The Billiard Room

Saturday at Hill of Tarvit and a chance to renew friendships with the remainder of the Volunteers.

There is much catching up to do and we are very happy group.

Of course, we are all masked and socially distanced. It is no exaggeration to claim that we are all fully vaccinated and discussing the possibility of a September booster combined with the annual influenza vaccination.

Visitors book in advance and are told to arrive at least 5 minutes before the due time. The prescribed route within the House is planned to the minute and there 10 places to visit in that time.

Volunteers now have each place noted on their smart phones so that groups move on in a choreographed route designed to avoid any other group.

It all works and the guides make sure that there are no problems.

Visitors arriving late cannot just start the full tour, and will wait until a suitable moment when they can join their tour. Most visitors understand. Some do not, and some careful diplomacy can smooth the waves.

For the voulnteer guides used to showing the property in a much freer times this is stressful. However, we all pull together and make sure that the day passes smoothly.

Visitors are given full instructions before they enter and sanitizer and face masks are provided.

At the conclusion of the tour visitors are free to explore the extensive grounds.

Outside they may encounter Volunteers who are enjoying a break. Any additional questions can be answered at a social distance in the  fresh air.

It is working well. At least I think I think it is working well.

Ideas for events are being discussed with the volunteers and staff when a more normal visitor experience.

Perhaps a murder mystery for Halloween. The working title is Letham 27.

You may well guess the meaning of the Title. Think about it.

And today’s Blipfoto? I took it in the Billiard Room. The view through the sunblind is the West Wing which formed part of the 1841 part of the building.

Featured in the thumbnail is a photograph of Elizabeth Sharp who gifted the Estate, House and Collection to the National Trust for Scotland.

I believe it is the only NTS property where photographers can take pictures of anything. There are no copyright issues to overcome.