This section sounds amazing, all those wonderful artisan items to see. How cute are these puffins 😊😊 My virtual journey is almost as exciting as my real time walk along the Thames Path. Whilst I didn’t see any puffins on my walk, I did see a few herons and lots of our delightful British spring visitors.
I am making my way along St Ann’s Bay on the east coast of the trail and it should probably be called “Artisan Coast” because from the tiny rural community of St Ann all the way up to Wreck Cove it is one long list of artisan shops, galleries and studios offering items made of clay, glass, leather, pewter, iron, paint, fibre and canvas.
St Ann is one of the oldest settlements in North America. It acquired its Gaelic roots when the Scottish Reverend Norman McLeod on his way to Ohio was forced ashore during a storm. He setup his ministry and was soon followed by boatloads of Scots from the motherland becoming the first Scots in St Ann. He eventually immigrated to New Zealand with many of his followers and his property in St Ann is today occupied by the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts.
Whilst I visited the Gaelic College, I came across another book called Letters to Mac-Talla from John Munro, A Cape Breton Gael in New Zealand 1894-1902, and it is a humorous compilation of 32 letters written home to Nova Scotia. Having lived for 40 years in Nova Scotia, together with 900 fellow Highlanders, John sailed to New Zealand where he spent the next 40 years. In his letters he wrote about St Ann’s history, the Mi’kmaq (local indigenous people), first contact with Europeans, the French Occupation, the local flora and fauna along with his experience in New Zealand, the Maori and his fellow Scots.
The nearby Great Hall of Clan Museum took me on a journey of the early settlers from the Highlands of Scotland to their evolution into a Cape Breton way of life and Rev. Norman McLeod’s journey from Scotland to St Ann to Waipu, New Zealand.
I enjoyed the link with the recent New Zealand virtual challenge I completed…we definitely need a virtual challenge based in Scotland ….
What these places we ‘visit ‘ while processing along these virtual challenges, is that we ‘Europeans’ are all immigrants.
I also find them so enticing…I’d love to visit in real time too 😄😄
it sounds so lovely..always grateful to read through these and use my imagination:)
Me too. 😊😊
Yes, the puffins are indeed too cute for words 💌.
Having visited both the Maritimes in Canada and New Zealand (many years ago) I was struck by the similarities and the Scottish influence is indeed very strong. I am sure you will “find” many more such examples on your virtual walk.
Good luck with the walking and, incidentally, the Broadstairs Folk Week is coming along nicely (fingers crossed), so I really look forward to actually meeting you if you can make it.
Yes indeed. What strikes me too is not only the influence of immigrants, but the landscape is very similar too in many instances. I guess it links back to when the super continent, Pangea, broke apart. We already know that much of Britain was further south at one time in history.
The virtual walks are brilliant..the organisers provide so much information and history.
I’m glad to note that Folk Week is looking positive. I’ve diarised the dates and will likely be able to visit the last 2 days 🤞🤞
Brilliant, I’ll hope to see you there.
As for the geology etc., when I was researching my last series about the Maritimes I found out that it is geologically related to North Africa of all places.
Again your thoughts chime very much with mine, if you are in Cape Breton for example or parts of the North Island of NZ you may as well be in the Highlands of Scotland.
It is no wonder our “Jockish” brethren (and sistren obviously) felt so at home there and thrived, it was like being at home but without the fear of the Sassenachs throwing you off the land to graze sheep!