Craigbuie Guest House Killin, Perthshire, Scotland

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Whatever your favourite era is, the area around Loch Tay and the Trossachs

is full of history.

Each year the archaeologists plan their digs and unearth more hidden artefacts. We even have an annual dig which takes place in the Loch itself. During the summer the digs hold open days to show off their findings.

From prehistoric sites we have standing stones and cup stones. And so what were the engraved cup markings for? Way markers, border stones, some secret ritual? You can decide for yourself.

From the middle ages there are tales travelling down through verbal history as well as excavation to tell us how this area was populated. The Crannog centre in Kenmore tells clearly of the way of life for the people, living as they did on manmade islands on the loch, protected from the wildlife and the marauding clans but benefiting from far reaching trade links.

St Fillan, whose tale is told at the Breadalbane Folklore Centre in Killin and Rob Roy McGregor, whose tale is probably the best known in the area whilst the tales of the clans and the clan wars resound from hillside to hillside across the glen. Balquidder is close by and here you can see the graves of Rob Roy McGregor, his wife and sons as well as a very interesting grave with a lengthy inscription of the McLaren family history.

The Clan system changed and the patriarchal role of the laird changed - they became more like rulers and less like fathers, their relationship with the clan members became more distant and they used the land for amassing their own wealth rather than for the good of the members of the clan. The market for mutton and wool increased and the Lairds wanted to fence the land and farm the sheep - the people in the homesteads were in the way - hence the clearances. During the time of the clearances the area was controlled by the Earl of Breadalbane who owned land from here to Oban. He like many other Lairds ousted many of his tenants and demolished their properties, you can still see evidence of the broken crofts around Loch Tay.

Old Lawers Village is a fascinating abandoned village whose famous inhabitant was and the Lady of Lawers, she was renowned for her prophesies many of which seem to have come true.

Look out in Aberfeldy for the famous Wade's Bridge, dating from 1733 it was designed by William Adam and provided the English Troops with the vital crossing of the River Tay. Another of Wade's bridges is at Kenmore. The beautifully sculpted statue of a soldier of the Black Watch stands as a memorial for the regiment adjacent to the bridge.

This is just a whetting of the appetite and if you are interested in the history of the area then there are many websites which can prove to be very informative. Try A Perthshire Diary.

Of course if Ancient History doesn't interest you, why not visit Doune Castle . The castle was made infamous by Monty Python and the Holy Grail!

The Romans entered Scotland but it is believed that they did not venture into this area of the highlands as they would be more vulnerable in these surroundings but they did camp in Callander and there are tales of a lost legion at Lix Toll! There is also rumours of Pontius Pilate being born at Fortingall part way down Loch Tay near Roman Bridge. Fortingall is famed for its ancient (3000 yrs+) Yew tree reputably the oldest in Britain.

BREADALBANE FOLKLORE CENTRE and TOURIST INFORMATION
Open March to November
Tel: 08707 200627
info@killin.visitscotland.com

Moirlanich Longhouse - Glen Lochay
Open Easter Sunday; May -September: Wednesday and Sundays 2 pm - 5 pm
National Trust Office Tel: 01567 820988

As the clan system became established the area was first populated by the Clan Macnab whose clan burial site (Innes Bhuidhe - The Yellow Island) can be found in the by the Falls of Dochart in the village, they were subsequently overtaken by Campbells and Macgregors. The village has its own castle - Finlarig built by Black Duncan Campbell in the 1600's. A later castle can be found at Kenmore - this was superseded by the Taymouth Castle built by the Marquis of Breadalbane and was one of the places that Victoria and Albert visited in their honeymoon trip around Scotland! Having stretched the finances with the refit the family finally had to sell off the estate into smaller parcels. A typical tenant house Moirlanich Longhouse can be seen at Killin .

History