We'd like to introduce Sharon McKee and Derek McLennan of Beyond The Beep, Scotland, to our Treasure Talk audience. Sharon and Derek have 12 years of combined detecting experience and for the last few years have used a wide range of Minelab machines, from the GO-FIND Series through to the GPX 5000 for personal detecting and to promote responsible detecting through their not-for-profit company, Beyond The Beep. Since February 2015, the couple have been regularly providing outdoor learning experiences in schools, and they have also created and implemented a detecting programme for veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Their most significant discovery has to be The Galloway Viking Hoard, found in September 2014. It is regarded as Scotland’s greatest ever treasure and is tentatively dated from 850 - 900AD. It is comprised of over 125 stunning and unique gold and silver artefacts from around the world. But, even before this, the duo had uncovered another two substantial hoards of medieval (13th/14th century) silver coins. These were named the Twynholm Hoard and the Closeburn Hoard, totalling 693 coins!
Although they have unearthed these amazing hoards, they also have individual finds: One of Derek’s favourite finds is a super rare gold hammered coin called a ‘Half Rider’ from the reign of James III of Scotland (1475-84) and Sharon’s is an Anglo- Saxon strap end dating to the 9th century.
Derek mostly uses the CTX 3030, but when on a hoard site, the GPX 5000 comes out, as he loves the depth these machines can reach. Sharon tends to skip between several of the Minelab detectors and is reassured by the performance of the machines while searching highly mineralised sites, as the machines still pull out the goodies.
After the discovery of The Galloway Viking Hoard, the enterprising pair created their company Beyond The Beep to teach about responsible detecting and to promote the health and educational benefits that detecting brings:
“There’s nothing better than being outdoors and detecting for a while. It is such a relaxing hobby,” said Sharon.
Their programme provides education on just about everything detecting related from the laws in Scotland and site research, to operating a machine properly. The programme is also supported by the National Council of Metal Detecting in the UK, to which Beyond The Beep is affiliated.
In addition, Derek has had many articles published in a leading detectorists’ magazine, The Searcher and Derek and Sharon regularly appear in the National press and television for their charity work with veterans, their school programmes and working with the general public. They have also appeared in various online articles, television, radio and magazines worldwide.
Derek said, “We just can’t express how much we enjoy this hobby, from the research, to meeting to new people, to digging up something we have never found before. And the more people we can encourage and educate about detecting, the better.”
You can keep up-to-date with Derek and Sharon on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/beyondthebeep
We are really looking forward to hearing more about their experiences in their monthly Treasure Talk blog!
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