Milnathort in the parish of Orwell and the Ochil Hills in Scotland

Hello Hello Hivians We just came back from another long weekend. This time it was to Perth on the river Tay in Scotland. The original Perth that is, not one of the ones down under or any of the other 20 or so dotted around the world. The mode of transport we used was an excellent bus service that took us through Kinross-shire and Kinross plus the places you are going to see below!   So much of Scotland's countryside is farmland, and the end of summer is a gorgeous time when harvests are being brought in and colours are changing.  One beauty about public transport is that you don't have to worry about traffic while you are driving. Another huge plus point is that you can work or as was my case on Monday, snap pictures for Hive and point places out to people.  It does not matter as to the time of year as we always have traffic or road works all over the place. Mind you I was not complaining about this road getting resurfaced considering it was a bridge, and I didn't fancy falling down a wee ravine into a valley!   In the distance you can see the [Ochil Hills](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochil_Hills). I have paraphrased some info about the Hills which strictly speaking are only broadly defined in range!  >The Ochil Hills are a range in central Scotland, north of the Forth valley. Formed from Devonian lava, their steep southern face is an escarpment created by the Ochil Fault, with Ben Cleuch being the highest peak at 721m. Historically, the hills were a strategic gateway to the Highlands and the site of the 1715 Battle of Sheriffmuir. Their streams provided crucial water power for the mills of the industrial "Hillfoots Villages" below.  Remember that I told you I loved the golden colours of harvest time. Well you will see lots of the golden coloured stubble from dried grass that has been harvested. ### Which way? To Milnathort or Stirling....  We shall find out in a second, in the meantime we can see some big circular bales of hay that are composed of dried grass or other herbaceous plants, cut and compressed for storage. They are primarily used as fodder for livestock like cattle, horses, and sheep.  The eagle eyed amongst you can see that yes as the title suggests, we did in fact turn left towards Milnathort... ### Farmer in the field ... or Hay thief? Do you see him ... There is no way you are picking up that big hay bale and lifting it over your shoulder and walking off!   ### Milnathort Milnathort has a population of around 2,000 people. It is situated amidst countryside that we have driven through at the foot of the Ochil Hills and near the north shore of Loch Leven.  Milnathort is a small town in the parish of [Orwell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orwell,_Kinross-shire) in the county of Kinross-shire, Scotland and since 1996, the local council area of Perth and Kinross. **Can you see the spire on the right of the picture? Can you guess what building it is from ...? You might be as surprised as I was!**  **Nope, it's not a church, it's the town fluffing hall!** ### [Milnathort Town Hall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milnathort_Town_Hall) in Milnathort, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The building was commissioned by Orwell Parish Council as a cattle exchange for local farmers and as a market house for the parishioners and was finished in 1855. However, the building was extended, by the addition of a three-stage tower at the south end in about 1877. >The tower, which was designed in the Gothic Revival style, involved an arched doorway with a fanlight and voussoirs in the first stage, an arched window with tracery and voussoirs in the second stage, and a louvred opening with voussoirs as well as a set of clock faces in the third stage. The tower was surmounted by a balustraded parapet, a spire and a weather vane.[1] An elaborate rinceau decoration scheme was introduced as part of the celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. So many good things happen to celebrate the monarch jubilees, I just wish the councils that we pay council tax to, would take care of property at other times! Like so many beautiful old buildings it fell into disrepair, but now it is being used as a community centre and I do believe they also use it as a municipal cinema.  Turn the corner and you come to this absolutely stunning old building, which is the ... ### Former Orwell Free Church in Milnathort, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Together with the town hall, the Orwell Free Church dominate the town centre and were proof that the town had aspirations to be a burgh. There used to be mills here back in the days of the Industrial Revoloution and the population was around 50% higher than it is now. The Orwell Church which was built as a chapel in 1741 by the Old Light Burghers and rebuilt in 1821. We have our fair share of protestant Church of Scotland denominations. The broader Church of Scotland then the slighly more strict Free Church of Scotland and then the much stricter wee Free Church of Scotland who do observe that the Sabbath is indeed the Sabbath and most things are closed etc.. I digress so back to our former Orwell Church, it amalgamated briefly with the Church of Scotland in 1839 before transferring to the Free Church of Scotland in 1843. Now though, it is a block of fluffing apartments.  It really is a gorgeous building and I think I shall drop another shot of it before we leave Milnathort!  Right then, time to head home and this is us on the main street. Don't you just love small towns like this. **Have you ever lived in small places like this in the country?** I have and I love it, everyone knows everyone of course!   ### Famous/notable people of Milnathort! For a population of only a couple thousand people I was surprised to hear of some notable or famous(y) people I know from the town! - **Laura Muir**, middle-distance runner who I remember got silver in the 1500m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. - **Lucinda Russell**, 2017 and 2023 Grand National-winning horse trainer. I must say thank you to her because I did win quite a few quid on **One For Arthur** who she trained and it won the Grand National in 2017 🏇 - **Frankie Poullain**, bassist for rock band The Darkness (band), was raised in Milnathort. Hmm I can smell a ttt post coming up! So let's leave Milnathort with one for the road starring the bassist Frankie Poullain of The Darkness and their hit single **I Believe in a Thing Called Love** from their 2003 debut album, **Permission to Land**.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjZuykKY1I  ### Here we have the Ochil Hills in the distance with Loch Leven. I shall be back in a month or so to visit Loch Leven because it is a National Nature Reserve due to the sheer number and variety of birdlife it supports throughout the year. The area is a haven for birds because its large, shallow waters and surrounding mosaic of wet grasslands, reedbeds, and woods provide a rich feeding ground and safe nesting sites.  It's a crucial staging post and wintering ground for enormous flocks of migratory geese and swans. I remember as a boy my grandpa taking me there to see hundreds of these pink-footed geese! Tens of thousands arrive from Iceland in the autumn. There are also loads of Whooper Swans and loads of ducks including pochard, tufted duck, and teal that spend the winter on the loch.  We pass through Kelty and I want to metion the mural that you see.  ### DON'T COUNT THE DAYS ... MAKE THE DAYS COUNT CONNOR LAW- OUR CHAMP - R.I.P. 1992-2019 Connor Law was a highly-regarded and exceptionally talented professional boxer from Kelty, a village near Kirkcaldy in Fife. Known for his powerful punching and exciting fighting style, he was a rising star in Scottish boxing. Tragically, Connor Law died on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at the age of 26. His death was a result of suicide.  His passing came as a profound shock to his family, friends, and the wider boxing world. I was stunned as I had seen him the week before in his local boxing club at Glenrothes. He had been preparing for a significant fight later that year and had spoken publicly about his ambitions. His death highlighted the serious issue of mental health struggles, particularly among young men. I just want you to take a moment to think about your mental health, and don't be afraid to say something to someone. People care. Both Mrs T and myself have each lost first cousins to suicide so it is a subject very close to our hearts.  Back in the Kingdom of Fife now, as you can tell by the white bridges in the distance.  We are taking the exit and about to change buses for the short ride home. ### Can you recognise the two bridges?   I decided to make this post for #wednesdaywalk which was inspired by @tattoodjay as it was a lovely walk albeit I was sat on my bum for most of the time! ### Thanks for visiting and I hope you managed to get out for a walk this week. 

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