Black Isle birthday celebrations for famous fossil hunter Hugh Miller
SCOTLAND’s largest conservation charity is inviting visitors to celebrate the birthday of the Highland’s most famous fossil hunter.
The team at Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Cottage and Museum, cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, will celebrate Cromarty-born Hugh Miller’s 222nd birthday with events from Thursday, October 10 to Sunday, October 13.
Thursday, October 10 will mark his birthday, and the team will be leading one of their popular Fossil Walks in his memory, allowing participants the opportunity to take part in citizen science and look for fossils on the same beach that Miller walked over 200 years ago.
Since starting in late June, Hugh Miller’s Fossil Walks have already seen nearly 100 participants discover over 120 new fossil specimens.
These fossils are displayed at the museum for a month after their discovery before being returned to the beach.
Photographs, measurements, and location data have been taken for each specimen and sent to palaeontologists from the University of Aberdeen, who are currently studying the fossil fish around Cromarty.
In addition to a Fossil Walk on his birthday, the team at Hugh Miller’s will also be holding a Big Birthday Weekend on Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13.
The family-themed event will include children’s arts and crafts activities, science experiments and demonstrations, fossil walks, and the opportunity to view the Dingwall exhibition.
James Ryan, National Trust for Scotland Visitor Services Assistant at Hugh Miller’s and leader of the Fossil Walks, said: “Our Fossil Walks have been a brilliant success, and we have been proud to allow people to take part in active citizen science. We couldn’t think of a better way to mark this celebration than to lead a walk on his 222nd birthday.
“We last celebrated Hugh Miller’s birthday in 2022 for his 220th birthday. This event was a big success, and the team hope to introduce more people to Hugh Miller’s life and legacy this year.
“We have some very exciting plans for Hugh Miller’s Big Birthday Weekend, particularly for our science demonstrations. Hugh’s greatest talent was his ability to make science accessible and we hope to echo that with some truly engaging experiments to celebrate his birthday!”
Stonemason, geologist, writer, and social justice campaigner, Hugh Miller was born inside a thatched cottage in Cromarty in the early 19th century. From humble beginnings, he became one of Victorian Britain’s greatest minds and a leading voice for the Scottish people.
Hugh Miller’s Big Birthday Weekend will occur this Saturday and Sunday. All activities are included with entry to the museum and cottage (exceptions apply to the Fossil Walks which require prebooked tickets). To find out more about the birthday events and the Fossil Walks, visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/hugh-millers-birthplace-cottage-amp-museum-33806402821
Events like Hugh Miller’s Big Birthday Weekend support the National Trust for Scotland’s vision to care for, share and protect Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage, as outlined in its strategy launched in 2022, and contributes to its engagement objectives to provide access and enjoyment for everyone.
Further information about Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Cottage and Museum is available on the National Trust for Scotland website, at www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/hugh-millersbirthplace.
