Bill Landells contacted Loch Ard Local History Group (LALHG) in June 2022 . He offered LALHG items that he thought might be of interest to the group and the local community. These included pictures and a set of handwritten notes.

Bill wrote as follows:

‘The pictures were taken between 1920-21 and 1928 (though probably mainly in the later years) when my widowed grandmother ( Elizabeth) took her son (John), then 10 years old and daughter Elizabeth, then 6 years old, for a series of annual holidays in Aberfoyle.  This culminated in the ‘album’ given to my  grandmother at Christmas 1928 before my father went to Cambridge.  These and voluminous other papers were kept by herself and subsequently my aunt, Elizabeth Landells, until her decease about 20 years ago.  I only became aware of them more recently.

It strikes me these may have some value as a historical record and it would be premature to dispose of them.  I am not seeking any particular outcome and would be quite happy to leave them with FC, a library/archivist, a land historian, a tourist board or whatever seems best but I can do little from Suffolk other than phone or send.’

What follows on this website are extracts from  the material that seemed of most local relevance.

Letter from J.W.Landrells November 1926 to his mother:

Starts that he is giving the collection of photographs in memory of the very happy holidays from 1920-1925. He goes on to describe Aberfoyle as small and neat and nesting at the foot of Craigmhor. He describes all of the local services as well as the 2 churches and the 3 hotels. He describes Aberfoyle as an ideal centre for walking and that ”many of the local hills offer excellent views.  Fishing and boating are to be had on Loch Ard”. The remainder of the letter offers a detailed description of the various routes in and around Kinlochard as well as Inversnaid. He describes “ the other side of the loch as “ roadless”. He writes that the Ledard Valley is the most interesting part of the Northshore.

Included with the letter is a table of distances from Aberfoyle to a wide range of places as well as the heights of local hills in feet. For nature watchers there is a list of wild animals noted including deer, stoats, adders, kestrels, mountain hares and squirrels.

There is also a note of where the family were based as follows:

1920-Miss McLaren at 2 Craigauchty Terrace—accommodation rather limited.

1922 wider excursions but still did not go further except on special occasions.

1923-stayed with Miss Donald at Benview.

1924-3 weeks at Benview.

1924-a month at Benview—did Loch Lomond Tour and walked from Stronachlachar.

1925-went to Blair-Atholl

1926- owing to Miss Donald’s change of residences probably our last years. The family spent 2 weeks in Pitlochry.

Relevant images are as follows:

Series of images associated with a return in 1934 and 1937.

Another item in the collection is a typed description of the area and its called “ Aberfoyle Guide and Book.” This provides a detailed description of the area including several hill walks and routes.

A bound album contains 52 pictures of the area and includes 2 hand drawn maps that use small red numbers to indicate the point at which the photograph was taken. These have been retained as they give an insight into the area in the 1920s. A small sample of the photographs follow.

Our thanks to Mr. Landells for giving us the opportunity to acquire this material.