In 1842, my g-g-grandfather, John Darroch, went from Clachan "to Glasgow to learn the trade of blacksmithing." I am curious to know how he would have made the journey.
An 1881 letter by Mary Currie describes the reverse route (Glasgow to Clachan). She wrote of taking a steamer from Glasgow, through the Kyles of Bute to Tarbert, then via coach to Clachan. She also states, that "...travelling is now a very different thing, from what it was 30 years ago." Is she implying that this route might not have existed in 1842?
If not, would the journey have been the long circuitous route by land (e.g.: similar to today's A83)?
PS: The quotations above are taken from Frank Darroch's book A Darroch Family in Scotland and in Canada (pp 62 & 74).
Doug Robertson
Saskatoon, Canada