What would the kilted highlander take?

[Thunderbolt]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone knew what a kilted highlander would traditional take to the field?

I'm an avid hiker/camper/backpacker. I was wondering on my long hikes, how would a highlander do this?

With all the modern, lightweight gear we have nowadays, it makes it pretty easy. But years ago, what was a standard kit?

Of course, the kilt would be his bed. The sporran to carry his oatmeal (How much, I wonder, perday?).

But what of how to prepaire the oatmeal? Or was it eaten dry and chewed? Water wouldn't have been an issue. Any other items they would have taken?

Just some questions for thought and discussion.


T.

[Woodsheal]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone knew what a kilted highlander would traditional take to the field?

I'm an avid hiker/camper/backpacker. I was wondering on my long hikes, how would a highlander do this?

With all the modern, lightweight gear we have nowadays, it makes it pretty easy. But years ago, what was a standard kit?

Of course, the kilt would be his bed. The sporran to carry his oatmeal (How much, I wonder, perday?).

But what of how to prepaire the oatmeal? Or was it eaten dry and chewed? Water wouldn't have been an issue. Any other items they would have taken?

Just some questions for thought and discussion.


T.

I read someplace (Burt's "Letters" maybe? - ca. 1720's) that they carried small, lightweight sheet-iron plates, or griddles, to cook oatcakes upon. This could easily be carried in the folds of the belted plaid, or in a haversack....

[sirdaniel1975]

In W.H. Murray's book "Rob Roy MacGregor" I seem to recall him mentioning filling their sporrans with oats. One handful of oats, mixed with either blood (from cattle or sheep) or water.. was enough food for 1 day for the common highlander.

[Detroitpete]

In W.H. Murray's book "Rob Roy MacGregor" I seem to recall him mentioning filling their sporrans with oats. One handful of oats, mixed with either blood (from cattle or sheep) or water.. was enough food for 1 day for the common highlander.

Hmm...Rob Roy MacGregor...now would that be MacLaren cattle and sheep blood?????? :-)

JUST a silly joke.

[Tommy Hunt]

Wow those were some tough dudes.

[Thunderbolt]

Wow those were some tough dudes.

You are correct.

I'm wondering....If I could collect the items a highlander would have, I might even make a go of it, Survivorman style... Maybe for the weekend.

Might be fun, or a disaster....

T.

[Highlander31]

Wow those were some tough dudes.

You are absolutely correct.

I was fortunate as a boy my great aunt lived next door and made sure I heard the family history (I am a MacGregor.) Decades later I read W.H. Murray's book Rob Roy MacGregor and found confirmation of stories my great aunt had passed on to me years before.

Clan and personal honor were stressed to all children. The boys started sword training with wooden swords at 6 years old. They practiced 2 to 3 hours a day, every day until they turned 16, at which time they were given their basket hilt sword. Children were bare foot until they were 11 or 12 years old, then they were allowed to wear the deerskin moccasins. The boys were also required to learn the mountains and glens around them. A Highlander on foot, could cover 30 miles a day (at altitude) during the summer and half that distance during the winter. The girls worked with their mothers. During the summers, the women worked in the fields side-by-side with the men. All Highlanders were required to be able to read (so as to be able to read the bible.)

My parents carried on some of those traditions. I was taught the skills needed to survive in the outdoors, and was able to camp by myself by the time I was 12 years old (you couldn't do that today,) and started Judo training at the age of 10. The word honor was not a punchline to my parents, and they made sure I understood what it meant to one's outlook on life. My wife and I have done the same with our children.

The Highlanders while considered to be the hillbillies of their day, were a tough group who passed on to society a set of personal standards which are still relevant today.

[Howard Clark]

I expect that one would learn something about himself in the affair, no matter how it turned out.

I like canoe trips with minimal gear, and dehydrated food that my family dried here. I am in no way as tough as the folk of the highlands of 1700, or here at the same time on the frontier. Damn few of us are.

I'd be interested in the list of essentials from that time/place combination as well. Good question !

[Riverkilt]

From Sons of the Mountains The Highland Regiments in the French & Indian War, 1756-1767 by Ian Macpherson McCulloch Volume II p.137

Haversacks
A small square bag, made of canvas and called the haversack was suspended from the left shoulder and was used to carry all sorts of personal gear including food and spare clothing. The Highlanders also carried a backpack, which was centered high on the back, Indian-style, with underarm straps, which was used to carry food, extra clothing, and extra ammo.

You can see paintings if you browse this site http://paramountpress.stores.yahoo.net/index.html
particuarly Robert Griffing's Scottish Heritage paintings.

Warriors and One of Their Own show the haversack.


Ron

[graham_s]

the iron plate for cooking on is a girdle, not a griddle.
What a highlander carried would depend on where he was from.
with his plaid, dirk and sghian dhu he has everything he needs to provide shelter for himself. the sporran wold have held a few "possibles". tinderbox, snares possibly needles and thread, whetstone, etc.
food would have been in a separate sack slung on the back.