The Plank A few years before the late Eric Sykes directed and starred in the short slapstick comedy film The Plank Tillicoultry had a story about a plank that ended up creating a few laughs. Read on… Growing up on the Moss Road my adventure play areas were along the Lie or the Drummy Road to the River Devon, over the Red Bridge and around the old mine climbing on the coal bings and east to the Melloch Wood. When my friendship with Alistair Syme developed during the time we were captains of the Argyle and Sutherland houses at school I started to explore Alistairs corner of the town... the Burnside, up the glen and down the hill, hiding in the bracken and rock climbing, following sheep tracks in the snow, exploring the old mill and west to a woodland past the golf course where in the evenings we used to roast potatoes on a campfire. Alistair knew his way about the hills and one day he took me and others to see the cave that was just a short way up the Daiglen Burn from where it joins the Gannel Burn in the Mill Glen. The cave entry was small and we had to crawl down to get in. It opened up once inside but we couldnt advance far as the way was blocked by a large hole which was filled with water. It was too wide to jump and extended to the side of the cave so we couldnt get around it. Alistairs solution was to build a bridge and he knew where we could borrow a plank for this purpose. So one evening mid-week a group of us gathered at Primrose Place where new flats were being built and a suitable builders plank was quickly found. The plank was carried to the Glen Entrance and hidden among bushes where it would stay until the weekend. Alistair and his brother Christopher, John Blake, Stephan Zac, Jock Welsh and I took turns in twos to carry the plank up the glen climbing the steps and crossing the bridges before fighting our way up the rough ground until we got to the cave. Positioning the plank over the hole was easy and it was a suitable length. While it was a reasonably wide plank I was still quite tentative about crossing it as the murky slimy water in the hole was less than inviting. After all our efforts it was disappointing to find that the cave only went a short distance before making a dog-leg turn to the right and ending. I did, however, find my JG initials carved in the rock along with many others and a nineteenth century date under them. Perhaps one of my ancestors had been there before me. When I visited Tillicoultry in 1988 Alistair told me that a local lad had recently tried to cross the plank but after being in the damp cave with water dripping on it for over 25 years it had probably rotted such that it gave way under the fellows weight and he landed in the water. Then in 1999 Christopher mentioned seeing an article published in a local historical newsletter about the cave and early mining activity associated with it. The article attributed the placement of the plank to local miners. Close, but not quite accurate as it was local minors who were responsible! Sadly, John, Stephan and Jock are no longer with us but writing this short story rekindles my memory of them and the great times that we had together. Photo left to right shows the Daiglen Burn at the bottom of the picture, the cave was only a short way further up the burn to the right; my dogs examining my 16 ft plank similar to the one in the story; Alistair Syme (top) and John Blake taken opposite the Glen Entrance just a few years after our adventure.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 06:27:21 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015