Highland Garran and pack saddle
Photograph is courtesy of Inverness, Ross and Skye Forest District and staff at their Fort Augustus office.
No information with this photograph which could have been part of the display in the Farigaig Forest Visitor Centre at one time. This rather blurred image has been dated as 1955 from the clothes worn by the men but the activity represents the method of carrying loads by pack horse for many centuries.
Any ideas on actual year, location or the names of the men would be very welcome.
The Garran (Garron) here is being used to carry young trees from the forest nursery packed in hessian bags high up the hillside where the men are working to plant up the forest. No roads or vehicles to carry the men or plants up and it was generally a long hike in the morning to get to the highest planting sites. The pack saddle has a wooden frame over the back padding and is topped out with four metal arms with ties to hold and contain the loads on either side. Here plants are being carried but equally probably would be the need to carry fence posts and wire to the top deer fences the type seen in the back ground with 8ft and 5.5ft posts interspersed with long wooden droppers holding up wire mesh and line wires. Some fire beaters can just be seen at the gate in the middle distance behind.
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Groups: Forestry in Action, Horses at work in Forests, Mystery and unknown