Visitors to the historic Angus fishing village of Auchmithie took a step back in time for a packed weekend of history, music and song.
And they were able to meet characters from the community which created the famous Arbroath Smokie.
North Sea haddock caught off the Angus coast were cooked by fishwives in the village a few miles north of Arbroath.
The fish were put on halved barrels with fires underneath, trapping the smoke under layers of hessian sacking.
HAAR organised the event as part of Scotland’s Year of Stories.
“It has been great fun preparing for it,” said HAAR secretary Hazel Barnett.
Old creels, nets and smokie barrels were pulled out.
Visitors played peevers – hopscotch – and practiced running with an iron hoop and cleek like youngsters of previous generations.
“It was a hard life with very little comfort,” said Hazel.
“But it has also been evident they had a strong sense of community, commitment to their families and neighbours, and a witty humour.
“It is also clear that the women were the dominant characters who ‘held the purse’.
“Apart from the actual going to sea in the fishing boats, they did all the rest of the work including carrying the men to the boats to keep their feet dry while they fished.”
The extensive HAAR archive was open to browse.
And local musicians played for visitors as well as the recreation of a fisher wedding.
Scottish Geology Trust members explained the evolution of Auchmithie beach and took people on a shoreline pebble hunt.
The busy weekend included an insight into the life of Annie Gilruth, whose name graces the village hall.
She was a Victorian farmer’s wife and mother of six who lived at East Seaton.
Annie was instrumental in raising funds for the hall that was built in 1888 and a key figure in raising educational and living standards in Auchmithie.
Photographer Kim Cessford captured the fun of the HAAR weekend.
Conversation