Tune into BBC Radio Scotland - A House With A Past

I wrote to BBC radio Scotland some time ago asking if they could help me to find more information on the history of our house, Briar Cottage, on the banks of Loch Earn in Lochearnhead. The producer of " A House with a Past" telephoned and asked if I would be happy to put my questions to their resident house detective to answer. Tune into the programme on Monday 10th August at 10.30 to find out what is said. We know that two centuries of McLarens lived in our thatched cottage and that the original owners were MacGregors using the pseudonym Murray. A MacGregor(nee Murray) baby was born here in 1727, registered at Balquhidder Parsh and the Duke of Breadalbane owned the land and property at one point. There are some missing pieces to tie up and the BBC's house detective might just be the man to point me in the right direction.

Water Skiing and Wakeboarding on Loch Earn with plenty of ballast in the boat!

We ventured out on to Loch Earn last week with neighbour Gordon and his son Stewart. They invited us for a spin in their boat while they demonstrated their watersport skills. Both men are confident enthusiasts and adore Loch Earn. Fraser and I assisted in our own way by being the extra ballast in the boat! Stewart went out first on the wakeboard, then on his knee board, while his dad showed us the art of water skiing. We were most impressed. I am hoping that Stewart will enter WakeScot, Scotlands premier wakeboarding event which is to take place in Lochearnhead at the Water Sports and Activities centre on the weekend of August 1st 2009. It is perhaps fitting that the event which is endorsed by governing bodies Waterski Scotland and British Water Ski, is being held locally given that Loch Earn was Scotlands very first commercial water skiing venue in the 1950's . It should be a great spectacle for visitors and fun for those participating. The centre offers a number of water sports activities as well as archery, mountain bike hire, quad biking and more. There is also a cafe offering breakfast, snacks, ice cream, meals, coffee, cake and drinks.

Briar Cottage enjoys new thatch thanks to Historic Scotland and Something Corny

Briar Cottage in Lochearnhead has a new reed thatch on the east end over the cruck timber ceiling in the byre room(now our lounge). Just in time too as the draughts in the winter were so bad that I could just about blow dry my hair on the inside. Thank you to Historic Scotland for awarding our B listed cottage a grant and to master thatcher Peter Brugge and his team for doing an excellent job. Elaine Lindsay from Something Corny (http://www.somethingcorny.co.uk/) in Inverurie also came up trumps when we challenged her to create straw finials in the shape of ducks in honour of resident mallard Daffy and her ducklings. We decided to place them on the west gable rather than the new section, in order that they could greet Little Briar holiday cottage guests entering the grounds. Anyone who would like a peek at our 17th century cruck timber ceiling should look out for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Open Day on the 19th and 20th of September 2009.