The School of Ancient Crafts have been working alongside volunteers in an experimental archaeology project to re-create a Scottish Iron Age log boat. Starting with an ecologically sourced Northern Spruce log (9m long and 1.5m diameter) from the Scottish Forestry Commission transported to the granton:hub community garden in June 2018, the experimental archaeology group has worked to recreate the log boat by only using tools and technology of the early Iron Age.

After many months of construction and delays due to the pandemic, the log boat is ready to be launched and have a new life on the sea. The launch will take place on Sunday 20th June and will begin at the log boat’s current location in granton:hub’s community garden. 

The log boat, now weighing in at over 1 tonne, will be transported partially by a group of volunteers using wooden levers, rails and rollers to Granton Harbour. The middle part of the journey will be carried out by trunk and crane. If you would like to contribute to the funds for this transport there is a crowdfunder. 100% of the funds will go to the School of Ancient Crafts account and will be reserved for Logboat activities (transport, launch, insurance the boat and all the volunteers onboard). You are welcome to see this journey as it takes place from 9.30am and the boat is due to take to the water at noon.

The journey will be as follows:

09:30 The log boat will be pushed up to the gate of the Madelvic House garden.

10:00 The truck with mounted crane will pick up the boat and transport it to Granton harbour.

11:00 to 12:00 Public gather at the harbour when we launch the boat and conduct the naming ceremony.

12:00 to 13:30 The log boat will be tested within the harbour.

13:30 The log boat will be brought to its mooring and picked up by the FCYC workboat.

If you capture the log boat on it’s journey on Sunday 20th tag us in your photos so we can see.

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