I'd like to intorduce you to Jim.....

Some time last year I wrote about Cloch Road huts in Gourock likening them to the seaside version of the garden shed.   This is the link to that original post:

http://avoidthejellyfish.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/gourock-cloch-road-huts.html

Yesterday I walked from Wemyss Bay to Gourock and determined that if I saw anyone at the huts I would say hello.   How fortunate was I to meet Jim who was using his hut alongwith some friends who were busy preparing mackerel which they had caught earlier in the morning.

Keen to know some of the history of the huts it transpires that approval was given to local people to build these huts as a way of helping to improve peoples diets after the 1914-1918 Great War and into the 1920's.     The huts gave people access to fishing in the waters of the Clyde and if anything like todays catch was to go by it sounded like a good plan to me.

The huts are passed down between families and speaking to Jim this hut as been passed through his family since the 1920's.

Eager to catch a glimpse inside Jim invited me in and allowed me to take some photos which I share with you.

Let me give you my impressions before the photos.    From the outside there is a ramshackle look about all the huts and as I entered my first surprise was that it had electricity evidenced by the wiring and plug points - for some reason I didn't think there would be any and Jim pointed out the generator outside.

To the left of the entrance is a storage area for all the bits and pieces needed for fishing and what looked to me a whole host of other odd and ends which might come in useful some time.   Moving on into the hut I entered the living area which was done out with bench seating down each side of a lovely wood burning fire.   A real home from home.

On turning round towards the entrance I could see a small cooker; microwave and TV - all the comforts of home.

The bench seating with shoes warming by the heater.

All the comforts of home

The outside - now I must say on Jim's behalf that he is in the middle of removing this old red paint before sprucing the hut up again.

Thank you Jim for letting me browse round your escape from the hurly burly and long may you enjoy it.