Fearnan Village Association

Diary Dates

FVA Pop-up Coffee Shop 14^th May 11.00 – 12.30. Join us in the McLean Hall for a warm welcome, fresh coffee and home baking. To get you in the mood for the fast-approaching holiday season, the baking will have an Italian theme.

Warm Welcome Games Afternoon – Thursday 23rd May at 1.30-3.30pm in McLean Hall– this is the last of the Hall Committee’s Games Afternoons for the season. Free entry. (Details below).

FVA Cheese & Wine Evening Friday 21^st June 7 – 9pm: details to come later. A chance to enjoy a sociable mid-summer evening with friends and neighbours.

Quiz Night

Linda writes:

The ever popular Quiz Night hosted by the McLean Hall Committee has been reinstated into the Fearnan Social Calendar. It returned last October and by popular request again on Friday 3rd May. Teams of four enthusiastically tried to out-quiz each other in a hard fought but friendly contest. 

 Elaine, as compère, did a great job of managing the proceedings and set a challenging range of well-researched questions.

The autumn winners,  Kathy, Kit, Alistair and Linda had to relinquish the quiz shield and hand it over to the well-deserved winners Judith, John, Alistair and Pat. 

There was also a raffle and a total of £200 was raised, which will be shared between the hall and the S.C.A.A.

Mairi Taylor

We were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Mairi Taylor, who came to live in Fearnan some 35 years ago, via Tunbridge Wells and Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).

Bowls

Lesley writes:

Warm Welcome Afternoon

Lesley writes:

Squirrelpox Virus

Jenny Penfold writes:

The organisation Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) has reported that the first identified death of a red squirrel from squirrelpox virus north of Scotland’s Central Belt has been confirmed on the outskirts of Dunfermline, Fife. This news could have serious consequences for our area’s red squirrel populations.

Squirrelpox is a virus carried by grey squirrels which does not affect them but can be rapidly lethal when passed to red squirrels. Symptoms include ulcers, scabs and weeping lesions on the face, paws and genitalia, all of which can prevent reds from eating, drinking or moving. As a result, it is usually fatal within two weeks and an outbreak can cause local populations to crash.

SSRS has asked members of the public in the region  to remain vigilant and support efforts to erradicate this virus by:

• Taking photos and reporting sightings of sick or dead red squirrels squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
• Recording these and all other sightings on the Scottish Squirrel website at https://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/
• Taking in all wildlife feeders from gardens and woodlands for the next month, and carefully and thoroughly cleaning them with an anti-viral solution such as Virkon S.

Awareness of the spread of the virus north of the Central Belt came from the post mortem of a squirrel carcass that had been sent to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies by a member of the public and as well as emailing photos of any squirrel carcasses found, people are asked to post any dead red squirrel carcasses found to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies for post-mortem analysis. Instructions here https://bit.ly/3sqFcJg 

(This isn’t quite as macabre in practice as it sounds – You get very clear instructions from the School of Veterinary Studies and it could help to save our red squirrel population.)

Fearnan Book Club Review

A recent read was ‘ Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead’ by Olga Tokarczuk, translated from Polish and awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature. Spoor, a 2017 Polish Film is adapted from the novel. 

As always opinions were divided. Some loved it. A few struggled to find a story and found it unsettling and chilling. Although her character was well drawn, some did not relate to her, although liked that she escaped at the end. Others enjoyed the unexpected twist. Descriptions of kindness and good companionship were well developed. The first-person narrative was enjoyed by some. Others felt it was a book of two halves and preferred the latter. It was certainly thought provoking. 

Diary Dates

Pop-Up Coffee Shop Tuesday 12^th March 11.00 – 12.30: The FVA’s regular Pop-Ups are back for 2024 offering a chance to catch up with friends and neighbours over a fresh cup of coffee or tea and some delicious home-baking in the Hall.  This time we will have some lovely fresh scones – at least 3 different flavours – to tempt your taste buds.

The Fearnan Village Association’s AGM will be held on Saturday 23^rd March at 4pm in the Hall.  All members welcome.

The next Games Afternoon run by the Hall Committee is 14^th March 1.30-3.30 pm. Games, egg decorating and home-made hot cross buns to tempt you!

Daffodil Tea Saturday 6^th April: The FVA’s popular Daffodil Tea returns to the Hall from 3pm to 5pm. Join us for a superb afternoon tea.

Pop-up Coffee Shop 14^th May 11.00 – 12.30. To get you in the mood for the fast-approaching holiday season, the baking will have an Italian theme.

Cheese & Wine Evening Friday 21^st June 7 – 9pm: details to come later. A chance to enjoy a sociable mid-summer evening with friends and neighbours.

Pancake Pop-Up

Fearnan folk love a good pancake, that’s for sure, and some 50 people turned out for the Village Association’s Pancake Pop-Up. They tucked into a choice of crepes, blinis and fresh-off-the-griddle Scotch pancakes.

Traditionally, Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the feast day before the start of Lent but before Lent can begin in earnest, all edible temptations needed to be removed.  And removed they certainly were! By the end, we had served up some 48 crepes, several dozen Scotch pancakes and quite a lot of blinis!

We were delighted to welcome friends from Killin, Aberfeldy and Kenmore to the hall.

Recycling Medicine Blister Packs

Although we have been able to recycle medicine blister packs in the grey bins in recent months, we have been told that this is no longer the case and they are now listed as not being accepted in grey bins on the PKC website.

FVA Pre-Opening Crannog Visit 22^nd March 10.30

The Scottish Crannog Centre has agreed to give FVA members a pre-opening ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the new Centre at Dalerb on Friday 22nd March at 10.30. There are still a few places left and if you would like to join us but haven’t yet put your name on the list, please let Fiona know on fiona@fearnanvillageassociation.com as soon as possible.  The cost is £12pp.

If you’ve been watching the new Centre grow and take shape over the last few months and wondered about the purpose of the different buildings, and what will be on offer once the Centre opens to the public, this is your chance to find out as part of a private tour.

The visit involves a guided tour of the Iron Age Village, including discussion of the construction techniques used and a chance to talk to some of those who have been involved in building the village. There will be a Q and A Session with the Director, a chance to hear about the future plans for the Centre, and coffee and cake will be served in the new cafe. 

Crannog Gardening

A team of volunteer gardeners has been working hard to help get the new Crannog site ready for its first visitors. They are helping plan, prepare and plant the area adjacent to the Iron Age Village using only Scottish native plants and shrubs that would have been immediately recognisable to the Crannog dwellers 2,500 years ago.

If you would like to do a spot of volunteer gardening to help the Crannog Centre get ready, please get in touch with the Scottish Crannog Centre by email: emma@crannog.co.uk or just show up at Dalerb this Friday (1st March) between 11.00 and 14.00. It’s a great help if you can bring your own spades and gardening tools for weeding and preparing the ground.

Plants are also needed and the planting plan includes the following:

Comfrey                                  Meadow Sweet                       Valerian

Cowslips                                  Snowdrops                              Dogwood

Heathers                                 Selfheal                                   Aconites

Primroses                                Bluebells                                 Vinca

Lady’s Mantle                          Ferns                                       Elders

So, if you have any surplus ones from this list when you’re doing your Spring tidy up and splitting or removing plants, and would like to donate them, they can be left just inside the main site gate at Dalerb. Unless it’s really obvious what they are, an identifying marker would be much appreciated!          

                                          

Dates for Your Diary

The next Games Afternoon run by the Hall Committee is on 22nd February, 1.30-3.30 pm. (See below for more info.)

PopUp Coffee Shop Tuesday 12^th March 11.00 – 12.30 £3.00 pp: The FVA’s regular Pop-Ups are back for 2024 offering  a chance to catch up with friends and neighbours in the Hall over a fresh cup of coffee or tea and some delicious home-baking .

The Fearnan Village Association’s AGM will be held on Saturday 23^rd March at 4pm in the Hall.  All members welcome.

Daffodil Tea Saturday 6^th April: The FVA’s popular Daffodil Tea returns to the Hall from 3pm to 5pm. Join us for a superb afternoon tea.

Games Afternoon

Lesley writes:

The most recent Games Afternoon get-together went very well with about 10 people coming for some fun – and sometimes challenging – games and to enjoy Burns-themed food at teatime.

Indoor Kurling has been added to the list of activities and is proving a great hit, especially with former curlers.

The next one is on 22nd February, 1.30-3.30 pm and will include a mini beetle drive as well as the usual games.

Everyone welcome!  

Join the Big Plastic Count!

If you’ve ever taken part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, then you’ll be familiar with the idea of citizen surveys.  And if you have ever felt concern about the amount of plastic waste that we seem to generate, then you might be interested to know that Greenpeace have launched The Big Plastic Count – the UK’s biggest investigation into household plastic waste. By taking part, you can help quantify the problem and produce the information needed to prompt government action to make legislation to limit plastic production and usage.

This video explains how it works.

When you submit your data at the end of the Count week, Greenpeace’s whizzy data analysts will send you your own personal plastic footprint. It’s simple to take part in The Big Plastic Count and when you sign up you get a free counting pack with everything you need for the investigation.

Scottish Charity Ambulance Collecting Box

We have received a letter of thanks from SCAA, along with a brand-new box. 

Fearnan Book Club Review

Linda writes:

The colourless and barrenness of the wild coastal setting of the island of Vardo, made this an appropriate read in the dark and cold of the winter months. Some of the group felt they had a love/hate relationship with this unforgettable book which was described as perhaps not beautiful, but beautifully written. Some enjoyed the fiction blended with historical facts, while some found it a hard read.

It was a well-researched book with a historical context related to the great Vardo storm of 1617 and the pursuit of witches that was happening around that time. References were made to witch-hunting during the reign of James V1 of Scotland and Absolem Cornet, a god-fearing man and an experienced witch hunter, was summoned from Scotland to search out and persecute witches. The men of the time were afraid of the women’s power and independence, which was not sorcery but resulted in the Vardo witch trials from 1621 onwards. 

It was a beautifully written descriptive book with poetic language which painted vivid pictures of the landscape, characters, clothing, homes and the smells of animals and food. The strength of the women shone through despite the harshness of their lives and their persecution. 

The Mercies evoked a range of strong emotions including anger at the injustices and violence by men. We felt frustrated and upset at the helpless and unrelenting despair of the women in this situation. Racism and persecution of the Sami people also featured.

We empathised with the characters particularly Maren and Ursa who drew comfort from their close relationship. We were disappointed that the priest didn’t stand up for the accused women and that other women betrayed their female neighbours. 

Some felt it was a novel of two parts: initially a slow burner, with a build-up to what was perhaps a rushed or rounded ending.

Happy New Year to everyone! Here are some dates for your new 2024 diary!

Thursday 25th Jan: The Hall Committee’s first Warm Welcome Games Afternoon of 2024 is on Thursday 25th January from 1.30-3.30pm in Fearnan Village Hall. It’s a relaxed afternoon of chat, table tennis, quoits and easy board games. Light refreshments with a Burns flavour!  

Tuesday 13^th February: Yes. It’s Pancake Tuesday and the FVA will be serving freshly made pancakes in the Hall from 11am.  Whether it’s a dropped scone, a tossed crêpe or a somewhat more static scotch pancake, we have something for all tastes, sweet or savoury. Join us for freshly made tea or coffee and pancakes.  £3pp at the door.

Saturday 6^th April: The FVA’s popular Daffodil Tea returns to the Hall from 3pm to 5pm. Join us for a superb afternoon tea.

Mulled Wine and Mince Pies

There was plenty of pre-Christmas cheer going around at the Village Association’s Mulled Wine and Mince Pies in mid-December.

Many thanks to all those who popped ideas for future events in the Suggestions Box – we hope to announce the full 2024 events programme shortly.

Farewell to Friends

A very warm celebration of the life of Douglas Miller was held in the McLean Hall in November and was attended by his many friends in the village and from the surrounding area. The event was also attended by his two son, Keith and Iain, from Surrey who were able to hear first-hand the high regard in which their father was held. Douglas had a long association with the village and a resumé of his interesting life was given. We send our warmest condolences to Jo and family.

Just before Christmas, we were sorry to hear of the passing of Yvonne Mitchelson.  Yvonne and her late husband, Alan, spent their weekends in Fearnan over many years and their lochside home was designed by Alan, an architect. Yvonne often spoke fondly of Sunday morning rides on Boreland Hill in the days when Liz Menzies was running the stables at the Farm and afterwards the riders would make their way to the hotel, Tigh an Loan, for Sunday drinks.

Sadly, the news then came that Ian Fletcher also passed away at the very end of the year. Ian and Isobel lived in Fearnan for many years and Ian, who was a keen golfer and curler, chaired the Village Hall Committee from 2001 – 2005. They left Fearnan to move closer to family in the west. We send our warmest condolences to Isobel and family.

Fearnan Book Club

Linda writes:

”From government policy and medical research, to technology, workplaces, and the media, Invisible Women reveals how in a world built for and by men we are systematically ignoring half of the population, often with disastrous consequences. Caroline Criado Perez brings together for the first time an impressive range of case studies, stories and new research from across the world that illustrate the hidden ways in which women are forgotten, and the profound impact this has on us all”

It gave us an impressive range of case studies to dip into depending on our interests and experiences and provides the reader with an overview of the ways in which women remain invisible in many spheres of life. It explores many products and services that have been designed from a male point of view to the detriment of female users. 

The discussion was lively and animated and full of anecdotes related to our own experiences on the subject.  All agreed that progress has been made in the sharing of domestic chores, societal attitudes and learning from mistakes, perhaps due to unconscious bias, which were detrimental to women.

Some enjoyed the hard data, statistics and percentages which they found compelling. Others questioned the rigour and the use of percentages which promoted negativity.

Some found it strident in places with the author pushing the point and every chapter providing the same end result.

Examples discussed included:

• Urban planning- no provision for women and buggies. Rehousing on the outskirts of towns and cities leading to social isolation for women.
• Research in medicine not tested on women or female mice etc. resulting in eg. thalidomide.
• A campaign needed to get a woman’s image on bank notes.

Some commented on the difficulty in acquiring work-related clothing that fitted properly. 

We found it fascinating and thought provoking and were surprised at how many policies and attitudes had impacted on the quality of life for women. The world is not designed for women. It was thought proving and aroused a range of emotions and left us feeling sad, angry and surprised.

In December we had a very sociable end-of-year meal at The Waterfront Restaurant in Kenmore. We discussed the books read and reviewed in 2023 and chose our favourites. There was no clear winner this year although The Bookseller of Inverness by Shona MacLean and The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams were the two most popular. 

Tigh an Loan Hotel, Fearnan – Visitors’ Book 1902 – 1929

It is always a delight to find something that gives us a snapshot of life in Fearnan in previous times, and the opportunity to browse through the Visitors’ Book from the Tigh-an-Loan Hotel in the early part of the 20th century was a real treat.

Although, on the surface, the book is just a list of names, those names and their home addresses link Fearnan to the social and political history of the time, and even to the British Empire and to a landmark legal ruling!

At that time, Tigh-an-Loan had 5 letting bedrooms all with wash-hand basins – no ensuites in those days – and full board included Breakfast, Coffee at 11am, Luncheon at 1pm, Afternoon Tea at 4pm and Dinner at 7pm.

However, one of the most striking things about the Visitors Book is that the hotel was welcoming people from all over the world.  As you would expect, there are people holidaying from various parts of Scotland and England, and there are quite a few from Europe and even from America. 

But what is really surprising are the number of visitors from countries like India, Egypt, South Africa, British Somaliland, Zululand, Singapore, Siam, Rangoon, New Zealand, and Canada. The clue is the names of the countries and in the names of the visitors from these countries – all good Scottish names. These are not the sort of international holiday makers who come in the 21st century – they are Expats, home on leave. Opinion may have changed in the intervening years about the British Empire and its impact on the countries that were part of it, but in the early 20^th century, it provided opportunities for many Scots who left their homeland to make their careers abroad.

Returning to Scotland briefly once every few years and after journeys lasting weeks at a time, a few days at Fearnan’s Tigh an Loan Hotel must have been a welcome re-connection with their Scottish roots.  And they seem to have come in considerable numbers, often for family reunions, meeting up with people with the same surname but with Scottish home addresses.

Few people would have had their own motorised transport and getting to Fearnan involved a train journey to Killin and then the steamer from Killin to Fearnan Pier, or a train journey to Aberfeldy where the hotel bus would collect its guests and bring them to Fearnan. And here’s the hotel bus ……..

The hotel bus was a 15-seater Albion, registration ES 5150, which doubled as the village hearse when the need arose. It was first registered in 1922 and although we don’t know how long it remained in Fearnan, we do know what happened to it after it retired from service at the Tigh an Loan. It became a TV and film star, appearing in episodes of the BBC’s first series of Dr Finlay’s Casebook in the fictional town of Tannoch Brae, and in two films – ‘Regeneration’ and ‘The Happy Lands’! It is now known as The Pride of Tannoch Brae and is held in the collection of the Biggar Albion Foundation.

One of the attractions of the Tigh an Loan Hotel was access to outdoor pursuits such as shooting, deer stalking and fishing.  The hotel had its own ghillie and boats for salmon fishing, and the Visitors’ Book records a number of regulars who came in small groups to enjoy these sports. On March 29^th 1920, JRC Leighton from Paisley was sufficiently pleased with his catch to record it in the Visitors’ Book – 4 fish which weighed in at 18lbs, 16lbs, 23lbs and 13lbs – 3 of which he caught in one day.

One of the regulars was Mr Colin McAndrew from Edinburgh who came several times a year – sometimes in the company of his wife and at other times with a group of friends to fish. Mr McAndrew owned a car showroom on Lothian Road in Edinburgh and clearly enjoyed his visits to Fearnan as he went on to purchase and renovate Tigh na Choille. This purchase, along with some smaller crofts that were included in his purchase, came with rights for the common grazing land on the Cow Park. His subsequent attempt to fence off the area that he deemed to be his ‘share’ of the Cow Park was vigorously contested by the other graziers in the village and led to a court case, McAndrew v Crerar 1929 – which was ultimately decided in the House of Lords and remains important in legal circles as it was an important ruling regarding grazing rights under Scots Law.

Whilst some visitors had travelled thousands of miles across the world to reach the hotel, it was surprising to see that there was a regular pattern of people from very close by – such as Fortingall and Camserney – apparently spending nights at the hotel. Very strange – until you remember that until 1976 pubs were closed on Sundays. Hotels could only serve alcohol to residents, and the hotel had to be at least 3 miles from the drinker’s home.  This led to small groups of thirsty locals from Fearnan, Fortingall and Camserney passing each other on their way to convenient hotels that were the requisite distance from home (known as the Sunday Tour).  On arrival, they would take the precaution of signing the visitor’s book as residents, just in case the local constabulary happened by that evening.

Tourism markets were very different from today.  On the plus side, visitors would come and stay for 7 to 10 days at a time, but the downside was the very seasonal nature of tourism, with business often being very sparce outside the main summer season.  No short-breaks market or long weekend visits to help spread tourist bed nights through the year. Not surprisingly, business was not good during WW1, with far fewer visitors checking in.

The Visitors Book ends in 1929, although there were still plenty of unused pages. Perhaps after 27 years of service it was starting to get a little worn and was deemed ready for replacement. And in the days of pen and ink, accidents were likely to happen …..

Perhaps the last word should go to John Baxter from Blackpool, who had clearly enjoyed his stay and wrote on July 16^th 1926 “Lord let me linger here, for this is Bliss.”

(For the literary-minded this is an ‘adaptation’ of the line “Lord, let me linger, just for this, To win to utterness of bliss; from the poem Lord Let Me Live, by Robert William Service.)

The Christmas Lights are on the Tree!

Many thanks to John and Neil for putting the lights on the tree and to Keith for giving them a good start by tidying up and shaping the tree.

The copyright of all photos on this website belongs to the person who took the photo and the copyright of the text belongs to the person who wrote it.

Remembrance Sunday

A short service, led by Shirley Shearer, was held at Fearnan War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday. Following the two-minute silence, wreaths were laid by Alistair Grier, John Eve and Fiona Ballantyne.

The memorial was looking splendid! Many thanks to our Poppy Queen, Cath McGregor, who had decorated the stone and railings, using poppies that were knitted by local people in the run up to the 2018 centenary of the Armistice.  

After the service, the Village Association served tea and coffee in the Hall and a collection for Help for Heroes raised £55.00.

FVA Halloween Pop-Up Coffee Shop

Halloween fell on a Tuesday this year, giving us the opportunity to have a bit of fun with a themed Pop-Up – although the arachnophobes were possibly less than amused!  Anna and Tom from Warm Connections joined us for the morning and dispensed helpful advice about not only keeping warm over the winter but also about saving money as fuel prices rocket.

The event was well attended and it’s always nice to get feedback – on this occasion in an email received afterwards:

“Thanks everyone for yesterday’s very enjoyable morning in the Fearnan Hall. Great food and cheerful chats as always!”

Halloween is the time when the veil between our world and the spirit world thins, creating the risk that some spirits, malign or otherwise, will slip back into our world.

For one heart-stopping moment it looked like this was exactly what had happened, until his identity was sussed……….

Next Event and FVA Committee

The FVA’s next event is our annual Mulled Wine and Mince Pies which will be held in the Hall at 4pm on Saturday 16^th December, £6pp at the door.

After expenses have been deducted from the takings at the door, a donation will be made to the Hall Committee for the general upkeep of the Hall.

We are delighted to say that Linda Milne and Pat Stalker have been co-opted onto the FVA Committee to give us extra resource. We are keen to have your thoughts and ideas for events or ways in which the FVA can support the village. There will be an FVA Suggestion Box in the Hall at the Mulled Wine event, so bring your thoughts and pop them in the box, or just chat to one of the committee members.

Two Updates from the Hall Committee:

McLean Hall Fearnan Thrift Shop Week

Ros writes:

Fortunately, we had a variety of items left from our Pop-up shop venture in July so after a sort out, this stock was ideal for the Thrift shop. A rota of helpers was recruited for the week and items collected for the ever-popular Tombola.  On Friday morning we had home-bakes for sale.  All in all, the week was a great success raising £1,466, a further contribution to the Hall’s fund for improving the area outside the front of the Hall. 

Games Afternoon – Session No 2

Lesley writes:

The second of the recently introduced Games Afternoons will take place on Thursday 7th Dec from 1.30- 3.30pm in the McLean Hall, Fearnan.  Entry is free and as usual, we extend a warm welcome to one and all!  There will be Table Tennis, Quoits, Snakes & Ladders, Tiddley Winks, Dominoes, Draughts….  and more.

We are introducing a new feature this month – Guess the Ingredients from a selection of dishes.  Have fun in pairs trying to identify each ingredient!  Tea, coffee and home baking are on offer and there will be a raffle in aid of SAAA.

Hope to see you there!

This time round we have an update on forthcoming local events (including one important change of date), info and lots of photos from previous events, an update on our very local recycling in response to changes on PKC’s kerbside collections, info about PKC’s bid to create a National Park in our area, and some book reviews.  A bumper Blog, in fact!

Diary Dates

Pop-Up Coffee Shop:

Remembrance Sunday 12^th November:

**Change of Date** – the FVA’s Mulled Wine and Mince Pies event will now take place on Saturday 16^th December at 4pm. This is to avoid a clash with the Kenmore Christmas Market which we understand will now be on the 9^th December.

Winter Warmer Afternoons

Lesley writes:

Games Afternoon Session 1- Thurs 9th Nov. 2-4pm. McLean Hall, Fearnan

Have a go at: Table Tennis, Quoits, Skittles, Dominos, Draughts, Snakes & Ladders, Tiddly Winks……and more!

Tea, Coffee and home baking. Bring a small Raffle Prize, proceeds from which will go to SCAA

Session 2 will take place on Thurs 7th Dec.

MacMillan Coffee Morning

Linda writes:

The Hall Committee recently held a very successful coffee morning in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support.

The hamper, which was kindly donated by the Kenmore Bakery, was won by June Riddell and Robert Woodford was delighted to win the Colin the Caterpillar cake by guessing almost exactly how many ‘Colin’ faces were on a poster. 

Our guests from Fearnan and beyond were very complimentary. They enjoyed the ‘buzz’ and thought it was “lovely to see so many people chattering away”.

Many thanks to all our enthusiastic and generous guests and to the great team who contributed with setting up, baking, helping on the day and clearing up. Your efforts were appreciated by all. 

Warm Connections, who set up an information stall, also send their thanks to those who chatted to them and accessed their support and advice. 

Tay Forest National Park Public Consultation

The Scottish Government has announced plans to designate at least one new national park in Scotland by 2026 and is now inviting communities to submit their proposals for consideration.

Perth and Kinross Council has announced their intention to lead a bid to create Tay Forest National Park. This park would encompass much of Highland Perthshire, taking in loch, forest, and mountain, while also linking the two existing national parks, Cairngorm National Park and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

As part of their bid, the Council are encouraging members of the public to submit their views to help shape the plans and ensure that a future Tay Forest National Park reflects the views of those that live and work in the region. The consultation is open until 1^st December 2023 and includes in person drop in events as well as an online survey. Full details of the Council’s consultation can be accessed HERE and they encourage everyone with a stake in how our landscape is managed to take part.

National Park status could potentially provide increased opportunities for nature restoration, sustainable travel, visitor management, and landscape change. More specifically, there would be opportunities for:

• a joined-up strategy for sustainable tourism in the park and its approach routes;
• a National Park Planning Authority, with a role to be defined but currently envisaged as having ‘call-in’ powers similar to those of Cairngorms National Park Authority;

• additional funding from Scottish Government to provide the core resource for a national park authority;

• additional capacity to help achieve climate change targets, for example through nature restoration and sustainable travel.

A key aim is to ensure that the bid submission and the vision for a National Park it sets out, reflects the views of the many different people that live and work in the area.  You can help shape the bid and help design a National Park that will represent our heritage, environment, communities and promote our wonderful landscape in the best way.

There will be a local drop-in consultation event at Breadalbane Community Campus, Aberfeldy on 9th November 2023 from 15.30 to 18.45.

The online consultation can be completed here https://consult.pkc.gov.uk/communities/tay-forest-national-park-consultation and closes on 1^st December.

This is a competitive bid, and 9 other areas having expressed interest in securing the National Park for their community. In Spring 2024, all nominations will be appraised against the criteria set out in the appraisal framework.  This will inform the decision about which area or areas should go forward for designation as a new National Park.

Legislation is expected to be brought forward in order to designate at least one new National Park by 2026.

Changes to Local Recycling – Kerbside and at Clach an Tuirc

From 1^st November, PKC will be accepting an increased range of items in their kerbside collections.  The Council is issuing details of the changes and in summary, collections will be as follows (more information on this site’s Local Recycling Opportunities Page):

Due to the increase in what PKC will be taking for recycling from Nov 1^st, Jenny is changing what she collects at Clach an Tuirc to the following:

1. Ink jet cartridges (virgin plastic only, please) i.e., same as before
2. Dental care products – Electric toothbrush heads and covers, Electric flosser nozzles, Flossing sticks and interdental brushes, Dental floss containers, Manual toothbrushes i.e., same as before;
3. Air, home and laundry packaging – now ONLY: Lenor tumble dryer sheets; Plastic air freshener containers; cartridge caps and car air fresheners (but NOT glass ones or electric plug-ins); and all brands of trigger/spray heads. Please put everything else in the PKC Grey Bin please, as specified by the Council.
4. Coffee pods
5. Writing implements – see info below. NEW!

And some great news! Jenny has been accepted onto the BIC Writing Implements Recycling Scheme, on behalf of Kenmore Primary School (who will get all funds that this recycling programme generates). So, from 1^st November, she can accept and recycle the following: 

Accepted waste: all brands of writing instruments, whether in plastic or metal – ballpoint, gel and fountain pens, marker pens, mechanical pencils, refills and cartridges, eraser pens (cap included), correction instruments (bottles, tapes and pens), highlighter, felt tips, whiteboard and permanent markers.

Waste that is NOT accepted: wooden and colouring pencils, glue sticks, erasers (rubbers), rulers, chalk sticks or sharp/cutting objects.

Fearnan Book Club Reviews

Linda writes:

There was unanimous support for this book which was considered a compelling story and a great book club choice, providing opportunities for discussion of a range of issues and themes. It was fast paced but an easy read. Its colourful descriptive prose created images of Nigeria, giving insight into aspects of its culture, countryside, cities and its people. Class and gender struggles were well portrayed. The importance of education for girls is a theme that dominates the novel.

Most club members loved this well-presented story but found the attitudes to, and treatment of, girls and women heart-breaking especially as this is still happening in modern times. This highlighted what is going on in this part of the world and the social change that is needed. 

The pidgin English was found charming by some and enjoyable once we got into it. Initially some found difficult to follow and would have liked an explanation of African words. However, it added to the rich atmosphere of the story. 

Adunni was a shining light, a positive, determined and amusing girl who was set on getting an education despite adversity at every turn. Her setbacks were heart-breaking. We found her analysis and descriptions of other characters amusing and were amazed by her ability to make friends and gain support due to her infectious enthusiasm and joy. 

The other characters and their actions made the ending slightly predictable and the actions of a rich woman who saw Adunni’s potential, hopefully, resulted in a happy ending and a bright future for her. We felt sure that she found her “louding voice”, had a good education and was then able to speak up for herself and other women. 

The story was a fun way to illustrate how women were side-lined and during this period (50s/60s) and were expected to be confined to roles as a wife and mother.  Elizabeth Zott, a chemist, is frustrated by the social conventions that contain her both personally and professionally. She faces many challenges, including attitudes to unmarried mothers and the tragic death of the love of her life, her soul mate and live-in partner Walter. Most of us didn’t see that coming! 

Her research is stolen, and she is forced to resign.  She reluctantly becomes the host of a cooking show “Supper at Six” through which she opened the eyes of women to change and possibilities and contributed to women’s struggle for equal opportunities. The chemistry and formulae and references to the constituents of food items that she cooked on the show, were cleverly woven in, much to the disapproval of the show’s producer. 

There were many interesting characters including Six Thirty, the precocious, philosophical dog, who provided an amusing but far-fetched background commentary and was very protective of his family. Elizabeth’s daughter (also precocious), and Harriet and Walter (both supportive and sympathetic), were well portrayed.

Some found it too long and thought it needed tightening up. Others thought there were too many ideas crammed into the book. As a group, we are often critical of book endings, however in this case, we felt it ended on a hopeful note and was wrapped up well.

There’s a really good selection of social events lined up for Fearnan and here they are in chronological order:

Fearnan Village Association is planning the  following events over the next few months:

Invasive Plant Species

The invasive species, Japanese Knotweed, has been present in and around the village for some time now, but our local team who have been trained to treat and eradicate it have been out in action recently.

Unfortunately, there is now another invasive species – Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)- that will need to be dealt with as well. It is described as a Species of Special Concern and is listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Himalayan Balsam was introduced as a garden plant in 1839, but soon escaped and became widely naturalised along riverbanks and ditches, especially close to towns. It is fast-growing and spreads quickly, invading wet habitat at the expense of other, native flowers. Its explosive seed pods aid its spread by sending the seeds into the river, causing further dispersal downstream.

Himalayan balsam has large, pink flowers shaped like a bonnet; these are followed by hanging, green seed pods.

Balsam is an annual plant, so it grows, flowers, seeds and dies all within one season. The aim of control work is to remove the plant before seeding occurs i.e. in the early summer months, critically before the seeds ripen and seed pods ‘explode’ scattering seeds. Unlike Japanese Knotweed, uprooting the plant at the right time of year can arrest its spread and as the seeds only persist in the soil for around 18 months, populations of balsam can be removed after 2 or 3 years of consistent control. 

The Scottish Invasive Species Initiative will organise local ‘Pulling Days’ for Fearnan next year, and we’ll flag dates up to you in advance to encourage as many people as possible to take part and to help to reduce the threat to native species that Himalayan Balsam poses.

In the meantime, if you spot any clumps of either Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam, please notify  Mark Purrman-Charles the Invasive Species Officer for the Tay Catchment Area (markpc.sisi@gmail.com).

Fearnan Book Club Review

Linda writes:

We recently read and reviewed American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins.

The book is about a Mexican bookseller, Lydia, who is forced to leave her comfortable middle-class life in Acapulco and flee as an illegal immigrant to the United States, along with her son. This was necessary after her journalist husband exposed a local drug kingpin and the rest of her family are killed.

Along the way Lydia and her son Luca meet up with other people fleeing to the US and together they travel on the roofs of speeding freight trains, encountering various obstacles. The journey is dangerous at every stage. The details given ensure that the reader has a vivid image of characters, settings and the journey. Opinions varied with regard to these colourful characters and their back stories and motives. For some, a few characters weren’t plausible and some of their attitudes and actions were questioned. Lydia was considered unemotional but perhaps she was in survival mode and that was her way of coping. She mothered and looked after many of the group.

Most appreciated the scenery descriptions of the Mexican countryside especially towards the end where the trials of the desert crossing and the effects of its sudden drop in night-time temperatures, were very well portrayed. 

The ending was considered something of an anti-climax, not a happy ever after, but always looking over your shoulder, never feeling totally relaxed.

This book has been the subject of controversy and criticism related to cultural appropriation, which was an issue we also discussed.

We followed this up by reading The Edinburgh Skating Club by Michelle Sloan. It is a story of one woman’s mission to infiltrate a male dominated society and is a time shift adventure from the 18th to the 21st century. 

(NB the weak structure mentioned above has nothing to do with the noticeboards!)

Many thanks to John for his generous contribution of time and effort – a really great result!

Saved from Landfill!

Fraser MacLean

We were all saddened to hear of the passing of Fraser Maclean, a long-term resident of Fearnan and friend to many in the community.

Fraser, was a retired flight engineer, having served in the RAF for 38 years including a 6-month term of duty in the Falklands War where he worked with the Hercules fleet. He came to Fearnan in 1995 and purchased Clach an Tuirc from Liz Menzies.

He met Trish in 1997 and, although Trish was initially concerned that they lived too far apart, romance blossomed, and they married in 2001.  Both Fraser and Trish were very involved in village events and were always willing to lend a hand to make sure things ran smoothly.

At that time, there was a well-subscribed country dancing group that met every week in the Hall. Fraser was the backbone of the dancing – he called the dances, made up the programs, saw to the music and everything. He got a lot of fun (and considerable frustration!) out of getting everybody through the dances.

Trish recalls happy times once the dancing was over and the group – including Andy Burt, Liz Menzies, Julia, Hazel and Keith and others – would re-convene in Clach an Tuirc, or in the Pottery or at No1 Dalchiaran where much wine was consumed, and great laughs and discussions were had. Hazel and Keith credit Fraser and Trish with beginning their love of Scottish dance.

Fraser loved Fearnan and the community and put off leaving the village for as long as he could. He and Trish finally left in 2018 for health reasons after over 20 years at Clach an Tuirc.

Moving house after 20 years isn’t easy – particularly for someone like Fraser who hated throwing things out, and despite Trish’s best efforts, he managed to transfer a half-filled coal skuttle (despite the fact there wasn’t an open fire in the new house), a parachute, and an unused bandage dated 1941 to the new house!

Fraser and Trish made a huge contribution to the Fearnan community and were much missed when they left. We send our sincere condolences and very warm wishes to Trish at this time.

Handam Pop-Up Shop

Ros Grant writes:

Ideas for fundraising are always on the Hall Committee’s agenda, particularly as the McLean Hall was not included initially on this year’s Thrift Shop rota.  We need funds for the recently installed window blinds and for development of the Hall’s front exterior.  When we realised that we could rent space in the refill shop Handam Aberfeldy, Linda, a Committee member suggested that we should try a Pop-up Shop and run a trial for three days. 

We needed quality items to sell so donations came from publicity about the Pop-up shop idea on notice board posters and leaflets to Fearnan homes and the surrounding area plus advertising on local Facebook sites.  Donations brought a range of items such as clothes, shoes, bags, pictures and household goods and from Glenlyon an old oak chest of drawers and dresser.  The chest formed part of the Pop-up shop’s window display and resulted in an early sale.

Volunteers helped to sort, pack and transport from the Hall to the shop and back again after the three-day sale.  Our Pop-up Shop was staffed by Hall Committee members and other Fearnan friends and open for the same hours as Handam 10-5 for Thursday and Friday then 10-4 on Saturday, the final day.  We sold a range of items from our eclectic mix to locals and overseas visitors, despite damp weather at times.   Some pictures and the dresser were sold online via local Facebook groups.

A whopping great £1,743 was raised for the maintenance and development of the McLean Hall.

A huge thank you to all who donated items and to our volunteers who worked tirelessly in the sale preparation, in the shop and clearing up afterwards.

Fearnan Book Club

Linda writes:

A recent book read by the group, was No Great Mischief, a 1999 novel by Alistair MacLeod.

Opinions in the group varied. Some thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it an incredible piece of work. A few were not impressed and felt it was more autobiographical, the narrator of the book being Alexander MacDonald. The repetitive and initially slow-moving style didn’t grab them, and they felt there were no peaks. 

Others liked the descriptions of the wild landscape of Cape Breton and the mining camp. The two grandfathers were popular characters, whose differing personalities were well illustrated. There was a fascination with their stories, experiences and knowledge of the Scottish clan system they left behind when they emigrated. Eventually they became a separate Nova Scotian Clan: red-haired and black-eyed, and with its own history.

The emotional bond of the family through the ages was well portrayed and links were made. The modern character, Alexander, was an orthodontist and the book includes a description was of his ancestor Calum having a tooth pulled by attaching a string to a moving horse.

The strong message throughout was always look after your blood relatives and the very fitting quote “all of us are better when we’re loved” summed up the family interactions through the ages.

Many Scottish readers can relate or compare elements of the story with their own family history.

This is a bit of a catch up Blog covering the last two and a half months, so we’re going in chronological order, starting with the Coronation:

Coronation Celebration

Linda writes:

A well-attended Coronation Celebration was held in the hall on Monday 8th May. Around 55 people came and Fearnan folk were joined by visitors from around the local area. Two bikers from Shropshire who were in Fearnan at the time also enjoyed the hospitality.

In true Fearnan fashion, there was a good spread of both savouries and cakes etc. which was much enjoyed (and complimented on) by our visitors.

Around eight children enthusiastically participated in craft activities designing crowns and decorating plates. Modelling their crowns, they proudly posed for photos on a “throne” holding an orb and sceptre and wearing a vintage “robe.”

A special Coronation Raffle was drawn. Kath Douthwaite had generously donated hampers prepared by The Courtyard, Kenmore. 

Donations and raffle takings were for the McLean Hall funds and resulted in a total of £500 being raised. Many thanks to all who contributed. 

Fearnan Book Club

At our book club meeting in May, we discussed Glenlyon by Kenneth Steven, who grew up in Highland Perthshire. It was there he experienced the glens, rivers and lochs, as well as the wildlife, that has inspired his poetry and prose. He encountered some of the last freshwater pearlfishers and the last few speakers of Perthshire Gaelic. All of this poured into his poetry and prose.

We all commented on the beautiful poetic language and imagery. The evocative setting and timelessness of the Glen was well described. It was a sensitive read which discussed the themes of love, broken people and the search for freedom and healing.

Some of the group felt that this was more like a novella and that it could have been a longer book in which characters and events could have been developed further. 

We cared about the characters and although the ending was perhaps left to the reader, it felt like a happy ending with closure for Somerset, the main character. His previous life was gradually revealed as the story progressed. He had felt a failure, then he had a future. We enjoyed the love affair between Somerset and Anna and how he panned for gold for her wedding ring. 

A few of us have visited the “stones”, which featured in the text, on an archeological walk. The Cailleach (a seasonal goddess), Bodach (‘old man’, her husband) and their children, roughly shaped in human form, feature in the ancient ritual – which is linked with farming prosperity – and they are brought out of their shieling in Spring and returned for winter.

Some of the author’s work is also showcased on the Corbenic Poetry Path. 

Our next read is No Great Mischief, a 1999 novel by Alistair McLeod.

This novel explores the emotional bonds of family through flashbacks to their childhood in Cape Breton Island and young adulthood spent in the mines of Northern Ontario, clan history dating back to 1779, and present-day interactions between the two brothers and a sister.

McLean Hall’s Annual General Meeting 2023

Ros Grant writes:

Fearnan’s Hall Committee, comprising the Management Team and User Group representatives held its Annual General Meeting and General Business Meeting on Thursday 18 May 2023.   The Committee has met on two occasions during the year as has the Management Team.  

Social events in the Hall are gradually increasing post pandemic and regular classes resuming.   Two very successful events were held – the MacMillan charity coffee morning on 30 September 2022 and more recently the volunteers’ day Coronation Celebration on Monday 8 May to celebrate King Charles’ Coronation on 6 May which raised over £500 for Hall funds.  Thanks to Linda Milne for co-ordinating these events with an enthusiastic team and huge thanks to everyone who has contributed to hall events. 

Hall User Groups comprise regular clubs and sessions which include Carpet Bowls on Monday evenings during the winter season (October – March), Tai Chi on Wednesday mornings (10am – 11am) and Yoga on Friday mornings (10.15am – 11.45am).  New members are always welcome to join these activities; the Art Club is hoping to reconvene in the Autumn, usually held on Monday afternoons.  Fearnan Book Club meets monthly on the second Wednesday at 7.30pm. The Masons also meet regularly.   Several evening meetings for the community have been held one on Managing Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species and the other on Recycling including a presentation from Perth & Kinross Council. 

The Hall Committee always aims to dovetail its events with those of the Fearnan Village Association so that the local annual calendar is reasonably spaced. 

As the Hall Committee has no slot in the Aberfeldy Thrift Shop this year, the Hall Team hopes to organise fundraising events such as a Summer Fayre in August and an evening Quiz in the Autumn.  We need funds to develop the external area of the hall front to include the addition of a shed to house difficult to recycle small items and a resource centre.

Elections for Office Bearers of the Hall Management Committee Team and the Trustees were held at the AGM as usual.  Each year Office Bearers (Chair, Treasurer and Secretary) and Trustees stand down but can stand for re-election.   Office Bearers for 2023-24 are Chair Ros Grant, Secretary Elaine Melrose, Treasurer Kay Simmonds, and Events Organiser Linda Milne. 

Karen Bennett has been involved with Hall matters for 15 years and as outgoing Treasurer presented the accounts for the last time.  She has decided to stand down from the Hall Management Committee Team and step back from her quite extraordinary contribution to village life not just as Treasurer, but she has also been responsible for administration, fundraising including grant applications, publicity and function organiser, all aspects of hall maintenance and improvements including a new kitchen.  Ros presented Karen with a Svarowski Diamante Crystal vase and a bouquet of flowers from Coach House, Grandtully on behalf of the Hall Committee.

The Trustees, Frances Brace and Tom Alexander who were re-elected for the year, paid tribute to Kath Douthwaite whose death was announced on 8 May.  Kath was a Trustee and had a longstanding interest in the Hall, whose Committee she joined in 1989.  She had donated the raffle prizes for the Hall’s Coronation Celebration.  We send our condolences to Alan and the Douthwaite family.

80^th Anniversary of the Fearnan Air Crash

The 29th May 2023 was the 80th anniversary of one of the most dramatic days in the history of the village, when a propeller-driven Albermarle plane, crewed by 3 Russian airmen who were based at Errol, crashed in the Cow Park. All on board died, including their Czechoslovakian colleague.

The village itself was unharmed, thanks to the skill of the pilot. On the anniversary, Sue Dolan Betney, the Chair of Fearnan Village Association, laid flowers at the commemoration stone to remember those who died and, on behalf of a previous generation of villagers, to express thanks for the fact that a potential disaster was averted.

The story was picked up by the Times newspaper, in an article by Magnus Linklater, and also appeared in parts of the Russian press, where this laying of flowers was recognised as a simple act of humanity.

The full story of the crash appeared on this Blog a few years ago, and you can read it here: The Fearnan Air Crash.

June Pop-Up Coffee Shop

Please note that the FVA will not be hosting a Strawberry Tea this year, due (as they say) to unforeseen circumstances. We will, however, hold an extra event in the autumn – so watch this space for news and dates!