After Amber had gone home we still had a couple of days to ourselves, so after a bit of housework and recipe testing on Sunday we headed out to Strachur, the next village up from us where there were a few things of interest. It's a tiny place and so it's surprising that we could pass an afternoon here. The first thing is the smiddy (blacksmith's) which is open and running every Saturday and Sunday afternoon - a real, working museum. There were a few others there watching the blacksmith and a couple of other volunteers pumping the bellows and making a beautiful poker with a rams head on the end. We've ordered a poker for our fire, which we think was the one being made whilst we were there! The place is exactly as it would have been 100 years ago and has been there for over 200 years. It's run by volunteers in the community, including John the resident blacksmith who is a wealth of information, if not teeth. He was really happy to show us some of the tools on display and tell us how they would have been used. This was a real little gem. There is a also a lovely little gift shop with items from a local potter, lovingly presented lucky horseshoes, soaps and cards.
Then we headed to check out the little church, which was open. A similar design to others up here and home to the 'white elephant' shop (second hand stall), although that was closed today. We also noticed several beautiful ancient gravestones set into the church wall. They have a small organ, although John couldn't see how to switch it on.
Next we headed on to an open garden at Strachur House, which is a private house with a lovely garden open in the summer for a few quid. It's a big garden with lots of different planting and a small stream running through it, and the house is beautiful but slightly dilapidated. There was so many bees and even a cute black cat to watch. We noted the various plant supports as ideas fro our own garden and enjoyed a sit in the sun for 10 minutes before gettig .a bit too hot!
We had a good wander round then, as the weather was fantastic, we stopped down the road at Bay Cottage tea rooms for a quick beer/ginger beer and slice of homemade cake before heading home to cut John's fully regrown hair and watch England in the Euros final!
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