A Weekend In Scotland
And what a weekend it was too.
It was Thursday night and I was not long home from a full day at work. And here I was packing the car for a 400 mile trip to Scotland!
I left my home at 8:30pm and made my way to my friend QM's (Alan) house to pick him and his friend David up. I arrived at Alan's at 9:30pm and after a quick cup of tea and a catch up, we loaded up the rest of the gear into my car and started our epic journey. I wont bore you with the details of the journey as it was thankfully an uneventful one. After taking plenty of rest stops we arrived into Larkhall, South Lanarkshire to meet up with our friend and fellow forum member, Digger John. Who prepared us a fantastic Scottish breakfast. Another forum member joined us, JJ, and after a good catch up, we made way for our camp site and detecting site. A beautiful farm in Lockerbie.
After deciding where to make camp I set up my tent and made it as comfortable as possible, as I would be sleeping there for three nights. Our camping area was situated right next to a beautiful river.
Digger John, JJ, FatBob and McRod, all have the pleasure to detect on this farm, and had kindly offered us southerners to come up for the weekend. When we had arrived, and was driving through the farm, Digger was pointing out all the fields we would be able to go on. And also what finds they had found in the past and also the history of the land. It is an amazing site with a Roman Fort, a 1st Century battle site, a 16th Century Battle site and a Georgian House site all on the same farm!!
After setting up our tents, we went to find some of the party who was already out detecting the many available fields. After a short walk through the stunning surroundings, we met up with Dusty, Stuart and Russ. After a good chat, and the usual banter, me Alan and David decided to go and explore our surroundings and to see which of the fields we would decide to detect on first. This didn't turn out as easy we expected it too!
We had to fight our way out of nettles, I got electrocuted by an evil electric fence and poor David climbed huge gates, only for Alan to casually open it and just walk through!
Arriving back at camp with a sore back and stinging legs, we waited for the rest of our group to arrive, and with our shopping done, mainly of beer and food, we finished setting up our headquarters and settled down.
We had to fight our way out of nettles, I got electrocuted by an evil electric fence and poor David climbed huge gates, only for Alan to casually open it and just walk through!
Arriving back at camp with a sore back and stinging legs, we waited for the rest of our group to arrive, and with our shopping done, mainly of beer and food, we finished setting up our headquarters and settled down.
Let the competition begin
The legend that he is. Alan had devised a competition for us all to take part in over the weekend. 'Brits V Scot's. He had even taken the trouble to buy some prizes and had them mounted onto trophies, made by David. For best Coin there was up for grabs a Silver Crown of Queen Victoria, for best Artefact, a solid silver spoon with a Thistle on and ready for it... for best crap of the weekend a.... fake pile of poo!!!!
Saturday
Once we had all eaten breakfast prepared by our resident chef, FatBob, and had woken up, we had the rules read out to us once again by Alan and so we set off to detect in the beautiful fields. I had decided to try the Roman Fort first. It is a huge hill, with a small cops of tree in the centre. The day passed quite quick with not many finds to show. Although I did find a Roman grot, I later learned this was common up here. Not having the same population as we had down South, the finds are less, so all the more harder to find.
I decided to change tack, and detected a small field that the Scot's lads had found Roman and Hammered coins in the past. Alas no luck for me again, but JJ had the luck of the day to find an Edward Hammered Penny.
With renewed enthusiasm, I then went into the field next-door. Close to where there was once a Georgian House. And the finds proved so. With a few worn copper coins and an assortment of other period finds.
My finds of the day was as follows.
- Three broken spoon handles, one of which is silver.
- A small Buckle
- A spent pistol ball
- A nice lead bag seal, which needs a full ID
- A broken shoe clasp
- A medieval belt fitting
- Lead plug, maybe for a bottle?
- Plenty of buttons
- And a powder measure or a pan weight, (The ID of this had the camp split)
Finds of the day was a hammered coin to JJ and a beautiful Denarius to Fatbob.
Sunday
After a night of drinking and talking with good friends and also with Davy the farmer and landowner around the camp fire we was all set for our last day of the competition. We all decided to head to the other end of the farm. This is where the Battle of Dryfe Sands was fought in 1593. You can read more on this battle here.
We started off in a field full of cows! They was so curious that they surrounded you whilst you was detecting. To be honest, I didn't like it and decided to get out of there before I got trampled! But some of the lads braved them and carried on regardless Again, the detecting was hard with none of us finding anything of note.
We started off in a field full of cows! They was so curious that they surrounded you whilst you was detecting. To be honest, I didn't like it and decided to get out of there before I got trampled! But some of the lads braved them and carried on regardless Again, the detecting was hard with none of us finding anything of note.
As we had all split up, I found myself thinking of heading back to the area where Bob had found the Denarius, only to see Dusty and Stuart excited and calling me over. Alan had spoken to the neighbouring farmer and had gained permission for us all to detect on some stubble fields and a ploughed field. With our enthusiasm sky high once again, we headed over to the the new farm.
I started on the stubble field first and found a ship half penny straight away. But after fighting the stubble for 45 minuets the ploughed land looked like heaven. I made my way across the road to the field and started my trek up quite a steep field. This is where I found the majority of Sundays finds.
I started on the stubble field first and found a ship half penny straight away. But after fighting the stubble for 45 minuets the ploughed land looked like heaven. I made my way across the road to the field and started my trek up quite a steep field. This is where I found the majority of Sundays finds.
My finds included:
- A Cartwheel Penny with a H counter-stamped on King Georges Head
- A broken spur
- A bullet tip, which has been made into a pendent to hang around a neck
- Some of the usual buttons
- Some worn Georgian coins
- And some furniture fittings
And the winners are ......
The rule was, that detecting was to end at 6pm. And the finds of the weekend was to be voted for. And after a hard weekend the winners was:
- JJ:- For detectorist of the weekend for finding a Hammered coin, a Roman bronze and a Roman Denarius
- Fat Bob:- For Coin of the Weekend, with a Roman Silver Denarius
- Stuart/Blackdog:- For Artefact of the weekend with an emblem with a family crest with silver inlay
- Dusty:- For Crap of the weekend with one of the most amazing assortment of crap any of us had seen in a long time
The End to a great Weekend
It was one of the best detecting weekends I have ever had. So what, I didn't find very much and the going was tough, and the total drive was 900 miles. It was worth every effort, and a weekend I am glad I attended. Its not all about gold and silver in this hobby of ours its about the friends we make along the way. They are the real gems we are lucky enough to find.
There is loads that I have missed out, such as part of my exhaust falling off, after reversing off the camp area, and the home made toilet tent. But I would never be able to express the whole weekend into words.
I hope you enjoyed reading this quite long report, and thank you for taking the time to do so.
Until next time
Happy Hunting
There is loads that I have missed out, such as part of my exhaust falling off, after reversing off the camp area, and the home made toilet tent. But I would never be able to express the whole weekend into words.
I hope you enjoyed reading this quite long report, and thank you for taking the time to do so.
Until next time
Happy Hunting
More Pictures of the weekend