Ballater and Crathie Eagle, Spring 2018, Issue 89 by Faye Swan

THE

eagle

Ballater & Crathie Community Magazine no. 89 spring 2018 ÂŁ1 where sold

Success for Eilidh & Buttony See the full story on Page 30

TWO DINING EXPERIENCES TO SAVOUR…DAY OR NIGHT Whether you’re looking for a memorable meal or a light bite and lively socialising, you’ll discover a pair beyond compare within the Keiller Brasserie & Lounge.

Keiller Brasserie Where the finest in local produce and our signature flavours await in stylish surroundings Continental Breakfast: Daily 8:00am - 10:30am last orders Dinner: Wednesday - Sunday 6:00pm - 8:30pm last orders

Booking is essential: www.resdiary.com (search Ballater) or (013397) 55858

Keiller Lounge The perfect place to relax and unwind throughout your day Open Daily 11:00am - 11:00pm Coffee and Pastries: Available from 11:00am Lounge Menu: Serving from 12 noon - 2:30pm last orders and 5:00pm - 8:30pm last orders

Located within Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Craigendarroch Braemar Road, Ballater AB35 5XA www.facebook.com/craigendarroch

Inside Your Spring Eagle:

Feels like it’s been a long icy winter, but there are deﬁnitely green shoots beginning to emerge now. Read on and plan ahead for longer, warmer days!

Diary

4-5

Success for Eilidh & Buttony

Improving Playpark Facilities for Ballater

National Park Update

A Walk in the Park by Katrina A. Farquhar

Pottering About... by Stella Potter

Council Matters by Geva Blackett

Keeping Council by Peter Argyle

“Haemish’s Father” by Tom C. White

Polhollick Bridge Update 56

Cairngorms Nature Big Weekend

Free Home Energy Visits

Local Precious Stones by Sheila Sedgwick

Local Groups Ballater & Crathie C.C.: 19 • Ballater Clinic: 21 • Ballater Films: 23 Ballater Enhancement Group: 24 • BCE: 8 • Ballater Highland Games: 36 BRD: 12 • BRHS: 10 • Buttony Bear: 30 • Charitable Chiels: 20 Community Action Plan: 9 • Crathie Kirk Coffee Mornings: 22 Crathie Opportunity Holidays: 35 • Crathie School: 34 • Duck Festival 2018: 29 Eagle Cub Reporters: 41 • Kirk Disabled Access: 22 • Lego Club: 26 Library Page: 14 • Over 50s: 8 • Photography Club: 11 • SWI: 16 Victoria & Albert Halls: 48 •Victoria Week: 28 • Walking Festival: 40

. Advertisers’ Index: 62 .

Advertising

Full page: £100; Half page: £50; Quarter page: £25; Eighth page: £12 Discounts on 4 issue series copy can be changed each issue contact Karen Garioch at karen.garioch@btinternet.com or Tel: 01339880986

Thank You Grateful thanks are due to Alex and Anne Grant, and to The Ballater Old Time Dancing Group for their recent generous donations to the Eagle. You can also donate by putting money into our tins in the Library or Yules Newsagents.

The Eagle Diary

...so you know what’s going on March

Mon 5 Thu 8 Mon 12 Thu 15 Fri 16 Wed 21 Thu 22 Sat 24

Thu 29 Fri 30

BRHS – talk by Bruce Edelsten – “Setting up and running allotments. Mike Sheridan Room at 7.30pm Lent Communion at 10am followed by tea/coffee in the hall, St. Kentigern’s Ballater & Crathie Community Council meeting. Mike Sheridan Room 7-9pm Lent Communion at 10am followed by tea/coffee in the hall, St. Kentigern’s Ballater & District/Over 50’s Association AGM, 2pm at the Hut on the Green SWI Open Night – Wilkies Fashion Show. Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm Photography Club at Hut on the Green 2pm, “Signs of Spring” Lent Communion at 10am followed by tea/coffee in the hall, St. Kentigern’s Dee and Don Ceilidh Collective Workshops and Ceilidh in Victoria & Albert Halls from 10am to 11pm Ballater Films Presents: Murder on the Orient Express (12A). Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm (doors open 7pm) Maundy Thursday Communion Service, Glenmuick Church, 12 noon Maundy Thursday Eucharist and Stripping of the Alter at 6pm, St. Kentigern’s Ballater Churches together Joint Service, Glenmuick Church, 12 noon Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, St Nathalan’s, 3pm

Mon 2

April Ecumenical early morning riverside service at 7am, followed by breakfast, bacon rolls, tea/coffee at St Kentigern’s Easter Day Service at 11am, Glenmuick Parish Church Mass at St. Nathalan’s, 12.15pm Ballater Clinic Closed

Mon 9

BRHS - Mini Bulb Show followed by Eric Jensen – “Alpines in the Austrian Tyrol”. Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm Ballater & Crathie Community Council AGM at Crathie Kirk Hall 7-9pm

Sun 1

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

Are Your Dates Here? For inclusion in this FREE section of the Eagle, please contact Faye Swan on 013397 55345 or info@swandesign.uk.com Wed 18

SWI Business Meeting to be conducted by Kincardine O’Neil WI Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm Photography Club at Hut on the Green 2pm – theme tba Sat 21/Sun 22 RunBalmoral 2018 from 10am – Details at www.runbalmoral.com Sat 28 Ballater Films Presents Paddington 2 (PG). Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm (doors open 7pm)

May Mon 7 Wed 9 Fri/Sat 11/12 Mon 14

Wed 16 Fri 25

Ballater Clinic Closed. Ballater & District/Over 50’s Association Outing. (destination to be decided at AGM) Cairngorms Nature Big Weekend BRHS - Graeme Strachan - “Inverewe Gardens in the Spring”. Mike Sheridan Room 7.30pm Ballater & Crathie Community Council meeting. Beaton Craigie Room 7-9pm Photography Club in Hut on the Green at 2pm. (An instruction session, with theme tba) Marie Curie Upper Deeside Fund Raising Group – Clairvoyant Evening with Maureen Smith in the Barrel Lounge at 7.30pm

June Sat 2 Sun 3

BRHS Plant Sale in the Victoria Hall 9.30am – 12 noon Birds of Prey at Balmoral, 11am – 4pm until July 14th Ballater Duck Festival - Church Green and River Dee

More event details can be found on the Ballater Community website at www.ballatercommunity.com

Ballater Library Opening Hours Sun, Mon & Wed: Closed

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

Thursday: 2-4pm, 6.30-8pm

Friday: 2-5pm

Saturday: 10am-12noon

Contact the Eagle

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

 email to: ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com

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

Keep in Touch with an Eagle Subscription A subscription can be a very welcome gift to farflung friends and relatives. Simply provide the name and address to whom issues should be sent, with a cheque or postal order for ‘Ballater Eagle’ for the relevant amount and drop off your request to Ballater Library. Avril, our Subscriptions secretary, will do the rest. Easy! For the rates below, four issues will be posted. UK: £12.00 EU: £16.00 Overseas: £20.00

Contact Your Representatives

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

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

WESTMINSTER

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

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL

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

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK Geva Blackett  013397 41541 geva.blackett@btconnect.com Gordon Riddler  07711609351 email: gordon.riddler@cnpaboard.co.uk

If you would like a large print version of the Eagle, please contact Ballater Library on 01339 267700.

Eagle Who’s Who & Where Editor: Ian Hay  55941 Treasurer: Elaine Adams  56149 Subscriptions Secretary: Avril Fyfe  56162 Advertising Manager: Karen Garioch  01339880986 Distribution: Andy and Julie Bloor Diary Secretary: Faye Swan  55345 Design: Cat Houston, Stella Potter, Ollie Francis email us at: ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com Eagle Online: http://www.ballatercommunity.com

Letter from the Editor

It was a very interesting experience for Stella Potter and I to deliver a talk to Ballater Local History Group in late November, the subject being “The First 50 Issues of Ballater Eagle”. While compiling part of the talk, I certainly learned things about the early days of the Eagle before my involvement, and hopefully those present did so too. The energy and hard work which a very enthusiastic Team put into fundraising to develop and expand the Eagle all those years ago was a wonderful example of community involvement. One member of the audience brought to our attention the fact that our two most recent issues (Nos. 87 and 88) did not include in the “masthead”, our Eagle logo. Do you know, those of us involved in production of these issues had never noticed the omission! However, now that it has been brought to our attention, we shall ensure that the Eagle logo is restored to its rightful place. Meanwhile, thank you to the gentleman concerned for bringing this to our attention. On that very point, the Eagle Team is always keen to have suggestions or comments about improving our community magazine, so why not give us your thoughts? After all this is your magazine, and ought to reflect the views of the community. Over to you! It is pleasing to read in this issue that Ballater Walking Festival has been going now for 20 years. This again is an example of a number of people in the community enthusiastically committing time and effort to help create and promote an idea which has proved to be of considerable benefit to the village. Prior to going off into the wider world beyond Ballater, Eilidh Gow did make contributions to issues of the Eagle. As a consequence, it is wonderful to read of her recent success in the Scottish Youth Film Festival, winning Best Documentary and Best Film awards. The subject of the film was the extremely successful Ballater Buttony Bear Project, something which is obviously very close to her heart. The Eagle Team wishes her well in her career, and hopes for more success in her chosen field.

Ian Hay

Local Group News

A round-up of news from our local groups

BCE: Ballater Caravan Park by Allan Harrison

Work has started on the third phase refurbishment consisting of a further 10 touring pitches. These will be offered initially on a seasonal licence basis. Discussions continue with architects working for the Duke of Rothesay regarding the layout for completing the refurbishment of the park. It is also hoped that we can introduce a new concept for Ballater Caravan Park. Much discussion will be needed with other parties but we will keep the community informed as we progress. The directors would like to record their appreciation of the continued support received from the community and local businesses.

Old People’s / Over 50’s by Ruth Burrows

The current membership of the Association stands at 56, and 2017 saw members enjoy outings to Inverness and Pitlochry when we were delighted to welcome visitors. In November we were invited to an afternoon’s entertainment in Braemar, hosted by the 3rd Age Lunch Club. It is apparent that there is a wealth of talent in Braemar and our thanks go to Carole Paterson for the invitation and to everyone for their hospitality. Carole hopes to forge links between our two communities and we plan to return the compliment later this year. The Association’s AGM will be held in the Hut on the Green at 2 pm on Friday, 16th March. Members are encouraged to attend, not least as this is their chance to have a say on destinations for this year’s outings, the first of which will be on Wednesday, 9th May. During the past year we have been happy to make the Hut on the Green available to various community groups including the Walking Festival, Victoria Week, Winter Festival and more. We are always pleased to see the Hut in use and no doubt 2018 will be no exception. New members will always be made welcome.

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

The CAP steering Group is continuing to review the survey feedback and is getting close to a first draft Action Plan. We hope to be reviewing actions with some of the key stakeholders e.g. Aberdeenshire Council, and CNPA in the next month or so and plan to have a follow up open meeting in the Spring. Please keep your eyes out for the date. CAPs bring a variety of benefits, not least the ability to coordinate all village efforts in progressing mutually beneficial village projects and seeking funding, as well as gaining assistance from the local authorities who require a demonstrated community voice when it comes to supporting projects and initiatives. The Ballater & Crathie Action Plan will have the following themes: 1: Our Assets 2: Visitor Experience 3: Recreation & Leisure 4: Environment 5: Care 6: Housing 7: Local communication 8: Business & Employment 9: Transportation & Infrastructure The success of the Action Plan will be linked to the levels of commitment people in our community are able to give to see things progress. If you are interested in any of the themes above, please feel free to contact us on ﬁonapresslie@aol.com or croll66@btinternet.com.

The Auld Kirk Coffee Lounge A small changingselection selection of sweet and savoury cakes,soup seasonal A smallbut butdaily daily changing of sweet and savoury pastries,pastries, cakes, seasonal and soup and sandwiches and a daily special served in stylish surroundings. sandwiches and a daily special served in stylish surrounding. Locally roasted coffee and quality loose leaf tea. Try our special afternoon tea, served in and thequality lounge from 2 to 4pm – bookings essential, Locally roasted coffee loose leaf tea. gift vouchers now available. Try our special afternoon tea, served in the lounge from 2.30 to 4pm – bookings essential, gift vouchers Now open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am now available.

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Ballater RHS

by Elizabeth Wilson

The days are now lengthening; however, the garden’s another story, covered with a blanket of hard frost as I write this, and snow is forecast! The debate re Autumn vs Spring pruning is an ongoing one. Does one cut everything down in Autumn or leave it till Spring in order to appreciate the beauty of the frost and snow on them? There’s nothing like sitting by a roaring fire of an evening browsing through the plant catalogues and dreaming of sunny days in the garden. Our entertaining Quiz Night in December had a first-rate turnout and was very much enjoyed by all. This was a fitting end to 2017, proving that with a lot of hard work, the Society continues to flourish in all that it does. Bruce Edelsten will entertain us on 5th March with an account of the setting up and running of the allotments in his home town of Cullen.

Brakeley Gift Room Whatever your budget you can find lots of great gifts and home furnishings at Brakeley Gift Room Free Candle with purchases of £15 and over on production of this voucher One per customer While stocks last 14 Bridge Street, Ballater (open 7 days) Tel: 07591 921 521 Wendy & David Cobban

Monday 2rd April hosts our Mini Bulb Show, which will be followed by Eric Jenson’s talk on “Alpines in the Tyrol”. We are delighted to welcome back Graeme Strachan on 14th May; his presentation will be, “Inverewe Gardens in the Spring”. Our annual outing, on Friday 6th July, will be a coach trip to St Andrew’s Botanic Garden. Our meetings are held in the Mike Sheridan Rooms in the Halls, Station Square, and start at 7.30pm. We have scrapped the £2 entry fee at the meetings, and now have two tiers of membership, viz., Full membership of £10 annually which includes entry to all meetings and covers exhibiting at the Annual Exhibition, and an Affiliated membership of £5 annually, which covers exhibiting at the Annual Exhibition: however, attendance at any meetings will incur a £3 charge. Visitors are most welcome to attend a single meeting at a cost of £3. Our annual Plant Sale takes place on Saturday 2nd June the Victoria Hall, 9.30am – 12 noon. Please contact Elizabeth Wilson, the Secretary, tel: 013397 55900 or email: eml_wilson@hotmail. com should you wish to sell raffle tickets or donate plants and home produce to this fund-raising event. August seems a long way off, however the Annual Exhibition & Flower Show on 18th and 19th August is available at the meetings or can be picked up from the Library, and A B Yule, Newsagents. Our website http://ballaterroyalhorticulturalsociety.weebly.com/ provides extensive information about the Society, the programme of speakers, the 2018 Show schedule and events past and, present along with a photographic record. Do look out for posters throughout the village giving further details and times of meetings. A cordial welcome is always given to those attending. Refreshments are served after each meeting so that everyone can have a blether. Your continued support is very much appreciated.

Photography Club by Cat Houston Over the chillier months, Ballater Photography Club enjoyed a series of winter talks in the Victoria and Albert Halls, including from wedding photographer Russell Hogg, the extensively travelled Andy Langton and former scene of crime detective Dale Johnson. This informal group meets once a month (usually third Wednesday) to share ideas on how to improve our pics. Kit is irrelevant (phone freaks and lens geeks equally welcome) and there are no competitions as such. Cost is £2 for hut sessions Andy Langton, with permission, ( w a r m e r www.andywlangton.com months) or donations on the door for speakers to cover venue hire. The schedule for spring/summer is included within the Eagle Diary. We have a Facebook group – Ballater Photography Club – which you are welcome to join or for more information you can email Tina at tinariddell@hotmail.com or call Cat on 013397 55243.

Lunch:12pm-2pm (inc. Sunday) Dinner: 5pm-9pm Clachan Grill Bar: 2pm-10pm Enjoy our 2 & 3 course Bar Menu from 5pm

Relaxed dining by the River Dee in a friendly, cosy atmosphere. *Private Dining available* Current opening days Monday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday Book now: 013397 55999 Email: enjoy.clachan@cranberryco.com

12 Ballater (RD) by John Burrows Is there anyone out there? I have made several attempts at writing this as I wanted to build on from David Horne’s last submission to the Eagle, to which he so kindly added my name. I want to engage with villagers to get some feedback on what they require from BRD and how they can get involved. David’s excellent article did have one individual step forward, and YES, actually want to join our merry band, - then silence. So are we shouting into a vacuum or asking the wrong questions? We have also had three organisations in the village making contact to develop their projects and we are pleased to advise we assisted each one: The Ballater Busy Bees, Monaltrie Park Toilet drain repair, and Build the Old Railway Station in Lego – so we wish them well and hope our support gets them on their way. I know that the Community Action Plan is presently reviewing how the community moves

forward, and I accept that possibly many are waiting to see what evolves from that. So while we await that, I thought I would go back to our Memorandum of Association. Don’t worry I don’t intend printing that, so don’t switch off if you have actually stayed awake this long. No, I thought I would point out that our raison d’etre is to benefit the community of Ballater, Crathie and Dinnet, which comprises a list of postal codes around AB35. The document then goes through a list of five subsections and an (a) to (z) list, of objectives. Now that is quite a big catch-all for our willing Board Members to do single-handedly and I am certain you don’t expect them to do that, especially as their average age is somewhat past 21! This is where you all come in. Look at the list opposite and see if you have an interest in any of the subject headings and might want to develop that interest but are unsure how you go about it or how to finance it. Then get in touch

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13 Recreation Facility Recreation Activity Environmental Protection

- new

Education

- renovate

Learning

- new

Training

- renovate

Skills Development

- provision

Social Inclusion

- maintenance

Art

- residents, - young, - old and - unemployed

Public Open Space Improvement

Culture

Other Public Amenities

Environmental Regeneration

so that we can try to move it forward. By the way, they tell me Rome wasn’t built in a day, so frustration is something to overcome, not submit to. Just look at our station – it is progressing! BRD through its Charitable Status is your local body developing your ideas and ensuring our fantastic village continues to flourish and be a place we are proud to say is progressive, caring and

giving a good quality of life. You will see from the list that the base is broad and quite inclusive and if you want to read our Memorandum of Association in full, then a visit to Park House (I suggest phone call first 013397 55467) and Gillian can make a copy available. Why not bring along a £1 and join BRD for life at the same time?

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Library Pages by Sabine Muir

Ongoing building work

Normal service has been somewhat disrupted by all the building work going on outside the Library. Work to put in the new paving stones has made it the noisiest library in the Shire recently. Parking has also been a problem for some people,

Library telephone: 01339 267700 making it harder to access the library. As the saying goes: ‘You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.’ Thank you for your patience. It’s going to look amazing eventually. Some of the under-fives who come to Book

Bug Story Time have been especially delighted with the diggers right outside the library. Little noses pressed against the window watching in wonder… so sweet. Luckily we have story books about diggers to prise them away from the window and further entertain them. In the meantime, we are all really looking forward to moving across to the old- err- new Royal Station building and hope that we’ll soon be able to provide the same service from our new library. There will be some inevitable changes for us, with staff working back to back and thus creating more staffed opening hours. I started working in Ballater Library twentyfive years ago in May. Things were very different then. We still used our wooden boxed filing system

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Craft Clubs

Bring in your Plastic Straws!

We are trying to remove plastic straws from Ballater, so if you have any lurking in your cupboards, (unused, please), please pop them into the library and we will exchange them The fascinating work going on outside the library. for paper straws. The craft club kids and there was not a computer in sight. Onwards will be turning them into beautiful objects of art and upwards! and jewellery.

Book Exchange

We have a book exchange every six weeks, when we send back stock which has been on the shelves for some time to be exchanged for ‘new to us’ stock. Pop in and have a look to see if there’s a book you’d like to read. Requests can be made online, using card borrower number and PIN. Please ask staff for help if you’re not sure how to do this.

New Venture: The One Card

The One Card pilot scheme allows library members across five local authorities and trusts in Scotland to use their library cards in any of the participating areas. No joining fee is required. Library members in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Highlife Highland, Angus Alive and Culture Perth & Kinross Libraries now have access to over 120 libraries, 1.6 million books and over 600PCs. They can also take advantage of free WiFi in local communities and attend events catering for all age groups using One Card. Members of the public can already access library services throughout Scotland but have to register for a Visitor’s Ticket first. One Card removes this barrier – allowing library members

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Ballater SWI by Aileen Barbour

We spent a fun evening on 15th November creating a card of our own choice. Mr Ian

Ritchie was invited to come along and judge our two competitions: “Best Card made tonight” 1–Jenna Florence, 2–Jan Williams, 3–Frances Johnstone, 4–Gwenneth Fowler. Mar y McPherson Quaich “Painted Decorated Flower Pot” 1–Gwenneth Fowler, 2–Jan Williams, 3–Frances Johnstone, 4–Margaret Finnie. In December we had our Christmas Meal at the Glenaden Hotel. Afterwards, Santa made a surprise visit just in time for the raffle when we each received a gift. A most enjoyable evening. Our Januar y meeting had the theme of a Scottish Evening. Sheila Rumbles

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and the Ballater Songsters sang a selection of Scottish songs including a trio with Sheila, Ann and Thelma followed with a duet by Sheila and Ann. Ann and Margaret then each recited a poem, Diane played a medley of Scottish tunes on the pipes and Sheena gave us a quiz. The competition “Item in Tartan (any craft)” was judged by Carol Purves and Linda Corsey. 1–Gwenneth Fowler, 2–Frances Johnstone, 3–Margaret Finnie, 4–Thelma Cooper. For our tea we carried on the Scottish theme with oatcakes & cheese, pancakes, clootie dumpling and shortbread. On January 5th, HRH The Duchess of Rothesay joined the members of Ballater SWI

HRH The Duchess of Rothesay attends the Ballater SWI 85th Birthday celebrations

to celebrate their 85th Birthday. The Duchess cut the birthday cake before looking at some craft work produced by members, then she chatted to everyone present.

GLEN LUI HOTEL Relaxation with a View. Lunches served 12 - 2.00 p.m. Dinners 6p.m. - 9p.m. Booking advisable to avoid disappointment.

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Large Groups and Celebration Dinners welcome.

The Douneside Health Club, at Tarland, near Aboyne offers a range of excellent facilities. These include a 12.5 metre swimming pool, sauna and steam room, state-of-the-art gymnasium, games room and all weather tennis court. In addition, there is an extensive range of fitness classes, all run by our team of fully qualified personal instructors.

For details of the different membership options available please contact healthclub@dounesidehouse.co.uk or call us on 013398 81030

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Ballater & Crathie C. C. by Anne Reid

We’ve had a busy time recently. Last summer we unofficially took over the newly refurbished toilet block at Monaltrie Park. No sooner was it opened, than it was closed again due to the age old problem with drains. We got the problem fixed and it happened again. The drains, by the time you read this will have been totally renewed and hopefully the problem won’t happen again. Also by the time you read this we will officially have taken them over on behalf of the community. This winter we have had severe problems with ice. The council told us we could request bins for various locations around the village. I posted a request on our Facebook page asking for locations and I got a great response from residents. The council response wasn’t so great. The only bin we were granted was next to the Station and it is only to be there while works are ongoing. We have been told however, that if we wish to have ‘snow wardens’ within the village we can do so. This involves volunteers gritting the pavements

from grit in the grit bins. Did I miss something? I will be meeting with Cllr. Gibb and the Marr Roads engineer to try and resolve this. Our Facebook page article (by Fiona Presslie) with regard to the colours for the Old Station received nearly 18000 views. The overwhelming response was for ‘Eau de Nil’ (green) with only approx. 20 people commenting for the cream and red. We held an open interim meeting on 24th January in the Mike Sheridan Room on the subject of the resubmission of plans for the Old School. None of the objections were withdrawn and BCCC were asked by CNPA for our response. We lodged another objection on 30th January to CNPA on behalf of the whole community. There was a Facebook article for anyone who was not a nearby resident of the Old School to make comments. It’s looking to be a busy year for Community Council. Hopefully I’ll be reporting some good news for the next issue.

Ballater Charitable Chiels by Scott Fraser

members, Alan Mitchell, on the voltage usage of the Christmas lights that we refurbish and erect annually. It was also recorded that we had distributed funds in excess of £36,000 in the year but had only raised £32,000. Our end of year Fancy Dress Disco which was in aid of the School Nursery’s proposed new play area turned into another epic night out with the “Feels of the Chiels” turning out in corset and frills as a Can Can dance troupe. £670 was raised on the night which we made up to £1000 before requesting a further £3000 from our Enhancement fund. Our Stewarding of the Little Masons March ended off our year successfully with an encouraging turn out. 2018 kicks off with a 70th Birthday Bash for an Honorary Chiel, Osgood Bain. Osgood Badges Magnets Mirrors has transported the Chiels all Fun & Custom Group over the country for our fundSeasonal Orders Discounts raising endeavours. Gifts Taken /Bulk Look out for us this year as www.ballaterbadger.co.uk we are in the process of finalising plans for a Top Gear style 013397 55243 Find me on Challenge including, runners, cyclists, public transport, vintage vehicles. You could very well see Chiels on the land, in Design and Print for the Small Business the water, and in the air. Raising funds while raising smiles!!

Fitlike Folks? Happy New Year to you all! At our AGM on Friday 19th January, all officers stayed the same - Chairman John Sinclair, Vice Chairman Robert Sinclair, Secretary Neil Henderson, Treasurer Andrew Thain, and I’m still in as Press. If you want to get in touch, you can try the Secretary, Neil Henderson by email at angela66@btconnect.com or myself, ardmeanach1@yahoo.co.uk or look for us on Facebook. The AGM was fortunate to receive an in depth presentation by one of our own

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“Spring�me is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn. “ Lewis Grizzard

Ballater Clinic

by Marie Mitchell – Practice Manager Ballater Clinic Online GP Appointments We now have a new online service that will allow you to view, book and cancel your GP appointments. You must complete a registration form first and then an account will be created for you to access appointments online. If you have already signed up for our online repeat prescription service you will automatically now have access to online appointments too. Pop into the clinic or telephone 55686 to discuss. Public Holiday Closures Ballater Clinic will be closed on the following public holidays: Easter Monday - 2nd April 2018 May Day Holiday - 7th May 2018

If you require urgent medical attention during these closure dates please call

NHS 24 on 111.

Please ensure you re-order any of your usual repeat medication in plenty of time prior to these dates.

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Glenmuick Kirk Disabled Access by Bell Macaulay

For several years, the Kirk Session has been discussing the ways of upgrading the toilet facilities to allow disabled access to the church, and following recommendations from Aberdeenshire Council, it was decided to go ahead with the work. A new granite ramp will also be created. Planning has taken almost a year as it is a Historic Environment Scotland Listed Building. All consents have now been granted, and tenders will shortly be sought. To date, financial assistance offered will cover half the cost. Donor names beELEVATION listed on a board at the upgraded entrance. NORTHwill WEST SOUTH WEST ELEVATION 2527

1500

1 in 13 Ramp

2526

300

1 in 13 Ramp

ORGAN HALL

ACCESS. W.C SANCTUARY

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900mm

HALL / VESTRY

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1500

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1500

1 in 13 Ramp

2526

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NORTH WEST ELEVATION

PART GROUND FLOOR PLAN

RAILING DETAIL 1:10 ORGAN HALL

Monday Morning Café at Crathie ACCESS. W.C

SANCTUARY

SVP

HALL / VESTRY

After 11 happy years I, and some of the volunteers, have decided to ﬁnally hang up our aprons! We wish to say a huge THANKYOU to all who have supported us in many ways over the years, You have helped PART GROUND FLOOR PLAN to raise over £30.000 and we will always treasure the friendships that have been made along the way. D1

With heartfelt thanks Elaine Beckwith

Ballater Films by Ade Scripps ‘Tis all speed ahead here at Ballater Films, and by the time you read this we should be two films down. We had to shoehorn people into Victoria and Abdul, which was a great success and we teamed up the new Ballater Playpark Improvement Volunteers Group to bring Peppa Pig to the teeny masses in February. Murder on the Orient Express should be our March film; hopefully we may build an event around that – fancy dress, anyone? In the pipeline, we have Paddington 2 on April 21st, then in May Star Wars: The Last Jedi following the now legendary May The Fourth Quiz in the Deeside Inn. We did a quick poll during January’s event and The Darkest Hour, The Greatest Showman and All the Money in the World seemed very popular, so we’ll squeeze those in somewhere in the summer/autumn when they become available. The Halls have all sorts of exciting plans and

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funding to upgrade some of the facilities, so once we work out how it all works and where it goes you should see improvements roll out through the year. Film Hub Scotland has undergone some reorganisation and should be up and running again soon, which hopefully should lead to some more support and future joint projects with other local cinemas/film clubs. Last year we raised around £3,000 for local groups by running film events with them, so if you see a future film coming up that you think would fit in with your cause, or have a favourite film you want to see again, let us know. Alongside donations, Ballater Films is also funded through the adverts we show before the films. We have nearly enough for the year but if you want to be on Ballater’s biggest advertising space, let us know. We are in the process of redoing our information trailer, using our cinemagoers, so you could be on the big screen too...

Ballater Enhancement Group

The Group has been going since 2003. It was set up primarily to buy Christmas lights for the village. Over the years the number of members has fallen but the Christmas tree and lights still go up, the 12 days of Christmas draw still goes ahead and the hanging baskets along the main street still get planted and watered over summer. There are a lot of people to thank every year. This is how it all works! The Christmas lights are maintained and hung by the Charitable Chiels. George Bruce stores them and the pipe band allows the little elves to work in the warmth of the pipe and hut. Lifting equipment comes courtesy of Peter Downie and Jack Lanigan. The Christmas tree is donated and delivered from Dinnet Estate by Edward Humphrey and with help, gets put in place by Robert Thomson (Tober) and Sandy Morrison (Mo) and some other little elves. 2017 saw them having to put up the tree twice after it sadly was vandalised. The tree goes up in good time for the ‘big’ light switch on (the last Sat in November). Santa, the pipe band and the children from Ballater primary school march from the pipe band

by Anne Reid

hut, switching on the lights as they go through the village, ending up at the Christmas tree. The 12 days of Christmas draw takes place from 1st-12th Dec. It was particularly successful in 2017 - so much so that we couldn’t phone residents with their numbers! A huge thanks to Alistair and Margaret Cassie who take in forms, help with the draw and display winners’ names. The hanging baskets displayed during summer on lamp posts are the work of the Enhancement Group. The plants are given by Aberdeenshire Council, planted up and again the Charitable Chiels hang them up and take them down for us. A big thank you to Sheila Reid, Sheena Kerr and Kathleen McKay who have now hung up their gardening gloves but planted the baskets for a great many years.

The council has approached us about taking on the 2 hanging basket poles – one on the Church Green and one opposite Riverside Garage. This would add an additional 24 planters to our current 18 lamp post planters. It is thanks to volunteers that all this gets done. However, we need more volunteers to help. If you think you can give up a little of your time please get in touch with either Pat Downie 55725 or Anne Reid 53746.

Eagle Calendar for 2019

THE McEWAN GALLERY

You liked our calendar! We’re really chuffed! So pleased, in fact, that we’ve decided to do it all again and produce another Ballater and Crathie Eagle Calendar for 2019. But we can’t do it without you; your pictures of life and times in our community and around our beautiful locality, together with wise words from your local heroes and their heroes is what makes our calendar OUR calendar. We’re looking for high resolution (good quality) photographs, quotes, short poems…and even ‘overheards’ that tickle your funny bone, strike a chord or offer pearls of wisdom. And we’re asking you to start now, to allow you to get out and capture the essence of the changing months and seasons. Closing date for all submissions will be August 31st. Please send your entries to ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com or drop paper copies of your words into the library, marking your envelope—and emails—‘Eagle Calendar 2019’. Don’t forget to tell us the title or location of your picture and the name of the photographer or author— and if your club or organisation is planning a big event or open day for 2019, make sure you let us know! A 1

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Friday

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Thu

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Tel: 013397 55119

Lego Club/ Old Royal Station Project

Saying “thank you” in lego—of course!

Ballater Lego Club has started work on building a Lego replica of the village’s Old Royal Station, which it hopes to complete in time for the reopening of the real building later this year. The after-school club formed in November last year and is based at Ballater School on By appointment to HM The Queen Chemists

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Tuesday afternoons. It is open to pupils from P4-7 and is run by volunteers. As well as taking on challenges, games and free play, the pupils expressed a wish to work on a larger project and also a local one, so the Station seemed an obvious choice. With generous donations from Johnston Oil’s BRD Fund and Ballater School Parent Council, a number of bricks have been bought and construction work commenced. A visit from architect and Lego fan Craig Allison of Ian Rodger Architects was invaluable in showing the children how to convert paper plans into standing structures. More bricks will need to be bought soon to continue and complete the project and the group is considering a “buy-a-brick” crowdfunding venture to help make this happen. Look out for details locally. If you want to see their progress in the meantime, the group has a Facebook page – Ballater Lego Club. Want to volunteer to help and get to play with Lego for 90mins on a Tuesday afternoon? Visit the page or email catrionahouston@ yahoo.co.uk

28th April 26th May 23rd June

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Ballater Victoria Week

Hopefully by the time you are reading this in March, we’ll have a clearer idea of what’s happening, but as I’m writing this at the end of January, there are many things to sort out. Basically we need a lot of new recruits. To try and make things simpler, we hope to put together three teams... Team Sunday will cover the fayre, parade, cartie race, events, licences, road permits, marshals, road closures and signs. There’s a lot of running around for this team on the day. We really need someone prepared to look after the entry list and send out the invitations for the parade. Some keen cartie fans too, to lay out a heart-stopping, wheel-swerving track would be very welcome. For those not so keen on running around, or who can’t make it to the event, there’s a lot of lovely forms to fill in… Team Publicity and Fundraising will cover

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Facebook/other social media, the website, posters, brochure, sponsorship, photography and fundraising. With Cat Houston stepping down from her role, we have a lot of jobs that need doing throughout the year. A lot of it can be done online so it would suit a small team of folk, some of whom don’t even need to attend the event. We crucially need some chatty folk who can maintain our website and social media output. The brochure is a daunting task and will need hours put in between Easter and June, but we have a format, and can help. Cat has learnt a lot from her experience, and being involved helped her develop her business, so anyone thinking of setting out on a new multimedia path, this would be ideal training ground. Team Everything Else will cover smaller events, halls bookings, bars, box office and… The Duck Race(s). There were about 60 events over Victoria Week’s 10 days last year. Many of them were put together by individuals, small groups, or other organisations which already hosted events that just needed to be coordinated into the programme. If you fancy running an event or want to raise funds for your group or to publicise something, this is the team to join. If admin or meeting people is your bag, then box office or bars could be your niche. If you want to join the BVW team/s you can contact us through Facebook or info@ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk or have a word with a committee member. We know you are all busy with life, and during Ballater Victoria Week especially, there’s so much to do! You don’t need to attend meetings... all you need is an inkling of “I can do that” or “I really would like to see”… Join a team and we’ll see where it goes.

Ballater Duck Festival by Carol Vermeulen The Giant Inflatable Ducks will be back racing on the River Dee in Ballater this year on Sunday 3rd June when the Ballater Duck Festival will once again send the village quackers. In the village centre there will be a variety of charity, craft and trade stalls, food and games, and entertainments throughout the day. The highlight will be the Duck Race, on which you can have a wee flutter! All monies raised are ploughed back into the community. The event grew out of a desire to help Ballater in the aftermath of the terrible flooding on 30th December 2015, and to allow some of the then flooded out businesses an avenue to reconnect with their customers and to show that Ballater was still open for business. Now in its third year, the Duck Festival has become an annual event celebrating the spirit of Ballater, and encouraging visitors into the village whilst raising funds which are distributed locally. The committee are always on the lookout for more people to help with the event, and anyone in Ballater interested can contact John Burrows (53244) or Ron Drever (56224) or email ballaterduckfestival@ hotmail.com, as should anyone who would like to have one of the stalls. For the latest update on advertising and sponsorship please contact the Ducks on the email address above. You can also check out and like our Facebook page Ballater Duck Festival.

Photo by Westhill Photography Club

“What exactly is the func�on of a rubber duck?” Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

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30 Buttony Bear - A Ballater Project

BRHS Floral Art Group present their cheque

Buttony is a bear that we adapt to have a stoma and pouch and the bears are donated to children undergoing bowel/bladder surgery throughout the UK. Buttony gives the child a ‘friend like them’. The bears are donated direct to families through our Buttony Bears Facebook page and a network of paediatric stoma nurses. The project exists thanks to sponsorship and once again the local community has been a huge support with a number of festive donations. Our thanks go to the Ballater Royal Horticultural Society Floral Art Group who held a Charity Evening in aid of Buttony. John McDonald, SAFAS Demonstrator and florist at

...and Buttony Makes it Big on the Big Screen! In January 2017, Eilidh Gow, the inspiration for the Buttony Bear Project, won funding to create a five minute documentary on Buttony. Eilidh had her first stoma at the age of three and has endured challenging health throughout her life. She is a determined young woman who is keen to ensure her poor health doesn’t define or limit her, and through her creative work on this project, she has raised awareness for children who grow up with a stoma. Creating the documentary involved filming at the workshop in Canterbury where the bears are made, in Ballater where we adapt them, and finally in Glasgow with one of the children who has received a bear. The film was screened in Glasgow by FIND Scotland who funded it along with Creative Scotland. In June, it had its first festival screening at the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness as part of XPO North, Scotland’s leading creative industries festival. Seeing it on the big screen was fantastic and Eilidh enjoyed the experience as did we all. In November Eilidh got the news that the film had been shortlisted in the Scottish Youth Film Festival in Glasgow. We went along to Kelvin Hall for the award ceremony where all the shortlisted films were screened. It was a fantastic evening and we were thrilled we could all be there to see Eilidh’s film win Best Documentary and Best Film of the competition. Perhaps after the festival run we might be able to screen it in Ballater...

- by Jenny Gow the Gleneagles Hotel provided a great evening of entertainment. An amazing £500 was raised and we’d like to thank the many people involved in the evening. 17 Buttony friends will be sponsored by this donation.

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We were fortunate to be the chosen charity of this year’s Festive Boules Competitions held Christmas Week and again New Year’s Week. An extremely generous £705 was raised sponsoring 25 more Buttony Bears. These two donations will fund a whole month of bear dispatches. Thanks to all involved and a special mention for Gillian Smith who dressed up in our costume in the freezing weather. By the time the Eagle goes to print we will have passed 1600 bears and will be looking forward to the third anniversar y of the launch of the project on the 1st of May.

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Tel. 013397 - 55134 24 Golf Rd Ballater AB35 5RE

A new play park for Ballater? The recent Community Action Plan consultation highlighted, among many other things, a need to upgrade Ballater’s playpark provision. Consequently, a new group of parents, carers and other interested parties has formed to look at the options and possibilities, identify what people want and follow the processes necessary to make it happen. So far members of the group have taken an afternoon trip to Aboyne’s playpark to check out the facilities there and meet Sarah Brown, who took on the job of upgrading it a few years ago. More visits outwith the area are planned, with details to be arranged. Pupils from Ballater Primary School were asked to take part in a homework activity to draw their Dream Playpark for Ballater. Some of the results of that can be seen opposite, while all 80 of them will be on display at a special consultation event in the Victoria Hall, Ballater, on Sunday March 25th, 12-4pm to ask the wider community what they think of any suggested sites and invite them to share other ideas. There will also be plenty of play equipment catalogues to peruse, refreshments and a kids’ corner to keep wee ones amused. Fundraising started in February with a very popular Peppa Pig movie event in the V&A Halls, and there is sure to be much more to be done in future. If you’d like to stay up-to-date with developments, you can see the group’s Facebook page Improving Playpark Facilities for Ballater, join the volunteers’ Facebook group at Ballater Playpark Improvement Volunteers or email ballaterplaypark@hotmail.com to join the emailing list. Words: Cat Houston Layout: Lizzie Scripps

Photos: Byron Brandie

ballater primary PUPILS WERE ASKED to design THEIR DREAM play park FOR BALLATER. tHEIR IDEAS rANGED FROM HELTER SKELTERS TO DRY SKI SLOPES AND HOT TUBS TO REAL UNICORN GARDENS! hERE ARE SOME OF THEIR GREAT DESIGNS...

mAX, 11

Ava, 11

poppy, 11

Liah, 9

bRUNO, 9

Rowan F, 8

lEYTON, 9

Ryah, 8

RANOLPH, 11

nathan, 10

cALLUM, 7

islay, 10

Crathie School News Day of Dance To celebrate Burns day we took part in Scottish Dancing at Lonach Hall in Strathdon. We danced with Strathdon, Lumsden and Towie Schools. We danced the Canadian Barn Dance, Gay Gordons, Virginia Reel, Dashing White Sergant, Military Two Step and Strip the Willow. We made lots of new friends.

Space

Crathie School’s topic for this term is space. So far we have been learning about the Moon, Earth, Sun, orbits and also the Moon phases. One of our favourite activities of what we’ve been learning is when we created papier mache planets. We made all eight planets. They were all different sizes such as Jupiter which is very big and Mercur y which is very small.

Making planets...it was messy work!

We wore jackets to show how cold some planets are. Measuring the distances of planets from the sun.

New Teacher

In January, Crathie School got a new teacher called Mr Clark. We have never had a man teacher before however we’ve been doing a lot of art and a lot of fitness with him such as Jump Start Johnny yoga. Mr Clark used to teach at Kintore and also in France and Germany.

Crathie Opportunity Holidays by Lesley Davidson

It is now 15 years since the cottages were opened and the last few months have been a time of outreach and fundraising to both spread the word about the cottages and help fund the ongoing refurbishment works. In early October, Maggie and I ventured to the vast Exhibition Centre in Glasgow where we had taken a small stand to advertise the cottages at the Independent Living Exhibition. This was a really worthwhile foray into the unknown. We met many potential guests, like minded exhibitors and suppliers and were able to spread the word about the facilities at Crathie. Our Golf Day at Balmoral in late October is our annual major fundraising event. Despite indifferent weather the golfers enjoyed their day. We are so fortunate with the loyal support of golfers, organisers and friends, and the generous sponsorship.

In early December we held a Fundraising Lunch at Balmoral in celebration of our 15 year anniversary. This was a great success with an excellent lunch provided by Country Flavours of Alford and a wonderful speaker in Maureen Kelly who talked very appropriately on Highland Hospitality. The funds raised this past year will be put to good use in general upgrading and refurbishment to keep up the standard of the cottages. Our volunteers are the backbone of the organisation keeping the garden in good shape and helping with coffee mornings for guests. If you would like to be a volunteer and join the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Friendsâ&#x20AC;?, please call Maggie MacKay on 013397 42100 for information. You will be most welcome and your talents will be put to good use. Best wishes for 2018 to all our volunteers, helpers and to the very supportive local community.

Ballater Highland Games Local Rule, by Ron Drever

The Games Committee feel it necessary to clarify who is entitled to compete for local prizes at Ballater Highland Games, bearing in mind that our local competitions have always been intended to encourage local people to participate in the Games. For many years, our rules stated that a competitor for a local prize must be: (a) a native of any of the parishes of Crathie, Glenmuick (which includes Ballater), Tullich and Glengairn, Logie Coldstone or Tarland; or (b) a resident for at least a year in any of the above parishes; or (c) eligible for local events at any of the Kindred Gatherings (i.e. Aboyne, Lonach or Braemar Games) in the current competing year. A few years ago, Aboyne Games enlarged its geographic eligibility requirements for their local events, which also had a significant effect on the Ballater Games due to (c) above. As we had no desire to similarly enlarge our own geographic eligibility requirement, a rule change became necessary, but it has taken some time to make

the change which appeared in the 2017 Rules. The relevant rule above was changed in 2017 to: â&#x20AC;&#x153;eligible for local events at the Aboyne, Lonach or Braemar Games in the current competing year, providing the competitor is residing that year within ten miles of the respective Games Field gateâ&#x20AC;?. The map below shows that 10 mile radius from each of the other Games. The Games Committee has of course the power to make alterations to the Rules as they find necessary. We confirm that the eligibility change will continue to be effective from now on. We appreciate that some who have in recent years competed in local events will no longer be eligible for such events, but we hope to welcome them to compete in our open events. If any more information is required, please email: info@ballaterhighlandgames.com We trust this clarification will ensure there is no requirement for any debate about eligibility on Games Day, when cooperation from everyone would be much appreciated.

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CNPA

by Grant Moir, CEO, CNPA I can’t believe we’re already in March, it seems like five minutes ago we were celebrating the start of a New Year with all our resolutions to be more active on a daily basis or to try environmental volunteering – all of which can be done here in the Cairngorms National Park. Of course, now we’re already three months into 2018, this means that the time to make your views known on the Main Issues Report (MIR) has been and gone, with the deadline for comments being 2nd March. Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond or attend one of the many drop-in events we had. The views gathered during the MIR consultation will help inform the preparation of the next Local Development Plan (LDP). The LDP is the starting point in making any planning decisions – it sets out how places should change or stay the same and the best location for new

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homes, businesses, public services and so on. It is expected that the Proposed Cairngorms National Park LDP 2020 will be published for public comment this September – which means a busy time ahead, with September also being the month for the prestigious EUROPARC conference. This is a major coup for the Cairngorms National Park. We have been selected from 37 member countries to host the 2018 EUROPARC conference and we look forward to welcoming around 300 delegates from across Europe to this spectacular area. This year’s theme is ‘European Parks: Inspired by the Next Generation’ and with 2018 designated as the ‘Year of Young People’ in Scotland, it makes the Cairngorms a fitting place to host the event. The conference takes place from 18th – 21st September with delegates gathering in Aviemore but with many excursions planned which will take participants to all corners of the Cairngorms National Park. Oh, and how could I forget, Wee Walks Walk is also back for another stint in September from the 3rd – 9th and we hope as many of you as possible will get out there and enjoy being active in the National Park. A bit sooner than all of that though, we have the Cairngorms Nature Big Weekend to look forward to on the 11th and 12th May and we’re hoping that this summer will see the completion of our office extension in Grantown-on-Spey. I’m also very much looking forward to the re-opening of the Old Royal Station in Ballater, complete with new-look visitor information centre. And finally… Did you know that the Cairngorms National Park is now 15 years old? Only 15 – yet the only National Park in the UK to have been awarded the European Charter for Tourism in Protected Areas three times! I don’t think that’s too bad for a youngster!

Cairngorms Nature BIG Weekend by Charlotte Milburn The Cairngorms Nature BIG Weekend 1113 May is a celebration of the fantastic wildlife of our National Park. With over 50 activities taking place across the Park there will be something for everyone, from families to the more seasoned nature lover. This year, Braemar will be the focus of many activities, with family-friendly childorientated activities over the weekend as well as nature spectacular events to educate and inspire! Events fall into three main categories: Family Fun: Open your children’s minds to the wonder of the Cairngorms! We have it all from wee beasties to magnificent hunters, and Neolithic fire to woolly woods. These events are particularly designed with families in mind. Nature Lovers: Immerse yourself in a unique nature experience in the company of a Cairngorms expert. There will be opportunities to get close to some amazing species and go ‘behind the scenes’ with the people who live and work in the Park.

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More suitable for adults and older children/teens. Get involved: Give something back to the Cairngorms as you Get Involved with one Fergus Thom makes a of our volunteerdiscovery ing events. It’s immensely satisfying to offer your time to vital conservation work, you’ll have fun, meet new people and know you have made a real difference. (Note—volunteering events have restrictions on ability depending on the project being worked on.) The full programme will be launched at the end of March and you can keep up to date with all the news at facebook.co.uk/cairngormsnature or at www.cairngorms.co.uk/big-weekend.

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Ballater Walking Festival

Celebrates 20 Years by John Burrows

Photo by Gordon Riddler

It is with great pleasure that we are looking forward to a special week between 19th and 25th May. Then we welcome friends old and new to join us on the 18 walks into our amazing countryside and celebrate 20 years since a band of enthusiastic members of BRD and their partners started the project with walks lead by volunteers from the community. “Signing in” was in the old Monaltrie Hotel (now the block of flats), the welcome supper was supplied by volunteer ladies and Mountain Rescue supplied leaders for the more demanding walks. Bill Houston has written a full background for the Festival brochure and we have been able to identify our convenors from Alex Copland back in 1998 to the present day with photographs and dates of their involvement. This document has been designed to be both informative and collectable. Our belief that the hills are for enjoyment for young and old has made us consider those less fortunate, and as such we have adopted the Aberdeenshire Charity “Befriend a Child”, as they have as a core belief that disadvantaged children often need some escapes into a fantasy world for a

few hours. The hills around Ballater are certainly fantastic and the Deeside villages equally match that description, so we hope to raise some monies for this group which has no major benefactors. The brochures are now in the Library and numerous B&Bs, Hotels and retail outlets as well as being on the Ballater Walking Festival website www.walkballater.com Our program this year has a mixture of Challenging walks lead by the usual Ballater Walkers, Rangers and Emma O’Shea our professional leader, with Medium and Less Challenging walks lead by Rangers and some locals. We are resurrecting an old favourite from Linn o’ Dee to Blair Atholl which, whilst not reaching Munro heights, does take us through some amazing country. This walk covers 23 miles, and is estimated to take 11 hours, with dinner being on offer at our destination. Hopefully, not too many participants will fall asleep into their soup! Helpers and potential Leaders are always welcome and we ask that anyone interested in getting involved for future years please make themselves known to the writer. Unfortunately, by the time this Eagle is in print, the initial meeting allocating roles for 2018 will have taken place on the 1st March. The entertainment for the week is still being finalised as I write this article but we can confirm that we are reverting to the favoured dinner mid-week. We hope to have the quiz, so popular with our walkers over the years, and are pleased to announce that Cameron McNeish, who was on BBC2 over the Christmas Festivities, will be giving a talk which will be supported by a Book Signing. Look out for more information in Deeside Books. The old favourites along with a few new ideas are scheduled in, along with the Ceilidh to close our week with our Pipe Band yet again piping us out, which remains a favoured event for visitors, regardless of the number of times they have been.

Eagle Cub Reporters

Allan Milne Joiners

by Cat Houston

! 25!

Budding in £ writers, prick up !!W your ears and pick up your pens (or keyboard/pad)… What would you do with £25 all to yourself? Here at the Eagle, we want to encourage younger people to be involved in their community magazine. We have a number of Eagle Cub Reporters and Photographers we can call on, and we get lots of lovely artwork from the primary schools, but we’d always like to hear from more of you. And we’ve decided bribery is the way to go. Thanks to donations from Ballater School Parent Council and from our own funds, we have two £25 cash prizes (one for primary pupils, one for those of secondary age), up for grabs for the next four issues, starting with Summer 2018. We may set themes in the future but submissions for the summer issue can be about anything you like. You could tell us about a wonderful trip you had, locally or abroad, or any unusual hobbies you do in your spare time. Perhaps you’re really passionate about a particular cause, or want to improve things for people your age on a local or wider level. You could interview a local celebrity… Previous Cub Reporters are welcome to take part too. We would prefer entries typed via email, rather than handwritten, no more than 400 words (it can be less), and you should email them to ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com by the deadline of May 1st. We are also searching for secondary age pupils willing to act as Junior Editors and help decide which articles should be chosen to be published in the Eagle. Interested? Get in touch at the email above, or you can find us on Facebook. Ready? Go!

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A walk nearly in the Park

by Katrina A Farquhar

Happy New Year to all Eagle readers. I wish you many interesting walks for 2018. I have ventured to Aboyne for this walk, technically not in The Cairngorms National Park, however, you can see some very nice views of the Park from the walk. The best place to drive to and park your car safely is on the Aboyne Bridge as you head across to the South Deeside Road, just at the notice board – as long as you give enough room for vehicles to pass safely. After leaving the car, head onto the South Deeside Road and you will see a green sign in front of you “Public Footpath by The Fungle to Tarfside 12mls”. Don’t panic we aren’t actually going to do twelve miles! Follow the sign and walk along the tarmac road to your right. As you follow the road round a corner you will see a track heading up to your left, follow this track up the hill – it is quite steep so please watch your step as it can sometimes be a wee bit wet. You will pass some houses built on the side of this slope and once you get to the top, the road splits, just go straight on and follow this track. It narrows until you arrive at a wooden bridge with metal railings, go over this bridge and take the left hand track. You will see another green sign providing some information about the Fungle road. Historically,

Birsemore Loch by Katrina A Farquhar

this was a drovers’ road in the 18th and 19th century, used to take cattle and sheep south to market by Birse Castle and Tarfside in Glen Esk. However, it was renowned for being very dangerous due to the Caterans (cattle thieves) hiding ready to steal animals from the herds. This path is a steady climb up the hill between Birsemore and Craigendinnie. You will pass a road leading to the right but just stay on the left hand track. As you climb you will arrive at a small clearing with a nice granite built seating area which at one time would have been a great viewing point down into Aboyne, but unfortunately the view is now blocked by a plantation of conifers. If you look carefully at the two stones as you enter the seating area you can read inscriptions; on the first stone the dates are 1800 and 1900, “O ye mountains, O ye water, Praise ye the Lord; the second one “rest and be thankful”. These were probably some of William Cunliffe Brooks, owner of Glen Tanar Estate in the late 1800s. He placed numerous stones around the area with curious inscriptions, many of which make playful references to his name or celebrate the virtues of drinking water rather than alcohol! After recovering from the uphill climb, set off on the path again and shortly you will arrive at a junction with various options. You will see a cottage on the right, it is called “The Guard” and I can only say let your imagination run wild for a reason why it is called this! If you want to go to Tarfside go straight on but for our walk, turn left and follow quite a narrow track but evidently well used. You will pass a wee pond on your right and as you start

descending you will pass an arc-shaped building which looks like an old water well. Follow this forest track down and you see evidence of some wonderful old stone dykes. Eventually you come onto the Birse road. You can, if you wish, follow it down onto the South Deeside Road but I decided to explore a path to the left just before Praesmhor Home entrance on the right. Follow this path and through the trees you can see a small loch. You will come to a gate, pass through this gate and when you come onto a Land Rover track, for some reason you will find yourself at the wrong side of the fence! Squeeze through the iron fence and continue along the path as it meanders alongside Birsemore Loch. When you get to the end you can carry on all round the loch, but I followed the path down to the left and through the woods, this takes you into a small field and if you walk through the field it leads onto the South Deeside road. Turn left when you reach the road and walk a short distance, round a corner, and you are back at the bridge and your car. Enjoy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and if you prefer an easier climb, it is easier the other way around.

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Pottering About...

Winter is loosening its grip! I have been enjoying the gradually increasing daylight and the occasional warm-ish days and am looking forward to even longer, warmer days, the fresh spring green of new growth, spring flowers and the general feeling of optimism at having survived another winter. As flood recovery is clearly still not yet complete such optimism may be misplaced. I do hope we will be fully recovered by summer. We haven’t done too badly on the winter weather though. Mind you I’m writing this in January! A while ago I was astounded that whilst we had a mere sprinkling of snow, over the hill on Speyside they had well over a foot of it. The few weeks of bitter icy cold was rather horrible though as I slowly and gingerly walked the ice rinks of pavements with my arms nervously out to balance the inevitable occasional gut-wrenching slide of foot. As I age I have become far more aware, and nervous, about possibly falling - despite having great thick padding on my hips as my post-menopausal body seems to just want to be spherical. (Not my joke, but Bill Bryson’s.) I hope any of you who did break bones are recovering well for the spring and summer. One surprisingly extremely snowy evening I battled the deepening white stuff for the short distance to the Fire Station for CPR/Defib training. It was a really useful, interesting and at times delightfully amusing couple of hours. I’d done a bit on CPR in First Aid courses but it was really useful to focus, with others, on this easily learnt skill which can be an absolute lifesaver. Additionally we now have more understanding of how the community defibrillators work. Thank you to all who gave up their time to update skills, for making me laugh and for your patience with my arthritic knees being too winter sore to kneel for long. If you haven’t done this training I highly recommend it. The particularly cold snaps meant that I raced through my wood and compressed sawdust logs feeding the beast that seems always hungry: my only form of heat, the woodburner. I could burn

coke in the stove but do my best to minimise my use of carbon fuels. Although my Grandmother’s adage that wood warms you twice - or even thrice! - is patently correct, it does become rather a mission in the winter months to barrow, stack, fill bags and lug them upstairs. Thank goodness for the kindness of friends,family—and a passing neighbour recently—who help with deliveries. I couldn’t do it without you and I hugely appreciate your cheerful assistance. Winter, of course, is prime bug and virus time. Generally I manage really well in ducking the wee blighters, especially now my children are adults and not bringing home a myriad of illnesses that can spread so quickly in school and on public transport. I put some of my seeming immunity down to my love of garlic, cooked and raw. Gone are the 1970’s days of wiping a salad bowl with a tiny cut garlic clove! Now it’s bunging in a few cloves finely chopped. But mid-December I started feeling off colour, lost my appetite and developed a minor cough. When I couldn’t manage to walk up and downstairs the realisation dawned that I needed help. Being loath to take my bugs to the surgery to share I called for advice and was told to come in to see the lovely Dr Jenny. I’d heard good things about her but we had never met. My eldest managed to leave work early to take me - many thanks to her colleagues. Dr Jenny was indeed as kind and straightforward as I had heard, and diagnosed a nasty chest infection. Thank goodness for antibiotics when you need them! It took a few days to feel better and be able to bring wood in again and nearly a month to be back to normal. Generally I eschew normality as I feel it’s nothing to aspire to, but now am hoping for as many long months of good health as I’d had before December. Garlic toast anyone? My bus pass is getting good use and is particularly helpful in getting to the Central Belt to save driving over Glenshee in the short, weather challenged winter days. In late November I’d had a scare near the top of the Lecht when I had an

by Stella Potter altercation with a snowdrift. A very kind man in a Landie towed my car out and around. I was too shaky and tearful to continue the journey down the steep, wild and blizzardy road home so returned to friends on Speyside. It was a weird day when the snow here was challenging but the other side was black roads. I did remember to ask my rescuer’s name, but didn’t write it down so promptly forgot it - is that another post-menopausal thing?! So if it was you who was so calm, kind and helpful in rescuing a frightened woman in an old red Ford, please accept my heartfelt thanks again. Let us know if you’re reading this and I’ll write your name down this time! The kindness of strangers is heart-warming and something to celebrate. So as spring arrives and we have warmth in the sun and the prospect of summer to look forward to, I hope your lives are also full of warm human kindness.

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46 It’s February already and almost a year since you elected me to serve on the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) Board – and I am so glad you did because, being the only Aberdeenshire Councillor living in the Park, I now have a more informed view of what is going on and of course a greater say! With a foot in both ‘camps’, I spend a lot of time bringing people together to get things done. The CNPA are already working on the next Local Development Plan which will come into effect in 2020. The Main Issues Report, which is currently being consulted on, seeks views on the big issues that the Local Development Plan 2020 will need to address, and the options for tackling them. The consultation on the Main Issues Report is an important opportunity to get involved in shaping the future of the National Park. It is your chance to influence the content of the new Plan to help make sure it provides the homes, jobs and services that our communities need whilst also protecting and enhancing the Park’s unique environment and cultural heritage for future generations. I just hope this article lands in front of you before the consultation closes on 2nd March so that you have time to make your views known if you haven’t already. The Park held a drop-in session and a Round Table discussion

Council Matters by Geva Blackett

which proved very interesting and the community council will be making sure the Community Action Plan is reflected. Many of the Park’s meetings are on the other side of the Lecht and consequently I drive over Gairnshiel Bridge a lot. Sadly, every time I go over, there seems to be more damage caused by drivers of vehicles weighing over the 18T limit. Whilst plans for a sustainable solution for the bridge are underway (and there will be more news after the March Marr Area Committee meeting), my immediate concern is that the cumulative damage to the bridge will require urgent remedial action – this COULD mean the bridge must close for a period and not only will we all be subjected to a detour round Logie Coldstone, but our economy will inevitably suffer too. All three of your ward councillors are working closely together and have held meetings with officers. I can assure you we all take the matter very seriously but the word needs to be spread that anyone caught attempting to cross the bridge in a vehicle barred from doing so, risks prosecution as the police have been asked to intervene. Many of you will already know that at the February Full Council meeting the administration’s budget was passed. Details can be found on the council’s website in the papers for the meeting held on 8th February. Perhaps the most immediate impact people will feel is the 3% increase in Council Tax which was, I am afraid, inevitable given the increasing costs the council faces. I do think we should be looking at other ways of raising money – after all, we have many tourists visiting the area who use the roads and add to the waste… Although I have a few ideas I would welcome your thoughts… As always, my email address is cllr.g.blackett@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

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by Bell Macaulay Spring is just around the corner after a long winter of snow, gales and icy roads. The days are stretching at last, and we can look forward getting out and about again, enjoying all the activities on offer both inside and out. Use of the Halls has been challenging for everyone – work on The Old Royal Station and Station Square is now progressing apace, and our community has been very understanding about the inevitable upheaval. Undoubtedly, it will take us all time to adjust to the new Square lay-out but at the end of the day we will have gained a first class visitor attraction, and more, to bring our community to life again, as well as giving extra community space for use as imaginatively as possible. We will certainly ensure that everyone can access the Halls. The Halls Annual General Meeting - was held at the end of January, and we now have 11 trustees looking after the building, and ensuring that the community has the best possible venue to learn, work, play and celebrate! By the time the next Eagle is in print, office-bearers will be in place, and each trustee will have a specific role to play, spreading the load of responsibility, and looking to

create teams to manage the Trust’s activities and to carry forward some of the imaginative ideas thrown up by the Community Action Plan. On a practical level, ideas are fine, but handson volunteers keep the Halls going. We have two very welcome additions to our teams –Tina and Wallis Riddell. Tina will be joining the Admin. Team, and Wallis will be helping with the Fabric and Property Team. Their past experience in both these fields will certainly ease the burden from busy trustees! Refurbishment - unfortunately, the Trust was unsuccessful in its bid for major Climate Challenge funding to install insulation and a more effective heating system throughout our building. Ian Hay and his team put many hours of hard work into the bid, and a raft of information has been gathered. Once detailed feedback is received, the team will consider submitting a further application in the future, building on the experience gained. The essence of the Climate Challenge funding is to help communities identify ways of reducing its “carbon footprint”. This means that at a personal level everyone can make small changes to how they live and what they use, with big outcomes. Sounds far-fetched, doesn’t it? Over the coming months, the Halls Trust will be working with other local groups and national agencies to host information days and demonstrations of the latest technology, as well as exploring the simple things we can all do to save the planet and our pockets. Curious? Watch this space! Despite this setback, refurbishment plans continue apace with many areas receiving attention as funds permit. Thanks to a generous donation by Mrs Nina Beaton, the multi-purpose Beaton Craigie Room now has bright enough lighting to improve the game of any keen card player as well as providing excellent meeting space, and a base for the Resilience Group when required. Meanwhile, our thoughts turn to other possible funding sources to allow us to improve facilities in the halls, and work on seeking out these sources is under way. With the pending removal of the Library across the square, there is an opportunity

to utilise part of the Library space to provide toilets and kitchen facilities on the ground floor, and thereby avoid users of the Victoria Hall having to negotiate a difficult, winding stair case. The trustees are working on this even now, and will hopefully have some news by the time the next Eagle is distributed.

play an important part in community life, and helps with releasing funding. For further information or to obtain Membership Registration Forms call/leave message for Janet Riddler on 55308 or email: membership@

HANDY NUMBERS Bell Macaulay – 013397 55745 Gordon Riddler – 013397 55308 Karen Forsyth – 07921 460368 Douglas Glass – 07778 466817

Karen Forsyth is a great support and continues to do an excellent job. Please remember that groups are expected to ensure that all equipment is tidied away after use, tables wiped and floors cleaned when necessary. Make a note of any bulbs which need replacement etc. in the diary which is kept on the windowsill in the Mike Sheridan Room store. Do you have a few hours to spare? We’re always on the lookout for some help to organise / run events, or even take a turn in the kitchen, serve teas when necessary – all offers of help welcomed! Keep on enjoying your Halls, and pitch in with some help where you can!

The Emergency Store is now fully kitted out with shelves containing sufficient alternative heating, lighting and cooking facilities which can be deployed throughout the building should the power go down.

Looking to celebrate?

Looking ahead, the Halls, as part of the Old Royal Station complex, will offer a wonderful venue for celebrations of all sorts at very reasonable rates. With the help of generous community donations we now have many of the elements needed to dress the Halls for party time! Why not make an appointment to come along and discuss your needs, and we’ll see what we can do.

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Keeping the Halls in good order

Help!

Can you whip up some mean cakes, tray-bakes or anything else waist-expanding? We need your help to provide an array of home-bakes for hungry fiddlers on 24th March, or delicious dainties to accompany some of the finest Scots tunes in the company of Alastair Savage on 8th July – a Ballater favourite! If you can, please contact Bell on 55745.

Calendar

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Keeping Council with Peter Argyle

There is much talk these days about encouraging communities to do more ‘for themselves’ and become more involved in the provision of local authority services. Legislation is following this debate; apart from the Community Empowerment Act, the Planning Bill currently before the Parliament majors on community involvement and participation in the planning process. Community Asset Transfer has been around for a while but within a few years we will see communities involved in Participatory Budgeting, taking decisions on how a proportion of local authority budgets are spent. Some of this is not new in Aberdeenshire. We have a good track record of communities delivering projects for the benefit of residents and visitors, supported by the Council. A good example is our Rural Partnerships, some established in the very early days of the Scottish Parliament.

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Locally we have the Royal Deeside Partnership (RDP), one of the longest established rural partnerships in Aberdeenshire, which covers the area from Braemar to Aboyne. The principal partners are Ballater (RD) Ltd, Mid Deeside Limited (now becoming the Mid Deeside Community Trust) and Braemar Ltd. RDP acts as an ‘umbrella’ for these three groups and enables co-operative work across the area in the field of community economic development (CED) Aberdeenshire Council has always been very supportive of CED and Rural Partnerships but has always encouraged communities to create organisations best suited to local circumstances. I recall attending a conference hosted by the Scottish Executive (as was) in the Rothes Hall, Glenrothes on Rural Partnerships back in about 2003. The conference saw delegates gather from all over Scotland – a fact that led to wry comment over the official directions to the venue which began, “How to get to the Rothes Hall from Edinburgh and Glasgow.” Aside from that PR disaster, (which spoke volumes!) what was interesting was the extent to which Rural Partnerships in Aberdeenshire were supported by the council but not run by the council. Most council areas took a very different approach. CED organisations such as Ballater (RD) have, through volunteers and highly committed paid staff, done a vast amount of work developing projects and encouraging the communities they serve to become active in finding solutions to local issues. Having been involved in Mid Deeside Limited and RDP for many years, I know at first hand how difficult it can be to keep these organisations going when funding challenges grow. Of course not all communities are the same. I believe Ballater is well placed to be able to respond to the expectations of the Scottish Government and the legislation coming our way. But will all communities be as well placed to respond?

“Haemish’s Father” by Tom C. White It is argued that we subconsciously select our canine companions on the basis of perceived shared temperament, attitude or general appearance, based, no doubt on the desire to ensure the four legged friend readily compliments the preordained position of subordinate member of the clan. Or is the reverse the truth? Is humankind really the victim of some subliminal primeval scam, whereby, instead, the owner becomes the dependant member of his dog’s pack with his status achieved mainly through the local status of “Dog” itself? I present for your consideration the case of Haemish. One warm summer evening, he slowly scuffled over our threshold, a genuine, guaranteed mutt, a cautious yet eager puppy, wary yet inquisitive, no elaborate official parchment grandly proclaiming his lofty niche in the upper crust of canine society, but rather his only paper the day old News – which he never managed to reach in time. He entered our air-conditioned,

four-bedroom kennel as a small, shy, hairy, less than handsome mongrel. Years later he had metamorphed into a large, supremely confident, hairy, less than handsome mongrel. Through our glorious days together, he never realized he was a dog. Perhaps it was our fault for not having apprised him of the fact, but you see, the subject just never came up in our conversations. Having established his permanent residence, in time the demarcation line between dog as subordinate canine domestica, and dog as a highly mobile, fully fledged, and voting family member, invariably faded from vague to virtually indistinguishable. As a military family, we moved frequently, trekking back and forth across the country with the canary, the goldfish, the cat, three kids, and Haemish all precariously warehoused in the car’s back seat, eagerly awaiting the first glimpse of our new home. Once on site, our family members did

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not immediately distinguish themselves in the new neighbourhood since Mom and Dad were busy unpacking and setting up the new home, and the three children were too shy to overcome the initial war stares at these new kids on the block. But we had Haemish. Within seconds of arrival, he would lop off on a solitary evaluation of the neighbourhood, swiftly checking out the cars, houses, barbecues, swimming pools and pizza delivery men. He bounded across lawns, strolled up sidewalks, sniffed kids, and cats, wandered through various backyard family gatherings, pausing only long enough to present his Ambassadorial credentials – his jangling “dog tags”. “Oh – so you are Haemish”, they would say, patting his shaggy head, offering him a snack in recognition of his arrival. Returning home, often hours later, he would stroll nonchalantly about the living room, secure and smug in the knowledge that at least he was known in the neighbourhood. Once initial unpacking was accomplished, the family gathered for its cautious initial

reconnaissance of the new community. At first we encountered the usual blank stares from the local residents as they silently sized up the new mob on the street. But we were used to this. You should not force people. Then Haemish would bound up, his very presence assuring them “we were his folks.” With this came the flash of recognition. Smiles wreathing their faces, they would welcome me, as head of this new clan - “Oh! So you’re Haemish’s father!” The ice was broken. A new neighbourhood was successfully infiltrated. We now qualified for invites to barbecues, block parties, and across-the-fence visits. With Haemish’s recommendation – we had arrived. And as time passed and we began attending the various formal, tuxedoed affairs in the base, inevitably

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when being introduced, the ice-breaker would be “Oh – so you’re Haemish’s father!” Haemish matured with the three children, sharing their early years, their happiness, their tears, their cookies, their soda pop. Many times I spied a hairy head sharing a pillow with a child, both feigning sleep. Once he even eagerly joined them in clambering up the ladder and zooming down a tall water slide at the lake, paddling merrily back to line up with the children for another turn, a wide wet toothy grin expressing sheer doggy joy. His boundless enthusiasm, irrepressible good humour, endless energy and carefree, rambunctious approach to life perpetuated and strengthened our lifelong love of animals. But don’t imagine for one moment that his life was all fun and games. No - he had frequent onerous official obligations, and conscientiously fulfilled them - such as faithfully escorting the local postman door-to-door each day. Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor hail could keep this canine from his appointed rounds, his tinkling tags merrily signaling to all the neighbours that the mail had arrived. Nor did he neglect his heavy social obligations. It was not unusual for this bon vivant to receive an invitation for pizza or spaghetti somewhere in the neighbourhood - yet we would not be included. One afternoon he even joined a lonely neighbour to share a solitary birthday cake, a cold beer, and Saturday afternoon TV football. Next to meeting people, Haemish’s favourite sport was baseball. He would gladly, and enthusiastically, while away an hour or two chasing after any thrown or batted ball. This athletic attribute was glorious to watch - but occasionally it brought him trouble. Just ask the irate Little League coach who had a game interrupted by an enthusiastic mound of galloping hair who thought he could play shortstop just as well as little Herbie. (To tell the truth, he probably could). And on occasion, if there was a game on a ball diamond anywhere within Haemish’s operational area, a shy and reluctant Little Leaguer would knock on the door. “Please

Putting us in the Picture

The best thing about having a full colour magazine is our ability to reproduce all the wonderful pictures you submit to illustrate your articles. Not only do they bring your stories and features to life, but they showcase our locality, wildlife and events to visitors and far-away friends of the Eagle. Including a photograph within the text of your article helps us relate a picture to a particular paragraph. Unfortunately, copying your pictures from ‘text’ or ‘ Word’ documents into our magazine design application DOESN’T allow us to show them to their best advantage. It’s really much better to have the original photograph in a separate, or additional file. So when sending a photo to the Eagle, please remember this, and try to send the picture in as high a resolution format as you can - please check the options or settings in your mailing application or device, as appropriate. Established 1998

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sir. Coach said to tell Haemish’s father to tie him up while the game is on.” Once again my neighbourhood status was confirmed by my dog. Yes, he grew up a bona fide member of the family, faithfully trekking the length and breadth of Canada, camping, visiting grandma’s, sharing a crowded back seat with picnic cooler, colouring books, crayons, three kids, and the cat. Over the years he stole candy, mittens, socks, plus a sizeable portion of our hearts. And when we reluctantly parted company, having moved into the big city where his free roaming habits would require severe restriction, he left with our collective best wishes, to a new home in the countryside, a new family, and new doggie adventures. News of his wellbeing over the next few years always generated smiles and fond memories. Sadly the old canine stalwart eventually reached the end of his extroverted and gregarious years. We all shed a tear at news of his final trip - to a neighbourhood ethereal and faraway. But we also smiled for we knew that after meeting

St. Peter, he would embark upon his patented, solitary, high speed assessment of this celestial neighbourhood, bounding across Heaven’s green lawns, strolling up various angelic sidewalks, and presenting his doggie credentials to all his new friends. He would soon be known to the entire Heavenly Host. And they would see him sprinting enthusiastically across God’s own grassy backyard in gleeful pursuit of a ball thrown or batted by the Deity himself. And we all knew that at the next Heavenly block party and barbecue, when God introduced himself to His neighbourhood’s new arrivals, there would be that initial blank stare, then that familiar flash of recognition: “Oh yes, I know! You’re Haemish’s father!” Tom Campbell White, a resident of both Ballater and Auckland, New Zealand, enjoyed a perpetual summer by travelling here every spring, and leaving in late summer. Sadly, he died suddenly in Ballater, last year. His bright smile and enthusiasm for all things Scottish, will be greatly missed.

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Polhollick Bridge Update

by Janelle Clark - Area Manager (Marr)

For many across parts of Aberdeenshire, Storm Frank is a distant memory. However, residents and businesses in the Ballater area are still living with the effects of the devastating episode. Work to resolve the issues around Polhollick Bridge has been ongoing for many months, and a recent article published in the Ballater Eagle contained a number of inaccuracies which we are keen to put right. Since the storm hit we have had a wide range of complex discussions around this important part of our heritage. We have discussed our options with Historic Environment Scotland amongst others. It is made even more complex because ownership of the bridge is not straight forward. The bridge was originally paid for by an Alexander Gordon, for public use. At that time the maintenance and repair obligations were placed with

Deeside District Committee in the County of Aberdeenshire. The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894 placed the responsibilities of footpaths with Parish Councils. Therefore, a repair and maintenance agreement was signed for Polhollick Bridge by the then Parish Council of Glen Muick, Tullich and Glengairn of the County of Aberdeenshire in 1907. This passed the responsibility from Deeside District Committee to the Parish Council. This agreement has passed to each local authority through legislation and now sits with Aberdeenshire Council. The agreement allows for the council to repair and maintain the bridge and invest any additional monies, though it’s not bound to do so, and if the bridge is dilapidated or damaged by accident, may take down and remove the bridge. A recently published article makes reference to work done on a community proposal to repair

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the bridge No such proposal has been put to Aberdeenshire Council. A statement was issued saying that the group could repair the bridge for less. However without a fully costed proposal this cannot be progressed. Any proposal could be submitted to us and would be considered along with other options being explored by officers. The Cairngorm National Park Authority chaired a meeting of community groups to discuss both bridges and paths, as they are the access authority for the area. At the meeting, the idea of a community consortium was raised and was not supported by the Ballater & Crathie Community Council, Ballater Business Association or Ballater Royal Deeside. There was almost unanimous agreement that all repairs should be organised by Aberdeenshire Council. It was agreed that the bridges & paths group would continue to meet with Aberdeenshire Council and CNPA. After Storm Frank, we surveyed 715 bridges with 288 requiring essential repairs. The priority was given to the road network. The Council has a plan in place for the bridge and has undertaken remedial works. Planning permission was sought and has been granted for foundation stabilisation works and removal of the steps for safe storage and these works have been completed. Aberdeenshire Council were asked to explore repair options and now have a proposed approach to repairing Polhollick bridge. This has been discussed informally with Historic Environment Scotland who have given support in principle but advised that further details/drawings will be required in an application. The Council will now prepare application for Listed Building Consent and any other required consents. Once the necessary applications are submitted it will take several months before a decision is made. This process will involve consultation with SEPA, HES, SNH, Ballater & Crathie Community Council and others. While the application process is on-going, we will begin the procurement process and prepare the Business Case although funding is in place. Once we get the necessary consents/permissions for the

proposed approach, we will begin the repair works. Given all of the above it is not possible to give an exact date for the start of work on site but it is scheduled for 2018/19. Work around this bridge has been a great team effort and whilst there is a minority of people who do not feel we are taking the right approach, I am pleased with the engagement and the work that is taking place around this important and historic asset. A bid for funding for Cambus O’May Bridge has been submitted to the Aberdeenshire Council Capital Plan and this is still being considered. Repairs will be progressed once the funding is in place. “The purpose of my work was never to destroy but always to create, to construct bridges, because we must live in the hope that humankind will draw together and that the better we understand each other the easier this will become.” Alphonse Mucha

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Residents Offered Free Home Energy Visits With winter upon us and fuel bills continuing to rise, residents in Aberdeenshire are being encouraged to utilise a free energy efficiency advice service available in the area. The Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT), managed by Scarf and funded by Aberdeenshire Council, provides free and impartial advice on keeping your house warmer and lowering your fuel bills. Their specialist advisors provide free home visits to all householders in Aberdeenshire. Jenny Smith, HEAT Advisor for South Aberdeenshire, said: “Many people find their homes hard to heat, especially in the winter months. HEAT specialises in offering personal, tailored advice and support to help all householders in Aberdeenshire enjoy a warm and dry home, while reducing their fuel bills.”

“We offer free support and advice to help identify condensation, damp and potential for energy efficiency improvements, help with how best to work your thermostats and programmer, assist with switching fuel suppliers or tariffs, set up fuel supplier accounts or help with any ongoing issues. “During a home visit we will work with the householder to find out how best to meet their needs, and help them to keep their home warmer and drier and help to reduce bills. Over the years we have managed to save householders a lot of money just through some helpful advice and support.” The HEAT service is completely free and funded by Aberdeenshire Council. To book a free home visit or for more information call 0808 129 0888 or email heat@scarf.org.uk.

Come and join us!

Attached to the Crannach Bakery, which provides us with our wonderful fresh bread and cakes, Riverside Cottage is a friendly, family run Café/Bistro offering an extensive menu and Equi’s Awardwinning Italian Ice cream. Enjoy a full ‘Scottish’ with locally-sourced produce; homemade soups, sandwiches, toasties and baked potatoes – all available to take away. Why not try our “Riverside Eggs Benedict”? You won’t be disappointed! Dogs are always welcome in our garden – inside too. Open 6 days from 11am (closed Tuesdays). We have a new menu including 6oz Angus Burger & fries, Scampi & fries, plus many more options to choose from. Available every day from 1230pm.

We’re always ready with a warm welcome! Cambus O’ May, Ballater, Aberdeenshire 01339 755126 riversidecottagecafe@gmail.com

Local Precious Stones & Cairngorms We think of gem stones as somewhat exotic and having their origins far from Deeside. This may be true of the more spectacular ones, but close to home we have our own selection. A variety of stones can be found on Deeside. Quartz crystals or Cairngorms come from the mountain of the same name, Culblean Hill and the Pass of Ballater. Cairngorms can range in colour from dark brown to the rare pale yellow. The Cairngorm found by Effie Morragh or Murray on the Invercauld Estate in 1788 is one of the best examples of smoky quartz ever found in Scotland. Hexagonal in shape, it measures 12” by 9” and weighs 52lbs. It was on show at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851. It was the usual practice for locals to dig for Cairngorms at the top of Ben A’an. Meagre incomes were supplemented in this way and there was a ready market. On this occasion the woman was given £40 by Invercauld, - a

considerable amount of money in 1788. I have a cairngorm ring gifted to me by Braemar church after I filled a long ministerial vacancy, and this has a very pale cairngorm stone. Garnets can be found in the granite and mica-schists in Glens Ey and Callater. In the collection of stones now in Braemar Castle is green beryl from the top of Beinn a’ Bhuird found in 1960, a two inch square topaz, fluorspar crystals, green and blue, white marble, a cinnamon stone that is a type of garnet from Crathie limestone quarry, and many others. Documents refer to many of them. Pearls can be found in a number of the quiet stretches of the Dee and in some of its tributaries. Mussel type shellfish, like oysters, deal with any tiny intrusion in the shell. The foreign body is covered with a mother-of pearl substance. Tinkers used to spend hours search-

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by Sheila Sedgwick ing, but the returns were fairly good. Gold can be found in a number of streams if a careful search is made. While the quantity is not sufficient to make the finder a fortune, a good number of young men have managed to find enough to make wedding rings for themselves and their brides. Among the crags of Sgurr Buidhe, the Yellow Crag, the Farquharsons of Monaltrie quarried silver. The quantity was not sufficient to make mining viable and after test extraction by specialists the project was abandoned. However, a portrait of William Farquharson by Sir John Watson Gordon shows him wearing a jacket with silver buttons from the estate “mine”. There was also a silver mine in Glengairn, on the southern slopes of the Craig of Prony, and in the Pass of Ballater. This latter was well surveyed and well documented.

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Spirit of Ballater Awards 2017

This is Charity the Buzzard, named because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regularly feeding on worms on the grass beside the Charity shop. Photos by Ian Halliday The Ballater & Crathie Eagle is made possible by: Advertising, Donations, Sponsorship & Fundraising. Thank you to everyone who supports us. We deliver FREE from Crathie to Cambus Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;May. Thanks to Friends of the Eagle for delivering to some outlying areas.