Loch Earn’s famous Mirror Man has yet to return to the Perthshire beauty spot, seven years after its disappearance.
Campaigners had hoped to have the statue back in place by last summer following a major fundraising appeal.
But the journey has been delayed to ensure the much-loved mirrored sculpture is on a solid footing when it does return.
Charlie Hardman has been working with St Fillans in Bloom and Take a Pride in Perthshire on the project.
He said fans around the world have been asking about Mirror Man’s whereabouts.
And despite the slow progress, he insists there’s plenty going on under the surface.
“It might look like nothing’s happening, but there’s been lots going on behind the scenes,” said Charlie.
“One of the issues is that we needed to have strengthening works done. We’ve also been working with structural engineers to develop a new base
“We need to make sure that when he does go back in the water, he’s going to really stand the test of time.”
Mirror Man put Loch Earn on map
Mirror Man, whose proper name is ‘Still’, was installed on Loch Earn at St Fillans in 2014.
It was created by renowned Scottish sculptor and environmental artist Rob Mulholland.
The statue quickly became a popular tourist attraction, drawing comparisons with Anthony Gormley’s Angel of the North and the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen.
So there was widespread disappointment when it was removed by its then owner in 2017.
Locals set to work raising funds and securing planning permission to bring it back.
And at the beginning of 2023 they spoke of their delight after visiting the sculptor in his Stirlingshire studio.
At the time, the goal was to have Mirror Man back in his place on Loch Earn by the spring or summer of last year.
However, Charlie said the return had taken a little longer, due to the complexity of the process.
Structural drawings for Mirror Man’s new base were commissioned at the end of 2023.
They have only recently come back to the group.
And the team are now working with the contractors to figure out a final cost for the project.
That will determine how much additional fundraising is required.
Interest in statue from around the world
Charlie says he does not want to set a potential date for Mirror Man’s return in case that jinxes it.
But hopes are high that the statue will be back on the loch ahead of next year’s visitor season.
“It’s a small community project, that’s counting on the generosity of donors and funders,” he said.
“But everything is pretty well lined up and ready to go once the base is finished.
“The group has had so many inquiries from people around the world asking when Mirror Man is coming back,” Charlie added.
“There does seem to be a huge interest and appreciation for him.”
Conversation