Cluaran Heritage Project
The international racing event called Skiffieworlds started on Saturday. An expeditionary party of cluaran connected people were there to see the opening ceremony.
https://stranraerwatersports.com/skiffieworlds2025/welcome-stranraer-skiffieworlds-2025
With boats from the D&G coastline, accross Scotland Ireland, England, the Netherlands, the USA, and Austrailia it was properly international. One day, perhaps, there will be a Dumfries boat there too!
I’m in the workshop today doing some Cluaran maintenance in preparation for a row this evening.
While I’m doing that I’m thinking about this years Nithraid. Nithraid is a festival which helps people reconnect and reimagine their relationship with the river Nith.
A few years ago I made a video about toy boat building using household materials. Instead of flushing plastic away and forgetting about it, it can be re-imagined as a valuable resource. There are projects around the world doing this on a large scale. On a small scale, we could make the components needed to turn used containers into components for toy boats.
If you are interested, please get in touch!
We may be able to contribute to this years on the green Nithraid activities (24th of August).
Of course, if you would like to row get in touch too! We are practicing on the Nith (including this evening – the 3rd of July)
We live on an island. More accurately a collection of Islands. Even if you are not separated from the centres of urban population by a body of water, travelling by land is often the long way round.
So one of the range of activities WSC supports encourages familiarity with the water. At present it does this by collecting people and things together, and then suggesting opportunities. Perhaps it will become more formal, but at the moment that is where we are.
Here are some photos of evenings on the river Nith.
On Thursday the 3rd Simon is planning to take Cluaran out on the water again. It will be the usual procedure of mustering at the workshop at 6 , then launching according to the wind and the tide and the number of folk we have.
Simon plans to take Cluaran on the water on the evening of Thursday the 5th. Gather at the WSC workshop at 18.00 and we will check the weather. Perhaps we will make to to the pub afterwards this time!
We will be introducing people to Viking era rowing at Carmunnock Gala (firmly on dry land) on Saturday the 14th, and the local primary school the day before.
Well, more like Viking discussion starters!
What it is like to be visited by someone from the Viking era? Cathbad has recorded some answers to the sort of Questions he gets asked by School children.
These might be handy if you live too far away from our base in Dumfries to arrange a visit in person.
These videos are free to view, and largely unedited to give a flavour of what a visit is like. If they are helpful you can buy the artist a coffee here
The Floating Monastery YouTube Channel has full stories on it too!
Not a WSC event, but part of the cloud of community activities supported through the CIC. We moved Cluaran to a new trailer and raced the outgoing tide. More to follow!
If you would like to be added to a WhatsApp group to get more instant info, please get in touch.
Stories have been plucked from the wind and passed down to us from ancient days, with the aid of goose feathers. The quills of scribes fluttered over a thousand years ago to record tales that were much older.
Come and experience storyteller Simon Lidwell bringing a selection of these to life. The tales will be chosen to imagine how the place we know as Dumfries has formed.
What stories would early Iron age folk tell when they forded the river? Why did Devorgilla build a bridge to get people to Whithorn? After each story there will be the opportunity to reflect and chat.
There will also be the opportunity to find out more about writing using a “good goose quill pen” and making medieval ink – and perhaps you might like to have a go!
Access to the church hall can be had via the Brooms Road entrance.
The event will be free to access, but donations gratefully received.
This event is being held in conjunction with Wordsmith Crafts and St Michaels church for the 2025 Spring Wild Goose Festival.
Pen And Think
Date: 14 apr • 10:30
Location: 87 Saint Michael Street, Dumfries, DG1 2LA
Share and enjoy these version of the poster!
It’s been a while since we have been blacksmithing at Taliesin. It is a wonderful place, and an amazing idea becoming real though.
(Some info about the historical Taliesin and the old north here)
They have some events coming up this Easter. We are involved in Quartz things that particular weekend but here is the info to share and look at.
Two successful school visits
After the school visiting there is the unpacking, sorting, checking and repairs! It was great to be asked back to two schools from last year though.
Both teachers and pupils have been very complimentary about one of the activities we offer. In the “Settler to Sea King” game the pupils form groups on an island. They gradually explore the area and find resources to build their settlement. As they build the settlement they gain different ships, and eventually one island will be the first to aquire a dragonship and call themselves Jarls.
The game is based on archaological studies of the Nordrøy/Shetland/Orkney and has a trading game which links to it.
Looking for Vikings to visit your educational establishment? If you have the silver we will travel!