Ballater and Crathie Eagle, Autumn 2017, Issue 87

THE

eagle

Ballater & Crathie Community Magazine no. 87 autumn 2017 ÂŁ1 where sold

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The Tour Guide For Deeside

Inside Your Autumn Eagle: Diary

3

K&D Volunteers attend Garden Party

48

28

Keeping Council

by Peter Argyle

49

Young Presenter Competition

35

Feels on Wheels

by Hugh Stewart

50

A Walk in the Park

by Katrina A. Farquhar

37

“It’s Mum’s Fault”

by Tom White

55

Pottering About...

40

Tullich Symbol Stones

By Sheila Sedgwick

59

Spirit of Ballater Awards

64

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Eagle Cub Reporter

22

National Park Update

John Riach - Loinmuie

by Joan Anderson Scottish 6 Days Orienteering Report

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Cover: Euan Esson tackles the BVW cairtie race - photo by Cat Houston

Local Groups • Ballater & Crathie C.C.: 18 • Ballater Clinic: 15 • Ballater Films: 38 • BRD: 12 • BRHS Floral Art: 8 •BRHS: 9 • Buttony Bear: 30 • Charitable Chiels: 24 • Churches Letter: 23 • Community Action Plan: 19 • Crathie Kirk Coffee Mornings: 13 • Duck Festival 2017: 16 • K&D Befriending: 26 • Kirk Improvements: 15 • Library Page: 14 • Monaltrie Park Project: 29 • Police Page: 61 • Resilience Group: 11 • Rotary: 10 • St Kentigern’s: 20 • Victoria & Albert Halls: 52

. Advertisers’ Index: 62 .

Advertising Full page: £100; Half page: £50; Quarter page: £25; Eighth page: £12 Discounts on 4 issue series copy can be changed each issue contact Karen Garioch at karen.garioch@btinternet.com or Tel 42344

Thank You

Charity no. no.

SC000123 Charity SC000123

• Victoria Week: 32 • Walking Festival: 34 •

Grateful thanks for donation from Dr. Alasdair Grieve Donations are gratefully received, and acknowledged.

You can also put money into our tins in the Library or Yules Newsagents.

The Eagle Diary

...so you know what’s going on September

Thu 14 Floral Art Group - Robert Reid “Gardeners’ World”.

Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm Wed 20 Ballater SWI- Sean Phillips, Royal Lochnagar Distillery,

talk on Gin & Cocktails. Mike Sheridan Room at 7.30pm Sat 23 Ballater Films presents “The Time of Their Lives” in aid of Marie Curie.

7.30pm, Mike Sheridan Room Mon 25 Ballater Clinic closed for public holiday Tue 26/ Indoor Bowling Season re-starts in Victoria Hall 2 - 4pm and 7 - 9pm Wed 27 Fri 29 Rotary Club of Aboyne & Upper Deeside

Silent Auction in Victory Hall, Aboyne, 7 - 9pm Sat 30 Ballater Films presents “Guardians of the Galaxy”.

7.30pm Mike Sheridan Room

October Wed 11 Whist Club starts–Wednesdays 6.30 – 10pm from October 11th – April 18th Wed 18 Ballater SWI: Michelle Paterson – Cookery Demonstration.

Mike Sheridan Room at 7.30pm Thu 19 Floral Art Group AGM plus “That Was The Week That Was”

with Ann Pike. Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm Tue 31 Closing date for Cairngorms Young Nature Presenter applications

Ballater Eagle Copy Deadlines Spring – February 1 for early March publication Summer – May 1 for early June publication Autumn – August 1 for mid-September publication Winter – November 1 for early December publication

Are Your Dates Here?

For inclusion in this FREE section of the Eagle, please contact Faye Swan on 013397 55345 or info@swandesign.uk.com

November Wed 1 Ballater Victoria Week AGM, 7.30pm Mike Sheridan Room Sat 4 Breakneck Comedy Night, Victoria Hall 8pm, Tickets £15 Mon 6 BRHS AGM Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm Wed 15 Ballater SWI Fun Evening – Create a Card. Mike Sheridan Room at 7.30pm Thu 16 Floral Art Group Charity Evening, Albert Hall, 7.30pm. “A Winter’s Tale”

by John McDonald, Gleneagles (SAFAS Demonstrator) Fri 24 Ballater Films presents “Whisky Galore” (2017), V&A Halls, 8pm Thu 30 Quiz for Marie Curie, Deeside Inn, 7.30pm

December Mon 4 BRHS Annual Quiz, Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm Wed 6 Ballater SWI 85th Birthday Celebrations. Evening Meal.

Venue to be confirmed Fri 8 An Audience with Maureen Smith, 7.30pm at The Barrel Lounge

Ballater Library Opening Hours Sun, Mon & Wed: Closed

Tuesday: 10am-1pm, 6.30-8pm

Thursday: 2-4pm, 6.30-8pm

Friday: 2-5pm

Saturday: 10am-12noon

Contact the Eagle

Hand in to the Library  Post to Ballater Eagle, c/o Ballater Library, Ballater, AB35 5QB

 email to: ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com

Contributions of any kind (ideally in Word format) always welcome.

Keep in Touch with an Eagle Subscription A subscription can be a very welcome gift to farflung friends and relatives. Simply provide the name and address to whom issues should be sent, with a cheque or postal order for ‘Ballater Eagle’ for the relevant amount and drop off your request to Ballater Library. Avril, our Subscriptions secretary, will do the rest. Easy!

For the rates below, four issues will be posted.

UK: £12.00 EU: £16.00 Overseas: £20.00

Contact Your Representatives

Scottish Parliament

Alexander Burnett MSP  0131 348 5642 Alexander.Burnett.msp@parliament.scot

Westminster Andrew Bowie MP  0207 219 2791 andrew.bowie.mp@parliament.uk Aberdeenshire Council

Peter Argyle:  013398 82973 email: cllr.p.argyle@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Geva Blackett:  013397 41541 email: cllr.g.blackett@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Paul Gibb:  07388 956148 cllr.p.gibb@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Cairngorms National Park Geva Blackett  013397 41541 geva.blackett@btconnect.com Gordon Riddler  07711609351 email: gordon.riddler@cnpaboard.co.uk

If you would like a large print version of the Eagle, please contact Ballater Library on 55628.

Eagle Who’s Who & Where Editor: Ian Hay  55941 Treasurer: Elaine Adams  56149 Subscriptions Secretary: Avril Fyfe  56162 Advertising Manager: Karen Garioch 42344 Distribution: Andy and Julie Bloor Diary Secretary: Faye Swan  55345 Design: Cat Houston, Stella Potter, Ollie Francis email us at: ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com Eagle Online: http://www.ballatercommunity.com

Letter from the Editor

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With progress being made in rebuilding the Old Royal Station, Ballater continues to show signs of returning to the days when visitors had places to visit, shops to explore and restaurants in which to enjoy good food. There are however still vacant shops in Bridge Street, which is disappointing bearing in mind that this is the main thoroughfare of our village, our window to the world of tourism. On the other hand, the regular Farmers’ Markets are proving increasingly popular, and Amy Muir is to be congratulated on her efforts to do something different.

Meanwhile, the 30th annual Ballater Victoria Week brought fun and enjoyment to the village, when all thoughts of past problems were cast aside. The team which has been organising this event, ably led by Ade and Cat, is to be congratulated on their inventiveness and determination that residents and visitors alike will “Be Amused”. Whoever thought that cairtie racing would again grace the streets of Ballater more than 75 years since horse drawn vehicles were no longer the “norm” and children could safely play in the streets? There are still those in the village who remember flying down “the Darroch” in their home made cairtie with no concerns about being inconvenienced by any traffic.

For some time, contributors to the Eagle have been bemoaning the lack of involvement in community aspects by local residents, particularly when seeking assistance for a specific task to enhance the facilities in the village. There is no taking away from the wonderful efforts of the community following the problems in early 2016, but continued involvement, even in a small way, is vital to ensure that village facilities are improved and maintained. This cannot always be left to the regular few. Undoubtedly, many hands make light work, so please heed the appeals for assistance and consider what small contribution you can make to ensuring that Ballater is the premier village on Deeside in which to live.

Once again I wish to record grateful thanks to Aboyne & Upper Deeside Rotary, and to B(RD) for their very generous support towards the costs of designing the spring and summer Eagles.

It is sad to record the passing of a former member of the Eagle Team after a lengthy period of illness. For years, John Holley delivered copies of the Eagle from Eastfield to Cambus O’ May with assistance from his wife Jean. He also was a contributor of articles to the Eagle about his previous life in the Metropolitan Police. John was a founder member and enthusiastic participant in the Ballater Boules Challenge, and his experience in traffic control ensured a smooth flow of vehicles into and out of Monaltrie Park on Games Day. Big John’s presence in the village will be greatly missed.

Ian Hay

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Local Group News

A round-up of news from our local groups

Floral Art Group

by Jenny Houston

Our first meeting in April was interesting – to say the least! Interesting because the demonstrator called off at lunchtime on the day due to illness, and so Evelyne Baikie and I stepped in to the breech with only the afternoon to prepare some hastily-assembled floral arrangements. Amazingly, the evening was a success and we had some fun and a few laughs!

In May the Committee did a demonstration entitled “Come Dine With Me”. The purpose of this was to try and encourage entrants, especially in the Intermediate and Novice Class (table arrangements) for the BRHS Show in August.

Refreshments were provided by the Committee and everyone excelled themselves with their efforts, both with the flowers, and the food! Much

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to everyone’s delight it turned into a very pleasant, lighthearted evening.

Earlier in May on “National Flower Arrangement Day”, or “Lonely Bouquet Day” as it was called, we placed one bouquet in Aboyne and one in Ballater to see if anyone would take possession of either or both of them. What honest people there are around in both villages! Evelyne’s bouquet lay on a bench in Aboyne for four days with no takers; but the Ballater arrangement, which was on a seat in the Hut on the Green, was eventually taken up by late afternoon. Both bouquets had explanatory notes attached to them!

Later in May the team of Aileen Barber, Sheila MacFarlane and Kathleen McCulloch made twelve table arrangements for the Ballater Walking Week Ceilidh and I prepared a basket for the raffle.

In early June Aileen and I took a table at the BRHS Plant Sale, not only to promote our Floral Art Group but to encourage new members: so please ladies, do come and join us to meet old and new friends together with a cuppa and a blether! We also sometimes have a Sales Table and Workshops.

June was memorable because of a fantastic demonstration and talk from Sandra Halkett (SAFAS Demonstrator). It was a shame if you couldn’t make it because members of the audience were unanimous in their acclaim for a most entertaining event.

For forthcoming events please have a look at The Eagle Diary Dates.

Big ‘thank you’? Important date? Special event? If you’ve got something to say about your group, get in touch and get it into the Eagle - ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com

BRHS

by Elizabeth Wilson

It seems ages ago since we held our annual Plant Sale on June 3, for the second time, in the Victoria Hall. A considerable queue had formed before opening, though not as long as ones at Harrod’s! Thanks to everyone who helped make the day such a success.

We raised around £1200 in a hectic three hours!

Despite advertising for help in planting up and maintaining the tubs throughout the village with the annuals provided by Aberdeenshire Council, disappointingly not one person came forward, so it was again left to stalwarts Jim Clark and Colin Wilson. At one time, many hands made light work of this task, - sadly this is not the case now. It has been up to three committee members and one resident to water and maintain the tubs, which play a considerable part in enhancing Ballater’s appearance.

Amelia Fraser’s winning design from last year’s Flower Show was also planted up in the flower bed outside Emslie’s shop.

Our annual outing took place on July 12.

In total contrast to last year’s thunder, lightning and torrential rain at Leith Hall, the sun shone on our visit, firstly to Fyvie Castle grounds. Our informative guide showed us how the garden would have looked in years gone by. The walled garden has been redeveloped as a celebration of Scottish fruits and vegetables.

After a tasty lunch, we headed to Pitmedden. This “unique, immaculately kept, formal garden with almost 6 miles of clipped box hedging along with the parterres at the heart of the garden are a masterpiece of intricate patterns and sparkling colours; a delight for the senses”.

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Our day ended with tea and delicious scones before returning home.

As I write this, preparations for the 141st Annual Exhibition and Flower Show on the 19 & 20 August are well underway. We are hoping for a considerable number of entries in the new category for the Best Village Business Floral Display. An account of the Show and prize-winners will be announced in the Winter edition of the Eagle.

Our forthcoming season’s programme is currently being finalised. Our AGM takes place in the Mike Sheridan Room in the Halls on Monday, November 6 at 7.30pm. Afterwards, Alistair Birnie will give an illustrated presentation on “Cacti and Succulents”. The usual Quiz Night will be held on Monday, December 4.

Remember details about forthcoming meetings can be found in the Eagle “Diary”, on posters displayed throughout the village prior to each meeting, and of course, our website http://ballaterroyalhorticulturalsociety.weebly.com which gives comprehensive information about the Society.

At the last AGM, it was agreed to do away with the £2 entry fee by changing the annual membership fee to £10. This saves the Secretary and Treasurer a lot of work and members will save £7 should they wish to attend all the meetings. If you wish to attend a single meeting, the cost is still £3. All are welcome and refreshments are available afterwards.

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Rotary Club Silent Auction

by Ruth Powell

The Rotary Club of Aboyne and Upper Deeside is holding a Silent Auction in The Victory Hall, Aboyne, on September 29 from 7 to 9pm. The Aboyne Academy Parent-Teacher Council is providing invaluable support to the Rotarians organising the event.

More than 100 lots provided by local businesses and organisations will be on offer at this grand auction with the proceeds being donated to the Academy and The Friends of Aboyne Hospital. The Academy wish to purchase iPads for pupils’ assignments and The Hospital Friends are always looking to update and provide extra comforts for patients.

Entry to the sale, including a welcome drink and nibbles, is £5 at the door or advance tickets are available from Rotarians Mike Smith ( michaelf.smith@btopenworld.com) and Diane Fyffe (diane_fyffe@yahoo.co.uk) Entry is limited to over 18s and a wine bar will be available in the Hall for the duration of the Sale.

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Ballater Resilience Group

by Linda Drever

One definition of the word Resilience is – springing back to its original form after being bent, stretched, compressed or otherwise deformed.

Ballater is doing more than that - not just getting back to its original form, but to an improved form.

Ballater is a GREAT community to live in.

Applied to people, resilience means being ready, prepared, able to cope, and a small group, Ballater Resilience Group, has spent many, many hours since the dreadful F day working on just that.

Our work has been on two fronts, firstly, how could we, without causing anxiety, encourage every resident to be more resilient themselves and secondly, what steps could we take to enable the Halls to be set up and operate more efficiently should they ever have to be used again as a Rest Centre. We have also collaborated with Ballater Community Enterprise to formulate an emergency plan for Ballater Caravan Park.

By the time you read this, you will more than likely have had another community publication, (not in a plain brown wrapper, but in a clear popper wallet), pushed through your letterbox. Hopefully the leaflet looks interesting and attractive enough to have sparked your curiosity, and you have had at least a quick glance through. The idea of the leaflet was to help folks think about what would work best for them in an emergency situation. We have put together, in a logical sequence, a ‘memory jogger’ that could act as a checklist and might include some things that, if forgotten in the heat of the moment, might lead to more hassle e.g. a copy of photo ID/a note of regular medication.

With regard to operating the Halls as a Rest Centre, we have produced a Ballater Resilience Plan which is available in the library and on the community council webpage; gathered together some emergency supplies including emergency heating and lighting; worked out how we can best try to look after folks evacuated to the Halls; printed signage; and held familiarisation sessions for those who have volunteered their services should they be needed. (It’s not too late to join our team as we

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will have another session in the early autumn. You won’t need to be on a rota nor be committed to a particular task, just to say you’d be willing to help if, at the time of an emergency, you are able).

Doing all of this has been a mammoth task for the Resilience Group and it‘s really strange to think that it has all been done in the knowledge and hope that it may never be needed. We’d like to publicly extend our thanks to the many others who have in any way contributed to the work which has been done and, in particular, our thanks go to Cat of Myriad Pro for the time she spent designing our leaflet.

If for any reason you don’t get a personal copy of the Household Emergency Leaflet, or if you lose your copy, please contact Linda Drever on thedrevers@btinternet or on 56224 for a replacement. If you move house we would respectfully ask that you leave the leaflet at your property for the next residents, and if you were ‘lucky’ enough to get two deliveries please hand your extra copy in to the library and we’ll pass it on to someone else.

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BRD by David Horne and

Ballater (Royal Deeside) Limited and its trading company Ballater Community Enterprise, are run by a group of volunteer directors who are not paid for their time and effort. B(RD) has been instrumental in trying to lift the spirits of the village since the devastation caused by Storm Frank, taking on responsibility for licencing and approval of various community events such as the hugely successful Duck Festival, and Mucklefest. It was BRD which carried out the time consuming behind the scenes quiet work that ensured these events could take place.

BRD and BCE are also instrumental in running the Caravan Park and this is no mean task, as in 2016 and 2017 the latter’s directors and friends have put this project back on the road, bringing in many visitors once again,

which in turn brings in funds to our shops, cafĂŠs and restaurants. BRD also runs a Community bus service that helps school children and our more senior citizens get out of the village and everyone involved is a volunteer.

Then we have the long-running Ballater Walking Festival which has been organised

by BRD with assistance from our amazing local volunteers. The consequences of Storm Frank have meant that the Caravan Park funds have not been sufficient to allow BRD to donate as much to the village as was the case in 2015. However, we have been able to provide some financial assistance through the Johnston Oil Fund, which generates money from the BRD supported Oil Club helping over 200 residents in the village to purchase cheaper fuel oil. This fund is not in the same league as the old fund available from BCE/ BRD, but it can assist on small projects, with monies being made available among others to Hut on the Green refurbishment, Monaltrie Park Toilets, Ballater Eagle, Nativity Lights Project and the Caravan Park itself in those dark days of February 2016.

Finally BRD has been instrumental in trying to bring power onto the Green. At present we await planning permission to progress this, and like many things, BRD is not doing this alone as the Coop, Charitable Chiels, Aboyne & Upper Deeside Rotary, Ballater Highland Games, Ballater Victoria Week, our Community Council and funding from Marr Area council are all making this possible.

BRD holds and manages funds on behalf of various organisations such as Ballater Resilience Group, Notice Board, Duck Festival, and Mucklefest to name but a few.

BRD’s charitable status also enables us to assist in getting funding for other local

John Burrows organisations which would not otherwise be able to access funding.

So if you now realise that BRD may have a part to play in the future of your village, and you would also like to be a part of that, then please, firstly spend the princely sum of £1 (for life membership – what amazing value) and then GET INVOLVED. BRD is run at the moment by a group of directors who have a youthful attitude to life, but are getting on in years. We would love to change the age profile of the directors.

Tell us what you want by getting involved and pushing out the boundaries – bring in youthfulness and stretch the horizon. We would love you to join us and although it can be hard work we do have a lot of laughter and fun.

To find out more contact BRD at: 013397 54023 or info@royal-deeside.org.uk

Crathie Kirk Coffee Mornings Our Monday morning cafe continues to be well supported by our many friends and visitors.

So far we have raised in excess of £25,000 over the 11 years we have been running.This could not have been achieved without the willing support of our volunteers, who week by week give of their time, and supply wonderful home baking.

A huge THANK YOU to you all”.

- Elaine Beckwith

Come and relax in

The Auld Kirk Coffee Lounge Opening in June Offering locally roasted coffee and quality loose leaf teas A small but daily changing selection, including seasonal soups, rolls and sandwiches, sweet and savoury pastries, cakes and desserts – all made in-house Peter, Tony and Lisa look forward to welcoming you Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm 31 Braemar Road. 013397 55762

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Library Page by Sabine Muir

The Loinmuie Project

The children of both craft clubs have worked hard to bring the lost Glenmuick village of Loinmuie back to life. They have concentrated on the year 1841, when there were still four families living there.

The children have built the simple houses and made trees, peat stacks and runrigs on the slopes of the glen, where the village sustained 9 or 10 families from the 1600s onwards.

Their work, which started as a small craft project, marks Scottish Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology and has blossomed into an important social record for Upper Deeside.

The model village, along with two of the legends from Loinmuie, are on display in the library window, and a project book explaining the stories is available for anyone to look at during Library hours.

Library telephone: 013397 55628 Two of the Loinmuie descendants, Frances Johnstone and Elma Walker were invited along to talk to the children, along with Mary Munro, one of several local authors who have written about the families.

Forbes Duguid Painter & Decorator Tel .55816 el.55816

Research has shown that the late butcher Mike Sheridan was a descendant of one of the named families of 1841. So, too, was John Riach, one of Ballater’s most famous Victorians.

Thanks to help from Riach and Stewart descendants, a special celebration day was held as part of Victoria Week and a Signing Book has been opened at the library for all to see and contribute.

Storyteller Joan Anderson, one of the volunteers who has helped with the project, has continued to develop the stories and contacts as there are hundreds of known descendants from the Lauchlans, Riachs, Dowies, Stewarts, Tastards, Jamiesons and others who lived there over two centuries. She would welcome any further information to add to the Library project record.

Pictish Stones As part of the Scottish Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology the Craft Club kids have recreated some local Pictish stones out of clay. These are on display in the Library window.

Library Activities Everyone is welcome to: Baby Rhymetimes every Tuesday from 10.45am.

Bookbug Story Times for the under- fives every Tuesday from 11.15am.

Junior Craft Clubs for Primary School aged children of seven upwards Thursday 3.30pm and Friday at 3.30pm. Our clubs are full at the moment, but we have a waiting list. We start back on August 31.

Knit and Natter Tuesday evenings from 7 – 9pm, resuming on Tuesday 5th September.

15 Ballater Clinic by Marie Mitchell

Ballater Clinic will be closed on Monday 25th September 2017 because of the public holiday. If you require medical attention during this date please call NHS 24 on 111.

We will be holding a Flu Clinic Event in the Autumn - more info to be announced soon! -

Improving Your Kirk by Angus Davidson Plans to improve wheelchair access to Glenmuick Church are well under way. There will be a ramp leading to the door on the north side of the Kirk (the side nearest to the Co-op store).

It will be similar to that at the west Church in Banchory. The ramp will make access to the church much easier for all – whether in a wheelchair or not.

The existing passageway to the vestry is to be reconfigured to accommodate a disabled toilet. No longer will you be caught short! The above works are to be fairly costly. Any financial assistance will be greatly appreciated.

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Ballater Duck Festival 2017

Attendance at this year’s Duck Festival on Sunday 4 June was estimated at over 2,000 and was probably the largest event ever held in the centre of Ballater. There were 70 trade and craft stalls on all three parts of the Church Green and inside the Glenaden Hotel hall. In addition, there were seven types of rides and entertainment provided throughout the day, including a stage on which pupils from Aboyne Academy Soul and Ceilidh bands performed. This was the first time live music has been provided at the Duck Festival and it is hoped to repeat this next year.

The stalls were busy throughout the day and local cafes and shops reported doing “a roaring

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trade”. A total of £4,200 was raised this year, some of which will go to support local groups and projects. In addition, over £2,000 was raised by several charities attending the event.

The “Quack Quaich” was presented to the sponsors of the winning duck, the Alexandra Hotel, on the steps of Glenmuick Church by the President of the Aboyne and Upper Deeside Rotary Club.

Once again, the organisers received excellent support and sponsorship from many local businesses and organisations. Work has already begun on planning the Ballater Duck Festival 2018.

Photos courtesy of Westhill Photography Club

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18 Ballater & Crathie Community Council by Anne Reid For those of you who are computer literate, there are 2 ways of keeping up to date with what has been going on in your community - our website: http://ballatercommunity.com/community-council/ where you will find Agendas and minutes of meetings, and also, our Facebook page: https://www. facebook.com/Ballater-Crathie-Community-Council-296233753897451/ Agendas, minutes, road closures, new posts and local information are all there too.

For those of you not so computer literate we have 2 notice boards: The smaller of the two is outside the Albert Hall and has the agendas and who your Community Councillors are.

The larger notice board is on the Church Green and has Agendas, Minutes and also a list of who your Community Councillors are.

Local Update: There are yellow markers at the waterline around the golf course walk. Aberdeenshire council put them there for water level monitoring.

Please do not remove them.

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Alpine Tree Care

Professional Arborists since 1991

As introduced in the previous Eagle, at an open meeting on May 10 the development of a Community Action Plan was endorsed.

A Steering Group is up and running consisting of David Cobban, Michael Coletta, Jo Croll, Katrina Farquhar, Jenna Florence, Jean Henretty, Allan Harrison, Nick Mardall, Fiona Presslie, Kerry Sinclair, Ade Scripps, Lindsay Smith, Wee Jim CAPs bring a variety of benefits, not least the ability to coordinate all village efforts in progressing mutually beneficial village projects and seeking funding, as well as gaining assistance from the local authorities who require a demonstrated community voice when it comes to supporting projects and initiatives.

The initial stage in developing a Community Action Plan is to understand the thoughts of the community, what is good about living in, working in, visiting the Ballater & Crathie Area. And what is not so good, what would make it better.

To help gather thoughts, a survey was kicked off during Ballater Victoria Week and is open to the end of September, if you have not filled it in already, hard copies are available in some shops and on line via the Ballater and Crathie Community Action Plan Facebook page.

Once the data has been collected and collated a follow up meeting will be held in late Autumn to share findings and to develop community consensus on the priorities for the Ballater & Crathie Area, focussing on what could be achievable over a 3-5yr period.

Should you like more information please feel free to contact us on fionapresslie@aol.com or croll66@btinternet.com.

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20

St Kentigern’s Round-up

St Kentigern’s summer fair took place on June 24, when the weather was slightly better than last year! The grand total raised was £2,734, which was up on last year. The Queen’s gift raffle did well again, and was won for the second year running by a member of the congregation! Maggie Jaffray is now the proud owner of a lovely cake stand.

Many thanks must go to those people and businesses who donated items to the stalls and general raffle. Also to those who set up, cleared up, baked (I hope you managed to try one of Nigel’s cream scones, so yummy), served on teas and stalls (special thanks to those folk out-with our own congregation), and to those two stalwarts left to count the takings, Last but not least, thank you to all those who came and spent their money.

By the time this goes to press, we will have passed through August, with Games season and Ballater Victoria Week. Our scarecrow

by Vittoria Hancock

at St Kentigern’s this year was Jonah and the Whale, made by Barbara Simpson and Sabine Muir, ably assisted by members of the Library craft club. We look forward to welcoming Skye Anderson into the church on her baptism at the beginning of August, and to celebrating with John and Anne Richardson on their golden wedding anniversary.

Autumn is approaching and our Harvest celebrations are already being planned. Our Sunday Club still continues to meet on the 3rd Sunday of each month, and will be looking at the theme of Harvest at their next meeting on September 24.

If you’d like to know more about our Sunday Club, please speak to Anne Richardson. Our Harvest service is on Sunday, October 15 at 9.30am, and will be followed by a bring and share Harvest lunch at 1pm. Do feel free to join us at any of our events – you would be very welcome.

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22

Eagle Cub Reporter - Head to Head

Liah Robertson interviews Gillian at the Phoenix Chip Shop (her granny!!)

Q: What jobs did you do before you owned the chip shop?

A: I worked at Strachans, the Coach House (Balmoral Bar) and I worked at Birkhall with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

Q: What would your dream job be?

A: My dream job was working with the Royals but after 11years I fancied a new challenge so I took on the chip shop.

Q: Would you have done anything different?

A: No I wouldn’t changed anything.

Q: Do you like being your own boss?

A: I like being my own boss, I think I’m quite an easy one.

Q: Does it get really busy?

A: It gets very busy especially in the summer.

Q: What do you like best about the chip shop?

Take-away A: I like the customers/people as you get to know your regulars and Renowned for our excellent food have a laugh. and friendly family atmosphere Q: What happens in the chip shop?

Extensive menu available at A: Peeling and cutting potatoes, affordable prices setting up the shop, frying the food, we make a lot of homemade Mon – Wed: 4.30 – 9pm food as well i.e pies, korma, chilli, Thur – Sun: 4.30 – 9.30pm closed Mondays November-Easter macaroni and now Gluten free options.

Q: Last of all what are the best sellers?

A: Fish, chicken fillets and the puddings are the top sellers.

2 Viewfield Road, Ballater (opposite Station Square)

Phoenix Chip Shop

If you’d like to join our cub reporter team contact The Eagle at ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com

Tel: 013397 55119

23 Dear Friends

Letter from the Churches

We are entering now into the shorter days of autumn. Soon the leaves will be turning on the trees and the fiery colours will decorate the valley with their glory. A fruitful, mellow time of harvest. Life seems to speed by, and can go past without us stopping to appreciate this beautiful place in which we live.

It can be difficult when surrounded by all the hustle and bustle of life to step back and pause. Everywhere we look, people seem in such a hurry to fit more and more into their days. The constant texting on mobile phones, instant access to emails, engagement in social media, all seem to demand faster and faster responses and reactions. And the problem with such fast responses is that often they are not considered or thought out. Our knee-jerk reactions become public, when previously we may have had second thoughts before speaking a certain way. Unlike earlier times, comments spread far more widely than our immediate circle. While this is not necessarily bad it is not always good.

The book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible has a passage which talks about there being a time for everything under the sun. A time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. As individuals and as a community, our responses to events, conversations, and disagreements help to build or destroy our relationships.

As we move into autumn, can we encourage you to stop, to pause? To look at the world around you, and reflect on how you are responding to it.

Take time out to dance, to laugh, to weep, to love. As churches, we are about to enter the season of Harvest, when we stop to appreciate God’s many gifts to us. Whether you are a believer or not, can we encourage you to step back from the hustle and bustle of life. To appreciate the many good things that are around you. Choose to build up this community and our life together. You are welcome to join us at any of our services and events as we celebrate together.

With every blessing, Rev David Barr, Glenmuick Church of Scotland Father Chris Brannan, St Nathalan’s Roman Catholic Church Rev Vittoria Hancock, St Kentigern’s, Episcopal Church

Responsibility for complying with the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the associated Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 rests with the Duty Holder • Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Safety Audits carried out on all types of properties.

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Contact: 01339 742005 or 07791 697850 / www.lm-fire.co.uk

/ Email: info@lm-fire.co.uk

24

Ballater Charitable Chiels

Fitlike Folks!

In case you weren’t aware, the Chiels have a new line up of office bearers. John Sinclair is taking a second stint as Chairman, with his brother Robert now Vice chairman.

Neil Henderson has taken over the reins as Secretary and, after having previously held each of the other offices, Andrew Thain is now our Treasurer.

Andrew did a Chiels presentation recently to Ballater’s WRI which went down a storm. Some of the information and figures mentioned at it were that we had received awards from Inspiring Marr, Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action Awards scheme and we were short listed to the final three of the Voluntary Fundraising Group in Scotland. The first two were for flood related work and the third for our fundraising efforts for MND and the Euan MacDonald Research Centre through our annual golf day which we got involved in with Sandy Barclay back in 2005.

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All aspects of landscaping Mini digger and small tipper hire Firewood also available James Anderson, Bridgefoot, Glenmuick, Ballater 013397 55997 / 07821 746756 weejim03@live.co.uk www.weejim.com

by Scott Fraser Our golf day, which is a Texas Scramble, has raised £363,000 which we are very proud of, especially as it gets ever harder to come up with original fundraising ideas but, as we are getting copied more and more, it just shows how successful we have been. Our flood fund raising efforts covered a wide range of activities which resulted in us being able to assist 140 households who asked for help with £83,000 of grants. We also donated £13,000 to the Minister, Rev David Barr’s flood fund and £3,000 went to help the refurb of the caravan site. Our flood effort continues!

Meanwhile, we are trying to get back to our usual fundraising events within the Deeside area. We continue to be busy with planning and carrying out good deeds like stewarding for other charities and events, organising walks, race nights, the fireworks display, Christmas lights, and answering requests that come our way, two of which recently have been No Waiting Cone Initiative and StrathDee Tug o’ War Team. The No Waiting Cone Initiative, was set up so Ballater and the surrounding area could become self-sufficient for event signage and cones as Police Scotland no longer supply manpower or cones to events and the Roads Department is just too stretched with so many events in the Shire happening at the same time.

On Saturday, July 15, we held a meeting at “Ernie’s Bothy”. Some of us walked in, while others were involved with a firewood drop to ensure that some of the comforts that the bothy affords are kept up. Several of us stayed the night, and it was rather heart-warming to know that the bothy is being used and respected so well. It was filled to capacity with the bunks full and the floor too, with a multi-national mix of hill type folk.

Our goal, which is to ensure that our endeavours wherever possible put smiles on folks faces, has certainly been achieved here, and the Chiels all know very well that without the continued support of Ballater and the surrounding area we would struggle to achieve our goals. Cheers folks!

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26

Ballater Befrienders Needed

by Lisa Wass

Could you provide some companionship for an older person who is socially isolated? Kincardine and Deeside Befriending is a local registered charity looking to recruit volunteer befrienders to support older people in the community. The organization which was established over 20 years ago provides much-needed support to older people who are experiencing loneliness. Its volunteer befrienders visit on a weekly or fortnightly basis and their involvement can be a key factor in making an older person feel more positive and confident. Going for a short walk or drive, finding a local activity or just having a chat and cup of tea at home can make a real difference to someone’s life. Volunteers are recruited, trained and matched on a one-to-one basis to an older person.

Anyone who is over 18, who enjoys talking and listening to older people and who has a couple of hours to spare every week or fortnight, is welcome to apply. Volunteers attend an informal

By appointment to HM the Queen Purveyor of Meat and Poultry

interview and a short introductory course. The next course will take place at the end of September. They will also be required to undertake an enhanced disclosure check. Having your own car would be of benefit and travelling expenses are provided as well as ongoing support. You can phone us or check out our website for more information and an application pack.

Tel: 01330823368/07816 958839 www.kdbefriending.org.uk

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By appointment to HRH the Prince of Wales Purveyor of Meat and Poultry

Our finest quality butcher and deli products are brought to you through our Ballater shop, regular markets, home delivery and online services.We can bring a barbecue or hog roast to you or offer a range of delights through our exclusive restaurant at Ballater Golf Club.

11 Bridge Street, Ballater . Tel: 013397 55218 Fax: 56042 info@hmsheridan.co.uk . www.hmsheridan.co.uk Visit our online shop . See Facebook for updates and daily specials . Free delivery on Deeside and Donside

Ballater Highland Games

by Ron Drever

27

What a fabulous day we had at this year’s where, but chose Ballater Games for a first exGames, when we welcomed both our Chieftain, perience of Scotland’s Highland Games. The Captain Alwyne Farquharson M.C. of Invercauld Committee was delighted to have our Games to his 69th year as our Chieftain, as well as our chosen, and was delighted to hear that they had President Sir Andrew Walker-Okeover Bt. a wonderful time. We wish them well.

What more could we ask for - wonderful sunshine all day long; quite possibly our biggest ever number of spectators, including visitors from so many different countries; a huge turnout of our wonderful Patrons; hard fought competitions throughout the day; and six great Pipe Bands, including our own Ballater Pipe Band, and a guest band from Switzerland.

Thanks to all our wonderful volunteer helpers – we can’t do it without you!

The Chieftain made presentations of Ballater & District Pipe Band leaving the Games.

Photo by Bruce Murray certificates from the Scottish Highland Games Association to committee members Scott Fraser, Alan Mitchell, and Betty Simpson, recognising their exceptional service and commitment to Highland Games, and we also presented Betty with a Ballater Games Shield, in recognition of her fantastic 50 years of working for the Games.

We had a very special visit from the Charity “Give them a sporting chance”, bringing around fifty children from abroad who had experienced many problems in their home countr y and who now live in Scotland. We were told the children could have chosen any sporting or recreational A Hill Race competitor.

Photo by Cat Houston Chance any-

28

Because It’s Worth It!

by Grant Moir, CEO, CNPA

What is a National Park worth to a visitor?

How much do visitors value the public infrastructure that they use when on holiday? The paths, cycleways, ranger bases, signage, visitor centres and car parks all come with a cost to the public and private purse. Visitors obviously contribute massively to local economies across Scotland and there is an indirect link between this and the public funding of infrastructure through bodies like the Park Authority, Forestry Commission Scotland and Sustrans amongst others.

In other countries there is a more direct link between the visitor and public infrastructure. In the United States you pay to enter National Parks; many European destinations have a local tourism tax. Recently, areas of the UK have begun to use a variety of direct funding mechanisms from BIDS to voluntary giving to raise funds. This is now being augmented with new technologies and the growing crowdfund-

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ing culture to help deliver infrastructure projects.

The Cairngorms has 666 miles of core paths on public and private land.

Over the past 15 years over £10 million has been spent on upgrading high and low ground paths. This has been a significant achievement by all involved and is an important attractor for the area with visitor statistics showing that walking is the single biggest activity for the 1.7million visitors to the Cairngorms National Park.

However, the maintenance costs of just paths is roughly £0.5million per annum and this does not take into account one-off costs, like the £1.5million needed to repair two bridges across the Dee that suffered severe storm damage in 2015. The major upgrading of visitor infrastructure will always require public funding but there is a need for all of us to think about how we might contribute to the maintenance and upkeep of such vital economic infrastructure.

It has been shown that visitors are willing to make a payment for the upkeep of a special area as long as they know the money is spent locally on something tangible and as long as this information is communicated clearly. For example, people will happily pay parking charges if they know that £25,000 raised from a particular car park will be spent on nearby path upgrades.

We need to find the right approach for visitor giving and we need to be open and transparent about how the funding raised is spent. If we want to ensure that Scotland remains a must visit destination we need to ensure the public infrastructure meets the expectations of all who visit.

Since the Cairngorms is a park for all, we need to make it easy for all our visitors to give a little back.

Monaltrie Park Toilet Project

by Katrina A. Farquhar

29

Ballater and Crathie Community Council are delighted to announce that at long last after a long wait - nearly twenty years! - the Monaltrie Park Toilet Project has been completed. The toilets are reopened and hopefully it will make the park much more user friendly for locals and visitors alike.

Following meetings with Aberdeenshire Council, Andrew Meechan has been a fantastic help and support throughout the entire project. Janelle Clark and her staff at Marr Area Office, Jim Donald, Iain Welsh have all been great and thank you so much for going the extra mile for Ballater!

We initially got knocked back on funding a few times but then the new Marr Area fund started and we managed to secure funding along with developer obligations and a generous donation from Mike Sheridan’s estate. Every single funder has been generous and it is really appreciated. The sign on the toilets will be a great reminder of the generosity received.

SRC Plumbing and Heating managed the contract and has had great workmen in and they have done a fabulous job. The building is transformed.

It has been a struggle at times but we are all delighted to have arrived at the crucial day, - opening!

The toilets will be opened and locked by Aberdeenshire Council staff on a daily basis. They will be closed in the winter months.

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Contact Brian or Angela Smith (24hrs)

30 Buttony Bear - A Ballater Project Buttony is a bear that we adapt to have a stoma and pouch and the bears are donated to children undergoing bowel surgery throughout the UK. Buttony gives the child a ‘friend like them’.

The bears are donated direct to families through our Buttony Bears Facebook page and a network of paediatric stoma nurses.

Since May 2015 we have donated just over 1350 Buttony friends. We’d like to take the opportunity in this Eagle issue to thank the Ballater community for their support. When we launched the project we really had no idea what was ahead, the phrase “a few bears” was uttered many times.

At times there is a manageable stream of requests and at others it is hectic and we struggle to keep up on top of our work and family commitments. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience and something we will be doing for many years to come.

The community have been fantastic, supporting Buttony from day one, we are extremely grateful. We have personal reasons for being passionate about the cause but many more people with no

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links to the children we support have helped us.

People don’t talk easily about guts but it would be great if slowly we could break down the ‘poo taboo’. One in 500 of us have a stoma, we will all know someone who has a stoma!

In the last week of July I was privileged to attend a conference at Alder Hey in Liverpool on Hirschprung’s Disease, this was a fascinating day from which I left with a far greater knowledge and great hope for the children of the future who will be affected by this disease. Many of the families present had received a Buttony friend and it was great to hear how our Ballater Bear had helped them and their families.

If you would like to know more about the project please do drop us an email or phone and we’d be happy to provide more information.

Please contact us on buttony@breakawayfoundation.org.uk, call Jenny on 07813 720963 or find us on Facebook by searching for Buttony Bears.

Celicall Crafts G. Cowie, Workshop,

3 Braemar Road, Ballater Telephone: 013397 55699

By Appointment to H.R.H.The Prince Of Wales The Duke Of Rothesay Picture Framer Celicall Crafts, Ballater

Bespoke Picture Framer established over 25 Years.

Tapestry & Needlework framed.

Supplier of framed Fishing Flies, framed River Maps and local Pen and Ink Sketches.

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Tornaveen Plumbing

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Tap washers, cleaning and repairing gutters, drains etc.

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Brakeley Gift Room Whatever your budget you can find lots of great gifts and home furnishings at Brakeley Gift Room

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Caravan Covers Made to Order Telephone:

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Free Candle with purchases of £15 and over on production of this voucher One per customer While stocks last 14 Bridge Street, Ballater (open 7 days) Tel: 07591 921 521 Wendy & David Cobban

Ballater Victoria Week 2017 by C Ballater Victoria Week 2017 will certainly Highlights be remembered as the included the Queen year when the sun shone Victoria Flashmob (news of and the village thronged which spread as far as Japan), a with people, all week fantastic Vehicle Parade (complete long. with a taste of a Cartie Race down Bridge Street, which showed us what could be done in future), the hilarious Rufts Dog Show, a simply buzzing Lego event, Buttony Bear’s Picnic, the 80s TV Quiz Show Quiz (you had to be there), After-Games Ceilidh, the Ghost Tours (inside and out) and the Duck Races, which saw 11 riders take their huge ducks (with sunglasses) down the Dee.

Visitors and residents were also treated to a range of musical, historical, sporting, foodie and outdoor events. There were some cracking Scarecrows to be seen too! Huge thanks to all our sponsors, advertisers and supporters, anyone who helped out at anything or who helped make it happen. ing You are all stars.

If yo or org receiv 2017 th ballate F Cheq drin on

7 by Cat Houston

rs dents reated f musical, ting, foodie s. There were carecrows to e thanks to all vertisers and The ne who helped next step for ng or who BVW is our Funding Meett happen. ing on Thursday September 28. stars.

If you’d like to apply for your group or organisation (Ballater-based only) to receive a slice of the profits from BVW 2017 then get in touch via email to info@ ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk or find us on Facebook before that date.

Cheques will be dished out along with drinks and nibbles at our fun AGM And on Wednesday November 1 in the finally, after Mike Sheridan Room from seven years in the Pub7.30pm. All welcome. licity role for BVW, and having loved (almost) every minute, I am hanging up my hat. If you’d like to join the team and have a go at designing future programmes, creating posters, running the Facebook page, website, or editing photos for BVW, get in touch at 013397 55243, info@ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk or via Facebook.

More than one person is needed to share the load and Be Amused, so don’t be shy.

34

Ballater Walking Festival

I am just about coming down to earth after the Walking Festival and now is the time to consider what we could have done to make the event better before we start to look at 2018. So how did we do? Well, we had our largest number of visitors attending and we celebrated one of our Walking Festival legends, Gordon Croll, by having a walk on Sunday, 21 May. I am glad to say that the weather behaved, and many of the Croll family took part. In fact it was so well attended that we had to close the book early, the sign of respect for a much loved member of our walking community, sadly no longer with us.

The weather in the early part of the week was challenging but as the week progressed so did the barometer and temperature readings, with the Thursday walks taken at a more leisurely pace with many stops for drinking (water) and taking in the views. Accompanying the great weather was the unusual clarity of the views and so much wild life on view from Eagles to Stags. As mentioned earlier the event was well attended, with over 100 people joining us and some walks reaching well over 40 persons on the lower levels.

The future of the event looks promising as we were able to bring in many younger members of the organising team, with Emma O’Shea replacing Alan Melrose on the strenuous walks and many other new leaders of a similar age in the Medium and Easy walks, thus ensuring the event’s continuity. The increase in new Helpers, Starters, Emergency Drivers and Minibus drivers was again encouraging as they brought a vibrancy, which I found exciting, and our more established team members are never phased by any influx of new members and ideas. Indeed they seem to find the challenge of youth a tonic, and were seen at the Ceilidh still doing high jinks round the dancefloor, although possibly the Saturday morning may have told other tales!

Our entertainment for the week ranged from the old favourite of Ian Wiseley’s famous Quiz Night, to a BBQ. at the golf club and ending up with the Ceilidh and our Pipe Band again performing at the close to entertain our visitors with their marching and playing. Our visitors greatly appreciate this part of the festival and it never ceases to amaze me how much we locals take for granted. How else would you close off any event in Ballater? We held a raffle during the ceilidh which achieved an amazing 63 Golf Road, Ballater, AB35 5RU reward for the event, with generous donations for Tel: 013397 55861 prizes coming from visitors as well as businesses Mob: 07811774942 in the village.

E-mail: allanmilne@rocketmail.com So what did the Greetin Meeting bring for us Established 1984 to take into account for 2018? Mostly, the comments were reaffirmation of much of the same, All aspects of Joinery but with a greater attention to Health and Safety and Carpentry. issues. Slicker Registration ideas were put forward while still retaining the fun of the night, ensuring New Builds, Extensions, that those who come to registration to reaffirm old Bathrooms, Kitchens, acquaintances can still do so over a glass of wine and a few tasty morsels.

Windows, Doors.

As the convenor for 2017 I would like to close Stairs manufactured by acknowledging all the team who made my first attempt at running this event a privilege, as it was and installed. their tireless work prior to, during and after the One-off items. walks and events which made the Week such a success. You were the real heroes, so thank you All renovation works. one and all.

Allan Milne Joiners

Could you be our Cairngorms Nature Young Presenter?

35

by Charlotte Millburn

Cairngorms Nature and the RSPB have launched their UK-wide search to find a child who is passionate about nature and can inspire others. 10-16 year olds up and down the UK are hoping to be chosen for the 2018 title and there is a very special prize on offer. The winner will get the chance to spend a day being filmed with TV nature presenter Iolo Williams, here in the Cairngorms National Park as part of an amazing 5-day Speyside Wildlife holiday for them and their family!

Iolo Williams said, “It’s so important to inspire the young people now who will go on to be the movers and shakers of the next generation.

The past winners have both been passionate nature lovers and it was a pleasure to spend time with them. If you’re a young person who loves nature and wants to inspire others to love it too then enter the competition and show us that passion.”

Last year’s winner, Alex Bayley, and his family spent a magical five days in the Park and Alex wrote a blog about his experiences. “My trip to the Cairngorms has been invaluable, I have learnt so much about the vast range of wildlife that the area holds and the endangered species that it treasures. I loved presenting Cairngorms Nature 2017 and I strongly recommend that you enter for Cairngorms Young Nature Presenter 2018.

Who knows, you may be the winner!”

The competition is open to all 10-16 year olds who are UK residents, all they need to do to enter is to film themselves talking about why they are passionate about nature. The film should be no longer than 30-60 seconds and they must tell the camera why they would like to present Cairngorms Nature to a young audience.

We don’t want to see wildlife footage, so please don’t include that – what is important is that your enthusiasm comes across to the viewer.

Entries must be uploaded by a parent or guardian and will be shortlisted by a judging panel and showcased online so the public can vote. The competition closes 31 October 2017.

For more information on the competition and how to enter please visit www.rspb.org.uk/ cairngormsnature

Marie Chapman Soft Furnishings, Tarland Hand and machine work available for curtains, pelmets, tiebacks, cushions, Roman blinds, curtain alterations etc.

A large collection of fabric samples.

Roller,venetian,vertical, pleated, intu, perfect fit blinds, curtain rails and poles all available.

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Come and join us!

Attached to the Crannach Bakery, which provides us with our wonderful fresh bread and cakes, Riverside Cottage is a friendly, family run Café/Bistro offering an extensive all day menu.

Enjoy a full ‘Scottish’ with locally-sourced produce; homemade soups, sandwiches, toasties and baked potatoes - all available to take away.

Why not try our “Riverside Eggs Benedict” with bacon or John Ross smoked salmon? Or enjoy a sundae, cone or tub of Equi’s Award-winning Italian Ice cream. You won’t be disappointed!

Dogs are always welcome in our garden - inside too - and we provide water bowls for thirsty pooches. We also offer free Wi-Fi, disabled access and free parking.

Open 7 days a week from 11am, we’re always ready with a warm welcome especially when the wood burner is on.

Serving tapas throughout the day Open ‘till 6pm Friday - Sunday ‘till 5pm Monday - Thursday Hope to see you soon!

Cambus O’ May, Ballater, Aberdeenshire 01339 755126 riversidecottagecafe@gmail.com

A walk in the Park

by Katrina A Farquhar

Ian Hay’s email I’m sure gets quicker each time and I thought I was so organised this quarter as the walk had been identified some time ago and I just had to do it! Famous last words, less than a week to go and still the walk hadn’t been completed.

Last dash and off I went to Gairnside. It was a pleasant morning and not too hot. Small word of warning about walking in Gairnside in the hot summer months (well sometimes we do get a hot day!) Gairnside has a large number of adders so be careful if you wander off the beaten track.

If you drive up Gairnside and at Gairnshiel Lodge take the road to the left heading towards Crathie, drive on for just over a mile and you will see Braenaloin on the right. Park at the roadside here and follow the track down past Braenaloin, round to a small farm called Rineten. The farmers here were MacDonalds of Rineten and up to the right, round the side of Cnoc Chalmac, is a walled burial place for the family called the Aisle.

Unfortunately many of the larch trees have blown over and damaged the site and it is rather difficult to walk around. However for our walk, at this point you go through a gate, so please ensure it is closed behind you as there are sheep and lambs in this area. Follow this land rover track past the old ruins of Loinahaun, an old township which in 1869 was recorded as having eleven buildings, three of which had no roofs and sadly now there are only piles of stones.

As you follow the track you pass sheep pens on the right and you will see a bridge crossing the Gairn just beyond the pens. This leads up to the old ruins of Tullochmacarrick Farm. The farm was last inhabited in the 1950s - they kept pigs and hens. This is where we clip the hill ewes in July.

37

Passing the old farm house, follow the track to the right which then doubles back on itself, and we go on upwards onto the Pole’s road. Polish soldiers improved this old road around the Second World War and the name Pole’s road has been

used ever since. I love all the wee bridges they made so meticulously over small burns. Prior to this is where locals went up to get the peats at the Tullich Moss which is now turned mossy and heathery as no one comes for peats today. We are walking round the side of Coire na Cloiche, cross a small burn and taking the road to the left, the Tullich Moss is up on the right where you can also see an old lime kiln in the distance. This walk is definitely about the views, and you also get such a feeling of what a community it must have been at one time yet is now an empty glen.

You follow the road down, cross another burn and then up a steady climb until you reach the top of Tom Odhar. Once over the top and down a short distance you will find the new lunch hut, held down by straps to stop it blowing away as it is a very exposed spot, but nice and cosy inside!

After leaving the hut keep on the land rover track down and round the side of Tom Odhar and you will arrive at Easter Sleach, another old

38

farm township sitting over 1400 ft above sea level with fantastic views over Gairnside. There are a number of buildings here, all you need is imagination as to what life might have been like way up here!

Many stories are still told of Willie Gordon who farmed the Sleach for most of his life. In 1910 it was farmed by his father Alexander Gordon and then Willie Gordon with his wife Lizzie. It was said that Willie was so cock eyed, he could look at Lochnagar with one eye and Morven with the other! He was known to carry home his messages in a pillow case and then hang it from the rafters to keep it away from the rats. He liked to walk across to Glenfenzie to hear auld McHardy on the fiddle and then walk home again and often hiked across the hills to Briggies in Corgarff or to the Grants at Tomidhu in Crathie. Apparently during the war a German plane dropped a bomb at the Sleach and Willy Gordon’s wife Lizzie nearly jumped out of her corset with the bang. He could recall Corndavan in better days when the Glen was a vibrant community.

E

On leaving Sleach, head downhill towards the Gairn. You have two options here, - if it’s nice and warm you can walk through the Gairn at the Ford but if that’s maybe a bit chilly, just follow the Gairn back towards the bridge. There is a rough track, quite easy to follow, and it takes you to the field below Tullochmacarrick and you cross the bridge again, finally back onto the land rover track returning to Braenaloin. The walk should take about 3 hours.

Ballater Films Ballater Films has a terrific programme planned to fill the longer Autumn evenings - with features to appeal to film goers of all ages.

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the 2017 remake of the much-loved ‘Whisky Galore’.

See if you can spot Mill and Aberdour beaches and Portsoy Harbour amongst the glorious locations around Scotland.

Our season begins with the “feel-good’, characterdriven comedy”, ‘The Time of Their Lives’, shown in aid of Marie Curie. Look out for posters and details on Facebook or our website www.ballaterfilms.co.uk

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Pottering About...

40

Well, since I last bashed away at the keyboard for your reading delectation I’ve reached a milestone. I am now the very happy holder of a Saltire card. Despite having to wait another 6 years for my pension at least I’m still fit enough to travel on buses for free. And I’ve been making the most of it! The inaugural outing was with a friend to Glasgow for a wonderful birthday lunch and a daunder round the magnificent Kelvingrove. That would have been too much of a challenge to do as a day bus trip from here so I went to and from Aviemore – a comfortable direct bus taking less than 3 hours. It was delightful.

A couple of weeks later I went back to the central belt to meet friends for a private lunch in the library of Glasgow Art Club. Very posh, but great fun to catch up with folk. I seem to be turning into a lady who lunches by bus!

However, there was also a far more poignant gathering to attend in Edinburgh the next day. I moved to Edinburgh in my mid 20s and, as you do, met some wonderful folk. We’ve mostly kept

in contact over the years, but as decades pass the group becomes smaller. Friends dying is a part of growing older which I’d not really considered, as I’d sort of assumed the inevitable round of funerals might be in our 70s or so. We’d already lost too many in the early days of HIV/AIDS which was heart-breaking. But I certainly didn’t think we’d attend so many funerals of the group who, in the last few years, have died before their 60th birthdays. Tom included. So it was with a heavy heart I went to Edinburgh, yet again, gathering to celebrate the life of another of our diminishing number. I’d known June for around 35 years. She cycled, was fit, healthy and enjoyed life with an infectious passion. My favourite memory with her is us cycling a tandem up and down Princes Street advertising wine, which is what we were paid in!

Delightfully, a few days ago, her son kindly and thoughtfully found a grainy photo of the occasion and sent it to me. I now treasure it. Funerals are so bittersweet. Remembering the life now gone, committing those memories to our hearts and minds,

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41

by Stella Potter supporting the family. Having space for tears. Yet it’s so good to share memories and stories and to see and hug beautiful people who, like the ones who have gone before, we kinda assumed would always be around. I realised I don’t want to only see a diminishing friendship group at funerals. So on the bus back north, watching Scotland’s glorious countryside rolling by, I decided to make more effort to be with people who are so much a part of who I am. I see many on social media but it’s just not the same as face to face and heart to heart.

With my bus pass I can do that. Thank you Scottish Government.

Since the last Eagle there has been a cheerful wee flurry of folk moving into houses that have been empty since the flood. We’re nowhere near all back, but at least the council houses now have tenants. There’s such a heart-warming difference in having families back in the area. What a contrast from the long, pitch dark nights of the last two winters. The snail’s pace and quality of recovery still leave much to be desired though. 20 months on there’s still empty properties, still folk trying to put appalling work to rights and yes, still some folk in alternative accommodation. Some who have returned to their homes are struggling with ill-health brought about by the sheer stresses of recovery.

The only saving grace is the mostly dry weather, meaning the Polhollick bridge water levels haven’t even gone as high as halfway up “normal”. As I write we’ve had a couple of rainy days but it’s still only 0.5m as opposed to the massive 3.3m on that fateful day. Yes, when it rains I still check the levels obsessively, as we really don’t know how the river will behave if we suffer prolonged heavy rainfall and sudden snowmelt again. I continue to walk with those still so affected by the flood yet fervently hope that I won’t be recording this in the Eagle’s pages for much longer. We would never have thought recovery would take this long.

However, now it’s summer. Enjoy yours fulsomely, and give us a wee wave if you see smug me on a bus en route to visiting friends!

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42 For the first time in over five years I am in trouble – with ‘The Editor’ of the Eagle. I have missed the copy deadline for The Eagle and so have had to depend on his good nature for space for my musings…. My excuse? Well after almost 25 years of life at Clunie Cottage (and the raising of four children) we are flitting west! Into Braemar! The ‘new’ house is almost done but a quarter of a century of hoarding must now be dealt with and I admit it has taken over my life in recent weeks. I am sorry Ed! As I write, the 30th Anniversary of Ballater Victoria Week is about to start and we will see the culmination of hours (and weeks) of Sue Cunningham’s hard work as several of us don our Queen Victoria masks for a very special occasion to be played out on the Church Green… Certainly the rehearsals have attracted quite a lot of attention! Great fun has been had by all, including some tourists who joined in the dress rehearsal.

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Geva’s Musings BVW also sees the launch of the Augmented Reality project which grew out of the ‘Royal Deeside Can Do County’ campaign I worked on with Ballater Business Association, the council and other partners. Don’t be surprised if you see people standing at various points around the village holding their phones up and listening to Queen Victoria (and if you go to Lumphanan, it’s Macbeth himself!) These people will have downloaded the App which brings five short films to life at five points in the village and is designed to explain things to visitors. This is a pilot project and if successful could be rolled out across Aberdeenshire, meaning wherever locals and visitors alike go, they can find out more about the area in a fun way – and then go home and tell their friends what a great experience it was! With the Virtual Reality taking shape around the Snow Road (from Grantown to Blairgowrie via the A939 and A93) the north east is leading the way in tourism experiences!

I am also delighted to have been selected by my colleagues on Marr Area Committee to be the representative, in an advisory capacity, to Ballater Royal Deeside. I am really looking forward to working with the Board to progress their vision to the benefit of all who live and work in Ballater.

At the CNPA we are beginning to look towards the next Local Development Plan – and housing that is affordable will be high on my agenda. We need to find ways of working in partnership with communities to draw down

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government funding and have partnerships that allow communities to have much more say in who is allocated at least some rented accommodation - key workers, carers, teachers, young families, retired keepers… The list is endless.

Some of you may know that Hamish Trench, who was the Park’s Director of Conservation & Visitor Experience, left at the end of July to head up another organization. I have known Hamish since he was a student at Aberdeen University when he came to Invercauld to get some work experience many years ago. He will BVW Flashmob - photo courtesy of Braemar Media between our economy and our flora and fauna, certainly be missed. Pete Mayhew who is currently the RSPB’s Senior Conservation Manager and an appreciation of how our big estates are will be picking up the reins in the autumn. I have paying the bills!

Back to the packing up (and hopefully the known Pete too for a good number of years and as he was previously Head of Conservation with the Editor’s good books again) but as always if you British Association for Shooting & Conservation need to contact me my email is cllr.g.blackett@ (BASC), I am hopeful that he brings with him aberdeenshire.gov.uk and my mobile is 07876 an understanding of how fragile the balance is 475269.

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44

John Riach, son of Loinmuie

Two of Ballater’s most respected and famous sons were direct descendants of the Lost Village of Loinmuie. The late butcher Mike Sheridan’s ancestors were Stewarts (sometimes spelled Stuart) and Victorian John Riach was descended from the family of the same name, though sometimes spelled Reach. The surname spellings vary depending upon who was writing the record or carving the gravestone, but both Stewarts and Riachs lived at Loinmuie in the 18th and 19th centuries. Both Mike and John had direct ancestors living at Loin-

muie when it was last a working village with four of the houses still occupied in 1841.

Through their records and the efforts of authors and more modern descendants, there are hundreds of traceable, connected Loinmuie Folk, and some of them have already visited Ballater Library to see the project work begun by the Craft Club children and continued as part of the Scottish Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.

Everyone with an interest in the Loinmuie stories has been invited to write in a special Signing Book, which Librarian Sabine Muir believes will be an important social document for many years to come. The pages are to be available online as they are completed and already contain valuable comments from 7th and 8th generation descendants, many of whom attended a special event during Ballater Victoria Week.

John Riach of Scurriestone, Glenmuick, was born in 1930 within sight of the smoking lums of Loinmuie high on the Coyles of Muick. In 1941,

by Joan Anderson his Granny Jean, two uncles and an auntie still lived and worked in the village and he would have been one of the bairns who remembered granny’s rocking chair, the auld rodden tree and the family gatherings that led to a wealth of written memories, many decades after the walls of Loinmuie lay broken and silent among vast tree plantations.

It’s thought John may have had a benefactor who helped with his education, because his branch of the Riachs were not well off. As an adult, John was widely respected in Ballater and all round the district as Inspector of Poor, Collector of Rates, Registrar and Secretary of the Savings Bank and Hall Trust.

He was a central figure in the laying of the foundation stone for the Victoria Hall in 1895 and when he retired as hall secretary, clerk and treasurer in 1903, the trustees expressed deep sorrow at the loss of his “devotion, zeal, consistency, punctuality, prudence and unfailing courtesy” over 27 years. A year later, when ill health forced him to resign as a trustee, John was granted all privileges previously held, “for life”.

When John Riach died in 1913, he left a bequest of £600 for “behoof of the Poor”, the money to be distributed twice a year to six of the “most necessitous men or women in the Burgh of Ballater or the United Parish of Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn, not in receipt of poor relief ”.

In his will, he made it clear the money was for those who could not get any help anywhere else - the most needy - and he expressly asked that it be available to people of all religious beliefs.

There are a couple of further interesting quirks in John Riach’s last wishes and - with help from Archaeology Scotland and the local Loinmuie descendants - I am busy tracking these down.

At the time of writing, I am still trying to find more Stewart, Tastard. MacAndrew and other descendants. Contact Ballater Library or you can email me on Loinmuie@gmail.com. And please, have a look at the project and the Signing Book during library hours. You could be the very person we seek!

Photograph: John Riach at laying of foundation stone for Victoria Hall. Picture courtesy of Ballater Victoria and Albert Halls Trustees.

The Eagle’s Ballater & Crathie Calendar The Eagle Team is planning to produce a Ballater & Crathie Calendar to showcase local photography talent (we receive wonderful picture contributions and wouldn’t it be great to see them scaled up and on your wall?) and raise funds towards the production of your Eagle magazine.

Not intended as competition - rather as a complementary offering to the schools calendar - we would hope to appeal to visitors and businesses as well as residents, and will look to take advantage of our emerging photography club.

Approaches towards funding to cover initial costs will include business sponsorships and the opportunity for individuals to pre-order and have their name featured inside as an Eagle supporter - all for the great-value sum of £10 (usual retail will be £5). Full details will be available soon on our Facebook page, but cheques made payable to ‘Ballater Eagle’ may be handed in to the Library or to a member of the Eagle Team.

Meanwhile, if you’re interested in getting involved, or you’ve recently taken a photo of a location, entity or event which you think captures the essence of Ballater & Crathie - please contact us at ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com.

46 The Scottish 6 Days Orienteering Festival 2017 by Patricia Graham

Jess Tullie

The Scottish 6 Days Orienteering Festival 2017 got off to a great start with most of the 3000 International orienteers arriving at the Victoria & Albert Halls to pick up their Registration Packs on Saturday 30 July. Thanks to the top organisation of local Mar Orienteering Club, queues were kept to a minimum and the athletes passed through the halls quickly, picking up Registration envelopes and pre-ordered event merchandise. Home bakes, trader stalls and tourist information were also on offer.

The nearby event camp-site was very busy, being an ideal spot for easy access to the village and its amenities. Accommodation throughout Royal Deeside had been booked up very early with many orienteers having to venture as far as Aberdeen to find somewhere to stay.

Sunday was the first race day, being held in stunning Glen Tanar and Royal Deeside did not disappoint the visiting orienteers. Their first view of the event, coming in from the forestry track, was the impressive spectacle of the Race Arena and car park with over 1000 vehicles and many brightly coloured club tents and flags, surrounded by the beautiful hills and blue skies.

Orienteers enjoyed a scenic riverside walk along the Water of Tanar to the start area and enjoyed sociable chat while they eagerly awaited their start times. The terrain at Glen Tanar, as in most of Deeside, was characterised by moss covered boulders, gently rolling slopes and Scots Pine plantation but the challenging steeper slopes with rocky outcrops had to be negotiated by the

more experienced orienteers.

Day 2 saw the Race Arena moved to Balfour Forest, near Aboyne where a one way system worked well to keep the traffic flowing. This new area has been mapped specially for the 6 Days event and courses covered terrain ranging from fast open forest to rough open including small patches of moorland. Winners of the Elite World Ranking Event were Forth Valley’s Graham Gristwood for the men’s race and Hungarian Fanni Gyurko in the Women’s race.

Following another day near Aboyne at Birsemore and the Urban Sprint on Wednesday – the ‘rest day’ - the 6 Days event moved up the valley to Creag Choinnich, Braemar on Thursday. The 6 Days event finished with two days of competition at the spectacular ‘hidden valley’ of Glen Feardar.

Speyside’s Jess Tullie fought off international competition to take the Women’s Elite title and Alastair McLeod of Clyde Orienteering Club emerged the winner in the Men’s Elite.

Local Deeside juniors had great success with Matthew Gooch of Aboyne winning overall M16A and twin sisters Eilidh and Kirsty Campbell of Banchory taking Gold and Silver in the W16A class. Joe Wright of Glassel was runner up in the M18E and Blair and Eilidh Garret were both second in M12B and W14B respectively.

Careful planning and attention to detail made the event run smoothly and it has received great praise from our foreign visitors who were treated to a week of super weather, challenging orienteering, beautiful scenery and a large variety of local attractions.

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48 K&D Befrienders attend Queen’s Garden Party

In appreciation of the positive impact of K&D Befriending’s work in the community due to the outstanding work of their volunteers, Carol Kinghorn, Lord-Lieutenant of Kincardineshire invited K&D Befriending to nominate two volunteers to attend the Queen’s Garden Party in Edinburgh on July 4, 2017. Sheila Blake, who has been volunteering with K&D Befriending since 1998, and Pat Fraser, who has been with them as a befriender and member of their Management Committee since 2001, attended the Garden Party on behalf of all K&D Befriending volunteers, past and present.

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Keeping Council

49

with Peter Argyle

May’s council elections were somewhat overshadowed by Mrs. May’s surprise General Election but nonetheless managed to produce a few surprises of their own. I was delighted to have been returned for another term as one of your councillors and look forward to the challenges of the years ahead (I think) and to serving the people of this most excellent ward.

Many people may not realise how brutal the announcing of the results can be. As candidates, we are given the figures about a minute before going on stage. Those elected are then led into a room behind the scenes to sign up, be photographed and all the other immediate business of the moment. Those who are unsuccessful, are simply escorted back into the public part of the hall, including this time a few long-serving councillors, given a brief ‘thank you’ and a muttered comment about someone calling to collect council computers, and that is it.

Regardless of the politics of the thing, it was sad to see some of my colleagues go through this.

The election did give the opportunity to create an Administration with the numbers to give stability over the full council term. Working on a knife edge is absolutely no fun at all. I have to say that it is good to be back at the heart of things within the Council.

This term of the Council will in many ways be the most demanding I have seen in 18 years.

We know the budget situation will get tighter at the same time as demands for services continue to increase. There is in the background the ‘Dog’s Brexit’ debacle which on a daily basis looks more and more likely to end in tears, leading to huge challenges for Aberdeenshire.

There are in addition two significant changes coming out of the Scottish Government. One relates to the planning system which could see the setting of planning policy effectively centralised to Edinburgh, the ending of local Strategic Development Planning and a reduced role for

local councils. The other will see massive change to the way Education is delivered across Scotland with proposals for decision making to be moved away from councils into regional groupings, led by a regional director appointed by Ministers.

So whatever happens, the next five years will not be dull. As always, I will be pleased to hear from you on any issues that may arise.

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Feels on Wheels Cassie swytin’ like a pig, Wis first tae touch the brig.

Sae the Great Bike Race wis run, But wis it fairly won?

Sterter’s orders, then they’re aff, At Thirsk or Kempton Park An’ the bookie his last laugh As the punter tynes his sark.

It wis ten tae wan on Smithy.

Nae odds could be starker.

Tae even things up, They made Lindsay backmarker.

The race is tae the swift And the battle tae the strang, But Lindsay, feelin’ miffed, Micht say: “There’s sunkots wrang.”

An’ the bookie wadna pay Gin a rider wan the day Fa’d sterted on a grey And feenished on a bay.

Wad Smithy tak the daur?

“Aye,” he said, “Richt gladly.

Cassie’s bike is waur An mah pacemaker is Bradley.”

Ye’ll hae seen oor race-courses Wee men on muckle horses.

They’d bill oor bike race As a handicap chase.

Oor ain races’s rules Were stated crystal clear: “Nae feenish on a stallion Gin ye sterted on a mear.”

Changin’ the condeetions Is a ploy far frae nice, Even fur a first time, An’ Cassie did it twice.

Ye’ll hae seen a cocky jockey At Ayr or Mussleburgh, Heich-mounted on a horse O’ the breed that is thorough.

Cassie’s auld bike wis up Shit Creek withoot a paddle, A cheapo tube in ilka tyre An’ a third ane on the saddle.

The bike gien a mile lead Ne’er saw the stairtin’ line.

That wis his first misdeed Worth at least a pints fine.

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Better still wad be barrin’ Fur ye shuld aa be telt: “Look oot fan he’s sparrin’: He hits alow the belt.”

He wis hard on Cassie’s heels Or shuld Ah say his wheels?

He’d hae won in a canter Efter the neist mishanter.

Since he wan by a hair, Cassie disnae care If it wisnae on the square But o’ that we’ll hear mair.

Nane the less, they got the aff At tea-time on a Sunday.

An’ by the look o’ Cassie, He’d be bikin’ come Monday.

The tube in Cassie’s tyre An’ the tube on his seat Ran oot o’ wund thegither, It looked like they were beat.

Wan auld dispute tae endure Wis: “Fa wan at Sherramuir?”

If argument ye like, Speir: “Fa’s better on a bike?”

A three-leggit tyke Could outrin his wife’s bike, An’ the soond o’ his pechin Could be heard in Ecclefechan.

Then oor young McDonald Played a Campbell-like trick.

He gied Cassie his ain bike That hid tae be a swick.

If the answer’s no Cassie Then ye maun raise a tassie.

Toast Smithy: “Lovely jubbly.”

For he bocht the bubbly.

He wis like a deen auld stager Wi’ the slaw wye he pedalled An’ onybuddy wad wager He’d ne’er be bemedalled,

It wis the unused bike That first got the mile lead, Shairly aa bets were aff Noo the second lay deid.

Then he confirmed ma thinkin’: It’s no fur Scottish drinkin’ It’s far far waur Nor oor Royal Lochnagar.

Smith wis gainin’ grun’ He wis goin’ fur the ton.

Endangerin’ windae panes Wi’ stoor an’ sma’ stanes.

Cassie couldn’t but like His twa upgrades o’ bike An’ the wages o’ his sin Wis a verra nerra win.

Pay heed fit Ah’m sayin’: “It’s fur shooglin’ an’ sprayin’.”

Lochnagar gets the vote Fur pittin’ doon yer throat.

Hugh Stewart 2005

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so in late August / early September the Upper Deeside Art Society took over the Victoria Hall to display paintings, ceramics and much more, all a testament to the talent on Deeside and all making good use of Alexander Gordon’s legacy.

There has been no respite for all those working to enhance and preserve our wonderful Halls complex.

Lighting in the Beaton Craigie Room has been much improved thanks to the generosity of Mrs Nina Beaton who gifted £1,000 for improved lighting.

In addition, Ladies Probus has donated £400 to Halls funds.

by Bell Macaulay My, what a summer! Ballater has been buzzing over the last few months!

Our Victoria and Albert Halls provided a hub for the Scottish 6-Day Orienteering event, welcoming more than 3 thousand energetic orienteers to Deeside. Many businesses benefited, providing food, refreshments and entertainment.

No sooner had the orienteers departed, than the mayhem of Victoria Week swung into manic action, with a flashmob of somewhat dubious Queen Victorias invading the Kirk Green to the tune of Dancing Queen! Our halls welcomed old, young, big pets, wee pets, ghosties and history, music and dancing, and the ducks we counted in the Victoria Hall earlier in the year got flushed down Bridge Street (with their enormous, bespectacled counterparts making a short journey “Doon the Dee” with jockey on board!) Great fun for all!

No time for breath, before the Ballater Royal Horticultural Society took over the Halls for an exuberance of garden produce – keen rivalry for the best produce, and a riot of colour from the floral displays. An array of silverware to gladden the heart of all keen gardeners. Art comes next,

The stained glass window on the Victoria Hall staircase has now been repaired and releaded and safely set in a new frame – it looks wonderful! A donation of £1,000 from the Lenten Lunches supported by all three churches helped towards the eventual cost of just under £9,000 for the glass repair, with the cost of the new frame still to come.

Community Emergencies

The Victoria and Albert Halls are officially designated as the Place of Safety should any emergency arise. Halls Trustees take this role very seriously, and have aimed to provide a com-

fortable and effective refuge for all. Essentials are emergency power back up to ensure heating, lighting, hot food and drink provision and communication. All of these are now in the process of being provided with generous funding and advice from individual donors, SSE Resilient Communities Fund, Foundation Scotland and the Rotary Club of Aboyne and Upper Deeside.

This includes an equipment and supplies storage area on the lower ground level being converted to ensure that everything required is at hand.

The Ballater Resilience Group has free use of the Beaton Craigie Room for administration and training purposes, and we are working with them to ensure that best use is made of the entire building should any emergency arise.

Volunteers

They are an essential part of any activity taking place within the Halls, whether it involves looking after people, providing catering, organising and managing events – the list is endless. We are planning an Open Day in October prior to the AGM in November 2017 – come along to see what we’re up to, and consider how you can help your community.

Maintenance and refurbishment

Ian Hay and the Refurbishment Group are working on the next stages of the upgrade involving insulation and heating solutions for the entire complex – something which will delight all users, especially through the winter months. Unfortunately an application to the Climate Challenge Fund was knocked back, but like Bruce’s spider we’ll try, try again!

Fire Safety

Ed Bushnell has been reviewing our fire safety arrangements and an information leaflet is now available in each Hall. Ed will be talking to user groups to ensure we all know where to go and what to do in the event of a fire.

Events

The Winter Festival on November 25 & 26 will bring reindeer and Santa to Ballater once

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again. Work on the Old Royal Station will be well under way and the very popular ice rink will be sited in the Victoria Hall. We’ve booked the 10-piece band Totico once again for Hogmanay – they are delighted to come back to a joyous Ballater to bring in an even better New Year!

Website, Information and Bookings – a reminder - please don’t forget to complete a booking form if you wish to use the halls. Check what is available on www.victoriaandalberthalls. co.uk. and look in the calendar. We are certainly getting busier!

Membership is steadily rising and approaching 20% of Ballater & District residents – if you are not a member we need your support – it costs nothing, but demonstrates that the Halls play an important part in community life, and helps with releasing funding.

For further information or to obtain Membership Registration Forms call/leave message for Janet Riddler at 013397 55308 or email: membership@victoriaandalberthalls.co.uk

Keeping the Halls in good order

Karen Forsyth is a great support and continues to do an excellent job - the Halls look and smell clean and shining! Please help by leaving rooms as you find them.

Don’t forget we rely on users to tell us when problems arise - please record in the diary which is kept on the windowsill in the Mike Sheridan Room store.

HANDY NUMBERS Bell Macaulay – 013397 55745 Gordon Riddler – 013397 55308 Karen Forsyth – 07921 460368 Douglas Glass – 07778 466817 Relax for a short while after the busy summer in the Halls, then gird up your loins pitch in with some help where you can – with so much going on we really need you!

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“It’s Mom’s Fault” by Tom C. White 55 Sometimes Across the fields of yesterday He often comes to me A little lad just back from play The lad I used to be And yet he smiles so wistfully Once he has crept within I wonder if he hopes to see The man I might have been Thomas S Jones – American Poet

Learned scholars proclaim one is a product of one’s environment. Raised on a farm, your future may be a tiller of soil. If Dad’s a tradesman, you may acquire toolbox and tool belt to follow in his technical footsteps. Born into a privileged professional household, one will likely join the upper ranks of moneyed society.

Born on a small rural Saskatchewan farm in 1938, for the next 16 years yours truly was thoroughly immersed in Advanced Farmer Course 101. I pitched hay, milked cows, daily hand- turned the milk separator, ploughed, harrowed, and tilled the rich prairie soil, drove bone shaking steel wheeled tractors, fed the farm dog, cat, horses, calves, cattle and the occasional sheep, harnessed and handled teams of prancing horses, pounded fence posts, herded cattle, laboured as a junior member of threshing crews, guided a horse drawn farm mower, helped clear brush, sawed and hauled wood for the house, planted the spring garden, weeded same and gathered the resulting fall harvest, picked the many wild berries nature provided, groomed horses, periodically hand turned the stored vegetable in the root cellar, cleaned barns, picked rocks to clear fields for tilling – et al.

With these considerable credits to my name, one would rightfully assume an adult future on the land was ordained. Not so. But, dear readers, t’was not my choice. Indeed not.

Simply stated, it was my Mom’s fault!!

As a six year old in Sudbury, Ontario, I discovered another side of Mom. She loved to dress

up. We lived a frugal life, as was our family lot in those days. But if out in public with the folks, I was always well clothed. Dress shirt, pressed pants, jacket, tie optional. We fitted into society’s norms, never standing out.

But I speak of a different “dress up.”

O n e d a y, Mom surprised me with a unexpected outfit – not a new suit as one would think – but an Indian chief outfit! Complete with buckskinned fringed suede jacket, trousers with leggings, topped off with headdress and real feathers. And she took me out in public so garbed!! I do not recall feeling self-conscious, as one may expect, especially since in the early 1940s a genuine Indian, so attired, could suffer derisive comment. Apparently I carried out this native Canadian charade with style and aplomb.

The family album has captured such proof of “Chief Many Feathers.”

This public venture successful, I presumed it was a one off. But there would be no respite. The buckskins were retired and I emerged smartly clad in a crisply pressed sailor suit, brilliant navy top, and bell bottoms with a sailor cap. The public parade continued Was this the end of my costume days? An emphatic NO! Another “dress up” struck! This time I was bundled into the winter uniform of the famous Royal Canadian Mounted Police, com-

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plete with polished cross belt. Again the family album confirms the public parade – proud Mom, well dressed, while I pose dutifully for posterity.

My dimming childhood memories fail to recall how often these costumed performances occurred or what public comment ensued. However be assured they did not bury negative vibes deep in my subconscious to resurface years later requiring counselling. Perhaps I just accepted that

Tom, with wife Maureen, evoking the spirit of Victoria Week... ...and below, Nico, who collected his ‘Spirit of Ballater Award’ on Tom’s behalf

Mom knew what she was doing, and she was not disguising some future intent.

My growth spurt and our move out west halted Mom’s dress up ventures. Farm life and meagre funds precluded continuing such sartorial deviance. Christmas and birthdays produced the inevitable ties, Argyll socks, wool sweaters, and gloves. Practicality was now the mode. The closest I came to uniforms was following eagerly the account of World War Two on the radio and newspapers, and reading and rereading a six volume record of the war Dad purchased for me - having recognized my pleasure of the written word – and all on a farm hand’s limited wage.

As well, I admired my Uncle Reuben who, as a member of the Regina Rifles regiment, donned the khakis and served in Germany for three years as part of the Allied occupation forces when the war ended. Plus when visiting our local town of Wolseley each week after the war, I observed the often troubled relationship between returning active service soldiers and weekend soldiers who strutted about town but never ventured overseas.

Then one day in late 1953 after our family moved to Melfort, as a strapping 16 year old, I harkened to my first skirl of the Highland pipes - the Melfort Pipe Band on parade. Following them to the Reserve Army Building attached to the Post Office, I was invited in, whereupon Major White (no relation), Commanding Officer of the Melfort C Company North Saskatchewan Regiment suggested I join for their one night a week meetings, and some weekend duties.

You guessed it- another “dress up.” But this time partly of my own volition. It was a bona fide grown up khaki suit complete with beret, canvas web belt, sturdy black Army boots, tan puttees, greatcoat with glistening buttons, genuine leather gloves , topped off with gleaming regimental cap badge and buckle.

Mom appeared pleased. Sorry to say, there is no photo record available – no Mom in her

best finery alongside her “dressed up” firstborn.

The next two years involved a busy uniformed militia life, attending Thursday evening parades, occasional weekend exercises, plus the annual five week summer training courses among the dusty dunes of Dundurn Militia Camp. Then, having graduated from high school in September 1956, I doffed the by then well-worn militia khakis and enrolled in Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, BC. There I marched, jogged, slow marched obediently about in neatly tailored navy blue uniform with pillbox positioned jauntily over the left ear, while the senior cadets laboured – as the recruiting posters promised - to make the proverbial man out of me.

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Mission partially accomplished, after one year I returned to the welcoming arms of Melfort militia, now a ramrod straight Corporal. For a year, part time Army was combined with working full time in the local Credit Union. However the allure of regular military service beckoned. On 28 August 1958, bidding Melfort a fond farewell, yours truly enrolled in the Canadian Army’s Officer Training Program, heading off to Camp Borden, fully intending to wear the khaki for life. One would like to imagine, at that moment, Mom pumping a clenched fist vigorously in the air, proudly exclaiming “Ye-e-es! Project “Dress up” completed”. Maybe not?

However, an intriguing thought. (to be continued)

Editor’s Note: Tom Campbell White, a Canadian by birth, was a resident of both Ballater and Auckland, New Zealand, enjoying a perpetual summer by travelling here every spring, and leaving in late summer. For many years he helped to organise the ghostly effects in Girnoc Woods for the Ghost Tours during Victoria Week. Sadly, he died suddenly in Ballater after a day enjoying the festivities of the Duck Festival. His bright smile and enthusiasm for all things Scottish, will be greatly missed.

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Tullich Symbol Stones

by Sheila Sedgwick With the imminent restoration of the Tullich Symbol Stones to their original resting place in the now refurbished Tullich Burial Ground, it is a good time to remind ourselves of the area’s past, what the stones were, and what was their importance.

Tullich has a long history. Nathan set up his church here, hence Tulachnathalak, the knoll of Nathan, sometime before 678. Later his name was dropped, leaving Tullich as the name of the place. Tullich had a long and interesting history before that, with occupation going back to the Iron Age. The eird or earth house beyond the church dates to 100 B.C. It was probably a storage place for grain etc. The hamlet lay at the junction of the east to west route, across the Dee at Tomnakeist.

The district was also known as Dalmuickeachie, the Field of Pigs. Nothing of Nathan’s wattle and daub building survives and a later church on the site was partially destroyed at the Reformation, although a 14th century doorway remains. The name of Nathalan was later dropped, leaving Tulach or Tullich.

Tullich was the civil and ecclesiastical centre of the whole area. In 1187, grants of land to the Knights Templar included Tullich, and their successors, the Knights Hospitaller, inherited. Tullich’s written history goes back to 1275 when the Knights Templar became considerable landowners in the area. A valuation roll was drawn up with details of ecclesiastical property, known as “Bagimont’s Roll”, - an early “Income Tax” document.

The ruined Church in the still used burial ground, now enlarged, had a circular wall, the belief being that the Devil would not cross a circle. While names on headstones are in some cases difficult to decipher, some stones bear a skull and cross-bones, Old Father Time, an hourglass and a coffin. By the end of the 13th century the Celtic Church had been absorbed by the Church of Rome and many establishments were re-dedicated to Roman saints.

Tullich escaped this fate.

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A 1663 Act of Parliament gave the revenues of Tullich to Aberdeen University. By the end of the eighteenth century, the church building was in a ruinous state and it was allowed to deteriorate further when the Centrical Church was opened in Ballater to serve Ballater, Tullich and Glenmuick.

Once the roof went, deterioration was rapid. Today’s ruin is rectangular, 25m. by 9m. and the walls are 1m. thick. Inside there are a number of graves.

We would like to know more of the early inhabitants of Tullich, but all they have left us are their Symbol Stones. Tullich’s real claim to fame rests on these. They were “discovered” in 1866 by the Rev. Grant Michie, Dinnet minister. The generally accepted view is that some of the Tullich Symbol Stones are of pre-Christian origin. The stones are weathered. The largest stone, undressed, is 2m. high and ½ m. wide. At the top are a double disk and z rod, below is a horse – (or an elephant?) and a mirror, suggesting a female connection.

It may have been wider but was reduced in size when used as a lintel, for that was its function when Michie found it in 1878. Colonel Farquharson of Invercauld paid for the removal of the stones and their placing for protection against the north wall of the ruined building.

The Pictish Symbol Stones have carvings of animals and geometric designs. The meaning is uncertain: they may be indications of social status or have some ritualistic meaning. Unshaped, undressed stones usually had symbols like a crescent, V rod, double disk or “spectacles”, snake, elephant, fish, horse and often a mirror. They are pre 800 A.D. Tullich’s stone of this date has “spectacles”, an elephant and a mirror and may be contemporary with Nathalan.

From 800 to 1000 A.D come roughly shaped headstone-like stones with animal and human figures and a Celtic cross standing out from the surface. Later stones post 1000A.D. have an elaborate Celtic Cross with no symbols but with

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hunting scenes and Biblical images.

Five stones are of this later date. The men responsible for these stones had considerable skill and artistic ability. The function of the stones and the religious beliefs of the people are lost in the passage of time.

Missionaries did not expect native Picts to travel to them, so they built churches on sites where Picts lived, - sites that had been occupied in the Iron and Bronze Ages because the soil was cultivable.

Presumably the stones themselves were of preChristian origin with Christian symbols added later.

Modern living and the passage of time have caused problems of deterioration. Cleaning of the stones has been undertaken and re-housing is ongoing. In addition to stones, there is also a large granite font, hollowed out of a boulder. Tullich also had another large granite font and a cross, but these were broken up for road metal in 1857.

Symbols of the Christian cross alongside pagan carvings show continuity of site through the ages.

An outstanding feature of the area is that the present develops from the past. In Tullich kirk-yard, one can follow the course of history from Pictish times to the present day. Not far away is the Kinord Stone, by Loch Kinord, an excellent example of post 1000 A.D. work. This is considered to be the finest example in Britain. Five patterns are woven into a continuous plait.

Once the stones discovered in 1866 are restored to the ground where they were placed for safety then, a part of Tullich’s history is available for all to see and for 21st century dwellers to form a link with those who lived locally so long ago.

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Police Page

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by P.C. Donald Macleod

Now that the Summer period is over, and the nights are drawing in once again, I ask residents to have a look at their home and vehicle security as we still from time to time receive visits from travelling criminals who will use the darker nights to have a wee look around and help themselves if something’s there for the taking !

If you see or hear something that you do not think is right, please call us at the time, either on our non-emergency line 101 or if it’s an emergency 999.

The summer saw Ballater a busy place and with that came a lot of traffic congestion especially in the centre of the village. I appreciate that especially outside the Co-op on Golf Road there is not always a handy space for folk to park, however please adhere to the regulations and park correctly and sensibly. Officers were out with speed detection equipment within the built up areas in the Upper Deeside area and caught a number of both tourists and locals speeding. Alarmingly, when drivers were asked the speed limit in a built up area, quite a few replied they didn’t know! There are clues to assist when entering built up places.

With the darker nights please ensure that if you have children with bikes, they have lights and reflectors fitted to them - these don’t cost a lot and could save a life.

As ever if you are needing advice or assistance please contact us here at the Ballater office in Deebank Road.

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Spirit of Ballater Awards 2017

Ballater Victoria Week closed this year with the Spirit of Ballater Awards 2017, organised - and presented - by Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action’s local development officer, Aileen Longino. The Award winners, nominated by groups and organisations within the Ballater community, were Sabine Muir, Val Norton, Cat Scripps, Sheila Sedgwick and the late Tom White for Ballater Victoria Week, Martin and Patsy Reynolds for Walking to Health Group, Ian Hay for The Eagle Magazine, Elizabeth Wilson for Ballater RHS, David Horne for BRD, Amy Muir for Ballater Farmers’ Market and Bell Macaulay for Ballater Films.

The Ballater & Crathie Eagle is made possible by: Advertising, Donations, Sponsorship & Fundraising.

Thank you to everyone who supports us.

We deliver FREE from Crathie to Cambus O’May. Thanks to Friends of the Eagle for delivering to some outlying areas.