Trip to Robert Burns museum January 2017

On the 16th of January (fortune smiling on us, we had a pretty nice day, dry and clear!) We set out on our first flexi school day trip.

 Granny and Teresa came along with us, which was really nice! We set out about 11am and drove over to Alloway.  On our way we listened to Eddie Reader singing the songs of Robert Burns to get us in the mood and provide some talking points as we drove.  Iona loved Charlie is my darling and we had to listen to that one twice.

 On our way we passed through lots of funny and slightly down at heel little towns.  We paused in Muirkirk, one of the ex mining communities along the way.  They had a fascinating layby with bits of sculpture (giant totem pole!?) and boards with historical and local information.  Naturally Teresa and I went to investigate with Iona.  It turns out Muirkirk has some Burns associations, a woman called Tibbie Pagan lived there and wrote many poems and songs.  Among them Ca' the Yowes tae the Knowes, later made famous by Burns, who had visited her in her cottage.  Reading her short biography it becomes plain that she was a woman who enjoyed good times, good poetry and good drink, so you can imagine Burns might have enjoyed her company.

 After leaving Muirkirk we made straight for the Burns museum in Alloway.   When we arrived we all felt weary, hungry and ready for a break so we had a bowl of soup and some drinks in the cafe there before having a look around the museum.

 Iona and Teresa filled in the "hunt the mousie" activity sheet provided, which was trickier than you might imagine.  We all admired the exhibits, ranging from original books of poetry and song to the plaster cast of Burns skull, made when they opened his grave to bury his wife Jean.  We saw the Cuttie stool, as used in churches in Burns time to shame the wayward sinner by having him or her sit on it at the front of the church while the minister spoke on their moral failings.

Iona really enjoyed the interactive exhibits, particularly the "make a movie" touchscreen which allowed her to place ghouls and goblins in an animated scene from Tam o' Shanter.  The museum was a bit dark, but overall very enjoyable.  Iona and I both wrote poems and placed them on the Trysting tree.  

While we were there we we also saw a temporary exhibition called Witches' Brouhaha, an installation by Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre.  It was sinister enough to really amuse Iona!  

After the museum we took a short walk to the Burns monument, Alloway Auld Kirk and the old Brig o' Doon (setting for the climax of Tam o' Shanter).  Mary did some sketching while Teresa, Iona and I admired the spooky graveyard, where Burns mother and father are buried.  The Kirk was a ruin even in Burns day and the legends of it being haunted certainly inspired him.

 The day was getting on and Iona was very tired, so after walking over the bridge and peeping out at the top of the monument we went to the hotel at the top of the road for ice creams all round.  

 Iona and Teresa walked along the poet's path to the cottage where Robert Burns was born.  We didn't have time to view the cottage on this trip but I'm sure we will be back.  We set off for home and made it back in one piece, it was quite a long way for a day trip and I think next time we'd all like to stay in the hotel, it was lovely!