Ballater & Crathie Eagle, Issue 70, Summer 2013

Ballater & crathie Community magazine no. 70 Summer 2013 First full colour issue ÂŁ1 Donation

The ducks are back!

And they mean business

Ballater Victoria Week 2013 Be Amused.

Inside Your Summer Eagle:

Your Summer Eagle celebrates 70 issues, each featuring news from all our local groups, articles on local initatives and reflections on the past. For the first time it comes to you in glorious technicolour! Like it? Let us know...

3

Diary

4-5

The Crathie Pages

22

Local Groups

Police Scotland

24

Ballater Songsters: 8

Special Sightings

26

Ballater RHS: 8

Cats Protection

29

BRHS Floral Art Group: 10

A Walk in the Park

30

SWRI: 18

Get Checked

31

Upper Deeside Music: 10

Glimpse of the Past

34

The Schoolhouse

36

Carers’ Week

39

Aberdeenshire Council

40

Braemar Right of Way

41

New Open-Top Bus

48

Dear Editor

47

Pottering About

50

Ballater Victoria Week: 43

Misapprehension

52

Balmoral Estate Events: 45

May Kelman

53

V&A Memorial Halls: 57

‘Brannigan’

54

John’s Charity Golf Day: 61

Hilton News

60

Joe’s Challenge

62

Advertising

Full page: £60; Half page: £30; Quarter page: £20; Eighth page: £10 Discounts on 4 issue series copy can be changed each issue contact Faye Swan at info@swandesign.uk.com or Tel 55345

UDAS: 11 Kinc & Deeside Befriending: 12 Rotary Club: 13 Ballater Films: 15 Ballater (RD) Ltd: 16 Ballater Ball: 17 DDDP Project: 19 CLAN: 21

Donations

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 June Wed 5

Ballater Business Association Meeting, Ballater Golf Club, 7.30pm

Sat 8

BRHS Plant Sale on the Green from 9.30am

Mon 10

Ballater & Crathie Community Council meeting, Mike Sheridan Room, 7pm Ballater School Parent Council meeting, 7pm

Wed 12

Film – Life of Pi, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm, see page 15

Thu 13

Ballater Victoria Week meeting, Beaton-Craigie Room, 7.30pm

Sat 15

Glen Girnoc Circuit Walk, see page 45

Sun 16

Bike Balmoral Fathers’ Day

Thu 20

Floral Art Group: ‘Following in Mother’s Footsteps’ by Mrs Maureen Manning, Huntly, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm

Sat 22

CLAN Vintage Strawberry Tea, Crathie Village Hall, 2-4pm

July Tue 2

Alastair Savage Fiddle Concert for the Halls, Victoria Hall, see page 57

Wed 3

Ballater Business Association Meeting, time and location TBA

Fri 5

Ballater School term ends

Sat 6

Coyles of Muick Walk, see page 45

Mon 8

Ballater & Crathie Community Council meeting, Mike Sheridan Room, 7pm

Tue 9

Floral Art Group Outing to Drum Castle, 11am to 1pm by car

Thu 11

Ballater Victoria Week meeting, Beaton-Craigie Room, 7.30pm

Fri 12

Ballater Victoria Week Programme Brochure published

Sat 13

Dragons & Damsels, Visit to Loch Ullachie, see page 45

Wed 24

BRHS Trip to Glamis Castle and Garden

Thu 25

Children’s Event – Butterfly Bonanza, see page 45

Tue 30

Aberdeen International Youth Festival Event in Victoria Hall, 7.30pm

Are Your Dates Here?

For inclusion in this FREE section of the Eagle, please contact Cat Houston on 55243, 07805 731401 (texts welcome) or catrionahouston@yahoo.co.uk

August Thu 1

Children’s Event – Nature Explorers, see page 45

Sat 3-Sun 12

Ballater Victoria Week

Sat 3

Ascent of Lochnagar, see page 45

Tues 6

Church Guild Strawberry Tea, Glenmuick Church Hall, 2.30-4pm

Wed 7

Ballater Songsters Victoria Week Concert, Victoria Hall, 2.30pm

Thu 8

Ballater Highland Games, Monaltrie Park, 12.30 onwards

Thu 8

Children’s Event – Nature Explorers, see page 45

Fri 9

Night Hunters and their Prey, see page 46

Thu 15

Children’s Event – Nature Explorers, see page 46

Sat 17/18

BRHS Annual Exhibition and Flower Show in the Victoria Hall

Mon 20

Ballater School term starts

Sat 31-Sept 8

Upper Deeside Art Society Annual Exhibition Victoria Hall

September Mon 2

Ballater School Parent Council AGM, 7.30pm

Mon 9

Ballater & Crathie Community Council meeting, Mike Sheridan Room, 7pm

Wed 4

Ballater Business Association Meeting, time and location TBA

Sun 15

Townships of Upper Glen Muick, see page 46

Wed 18

SWRI First meeting of new session, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm

Notes!

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

6

Contact the Eagle

Hand in to the Library

 Post to Ballater Eagle, c/o Ballater Library, Ballater, AB35 5QB

 E-mail 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 the 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. Betty, our Subscriptions person, will do the rest. Easy!

For the rates below, four issues will be posted.

UK: £10.00 EU: £12.00 Overseas: £16.00

Contact Your Representatives

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

Dennis Robertson MSP e-mail: dennis.robertson.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

 0791 955 7152 (mobile)

WESTMINSTER Sir Robert Smith MP  01330 820330, Fax: 01330 820338, e-mail: robert.smith.mp@parliament.uk ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL Peter Argyle:  013398 82973 e-mail: cllr.p.argyle@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Geva Blackett:  013397 41541 e-mail: cllr.g.blackett@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Katrina Farquhar:  07876 475403 email: cllr.k.farquhar@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK Katrina Farquhar email: cllr.k.farquhar@aberdeenshire.gov.uk  07876 475403

Eagle Who’s Who & Where Editor: Ian Hay  55941 Treasurer: Dr. Sheila Sedgwick  55292 Secretary: Betty Wilson  55791 Advertising Manager: Faye Swan  55345 Distribution: Andy and Julie Bloor Diary Secretary: Cat Houston  55243 Design: Ollie Ross, Stella Potter, Cat Houston, Karen Major Email us at: ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com Eagle Online: http://www.ballatercommunity.com

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

7 Letter from the Editor

Ian Hay

Portrait: Eilidh Gow

The Eagle Team recently decided that as this issue of the Ballater Eagle was our 70th, we ought in some way to mark that milestone with a “special” issue. After all a 70th birthday or anniversary is something to celebrate.

The decision was taken to have full colour throughout this issue, and we hope that our readers and advertisers welcome the result. We cannot promise that such extravagance will continue – we shall have many aspects to consider before the future format of the Eagle is settled, but we would welcome your comments – favourable and not so favourable – in assisting us to decide how we proceed for the future.

Eagle No.1, issued in summer 1995, was of course entirely devoid of colour, and consisted of 16 pages. Within that first issue, the following comment was made: “As the Ballater Eagle develops, we hope to improve the reproduction and print quality, but as the first edition has been produced on a shoestring budget we hope you will make allowances”. Those hopes of improving reproduction and print quality have certainly been fully realised, as have the pleas for donations and advertisements. The community is very generous in making donations into our collection tins in local shops, and the Team greatly appreciates the support given by local businesses in taking advertising space. Without these donations and advertising fees, there would be no Eagle.

The front page of Eagle Issue No.1 highlighted the arrangements for “Ballater Gala Week” and recorded a visit by Prince Charles to Crathie Distillery.

The black & white photograph of the prince was blurred to say the least, but the magazine has progressed from that time, and Ballater can be grateful to those community minded and forward thinking persons who set up the Eagle all those years ago. Some members of the original Eagle Team in fact still contribute time and effort to your local community magazine, and as the current editor, I am very grateful to them, and to newer members of the Team for their continued hard work, support and guidance.

I hope that the next major milestone of Issue No.100 will still show the Eagle going from strength to strength.

8

Local Group News

A round-up of news from our local groups Got something to say about your group – get in touch ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com

Ballater Songsters

by Sheila Rumbles

How the year passes and before we know it our Victoria Week Concert will be upon us! We are, of course, working hard every week so that we can produce an entertaining programme.

This year, the Songsters will be using the Victoria Hall as it is likely that the Albert Hall will be undergoing refurbishment. However, as always, we hope our faithful friends will support us and we look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday 7 August at 2.30pm.

Ballater RHS

by Elizabeth Wilson

So much for British Summertime! The society seems to be jinxed, with the snow resulting in the

Garden & Landscaping

cancellation of our meeting in February. However the March meeting was well attended and the illustrated talk on Deeside Forestry, Past, Present and Future, by Emily Holmes, was much enjoyed.

Despite the worst March on record, there was a considerable turnout of entries at our Mini Bulb Show on April 1. Thanks to all who contributed.

Sadly, due to illness, Alan Beedie was unable to give his talk on Green Tourism at Glamis Castle Gardens, but Chris Wardle, Head Gardener at Crathes, stepped in at the last minute and gave us a fascinating insight into plant hardiness and how plants adapt to survive harsh conditions.

It has taken a long, long time for “the powers that be” in the RHS to finally recognise that Scotland’s climate is very different to the rest of the country, especially the south of England!

Monty Don should maybe also be reminded that his “jobs for the week” are usually done four to six weeks later here and that a polytunnel is a must for growing the vegetables he suggests!

Our annual Plant Sale raised £700 last year and we hope that the one on Saturday 8th June will be as, if not more, successful. Donations of plants and home produce will be most welcome.

Our annual outing this year is to Glamis Castle. This should be an interesting and pleasurable day out and, who knows, maybe the sun will shine?

For all your garden projects Friendly & Professional Service Member of Gardeners Guild Free Estimates Contact Moira - 013398 82496 www.classicabode.co.uk

Preparations are under way for the Annual Exhibition and Flower Show on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th August. Remember that schedules are available from the Library or Rowan Antiques. The future of this event relies on members’ entries. Children too are encouraged to participate as they are our future.

Let us all remain optimistic that the summer will be kind to us.

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10

BRHS Floral Art Group

by Maria Franklin On April 18 the Floral Art Group was happy to welcome back local and popular demonstrator Mrs Edna Matthew from Alford who has long-standing connections with the group. Presenting a friendly and relaxed attitude, she staged our first event for this year’s programme, producing some gorgeous designs.

Upper Deeside Music

by Maureen Erskine

The year opened for us with the retirement of Jane Angus as our secretary, a post which she has filled with her unique blend of inside knowledge, efficiency and gingerbread.

Once again we are grateful to Nigel and Fiona at the Darroch Learg Hotel for accommodating so many of our concerts.

This year there has been an emphasis on the piano, beginning with a brilliant recital by Ivan Ilic, an old friend, a return of the Heller Piano Trio, Joseph Long who enchanted us with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Christina Lawrie and her husband the violinist Marcus Barcham-Stevens.

Another concert featuring ‘four hands one piano’ is still to come.

St Kentigern’s hosted concerts by Cuillin Sound and Travelling by Tuba, both of which attracted a number of young people. Our Victoria Week concert will feature the Cameo Clarinet Quartet in St Kentigern’s on 9th August at 7.30pm.

Next season will introduce the Acclamations, an Aberdeen-based choir, who will sing in Glenmuick Church.

Edna Matthew with Elegance We look forward to the demonstration in June

by Mrs Maureen Manning. This will be followed in July by an outing to Drum Castle which will include a light lunch at the Mains of Drum. (See diary for more detail.)

In August we have the BRHS annual show and look forward to seeing some exciting entries from members and others interested in flower arranging.

“All music is folk music. I ain’t never heard no horse sing a song.”

Louis Armstrong

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UDAS

by Helen Jackson Once again, Upper Deeside Art Society was delighted to be invited to exhibit at Balmoral this year. The exhibition opened at Easter and will run throughout the summer until Balmoral closes to the public on July 31. In previous years, the work could be seen in both the stables and the restaurant but this year all the paintings are located in the restaurant with a theme of Scottish scenes, wildlife and fauna.

There are over 40 artists exhibiting and Sue Thornton, Exhibition Organiser, says “There is a very high standard of artwork with an eclectic mix of styles, medium and subjects, making an exciting show and providing something for everyone.” During the exhibition as a painting is sold it is replaced by a new one which means it is ever changing and always something new to see.

August Exhibition

Almost as the Balmoral exhibition closes, the annual Ballater Exhibition will open on August 31 for one week in Victoria Hall, closing on September 8. “This is a popular annual exhibition which attracts local people and many tourists, including overseas visitors. It exhibits the outstanding talents and creative skills that so many people have,” says Ballater resident Jan Williams, the Exhibition Organiser.

Unlike Balmoral, the Ballater exhibition includes 3D works and crafts such as wood turning, mosaic, stained glass and willow work. Further information will be posted on the UDAS website.

Printmaking Press

UDAS is fortunate to own a Printmaking Press, which is kept at Aboyne Academy’s art department. This etching press is available for use by members of UDAS, the school art department and is open to the public for short courses during the year. There are now two officially allocated times most months throughout the year for members to use the press, one morning and one evening, supervised and if needed, with tuition from Alison Day.

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Our winter programme, organised by Tony Pryke, has been very interesting with a great variety of speakers and workshop tutors. These have included Finzean artist Allan Lawson, who has given us a wealth of techniques, from felt tip pens used rather like water colours, Scottish landscape painting in acrylics and he has even managed to step in at short notice to cover a cancellation due to illness.

Other artists include James Orr, who demonstrated a beautiful landscape before our very eyes. Jane Milloy gave a workshop working with watercolours with pastels. Roy Benzies did a wonderful watercolour workshop while Belinda Rose gave a talk on the weaver’s art entitled “The Weaver’s Choice”. Michael Kitchen encouraged people at his landscape workshop to work in their favoured medium. Rebecca Park used soft pastels to produce colourful landscapes, while Donald Murray demonstrated the use of gouache. >>>

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We look forward to welcoming Fiona Mair, Learning Manager at Aberdeen Art Gallery, to our AGM on Wednesday 26 June at 7.30pm in the Victory Hall, Aboyne. She will present on the history of the gallery and the forthcoming redevelopment plans.

All are invited and it is a good opportunity to come along and join the society. UDAS is open to everyone living in the AB31, AB34, AB35 and AB36 areas. Members must be 16 years or over.

In the meantime, the Society’s programme of workshops, talks and demonstrations continues to run.

The next talk is on June 21 by Linda Masson on “A View on Sculpture” at the Aboyne Bowling Club and non-members are welcome.

It will begin at 2.30pm and the cost is £3, free to members.

The new programme for June to December

is finalised and will be available at the AGM in June. Full details and information about The Upper Deeside Art Society can be found on their website: www.UDAS.org.uk or call Sandra Allstaff on 01330 844442.

K&D Befriending

by Sheena Watt

Kincardine and Deeside Befriending has, for the second year running, distributed hardship grants on behalf of Foundation Scotland to elderly people in order to alleviate winter-related hardship and enabled this local charity to undertake an additional 19 visits to their more vulnerable and isolated clients.

Sheena Watt, Deeside Co-ordinator, said: “The aim of this fund was to ensure that older vulnerable people who struggle with heating their homes may be helped to survive our freezing winter with a good level of comfort and dignity.

K&D Befriending is delighted that, in partnership with Foundation Scotland, we were able to help

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nine people in our community to keep warm.”

One client commented: “This is a great help to me as being housebound my heating bills are frightening – thank you.” If you would like to find out more about Kincardine and Deeside Befriending or would like to make a donation to this charity you can visit their website on www. kdbefriending.org.uk or telephone Brigitte Matthews on 01569 765714 or Sheena Watt on 01330 823368.

Rotary

by Mike Powell A brief update from your local Rotary Club.

Just to let you know about a couple of events we organised recently, both to support the development of young people – which has been our particular theme for activities of the Club this year. The first, on March 26, was a young musician competition.

Rotarians worked with Aboyne Academy staff and pupils to put on the event, which showcased a wide range of talent in two groups: a junior section with musicians from S1 to S4, and a senior section with musicians from S5 and S6.

The event was held in the community theatre and the audience was treated to a very high standard of musicianship from 18 young people in total.

The competition was compered by Dr Douglas Riach, Rotary Club President, and assessed by a panel of judges – Paul Anderson, Karen Cardy and Rotarian Graham Brown.

The evening also raised funds for the Club’s sponsorship of candidates from the Academy for the residential Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.

The picture on the next page shows the prize winners with Rotarians Ron Drever and Ruth Powell, who coordinated the event The other event was our local heat of the annual Scottish Rotary Primary Schools Quiz on April 16 in Torphins School. All the schools in the Aboyne Academy catchment area were represented. Braemar, Crathie, Ballater, Aboyne, Finzean, Tarland, Kincardine O’Neil, Logie Coldstone, Lumphanan and Torphins pupils all

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showed off their knowledge and were well supported by parents and families. The winning team from Torphins comprised Tara Dow, Anna Reid, James Critchley, David

Quiz Heat Winners from Torphins

Rotary’s winning young musicians Meiklejohn and Jackson Ratcliffe. They were presented with certificates and prizes by Club Vice President, Rotarian Andrew Brown.

The Club celebrated its 30th anniversary with a dinner in the Victory Hall in Aboyne on May 3.

Members welcomed past and present Rotarians

The Hair Loft

from across the North East and the event was sponsored by a range of local businesses.

We look forward to seeing the residents of Ballater and further afield at the Ballater Games where we hope you will visit the Rotary stall and help us raise funds for local and international communities in need.

New members are always welcome. We’ve recruited three new members since my last report, Bill Robertson and Doug McIntyre from Aboyne and Julie Nicol from Ballogie.

If you would like to come along as a guest, please contact Mike Powell on 013398 86369 or mike.powell21@tiscali.co.uk

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Ballater Films by Adrian Scripps I’ve always been fond of Wile E. Coyote. Like me, he always uses absurdly complex contraptions and elaborate plans to pursue his quarry, and I use the modern equivalent of The ACME Corporation to supply a lot of my cinema equipment.

Now, after a brilliant and exciting chase over the last year or so involving some amazing movies – Skyfall, War Horse, Wreck-it Ralph and Les Miserables to name a few – and with the Life of Pi still to come, by August Ballater Films will be stranded in mid-air over a deep ravine with a little wooden board saying Help!

Basically, we have been let down by Hollywood. We’ve been spoilt, I suppose. They can’t be expected to keep us supplied with brilliant movies all the time. To be fair to them, they’ve some amazing ones in the pipeline: Despicable Me 2, The Lone Ranger, Monsters University, so we’re looking forward to the rest of the year too. But a decent summer blockbuster? Nope!

So, beloved Eagle readers, in true Wile EC fashion, we’ve booked three nights during Victoria Week with little idea of what to show... We need to find out what your favourite films of all time are and put them on. Anything will be considered.

You can stop us in the street, tell us via our Face-

book page, drop a note through the door (17 Hawthorn Place) or email us at info@ballatervictoriaweek. co.uk.... just let us know.

By the time summer comes around, our cinema in the Mike Sheridan will be completely transformed. Thanks to the tireless work of the folk at the V&A Halls, it will be redecorated and have new black-out curtains in place, our massive 150-inch screen, surround sound and yummy nachos on the menu. Local businesses and societies have also started taking the opportunity to use the biggest advertising space available in Ballater to promote their wares and events... It’s all very exciting and a great experience. Come and see Life of Pi on Wednesday June 12th at 7.30pm and join in the fun. Tickets are available from Yules at £5 each or on the door from 7pm.

Adrian Scripps [Ball-at-ter Film-i-cus]

Mike Sheridan Room 12th June 7.30pm

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Ballater (Royal Deeside) Ltd

BRD has continued to develop the various projects in which it is involved. The purchase of the two areas on Craig Coillich for the reconstruction of the Canadian Lumberjack Camp is awaiting legal completion of the deal with The Forestry Commission. Once acquired, the land will be transferred on lease to The Ballater Historic Forestry Project Association. This is an exciting project and a major visitor attraction.

Now that the snow has finally cleared, it will be possible to search for an appropriate stone to be sited at the west of the village to welcome tourists.

Invercauld Estate has kindly offered to donate such a stone from the Inver Quarry.

The Learning Centre project also is on course with considerable interest in the various proposed courses.

Other projects keep the Directors busy and we are always interested to hear of ideas from

by Jack Coull

the community to which BRD could contribute and become involved. Tel: 013397 55467 or email: ballaterdeeside@btinternet.com

Seven Bridges Walk – Alternative Route

by John Lovie

With the local community in mind, as well as visitors who explore and enjoy our beautiful area, Ballater (RD) Ltd was anxious about the safety of people having to use and cross the busy A93 road, this being part of the well-advertised Seven Bridges Walk.

Several options were considered to reduce this risk, and it seemed reasonable to attempt to create an alternative route. After much discussion and exploration, Cairngorm Outdoor Access Trust was contacted. With its help, we entered into negotiations with the landowners and tenants of the area affected by our plan.

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It took years to arrange and come to an agreement with all parties involved, obtain planning permission and funding for the project.

The new footbridge – picture by Gordon Riddler A new footbridge over the River Gairn, at Foot of Gairn, now gives access to a safer walk, away from the A93. It also brings users closer to the banks of the Dee, adding interest, with its special wildlife and flowers.

A gate has been installed, allowing folks to exit from the new path near the Polhollick Bridge, and so to continue the rest of this popular walk.

C.S.M. Handyman J.Lanigan All the little jobs you can’t get any1 to do

general maintenance inside and out, gutter cleaning, garden tidying, chimney sweep, etc.

Strathgirnoc Farmhouse South Deeside Road Ballater Tel. 013397 56227 Mobile 07506951506 Email: C-S-M_Aerials@hotmail.co.uk Web: csmhandyman.co.uk

Ballater Ball 17

by Jenny Gow

The Ballater Ball took place in the Victoria Hall on March 30, and was a great success.

I wish to express a huge thank you to all who supported this event. We raised just over £6,000, which was fantastic. We were lucky to have Rory Beaton, on behalf of Aboyne Academy, as our Master of Ceremonies for the night. Country Flavours of Alford provided a wonderful meal and bar service. Jim Brown of Fettercairn gave a fantastic after-dinner speech and Stewart Archibald was a very successful auctioneer. The Jennifer Forrest Band kept us all on the dance floor. We hope everyone enjoyed their night and hope to see you all at the next one!

Some of the funds raised went to Aboyne Academy with the rest going to a new Gut Motility Disorders Support Group. If you would like to know more about this Group and the Ballater Ball please contact me on 07813 720963.

FRASER & MULLIGAN Your local solicitor and estate agent

Buying and Selling Property Wills and Powers of Attorney Trusts and Executries Notarial Executions Resident Solicitors 24 Bridge Street, Ballater, AB35 5QP Tel No. 013397 55633 Fax No. 013397 55564 ballater@fraser-mulligan.co.uk

18 Ballater SWRI

by Aileen Barbour

President Anne Richardson welcomed members and visitors to our February meeting when Gary Carroll of the UK Fire & Rescue Service was our guest speaker.

Gary gave a most informative presentation of the work he does and showed us slides of the work the British Team had done following the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Gary brought his rescue dog Diesel, a highlytrained spaniel, and gave us a short demonstration of his skills.

We had two competitions, which were judged by our Hon Member Mrs Ivy Duncan.

Competition 1: “Novelty Biscuits” 1) Frances Johnstone 2) Thelma Cooper 3) Sheena Fraser 4) Diane Wright Competition 2: Ann Wallace Sugar Sifter “Four Gypsy Creams” 1) Frances Johnstone 2) Sheena Fraser 3) Diane Wright 4) Thelma Cooper On March 20 Anne Richardson thanked members for attending in such terrible weather.

Kevin Marron of Grampian Police gave the members a talk on “Safety at Home”. Kevin gave us plenty of tips on how to protect our homes and demonstrated the latest gadgets he had brought with him.

He made a serious subject entertaining with all his little stories but gave the members plenty food for thought to keep our homes safe. Kevin judged the competition “4 Rum Truffles” 1) Pat Fraser 2) Frances Johnstone 3) Thelma Cooper 4) Margaret Finnie

Our meeting on April 17 was our AGM and representatives from Finzean WRI conducted the business meeting, Anne welcomed Mr Ian Murray, who was invited to present the Evie Murray Rosebowl, which he had donated in memory of his mother, to Mary Munro.

Finzean WRI entertained us with a quiz, a demonstration on how to handcraft cards, and a demonstration on paper crafts which members enjoyed. The new committee is a follows: President – Anne Richardson Vice President – Mary Munro Secretary – Diane Wright Assistant Secretary – Veronica Houston Treasurer – Sheena Fraser Press Secretary – Aileen Barbour Magazine Secretary – Margaret Cameron Raffles – Pat Fraser Committee Member – Jude Cooper Moyra Gray of Finzean judged the two competitions. Competition 1: “Dish Cloth Knitted Cotton” 1) Thelma Cooper 2) Diane Wright 3) Sheena Fraser 4) Margaret Finnie Competition 2: The Mary McPherson Quaich – “Small Apple Tart” 1) Sheena Fraser 2) Frances Johnstone 3) Margaret Finnie 4) Thelma Cooper Anne Richardson presented the remaining trophy – Marjorie Gordon Cup: “Small Baby Bonnet 3-ply” to Thelma Cooper.

For most points over the season Diane Wright received the Lady Paget Quaich, while Thelma Cooper and Frances Johnstone shared the Lady Paget Cup, and Sheena Fraser received the Iris James Cup. Anne hoped everyone would enjoy the summer break and looked forward to welcoming us all back on September 18.

Deeside Donside Development Project by Nick Mardall Ballater Learning Centre

The business planning and preparation work for the Learning Centre is under way. Part of this work is to develop a curriculum and look at the viability of running courses for Ballater and the surrounding community. If we can demonstrate viability, the first funding package is likely to be looking to equip the facility.

Dalmochie

Having successfully raised the funds to purchase the site from the Forestry Commission, the legal work is still being dealt with. An initial completion date for the end of March has passed and we now expect that by June the site will be owned by the community.

A partnership between B(RD) and the Historic Forestry Project Association is coming together for the next phase of restoring the log cabins

19

which originally existed on the site.

Broadband

The Donside programme of broadband is under way, looking at possible “line of sight” technology which bounces a broadband signal up the glens via small antennae.

If this is a success, which many communities have already managed elsewhere in Scotland, we hope to be able to roll it out for other areas in upper Deeside where the broadband coverage is poor or non-existent.

Braemar Action Plan

The Braemar Action plan is to be launched in May. The community and agencies will get the plan under way, which will contribute to positive change according to the community’s own aspirations. These include, to name a few, restoration of Braemar Castle and St Margaret’s

Wee Jim Landscapes

Invercauld Lodges Self-Catering Accommodation Prices from: £55/night & £350/week 12a Invercauld Road BALLATER AB35 5RP Tel: 013397 55015

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Firewood Available Call for details Tel: 013397 55997 Mobile: 07821 746756 Email: weejim03@live.co.uk

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Kirk, tackling care for the elderly and transport links to the south.

Ballater Action Plan Ballater Community Council with other agencies will undertake a review of the Ballater action plan which was drawn up in 2009.

A lot of positive work and projects came out of that plan. This review of the plan will look at refocusing the efforts where this is needed most, and provide support to on-going projects and groups.

Housing Partnership

The Prince’s Trust and the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust are now preparing a site proposal for the Cairngorms National Park Authority which will describe how a small site outwith the Ballater settlement may be able to provide a limited amount of housing for the benefit of the community. There are a number of issues to address, not least making the houses affordable and to retain them for the community. However

this work seeks to build the case for the site.

Website Assistance

Finally, and as always, a reminder about the small fund available from the Cairngorms National Park Authority to help local groups establish or improve their group or project websites.

If anybody is interested in applying for this funding please contact me on the details below as I have the guidance and application forms. Several groups in Ballater have already taken up the offer and received funds up to nearly £1000 so don’t let the opportunity pass for your group to benefit.

Again I would ask folk to contact me if they have any project or funding they would like me to help them pursue. nick.dddp@btconnect.com or telephone 013397 53775

The Deeside Hotel & Restaurant www.deesidehotel.co.uk

Recommended in the Good Hotel Guide 2013

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CLAN – 30 years of support

by Joan Cowie

This year CLAN Cancer Support is marking its 30th Anniversary – 30 years of providing cancer support services, free of charge, to any person affected by cancer.

The charity is encouraging people across Aberdeenshire and beyond to be part of its special year. There is a busy and varied calendar of events aimed at raising awareness and funding.

In Deeside, CLAN personnel, volunteers and supporters have already attended a launch event at the Ballater Golf Club and helped at, or even ran in, Run Balmoral at the end of April.

On May 11, 180 walkers took part in the fourth annual Tartan Trek in the grounds of Balmoral Castle, walking a 6k or 17k route.

The trekkers were led off from Crathie by pipers from the Ballater Pipe Band, and fortified with water, fruit, cereal bars and shortbread supplied

by Sainsbury’s, Asda, the Co-op, Morrisons, Costco and Walkers. Those who did the longer 17k route were also offered a free dram at the Gelder Shiel Bothy, courtesy of the Royal Lochnagar Distillery. Trekkers were treated to stunning close-up views of Balmoral Castle and the snow-clad hills beyond, before returning to Crathie for tea and home-bakes in the marquee, raising around £5,000 in the process.

On June 22 CLAN is hosting a Vintage Afternoon Tea in Crathie Village Hall.

“We simply could not have reached our 30th anniversary without the generous and ongoing support of so many people in the community.”

Area co-ordinator, Gemma Powell All these events help to maintain and develop services in the area. CLAN has recently introduced a Healthy Walking Group in Deeside, and later this month will start to offer services one day per week in Banchory.

21

CLAN’s Area Co-ordinator based in Ballater, Gemma Powell, said people on Deeside give their time in so many ways – helping in the shop, fundraising and offering time, information and support to our clients.

CLAN is looking for more volunteers to get involved and staged an open evening in the Glen Muick Church Hall in Ballater on May 22 and another will be held in the Centenary Hall, Banchory West Church, on June 10 (4-6pm). All are welcome to come along to find out how they can assist CLAN to help those affected by cancer.

If you would like to know more about CLAN services please contact 01339 756318 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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.

Crathie News

22

by Marion MacIntyre Coffee at the Distillery

Huge thanks to all those who came along to support the Coffee Morning at Royal Lochnagar Distillery on April 6 and helped us raise a magnificent £826 for the Anchor Unit Aberdeen and CLAN Cancer Support.

We were very grateful for the raffle prizes donated and the contributions for the Baking Stall, to Margaret for her hand-made cards, to Alex as always for her delicious shortbread, to the Distillery for providing the tea and coffee and donation of their single malt whisky for the raffle and of course for providing the wonderful location for the event.

Most of all, a heartfelt thanks to the team who, every year, bake, pour tea and coffee, wash dishes, clear tables, man the stalls and work very hard to make

Bill Yule PGA Golf Professional Tuition available £20 per 1/2 hour - 5 Lessons for £80 Non Members Welcome! *Gift Vouchers Available*

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Victoria Road, Ballater AB35 5QX Tel. 013397 55658 Email: shnyule@aol.com

the Coffee Morning such a success! See you all again next year!

Church News

The Crathie Kirk Monday morning cafe continues until around the end of October from

10am-12.30pm in Crathie Kirk Hall. Come along and sample the home bakes and the friendly atmosphere.

Braemar and Crathie Parish will be holding the Crathie Biennial Sale on August 10 from 2.30-4pm in Crathie Kirk Hall. Tea and bakes will be available as well as all the normal stalls.

Following on from the sale, the Guild will be providing light lunches in the Kirk Hall from Monday 12th until Friday 16th.

Throughout spring and summer, as in

Moira Melrose Kiltmaker since 1992 Quality Hand Sewn Kilts

013398 800 74 8007 Email: kiltmaker@hotmail.co.uk

previous years, Crathie Kirk and Braemar Church will be open to visitors, Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Sunday 1pm to 4pm.

The Sacrament of Communion will be celebrated at both Braemar and Crathie on Sunday 7 July. All will be welcome at these services.

Book Group

After a number of hitches, mainly due to the weather, the group finally managed to discuss “The Casual Vacancy” by J K Rowling.

It proved to be worth the wait as it produced diverse reactions ranging from those who liked the book and found it an interesting read despite the fact that there were few, if any, likeable characters, to those who disliked it so much that they couldn’t finish it!

All were agreed however that it was too long with too many characters and would have benefited greatly from some judicious editing.

“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” by Rachel Joyce, was an altogether more uplifting affair and was thoroughly enjoyed by the majority of the group.

There were a number of twists and turns in the plot along the way and some more or less unexpected revelations. It was both touching and funny.

We also tackled “How It All Began” by Penelope Lively. The premise of this tale was how an unexpected event has all sorts of repercussions on the lives of a number of people as well as those immediately affected. It was well written and enjoyable although some of the group felt it promised more than it delivered, leaving them feeling rather unsatisfied.

Currently we have returned to a favourite author, Maggie O’Farrell, and “After You’d Gone”.

Bowling Club

Crathie Bowling Club is currently having a break for the summer months. They will resume in September and as usual will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 - 9pm. For more information, call Jean Young, on 013397 42415.

Anna’s Challenge

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On 25th May, Anna Cairns of Crathie took part in a Motamed Bike Challenge at Leuchie House North Berwick. The challenge took place on the same day as the Edinburgh Marathon and the aim is to cover the same distance of 26 miles on a special purpose stationary bike.

Anna, who uses a wheelchair, was strapped into the special bike for the challenge. At the time of writing, she has raised £563 in donations and sponsorship for Leuchie House, which provides high-quality respite care for individuals with long-term conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, and hopefully her final total will be even more.

Anna would like to thank everyone who has so generously supported her fundraising.

Any colour, so long as it’s black.

Henry Ford

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It’s good to see at long last some warm weather reaching Ballater. As you are aware, Grampian Police is no longer in existence and we are now Police Scotland.

This does not affect the day-to-day service you will continue to receive in the Ballater area.

I have included below some information which will hopefully assist you if you require to contact the police.

Non-Emergency Number

A new 101 non-emergency number was launched across Scotland on 21 February 2013, and will replace the vast range of existing police force non-emergency numbers, including the Grampian Police 0845 600 5700 number, which will be gradually phased out.

The introduction of the 101 non-emergency number will give the people of Scotland a new way to contact the police, seek advice, speak to a local officer or to report a crime that does not

Police Scotland

need an emergency response; for example: car theft, damage to property, a minor traffic collision, suspected drug use or dealing or information about crime in their area.

The 101 non-emergency number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It costs a flat rate of 15p per call and will connect the public to a police service centre in their local area. The number has already been launched successfully in England and Wales and is widely used.

Why a New Number?

The key reasons for introducing the 101 nonemergency number in Scotland are to: • help keep people safe by giving them one easy-to-remember number for contacting the police, wherever they are in Scotland • make the police more accessible, while reducing pressure on the 999 system • help the police cut crime by making it easier for the public to pass on information

We are a well-established family-owned business. We work hard to ensure we offer our customers a warm welcome, competitive prices and great customer service. We look forward to meeting you.

Carpets Wooden flooring Vinyls Karndean Blinds Made-to-measure curtains Beds and bedding Soft furnishings Haberdashery Log baskets/companion sets New gift section

Station Square, Ballater, AB35 5RB www.edwardjemsliecarpets.co.uk

013397 55005 info@tedemslie.com

by PC Donald Macleod • support the creation of a more efficient and

effective police service for the people of Scotland • increase inter-operability with England and Wales, with 101 becoming the nationally recognised non-emergency number for contacting the police across the UK Members of the public should continue to call 999 in an emergency.

Since the last edition of the Eagle, we continue to be kept busy with various calls.

One complaint of note, which continues to arise, relates to motorists not obeying the recently introduced one-way system on Viewfield Road, extending from the Queen’s Road junction to its junction with Bridge Street. As part of their patrols, officers will be monitoring this over the summer months. With the better weather hopefully on its way, just a wee reminder about

25

home security especially for bicycles and garden equipment. Once finished with them please secure them away.

Your Team

Currently your Ballater local Policing team consists of Sgt Steven Robertson, Constables Fiona Brown, David Woods, Steven Lafferty, myself and our longsuffering clerkess, Karen Stewart.

We are also augmented by Special Constables Neil Middleton, Andrew Bloor and Ewen Greenlaw.

STATION Popular Informal Restaurant in the Old Royal Station

Open daily from 10am Station Square, Ballater

AB35 5QB

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Special Sightings in Ballater Rare Flower on Deeside – by Ian Murray

I am always on the lookout for wild flowers and I came across this quite rare primrose (see photograph) which I believe is Primula Scotica.

It is unusual to find it in this area.

We are blessed here with a wonderful array of wild flora and I commend this interest to Eagle readers, whether it is simply to

find them, draw them or make a photographic collection.

It is of course not permitted to take any from the wild but it adds great interest to a walk and it is amazing how many different species we can come across around these parts.

There are many books on the subject but one I find very helpful and informative is ‘The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe’ published

by Collins.

Rare Bird in Ballater –

by Ian Hay

New Books by local authors available to order from www.deesidebooks.com

Normally in Ballater in very early May, we hope to see buds on trees, grass growing and birds singing their little hearts out.

This year however, several residents were treated to the sight of a very rare bird wandering in the heart of the village.

A female capercaillie has been seen, and photographed, in several public places and even in local gardens.

Glyn Jones, the Head Ranger on Balmoral Estate confirmed the sighting and explained that the bird was obviously looking for a mate.

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Deeside Books

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Strangely enough, the Estate has several male capercaillie who are on a similar mission, but there is a shortage of females in that area. Maybe a dating agency could be set up?

I understand that a similar sighting has taken place at the Bennachie Visitor Centre, where

another female wandered into the offices there – bold as brass.

Maybe there is hope for these birds after all, although Glyn did say, “No other species of bird would go looking for a mate in a bike shop or a ranger’s office.

Is it any wonder that they are going extinct?” Here is a photograph of this beautiful bird taken by Richard Watts of Cyclehighlands.

Adrienne Bradbury has also submitted a photograph of the bird in her garden, you can see it on the back page.

“Your friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you.”

Elbert Hubbard, ‘The Notebook’, 1927

The only 100% Indian Restaurant in Ballater

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Cats Protection

by Liz Robinson

In a bold move from fluffy to fury, Cats Protection Deeside co-ordinator Liz Robinson will undertake a sponsored SHARK DIVE at Edinburgh Zoo to raise much-needed funds and continue to try and keep the local branch moving forward.

Liz has a fear of water and cold so diving with sharks in a one-million-gallon tank of freezing water is a big challenge for her, but she IS doing it for the love of the cats, kittens and ferals on Deeside.

Cats Protection ser ves Deeside from Drumoak to Glenshee. It’s a small group of local people who work very hard and give up their time to help, and personally receive no financial reward.

Liz has six other loyal volunteers to help with various tasks, basically helping cats and kittens in our area that need our assistance, dealing with all sorts of situations, from the truly upsetting to the very happy.

We offer a neutering scheme where owners can apply for a voucher to help with the cost of getting their cat neutered to save on unwanted kittens.

All kinds of advice is on offer to help you care for your cat/kitten. Nothing is too much trouble.

On average, it costs the branch £130 per cat or kitten to have it neutered, vet checked, blood tested, first vaccination, wormed and ‘Frontlined’ (treated for fleas) and where necessary, micro-chipped before they are re-homed for an adoption fee of £50.

We heavily rely on the support of the community through much-needed donations of money, food, cat litter, cat toys, bedding and beds. We would respectfully urge you to support us in any way you can.

We also are in constant need of volunteers to help within the branch. So if you can spare a few hours once in a while, it would be so helpful and VERY much appreciated.

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It is always our aim to make sure that we have the cat’s welfare in mind AND to find the right cat for YOU. This is why we do a home visit for every cat that is to be re-homed to make sure everything is agreeable for all concerned.

In 2012, the Deeside branch neutered almost 200 cats, 100 of which were feral. We also rehomed almost 50 cats in our area.

Over the last few years, we have been heavily involved with helping with the Highland Tiger project, which helps preserve our beautiful Scottish Wild Cats by educating farmers and estates on the benefits of TNR (Trap Neuter and Return) of feral cats.

It is a finely honed skill and is very enjoyable but very timeconsuming. There is a JustGiving page where you can donate: www.justgiving.com/ Liz-Robinson6

Morven Veterinary Practice Opening Hours: Monday 2pm - 6pm Tuesday 10am - 2pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday Closed Friday 2pm - 5pm

Tel. 013397 - 55134 24 Golf Rd Ballater Aberdeenshire AB35 5RS

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A Walk in the Park

Glen Taitneach

My sister and I decided to return to an area we always reminisce fondly about, taking my niece along as she had heard so many stories about it. On a beautiful morning, and yes we have had the occasional one or two recently, we set off up through Braemar, past the Glenshee ski centre, down to the Spittal.

Instead of taking the curve round behind the Spittal Farm and Spittal Hotel, we turned to our right towards the old humpback bridge, now with traffic lights on it, which was the original road.

The road originally went past the front of the

shearing workers.

Everyone had their job, from helping Mum to cook to marking the sheep with the correct paint colour on the correct part of the sheep after they had been clipped, as each farm has an individual identification mark.

The fleeces were rolled up and put into huge hessian sacks, which had to be packed as tightly as possible. Often one of us youngsters would go into the sack to tramp down the fleeces. The sheep were in a series of pens and had to be shifted from each until they were in a “race”, then the catcher would keep the clippers supplied with sheep to keep everyone busy until every sheep was sheared.

The sheep were all hand clipped with giant scissors until gradually electric clippers run from generators were introduced, making the process quicker. After they were clipped, the sheep then had to be dipped to protect them from infections such as tick.

As youngsters it seemed to take forever to get to the bothy and the sheep pens in the Land Rover, so it was a bit of a surprise that it took

Shearing at Taitneach

farm when we were youngsters, so the layout has changed considerably since then. We parked up at the side of the old road just beside the old bridge and started walking up Glen Taitneach. This is a Land Rover track so relatively easy walking.

My father at the age of 19 used to walk about 1,200 hogs from The Mullach at Dinnet to The Taitneach, which usually took about three days.

In 1961, he spent the summer in the bothy from May until October looking after the sheep. One of my favourite memories coming up this glen as a youngster was “clipping time”. All the local shepherds, farmers and labourers went from farm to farm and everyone helped with the shearing of each farm’s sheep. When we went to clip the sheep at The Taitneach, we went with Mum, and a local farmer took us up the track to an old bothy where Mum cooked all the food for the hungry

by Katrina Farquhar

about no time at all walking! We were, however, disappointed that the bothy is now a pile of wood on the ground and the sheep pens are not used anymore, so I can only leave it to you to imagine what they might have looked like in the past.

Taitneach is a beautiful glen with a distinct valley but very green with quite a lot of rocky

scree areas and loose stones. As we had arrived at our destination so quickly we decided to carry on up the Glen and walk up to Loch Nan Eun. The track continues for a few miles after the old sheep pens. If, however, you would like a shorter circular walk, there is a bridge and you can return down the other side of the burn past Glenochsie Farm and Dalmunzie House Hotel, which has a fantastic old train, used in the past for taking shooting parties up to Glenochsie Lodge further up the Glen. It also boasts a nine-hole golf course, which is a very heathery challenge for any golfer!

We carried on up Glen Taitneach, and when the track ends there is a path that takes you up alongside a burn called Allt Fasgaidh. It is pretty steep in parts but to compensate there are some fantastic waterfalls and great views looking back down the glen.

When you reach the top it is all worthwhile as there in front of you is Loch nan Eun. This is the most serene place with a beautiful clear expanse of water set down slightly from the hills surrounding it, giving you the impression of a huge bowl of clear water. We had our lunch and reflected on how lucky we are to live in such a fantastic area, spoilt for choice of places to walk, cycle or even drive to and often have the whole place all to ourselves.

We went back just the way we came but had the added enjoyment of walking into and looking at fantastic views all the way down the glen. We reckoned the whole walk was roughly 12 miles; the part from the end of the Land Rover track to the Loch was quite hard walking but the rest was relatively easy.

Loch nan Eun

Don’t Get Scared –

Get checked

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The earlier bowel cancer’s found, the easier it is to treat.

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland. The older you get, the higher your risk of developing it. It’s more common in people over 50, especially men. And what lots of people don’t know is that the early signs are often hidden.

Even your doctor can’t see it in its early stages, but when it is found early, bowel cancer’s much easier to treat. In fact, 9 out of 10 people beat it. The best way to find it is to do a home screening test.

A few signs to look out for: Screening won’t catch every bowel cancer as not all cancers bleed. It is important to look out for tell-tale signs and symptoms, whether or not you do the screening test.

•Repeated bleeding from your bottom or blood in your poo •Recent change in your poo that continues for more than six weeks without going back to normal •Watery poo on its own or with constipation (constipation on its own is less likely to be serious) •Severe pain in your stomach that won’t go away, especially after eating •You’ve recently lost weight without trying •You feel tired all the time and people keep telling you “You look a bit pale” Please remember that these symptoms don’t necessarily mean you’ve got cancer. But they could indicate that something else is wrong. So, it’s still important that you talk to your doctor anyway.

Some people are too embarrassed or they think their doctor’s too busy. That’s just not true.

Your GP wants to hear from you. So if you’re worried about anything at all, even in between screenings, you should make an appointment as soon as you can. You’re not wasting anyone’s time and you could be saving your own life or the life of somebody you love. For more information on symptoms and signposting to local cancer support organisations, contact your local NHS Grampian healthpoint, call the free healthline on 0500 20 20 30 or log on to nhsinform.co.uk

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Pupils have been working hard learning about and enjoying life to the full. The Eagle team could have devoted pages to their charming contributions – here is just a small sample. Thank you for all your pieces and pictures!

by Jasmin P3/4 Real Life Week P5, 6 & 7 had a real life week where were taught about jobs, road safety, finance and cooking.

Different people came to talk about their jobs. Dr McLeod told us about being a doctor and how he got there. It sounded like hard work. Then PC McLeod told us stories about being a policeman.

Lesley Coutts talked about her job as a beauty therapist. Then we had a French café, one group were the waiters and one group was the customers. We had to ask and answer in French.

The hotel manager David Griffiths told us about his first job. Lina talked about working for the government. She helps people in other countries cope with poverty.

On Friday the Director of Education told us what her job is about. She told us we had to be happy and make a difference. Then Lindsey Smith told us what he does on the oil rigs. Laura Mitchell the producer of Landward came to tell us about making television programmes.

We can’t wait to leave school and join the real world!

by Louise & Dillon

Ballater

Running Club Every Wednesday at 12.40pm-1.10pm a group of pupils from P5, 6 & 7 go running.

They go running past the new houses. And they also go past the hills and they go up Craigendarroch Hill. Running club is to help people keep fit and healthy and it is fun. People have lunch at the hall at morning break so they don’t run on a full tummy of food. Some people run in competitions in Balmoral.

by Alex

by Annabel P3/4

World Book Da World Book Da that takes place in m the world. P2/3 org year, they made a g were second hand b We were trying to charity called Mar raise £180.

by Cameron & Jack

Burn O’Vat Pupils take to p to capture one o famous landma ful results.

by Rosa P4

Parts of Every the blood learnt tha and a ba you could comes ou .

r School Coinage Captured if only these were real...

by Craig P3

by Ava P2

ay ay is an international event many different schools around ganised world book day this great job of it. For sale there books and home made cakes. o raise money for a cancer rie Curie. We managed to

by Orla P2

k

Inspires paper and crayon of Deeside’s arks, with colour-

by Calum P3

33

Electricity Our first topic of the term was electricity, we did it with Miss Strang. We made lemon battery circuits and found out how electricity was made.

A lemon battery is a lemon, a penny, a nail, two crocodile clips and a 1.5 volt bulb. First you put the penny in the top of the lemon and then you put the nail in the side of the lemon, put one crocodile clip on the nail and the other end on the bulb. If it works it will light up.

by Lucas Breakfast Club At Ballater School in March we did a healthy breakfast club. This lasted four days. You could come along and pay 50p and get any range of food you wanted. There was a wide selection.

There was fruit, muffins, pancakes, boiled eggs, toast, cereal, etc. Most of the food has extras like butter, jam, maple syrup and cheese. Drinks were included.

We wouldn’t have had this club if it wasn’t for the eco group. They thought it would encourage us to be healthy. We all really enjoyed it and we hope we have it again. Aiden’s favourite was you got to chat at breakfast with friends. Lily’s favourite thing was the syrup pancakes and Holly’s favourite was the boiled eggs. We would like to say a big thank you to all the helpers who gave up their spare time early in the morning.

by Holly, Lily & Aiden

by Findlay P2 f Body y Friday afternoon Mrs Duckworth teaches us about parts of the body. So far we have learnt about d, bones and lungs. We learnt that there are different blood types. We also learnt about the bones. We at the smallest bone is in the middle of the ear. We also learnt that an adult has around 206 bones aby has about 300 bones! The lungs are one of the most important things in the body, so important dn’t live without them. You breathe in oxygen. Oxygen travels round the body through the blood and ut as carbon-dioxide. That is all we’ve learnt so far about the body and we hope we find out more

by Katie & Ross

34

A Clear Glimpse of the Past

Steady streams of e-mails arrive in my inbox through my involvement with the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit’s wartime log cabin camp project at Dalmuchie.

Most are from Newfoundland folk anxious to learn more about the camp where their fathers, uncles and now more often grandfathers had worked. Every year I meet with people from Canada who have made a pilgrimage across to visit Dalmuchie, view our DVD in the Tourist Office at the Station, to talk and reminisce, and simply to enjoy the Scotland they had heard so much about.

A few weeks ago, I received quite a different correspondence through our website: ballaterforestry.org.uk. A lady in England made contact to offer me a photograph of Ballater taken in the late 1880s.

The photo duly arrived to prove to be a George Washington Wilson print entitled ‘Ballater from the S.E.’, obviously taken from Craig Coillich, and showing the then very new Royal Bridge and a sunny Ballater. It is obviously early spring, still showing patches of snow on the top of surrounding hills, and on Craigendarroch the oaks are still bare of leaves. The shadows cast on one side of Dee Street lead me to deduce the time of this exposure to be just past mid day.

I have seen many photos of Ballater from this period, and earlier ones from 1877 of the previous wooden bridge, but this image is unique in its clarity. The Royal Bridge was completed in November 1885 and I believe that this photo was taken in March/April time of 1886.

In the picture is clearly shown Ballater Gas Works at the end of Deebank Road, with all its outhouses and tall chimney: adjacent is the smiddy, smoke pouring out from the forge fire.

Very prominent is Deebank House, home to Duguid the builder. Behind his house can be seen his joinery shop and store, and across Dee Street, in ground that has not been developed to

by Ian Cameron

this day, his stock in trade of timber boards lie on the ground. This is the same Mr Duguid who built Duguid’s Buildings on Deebank Road, and rebuilt Ballater Church in 1877. All those buildings can be seen in this image, albeit the Church has not yet received the vestry that we know today. Later Duguid the builder was to build the Victoria Hall and the reading room and library complex, the Gordon Institute.

In this photo only the Albert Hall, Telegraph Office and Town Council building are evident.

The Station, as we know it is not there; the station of today had to wait for the occasion of the arrival of the Tsar of Russia and his Tsarina, Queen Victoria’s daughter, on a visit in 1896 for the elaborate porch and extensions to be made.

In this picture, there is no Braichley Road; Deebank Road, Albert Road, or Victoria Road and the then North Street, renamed Golf Road after 1892 with the founding of the Golf Course, stops short bounded by fields and rough ground.

The Kirk Greens are there and behind the Church is the Masons’ Hall, just as I remembered it in ‘Plant and Roots.’ Interestingly, the old wooden paint shop that stood on the site where Luie Gillies rebuilt the drying shed from the Diatomite workings on Dinnet Moor, to become his Victoria Garage, is shown in the spring sunshine.

Our old house, the semi-detached ‘Birchhill Cottages’ on Albert Road, (see ‘Albert Road, Ballater’) are seen to advantage as the ground before it is undeveloped from Albert Road to Deebank Road. The Invercauld Hotel farm steading is crystal clear, still with three corn rucks left in the corn yard after what must have been a mild winter!

The ‘Planting’ as we knew it, at the ‘Keep Left’, was fenced off in those days to allow the chestnut trees to have their ‘conkers’ without small boys’ assaults.

The Invercauld Hotel was still resplendent from the extensions and refurbishments made

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to coincide with the Gala opening of this latest granite bridge over the Dee on November 1885.

It must have been a fine drying day as we can see the washing from the hotel hung out on a green east of the building. Later, a proper laundry was built on this green, the CLAN shop of today!

Further up the village, immediately beyond

ties are evident, smoke is coming from the portable steam engine that powers the saw mill and stack upon stack of sawn boards await transport. There is no sign yet of the Ballater railway signalbox. It was built in 1893, and the first signalman who came to take charge of it was the railway poet: Charles Davidson.

Ballater circa 1886 the church can be seen the twin houses that were later to be demolished to make way for Strachan’s Garage, the home of Stagecoach Buses today. A similar house at the corner of Bridge Street that can be seen was demolished to make way for a bank and row of shops on the east side of Bridge Street, that corner bank building now being the ‘Balmoral Bar’. Further to the right can be seen Provost Grant’s new house which today has the Post Office attached.

Perhaps it would be appropriate to include here his immortal description of an early Ballaterfrom his Doric poem, ‘A Dream O’ Ballater’:

Ballater Public School can be seen at the top of School Lane, but other than the Victoria Barracks, Queens Road is largely undeveloped.

Although, it is twenty years since the railway line was first extended to the Bridge of Gairn, the ‘Old Line’ of the track can still be seen.

In the station area, extensive sawmilling activi-

‘Then Ballater, As sure’s I’m here, Wis naething bit a heather meer; Grown o’er wi’ bushes, breem, and birk, And twa-three hooses roun’ the kirk.’

Further up Braemar Road is to be seen the ‘Free Kirk’, finally allowed a feu in Ballater after its exile on Craigendarroch since the Disruption of 1843.

The last three houses to be seen on Braemar Road are firstly, what in my day was the ‘Towers Hotel’ now recently rebuilt and in new hands.

Next is ‘Oak Hall’, once a Childrens’ hotel, and the last building in the village, as it is to this day: Darroch Learg Hotel.

36 Schoolhouse at Home & Abroad I think Ballater folk sometimes wonder what on earth we get up to – coming and going as we do. Once I was a travelling French teacher, cajoling primary school bairns up and down Deeside to speak good French and say ‘Bonjour!’ with panache an nae ‘Bong-joower’.

I would spend my days fleeing up to Braemar, popping into Crathie, cruising down to my old stomping ground at Crathes, nipping in by Finzean, whiles up to Strathdon, and on a Wednesday I’d be in Ballater.

As I also run Schoolhouse – a Ballater B&B, and sometimes training centre and English school – this part-time teaching fitted in well with waving guests off on their onward journeys before getting roadit myself. Come evening, I might have been at the Cellar youth club, doing storytelling in the city, or all around

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by Cathy Low

the shire. In the summers, it would be teaching English to bairns from Spain, Italy and France.

But foreign lands have long held a fascination, and sometimes destiny seems to pull and cajole at

Schoolhouse volunteers in Ballater you, tugging in a direction, that leads you down a path that becomes a journey longer and harder than you first thought when you started strolling down a bonnie wee, winding pathy. That’s a bit what it seems like now when I realise how much the journey that I set out on in 2004, slowly but surely kept pulling me ever on.

My husband was born in Sri Lanka, and somehow, my own native Deeside soul was aye touched by the allure of the east, so when we set off to visit Alan’s homeland in 2004, I felt a great attraction and fascination with the place. It wasn’t so much the obvious tropical beauty, the shimmering turquoise sea and swaying palms, it was more the soft warmth of the people we met that mattered most - and these people were poor, with simple lives and few possessions.

We weren’t long back to Ballater when the Tsunami made me want to rush back, to help friends and the people I knew were so badly affected.

We sent money directly to affected friends, poor fishermen, but we couldn’t go to help in the aftermath. We began to discuss how we could make a more long-term contribution, and have more of a sustainable involvement. We knew that

English was a vital life skill and that the poorest people need English in order to get the jobs that allow them to work their way out of poverty.

Slowly, the seeds of the project that has now taken over our lives were sown. I had always been teaching – French, English, drama, nursery, youth club. We wanted to continue to be involved with the skills development of people in Scotland, and we understood from personal experience, that travel and immersion in a new culture can develop personal and career skills - especially in a increasingly globalised world.

So began the long effort to establish Schoolhouse Abroad – now a fully-fledged not-for-profit company, with a charitable trust fund. All the agreements are in place, the relationships well developed – in South India and Sri Lanka. We have travelled round, teaching to children under trees, in crowded classrooms, in dusty halls, under railway arches. Street children, gypsy children, some affected by war, others affected by poverty, all smiling, all eager to learn to say ‘Good morn-

37

ing’, and ‘I’m fine’, ‘Where are you going’?

We have placements for volunteers to teach spoken English in government schools in Sri Lanka, and in children’s homes and other institutions. In India, we work in partnership with local NGOs, at grass root level. Volunteers use a variety of activities – usually making use of their own hobbies and interests - to teach spoken English and provide much needed additional care and attention.

This summer, for the first time, we are bringing dental students to carry out their essential elective at the end of their fourth year and we’ll run the first Schoolhouse dental camp in a village in India where the villagers don’t have access to dental care.

This summer, for the third year, we’ll also run two English camps – where over 400 children will participate in a programme of English that leads to a concert.

A team of 15 dedicated volunteers will lead the camp – they’ll work hard, play hard,>>>

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38

and learn a lot (about themselves, working in a team, taking leadership, making do with less, and being very resourceful). They’ll also be immersed in and amazed by the sights and sounds of the east.

So far, we’ve taken over 70 volunteers - mainly but by no means exclusively students (our oldest volunteer was a wonderful 78 years young!). So far, this project has taken us into universities all over Scotland, we’ve met so many wonderful people.

The costs of organising the placements, of travel and living overseas mount up, so volunteers do have to pay a fee to go, although many fundraise these costs. We hope that next year, we’ll fundraise for a Ballater youth to take up a placement.

If anyone would like to find out more about Schoolhouse Abroad, visit our web site www. school-house.org, give us a call (56333), or you can always pop by to Schoolhouse in Anderson Road, in Ballater.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Sir I write to express my disappointment at the lack of support shown by Ballater folk for many of the fundraising events organised by the Halls Committee in aid of the V & A Halls refurbishment.

I was not involved in the organisation of the most recent event, the Silent Auction, but there was obviously much time and effort put into the evening, and to have an attendance of only 35 must have had the organisers wondering why they bother.

Many groups and organisations use the Halls, and it would seem in everyone’s interests for the facilities of the Halls to be improved, but many users apparently can’t be bothered to support fundraising. If the types of events do not appeal, then I’m sure the Committee would be more than happy for groups themselves to organise events that they consider more attractive.

It would be nice to see us all pulling together in the fundraising effort.

Yours in hope (Name & address supplied)

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Carers’ Week: 10 - 16 June Across the UK the number of people caring, unpaid for a family member or friend who is ill, frail and disabled has now risen to 6.5 million. Every day at least 6,000 people start caring. Becoming a carer can impact significantly on a person’s life – it takes time, energy, can leave you isolated and can be costly.

Prepared to Care? – the 2013 Carers Week campaign –will focus on how the UK’s current carer population is coping, how effectively Government is supporting the growing numbers of carers, and whether the wider population is prepared for future caring responsibilities.

Through Prepared to Care? Carers Week will highlight the impact of caring on daily life and, with an ageing population and higher incidence of disability and serious illness, encourage the public to think whether they could manage a caring role.

39

Prepared to Care? will also help those already caring to make sure they are accessing all the practical and emotional support they need to care safely and look after themselves.

A new report to be published for Carers Week will highlight to Government the changes required to improve the lives of carers and the people they care.

Running from Monday 10 to Sunday 16 June 2013, some 2,000 organisations will be involved in 10,000 Carers Week Prepared to Care? events.

Carers Week has a wide range of carers willing to share their experiences. Contact them at 020 7378 4955 or media@carersweek.org Keep up to date with campaign develo p m e n t s a t w w w. c a r e r s w e e k . o r g o r w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / c a r e r s w e e k o r Twitter @carersweek.

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40 Aberdeenshire Council

by Katrina Farquhar

Since the last Eagle it has been a busy time at Aberdeenshire Council. Of course if anyone has any questions, problems or would just like to talk, do please get in touch with one of your three local councillors; our details are at the front of the Eagle.

A new open top-bus service covering Braemar, Balmoral, and Ballater to Glenmuick will be running for the duration of the summer, starting from May 4. Details of the timetable are given elsewhere in this Eagle. Hopefully it will be a success and attract some new visitors.

We also are hoping to have a service from Ballater to Blairgowrie three days a week from July to September but final times and dates have yet to be confirmed.

Website Details

On the Aberdeenshire Council website (www. aberdeenshire.gov.uk) there is a wide range of

vacancies for catering assistants, carers, cleaners, teachers, pupil support assistants, and many more, so please do visit the site and have a look.

You never know, there may be something there just for you!

In addition, the website has icons to click on depending on what type of phone you have, allowing you to access, for example, a new library app for everyone to download where you will be able to search the catalogue, or reserve and renew books. In addition you can scan a book barcode

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and check for it on the catalogue and search our online resources. You can also find out about new books, library events, opening hours and more from your mobile.

There is a section on the website for local information. Anyone can send in details of local events and it will be posted on the website for all of Aberdeenshire to see. Of course we can look and find out what is on all over the region as well. I do try and post events and notes on Facebook, where you can find me at Councillor Katrina Farquhar for Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside.

Fault Reporting

A reminder that if you need to report anything, from street lighting not working, to flooding, potholes, broken slabs or kerbs, damaged walls or fences, loose chips, manhole covers, road markings, signs, spillages, fallen trees etc. then go to the council website and at bottom right click on road fault reporting or alternatively telephone 0845 6081205 or text 07624 820722.

Catwalk Courage

On a more personal note, Councillor Joanna Strathdee and I were nominated to take part in a charity event called Courage on the Catwalk.

24 models were chosen by a panel, all of us having had treatment or going through treatment for cancer.

We were professionally trained, clothes were supplied by John Lewis, Our Day, It’s Darling and Frox. We each had a make-up artist and hairdresser for the day. Some of us had our nails done as well and then we did walk the catwalk for two shows in The Beach Ballroom on April 21.

Approximately 600 people attended each show. We had a fabulous time and the event raised over £50,000 for Friends of Anchor. A big thank you to all involved and even bigger thank you to everyone who donated for such a worthy cause.

“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.”

Katherine Hepburn

The Braemar 41 Right of Way

by Sheila Sedgwick Many years ago Invercauld estate had a Factor who was not popular with tenants or public and seemed to be determined to impose his will on residents of both Braemar and the rapidly developing Ballater. He had, of course, to carry out the often unpopular orders of the Laird, an ex-military man. An incident involving a clash over the erection of a fence was put into verse by someone unknown and this is in the Invercauld Archive.

The Doughty Farquharsonius by Ben Macdhui swore That the Roadway past the Lion’s Face shall be a road no more.

By all the Bens he swore it, and bade his Factor build Across the road a sturdy fence – the gallant guardsman thought that hence Dire dread would be instilled.

Now, the land was full of strangers from north and south and west, And all determined not to heed the Factor’s stern behest.

So they straightway met together, resolved – whate’er mishapEre four-and twenty- hours had passed they’d recreate the gap. >>>

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They held a council, standing before the hateful fence, And out there spoke a valiant man – a man of legal sense“Good villagers and strangers, this fence must straight go down.

We’ll make the Factor and the Laird the talk of every town.”

Now some at first were timid, and some had never dared Gainsay Sir Factor Foggo, Farquharsonious the Laird, But one maintained right boldly “ He didn’t care a rap” For all the Factors – so resolved was he to keep the gap.

So when the summer evening was drawing to a close, The people gathered gaily, and a sound of music rose, The old men and the maidens, the matrons, children – all

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Trooped out with glee that night, to see the noxious barrier fall.

Then, as the people gathered, stepped forth a man of law, And in his hand the people scanned a short but trusty saw.

“Cut down the fence, good Sawman, with all the speed you may!

Hew down the post!” ‘twas thus the host did shout that fateful day.

The Sawman smiled right proudly, and looked upon the crowd: Then brandishing his trusty saw, he said in accents loud – “Now, is there one among you, a man both fair and free – Will come and lend a helping hand to cut this fence with me?”

Then scarcely had he spoken, when many willing hands Came forward towards the Sawman and cut the barrier’s bands.

And now the fence hangs tottering, then with a joyous snap, And lo! the sturdy beams give way and fall within the gap.

“Now bring the oily incense” Sir Sawman proudly cried: And straightway towards the merchant’s booth the joyous urchins hied: And they brought a foaming flagon, and built a goodly pyre.

They sprinkled every fallen beam, and there leaped forth a glorious flame.

“The Barrier is on fire!”

And since that fateful evening, that fence has oft been raised; And quite as oft that fence has fallen, and quite as oft has blazed.

With singing and with laughter, the tale will oft be told How well a chap maintained the gap with saw and hammer bold!

Ballater Victoria Week

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by Cat Houston

On your marks! Get set... Duck! BVW is determined not to let its little plastic friends get the better of it this year – there’s a larger bounty on every head for a start... Prizes for the Duck Race on the River Dee have been beefed (ducked?) up for 2013, with the first to reach the catchers near the Royal Bridge winning its owner a stupendous £250, second prize of £100 and third of £50.

After unfortunately losing a selection of its thoroughbred weighted numbered racing ducks to the open sea last year, BVW has taken delivery of a replacement batch of black Ninja ducks to fill the gaps. It is hoped that a combination of these ducks keeping the other colours in order and an increase in duck catcher numbers will ensure that all 504 racing ducks come home this year after the race on Sunday 11 August (11am). Tickets will be available soon and you can purchase a red, white, blue, green or pink team ticket, or black if you wish to support Team Ninja.

Among the new events planned for the nineday extravaganza, which this year runs from Saturday August 3 to Sunday 11, are an Astronomy Night, a Wild Food Walk, a Sound and Music Workshop and Concert, a Family Ceilidh (hopefully) and a Victoria’s Got Talent contest.

Popular additions from the last few years will also be repeated, such as the Scarecrow Competition and Trail, for which prizes have also been inceased, with the first Home winner receiving £100, second £50 and third £25. There’s no theme, so Ballater is your oyster, create what you will. The past two years’ entries have been beyond measure, so measure up!

There will be Films, the Pet Show (cash prizes have also been added this year) LJ’s Picnic and the Family Disco. Amy Muir will be running her Victorian Photography Studio, which was so successful last year, and the Sideburn Festival will also be grooming its locks again, with a fringe event collection including Bands, Comedy, Disco and the ever-popular CLAN Quiz.

All the favourites will be there to be enjoyed – the Sunday Parade and Fayre, 4x4 BBQ Safari, Messy Play, the Ballater Songsters, Car Boot Sale and Ghost Tours, plus numerous other sporting, musical and outdoor events. The Year of Natural Scotland will be reflected in the programme and in the 2013 brochure design...

The Ninja Ducks gather Special thanks go to the Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, The Netherley Guest House, Carol Downie Hairdressing, Lucy’s Clothing and India on the Green for their support this year. More sponsors are always welcome, just get in touch. Ballater Victoria Week, now in its 26th year, raises thousands of pounds for local causes and organisations every year, with over £3,500 handed out after last year’s events.

Updates on this year’s activities can be found at www.ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk or on Facebook. More details of BVW’s events for this year will be released over the coming weeks and the 2013 programme will be published around July 12. More help is always needed to ensure every event runs smoothly so if you would like to volunteer your time or talents, get in touch with the committee at info@ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk, via Facebook, or by calling 013397 55018 or 55243.

Be Amused.

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Balmoral Estate Walks & Events

by Glyn Jones

Booking for activities is essential.

Please telephone 013397 55059

Saturday 15 June Glen Girnock circuit walk Discover the history and natural history of this secluded glen. A long walk on rough tracks and paths. A good level of fitness and stamina required.

Distance: 18km (11miles), ascent 260m Time: 9.30am-5pm Meeting point: Crathie Tourist Information Centre. Cars will then be moved to the South Deeside Road. Phone for more info.

Cost: Free Saturday 6 July Coyles of Muick walk A very varied route. From the secluded Loch Ullachie to the summit of The Coyles of Muick. With spectacular views across Deeside, Glen Muick and Lochnagar. We then descend through the forest for an encounter with one of the residents of the lost township of Loinmuie.

Distance: 15kms. Ascent: 450m Time: 10am-3.30pm Meeting Place: Car park in Ballater Cost: £5 per person Saturday 13 July Dragons and Damsels Join the Balmoral and Aberdeenshire Rangers as they discover the intriguing wildlife that inhabits the shores of Loch Ullachie. Dragonflies, damselflies and much more. Organised to celebrate the Year of Natural Scotland.

Wellies essential. Please bring binoculars if you have them. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Time: 11am-1pm Meeting place: Car park in Ballater Cost: Free

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Thursday 25 July Nature Explorers – Children’s Event: Butterfly Bonanza Join the Balmoral and Aberdeenshire Rangers as they discover the colourful world of butterflies and moths. Come along and take part in the Big Butterfly Count as well as storytelling and games. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Time: 2-4pm Meeting place: Car park in Ballater Cost: Free Thursday 1 August Nature Explorers – Children’s Event Join the Balmoral Rangers, for exciting nature activities, storytelling and games. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Time: 2-4pm Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre Cost: Free Saturday 3 August Ascent of Lochnagar Enjoy a full day on one of Scotland’s most famous mountains. Hill-walking gear and a very good level of fitness required. This walk is organised to celebrate National Parks Week and the 10th anniversary of the Cairngorms National Park.

Distance: 19kms (12 miles), ascent 1050m Time: 9.30am-5.30pm Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre Cost: £10 per person Mountain walk. Bring lunch.

Thursday 8 August – Nature Explorers – Children’s Event Join the Balmoral Rangers, for exciting nature activities, storytelling and games. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. >

Time: 2-4pm Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre Cost: Free Friday 9 August Night Hunters and their prey!

Free event organised by Aberdeenshire Council & Balmoral Estate Ranger Services as part of Ballater Victoria Week.

Get up close and personal with bats and moths.

Come and dispel all your fears of these intriguing animals. We will also be among lots of people all over the British Isles recording the moths we find to contribute to this year’s national ‘Moth Night’ survey. Children aged under 16 must be accompanied.

Meet at Salisbury Road/Anderson Road junction, Ballater, where the path between the golf course and the caravan park starts.

If coming by car, please park sensibly (avoid

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narrow residential streets), e.g. Church Square car park (allow 15 minutes to walk along Victoria Road and at end turn left into Salisbury Road).

Bring outdoor clothing suited to weather, stout footwear & torch; sunglasses/wide-brimmed hat (to shield eyes from moth trap light) and midge repellent recommended.

Time: 8pm- late Cost: Free Thursday 15 August Nature Explorers – Children’s Event Join the Balmoral Rangers for exciting nature activities, storytelling and games. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Time: 2-4pm Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre Cost: Free Sunday 15 September The townships of Upper Glen Muick Come and explore the abandoned townships of Upper Glen Muick. Visit abandoned houses, corn kilns and still houses and learn how people survived in this harsh environment over two hundred years ago.

A rough mountain walk, off path, with several steep and boggy sections. A good level of fitness is required. Event organised as part of Scottish Archaeology Month.

Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre.

Distance: 8kms, ascent 290m.

Time: 10am-3pm.

Cost: Free

Dear Editor...

You very kindly placed a request for information about the Harper family (formerly of Cornellan) in the March issue of the Ballater Eagle. I want to thank you, and the wonderful people of Ballater, as I received such an incredible response.

Mr. Colin Cowie of the Ballater Local History Group not only sent me some excellent photos of the town and information about my Established 1998

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47

family’s former business (J. Harper and Son), but also shared some of his vast knowledge of local history with me. From him, I was able to gain a better perspective of what things may have been like in Ballater when my father’s family lived there. Thank you Colin!

I was also very pleased to learn that the Ballater Local History Group has recently launched a website (www. ballaterhistory.org). It’s well worth a visit and will be a valuable source of information on Ballater’s history for people all over the world. Congratulations BLHG! Another letter came from a special young lady who has been a delightful pen pal for me since I first heard from her in March. Thank you so very much for responding, Sophie (and Sophie’s dad). I can’t wait to hear more and hope I may be able to pass on a bit of information that might be of interest to you too.

Correspondence from other people in the area has taught me so much about my family history and it has been wonderful hearing all the stories about the characters that were my relatives. I would love to hear from anyone else that would like to contact me about the Harper family. My email address is chica676@gmail.com and, for those that don’t use email, the Ballater Eagle has alternative contact information for me.

Again, to everyone that responded to my plea, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity. It has been a genuine pleasure to chat with you all. To everyone at the Ballater Eagle, thank you, too! You have a wonderful publication and I’m very grateful for all your help with my family history research.

Best wishes to everyone in Ballater!!

Alexandra (Jodi) Harper-Cameron Calgary, Alberta, Canada

picture by John Farringdon

New Open-Top Bus Service for 49 Royal Deeside

Stagecoach Bluebird has launched an open-top bus route, serving Braemar, Crathie, Ballater and Loch Muick, for the summer season. The innovative new route will complement the company’s network of coaches already operating through Deeside and connecting Aberdeen with the heart of the Royal towns, destinations and countryside.

The open-top route, which will be numbered 200, began on May 4, and will be operating every Saturday and Sunday until the Sunday after the Braemar Gathering (September 8), and every day during the school summer holidays.

It will run from Braemar, via Braemar Castle, via Crathie for Balmoral/Royal Lochnagar Distillery, to Ballater and will then extend to Loch Muick. With numerous journeys throughout the day, Stagecoach has highlighted each destination within the advertising for the route, as well as the local walking opportunities, particularly around the Loch, to provide an alternative travel method in the area.

Stagecoach has also teamed up with Braemar Castle, Balmoral Castle and the Old Royal Rail Station in Ballater to offer admission discounts for bus passengers. Each of the attractions will honour an offer on entry, from 2 for 1 deals to group admission rates.

A special two-day ticket has been created for the service, allowing tourists to hop on and off the route as they wish, taking advantage of the

attraction offers, or experiencing one of the many walks and outdoor activities along the way.

The 2-day ticket will cost £12 for an adult, £6 for a child or English/Welsh concession card holder or £24 for a group. The two-day ticket can also be used on other Stagecoach Bluebird coach routes between Braemar and Ballater, which means customers are not restricted to waiting for the open-top to return from a day out. Normal returns, dayrider and megarider tickets purchased on the Discover Royal Deeside network of coaches will also be accepted on the open-top. Concessionary fare travellers with a Scottish concessionary entitlement can also use their cards to travel for free.

The full timetable for the route is available to download online at www.stagecoachbus.com/

Deeside-open-top-2013

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Pottering About...

One of the delightful things about living in a small community is that folk recognise one other. We may not know their names but we recognise faces and acknowledge them with smiles, cheery waves and sometimes a bit of streetchat. I’ve waxed lyrical before in these pages about the regal Cyril wave when you pass him by on the road.

I thought I recognised a face in the street recently. I smiled and made the usual inane comment about the weather – why do we do that?

The apparently familiar, but on closer inspection similar but not actually familiar, face looked at me oddly – I even felt I could detect a little fear in her eyes. She avoided eye contact and shuffled past me as quick as her legs could carry her. Oops.

Probably a city person on a bus trip, who doubtless would feel mightily uncomfortable by being familiarly spoken to by a weird multi-coloured woman.

by Stella Potter

So then of course there’s the angsting of whether or not to actually wave, the nuances of taking everything in. Recently, whilst being the only car on a long wide village road, I waved to someone I knew who was on the pavement.

I immediately felt guilty as only then I noticed he was carrying heavy containers of milk in both hands and he is too polite not to respond. So I

made the poor chap undertake some serious bicep exercise to acknowledge my cheery friendliness.

Oops again.

I gather similar problems exist with cars. I have a friend who has a very distinctive vehicle, so when I see it I always wave, and if safe to do so we mutually flash our acknowledgement.

What’s wrong with that, you might well ask. Well, although I thought my car was relatively distinctive it does have, apparently, a local doppelganger. My friend asked me why I’d not acknowledged him on the main road the previous two days – yet I’d not been beyond the village. So if the driver of my red Fusion doppelganger reads this, please don’t be disturbed by an orange Landie flashing you with its driver warmly waving and smiling. Just do the Deeside thing and wave back, unless you’re carrying heavy objects! It’s meant well.

As opposed to the local community, I’ve also been exercised recently by the wider internetbased community. I was in the library a wee while ago assisting a computer novice to set up an email account. I had explained that it’s good practice to only fill in required information, to be very wary about what personal information you disclose. So when we came to the box that asked for a mobile phone number I told her to ignore it.

There wasn’t a box for a landline number. However, the box was deemed mandatory. We could not go any further without inputting a number. I was shocked. Mobiles are just not as ubiquitous amongst the wider age spread of the population as this email provider clearly seemed to think. So the only way we could get an email address for this eager, but by now rather frustrated, lady was to make one up. And write it down! I fervently hope this won’t turn into another ‘oops’ as some poor random mobile user gets marketing texts and calls, as there wasn’t an option to “please never contact me, I’ll contact you if I need”.

As an aside, we know North Americans call their mobiles cell phones but personally I love the German name best: handies!

I don’t think I’m any more paranoid than most, but although I’m comfortable that my

51

landline number is freely available I never give out my mobile number except on a need-to-know basis.

I have never had any spam calls or texts, which I understand are sadly the bane of many. Yet, especially on social networking sites, I see so much crucial personal information willingly yet wholly unnecessarily shared, that I despair. The internet is as it says on the tin: networks that are interconnected. Your information sits on servers all over the place, so I urge you, if you are not already, to be very canny about what you disclose. And don’t get me started on the ubiquitous god Google, which tracks you.

Despite ‘to google’ now being in the OED, there are other ways to search the internet…

I apologise to those readers who don’t have a clue what I’m talking about. The internet is a most wonderful tool, but we need to use it wisely.

It’s rather like the summer sun, wonderful to have but to be enjoyed with a modicum of caution, particularly with children. Let’s hope we see lots of that sun this summer. Enjoy!

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A Tale of Misapprehension!

From the days before ensuite bathrooms and high-tech communication

A titled English lady had suffered from a nervous breakdown, and her doctor recommended that she should recuperate for a few weeks in a small village in the mountains of Germany. She went there to find accommodation, and as she could speak no German, she made arrangements with the help of the local schoolmaster, who had a smattering of English. She then came home again to prepare for her holiday.

She subsequently realised that she had not paid attention to the sanitary provision in the house, and began to worry that it was maybe an outside toilet, which she would not like. She therefore wrote to the schoolmaster enquiring about the location of the W.C. The schoolmaster did not recognise the initials W.C., and neither did the local pastor, who also knew a little English.

Between them they decided that she seemed to be a devout lady, and that W.C. stood for “Wald Chapel”, or chapel in the woods. This was the

NPC

MOLE & PEST CONTROL

by Betty Wilson

schoolmaster’s reply: Dear Madam, The W.C is situated four miles from your lodging, in the middle of the forest. It is open all day on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. This is a pity for you if you like to go every day. There is taxi available, but if you are not in a hurry, the walk is very pleasant. Many people take their lunch and stay all day. The acoustics are excellent, and all sounds are very audible. I can be able to reserve the best seat for your ladyship, and my wife and I have pleasure to sit beside you. We have not been for a month, which is a great pain for us, but we are much busy with other duties. Hymn sheets are provided at the door, but please leave behind for other visitors to use. Enjoy your visit and sing!

Yours faithfully, P. Vaterniche I understand that the lady decided to seek accommodation elsewhere!

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May Kelman’s New Book

by Sabine Muir

May Kelman signing copies of ‘91 University Road’

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The photograph shows May Kelman signing copies of her recently published book at Deeside Books last month. Titled ‘91 University Road’, it is a journal of correspondence between May during her stay on the island of St Helena, where she was a nurse tutor, and a bookseller from Belfast, who supplied her with the books she needed for her students.

It is a warm-hearted, often humorous account of her life on the island and offers an insight into the life she led there.

May would like to say thanks to everyone who turned up to support her at the event. Signed copies, retailing at £6.99, are still available at Deeside Books, Bridge Street, Ballater.

All proceeds of the book to go to Alzheimer Scotland, at May’s request, as she suffers from the disease herself.

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54 ‘Brannigan’ Visits Parliament In 1974 as a reasonably young Police Constable attached to Cannon Row Police Station, the Headquarters of the ‘A’ or Whitehall Division of the Metropolitan Police, I was fortunate enough to meet one of the ‘giants’ of the silver screen.

My colleague Police Constable 302 ‘A’ Manus ‘Jock’ Boyle (originally from Glasgow) and I were specially employed on the security of Old Palace Yard, Westminster SW1, that fronted the west facade of the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) and, scarily was completely open to the public and vehicular traffic as it was a public right of way.

Old Palace Yard was at the centre of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605; Guy Fawkes and his confederates rented one of the houses which ran in a row across the centre of the Yard, and first began to tunnel through to the House of Lords, until they found it simpler to hire a cellar under

by John Holley

the House of Lords itself.

Captured and pronounced guilty, they were hanged from a scaffold erected in the Yard.

A young John Holley!

In 1618, Sir Walter Raleigh was beheaded in the Yard. His widow took his head away, wrapped in his cloak, and kept it for over twenty years in a glass case until she died.

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The statue of Richard the Lionheart by Baron Marochetti now stands in the Yard. A model of the statue was first shown at the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park in 1851, and various noblemen subscribed £3,000 to have it cast in bronze and presented to the nation.

In 1974 the Irish Republican Army (IRA) appeared intent on causing death, injury and damage to all and sundry on the UK mainland, so much so that we ‘investigated’ some 6 to 8 suspicious people, parcels, packages and vehicles during an eight-hour tour of duty.

Clearly, the location we were working in was highly sensitive as the IRA would have placed this location extremely high on their list. ‘Jock’ and I got on extremely well and dealt with the daily ‘worries’ mainly due to his fantastic Scottish sense of humour. He was a master artist with words and could describe a situation or colleague with razor-sharp accuracy.

On a sunny day in 1974 we were both on duty as usual in Old Palace Yard dealing with the usual everyday requests to check out suspect items and all of a sudden we were descended upon by an American film unit. It transpired that they were filming a major film entitled ‘Brannigan’. The film starred the world-famous actor John Wayne, who was portraying a Chicago police officer dealing with a case that involved visiting London and working with Scotland Yard.

‘Jock’ and I were gobsmacked. Filming was most definitely not allowed in Old Palace Yard under any circumstances, we had to make a decision and quickly, eyes were now focused from all windows within the Palace of Westminster overlooking Old Palace Yard.

I approached the producer/director and made it clear that filming would have to cease due to the location they were now in. My request was complied with and the film crew began to move on to another location. I noticed that the director and John Wayne were now in deep conversation, and shortly, the producer/director and Mr Wayne were walking towards me and my mind was now in overdrive. >>>

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>>>I was introduced to John Wayne and he asked if he could see the Houses of Parliament. Fortunately neither House was sitting which made the request possible. I asked how long he had and the producer/director quickly jumped in and said sternly “Only 15 minutes!”

Well, usually a guided tour takes around the hour and to take John Wayne around in 15 minutes would be difficult indeed. Not wishing to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I readily agreed.

‘Brannigan’ We entered via the Victoria Tower Entrance and passed through the Royal Robing Room, Picture Galleries, House of Lords Chamber, into the Central Lobby, chatting as we continued our rapid journey. Then into the Members Lobby followed by the House of Commons Chamber and eventually we exited the Palace into Old Palace Yard via the historical Crypt Chapel of St Mary Undercroft.

The whole ‘tour’ took just 20 minutes which must be some sort of record.

Mr Wayne thanked me and shook my hand and within seconds the whole film unit were on their way to another location.

I shall never forget this opportunity to meet someone who, though not an idol, was a massive ‘star’ on the cinema screen. To have spent just 20 minutes with John Wayne was most definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Memories!

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Victoria and Albert Memorial Halls by Bell Macaulay

FINALLY! We are on track to commence the first stage of refurbishment in June.

The Albert Hall kitchen, toilets including the ground floor ones, stairs and foyer will all be refurbished, providing a first-class community function suite for all manner of events as well as the day-to-day community usage.

There will be some disruption during this time, but we have been able to move most bookings to the Victoria Hall.

We are reviewing the capacity for storage in the entire complex, and are taking advice from our architects.

We have asked all groups to clear their current space since all the cupboards at the top of the Albert Hall stairs will be removed, and the storage available in future will be located to the rear of the Mike Sheridan Room – groups will be kept fully informed as things progress.

The I N V E R HOTEL

Crathie, By Ballater

Log fires and a warm welcome at The Inver Open to non residents Good food & fine wines Lunches & Dinners Reservations Required Telephone 013397 42345 www.inverhotel.com

Fundraising

Athough Ian Hay and the Refurbishment Group have worked hard to access the funds required for the first stage, evidence of community support is crucial to future success. In particular substantial amounts of funding will be required for the next stage of improvements, including insulation, double glazing, roof repairs and heating requirements.

The Silent Auction organised by Margaret Hay raised over £1,000 – very useful funds when we will be paying heavy invoices in the near future!

In addition we have events planned over the coming months – 2013 Lottery Draw – will commence in July through to December – tickets are available now. Contact Willie Meston for information.

Table Sale – May 25. There has been an excellent response for tables at this event.

Alastair Savage Fiddle Concert – July 2. Alastair is a violinist in the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, but he also composes, and plays the traditional Scottish fiddle music of Scott Skinner and Neil Gow – see - www. alastairsavage.co.uk and listen to the music link for some of his own compositions. Tickets will cost £10. The format will be tables so that people can bring their own nibbles and refreshments.

Niños Vallenatos del Turco Gil School – Young Accordion band from Colombia – July 30. Courtesy of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

Paul Hughson – Paul’s presentation of “Gotcha” last year was a great success. He has offered to stage his new production of “Fit Like?” on September 27. The same format as last time will be used and tickets are priced at £10.

Ongoing maintenance

Our hall-keeper George Woods has been busy refurbishing the Mike Sheridan Room. Gone

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is the green paint, now replaced by a soothing cream décor! Usage is quieter during the spring when many groups break up, and so there is ample time to catch up with maintenance. The Ladies’ and Men’s Probus Clubs have made generous donations, allowing us to purchase a commercial multi-surface steam cleaner, and two stainless steel trolleys which will be invaluable when the kitchen re-opens in August. George now has an assistant – Paul Brown who covers for George.

Films

We are slowly attracting audiences for a wider range of films. Purchase of a larger screen and black-out blinds have greatly improved the viewing experience.

Ade Scripps and his helpers have done a sterling job in promoting and showing films for youngsters (and the not so young!), with the School Parent Council providing drinks and popcorn.

The Life of Pi will be shown on June 12.

Tickets are available from Yules Newsagents. You can sit back and enjoy the latest films at £5 a time

without leaving Ballater!

Don’t forget, if your group would like to organise a viewing of something of particular interest to their members, we can always try to help. Watch out for some interesting showings in Victoria Week!

Website

Work on the website www.victoriaandalberthalls.co.uk – is progressing slowly, with much to be done. The framework is there but the content is sparse. We will need to review booking information, and groups will be asked to complete fresh booking forms before the commencement of the autumn sessions.

Contact

The nominated duty member can be contacted on 07598 808018.

The hall-keeper now has a dedicated mobile phone to receive messages about the Halls. Please only use in an emergency: 07786 449759.

The Victoria and Albert Halls Development Association held its Annual General Meeting on May 30. If all goes to plan, this will be the last AGM of the Association, and the new Victoria and Albert Halls (Ballater) Trust will take over management of the building, having all the required elements in place to access the larger sums of funding which we will need for future stages of refurbishment.

Directors’ Election

Once we have reached this point, there will be a public meeting to elect a Board of Directors to the Victoria and Albert Halls (Ballater) Trust to manage the building, and to carry the work forward.

Please consider seriously what you can do to help.

Finally – we are all very lucky to have such an impressive community-owned facility, and its future is in our own hands. This puts the burden of responsibility on US for future generations. www.victoriaandalberthalls.co.uk

Ballater Post Of f ice

Hours of Opening: Mon: 9am - 5.30pm Tues: 9am - 5.30pm Weds: 9am - 5.30pm Thurs: 9am - 12.30pm Fri: 9am - 5.30pm Sat: 9am - 12.30pm

Please note we are OPEN over lunchtime

Foreign Currency We stock Euros, US Dollars and Turkish Lira for immediate purchase.

Support your local Post Office, you know it makes sense!

Tel: 013397 55505 www.ballaterpo.net

News from Hilton Craigendarroch Hilton Grand Vacations are delighted to announce some details relating to the multi-million pound refurbishment that has been under way over the last six months at Craigendarroch.

As you may know, after 28 years as a Hotel, Hilton Worldwide is redeveloping the Hilton Craigendarroch Hotel into Vacation Club Suites.

This is a change which has seen the whole resort business at Craigendarroch transfer to the Hilton Grand Vacations brand. It is also a change that will see more guests visit the resort and the local area on an annual basis than in the past.

Hilton Grand Vacations has operated the lodges at Craigendarroch since 1999 when Hilton International purchased Stakis plc. On January 6 this year, the accommodation element of the Craigendarroch Hotel was closed and Hilton Grand Vacations began work to develop the 45 hotel bedrooms into 32 spacious Vacation Club Suites, whilst also taking operational responsibility for the Country Club into

its management structure.

The conversion of the accommodation to Suites will also see some changes to our resort operations.

We will no longer stage private events such as conferences, dinners or weddings and the Oaks restaurant and Study bar will close.

The refurbishment includes enhancing and redesigning much of our Country Club facilities to include the former Club Bar, Clubhouse Restaurant, public toilets and changing room areas.

Maintaining a link with the past, and the original owners of the house built at Craigendarroch in 1891, the restaurant and bar will be renamed the Keiller Brasserie and Keiller Lounge.

The Keiller Brasserie and Lounge will boast relaxed comfort and elegance with our chef focusing on seasonally selected menus based on local produce and a blend of traditional and modern cuisine; the ideal location to get together, relax and celebrate with great food and conversation, and will continue

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to be open to non residents of the resort. The leisure club will benefit from much-needed work, and will continue to offer the same range of facilities to promote an active lifestyle or luxurious relaxation, with perhaps a few welcome additions.

We have been working with a team of architects and talented interior design consultants to create facilities for our resident guests, country club members and restaurant and bar guests from the local community.

We anticipate that works will be concluded by early July 2013. Thank you for your support and understanding while we upgrade our facilities. We are very confident you will forgive any inconvenience caused, when you see the finished product.

We look forward to welcoming our local community to experience our new facilities.

For full information about our resort please visit: www.higvc.co.uk and follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/craigendarroch to keep up to date with property news.

John’s Charity Golf Day

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Ballater resident and former England cricketer John Edrich has raised ÂŁ11,500 for the cancer charity which he credits with helping him overcome leukaemia.

This magnificent sum was raised at a golf event which John organised at Ballater Golf Club in April. The original intention had been to have the event in September John Edrich last year, but owing to extreme conditions at that time, the event was re-arranged to the Spring.

Winners of the first prize, a round of golf for four on the Trump International Golf Links, were from the Ballater Charitable Chiels.

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62

Joe’s Challenge

by Katy Weddell

On May 8, Ballater was visited by Joseph Mbu, an ex-Wasps and Harlequins rugby player who had taken on the epic challenge of running from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Local Ballater residents Phil and Faye Swan heard about Joe’s challenge when an urgent message was posted on the Ballater Community Facebook page by his support team. Immediately,

moved to London and was educated at boarding school in Somerset. After school he became a professional rugby player, playing for Bath, Wasps and Harlequins and latterly played for French clubs Dax and Pau, before pausing his career after a terrible knee injury forced him to take time out to recuperate. He still plays for the Nigerian national rugby team.

Joe has been running and walking on average 25-30 miles a day and has been running unsupported, keen to explore the mental and physical challenges that the terrain of the UK presents, but also Joe has had time to reflect upon human nature itself. He has been struck by the number of people who have offered lifts, donated food, accommodation or even just kept him company on his breaks. This kind of support has been invaluable.

The charity at the heart of Joseph’s ‘Running Man’ challenge is the JOEDY Memorial Hospital in Okundi, Western Nigeria. The hospital was built in memory of Joe’s father and uncle and the hospital’s initial aim was to provide free healthcare for the local people, specialising in maternity service. However, it is sadly now in need of drastic refurbishment, so Joe decided to use his sporting prowess to Joe with Faye & Phil Swan, outside the Deeside Inn raise awareness of and funds for his father’s hospital.

Faye rallied around her hospitality contacts in the Business Association and arranged to drive Joe at the end of his running day to The Deeside Inn, where staff were very keen to host Joe and give him a hearty feed.

So who is Joe and why is he running to John O’ Groats? He was born in Nigeria and was raised by his grandfather, M.T. Mbu, Nigeria’s first ambassador to the UK. When he was 13 he

Friends of JOEDY are looking for donations from people interested in Joe’s challenge and keen to help some of Nigeria’s poorest people access healthcare, such as we receive in this country. If you would like to fundraise for the hospital (a coffee morning, a run or a car wash) or to make a donation please contact Joseph’s support team on Katy.Weddell@hotmail.co.uk or by calling 07779 287284.

Balmoral S COTTISH H OME

TO THE

R OYAL F AMILY

Open 29th March until 31st July 2013 Castle Ballroom and NEW Exhibitions for 2013, Gardens, Audio Tour, Coffee Shop, Balmoral Collection and Gift Shop.

for further information

Tel: 01339 742 534

www.balmoralcastle.com

the back page

Deeside Cats’ Protection Co-ordinator, Liz Robinson, takes a deep breath for a truly scary fundraising undertaking! Page 29

A splendid view – but how do you get to see it? A new form of transporation launches in Deeside. Page 48

Not exactly your average garden bird. What is it? find out on Page 26

Two glorious pictures of the beautiful environs of Ballater.

Thank you to Ian Murray, above, for the bank of the Dee, and to Flavio Garcea, for the Danzig Bridge, right.

The Ballater & Crathie Eagle is made possible by:

Advertising, Donations, Sponsorship, Fundraising, “Awards for All” Lottery funding, and Cairngorms Leader + European Funding.

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.