Apologies for the delayed November update.   We worked closely with both Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park (LLTTNP) to submit applications for the work and permission to place the interpretive sign on Elanvow.   Both groups have confirmed that our applications are valid and have accepted them.  We are waiting for further feedback and response.

We also continue to maintain contact with the West of Scotland Dry Stone Walling Association for sourcing the stone  (not from the island) and construction.

We do still need to work out the logistics of getting stone and workers to the island in an economical way.   LLTTNP graciously provided help in this regard  in 2012, but we have not approached them yet ... pending approval of the application.   We have also been thinking that we would organize many small boats trips with local skippers to transport the stone to the island in advance.   We included a request to be able to transport and store stone on the north beach in our HES application.  Suggestions are very welcome.  Even thought the plinth for the sign is only approximately 1x1.3m, there is a lot of stone.  Volunteers with local boats could help systematically transport the stone in small batches to the island.

At this point, we await approval of the applications but all seems to be set and on-track for construction in time for an August dedication. 

Thanks for your continued support!

We are working with the West Of Scotland Drystack Stone Wall Association and HES to source stone for the sign plinth.  Our plan is to provide for construction of the plinth  before summer 2022 and place the sign formally in August 2022.  Of course, we have work to do with HES on approvals in advance of that.

As of this writing, Scotland is requiring two weeks of self quarantine for amber countries including the US.   This has made it impractical to visit or to progress sourcing of materials for the sign plinth on the island.   We are also fast-approaching winter and it is now unlikely that we will be able to do much before spring.

We will continue to try to work with local craftsmen to collect materials for the plinth construction and prepare as much as we can in advance for a visit and placing the sign.

Of course, we will progress the Scheduled Monument Consent application in the interim, but we need to include specifications there and we hoping to have a vendor and materials committed before doing that.  We will consult HES and report back for next month.

Thank you!  Stay Safe!

Scotland is reportedly opening up July 19 and things are moving toward normal in The States.  We continue to reopen activities with suppliers and team in anticipation of a potential maintenance trip in September and forward progress on erection of a plinth for the proposed interpretive sign.

Monitoring UK travel policies as we still hope to arrange a visit for maintenance in August or September.  

Note that activities on creation and placement of an informational sign on the island are on hold temporarily until vendors are available again. Specific proposals are needed from these for inclusion with the Scheduled Monument Consent application. We also need to confirm supplies of stone since we cannot use stone from the island. Work continues on suggestions from AllMacfarlanes.Info on the sign including potential revisions to the demi-savage.   

Although the majority of votes called for the sign to be placed in the clearing area, a few key individuals feel strongly that we should keep that area clear.  We are currently leaning toward a sign at the beach level facing north and looking up the holloway.

We also continue to hope that we will get participation and input from all Macfarlane groups and societies.

​More to follow...

Although it is extremely important to remain safe, UK is second in percentage of the population vaccinated as of this date and the US is fourth.  That is more encouraging that travel might be possible in the fall.   We have been saturated with other endeavors, but will pick up where we last left off and  try to advance the sign and SMCs.  Again, minimally, we would hope to visit the island for maintenance.

More to follow...

COVID continues to delay our progress but we hope a maintenance visit, perhaps even for placing the sign, might be possible in September.  It still feels like a long shot at this stage but we will restart efforts to make that timing possible.

Thanks for your patience and continued support.

Thanks also for all the feedback received on the proposed sign at AllMacfarlanes.org.

We have been open for feedback from the community at the site AllMacFarlanes.Info for about a month and have gotten some great feedback.  It has been tremendous to hear support for the sign and, so far, no concerns or objections have been raised on the proposal.

We have incorporated some feedback and are trying to update the demi-savage a bit per suggestions.   Once we finalize feedback, we will take a pass at cleaning up the design (temporarily compromised by attempts to incorporate feedback) and provide this back to our archaeologists for their final adjustments.

Most comments have indicated preference for the Clearing location, but a few have indicated a srong preference for the Beach location.   As we have noted in earlier communications, if we have even a few people who feel strongly that a sign would compromise the natural amience of the site in any way, we will likely choose the B option for the Beach location.

We are hoping that all who have an interest in Elanvow will respond to provide their feedback and suggestions for the sign.   We have sent emails to the leadership in the three Clan MacFarlane socieites that we are aware of.   We have received strong support from two of the  three societies but we have not received any direct response from the third.   We have sent additional emails directly to the leadership of that society and requested permission to post the AllMacFarlanes.Info link and message on their Facebook page.   We have not received any reply although replies might have been delayed by travel and or other complications of the current pandemic.   We remain hopeful that all MacFarlanes and all who love Elanvow will give us their feedback and support.

Our annual maintenance trip under our existing Scheduled Monument Consent was canceled this year due to the pandemic.

We have been working diligently with our archaeologists,  Historic Scotland, the Court of the Lord Lyon, the National Library of Scotland, and others to create a draft sign for the island.

As of this evening, we have posted the draft(s) at a temporary website put together to solicit feedback from the community.

AllMacFarlanes.Info

Please visit and register your input!

Joss Durnan of Historic Environment Scotland has provided us with feedback on the proposed sign and on our proposals for additional works. (Many Thanks!)  He may have also offered another option for location of the sign on the island.  We are considering that as well.  More to follow on these soon!