Found It!

We made an great discovery today.

The interviewee I wrote about last night turned out to be even better than I hoped. The whole of programme two of the Canoe Boys will be restructured around him, since he met and paddled with the original pair. Before we met we dived into Tobermory book shop and bought him a copy of the new edition of the Canoe Boys, complete with lots of extra photos. Cailean gave it to him as a gift.

During our conversation, we spoke about a remote farmhouse on the north coast of Mull. We wondered whether we'd be able to find it and were told it was unlikely since there'd been a lot of forestry planting.

We like a challenge. Back to the book shop for a more detailed map and off we went. And we found it!

A tree was growing from the centre of the building and ferms oozed out of the mortar as the forest gradually reclaimed the building, but the galbes and windows were intact. There was even the recognisable fire place and iron grate on which Seamus and Allistair cooked their dinner.

For the first time I found it hard to speak, which isn't good for radio, but I was rather choked up. This visual connection with the original canoe boys coming just after the personal connection from someone who met them was very moving.

Tomorrow we're off around Ardnamurchan Point to record the opening of programme three. I think I'll be getting wet. Deliberately.