Chatterbox 111

£2

Page 2 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Black Isle Chatterbox

Printed and published quarterly for the Black Isle

by Chatterbox Community News Group

In The Picture

Chatterbox provides a vehicle for any member of the community to demonstrate his or her opinions or beliefs, so long as these are not defamatory or offensive.

Publication does not mean articles are the opinion of the magazine or its production team.

Send stories, letters and adverts to: The Editor, Chatterbox, Burnside Cottage, Newhall, Balblair, Dingwall, IV7 8LT; phone 07963 714474; email editor.chatterbox@gmail. com

Next Issue

The Spring edition of Chatterbox will be on sale in March. Deadline for articles, photos and adverts is February 1st.

Award-winning international vocal octet Octavoce returns to Fortrose for the eleventh year to perform A Candlelit Christmas Concert on Friday 20th December at 7.30pm.

Over the past 11 years, the group has performed Christmas classics by candlelight in the beautiful setting of St Andrew’s Church.

And this year will be no different! The choir will

perform a selection of Christmas works spanning all musical genres – from serene cathedral music to fireside favourites – all topped off with a glass of mulled wine at the end.

Tickets are by donation and are available on the door. Further details can be found at www. octavoce.org.uk. We hope to see you there!

Jess Conway

Advertising

Go to www.chatterbox news.co.uk for details. We give 15% discount to advertisers who book for the year.

The Team

Editor/Layout: Russell Turner editor.chatterbox@ gmail.com Advertising: advertise.chatterbox@ gmail.com Secretary: Liz McKinlay 07709 200132 lizzymac4402@gmail.com Treasurer: Aileen Battye treasurer. chatterbox@ gmail.com Chairman: Liz McKinlay Reporters: Sandy Mitchell, Anna Ginestri Chatterbox was founded in September 1997

by Jack Malpas ISSN 2399-1879 We support the Black Isle Tourism Team

A View from the Black Isle

We couldn’t do it without you

T

hat’s another year almost done. We hope you survived Storm Bert and are looking forward to Christmas as much as we are.

Thanks to everyone who’s bought Chatterbox this year, and to all the advertisers who help make it possible. The good news is that – for yet another year – we’ve no plans to increase ad rates or the cover price of the magazine. The slightly less good news, if you’re a subscriber, is that following the latest increase in mail prices we’ll now be posting second class.

We hope you’ll agree that another day or two for your quarterly helping of local news and features will be worth the wait.

awards have recently come its way.

Congratulations to IV10 in Fortrose, named Best Eatery in the Highlands and Islands Food & Drink Awards 2024, and to John M Munro of Dingwall – whose shop in Fortrose is one of Chatterbox’s valued sales outlets – named Training Partner of the Year 2024 in the Scottish Craft Butchers Training Awards.

A

nd congratulations are also due to Arthur MacArthur of Burnside Garage, who’s taking a well earned retirement after 53 years of serving motorists in and around Avoch. We look forward to reading his life story soon.

T

Russell Turner Editor

he Black Isle is noted for its food and drink, so it’s no surprise that a couple of

Cover: Arthur MacArthur

Photo: Sandy Mitchell

Pages 20-23

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 3

Picture Special

Page 4 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Picture Special

The sun shone on the 20th Fortrose & Rosemarkie Classic Vehicle Rally, held at King George V Sports Field, Fortrose, on Saturday 31st August, and Sandy Mitchell was there to capture the atmosphere

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 5

News

Hugh Miller is inspiration for festival

T

he Sennachie – a Festival of storytelling, music and poetry inspired by Hugh Miller and his passion for the stories passed down through the generations – will be held on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th May. Created by The Friends of Hugh Miller, the festival will take Cromarty’s Old Brewery as its centre but with other events involving the NTS at Miller’s Cottage and guided walks along the shore.

There will be talks, walks and performances across the Festival by an array of award-winning musicians, poets and writers.

More details will be revealed early in the New Year.

And what’s a Sennachie? Miller was well known locally as one: a teller of stories and tales of the past to the present, and of course he pulled many of them together in his book Scenes and Legends of the North of Scotland.

Anne , Tricia and Jo are a familiar sight at Black Isle community markets.

Jigsaws help keep charity in business

By Jo Finn, Black Isle Need to Play

W

e would like to send a thank you to everyone that has supported us this year and in the past. Our thanks are to the readers of Chatterbox who have responded to our request for complete jigsaws and for others that have come along to the local community markets and donated funds and taken one or two of those donated jigsaws away to keep them busy, especially at this time of the year with colder days and longer nights.

Page 6 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

If anyone has more jigsaws they would like to donate we are happy to collect from anywhere on the Black Isle. If any of you have grandchildren that may have outgrown a puzzle we would love to have that to pass on to a younger generation of jigsaw enthusiasts. From the requests that we get from people it is obvious that children are enjoying doing these as well as adults.

Also a thank you to Chatterbox for their generosity in donating funds to us this year. We are a small charity run solely by volunteers. Through our own devices, such as attending the markets with jigsaws, we raise funds but we also rely on donations from individuals and other organisations. We have been running for just over 30 years and can see that the need for us is as great as ever.

We also have collection boxes in: The Fishermen’s Co-op in Avoch; Harbour Chippy, Avoch; Boots, Fortrose; Cromarty Bakery, Fortrose. In the last two years we have received just over £800 from these sources alone.

If you want to know more about us visit www.spanglefish.com/blackisleneedtoplay, check out our Facebook page or email blackisleneedtoplay@gmail. com We are always on the lookout for people to join us. It would be good to have some younger people involved so that we know the future is secured.

Likewise, we would be happy if you are doing a charity event, such as a marathon, cycle race or some other event, that you consider raising funds on our behalf.

Once again, many thanks for your support.

News

Walk reveals O a rare sight in Cromarty

n Wednesday morning, 18th September, when we were experiencing some very warm early autumn sunshine, I took the dogs for a walk along the Sutor Path next to the Reeds Park Loop in Cromarty. It was a misty morning and the sun was trying to burn off the haar that obscured the view across the Firth.

As I turned to walk back towards the town, a bright arc of light appeared ahead of me, much smaller than a rainbow and with no colour. I knew that this was a rare sighting of a fogbow, known also as Ghost Rainbows, White Rainbows or, to sailors, Sea Dogs. It was something I had long wanted to see, having ticked off the Broken Spectre and Glory – two other ghostly images caused by the direction of light on clouds.

Caused by light refracting through either ice or liquid water, the phenomenon is comparatively rare and those lucky enough to see it will, like the Broken Spectre or Glory, remember it for ever! The dogs, however, remained unmoved and failed to uncover any pots of gold …

Jeremy Price

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 7

News

Storytelling is for museum to

By Aila Schafer, Manager, Groam House Museum

A

s we move into the final months of the year, it’s been a season rich with inspiring events, new projects, and exciting changes at Groam House Museum. Each gathering over the autumn season has offered a unique chance to connect, reflect, and delve into the shared heritage that defines Groam House’s place in the Black Isle community.

We thank everyone who joined us for these memorable experiences!

Groam House Museum was proud to take part in this year’s 35th Scottish International Storytelling Festival, an annual celebration of storytelling and culture with the fitting theme of “Bridges Between”.

This theme reflects Groam House’s ongoing commitment to bridging cultures, histories, and people through storytelling.

Our two festival events brought community members and visitors together to celebrate local heritage and explore new storytelling techniques,

Page 8 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

with wonderful attendance and enthusiastic participation.

On November 9th, we honoured the legacy of our founder, Elizabeth Sutherland, through “Stories Elizabeth Told”, a heartfelt storytelling session led

by Lizzie McDougall. Lizzie shared tales gathered from Elizabeth herself, each one rooted in the deep history and traditions of our area. It was a warm tribute to Elizabeth’s influence on storytelling, evoking the connections she forged through stories that continue to resonate today.

November 16th’s “Hidden Stories: A Creative Workshop” was another highlight, guided by me.

This workshop brought participants together to explore the layered stories held within objects.

Each attendee was able to choose a museum object that spoke to them and, through a blend of personal reflection, folklore, and creativity, engage deeply with the item’s hidden stories. It was a rewarding experience that opened new doors for connecting with our collection in ways we hope to continue in the future.

In the lead-up to the holiday season, we enjoyed

opportunity connect a lively Christmas Craft Fair on November 23rd at Fortrose Free Church, where local artisans offered unique crafts, handmade gifts, and delicious treats to the community. Groam House’s Christmas concert on December 14th, hosted at Fortrose Academy, sees festive cheer and song brought to life by the Black Isle Peoples Choir.

As we approach winter, the museum and shop remain open on weekends until December 15th, welcoming guests with seasonal cheer.

Black Isle residents can enjoy a special 10% discount in our shop, which is stocked with locally crafted items, exclusive designs, and gifts that celebrate Groam House’s unique heritage.

On December 14th we will hold a music evening for Christmas at the theatre of Fortrose Academy with the Black Isle Peoples Choir.

Groam House is far more than a collection of Pictish and Celtic art – it’s a hub for community connection, storytelling, and cultural preservation. We’re grateful to our incredible

News

volunteers, whose dedication keeps the museum thriving. But as we look toward the future, we know we need fresh support. Whether you’re interested in working directly with visitors or prefer a behind-the-scenes role, your help would be invaluable.

Museum attendants play a vital role in keeping our doors open, and just one three-hour shift a month can make a meaningful impact.

However, we also welcome volunteers interested in marketing, fundraising, social media, collections work, and administration. No prior experience is needed – anyone can volunteer, and training is provided. As a volunteer, you’ll have access to a range of activities, including monthly coffee mornings, a history group, and unique behind-the-scenes museum experiences.

Our vision is to be a place the community loves, feels proud of, and considers their own.

To that end, we welcome feedback on everything we do.

Your insights are essential in helping us

Lizzie McDougall, who shared “Stories Elizabeth told. shape a museum that reflects the interests of those we serve.

If you’d like to volunteer or share your thoughts, please contact me at aila.schafer@ groamhouse.org. We look forward to welcoming you to Groam House Museum, whether as a visitor, participant, or member of our valued team. Together, let’s make Groam House a vibrant, meaningful space for the Black Isle community.

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 9

News

A diary date not to miss

N

orth Kessock Village Hall is the place to be on Saturday 1st March when Transition Black Isle’s annual Tattie Day will be held.

Expect the usual wide variety of seed potatoes available to buy, also onion sets, a veg and flower seed stall, café, and more. We look forward to seeing you there.

More information will be available in the TBI newsletter and on the website in the new year.

Julie Gibson

Lots still to be learned with History Society

By Scilla Aitchison

F

ollowing a busy and well-attended trio of meetings in the autumn about Black Isle hospitals pre-NHS, the amazing archaeological discoveries of High Pasture Cave on Skye, and Dingwall’s Diaspora around the world, Cromarty History Society has a continuing monthly programme arranged until April 2025.

December 17th sees a talk from Andrew Newton on “The History of Medicine – the Ancient Origins of Today’s Clinical Practice”.

This will be followed by mulled wine and mince pies and begins at 7.30pm.

On January 30th the Society will join with Cromarty’s Fourways Club at 2-4pm for a talk

by Scilla Aitchison on “The Countess of Sutherland’s Shopping List” and no, it’s not about THAT Countess! However, there are Black Isle connections.

February 18th at 7.30pm sees the Society learning about “The Vikings in Northern Scotland” when UHI Professor Donna Heddle comes to explain the Norse invasion of the North Highlands as far south as the Black Isle’s north coast, the Black Isle’s southern parts being still Pictish.

Architect Calum Maclean has worked on many historic sites and on March 18th at 7.30pm will speak on his latest research into the work of Alexander Ross who designed so many buildings across the Black Isle and beyond, the subject of Calum’s latest book.

Page 10 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Finally, on the 15th of April at 7.30pm Dr Jim Mackay will explain “The Marriage Lintels and Date Stones Close to You”, which we all see as we go about our daily business but don’t always understand. There are many such stones on old buildings across the Black Isle.

Meetings are followed by refreshments and chat and all are held at the Victoria Hall in Cromarty. Each meeting costs £5 but £15 membership will cover the rest of the meetings until April 2025. The Society has members from across the Black Isle and visitors are welcome.

Further information can be found on the Society’s website at www.cromartyhistory.scot.

We look forward to meeting you.

News

Raddery future hit by two-month delay T

he decision on the Raddery House community asset transfer bid was to be made by the Highland Council at the end of November. However, due to a recent change in council process, the bid will not be considered until the end of January.

This delay has been a great disappointment to the project, Raddery House members and supporters said Bev Smith, chair of Raddery House, who described it as “just another bump in the road”.

She continued: “We have got used to the moving of goal posts and the need to be adaptable and responsive to change in our journey to date and I believe this has improved our resilience and will stand us in good stead in the coming years.”

The delay is a frustration for the Board, she said, who are keen to get started on the phased project and in particular establish the muchneeded dementia meeting place as soon as possible.

It is intended to be a centre of excellence modelled on the Kirriemuir project which offers an enlightened, evidence-based, activities-based model: a special place for anyone in the Black Isle Community living with early or moderate dementia and their carers.

“There are over 250 people on the Black Isle journeying with dementia and no dedicated day facilities for them,” said Bev. “Attending a meeting place has been shown to delay the need for more formal care, giving significant cost benefits and reducing the demand on the overstretched carers’ pool and,

Raddery House – Highland Council will decide in January. just as importantly, enhancing the lives of those attending and their families.

“This is just a part of the plans for community use of the site; for a summary of what is planned for the community and others in this remarkable place, take a look at our website: radderyhouse.com.

“Due to the complexity of the project and

the condition of many of the buildings there will be a phased approach to the development spanning several years.”

To support the project, become a free member of Raddery House. Details are on the website and Facebook page, or contact Bev at bevfortrose@hotmail.co.uk for a hard copy application form.

Get ready for festive fun in the woods F

erintosh Volunteers are busy preparing for what has become something of a local tradition - a Christmas Tree Trail through Culbokie Woods for everyone to enjoy over the festive period. The trail will be open from December 21st to January 5th when residents and visitors are welcome to spot one or more of 18 trees that have been specially decorated with a variety of environmentally friendly decorations.

Trail maps are free and will be available from December 21st to pick up from Culbokie Spar. Keep a lookout too for signs for Culbokie Woods.

We hope that the decorated Christmas Trees will make you smile on your winter walk through the woods.

Angie Morris Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 11

News

Black Isle calendar on sale now

T

he 2025 Black Isle Calendar is now available – an ideal gift for family and friends, for your own use or for those who have a special connection to the Black Isle.

Each calendar features vivid seasonal images and fascinating profiles of seven experienced photographers, each of whom have judged past Black Isle Photographic Competitions. The spiralbound calendars come in two sizes, wall or desk (priced £10 and £8 respectively), and are available from Culbokie Spar, Cromarty Post Office, and Rosemarkie Beach Cafe.

Alternatively, pop along to the CCT Calendars stall at Culbokie Community Market from 10-noon on 21st

Page 12 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

December or place an order by contacting us at event@ culbokiect.org Further information is included on the Culbokie Community Trust website.

Our sincere thanks to the amazing photographers: Alastair Cochrane, Elizabeth Fraser, Mark Janes, Matthias Kremer, Matt Sillars, Dave Walsh and Sandy Young.

Angie Morris

News

By Nick Wright

W

e’re delighted to announce that the Black Isle Local Place Plan has been approved by the Highland Council – in two complementary

Plan takes big step forward

ways. l The council registered it as a Local Place Plan on 4th October. This means that it must legally be taken into account in preparation of future planning policy, including the new Highland-wide Local Development Plan that the council is currently preparing. That’s exactly what we hoped for when we started preparing the Local Plan last year. l The Plan was adopted by the council’s Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee on 5th August as “a tool to inform and support decision making about the Black Isle”.

Cutting through the jargon, the second of those council approvals was a pleasant surprise. That’s because much of the content of the Plan isn’t related to planning policy, but to wider decision-making about public services, community action and private investment. So, adopting the Plan as “a tool to inform and support decision-making” is a very welcome initiative by the council, because it increases the influence of the Plan in ways that we had only hoped for.

It’s been a long journey to get to this point will we make it happen? Much of what is in the – around two years since the Black Isle Plan depends on community action. Many Partnership had the foresight to apply for community projects and initiatives are identifunding to prepare the Plan. Many people fied in the Plan. That can only help them across the Black Isle have put in a great deal of secure funding and support, because it is evieffort over the last 18 months to make the Plan: dence to the powers-that-be that they are supa big thank you to you all. ported by the community and contribute to a The Local Place Plan can be downloaded at co-ordinated strategy for the Black Isle. They https://bit.ly/blackisleLPP2024 also need continued community support, so Now we have a Plan, the big question is: how do lend them a hand however you can!

The implementation of other things in the Plan will depend on the public sector, whether it’s investment or policy around health, transport, planning or housing. For those aspects of the Plan, it’s important that the local community organises itself to champion the Plan and encourage the public sector to play its part in implementing it.

So, over the last few months, community councillors, Highland Councillors and other interested local residents have been working together to work out how to do that. The intention is to create a community-led body to champion implementation of the Plan. It will be comprised of volunteers and operate on principles of accountability and transparency.

As well as representation from councillors and community councillors, the body will have an independent chair and places for other local residents.

Adverts for those positions will be published soon: keep an eye out for the next ebulletin if you’re interested. Many hands make light work!

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 13

scan

to w in g if t vo uch er!

GIFTS

CLOTHING

HAT

ET TRE S RCH RTY HU OMA XA C 1 CR 1 8 IV1 W. ARTY. WW ROM AC UN COM M: Y L L A RT CA AGRROMA T S IN A.C LUN L A C

Holiday Opening Times Daily 10am-5pm

S

Holiday Closures 25+26 Dec / 1+2 Jan

Don’t miss our January Sale

{ Beginning 27 dec } BA GS

BOOK S

S SORIE A CC E S

JEWEL L E RY

Page 14 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

TBI’s top tips mean less Black Isle waste

By Laura Donnelly, Project Officer

T

ransition Black Isle has been supporting a variety of projects through the Highland Community Waste Partnership over the past couple of years and is looking ahead to the legacy of these projects as the three-year partnership project concludes at the end of March 2025.

One of these fantastic projects is the Black Isle Repair Cafe, which we’ve been delighted to support since its inception. The Repair Cafe has been going from strength to strength, thanks to a great number of skilled volunteers.

After a well-earned break over the festive period, the Repair Cafe will return on Saturday, 11th January, from 1-4pm at Culbokie’s Findon Hall. The volunteer team will be ready to take a look at any items you need repairing.

The next Repair Cafe after Culbokie is on Saturday 8th February, 1-4pm at North Kessock Village Hall. Keep an eye out for more dates across the next few months at www.blackisle repaircafe.org We are also helping to support the Highland Repair Directory, which will make finding repair services across the region easier. If you are a local business or project involved in repair or upcycling, make sure to add your details to the directory to make it easier for people to find you at www.keepscotland beautiful.org/highlandrepairdirectory Transition Black Isle and the Highland Community Waste Partnership are exploring collaborations with other community groups to develop a Black Isle ‘Library of Things.’

Sharing items is a vital part of the circular economy, saving from buying new and sharing more expensive items within our communities.

Possible items for sharing might include tools, gazebos, sewing machines, event equipment, bikes, etc. If your community group or organi-

Susan Menzie shares a fakeaway pizza. sation would like to know more, please get in touch.

We are proud to have produced and released the Zero Waste Food Challenge and have successfully delivered two rounds of workshops on the Black Isle since its launch in April. The ZWFC covers six key topics, guiding participants through the household food waste journey from planning to composting what’s left.

Our workshops have been a collaborative effort with local businesses and groups, offering hands-on activities to support each topic.

We were delighted to work with The Highland Good Food Partnership, Strathpeffer Artisan Bread, The Highland Home Cook, Moo Food, and Garden Joy in the Highlands. Together, we delivered workshops on batch cooking, fakeaway pizza-making, growing your own vegetables, fermenting and pickling, cooking with leftovers, and composting.

News

In addition to delivering workshops across the Black Isle, we also support other community groups in hosting their own workshops.

We have created a delivery pack to assist them which you can find along with workshops in your area on the Zero Waste Food Challenge page on the Keep Scotland Beautiful website.

The resources are available online, so if you can’t attend a workshop in person, you can take the challenge from the comfort of your own home. www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/ highland-community-waste-partnership/ food-waste/zero-food-waste-challenge/ Over the past two years, I have been at the helm of the first Climate Cafe Black Isle, with follow-on sessions themed around areas identified by attendees. Since its inception, we have hosted home energy solutions sessions, food growing workshops, film nights, and information sessions on finding value in pre-loved items, repairing and mending, reducing food waste, and composting.

Climate cafes have proven to be relaxed and informal spaces, providing opportunities for like-minded people to come together and take local action. Many fantastic initiatives across our area have stemmed from a few individuals with a vision and the enthusiasm to get things moving. Ideas that have emerged include community composting, pre-loved sales, kids’ toys and clothes, outdoor gear, clothing accessories, wine-making evenings, making sharing and repairing items easier, reducing single-use items and plastic packaging, and many more.

If you are interested in increasing ways to share, repair, and reuse items, reduce food waste and composting, and tackle single-use packaging, join us at our upcoming Climate Cafe Black Isle sessions. We plan to run more sessions soon – a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and spark new initiatives. Look out for dates in the new year!

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 15

Black Isle People

Celebrating Avoch in words and music

By Grace Stewart-Skinner

F

or the last six months I have been working hard on my exciting new project, Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie. I am absolutely bursting to share what I have done but I just need a few more pennies to get me there!

Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie is a musical project celebrating the wonderful fishing heritage of my wee Black Isle village, Avoch. The finished album will intertwine field recordings of Avochies speaking in their local dialect with my musical compositions creating an encapsulating audio experience depicting fishing traditions and culture, poetry, and an essence of community.

All the music has been written and I have arranged it with my wonderful band, now we just need to get into the studio so I can make and produce the album!

I want to capture a feeling of sitting in a room with Avochies and just soaking in the words and stories – and there just so happens to be a four piece band in the corner.

If the cultural importance of this project wasn’t enough, this is also my debut album! It is unbelievably exciting to have written an album’s worth of music (that I actually like as well!!) and I have come so far now that I just have to share it with you all.

I was inspired to do this project by a video of my late Boba (grandfather) reciting two original poems in Avochie about his days as a fisherman. Upon learning more about the fragile position the dialect is now in, I decided to visit and interview two Avochie fishermen and one fisherman’s widow with the goal to record natural conversation about the fishing in the Avochie dialect.

After capturing these field recordings, I

Grace Stewart-Skinner – inspired by her fisherman grandfather. went to stay with my granny in Avoch for a month and composed the music for the album.

My musical ideas grew and evolved around short clips from my recordings of Avochies speaking Avochie.

I then formed my band and we set to work arranging my music. It has been truly wonderful to arrange collaboratively to allow the band

T

to take on my ideas and see my compositions come to life.

Read more about the project’s process here: https://gracestewartskinner.co.uk/auchiesspikkin-auchie Recent decades have seen a drastic decrease in speakers of the Avochie dialect, with much of this decline paralleled by the shift in commercial fishing to bigger boats and deeper waters. The Avochie dialect uniquely blends together linguistic elements of Scots and Gaelic and its vocabulary centred around the sea. The language will be gone within a generation.

Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie is integral in conserving language and celebrating culture.

The vast majority of Avochie speakers are of my Boba’s generation and we are so lucky to have recorded Boba before he passed away.

ackling the compositions was a wee bit overwhelming but thankfully I have a handy advisor on hand, Blair Coron.

Together, we broke down the task in hand into more manageable parts and discussed different approaches to composition. This was extremely valuable and interesting to think about and many wee seeds were planted during these first meetings. ➤ Page 16 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Black Isle People

Rose, Grace, Ewa and Rhona in the rehearsal room.

Since conducting the interview one of the fishermen passed away. His passing really brought home the fragile position the dialect is in and that I want to complete this project as soon as possible.

So...now I have all this music, I would love you to hear it!

My magical musicians are: Me – clàrsach and wibbly wobbly effects; Rhona MacDonald – double bass; Rose Logan – fiddle and hardanger fiddle; Ewa Adameic – percussion.

The plan is to head over to Black Isle Recordings in February and spend a week recording my creations. Community and place are at the heart of this project so it was really important to me to record as close to Avoch as possible, and Fortrose isn’t too bad!

I am also delighted to have Lauren MacColl

on board as producer.

After the music is recorded, it needs to be mixed with the previously recorded voices to create the sound of your dreams.

To top it all off, the wonderful videographer Michiel Turner has come aboard to make a spellbinding video which will accompany the audio online and will be projected to a back-

drop during live performances. Michiel is a true artist and his visuals capture the spirit of the project in the most beautiful way – you need to see it!

The final stage is the launch. I am going to hold two launches, one in Avoch itself and one in Glasgow. There have been so many wonderful people involved in this project and I ➤

Then I was set loose in Avoch.

A great tip from Blair was to play different tracks from artists I like underneath the dialogue recordings.

This was such a simple suggestion, but was so useful! It helped me ‘map’ out my tracks and decide on a mood for each of them, giving me ideas regarding the key, tempo and tune.

For example, I knew that I wanted my track about the Avochie women to be strong and powerful. Translating this to music meant a march with a strong down beat, to capture a feeling of toughness, but I did not want this to be a sad track so I chose a major key.

I was not writing scored parts for my band, I really wanted them to take my

melodies and make them their own, but I was making melodies and structures with the band in mind. This was a very new and exciting thought process for me. I am so used to just arranging tunes for me to play solo, but now I had so many possibilities available to me. Everything could be anything!

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 17

Black Isle People want to be able to thank everyone, so it feels right to hold two events for maximum celebration.

I was thrilled, and slightly stunned, to have received funding for the ‘Creative Phase’ of the project from Tasgadh and Creative Scotland, however, sadly these funds did not cover recording and album production costs... and that stuff is expensive. I am 100% committed to paying everyone involved union rates, as a minimum. Here is a wee breakdown of the costs involved: pre-studio rehearsals (four musicians, five days) – £3,440; rehearsal rooms (five days) – £240; musician recording fees (four musicians, five days) – £4,920; studio hire (five days, inc. engineer) – £2,250; mix suite hire (three days) – £288; producer (recording and mixing) – £2,100; mastering – £270; album artwork – £630; physical album production (100 CDs) – £474; digital distribution – £72; video – £840.

Total album recording and production costs: £15,254.00 We reached the original £8,000 Crowdfunder target in just under six weeks. It is hard to put into words how grateful and heartened I am by the amount of support the project has received from the local community and those further afield. I want to thank absolutely everyone who chipped in and cannot wait to share the album with you all next year.

I am still applying to other funds to make up the rest of the £15,254 needed to make and produce the album.

I would like to say a truly heartfelt thank you to my informants, Ms Moira Reid, Mr Alistair Jack and the late Mr Lewie Patience, for allowing me to record them back in 2023.

Without them, this project would not be happening! l To contribute, go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ auchies-spikkin-auchie---debut-album

H

ere’s just a few wee tasters of the vibe of the album artwork...These are not the actual images as they don’t exist yet!

Everyone who donates to the project will get a wee postcard featuring an Avochie dialect word and a still from Michiel’s wonderful video.

Thank you SO much for considering donating.

Feel free to follow me on social media: n https://www.facebook.com/ gracestewartskinnermusic n https://www.instagram.com/ gracestewartskinner.clarsach/

Page 18 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Black Isle People

Jon looks ahead to next retirement job After six years in the hot seat, Jon Palmer is stepping down as editor of the Cromarty Live newsletter. We asked him why, and what’s next?

When and why did you join Cromarty Live? started the Cromarty Live newsletter in November 2018. When you start something, I guess you can pretty much award yourself any title you wish, but ‘editor’ seemed the most appropriate. It came about when Kristina Dupar decided to retire from editing the Cromarty Live website (after more than ten years in the role). Cromarty & District Community Council (whose website it was) asked if I wanted to take on the task and I said no but offered an alternative.

I had long been conscious of the fact there was so much that goes on in Cromarty it is hard to keep up and, at the time, the information was time-consuming to find. Cromarty Live had a ‘calendar’ section but not everyone submitted information to it, so it was never complete. Many groups and organisations had their own websites, but that required a lot of laborious searching – everything from the Camera Club, the History Society, Film Society, Arts Trust, the Victoria Hall and the Harbour Trust… the list goes on.

My suggestion was to have a newsletter that brought all this information together in one place and to get people to subscribe, so it would automatically land in their email inboxes on a monthly basis. I organised a small editorial ‘team’ and together we compiled a list of all the groups and societies we could think of and got the email addresses of the individuals most obviously responsible for disseminating information. It was then a simple task to send out a single monthly reminder, with all these names copied in, asking people to submit information they wanted publicising for the month ahead. Our original list comprised well over 60 names, and it still does now.

At times I have drifted into the role of ‘journalist’ when I’ve felt there was interesting news that no one had picked up on. For example, when the cinema was being built and not everyone reading the newsletter would have had

I

the opportunity to see the foundations being laid. Or when a group of Cromarty women took it upon themselves to enter the World Coastal Rowing Championships. But mainly it is a straightforward task of cutting and pasting what people send me into a pre-formatted template. The system also allows for uploading photographs and I encourage these as much as possible as it makes the newsletter visually appealing. The role of a reporter would be fun, but it could very quickly become a full-time job in a community as vibrant as Cromarty.

Instead, I do the bare minimum of copy-editing other people’s sub-

asked if anyone else wanted to share the task and Catriona Mallows did do it for six months a while back before moving to a job elsewhere.

I realised the best way to give it up was simply to announce that I wasn’t doing it anymore!

(We’ve produced 74 editions in total).

What did you like about it? he most rewarding time was during the pandemic. It genuinely felt like a lifeline for folk during lockdown, keeping everyone connected and also providing really useful information. The least satisfying aspect has been knowing that not everyone has access to the internet or email. (The thing that keeps it cheap and easy to produce).

For a while Marcel and Kitty at Cromarty Stores printed off copies and had them in the shop for anyone to pick up, but that’s a more costly way of doing it.

Whilst the current format might not be ideal it’s better than nothing. And it does maintain a readership of over 330. Not all are people who reside in Cromarty. We have readers in far flung places such as the States, France, Austria and last month someone in India! Our subscribers are people who have either lived in Cromarty and moved away or folk who have a place here but don’t stay all the time.

T

Who is taking over? omeone has come forward to take it on, but it would be unfair to name them as it’s early days and I don’t want to put them under any pressure.

S

Finally, how’s life after the Cheese House? e’ve had a year of looking out of our sitting room window at bemused tourists standing in the street saying: ‘I’m sure there used to be a cheese shop here!’ We don’t miss it but, yes, Christmas was always a special (and busy) time. I mean, who doesn’t like cheese at Christmas?

The beauty of ‘retirement’ is you don’t quite know what might happen from one day to the next. So, yes, there’s bound to be another project on the way soon (I can’t help myself!), but exactly what that will be I’m not sure, just at the moment. Watch this space.

W

missions – correcting the odd typo, punctuation or misspelling and that’s about it.

Why is it time to stop? thought I’d been doing it for five years but when I looked back it was actually six.

You know how these things are. I’d frequently

I

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 19

Black Isle People

Time to retire – after 53 years at the garage

By Sandy Mitchell

A

fter 53 years, Arthur MacArthur has finally decided to hang up his spanners at Burnside Garage in Avoch. His Facebook announcement that the business would close on 20th December was greeted with dismay and lots of compliments from the many local folk who have had their vehicles looked after in the skilled hands of Arthur, Mikey and Scotty.

When I asked to interview Arthur about his life and times, he readily agreed and asked me round with a promise of fish and chips to go with the talk. I said he must have seen lots of changes over the years.

“Certainly,” agreed Arthur, “especially with the change to car diagnostics.” This is where a garage computer helps to find what was wrong with a modern car which themselves are full of computerised systems.

“In the old days we used to do a lot of work with farm machinery – from tractor punctures to repairs on binders and combines. And I was doing work on farms myself.

“I remember one time giving Leslie Middleton of Bennetsfield a hand with a combine and it broke down at three in the morning – it was a lovely night for harvesting – and we took it down through the village to the garage and I was inside welding.

“I was at the fishing before I took over the garage from my father. I left school in 1962 and my father had four mechanics but then two of them were leaving. One was going to the RAF and one was going into the army.

“At that time I was working at Insch Farm, which is on the Knockmuir road up from Avoch, so I joined my father and served my time at the garage. That was five years from 1962 to 1967. And no fishing!

Arthur’s dad, Colin, in front of the old garage.

“But I was aye keen on the sea and I used to go away on fishing trips with Donald Patience on his boat the Maureen. I’d be off for a week at a time.”

(This Donald P lived in a big house behind a hedge on the Rosehaugh side of the road into

Page 20 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

the village and was kind of a leader among the fishermen. He wrote about his life in the book Skipper’s Yarns From Avoch.)

“Then I got a berth aboard a new boat, the Zephyr, with skipper John Skinner and his brother George William Skinner who was the

Black Isle People

Arthur MacArthur – enjoyed his time at sea before joining the family buiness/ mate and co-owner. This would have been in 1969.

“Before that if one of the crew on a Monday morning was sick they would come down and say could I come away for a week. It could be any of the boats and I just had to leave my father. And yes, my father was still at the garage at that time. You could say I was a kind of freelance fisherman! Oh aye and I was also barman at the Plough in Rosemarkie.

“In those days my father was going through a difficult time with the business so myself and James Jack – he was working in Dingwall at the time – took over the garage. I think this would

have been in May 1972 and in 1978 we built the new place on top of the old garage which was a Nissen hut. That hut had a history because it had been a hospital down at Achnacarry where Lord Lovat did the commando training.”

(There’s a striking memorial to the commandos by the A82 just north of Spean Bridge.

Achnacarry Estate belonged to Cameron of Lochiel.)

“It took us about three weeks before we put the floor in. And we did the steelwork and welding ourselves. With some help from our friends who were at Nigg.

“Then it was in 1999 that James left the part-

nership and myself and my wife Roz took it over. At that time we also did school runs. It was 30 years we did the school runs.”

Arthur remembered that I too had done school runs more recently for Charlie’s Garage, Munlochy. It was a fun job and you got to know the kids.

“And then as you know it was just myself for the last number of years. But I mean – you canna go on forever … you canna go on for ever,” said Arthur.

Time to change the subject. I said we’d all heard you’d a lot of problems with flooding at the garage. ➤

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 21

Black Isle People

Arthur as a young man when he crewed on Avoch fishing boats because he loved being at sea and five-day trips fishing for herring.

Page 22 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

“Aye, it was just coming down the hill past the war memorial and the gullies weren’t being kept clean. They finally did clean them – so now the water goes onto the football pitch! We leave a drain open and the water goes down in there.

“But it was always a bad area for flooding.

That was why they built the wee wall outside the old chip shop down by the Dock.”

What made you finally think about calling it a day?

“Well, Mikey was retiring – he’ll be 65 next month. And he has trouble with his hands. It could be arthritis, I don’t know. He’ll probably be looking for something a bitty lighter.”

What does he like to be called?

“He likes to be Mikey. It’s only his wife who calls him Michael. Everyone else calls him Mikey.

“We’ve worked together now – it’s 20-odd years. Aye, he more or less runs the workshop.

We just follow what he says. He’s the gaffer!”

Your other mechanic, Scotty, I don’t know much about him.

“Scotty is married to Jody, that’s Roger Taylor’s daughter and her mother was Eleanor.

Scotty’s been with me for maybe eight years.

He’s a very good mechanic.”

What did he do before he came to you?

“For a number of years he was with Volvo Truck and Bus. But he’d also done years with the AA.” On Facebook I’ve seen lots of compliments and people sorry that you are giving up but I wonder have you had any bad pennies among your clientele?

Black Isle People Arthur laughed. “I’m trying to think. You’ve got me there. Yes we have had problems – but of a different sort. I mean when we were building the new garage we had to take a loan. And the interest rate at the time was 15%.

“Yes, that’s what we paid. And our banker, Hamish Sutherland, gave us a term loan. That was when there was a Bank of Scotland here in Avoch. Anyway later the rate went up to 19%.

Hamish often said I did well there!

“We managed to pay it back. At that time we sold petrol as well. I think it was 1999 when we stopped that. The overdraft was too high.

When the tanker came with a load of petrol we had to pay each time with a cheque. But we survived that as well.

“One problem was we had to stay open on Saturdays and Sundays – just to sell the petrol.

And we used to have another filling station at the harbour. No – not the one that was going to be a cafe for Penelope Keith, that belonged to somebody else. Ours was in the big building that’s now flats on the opposite side of the road from the harbour. There we also used to repair fishing boat engines. We were agents for Kelvin engines. But then a lot of the boats changed to Caterpillars and Gardners and we didn’t work on them. We finally sold the building to MBM, the fish sales company from Buckie.

“We also used to have a tanker at the harbour to fill up the boats at the time they were working at the herring fishing. I think I have a photo of that tanker somewhere.”

How about wintertime? Was it a problem to keep warm in the garage?

“In our workshop we had a good heater.

The partially built new garage, constructed around the old Nissen hut.

Only every time someone comes and opens the door the heat gets out!

“There were bad winters and my father was the first one to take Christmas Day off. All the shops were open. I remember one Christmas morning putting chains on Thomas Macintosh’s grocer van so he could get up to Killen through all the snow.”

What are your plans for the future?

“Aye, I think I’ll tidy up the place. Just in

case. We’ll see in a couple of months how things are. One thing is sure. We always got on well with each other and often have a good laugh. Laughter is the best medicine. As they used to say in the Readers Digest.”

By the way, the fish and chips were excellent – a future direction for Arthur? l PS: Arthur also plans to write a wee book about his varied and interesting life so this article is just a taster!

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 23

Black Isle People

Brothers face up to life at sea’s challenges

By Sandy Mitchell

A

voch is known as a fishing village, but most of the many who are not part of that community don’t know much about this apart from seeing the fishermen’s yards near Avoch school and the small industrial area at the west end of the seafront. Chatterbox thought it was past time for putting this right.

First step was to get talking to some of the skippers of the Avoch fishing fleet. My first contact was Sandy McLeman and his three brothers Donald, Andrew and Johnny who share ownership of Boy John and Rosebloom. I had the idea of asking about the effect of Brexit. And reports that global warming has seen a rise in sea temperatures in the North Atlantic. And any other factors affecting the fishing.

First – what about Brexit?

“I think it didn’t bring what the fisherman thought. We hoped we would get our waters back. And we’d get all the quotas back. But it didn’t quite work like that. Certainly we got some quota back. But I think the biggest challenge we face is the higher costs of maintaining the vessels and the big increases in the cost of fuel.

“Finding a local crew is also a challenge.

There’s not the same local guys that used to come through. Now most of the crew are related to the boats one way or another. It’s all in the family. But I’m still optimistic about the fishing. I think there’s a good future there.

“We fish in the northern sector east and west of Orkney and Shetland but the frustration for us is that the quota is based on the whole sector. And in the southern sector they’re not finding so much fish. That’s maybe because of pollution, the windfarms and maybe the sea temperature – they’re all possible fac-

The Rosebloom – the bigger, Danish-built boat is much more efficient. tors. But we don’t see that restricting the quota in the north is helping the quantity of fish in the south.”

I said I had read that sea-warming was leading to fish species moving further north. Like sand eels and hake.

“Yes, last year there was an amazing good fishery on the Turbot Bank just off Peterhead.

Good signs of sand eels, good signs of herring, fantastic signs of haddock. And this year it’s just like someone switched the light off. Sand eels are not there. Herring are not there. And haddocks are not there. And the haddocks that are there are very thin. We don’t know whether it was the harsh winter we’ve experienced. A lot of northern and easterly winds. We’re just

Page 24 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

not rightly sure.”

I asked were herring a food species for other fish.

“I would say more a food species for the cod.

It’s all a cycle that one species attracts another.

As we see ourselves, there’s a big lot of haddock in the north sector but they are struggling for food. Plenty of haddock but not enough food for them.”

I said another Avoch fisher, Barry Adam, told me there were huge shoals of cod now in the North Sea. Maybe crowding other species out, he thought.

“Yes, a lot of cod at times in the northern North Sea. And yes there’s competition. But a cod is fish that can feed anywhere. It can feed

Black Isle People

From left: Andrew, Sandy, Donald and Johnny McLeman – making an unpredictable living at sea. in the bottom. It can feed in mid-water. It can feed anywhere. But the haddock will only feed in the bottom. They take the herring roe but not the herring there but so do the cod. Cod eat the herring spawn, they eat the herring – they eat anything!”

I said I’d heard that foreign boats who don’t follow the strict British rules like mesh sizes come into our blocks – French ones without quota and Spanish ones that pay no attention to any rules or restrictions.

“Well,” said Sandy, “the biggest problem for us from foreign boats is with the long-liners and gill netters. The hassle we have with them is we’re all fighting for the same bit of ground.

And all of our Avoch boats are mobile trawling demersal (sea bottom) trawling) boats. When we come into an area where there are long-line or gill nets. They cover a big area and that’s off for us.

“And everybody thinks – oh aye – gill nets is a very friendly way of fishing. But it’s actually not. Their nets get lost or discarded and can sink to the seabed where they are still trapping and catching fish. In other words they are still fishing. Then mobile guys – like us – when our nets are out of the water then we’re not fishing.”

I asked how of all the Moray Firth villages only Avoch had managed to keep familyowned boats still in business.

“Well,” said Sandy, “in the last 10 or 15 years even Avoch has less boats. But I’d say in Avoch we were quite unique. If you look along the North Sea coast we’ve never had massive fleets

like in Burghead and Lossiemouth and Hopeman. So I think we have weathered the storm better than small villages like Cullen, Portsoy and Findochty.”

And how do you explain that?

“I think the Avoch men – they’re very resilient. They’re willing to make their own personal sacrifices to make the job work. There’s a lot of dedication required to be in the fishing in 2024. And I think the Avoch men demonstrate this.

“And there’s been a lot of investment where other villages haven’t been the same. Investment in the boats. The Avoch men – for instance – who have the Adventurer – they’ve just lengthened their boat. It’s a twin-rigged boat, they specialise in monkfish. The Apollo – it’s a prawn freezer boat – just had a new engine.

That’s Michael and Leslie Reid. George Jack – he’s scalloping. He’s Alastair Jack’s son whose last boat was the Monadhliath.

“Alastair will give you the whole history of the Avoch fishing.”

I asked about the gap you often read of in the papers between what the scientific advisers recommend on quotas and catches and the real time experience of the fishers themselves. He replied that their figures were often a couple of years out of date – but added that the scientific advice is getting closer to what the fishers are sure of.

Another issue was the known rise in temperature of the northern seas – the North Atlantic and the North Sea. Sand eel shoals moving north and this causing seabird num-

bers – puffins, other auks and terns, suffering catastrophic breeding failures. And hake, a more southerly fish – are they moving north?

Sandy said that in the case of hake it was more of a mixed picture.

“A few years back was a great fishery for hake but in the last couple of years it’s been very spotty. They appear for a few days and you’d think that’s them back – and then they disappear. Hake are not always found near the seabed like the haddock and when they are up in the water they’re a hard fish to catch.”

That same variability was mentioned when I talked to Barry Adam, engineer aboard the Adventurer.

I mentioned the fact that farmers get subsidies but the fishers get none. He was surprisingly sympathetic, pointing out that they are like the fishers, successors to the old hunter gatherers, and for both making a living is precarious. Unlike most jobs you don’t just get paid by turning up – you have to work and calculate to make a living. And while a farmer has just one harvest in the year a fisherman can go out every week to try what skill and luck will bring.

I wanted to hear more about their own highs and lows in the fishing trade.

“Well I think getting the two boats we now have – Boy John and Rosebloom – was definitely a high point. They were built for us by Danish boat builder Ove Christiansen. They build a lot of Scottish boats these days. That was about 10 years ago and there was a gap of about six months between delivery of the two boats. It ➤

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 25

Black Isle People was a step up in size. The old boats were between 20 and 24 metres and the new ones were 28 metres.”

What difference has this made?

“Greater efficiency – efficiency is the key.

We got better handling of the catch. A more stable platform to work with the catch. Better fuel economy. A bigger propeller on each boat.”

I said I remembered seeing the McLemans in one of the BBC Trawlermen TV programmes and it mentioned they were pair fishing. I asked what that was.

“One boat takes one side of the net and the other comes alongside – at a distance of maybe an eighth or a tenth of a mile – and takes up the other side of the net. It’s more efficient because you are sharing the load. That’s how we’ve been fishing over the last 20 years. These boats are designed to fish that way and there are no doors as on some boats to keep the mouth of the net open.”

When asked about the downside he said they were used to the ups and downs of fishing and could handle them. But there are recurrent problems.

“Sometimes there’s no demand for our fish because of an oversupply and the prices are poor. Or a prolonged spell of bad weather means catches are low. And yes we get damaged gear, torn gear, lost gear and the cost of that – but I always try to keep on the positive side,” he added with a grin.

How long are your trips?

“Normally a week. Twelve hours steaming then five days and nights of fishing, twenty-

The Boy John – the other half of the McLeman’s fishing fleet. fours, day and night. There’s a crew of seven or eight. There’s a three- or four-hour pattern.

The crew are kept busy gutting the fish, washing the fish, packing them in ice, storing them.

No chance of a long sleep! Unless on the 12 hours steaming back to port – in our case this is usually Peterhead.”

Soon, I was told, it will be the midwinter break. The last market is on December 20th the next one will be on January 3rd so the

Page 26 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

McLemans will head out to sea on Boxing Day. I thanked Sandy for his tips and contacts and my plan is to do a series of articles on different fishing families, their boats and their ability to find a profitable way to keep going.

And I left Sandy at his family home at the back of a wood near Killen, much the wiser about the fisher Avochies and their demanding trade.

Black Isle People

By Anna Ginestri

L

auren Johnston, who is originally from Manchester, moved to the Black Isle around three years ago and fell in love with the area. She was inspired by the amazing scenery to create her own business featuring local points of interest.

“During covid I used to make candles for friends and family, but it became too time consuming and took up too much space once I had my son, so I thought up the idea of reed diffusers instead,” she said.

“I started taking lots of photos of the area and put it into some software to try and soften it so that it would look nice on product labels, and then I started choosing some fragrances that suited the labels and it just all came together like that.

“Chanonry Point’s fragrance is juniper and seaweed, but the Fairy Glen range is a woody scent.”

Lauren used her middle name, Sian, and came up with the company name Sianology.

“A friend suggested that I speak to the lady who ran the beach cafe in Rosemarkie at the time to see if she wanted to stock my diffusers, and she did! So it all just started from there really. They were the first to stock my products and still stock them today.”

Sianology now features a range of products which would make fantastic Christmas gifts for friends and family, while supporting a local business.

“I make room diffusers and mini diffusers for the car which can also be used as air fresheners in your cupboards. I have cards, too, after people started asking for them. Then I was asked for a calendar so I do a calendar as well!” The Sianology website also features some beautiful gin bottle lamps.

Lauren loves the family-friendly feel of the Black Isle, and how there is always something to do at weekends with her son.

“I like taking my son on walks around the area and taking a lot of photos. It’s probably the ideal way to spend my weekend, just to go out and see new things. I like the fact that there are so many nice things to do in this area, like the classic car rally and other fairs and events.”

Lauren has learned a lot since starting her own business: “I am not a natural sales person, at all! So find it really tricky to shout about my stuff. This has definitely been the hardest part of having my own business.

“I would encourage anyone to start their own business. When you are in a 9-5 job your earnings are limited, but if you are sales based and confident there is no limit to your earnings when you have your own business. I would love if my son was an entrepreneur when he is older.”

As well as running her own small business, Lauren has a day job in finance working for Chanonry Payroll Solutions.

“I am actually writing a book at the moment too and I’ve recently signed up for a bookwriting course.

“Because I’ve worked in finance for so long, people always ask me money-related questions. Someone said to me that I should start a Facebook or something, but I did think to myself who would want to listen to that?

“A while later it occurred to me when I was

Covid sideline turned into big business

Lauren Johnston and two of her Black Isle diffusers, inspired by Avoch Harbour and Chanonry Point. talking to someone else, that actually not many people feel confident with things like how to make a budget, what the best savings accounts are, ISAs, pensions, and other similar things, and I thought maybe I will start something!

“So I recently started a TikTok account which now has over 1,200 followers, and am writing my book which will hopefully be out in 2025 to go alongside my TikTok account. It’s going to be a step-by-step guide on things like how to set up an emergency fund, the best ways to pay off debt, advice around savings and then things like investments and so on too.”

Lauren’s TikTok account also contains money saving tips, advice on shopping around with examples of why, and even ideas of cheap or free family days out. This can be found by searching for @themoneyaffluencer on the TikTok app.

When looking to the future of her business, Lauren says: “In my wildest dreams I would have a little workshop or something, that I could write in and make things. And a little shop that I could sell things in. But I’m not sure how realistic that would be!”

If you would like to purchase any products from Sianology, you can find them for sale in many places around the Black Isle: “Fortrose Bay campsite stock my mini diffusers and the post office in Cromarty stock all of the Cromarty products and the calendars as well,” Lauren added. You can also place orders via Facebook or Instagram by searching @sianologyuk and through the website sianology. co.uk.

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 27

Looking Back

Sleepy farm hides a secret wartime past

By Rob Bashford

S

tanding in the pleasantly warm autumn sunshine, a typical Black Isle scene greets my eye. Fields full of grazing cows and their calves stretch away towards a dense plantation of conifers.

But the peaceful landscape today hides a little known piece of local history. It’s hard to imagine now, but 80 years ago I would have been looking across a secret World War Two airfield.

North-east Scotland played an important role in the air warfare of WWII. Within 50 miles of the Black Isle, there were no fewer than ten military airfields at the height of the war.

The only one that survives to this day is RAF Lossiemouth, now home to Eurofighter Typhoons and Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Evidence of these wartime airfields – the old runways and buildings that can be still be seen at Highland Deephaven near Evanton or at Fearn aerodrome near Tain – are obvious to the casual observer but that’s not the case where I’m standing.

And that’s because this was a satellite landing ground. These simple airfields were kept secret and their presence in the landscape was deliberately discreet.

Their purpose was to safely store aircraft away from the larger airfields, which could be vulnerable to enemy attack.

In October 1940, the Luftwaffe attacked RAF Lossiemouth for the first time, killing one officer and two aircrew and damaging seven aircraft and three hangars.

It was decided to build two satellite landing grounds, to disperse aircraft and reduce the risk of damage during future enemy raids.

An old wooden military hut.

Satellite landing grounds were designed to blend into the landscape and be undetectable from the air. So there were no control towers or windsocks that could betray their purpose and the runways were simply grass, as was common at the time.

A potentially suitable landing ground was identified between Blackstand and Upper Whitebog farms, about two miles north-west of Rosemarkie.

An inspection of the site suggested it could store between 50 and 60 aircraft and provide a runway of approximately 1,100 yards.

In June 1941, construction began of what was to become 42 Satellite Landing Ground

Page 28 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Photos: Rob Bashford

and works were overseen by its parent unit, 46 Maintenance Unit at RAF Lossiemouth.

Fences and stones were removed, the ground was levelled and drained and telephone lines buried. Hard core was used to create access tracks and defensive positions were built.

After a trial landing by an Avro Anson aircraft the week before, the satellite landing ground was officially opened on 22nd August 1941 and became known as RAF Blackstand (or in some records, RAF Black Isle or Fortrose).

Personnel were billeted in Fortrose and several farm buildings were requisitioned by the RAF to service the airfield.

Looking Back Looking from Upper Whitebog across what would have been part of the runway.

Anne MacKenzie was born during WWII and grew up at Upper Whitebog farm. She has lived there nearly all her life.

“During the war, they used this house we’re in now as their offices,” she tells me in her kitchen.

Anne’s father farmed the ground at Whitebog, as did his father and grandfather before him. Nowadays, her son Alister runs the farm.

Anne goes on: “They had to clear the cattle off the runway before the planes could land – we still had the grazing you see.

“And the servicemen would come down for fresh eggs and milk.”

A range of aircraft were stored at the airfield, with Bristol Beaufighters being the most common.

These heavy fighters were multi-role aircraft that could be used against enemy shipping and ground targets. Other aircraft included Defiant fighters and Warwick bombers.

46 Maintenance Unit at RAF Lossiemouth kept a sporadic record of activities at RAF Blackstand.

An entry from 21st March 1942 provides a glimpse of daily life at the airfield: “The Education Officer for 46 MU visited the SLG regarding correspondence courses and general education. A fictional library was inaugurated. An entertainments committee was formed.”

As I stand here today, there initially appears little evidence that this was once a military airfield. The runway has long since returned to farmland but if you look closer, a few of the wartime buildings still survive.

Alister Mackenzie, Anne’s husband, grew up nearby, “on the Resolis side of the hill”, as he put it. “They say the runway stretched for about a mile, starting over there,” he says, gesturing towards the west.

“Some folk say it crossed the road. There’s still triangular concrete blocks in some of the fields, possibly for tying down the aircraft. And away in the trees there, there’s a large concrete pad they must have used.”

One incident of note occurred on the 10th November 1942. According to 46 MU’s

Above: A WWII Super Robin hangar, now used as a storage barn.

Left: A brick built military building, possibly an old guardhouse.

Operational Record Book: “Beaufighter EL445 skidded on landing and collided with Beaufighter EL533 which was dispersed on field 9. This was caused by a greasy surface on the strip. WO Leggett and a FS Fitter from 46 MU inspected the damage to both aircraft.”

As you travel up the track towards Blackstand farm, you pass a number of what appear to be old military buildings: a long wooden hut, a brick-built store, or guardhouse perhaps, and an old toilet block.

A nearby water tower and old stone byre with brick-built extension were both reportedly used by the military.

And what appears to be a large barn is in fact a Super Robin hangar, which could house one Beaufighter and two Defiant aircraft.

The hangar has been re-clad since it was assembled in the 1940s but the internal structure is original. Nowadays it is used for farm storage and was occasionally used as a lambing shed in the past.

The last two aircraft to leave the airfield were believed to be Warwick bombers, in October 1945. The ground quickly returned to farmland and some of the site went on to be used as a tree nursery by the Forestry Commission.

Seeing relics of the airfield dotted around the site and meeting Anne and Alister has brought this piece of secret wartime history to life.

It’s hard to believe that this would have been a busy military airfield at its peak but it reminds us that WWII touched every corner of Britain, even places as quiet and peaceful as this traditional Black Isle family farm. l With grateful thanks to Anne and Alister Mackenzie of Upper Whitebog Farm and Sgt. John Le Huquet of RAF Lossiemouth Heritage Centre.

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 29

Looking Back

The intriguing tale of the Puttee Portrait

By Vee Walker

M

any of us have an old painting or faded photograph hanging in a dark corner of a spare room which we cannot now identify. Perhaps once or twice a year, when flicking a duster over it, some of us might think “Oh, how I wish I had asked Granda Donald/Auntie Vera/wee cousin Ishbel about that while they were still around”.

The fate of such items is often to turn up in a charity shop as ephemera, rootless and storyless, or, worse still, to be condemned to a skip and then an eternity as landfill.

Many who live in the Black Isle will remember the late Maureen Weir and her husband Gib with great fondness. Residents of Marine Terrace in Rosemarkie and stalwarts of the local Field Club and many other local groups for years, Gib and Maureen were old friends of my late mother, Penny Poole, and Rosemarkie Beach Cafe regulars when Philip my husband was in charge a few years ago.

Blessed with an infinitely curious mind, Maureen set about finding out all she could about a small oil painting she had inherited from her late father, which neither her grandmother nor her mother had cared for (for reasons unknown). All that she knew about the painting when she began her quest to discover more was that her father, Thomas Stanley Thornton (TST hereafter), had brought it back ‘from France’ after the Great War as a young man – wrapped around his lower leg under his puttees (part of the army uniform, a strip of cloth like a bandage used for support and protection).

Maureen had discovered (from photographs of him in uniform) that her handsome father probably served in the Royal Engineers, but then her attempt to find out more foundered, like many, in the tragedy of the ‘burnt records’

The enigmatic ‘Puttee Portrait’ and Thomas Stanley Thornton, RE, Maureen’s father.

– the personal records of thousands of men who served in WWI which went up in flames during the Blitz of WWII. When Maureen and her son were clearing the family home, they decided to have one last ‘go’ at finding out about the portrait, which is where I become part of the story – my background as a museum and heritage consultant and more recently as an author means that I can often find out a little bit more in circumstances like these. Maureen’s ideal would have been to identify the sitter and/or where the portrait came from, then offer it back to the family, place or community identified.

Laudable, but I knew from the outset that this would be unlikely, and so it proved; I did make

Page 30 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

other discoveries along the way, though, which (I hope) make entertaining reading.

My first step was to send an image of the Puttee Portrait to an art expert named Leo Webster at Bonhams in Edinburgh. There is always a sneaking hope that something like this might turn out to be by a famous artist and therefore of value, isn’t there, so it’s best to get that disappointment out of the way as quickly as possible! Leo confirmed the portrait would have no significant value and was not by an artist he could identify, but he was not discouraging, commenting on the intriguing nature of the portrait with a throwaway comment about the costume or uniform of the sitter appearing Italian. The major challenge was that the signa-

Looking Back

The late Maureen Weir and her husband Gib in their beloved Rosemarkie. ture or name of the sitter was indecipherable – written in pencil on the very edge of the ragged canvas. The style of the painting reminded me of a portrait of my grandfather painted in the early days of the Great War, but I knew the chances of it being by the same artist had to be almost zero.

Maureen then decided she would still like the Puttee Portrait cleaned and copied, so that it could be passed on to two different branches of the family. With expert advice I was able to clean it myself, which brightened it considerably and revealed some details on the portrait,

like coat buttons, which had been obscured under a century of grime. The painting was gently removed from its broken frame, detached from its ‘stretcher’ and pressed flat, allowing the pencil signature or sitter’s name to be fully revealed for the first time in more than a century. I entrusted this task to my friend, the Balblair-based photographer Andrew Dowsett, who also took on the responsible task of photographing and copying it. Andrew also suggested that I contact Andy Hickie, expert photogrammetrist (Andy’s stunning multi-coloured images have added greatly to interpreta-

tion of the carved stones at Kirkmichael and elsewhere).

Even with Andy’s help, the pencil signature still proved elusive, and we could only make out a few letters. Two things were clear however: the handwriting was continental rather than British and the name or title was written in pencil.

Pencil may seem an odd choice, but by the end of the Great War, both ink and paint would have been in short supply. All my grandfather’s later letters and messages were written in pencil. Although the Puttee Portrait is an oil ➤

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 31

Looking Back painting, it is not layered as an Old Master might be; instead the oil pigment is skimmed over the canvas in an impressionistic way. Both suggest a late war date of 1917-1918.

With this information in hand, I got in touch with the Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham. Their archivist team confirmed that there would be no personal ‘burnt record’ available for TST, but by cross-referencing his recruitment number the museum would be able to confirm three Royal Engineers (RE) regiments in which TST might have served.

These turned out to be 5th or 57th Field Company (5th FC and 57th FC) or the 5th Divisional Signal Company (5th DSC) – but how to work out which TST belonged to?

A broader context can often help take genealogical research like this a step further on.

Maureen had told me that her grandfather had worked for the Post Office (back in the days when that meant a job for life rather than a zero-hours contract). We can see from census records that TST then followed in his footsteps and by 1914 would have been a fully trained telegrapher – then, the latest communications technology, the 1900s equivalent of a superfast fibre network.

RE units are the logistical problem-solvers of the army. Its Field Companies build bridges, mend roads, dig tunnels and lay mines. Its Signal Companies plan and maintain communications. TST was probably not recruited directly into the Royal Engineers but it was common for men with a particular skillset to be signed up and then swiftly transferred to a corps or regiment where their talents could be

used to greater effect. If this happened before embarkation, as seems to have been the case with TST (his ‘insurance’ photographs show an RE uniform) he would have been sent to the vast Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain, prior to entraining at Amesbury and ending up in Rouen before dispersal to the Front. It is unlikely that TST would have been a shrinking violet about his training and accomplishments, especially if he thought it would mean less muddy digging, and so I am certain that he would have been sent to the 5th DSC as a telegrapher.

The museum confirmed that they held the 5th DSC war diaries but that they were not digitised (digitising is a long, arduous and expensive business for museums). After a brief discussion with Maureen, I found myself on a flight south for Heathrow and then Kent by train. The museum is in a vast building ringed by vast tanks and other bits of military hardware and even vaster horse chestnut trees.

Deciphering war diaries requires patience.

Often written in pencil, for reasons already given, these documents were composed by many different people in many different conditions, often dangerous – and with varying styles of handwriting, ranging from copperplate to scrawl.

I was able to look at several war diaries, cross-referencing their dates against TST’s date of disembarkation in France (20.1.15) to the oddly late date of his end of military service shown on his medal record (14.4.19 – the war had ended 11.11.18 so five months later TST was still with the RE in Flanders – why?). TST

Page 32 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

was with the 5th Divisional Signal Company between 5th August 1914 and 9th May 1919.

So where did he go and what did he do during his long war? TST did not rise beyond the rank of Sapper, the RE equivalent to a Private, and arrived in France in January 1915.

These extracts from the war diary for June 1915 give a good indication of the 5SC’s activities: Zevecoten, Belgium, West Flanders June 1915 Sounder worked on the buried cables, although these cables were in one trench and Sounder worked to Brigades the induction was negligible. Underground testboxes were put in every 200 yards and at the bends. The cables were buried in wet weather and when the weather dried up, the earth sank down. During the last 2 days a party of yeomanry were employed filling up the trench and banking it up with sods.

As regards the operators’ class, these men were specially selected from the 4 Territorial Battalions in the Division and the idea is to train them so as to be reinforcements for Brigade Sections. When their training is completed, they will be enlisted in the RE for the duration of the war. About 40 miles of cable was left behind by various units and has been rolled up, run through and generally put in good order.

3rd June 1915 Had all lines at Brigade Headquarters Signal Office run into dug-out and properly marked with Earth lines fixed up. Commenced making

Looking Back

A display at the RE Museum in Gillingham showing a field telephone in a dugout. a new shelter for the lamp to work with Cornwalls [Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry] new visual position. Lt. Hopkinson of 13th Brigade 12th Division came to be attached to my section for instruction for two days.

4th June 1915 Got hit in the face by a piece of glass caused by a German sniper hitting my periscope.

11th June 1915 Last night a 6 inch Howitzer shell fell very

nearly on top of the buried cables without damaging them. If the cables had only been buried 1 ft down they would have been cut.

12th June 1915 A Krupp fell on the buried cables and broke 8 of them.

12th June 1915 More trouble with Artillery telephone Operators so General Maude had a row with Colonel Fitzmaurice about it. […] Pigeons for carrier Pigeon Service arrived tonight.

20th June 1915 The buried cables were cut by a gas shell about 5.50am and could not be repaired until 6.50 owing to the gas not having cleared away.

27th June 1915 ‘’Comic’ [VW - Communication in Cable?] airline from permanent poles near the 28th Divisional Artillery Report Centre to the 8th Artillery Brigade and thence to the 27th Divisional Artillery was erected for magneto telephones. VW - Magneto telephones were ➤

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 33

Looking Back the earliest telephones used with public exchanges. The exchange design is very simple, and the only power source required is a battery (typically 3V) for the operator’s transmitter circuit. A hand generator (magneto) provides the ringing current, typically around 100V AC.] St Eloi, Pas-de-Calais, Arras, France 17th July 1915 About 2.30am there was a violent explosion followed by artillery bombardment in the direction of St Eloi caused by Germans exploding a mine under the KOSB [Kings Own Scottish Borderers] trenches. Our line to Reserve Battalion dis[VW - ?connected] about 12.30am. Cpl Adams went out and put it right again by 2.30am. Raining heavily most of the night and all the morning. Lines not working very well on account of the wet affecting lines which had been exposed for a long time to sun and heat. […] Beastly night, blowing and raining.

It therefore seems unlikely, doesn’t it, that TST, would have avoided danger or cold, hard and muddy digging as a Signals Sapper! He and many of his comrades must have dreamed of cables early in the war – they were constantly either (if advancing) burying them as deeply as possible or (if retreating) winding them back in and transporting them elsewhere so they could not fall into enemy hands. Speed was of the essence and in the diaries great pride in a swift repair is shown.

These were dangerous times and men under stress do not stop to collect souvenirs. I am

confident that the Puttee Portrait was not acquired during these early years of the war, but later.

From these entries we can see that more men were needing to be recruited to the 5SC – not enough skilled labour. TST was a recently trained telegrapher and would doubtless have been used to train other recruits when required.

This may also be a reason for his very late ‘demob’ date in 1919, as many of the ordinary sappers were trained in telegraphy to give them a new career to return to when the war ended.

Maureen had believed her father served the entirety of the war in France and Belgium, but again the war diary had a surprise in store: Abbeville, Amiens, Paris, Troyes and Dijon, France 1st December 1917 Arrived Lyons in afternoon. Train losing time and consequently halts cut down. Arrived Marseilles at noon (on 2nd ), no halt, Toulon, at station, 1½ hour halt, Nice during night.

4th December 1917 Ventimiglia Liguria, Italy Arrived at Ventimiglia (Italy) at 6am, left at 11.30am, San Remo at 1pm, Maritza at 5pm.

Very hearty welcome to Italy, ladies handing around coffee, fruit etc. At every ?halt inhabitants cheering train as it passed thro’ various places.

January 1918 Vaccarino Padua, Italy Headquarters and No 1 section. Weather still

very cold. ?Carlies proceeded to Reconnoitre forward area in Mountains. Classes of instruction on visual signalling continues, class working with Heliographs and daylight lamps, Class of Infantry for instruction in Power Buzzer.

Working continued, two signallers of each Battalion of the Division being trained.

Divisional Signal School at St Georgio della Pertiche continuing instruction for Artillery and Infantry instructors. OC this company awarded Military Cross in New Years Honours List 1918. Sgts Tassie and Masking mentioned in Despatched in New Years List.

11th January 1918 Lines in existence patrolled and all stores, transport etc thoroughly overhauled. Weather cold with heavy falls of snow.

January 1918 Secret: Signal arrangements during operations [VW - this two page document contains much detail on positions etc and covers: 1. Locations of Divisional Headquarters […]

2. Locations of Lines […]

3. Visual signalling […]

4. Wireless and Power Buzzer […]

5. Pigeons – six or eight birds will be allotted to each attacking battalion and a small number to POOs, and to Brigade Headquarters. As these birds are not very well trained, great care must be taken, special attention being paid to giving them sufficient water. On this count they should be released in pairs.

6. Runner posts will be established at C. in Advanced Brigade Headquarters, P and O Exchanges. Runners from attacking Battalions

PROGRAMME SPRING 2025 Wednesday 5 February

Graham Clark

“Iron Schools in the Highlands”

Wednesday 5 March

Adrian Harvey

“Marie”: the Paterson film

Wednesday 2 April

Fraser Mackenzie

“Highland Cairns and Memorials”

Wednesday 7 May

Norman Newton

“Wild About Inverness: a virtual walking tour of downtown Inverness” at 7.30pm North Kessock Bowling Club, 21 Ferry Brae, North Kessock, IV1 3YH

Tea, co�ee and chat will be available after the talks.

All welcome For further information contact us through the website www.northkessockhistory.com or by phone 01463 870889

Page 34 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Looking Back will deliver their messages at P and O exchanges.

[VW - TST’s unit must have returned to Flanders on or before June 1918 as all entries after this point are back in Flanders. Their job was done and once phone lines were installed, the British troops were not losing ground, so could repair and maintain the lines with their own men trained by the Signals units. The conflict in Italy continued, with some hard battles in mountainous terrain supported by field companies of the RE, with Austria’s capitulation announced on 3rd November, after the Battle of Asiago 27th October to 2nd November 1917].

Leo from Bonhams commented that the costume of the sitter could have been Italian.

Could TST have picked up the Puttee Portrait as a souvenir of Italy on his way back to Flanders in 1918?

What we have not yet explored yet, of course, is why and how TST acquired the Puttee Portrait. Did he just buy it? Those living on or near the Fronts, including artists, would often have been hungry, especially in 1917/18.

An artist might have knocked out a few paintings – pretty views, local characters – to flog as easily portable canvases to the passing troops.

In that case, though, why would TST hide it under his puttees? Or was that simply a convenient way of transporting it?

Looting was considered a serious offence, although many officers turned a blind eye to it.

Could there have been a risk that a purchased painting could be seen as looted? My grandfather Tom, as a military policeman, was zealous about stamping it out wherever he could.

Rather than breaking and entering, looting was often a case of picking up something dropped by a panicked refugee, so it would have been impossible to stop looting entirely. Perhaps TST simply saw an opportunity and took it.

And perhaps a naïve young soldier believed he was buying or otherwise acquiring a painting of value. We will never know.

The war diary had one last strange coincidence to reveal: Jolimetz Nord, France 11 November 1918 Hostilities ceased at 11am. Division was relieved and marched to Jolimetz where signal office was established.

Photogrammetry of the elusive pencil signature or name of the sitter – what do you think it says?

1 December 1918 Le Quesnoy Nord, France Secret: during this period much thought was given to the formation of Educational Classes within the company for instruction in various technical subjects. With this end in view a class was formed for instruction in Telegraphy. This was attended well, not only by men of the unit but also men needing instructions from the Battalion of the Division. Various men were also sent on Courses in various subjects from the Company.

9th December 1918 Several men were sent away on courses of instruction in machinery shops. Division called on the company for many instructors, principally in telegraphy.

18th December 1918 Bavai (VW – now Bavay) France Nord Marched to Bavai, the town in which the Company billeted on 21 August 1914, and halted there the night.

This extraordinary coincidence stopped me in my tracks. Earlier in the war my grandfather Tom had his portrait drawn while in Bavay, the small town he had helped to liberate just one

month before this, by the French war artist Lucien Jonas, who often worked in and around Valenciennes. Could the Puttee Portrait in fact have been painted by Jonas, who painted thousands of such portraits during the Great War? Its style certainly looks very similar.

These final entries also confirm that TST was among one of the last RE Sappers to be sent home, in all probability because he was training as many men as he could in telegraphy. l I was so pleased to complete the report on the Puttee Portrait in time for Maureen to read and enjoy it before she died, peacefully, at the Eilean Dubh Care Home on February 3rd 2024 at the age of 91 after a long and happy life with her beloved Gib. The Portrait and its copy have now been passed down the Weir family for future generations to enjoy.

Who knows, perhaps others will be able to add a dimension to this fascinating story of a brave young soldier of the Great War – and his indefatigable and inquisitive daughter.

And the next time you have an idle moment, why not get that painting down off your own wall, or that box of photographs out from under the bed, and write all you know about them on the back? Someday your children will thank you for doing so!

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 35

Arts and Entertainment

Classes will get 2025 off to an artistic start

By Nicki Slater Arts Development Officer, Cromarty Arts Trust

T

he Cromarty Arts Trust wishes everyone a happy Christmas and very best wishes for 2025. Thank you for all your support over this past year.

Our events in 2025 start in January with three exciting art activities, the first of which is a six-week Beginners Drawing class on Monday evenings from 6th January. The classes are run by graphic artist Dre Huntley and are aimed at absolute beginners. If all you can draw is a stick figure, this class is for you!

We carry on with another evening art class,

Page 36 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

this time on a Tuesday night over four weeks from 7th January. Successful landscape artist Helena Barnes will teach Abstract Landscape Painting for Beginners. All materials for these evening classes are included in the price which means you don’t have to buy a lot of materials or equipment to try it out.

The final art event in January happens on Friday 31st with Doodles & Grooves. Two Cromarty-based creatives will host a laid-back, after-dark, BYOB creative arts experience in the Old Brewery, Cromarty. It will be a chance to enjoy a glass of wine, relax, listen to some chilled music while exploring creative activities and experimenting with different mediums and art forms. This is the first of these evenings and I hope will be the start of many.

Booking for this event is through crombacreative@gmail.com or through Eventbrite.

Music starts in March with our annual Cromarty Ukulele Weekend over 14th-16th.

The four workshops over two days are suitable for those with some level of playing but if there is enough demand we will run an absolute beginners session too with ukuleles supplied.

To launch that weekend we are really lucky to have Fair Trickit playing a live gig at the Old Brewery on Friday 14th March. Fair Trickit are ukulele-playing twin sisters from Aberdeen: you might have caught them playing at Belladrum and Wildwoodz in 2024. Their gigs are lively, fun and their enthusiasm for all things ukulele is infectious!

Cromarty Pottery’s Barbel Dister will be running another day-and-a-half pottery workshop on 8th and 22nd February. Based in her cosy pottery by the sea, you will learn how to throw on the wheel and hand build with clay.

Barbel only takes six people on her courses, so places will be in high demand.

We are looking forward to offering two new crafts in March. Contin-based Maia Eden will be running a two-and-a-half-day furniture upcycling workshop over 21st-23rd. You bring a small piece of old furniture and Maia will teach you how to prepare surfaces, paint a base colour with chalk paint then use decorative painting techniques to finish it off. All paints and finishing wax will be supplied.

At the end of March, we have Thomas Banks running two separate wood carving days at the Stables. If the weather is fine, we will be working outside. Saturday 29th will be wooden spoon carving and on Sunday 30th Thomas will teach how to carve a useable wooden cup.

As well as learning all the techniques, you will spend sometime outside looking at different trees and learning how to select the most appropriate wood. All wood for the course is supplied. You can do either one or both days; there is a small discount if you book both.

Arts and Entertainment Thoughts to ponder ahead of the Beginners Drawing class in January.

We have some special visitors coming to Cromarty on 8th March. Dr Rachael CooperBohannon, the Scotland Coordinator of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC), will be giving a talk about the important work they do, with a particular focus on toads.

Early spring is the time when toads start to move and look for a mate. They face all sorts of dangers as they come across human habitats, cars and drains being two particular perils. Dr Cooper-Bohannon and her colleague will demonstrate how to make and install special ladders that enable toads to escape from any drains they fall into.

The talk and demonstration are in the morning and open to all, with entry by donation to ARC. In the afternoon, Barbel Dister will be running a clay workshop where participants will make small toads and a toad shelter. Barbel will glaze and fire the creations and they will be ready to collect a few weeks later. Booking is essential for the clay session.

All our courses make great Christmas or birthday presents and we sell vouchers for any amount which can be used for any event or course. We also have Cromarty tote bags and thermal cups, which make great gifts. These can be bought in the office of Cromarty Arts Trust or posted out.

Information, prices and booking details for all our events can be found on our website at www.cromartyartstrust.org.uk. You can reach us on 01381 600354 when the office is staffed – Monday-Thursday 9-5pm and Friday 9-12.30pm – or email info@cromartyartstrust. org.uk We look forward to welcoming you to Cromarty Arts Trust over 2026.

March will see the opportunity to carve your own spoons.

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 37

Book Tables or Order: www.sutorcreek.co.uk

Phone

01381 600 855

Restaurant and

21 Bank Street

Cromarty IV11 8YE

Dine with us!

Chef Grah & Phoebe am Fox

Page 38 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Christmas, Seasonal and Pizza Menu December 4th to 23rd Closed 24th to 26th, December Open 27th to 31st, December Closed 1st to 10th, January

Recipes From Sutor Creek

Orange Marmalade Cheesecake W

By Graham Fox

e are nearing the end of a full year running Sutor Creek as a restaurant again since the turbulent times of the pandemic. It has been lovely to see our customers from throughout the Black Isle and beyond and we thank you for your support.

I created this Orange Marmalade Cheesecake for our winter menu and it’s been incredibly popular with our guests so thought it would be a great recipe for you to use over the festive season.

ORANGE MARMALADE CHEESECAKE Serves 6 600g cream cheese 200ml double cream 450g thick-cut marmalade (blended in food processor or chopped into small pieces) Zest of 1 orange 4 leaves of bronze leaf gelatine 10 digestive biscuits, crumbled to small pieces 50g melted butter Mix the biscuits and butter together. Line a cake tin with the crumbled biscuit mixture and allow to set in the fridge for about an hour.

To make the cheesecake, soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 minutes.

Place the cream and marmalade in a pan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the gelatine and zest.

Place the cream cheese in a bowl, whisk until smooth. Add the cream mixture to the cream cheese, whisk until all is incorporated.

Pour into the cake tin. Place in the fridge and allow to set for about 3-4 hours.

Serve with orange segments and toasted almonds. You could even add orange sorbet as a garnish with orange zest.

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 39

Out of Doors

By Lucy Vaughan

I

was walking through Feddanhill Wood recently and thought how much it has changed since we used to take our two daughters up there maybe 25 years ago. Then it was thick, dark forestry plantation, with little daylight and little wildlife. Now it is full of daylight, a huge variety of trees, plants and wildlife.

This is all due to the hard work of Graham Tuley. Graham invented the Tuley Tube in 1979 which was the original tree shelter. The initial aim of the shelter was to provide a greenhouse for young trees including protection from weeds and from being eaten by deer and rabbits. They have been put to good use in regenerating Feddanhill Wood.

Graham and his wife bought the wood in 1992 from the Forestry Commission which owned the land from the 1950s when it was called Feddanhill Plantation. When the land was purchased, the name Feddanhill Wood was adopted.

Previous uses have included a croft on part of the land and one of the buildings on site is referred as the Potato Shed. Graham built this over an old rifle range.

The summit must have been an important lookout point in history, having clear sight over to Ormond Castle (the medieval stronghold near Avoch), Ben Wyvis and the surrounding sea.

Graham has worked most of his life in for-

The man who brought light to the woods estry and he is very knowledgeable and always has thoughts or answers when I ask questions about what different trees are or how to manage some of our trees.

What has happened to change the wood so much?

Graham has worked to introduce native species and also branched out (sorry for the pun) to introduce non-native or nurse planting where maybe weather conditions are harsh and to provide more variety. There is a long list of trees that are on site, and these include Rowan, Ash, Oak, Scots Pine, Larch, and Granny Pine for starters. A Granny Pine is a Scots pine that

Page 40 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

is over 300 years old. (That is something I learnt while writing this). Sadly, one of the Granny Pines has died recently. You may also come across a Monkey Puzzle Tree. That is the only Latin tree name I know – Araucaria.

There is also a particular type of Eucalyptus that is good for furniture making.

South of the track through the wood was almost pure spruce; the trees were suffering from a root rotting fungus and because of this some were blown over most years. Graham cleared them. About 18 years ago there was a more major loss of trees and so the whole area was cleared.

Out of Doors

The variety of trees, and their different berries and canopies, encourage different ground cover and undergrowth, with wild raspberries, brambles, ferns and mosses. These are all so beautiful when you see them up close. Then the wildlife comes, and Graham said the other day that he has noticed that the red squirrels have a nice route through the tree canopy from his neighbour Silvia’s land. This means the squirrels can cross the public road in safety.

Graham has recently seen badgers, foxes and farm cats on the trail camera. I came across a wonderful hare in the summer as I turned a bend in the path. It looked at me and my dog and gently lolloped away. The pond has brought frogs, toads and newts.

But that isn’t all. Graham made a big effort to encourage Men’s Shed to set up in the wood during the covid lockdown, as they couldn’t meet indoors. This has flourished and there is now a fine collection of beautiful timber buildings being happily used for a variety of woodworking and meeting spaces. And there is more. The Scouts are frequent visitors, carrying out various activities and having the odd wood fire and sausages. Last year the Scouts had the wood and the nearby housing estate mapped for orienteering. They produced a larger scale map of just the woods. Both these maps can be seen near the car park.

Graham is very welcoming and encourages everyone to use the wood, but please don’t leave bottles or rubbish and clear up after your dog if walking in the wood. If you are keen to

Graham Tuley – turned dank woodland into a place to visit.

One of his tubes can be seen protecting the sapling behind him.

have a fire – please make sure you light it in the fire pit provided and make sure it is safe when you leave it, as things can quickly get out of control – particularly in the summer.

Most days, Graham can be found carefully stacking thinned pieces of wood, making paths through the wood or cutting ditches that are

vital to manage water flow from the steep slopes.

It is great to be able to be able to walk freely through such a lovely wood, with the reward of an amazing view at the top. I think Graham deserves a well-earned Thank You from our community.

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 41

Out of Doors

By Patrick Vickery

T

he lawnmower spluttered to a halt. He transferred his cigarette from hand to mouth, bent to unscrew the petrol cap and then peered into the fuel tank, at which point the petrol ignited from a flash to a bang causing him to execute a number of acrobatic feats rarely seen outside an Olympic arena.

He was not badly hurt, just modestly scorched, but the shock was certainly a major one. In the afterglow he scrambled to his feet, his lightly singed head sitting startled upon smouldering shoulders, and furtively scanned the surrounding area to determine whether anyone had witnessed this embarrassing moment.

Satisfied that there was no one, he buried the malevolent cigarette in a flower bed beneath the newly baked foliage of a burgundy Bugleweed (Ajuga Reptans ‘Atropurpurea’) and rearranged his expression into one of glazed dumbfoundment as folk began to gather around the gubbed and burning relic of what moments earlier had been prized garden machinery.

Over the next few days there was intense conversation and speculation about spontaneously combusting lawnmowers, deeply scorched eyebrows and the inherent dangers of gardening. But as for me, the only witness to the entire sequence of events, I said nothing.

Now recently we had a mechanical mishap of our own. The dishwasher ceased to work. Not as dramatic as an exploding lawnmower, granted, but still a mechanical malfunction with consequences. One such consequence was the appearance in our house of the phrase “you wash, I’ll dry”.

While on this dishwasher theme (a tenuous link, I know, but a tenuous link is better than no link) I was informed that a good method of cleaning compact discs (for anyone who still uses such things) is to put them in the dishwasher. An exciting notion, although it does require a fully functioning dishwasher to test out the process. Personally I would recommend an experimental cleanse with a Harry Chapin or a Barry White first before subjecting your entire music collection to an intensive 70 degree wash.

As it happens, I have a Harry and a Barry myself, yet as I write this I am already having serious reservations about experimenting with either. Maybe a Sing Along Christmas CD would be better?

Anyway, so captivated was I with this idea that I mentioned it to the demonic guy at the petrol station in Inverness who was equally as enthusiastic as me. Though it dawned on me later that I had inadvertently substituted the words ‘washing machine’ for ‘dishwasher’. from in the first place.

Putting your entire music collection into the Mechanical mishaps notwithstanding, the washing machine is not a good idea and I was therapeutic benefits of gardening are well doctempted to seek him out and revise my flawed umented. There’s nothing like strimming the advice, but then again if he’s ruined his CDs strawberries, chainsawing the hedge and letand his washing machine I wouldn’t like to ting loose with power tools in the shrubbery to remind him where he had sourced this advice invigorate the mind and exercise the body.

Battling the tyrannical mechanicals

Page 42 Black Isle Chatterbox Winter 2024

Plants survive most things, you know, as long as you don’t fiddle-faddle about. Leave them be, that’s what I say, apart from the occasional hearty prune with a petrol hedge trimmer or one of those remarkable battery-charged swivel-bladed Sunday Roast Carving Knives. © Patrick Vickery

Pangram’s Chatterbox Puzzle

No. 111

Post your solution to the Editor, Chatterbox, Burnside Cottage, Newhall, Balblair, Dingwall, IV7 8LT, marked “Crossword”. The first all-correct answer opened on February 1st will win £20 from Chatterbox.

Black Isle Chatterbox We couldn’t exist without the support of the Black Isle businesses which put Chatterbox on their shelves and get nothing in return – except the goodwill of their community. You’ll find the magazine on sale at:

Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........................................

Avoch

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Post Office (Fishermen’s Co-op)

.........................................

Cromarty Post Office

.........................................

Culbokie .........................................

Across

Down

7 Roy; is he changing into tights? (7) 8 See 9 9, 8, 15 16, 12 was in this, troubled by flatulence? (4, 4, 3, 4) 10 Put out, Diana dries up mousse, evenly (9) 12 See 16 13 Torn ox biceps producing case for, such as, nutmeg (5, 3) 15 See 9 16, 12 Star about high flyer with an end to building (5, 5) 17 One to combine without end (4) 18 Liqueur made from raw data and ova (100) (8) 20 Catch the Spanish roll . . . (5) 21 . . . this gets eager dispatch? (6, 3) 22 See 20 down 24 Marsh instructed by Spooner to go, say, from 6 to 60 (7) 25 Enemy lit shoe up (7)

1 2 3 4

Spar

Dingwall

Work at repeatedly – to extinction? (4) Part of speech in dire, bad channel (8) Animal type in furs? Inevitably! (6) Lap around pits poorly, apply cosmetic improvement with this (8) 5 Shiny coat from Swiss capital (6) 6 Woman with zip in footwear (4) 11 Take tin medals apart (9) 12 Gloss over uranium for corporation (5) 14 Lie about following gold type of window (5) 16 Weep about venal transaction in a cowardly way (8) 17 Gnu? Yes, if taken around before a lute recital (8) 19 Cross, if you harden inside (6) 20, 22 A fib golfer might rehash to hold clubs – sustainably? (3, 3, 4) 21 Pointed thing in tepees . . . (4) 23 . . . thin sheets from foil (4)

The winner of Crossword 110 was Andrew Patience, Dess, Aboyne

Answers to Crossword No. 110

Across – 9 Barracuda, 10 Among, 11 Extra, 12 Rotatable, 13 Serried, 14 Rosette, 17, 19 On And Off, 19, 20 Off And On, 21 Perfect, 22 Ladette, 24 Kicked Out, 26 Lifer, 28 Extra, 29 Nonentity Down – 1 Oboe, 2 Writer, 3 Paradiddle, 4 Putrid, 5, 6 Matter Of Fact, 7 Combated, 8 Ogle, 13 Scoop, 15 Standalone, 16 Ernie, 18 Apricots, 19 Outgoing, 22 Latent, 23 Tiffin, 24 Keep, 25 Exam, 27 Rhys

Spar, High Street

Fortrose John Munro, Butcher; Cromarty Bakery

Munlochy Munro’s Nursery

Rosemarkie Spar

Tore Ryefield Farm Shop Contact the editor if you would like to stock Chatterbox for sale To have Chatterbox delivered to your home, fill in the coupon below or go to www.chatterboxnews.co.uk

Winter 2024 Black Isle Chatterbox Page 43