Tigh Caol

There is an public excavation taking place at the top of the pass that leads from Glendaruel over to Strathlachlan and this afternoon I took up their open invitation to visit.

The team from Guard Archeology, a spin out from Glasgow University, are working on what was a Drover's Inn called Tigh Caol, the "Narrow House". This is probably the first excavation of a drover's inn undertaken in Scotland and is a research archeology project which fits in well with the interests of Donald Adamson, the Chair of the company who has just finished his PhD on the archeology of the black cattle and grain trade in the Highlands which he thinks was one of the most important economic drivers for change in the area.

Donald showed us round the dig and reminded me that I had met him 15 years ago when he was the Senior Tax Partner for KPMG. He retired at 50 to take up his passion for archeology full time and certainly the work he and his colleagues are doing in this spot (which includes volunteers as well as students) is fascinating.

It is likely that the inn operated until the new road was opened in 1811 (there is what is alleged to be a Telford Bridge, now disused, across the modern road from the site) and we were shown amazing remains of drinking glasses as well as decorated pottery shards and green glass fragments from what were probably wine bottles. The chances are that distilling of whisky and brewing of beer took place on the premises.

The Strachur & District Local History Society has been helping and supporting the dig. Now the local challenge is to find some way of marking the spot and keeping something visible once the excavation ends next weekend. But there is still time to see what is being revealed for they are open for visits again tomorrow.