THE contents of a mailboat launchedfrom St Kilda have been discoveredmore than five months later on theNorwegian island of Frøya.The postcards were found byfarmer Knut Wågø, as he walked hisdogs on the beach on 2 January,having been launched on 29 July2011. The cards, which had beenplaced in a traditional St Kildamailboat, travelled over 600 milesbefore reaching land.A St Kilda mailboat, right, is awooden "boat", containing a letter,usually sealed in a cocoa tin orplastic box. Traditionally, a sheep'sbladder was used as a float, but it isnow a fishing float. Mailboats arenow sent by St Kilda work parties aspart of the experience of visiting thearchipelago. St Kilda property manager SusanBain said: "Launching mail boats is acultural tradition which we keepalive on St Kilda. It reminds us of theremoteness and the difficulties theislanders faced in communicatingwith the mainland."10SPRING 2012WWW.NTS.ORG.UKNEWSSpecial deliveryBe our guestTHE TRUST is seeking new tenants to run one of the remotest guest houses in the UK - TighardGuest House on Canna. Property manager Stewart Connor said: "This is a unique proposition forpeople who enjoy hard work and want to live in one of the loveliest of settings possible. The guesthouse is an important part of Canna's economy and whoever takes on this challenge will becentral to a successful tourist and visitor experience." The guest house will open on 1 May and berun by Trust staff until new tenants are appointed. See www.nts.org.uk/Lettings.FOR THEDIARY9-10 JulyDESIGN and Weavefor Tweed is a two-day introductoryworkshop on hand-weaving tweed on atable loom. It willcover the design,structure and historyof Scottish tweedand will be held inthe GladstoneGallery, Edinburgh.For information andto book a place,contact Sam Goateson sam@weareonecreative.comor 07748 014970.Bannockburn boostTHE Heritage Lottery Fund has made a £3.94 million grant to the Trust's Battleof Bannockburn project -a state-of-the-art visitor attraction to commemoratethe battle's 700th anniversary and its place in shaping the history of Scotland. The centre will create an unrivalled experience for the thousands of peoplewho visit the battle ground every year while affording dignity to this importanthistoric site. Ground-breaking technology will be used to give visitors a truesense of the battle, from the social history of the time to medieval war craft.People will be able to interact with 3D digital images, experiencing graphicsthat will respond with movement and commentary. Visitors will be able toplay their part in the battle and apply their newly acquiredknowledge of tactics and weaponry. Key battlefieldmonuments will be repaired and the setting improved,including the A-listed rotunda that is located at the siteof the Borestone, where Robert the Bruce raised hisstandard at the start of the battle. The landscape will alsobe enhanced to re-establish important historic views,such as to Stirling Castle. Jenny Abramsky, chair of the Heritage LotteryFund, said: "This is a ground-breaking project forScotland and for the heritage sector. Even youngpeople whose daily lives are filled with technology,from phones to games consoles, will be astoundedby the interpretation as they enjoy learning aboutour past."To find out more, visitwww.nts.org.uk/bannockburn2014Canna on the calendar CANNA'S festival, Fèis Chanaidh, isset to become an annual eventfollowing the success of the firstevent. The Fèis, which was supportedby Fèisean nan Gàidheal and theYear of Scotland's Islands, attractedvisitors from Lochaber, South andNorth Uist, Rum, Mallaig and Barra.Many came by ferry, others arrivingon fishing boats and yachts. StewartConnor, the Trust's property manageron Canna, praised the islandcommunity for the effort that wentinto the one-day musical celebrationin October. He said: "Canna has astrong tradition of Gaelic folkloreand culture, so it's no surprise therewas such enthusiasm, in factpassion, for the Fèis." GeraldineMackinnon, of the CannaCommunity Association, thankedorganisers, visitors and participants,particularly Maria MacInnes fromFèisean nan Gàidheal, and promiseda warm welcome at the next event.

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