Last Days in Wanlockhead, Scotland
Our last days in Wanlockhead were quite chilly and rainy, so students spent a considerable amount of time in front of the wood stove completing some of their reading and writing assignments for the course. One article asked students to contemplate whether the sheep in Scotland were more of a “pastoral icon” or a “wooly menace.” Given our proprietor’s concerns about latching the gate to keep out the sheep, and the extent to which sheep were free to roam the village, this article really seemed to resonate on a number of levels. An optional visit to Wanlockhead’s Lead Mining museum was somewhat stymied by the persistent wind, rain, and chilly temperatures—as well as an unexpected visit to a nearby clinic. In spite of these deterrents, a number of students were able to make one last pilgrimage to the Inn where they chatted with the locals about the politics of wind farming and the economic and cultural implications of the next referendum in Scotland.
