Rambling reflections on Drumkinnon Camp

Rambling Reflections on Drumkinnon Camp

Part of the 'Sharing Heritage' articles.
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There have been many changes at the Camp since 1929 . The Camp Cottage has passed into other hands ; there will be no more impromptu whist drives on wet nights , no more eightsomes in the kitchen and no more sitting around the room fire swapping yarns.

The new hut TAL -S tone has been well worth the efforts of the members and has fully justified the time and energy of those who carried out the planning and erection . There are many happy memories of joyous weekend parties during the last summer ; how the many visitors from other groups throughout the country expressed their appreciation of the facilities and the ideal situation of the Drumkinnon Camp . It was more than ever impressed upon me , in conversation with members from other groups , that out our movement is active and alive, that it is on the right lines , and is certain to have a definitive influence on the problem of making best use of leisure .

Ed Miller, Camp Secretary

A review of the years work at Camp would not be complete without a word about our friends from the Dundee Group.They visited us in spring and summer and quickly established themselves as firm favourites; at present they have a scheme in hand for strating a weekend camp of their own, the site of which was visited by a party from Glasgow on a memorable sunday last August .

Soon after these lines appear I will be on way to California where local social customs and habits will probably be different from those prevailing here . It will be a big wrench to say good bye , but it will be softened by the countless memories of Drumkinnon Camp during 1929. Ed . Millar , Camp Sec.

Building on the success at Drumkinnon , in 1953 the Group went on to occupy land at Gartocharn , again on the south shore of Loch Lomondside .Aber Camp took its name from the Aber Burn which flowed nearby .The Camp which covered 0.35 hectares opened on June 19th 1953 at a rent of £15 which entitled them to as much free spring water from the burn as they wanted .The Camp enjoyed success until 1962 when it closed on 10th June due to falling numbers using the Camp and the land owner farmer requiring the land for a new caravan site .

Ten years later in 1972 the Club rented a cottage on the Auch Estate which was owned by The Right Honorable Charles Edwin Baron Trevor , or Lord Trevor . The lease started on 1st June for the cottage known as ‘Old MacDougall’s ‘ which held up to 8 people and was immediately adjacent to the railway line, this cottage was enjoyed by the members until the lease was terminated on 19th November 1988 . The cottage still stands there today.

Glasgow HF Outdoor club has been supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to release a book celebrating 100 years of existence.