piles were driven, the platform and roundhouse of the crannog could be jointed, pegged and lashed onto the structure. Round timber poles were used for the flooring and to form the structure of the roundhouse. Its roof was thatched with reeds from the loch, with its enclosing walls made from hundreds of flexible hazel stems woven together.
Willie's View: Loch Tay And Acharn
Friend travel writer Willie Shand is on the shores of Loch Tay this week. Find out more about his trip on our website, here:
Places to see in ( Kenmore - UK )
Places to see in ( Kenmore - UK )
Kenmore is a small village in Perthshire, in the Highlands of Scotland, located where Loch Tay drains into the River Tay. The village dates from the 16th century. It and the neighbouring Castle were originally known as Balloch (from Gaelic bealach, 'pass'). The original village was sited on the north side of river approximately two miles from its present site and was known as Inchadney. In 1540 Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy started the construction of Balloch castle on the opposite bank of the river and the entire village was moved to a prominent headland by the shores of Loch Tay, hence the name Kenmore, which translates from Scots Gaelic to big (or large) head. The village as it is seen today is a model village laid out by 3rd Earl of Breadalbane in 1760.
The Kenmore Hotel, commissioned in 1572 by the then laird Colin Campbell, has its origins in a tavern built around 70 years earlier offering accommodation and refreshments. It is reputed to be Scotland's oldest hotel.
Taymouth Castle, another Campbell creation, was built by John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane (d. 1862) on the site of its late medieval predecessor, Balloch Castle (built 1550 by the Campbells of Glenorchy, ancestors of the Marquesses of Breadalbane, demolished 1805). This enormous mansion, in neo-Gothic style, was completed in time for the visit of Queen Victoria in 1842. No expense was spared on the interior, which was decorated with the utmost sumptuousness. Taymouth Castle is now privately owned and has a fine golf course in its grounds. Plans to restore the Castle to its mid-19th century glory and convert it into a luxury hotel are currently ongoing. Kenmore Bridge dates from 1774 and the village as it is today was laid out in the 18th Century by the third Earl of Breadalbane. It retains many of its original buildings and historic appearance.
Around two miles northeast of the village by the side of the A827 road is a complex multi-phase stone circle known as Croft Moraig Stone Circle. The Crannogs of Loch Tay, artificially created islands of which there are 18 in the Loch, are thought to have originated before 2000 BC, though they continued to be built and used as dwellings and refuges into the Middle Ages. The Crannogs not only afforded excellent protection against unruly neighbours but protected the ancient Celts from the wild animals (wolves, lynxes and bears) that once inhabited Scotland.
The Scottish Crannog Centre, with an accurate full-size reconstruction of an Iron Age crannog, based on the Oakbank Crannog site (off the north shore of the Loch), and a visitor centre displaying finds from the excavations, is open to visitors a little south of Kenmore village.
The biggest island in the Loch, known as the Isle of Loch Tay, or in Gaelic Eilean nam Ban-naomh, 'Isle of Holy Women', is just north of Kenmore. It was the site of a nunnery in the 12th century and was the burial place of Queen Sybilla (d. 1122), wife of Alexander I of Scotland (1107–24). A castle was built on the island in the later Middle Ages. Much larger in area than the other crannogs, it is unclear to what extent this island is natural, or has been 'improved' over the centuries.
( Kenmore - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Kenmore . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Kenmore - UK
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Winter Setting Sun Loch Tay Highland Perthshire Scotland
Tour Scotland Winter travel video of the sun setting behind Loch Tay, Scottish Gaelic, Loch Tatha, a freshwater loch in the Perthshire Highlands. Loch Tay is in the Perth and Kinross and Stirling council areas. The watershed of Loch Tay traditionally formed the historic province of Breadalbane. Killin at the head of the loch, and Kenmore at the outflow of the River Tay, are the main settlements on the lochside today. The smaller settlements of Acharn, Ardeonaig and Ardtalnaig are located on the south side of the loch whilst Fearnan and Lawers are on the north side. The loch is a popular spot for salmon fishing, and many of its surroundings feature in the traditional Scottish Loch Tay Boat Song. In 1882 a company named the Loch Tay Steamboat Company was established by the then Earl of Breadalbane to operate steamer services on the Loch.
Loch Tay Boat Song
When I've done my work of day,
And I row my boat away,
Doon the waters of Loch Tay,
As the evening light is fading
And I look upon Ben Lawers
Where the after glory glows;
And I think on two bright eyes
And the melting mouth below.
She's my beauteous nighean ruadh,
She's my joy and sorrow too;
And although she is untrue,
Well I cannot live without her,
For my heart's a boat in tow,
And I'd give the world to know
Why she means to let me go,
As I sing horee horo.
Nighean ruadh, your lovely hair
Has more glamour I declare
Than all the tresses rare
'tween Killin and Aberfeldy.
Be they lint white, brown or gold,
Be they blacker than the sloe,
They are worth no more to me
Than the melting flake of snow.
Her eyes are like the gleam
O' the sunlight on the stream;
And the songs the fairies sing
Seem like songs she sings at milking.
But my heart is full of woe,
For last night she bade me go
And the tears begin to flow,
As I sing horee, horo.
She's my beauteous nighean ruadh,
She's my joy and sorrow too
And although she is untrue,
Well I cannot live without her.
For my heart's a boat in tow
And I'd give the world to know,
Why she means to let me go
As I sing horee horo.
Ben Lawers on its north shore is, at 3,983 feet, the tenth highest mountain in the British Isles, and is the highest peak in a group of seven munros.
Loch Tay - August 2006
Allan Ward video of the Monklands Ramblers - monklandsramblers.org.uk
Hello, these are the home pages of the Monklands Ramblers Club, one of the largest R.A. clubs in Scotland, and the first Scottish R.A. club on the Internet! We are based in the Monklands area of Central Scotland in North Lanarkshire, some 12 miles east of Glasgow. The two major towns in the area are Airdrie and Coatbridge, and it is from these towns that the majority of our 150+ members come from. There are also a significant number of members from other areas of Lanarkshire, in particular, Hamilton and Blantyre.
The club was formed in the summer of 1985 by a few local people who were interested in hill-walking. At that time the walks were fairly informally organised and people travelled to the walks in cars. Nowadays we are organised into a proper club with a full elected committee. Our members consist of people from all walks of life ranging in age from 20 - 75. We run a 53 seater coach or minibus to all of our walks (which are always covered beforehand by the leaders), we have walks programmes which cover Scotland and northern England and cater for all levels of fitness, and we occasionally go as far afield as Austria for special one-off walking holidays. Monklands Ramblers also has a very active social scene with regular dances, quiz nights and ten-pin bowling outings organised by the committee.
The club has actively and successfully campaigned for rights of way to be maintained and enhanced in the North Lanarkshire area. We have also become very much a part of the local community with frequent acknowledgement of our activities in the local press. The club is extremely successful simply because of the effort and support shown by the members. We consider ourselves a friendly bunch of people who always have a great time irrespective of the unpredictable Scottish weather! We would also be delighted to welcome along any new walkers who may be considering joining us - so come on, contact us today!
Autumn Loch Tay Kenmore Highland Perthshire Scotland
Tour Scotland Autumn travel video of Loch Tay and Kenmore, Scottish Gaelic: A' Cheannmhor, on ancestry visit to Highland Perthshire. the village is located where Loch Tay drains into the River Tay. The village dates from the 16th century and was sited on the north side of river approximately two miles from its present site and was known as Inchadney. Loch Tay, Scottish Gaelic, Loch Tatha, is a freshwater loch in the central highlands of Scotland.
Kenmore, the very heart of Scotland and the perfect holiday destination
Kenmore is a conservation village and set at east end of Loch Tay and at the mouth of the River Tay in the heart of Highland Perthsire and Scotland's most exclusive area. There is so much to do and see on our doorstep, distilleries, Highland Safari, Scottish Crannog Centre, Lochs & Glens, mountains & munros. With golf, riding, mountain bikes, fishing and boating all within Mains of Taymouth Country Estate, this is the ideal holiday destination.
Kenmore Perthshire
Kenmore Perthshire
ACCENTS, SCOTTISH LION KING + HILLWALKING AT LOCH TAY
My pal Dan and I recently road tripped to Kenmore in Perthshire, Scotland. We visited the Scottish Crannog Centre (where Dan made me dress up), ate lunch in Scotland’s oldest inn, swatched the Falls of Dochart (heavy rapid!) and went a wee hill walk with lovely views of Loch Tay. Dan also hid from me, I grassed him in to some strangers and we recreated the Lion King - Scottish style…then danced about. Enjoy!
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Cycle at Loch Tay and Duck talk
Has Cycle Scott gone Quackers
I spent the weekend in Kenmore on the banks of Loch Tay went for a spin around Drummond hill on the way back I thought I would take in the breathtaking views over the Loch, it was a bit overcast but stunning views all the same and the Ducks seemed to like my company quack quack
Kenmore, Scotland
River Tay
Scottish Crannog Loch Tay Perthshire Scotland October 19th
Tour Scotland Autumn video of the Scottish Crannog in Loch Tay, Perthshire. A crannog is a type of ancient loch dwelling found throughout Scotland and Ireland dating from 5,000 years ago. 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 lochdwelling.
Tache Tour, Killin, Loch Tay, 2009
Tache Tour 2009, Killin, Scotland. Men, balls and facial hair. Chop & Roll.
British Neolithic Crannog Settlement Reconstruction
Archaeological Reconstruction of an archetypal Neolithic Crannog settlement, historically constructed primarily in Wales/Scotland/Ireland - complete with two flint human-sized anthropomorphic fertility statues. Crannogs were defensive prehistoric coastal dwellings and stilted/built in the centre of bodies of water (lakes, rivers and estuarine waters) in North-West Europe. They were used as dwellings over five millennia and still persist today in some areas (although heavily modified). The recent archaeological discovery in Wales, a fortified Neolithic ‘Crannog’ located in Monmouth, circa 4,900 years old, would in part include the typology seen in this reconstruction. This stilted Crannog was built on an ice age lake, for the primary function of protecting locals and livestock alike from marauding neighbouring tribes. The lake has long disappeared, but the fort’s timbers survive allowing radiocarbon dating to determine the house was built in 2917 BC. These impressive forts were reserved only for the elite in the newly socially stratified Neolithic societies, based on those whom controlled/owned the means of production against labourers and other workmen. Crops and cattle would have been in fields, with sheep on the pastures in the surrounding hills as shown in the reconstruction. Neighbouring woods would have provided wild cabbage, fruit, wild boar and hazelnuts. If under attack however, the tribe and livestock could retreat to the safety of the crannog by boat with its vast, natural moat of the lake. Entire design and animation, in addition to orchestral composition inspired by archaic man all created by Christopher Antoniou ©.
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Big Tree Country
A stunning video featuring footage shot from a helicopter as it flies over beautiful scenery in the heart of Scotland. The area, known as Perthshire Big Tree Country - is divided into six distinct clusters: Aberfeldy & Kenmore; Blair Atholl; Crieff & Strathearn; Dunkeld & Birnam; Perth & Blairgowrie; Pitlochry & the Road to the Isles.
Perthshire Big Tree Country is famous for its heritage trees, several of which are featured in the video. Watch out for the Fortingall Yew, oldest living organism in Europe; the Birnam Oak, made famous in Shakespeares MacBeth; the record-breaking Meikleour Beech Hedge, tallest in the world; and Niel Gows Oak, named after the well-known fiddler.
Narrated by one of Scotlands most famous plant collectors, David Douglas, the video begins in the grounds of Scone Palace where Douglas served his apprenticeship as a gardener. Born in Scone, Douglas is responsible for introducing many plant and tree species including the Douglas fir, Sitka spruce Scotlands most prolific forestry tree and sunflowers.
As it swoops over Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park (Scotlands first) and its iconic tower, the video provides a birds eye view of other historical buildings such as Scone Palace, the former crowning place of Scottish kings; Blair Castle; and the Hermitage. It also passes over the most famous view in Scotland, Queens View. Allegedly a favourite of Queen Victoria, the view is actually named after the wife of Robert the Bruce.
In addition to the famous names already mentioned, Perthshire Big Tree Country played host to Robert Rabbie Burns on his tour of the Highlands. The Birks of Aberfeldy takes its name from a song penned by Scotlands national bard. Rabbie is also believed to be responsible encouraging the then Duke of Atholl for the planting of the area around the Falls of Bruar following a petition to the duke in one of his poems.
But it isnt all about the trees. The River Tay runs through Big Tree Country, providing fantastic salmon fishing opportunities and a playground for the more adventurous white water rafters or canoeists. Equally the forests offer great mountain and trail biking runs and tracks suitable for all levels of walking criss cross many of the woodland sites and hills.
Finally, a host of wildlife calls Perthshire Big Tree Country home. Peregrine falcons, buzzards, kestrels and ospreys soar through the sky. During the autumn the roar of red deer stags can be heard during rutting season and roe deer are often spotted dashing through the woods. Red squirrels are shyer residents but are easy to see in Cluny House Gardens and occasionally rarer species such as black grouse and capercaillie are spotted.
The video was produced by Speakeasy - for Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust
Loch Tay Steamers at McKays 28th August 2009 track three
Pitlochry scottish music entertainment at McKays, Loch Tay Steamers play live, Euan, Marieke. At Pitlochry's music venue McKaysHotel.co.uk
Road Trip through the Scottish Highlands to Kenmore & the Crannog Centre
Went on a mini road trip through the Scottish Highlands to Kenmore, Loch Tay and the Crannog Centre!
Kenmore Hotel
The Kenmore Hotel is Scotland's oldest Inn, established in 1572! It has a restaurant with beautiful views of the river, a lovely cosy bar/cafe and small lounge areas, all reflecting the history of the place and the area. I stopped there for scones and tea and it was delicious! It is also a place were famous Scottish Poet Robert Burns visited, and even hand wrote a poem on the wall which is still there today!
The Scottish Crannog Centre
The Scottish Crannog Centre gives you a fascinating glimpse into life in the area in the Iron Age. Including a Crannog (wooden dwelling over water pictured in the video), tools, woodwork, flour grinding, food, fabric, long boats and more, and of course, how they made fire! You can also buy some great souvenirs from local artisans.
Tech:
iPhone 7
iMovie
Music:
Bay Breeze by FortyThr33
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0
Music promoted by Audio Library