Cromarty Trip

The Cromarty trip went ahead with 20 members braving the atrocious rain. Although the incessant rain meant that walking round the idyllic wee town was not possible everyone enjoyed the trip. The day started with the group being totally surprised by the bus driver. He was 21 but looked about 16 and it was his first day on the job! He handled the day very well though even when we decided to leave an hour earlier due to the weather.
First port of call at Cromarty was the Courthouse where the group split into two to look around and enjoy the exhibits. The picture shows one of the jail cells at the Courthouse. After lunch the group then visited Hugh Miller's Cottage.
Congratulations to Joan for organising the trip. It's clear members enjoy trips away and hopefully we'll do more.

Bus Trip to Cromarty

Committee Member Joan Taylor has been hard at work arranging a bus trip to Cromarty on Saturday 18th August with the bus leaving Forres at 10:45am and returning at 4:00pm.

Hugh Miller was a world-renowned geologist, author, newspaper editor, human rights campaigner and a founder of the Free Church of Scotland. The visit will take in the elegant Georgian house that he moved to when he married and the cottage where he was born. The house holds a fascinating interactive exhibition and the cottage has an evocative audio tour taking you back to his early life in Cromarty in the 1800s.

After lunch (for which you should make your own arrangements at the many eateries in Cromarty) we will visit The Courthouse where you can meet the eccentric 17th century laird Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty and see a trial from the 1770s in the original courtroom, with life-like animated models with voices of local people. The time is then your own until we return at 4:00pm.

The cost of this trip has been restricted to £5.00 per head for Friends and £10.00 for non-Friends. This includes admission to both venues.

If you are interested in going drop an email to the Friends at friends@falconermuseum.co.uk before 1st August.

Hugh Falconer - Fossil Hunter, a talk on his life and work in India

The Falconer Museum is delighted to invite you to a talk at Applegrove Primary School Hall on Friday 4th May at 7.30pm. The illustrated talk, by Anne Marie Gibson and Michael Brooks of Circa Media, Edinburgh will explain the fascinating life and work of Dr Hugh Falconer, botanist, geologist, palaeontologist, one of the founders of the Falconer Museum and a Forresian too!
Annemaire and Michael have recently returned from the Sewalik Hills, North India with some stunning photographs to illustrate the fascinating life and work of our very own eminent Victorian scientist. Their work will form the basis of a brand new interpretation of Dr Falconer's work, to be displayed in the newly re-developed Falconer Museum (opening late summer 2007).
Come along for a sneak preview of our new museum, enjoy the illustrated talk and a glass of wine afterwards! The talk is free to Friends of the Falconer Museum and £1.00 to the public. Children are welcome and come free.