Kilmartin Museum has managed to remain open in recent weeks despite being located so close to the A816 landslide and the closed road cutting off direct travel to Oban, as its staff adapted to diversions and emergency measures taken by local communities.
Museum staff agreed to give the Advertiser a snapshot of what they have experienced over the past few weeks, working hard to keep the museum open and the collections safe.
Dr Sharon Webb, Museum Director and Curator, said: “We’re lucky that the museum building itself is located on a high point in the landscape, so escaped flooding.
“So staff working on the day were able to get home with assistance, and our artefacts were safe, but our hearts go out to those whose homes were flooded, or lost farm stock.
“Standing the other side of the Kilmartin burn from the museum as the water rose, I got a taste of what this landscape might have looked like after the last glaciers melted 12,000 or so years ago.”
Jacquelyn Condie, education officer, said: “I’m at work today at the museum having driven from Ardfern, but instead of my usual eight mile commute to work, I came the long way round via Oban, Lochawe, Inveraray and Lochgilphead to Kilmartin which took me quite a bit longer.
“I wanted to emphasise that the museum is still open and can be reached from Lochgilphead, which is only eight miles away.
“The museum, which is open Thursdays to Sundays 11am-4pm is well worth the trip. And there are so many other amazing places to visit in this area which would make it a worthwhile journey.
“We are only about 30 miles from Inveraray.
“I am really lucky that Kilmartin Museum are allowing me to work from home for most of the week and I still work with schools, ELCs, clubs and community groups 2-3 days a week.
“It has also enabled me to work on some exciting new projects with Julia Hamilton, the education lead.
“I know that many of the people in my community in Ardfern, and the Craignish Peninsula have been hugely affected.
“There are people who travel along that road, as it is the main and shortest route between Oban and Lochgilphead. But it isn’t just those who live within those towns that are affected.
“There are also those who live beyond these towns who use the route regularly too. There are lots of reasons for travelling: work, school, services, the NHS, social care, pharmacies, shopping, eating out, clubs, activities and visiting friends & families too to name but a few.
“The local council have risen to the challenge to find ways of keeping us connected, by road and by sea. The sea was always the ‘highway’ which has been used for thousands of years, and last week it is the route I took to get to Kilmartin.”
Eleanor Claxton-Mayer, collections assistant, said: “As a collections assistant nearly all of my work is hands on – remote working wasn’t really an option for me during the floods.
“I am incredibly lucky that I live within the Kilmartin village. I was still able to get to the museum to continue my work on artefacts in our lab.
“It was a trial to get to the area from outside Scotland though. It was my mum’s birthday and I had travelled to Leeds. I had planned to drive back on the Saturday but didn’t manage it until the Monday.
“With the diversions, floods and landslides I have never been so happy to see Kilmartin knowing I have made it through all the obstacles.”
Julia Hamilton, education officer, said: “The difficulties on A83 brought on by the A816 landslip and landslips (before the Rest and Be Thankful) had caused the cancellation of weekend events and various planned guided walks but our approach has always been ‘get on with it and do the best we can’ and find alternative ways where it is required, to deliver a service.
“One group that had to cancel their walk and museum visit, took up the opportunity of a guided walk via Zoom, so an online meeting was arranged and that was delivered by myself one evening last week.
“We are lucky to be able to continue delivering activity days to Rhunahaourine Primary School now and have been working on a project with them since August.
“This project is funded by the West Kintyre Community Wind Farm Trust. We are also having to work from home, so in many ways it is like a ‘Covid lockdown’ with online meetings and talks, but with one workday available to travel to the museum.”