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View Full Version : Archived: Blackford, Perthshire 25/08/09



Erstlaub
25-08-2009, 09:39 PM
So the Perth > Glasgow train passes through a tiny village called Blackford, locally, relatively famous for having the first Highland Games of the year (more notorious maybe are the afterparties that are alleged to run all weekend). After having to get this train a few times over the last few weeks, I noticed a couple of things I thought might be interesting to have a look around.

The village itself is nice and picturesque and is an antidote to the horrible rich kids playground of Gleneagles that sits nearby and hosted the G8 Summit in 2005.

Here's a little map of the route I walked, according to Google Earth it was about 5.7miles. It was a cracking day, bit too hot maybe, I got a sunburnt head and forgot to take any water with me.

http://erstlaub.co.uk/images/map.jpg

There is a very cute manned signal box/level crossing. I been through this a million times on the train.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/3856200879_fb2a780ae2.jpg

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On a hill just beside the signal box is the village cemetery and ruined church.

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A short walk to the west, you see the Deaf Knowe, apparently a King Magnus lost his wife, Queen Helen, in a storm whilst fording the river. The drowned Queen was buried at the scene of the tragedy. The grave was covered by a small hillock known as Deaf Knowe and clearly visible between the railway and Mains of Panholes. Deaf because a word spoken on one side of the Knowe cannot be heard on the opposite side.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/3856863992_6c49b27b9b.jpg

Walking on, there was plenty of wildlife, I watched a couple of eagles soaring and swooping in the surrounding area. A few miles on I came to Carsebreck Loch, I'd seen what looked like a ruin from the train the day before which had motivated me to get into this area.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3468/3856869536_465cea1a80.jpg

The Loch itself is a wildlife reserve with a fairly big surrounding marshland, home to plenty of birds including a swan about the size of a Nissan Micra that patrols the waters. The Loch was used as a curling rink from 1853-1935, this was captured by Charles Martin Hardie in oil in 1899.

http://erstlaub.co.uk/images/curling.jpg

and more recently in this (http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=6030) 1935 video (you can see the house that led me here in the background).

I've not managed to come up with much history on the place, it was an unusual little explore, the roof was largely intact, the plaster and skirting/facings all felt like they had been replaced quite soon before the house was abandoned. I really couldn't get a sense of the time atall from the place, there were no plug or light fittings but there was evidence of a backburner waterheater having been installed in one downstairs fireplace.

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A little way from the house (barely) stood a small fishing hut made of corrugated iron with a collapsed wooden floor.

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There was another ruined building that I saw, right by the side of the railway tracks, I made towards it but it looked like it was on the £200 fine side of the fence and I'd have had to try and charm a massive bull to get near it. Instead I decided to just follow the burn and this train back towards the car and home (avoiding another field full of HUUUUGGE bulls).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3436/3856136861_b37d1ca4f4.jpg

A few more in the flickr set (http://www.flickr.com/photos/erstlaub/sets/72157622017450919/), thanks for looking.

D

escortmad79
27-08-2009, 05:50 PM
Didn't know the house existed, I visited the church back in April though.

The pics from my visit can be found here: http://derelictionaddiction.fotopic.net/c1682157.html