Stay Local . . .

. . . . replaces 'Stay at Home' as the Scottish Government's rule as from today. As it was such a lovely day - after a light frost last night - we took a picnic and drove over Connel Bridge and along the north shore of Loch Etive to the church at Ardchattan, about 8 miles away. Maybe a picnic lunch in a churchyard sounds odd, but it’s beautiful place full of ancient gravestones including many Celtic crosses, and the polished granite seat beside the main door, facing into the sun across the width of Loch Etive, seemed ideal. As we sat there in peaceful silence a chainsaw started up some distance away across the loch – you can’t get away from the sound even if it’s a mile away!

After lunch we had a wander round the tombstones, and a few people came in with flowers to put on family graves. I met one lady with a bunch of daffodils who told me that she had come to put flowers on her mother’s grave, in the newer part of the churchyard behind the wall, but that many members of her family were buried there. She took us to show the graves of her grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents, as well as other relatives of theirs. Quite amazing to have so much family history in one place.

The church is no longer a place of worship and has been on the market for some  time. The graveyard belongs to the council and is not part of the deal! So if anyone’s interested, here’s an interesting property!

Quote of the Day:

Jim Butcher – “Graves aren't for the dead. They're for the loved ones the dead leave behind them.”