Karl Savege sent us these fabulous pictures of fishing in the past on the Nith, to be included in the NNR 60th Open Day ‘then and now’ display.  Thank you Karl – we agree, it is important to have some sort of permanent record of how things used to be.

Karl tells us that

the painting [above] is by James Orrock and is dated 1896. He also painted other scenes of the Nith from Glencaple looking North.  I think it illustrates how important fishing was to the community and the fact that for quite a high percentage it was probably a full time occupation. To the right of the painting where the gulls are circling I have only recently noticed a stake net. The people with the carts are probably on their way out to check other stake nets and maybe do some haaf netting as well.’
The photograph below was taken in the eighties, the haaf netters in the pic are: closest to camera is Willy Crosbie; in the centre is Will Henry; and furthest away is Tommy (Trout) Thomson.

If you have images that show Caerlaverock in the past, please send them to us, and we can pass them on to the NNR to help make a brilliant and interesting display on 15th July, and/or share them here on the community website! caerlaverockcommunity@gmail.com