Waulkmill Chain Ferry Traditional Cache
perth pathfinders: All gone
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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Short walk from car to the old ferrymans bothy, or Bus No3, Perth to Old Scone.
The Waulkmill Ferry operated the crossing between Waulkmill of Innerbuist on the east bank, and “The Lands of Hatton” on the west bank.
The two landowners were, The Earl of Mansfield, Waulkmill, and Mr Maxtone Graham of Hatton on the west bank.
This arrangement was apparently very amicable until around 1877, when, The Earl of Mansfield introduced a twin-hulled, chain operated boat, which required a heavy post to fix the chain to, the post was duly installed on the west bank. Mr Graham questioned the Earl’s right to do this, and after a legal dispute, the law decided in favour of the Earl of Mansfield and the new ferryboat was commissioned into service.
The boat was propelled by the use of a chain and cogwheel, operated from he mid-nineteenth century.
The most unusual “ferryman” would have to have been Miss May Fenwick, who handled the chain operated ferry for seven years, about 1921 to 1928, after which time she worked a conventional rowing boat.
The Waulkmill Ferry continued in service until 1964, when the last ferryman retired at the age of 74.
The name Waulkmill is widely found in many other areas of Scotland, and “Waulking” is a process of finishing cloth, often with fuller’s Earth, to achieve the shrinking of, or binding tighter, the work of the weavers. The weavers were a cottage industry before the advent of water powered mills for weaving.
Cache is a 35m film container.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
obggbz evtug oruvaq senzr