Ballater & Crathie Eagle, Issue 58, Summer 2010

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Ballater & crathie Community magazine no.58 summer 2010

Bowl along to Ballater Boules p12

Gutter Chick fly to p46 to find out more....

Bonny Banner p36 The Ballater & Crathie Eagle is made possible by:

Advertising, Donations, Sponsorship, Fundraising, "Awards for All" Lottery and Cairngorms Leader+ European funding. Thank You. We deliver FREE from Crathie to Cambus O’May. Thanks to Friends of the Eagle for delivering to some outlying areas.

Kirsty and Abbie dancing at Victoria Week 2009 picture by Juergen Hoss

Take notice! p33

The McEwan Gallery

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Alistair: OAP

March 11, 2010

Welcome to your Summer Eagle

by Mary Munro

There’s loads to read in our bumper 64 page edition.

Local group reports, history, humour, poetry and more... open and enjoy!

The following poem was delivered by Mary Munro at a surprise celebration of Alistair Cassie’s 65th birthday organised by some of his friends in the Glenaden Hotel.

The poem says everything about the owner of Ballater’s Royal Warrant holding hardware emporium.

Local Groups:

Diary The dates you need: 4-5

The Crathie Pages We’re here the nicht tae praise this lad.

Aye loyal tae oor village, throwe gweed an bad.

He’s like oor Provost, without the chain, Tchauvin on thro’ snaw an rain.

His shop, it’s full o’ a heeze o’ trock; Bird-nuts an spads, hoovers an socks.

Fowk speir his advice fae morn till nicht, Bit he niver sooks up, jist tells fit’s richt.

An a smile fae Alistair is files As scarce as the teeth o’ a hen!

In Victoria Week, ye’ll find him there, Wi’ ferrets, safaris an sae muckle mair.

If in doot, “Ask Alistair” is aft the cry, For, in a crisis, he kens the wey.

He curls wi gusto fan Winter lays doon the ice, Syne “Boules” in the park on the Sabbath day.

He gings tae meetins, without ony pay, An fowk aye hearken tae fit he his tae say.

Group News, School, and more... 28,29

Ballater School 32-33

Alistair – ye’re 65 years YOUNG the day, An a yer friens wid like tae say, “Haud ye gaen for mony a lang, lang year, Gweed health an drams we wish ye here.”

Sae raise yer glesses, ane an a – Here’s the toast – ALISTAIR – oor Ballater loon.

Ballater Boules: 12 Ballater Business Association: 35 Ballater & Crathie Community Council: 15 Ballater Royal Horticultural Society: 13

Local History

Ballater Indoor Bowling: 10

Accident at Abergeldie: 55

Ballater (Royal Deeside) Ltd: 24

‘Allons enfants de la Patrie’

BOVOF: 22

Arthur Chisnall reminisces: 58

Chiels: 21

Pannanich Hill

Dial a Bus: 14

Ian Cameron: 52

Ballater ARCHIE Ball

Floral Art Group: 11 New Singing Group: 14

Joan Anderson tells all: 27

Alistair: OAP

Rotary: 36 Songsters: 10

Mary Munro’s affectionate poem: 62 SWRI: 10

Pottering About

Upper Deeside Art Society: 11

Slow down!: 56

and much more....

Ballater’s his toon, without a doot, Its on-goin ploys, his pride an joy.

At History Club meetins, full o’ dry wit, Jist a character, we’d be loathe tae dee athoot.

3

Contact us: All the ways YOU can contribute: 7

Advertising: Full page: £60; Half page: £30; Quarter page: £20; Eighth page: £10

Please contact Faye Swan at info@swandesign.uk.com or Tel.55345

Upper Deeside Music: 26 Victoria Week: 20 Victoria & Albert Halls: 19

Donations: Donations are gratefully received, and acknowledged. You can also put money into our tins in the Library or Yules Newsagents.

A big thank you this issue to Andrew Robb.

Eagle Eyes...

4

June Wed 2 Fri 11 Sat 12 Sun 13 Mon 14 Sat 26

Ballater School Sports Continental Market, Church Green, 9am-5pm Ballater Royal Horticultural Society Annual Plant Sale on the Green Balmoral Rangers: Mending Our Ways, 10am–4pm, Free, p40 Focus Craft Fair Victoria Hall 10am- 4pm Ballater & Crathie Community Council Meeting, Michael Sheridan Room, 7pm Strawberry Tea for CLAN, Kindrochit Court, Braemar, 2pm-4pm St. Kentigern’s Church Sale Victoria Hall

July Fri 2 Sat 3 Wed 7 8-11 Fri 9 Mon 12 Sat 17 Sun 18 Wed 21 Tues 20 Tues 27 Fri 30

Ballater School Annual Prize Giving at 11am Ballater School End of Term Victoria Halls Improvement Fund Jumble Sale 11am - 4pm Balmoral Rangers: Lochnagar Ascent. 9.30am - 5pm, £10 pp. p40 Ballater Business Assoc., Glen Lui Hotel, 7.30pm Himalayan Goods Sale Victoria Hall (To be confirmed) Balmoral Rangers: Wildflower Wander, 2-4pm, Free. p40 Ballater & Crathie Community Council Meeting, Michael Sheridan Room, 7pm Glenmuick Church Sale, Victoria Hall Table Top Sale, Ballater, CLAN Centre, 10am - 2pm Focus Craft Fair Victoria Hall 10am-5pm Cairngorm Ceilidh Trail Concert, Victoria Hall, 7pm. p46 Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm Balmoral Rangers: Spectacular Summer Scrambles. 9.30am-5pm, £10pp. p40

August Sun 1 Tues 3

Copy Date for autumn Eagle, issue 59 Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm

certain ‘Meg’ Robertson ‘clyped’ on him to their teacher ‘Dod’ Beadie. When asked why she was sniggering one day, ‘Meg’ blamed him for looking up rude words in the dictionary and ‘Dod’ Beadie, without asking for his side of the story, immediately ordered him out to the front of the class, where he then administered four lashes of the tag to the palm of his hand. The pain and shock was such that, lesson learnt, he vowed never to be caught again.

At the time there were so many evacuees staying in the area that the school made temporary classrooms for the senior years above the Victoria and Albert Halls. After morning assembly by classes in the playgrounds at the main school, the pupils then walked down School Lane in crocodile formation and along to the Station Square.

Along the way, it wasn’t long before most of the houses that faced onto the pavement found

it prudent to disconnect their doorbells and ignore the ‘chaps’ on their windows.

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“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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France were purchased to support the ‘Free French’ movement. The class would often begin with the pupils rising to their feet and after a few sharp taps on the side of her desk with the tuning fork, the right note would be produced and she would then lead them into a vigorous rendering of ‘La Marseilles’. It was words Wee Chis for one, was proud to learn and ones he would never forget.

As well as being an excellent French teacher of the old school, who brooked no nonsense, ‘Auld Gilly’ also took over singing duties for the senior classes when the ‘dominie’ Donald Chisholm retired. When it came to one of her favourites, ‘The Hundred Pipers’, she would invariably detail some poor unfortunates to sing some of the verses solo and Wee Chis remained convinced that her way of getting in a sly dig at the

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Sassenachs, was by always choosing him to sing the verse that ended, ‘The English they a’ ran awa, awa, fae the Hundred pipers an’ a, an’ a! At that time, no one had seen fit to advise him that the only way to escape ‘Auld Gillys’ selection process was to become a ‘drone’, for Gilly hated boys who droned and they were often detailed to tidy up the playground when the singing lesson took place.

In those days it was not considered very wise to show teachers disrespect for many had a strong arm and used it effectively to wield the ‘tag’ (a stout purpose made leather strap).

Some lady teachers of a more timid disposition – and there weren’t many of those - would merely send the culprit to the nearest man teacher for the punishment to be applied.

In all his school days, Wee Chis only had the ‘tag’ once and that was in the first year classroom above the Victoria Hall, when a

...so you know What's Going On 5

7-15 Sun 8 Wed 11

Tue 17

September

STUART ESSON PLUMBING & HEATING ENGINEER

Wed 1 Sun 5 Wed 8 Sun 12 Mon 13

TEL: 013397 56378 MOBILE: 07786 543100

Thu 16

LOCAL EXPERIENCED AWARD WINNING KNOWLEDGEABLE INDUSTRIOUS EFFICIENT

Ballater Victoria Week. Get your copy of The Ballater Times for details - available July throughout the village and from the Box Office.

Book Fair Victoria Hall 10am-5pm The Lodge of St. Nathalan of Tullich in Mar Open Doors Day, Masonic Lodge, Queens Road, Ballater, 10am-8pm Ballater Songsters Concert - Albert Hall at 2.30pm Ballater School Term Begins Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm 21 & 22 BRHS Annual Show - Victoria Hall Tues 24 Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm 28-5 Sept Upper Deeside Art Society Annual Exhibition: Victoria Hall, 10am-7pm daily Mon 30 Ballater Post Office Closed Balmoral Rangers: Meet Your Ancestors, 2-4pm, Free. p40

Tue 21 Sat 25 Mon 27

Ballater Business Assoc., Glen Lui Hotel, 7.30pm CLAN Upper Deeside Fashion Show, Hilton Craigendarroch, 7pm Ballater & District Men’s Probus Club - New Session starts Focus Craft Fair Victoria Hall 10am-5pm Ballater & Crathie Community Council Meeting, Michael Sheridan Room, 7pm Wed 15 Ballater SWRI - New Session starts Floral Art Group: Floral Arranging on a Grand Scale”, Dr. Gordon Smith, Glenmuick Church, 7.30pm Indoor Bowling Starts, Victoria Hall 2-4pm and 7-9pm Balmoral Rangers: A Cycle Through Time, 10am-5pm, Free. p40 Ballater Post Office Closed

Are Your Dates Here?

For inclusion in this FREE section of the Eagle, please contact our Diary Secretary: Isabel Michie 54094.

6

Letter from our Editor

mmer is eaders, tes that su a ic d in r Dear R a d the the calend ve informe a h to Although rs is a pe here as this no one ap , st n o o z lm ri a o h is on the g Festival for an. Walkin ts are well in hand Weatherm en itors alike d arrangem ter residents and vis n a , ats, n e tt ri w might be d woolly h Balla n t a u s b e , v k oks as if it e lo e g lo , W h ts ic a a h o ri c w to ow Vic seasons ” in ll into the “happit up derable covering of sn e ll w e d w e l h il tc st re smoke! nsi are year has st ar has a co f barbeque is g o a th ll n e r h c te sm o in e L s we th and time yet. W shine and ver y day a e n e m su d , so in r th m fo rm to a t w f the around yet brough d to bring gh some o n se u e o o v p e h p lt a re su a s, re r which a cult winte ith pothole of our diffi ill pitted w st s e , ri a o re m a e e M th Ballater filled. ociety and ads around S ro ly l ri e ra ra th u o e lt p v u m ic d their dri village, an ave been te embers of the Hort h r u s o e f n o o r ts e e m in the stre deep l displays is however, ing to brighten the ra th o fl e it l u sp rf e e D are striv sual wond ciated. ent group with the u s it guir uch appre sp m Enhancem r u re o a ft s li since we re rt l o il ff rs e a w e l e y a n u e v n lo efforts a is now fi Their an frequently ings up, it elsewhere. vers have th o d c n g t a in n n n o e fr te re h r g u G the two bject of bri in the Eagle, and o shown by ty li a it v e On the su h es T rapher, colour pag nd colour. the photog a d y e b ty d li d lu a c re u in q tu eir cap ears. I larly er those y ented for th f this edition is well v o m li rs p e v m o o c c our ld ask er o been , and wou on the cov ndards of a st a rs st e p c h e n ig a th h d young inclusion graphs in intain the ues to ma for possible d, but plied photo n t p ti n n su le o c e ta v d a ir n h e a ho ples of th ph receive nk those w bmit exam y photogra n Hay su r e v wish to tha to e e e u d n ti lu to con not inc e. Ia our readers s. We obviously can ful magazin ss e c c su y e r e su v in future is contributions to our r u o y e m welco

By Popular Demand!

Ballater Library opening Hours: Sunday & Monday: Closed Tuesday: 10am-1pm, 6.30pm-8pm Wednesday: Closed Thursday: 2-4pm, 6.30pm-8pm Friday: 2-5pm Saturday: 10am-12noon

Once outside the school doors of course, the children soon dropped their Englified speech. He remembered his father’s shock, when soon after his arrival he had been greeted casually in the street by a small loon, who said pleasantly enough. ‘Aye, Aye, Dod, fit like the day?’ This was of course just a normal Doric greeting and enquiry after his health and no disrespect had been intended.

It was just the way things were and always had been in the small Highland community.

Anyone who has ever spent time in Royal Deeside of course soon gets familiar with the way ‘ie’ is added on to most nouns and so a horse becomes a ‘horsie’, a dog becomes a ‘doggie’, a man becomes a ‘mannie’, a wife becomes a ‘wifie’ and so on. The word that caused some doubt when his parents were first learning the dialect, arose when a boy was being referred to, for locally the word for boy is ‘loon’ and to hear one referred to as a ‘loonie’ caused them no end of amusement.

As is a common practice in the North, people often acquire nicknames from a very early age and those who choose to remain in the area are unfortunately saddled with them for the rest of their lives. If for example your first name was Alexander, and you also had the surname of Alexander, then naturally from childhood you became ‘Double Sandy’.

On the other hand in later life, the green keeper at the local golf course acquired his, when some loons, deciding that he was far too quick off the mark for an old man when chasing them off his precious greens, gave him the nickname of ‘ Blue Peter’ after a famous racehorse of the day and many folk came to believe his first name was Peter.

Parents often picked up these nicknames from their bairns and it always gave Wee Chis great pleasure to recall his mother telling his father one day how a woman friend of hers had met his French teacher, a spinster, in the street one fine winter’s morning. ‘Good

morning Miss Gilly,’ she had said ever so politely, and then with some horror, she had remembered that ‘Gilly’ was only the lady’s nickname and in fact her real name was Gilchrist.

In her confusion and the silence that followed, she then gave a great gulp and added on the other half, which unfortunately came out as, ‘Christ isn’t it cold today.’ ‘Auld Gilly’ had never said a word, although her having the reputation of being an ardent ‘Scot Nat’ and my mother’s friend a wartime refugee and Sassenach, it may well have been construed as deliberate.

‘Auld Gilly’ took her French studies very seriously indeed and as the war progressed, strongly encouraged her pupils to follow the events in France. Aluminium badges in the shape of ‘The Cross of Lorraine’ and adorned with ribbons in the three colours of

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Deeside Books

Quality Books Bought & Sold Antiquarian, Second Hand & a selection of new Scottish books Gifts Jewellery Silk Scarves Jelly Cat Toys Children’s Books Cards & Gift Wrap Open: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Sun 12-5pm 18-20 Bridge Street Ballater Tel. 013397 54080 Email: deesidebk@aol.com

58 ‘Allons enfants de la Patrie’

by Arthur Chisnall To be bi –lingual in English and the local Scots accent was a great asset to a young English loon growing up in Ballater before the war, when the only enemy was the ‘Sassenachs’ and when some of the old battles were re-enacted, as the excuse for some playground bullying. It was at times like these that his allegiance could well have caused some doubt when sides were being chosen, but inevitably it was always his strong local accent that swung the scales in his favour and caused him to be accepted by the always-dominant Scottish side.

It could be said that it was the war years and the great influx of ‘foreigners’ that it brought to the area that changed the way incomers were regarded. Ere long the old

suspicions began to fade, - perhaps English folk, especially the soldiers, weren’t such a bad lot after all - and in the playground the ‘Battle of Bannockburn’ was quietly consigned to its rightful place in history. There was now a new and more potent enemy for young minds to focus on.

Once through the classroom door, there was of course a basic requirement to learn English grammar and the use of the local dialect, having no place in the curriculum, was actively discouraged. When the evacuees arrived, mainly from Glasgow, extra teachers with no knowledge of the Doric were drafted in to help and so it was even more essential that a common means of communication prevailed.

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Simply provide the name and address to whom the issues should be sent, with a cheque or postal order for 'Ballater Eagle' for the relevant amount and drop off your request to the Library. Betty, our Subscriptions person, will do the rest. Easy!

Ways to contact the Eagle:

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How to contact our Representatives:

7

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT: Mike Rumbles MSP

01330 820268 Fax: 01330 820106 e-mail: Mike.Rumbles.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

WESTMINSTER: Sir Robert Smith MP

01330 820330, Fax: 01330 820338, e-mail: robert.smith.mp@parliament.uk

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL: Peter Argyle: 013398 81180 email: cllr.p.argyle@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Library, Ballater, AB35 5QB

Rosemary Bruce 013398 89318 email: cllr.r.bruce@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

E-mail to:

Marcus Humphrey : 013398 85332 email: cllr.m.humphrey@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com

Contributions of any kind on PC disc / cd always welcome.

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK: Geva Blackett email: geva.blackett@btconnect.com

Eagle Who's Who & Where Chanaich Lodge Provost Craig Road Ballater Aberdeenshire AB35 5NN

Tel. 01339 756336 Fax. 01339 755893 Mobile 07710 469563

Managing Director Peter Henderson Email: peter.hps@btconnect.com

Editor: Ian Hay 55941 Treasurer: Dr. Sheila Sedgwick 55292 Secretary: Betty Wilson 55791 Advertising Manager: Faye Swan 55345 Distribution: Andy and Julie Bloor Diary Secretary & Typing: Isobel Michie 54094 Design: Stella Potter 55969 Email us at: ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com Eagle Online by Tom Potter: www.ballaterscotland.com/eagle

If you would like a large print version of the Eagle, please contact Faye Swan at info@swandesign.uk.com or Tel.55345.

8

Dear Editor,

I very much enjoyed the article by Sheena Blackhall on Strachan’s ‘Reid Bussies’. I am an Aberdonian by birth, though I left the Silver City at the tender age of nine months!

However, family holidays took me back to the NE of Scotland for many years.

Having developed an interest in bus companies as a hobby, it is perhaps not surprising that Strachan’s garage at Ballater should figure high on my list of visits when back in the area - that was until 1965, of course.

Could I ask, through the pages of your excellent magazine, that anyone with memories of the company, or better still photographs of the ‘reid bussies’ themselves, contact me by email at petertulloch@aol.com? I do already have a substantial collection of photographs, but there is always room for more!

Regards, Peter Tulloch

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Dear Eagle...

In the Spring edition, we published a letter from Mr Martin McGilp, seeking information about a Miss Janet Smith of Ballater, who had been involved with puppets. A local resident, Mr Hugh Mackay, has responded to Mr McGilp, and details of his memories of Miss Smith are given below. The Eagle, and Mr McGilp are very grateful to Mr Mackay for the information. Mr Mackay writes:Miss Janet Smith lived with her sister Annette at Addistoun, Ratho, Newbridge, Midlothian and also spent considerable time every year at Clashinruich in Glengairn, Ballater.

They were connected to the Keillers (the owners of the marmalade empire in Dundee) of Morven Estate and I think came from a family important in the jute industry. It was rumoured that Keiller did not want the family to build on his Morven Estate so they resorted to build on his boundar y in Glengairn.

My mother went to Edinburgh to work for the Miss Smiths during the war years and on her return to live in Glengairn looked after Clashinruich. Every year the dust sheets had to be removed and Jim Salmond the plumber had to bicycle up from Ballater to turn the water supply back on before their annual visit.

When the cleaning was in progress I was allowed up in the vast attic via a hatch and sliding ladder. In the attic was a large Punch and Judy type theatre complete with puppets and lights worked off torch batteries.

There was a multitude of other stage props including a starter’s pistol for making real gunshot sounds. Of course I was banned from touching anything but remember being fas-

I’m brighter than an exploding star (slight exaggeration I’ll admit!) so everyone will see oh-so-important-me and keep out of my way.

Only Police, emergency vehicles and motorbikes should be allowed to be so dazzling.

Grrr…

Everything else on planet Stella is going relatively swimmingly, despite the, yet again, late start in the garden. I was very touched to be gifted gardening vouchers recently so have treated myself to some new tools and a boxful of vegetable seeds. To my delight, every single garlic clove I planted has come up, and is looking pleasingly healthy. Some tatties are in, sprouts are sown, as are parsnips in loo rolls – it helps them grow straight I’m told, which is why I’m trying that way.

Sadly the rosemary didn’t survive our horrendous winter, but I have windowsills full of different seedlings looking pretty strong and healthy. I’m just waiting for the frosts to

go before planting out.

I am also very excited that we have another internet forum meet-up planned – this time a group of Humanists are descending on Ballater later this month, including a woman all the way from Canada who I’m very much looking forward to meeting. I love the way the internet makes the world smaller and engenders friendships impossible to establish in the days before we were all able to communicate so easily.

Doubtless like us all, I hope for a real summer to match the very real winter we have endured.

However you spend your summer, if and when we get one: enjoy!

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“Home is not where, it is whom.”

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56

Pottering About . . .

by Stella Potter

Whilst driving into town recently (something I do as little as possible!) doing 10mph under the speed limit, I rounded the corner

by Raemoir House Hotel. I have always slowed to at least 50mph there as I know there are often impatient drivers trying to get out of the Banchory road, particularly in the nearest we rural folk get to ‘rush hours’.

Suddenly something absolutely gigantic was flashing at me. I prepared to emergency stop, heart a-thumping, adrenaline rushing through my veins, whilst my brain tried to work out what on earth was going on. No, not an accident, abnormal load, tractor or road works.

A ridiculously oversized road sign telling me something, but I was so shocked I couldn’t even read it. What on earth...? For the life of me I can’t see why the sign was nearly the size of a house. Perhaps the sign-makers had confused metric and imperial measurements? Admittedly I was pleased to notice the monstrosity had windmills, so assume the power for the eyesore was green.

A few deep breaths later, my heartbeat gradually returned to normal, leaving me with that slightly shaky and queasy feeling a surge of adrenaline leaves.

As I continued my journey I mused on

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the ways we are exhorted to keep our speed down whilst driving. Take, for instance, the flashing 30mph sign a mere few yards after the speed limit sign going into Aboyne from Ballater. Is it just me who gains some perverse pleasure in making it flash? Just 31mph will do it. It seems to me to be missing some basic elements of psychology. The rash of these authoritative ‘You’re a bad person for not slowing down to exactly 30mph or less soon enough’ signs not only make me feel like a naughty schoolgirl again, but also make me want to rebel against this inanimate authority. Yet I do think myself to be a careful and considerate driver. There are much better ways to encourage safe driving in my humble opinion. For instance, the signs which flash a smiley face at you when you are doing the speed limit, and a miserable face if you are speeding, which I have seen in other parts of Scotland. How encouraging and gently humorous. One can’t help but smile at a smiley face, even one electrically generated. There’s more than a nuance of pleasure to create a smiley face whilst entering a built up area, and this is far less likely to annoy the hell out of drivers than the commanding schoolmarmy telling off.

How about it, Roads Department?

And whilst I’m having this little rant, (thank you for your patience!) I’d like to have a quick rail at whoever thought it was a good idea to design car headlights bright enough to floodlight a bloomin’ football stadium. In excellent daylight I saw a car with not only those horrible eye numbingly blinding blue headlights, but also a whole row of ridiculously glittery little ones underneath. Why? I’m sure all this does is lead to a false sense of security for the person behind the wheel:

cinated with the whole set up.

I am sure that when they left Clashinruich the whole puppet theatre would have been passed to some interested party and would not have been thrown out.

Around the walls of the attic was an extensive display of rock samples, all labelled, with a good part of the collection from the Cairngorm area but also from many parts of the world especially in mountainous regions as the Miss Smiths were expert climbers and skiers. I think I remember that this collection went to the Geology Department in Aberdeen University.

Hugh J. Mackay Hosting Students HOLA! Do you have room to host a young Spanish student (or more than one!) for two weeks from 14 - 25 June? The pro-

gramme is being organised once again by Schoolhouse English, a language school based in Ballater.

A group of students aged 14-17 is coming from Barcelona with three of their teachers to attend English classes and enjoy a programme of activities and visits. Students stay as part of the family and experience ‘normal’ day-to-day family life. They attend classes and a programme of visits and activities every day. There are several evening events as well, including a ceilidh and BBQ for all the family to attend.

Hosting a student can be a lot of fun and there’s a generous allowance to cover all expenses. If you live in the area between Crathie and Banchory and you’d like to know more about hosting a student this summer, please call Cathy Low on 013397 56333 or email: info@school-house.eu

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Clothing & Accessories for Men, Women & Children Adults’ Jackets Fleeces Knitwear Slippers Bags & Purses Gifts

Lucy’s Clothing Something for Everyone The Old Station, Ballater Tel. 013397 - 53855

Lucysclothing@hotmail.co.uk

Kids’ Trail Shoes Kilts Fleeces Rain Suits Wellies Hats & Gloves

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Local Group News Ballater Halls Indoor Bowling

by Sheila Rumbles

Our last season was a little disrupted, with the snow affecting attendances. However, we still had a good year. It was Ballater’s turn to host the Final of the winners of the Deeside League and Mearns League, namely Lumphanan v. Marykirk “B”. A successful evening, which saw Marykirk emerge as the winners, was enjoyed by approximately 80 people who gathered afterwards to partake of a beautiful spread of food.

Ballater Halls came second in the Deeside League for 2009/10 and we thank all our players who contributed to the achievement of this result. We start the new season on Tuesday 21 September at 2-4pm and 79pm. Any new members will be made most welcome.

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Ballater Songsters

by Sheila Rumbles

Since our successful concert during Victoria Week last year we have had a busy winter providing entertainment at various venues. The Songsters are now working hard in regular practise sessions preparing the programme which we intend to present in our concert for this year’s Victoria Week on Wednesday 11 August, at 2-30pm.

We are looking forward to seeing all our loyal friends there for what we hope will be another successful fun afternoon of music and song.

Please put this date in your diary.

Ballater SWRI

by Frances Johnstone The Institute’s meeting on 24 February was badly affected by a terrible snowstorm, with only a few local members able to attend McEwen’s shop in Ballater. This was unfortunate, as those attending had a very enjoyable evening.

The meeting on 18 March was a cookery demonstration called “Tasty Bits” by Cathie Brown from Midmar. Those present sampled many of her starters, main courses and puddings, for which she supplied recipes.

The business at our well attended AGM on 21 April was conducted by the ladies of Aboyne WRI who also entertained us with poems, Doric songs, stories and a sketch, all of which were much enjoyed. The Ballater SWRI ladies bowling team were congratulated on winning the cup for Aberdeenshire.

The summer bus outing has been arranged to go to the “Retreat” at Glenesk on 2 June. The new session of SWRI will start on Wednesday 15 September 2010.

Accident at Abergeldie!

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by Dr Sheila Sedgwick In 1824 a tragic accident took place at Abergeldie that made headline news.

Across the Dee from Abergeldie castle were two hamlets, Torgalter and Greystone, each with their quota of residents and tradesmen, like a miller, weaver, carpenter. For generations the Brown family had had a small piece of land there and at the time concerned, George was a skilled weaver. He was intelligent and literate and read the minister’s newspaper from end to end and had access to the books of both minister and schoolmaster. He spent a week every year in Aberdeen buying books and learning all he could.

George had a family of sons and daughters, one girl in particular, Barbara, a noted beauty, being known as “The Flower of Deeside”. She had a number of well-connected suitors but Babby settled on Peter Franchie, smart and handsome, her senior by a number of years, a widower without children. He had a good job as gamekeeper at Alltnaguibhsaich and in 1824 they were married in Glenmuick.

The couple stayed for a few days in Greystone until the keeper’s house was done up and visited many friends. On the Sunday they visited the Smarts at Abergeldie Mains. Early in the afternoon they crossed the Dee by way of the wooden “cradle” at Abergeldie, the only way of crossing between Crathie and Ballater. A strong cable was wound round a windlass on each bank and on it ran the “cradle.” This was only three planks held together by iron hoops, curved like the rockers of a cradle. At each end was an upright, linked by a crossbar. Under it two grooved wheels ran along. The cradle could hold only two passengers and was usually worked by the Abergeldie gardener.

Early in the afternoon the river was high

but not in spate. A pleasant visit over, the Franchies left the castle side of the river about 9pm. The river was higher. As the cradle was crossing, the rope broke and the passengers were thrown into the water.

It was dark and rescuers, including old George, ran along both banks with lanterns.

The gardener was rescued but it was not until the next morning that rescuers found Babby’s body in shallow water. A week later Peter’s body was found near Coilacriech.

There was mourning over Deeside. An investigation was carried out but no explanation was found for the cradle rope breaking.

George Brown died in 1828 and was buried in an unmarked grave at Crathie. It was not until 1885 that the cradle was replaced by a bridge, now also in an unsafe state.

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see a massive drystone dyke, the mother of all dykes, marching up the hill. This is the hard evidence of our Francis Farquharson’s work. The dyke, built in 1772, marks the boundary between the Earl of Aboyne’s ground to the east and Francis Farquharson’s recent acquisition to the west. We follow the great dyke up the hill. Only in its immediate presence, and seeing the enormous foundation stones, can one truly appreciate the superhuman effort that had created it.

On my last visit, I realised what a little tree-covered knoll that had puzzled me for many years was - a 1772 borrow pit for the monster stones that founded the dyke. This discovery brought images of an army of workmen digging out the stones, loading them on sledges for Highland ponies to pull across to the work at the wall. Again it all came

54

alive - the clues are all around and we only have to do the interpretation.

About 150 feet up the hill, the dyke swings to the right. Several hundred yards farther on, and 500 feet higher up, we are above the Craigs of Pannanich and close by the source of the Dalmuchie burn. There is a lochan here, and running due north is a massive shelf of rock, not granite, but quartzite. The outcrop is faulted and fractured.

We could see that the cracks were coated with tiny, intensely red-coloured, crystals.

Closer inspection revealed metallic flakes and more crystals. This we felt was surely the source of the mineral waters below. We took no examples, but did theorise on what was there as we carried on our way.

“Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”

Oscar Wilde

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UDAS Summer Exhibitions

by Moira Mackenzie

The Upper Deeside Art Society started in 1992 by a handful of enthusiastic art amateurs, has now swelled to having over 120 members, the majority of whom are still amateurs and still enthusiastic. The Society holds two Exhibitions each year. They exhibit their work for 4 months in the Stables at Balmoral Castle from the beginning of April every year until the end of July when the Castle then closes to the public.

This Exhibition in a delightful venue, is very popular with visitors and locals alike.

Then in the last week of August the Upper Deeside Art Society presents their annual Ballater Exhibition in the Victoria Hall. This year their colourful Exhibition runs from Saturday 28 August, daily from 10am – 7pm, until Sunday 5 September, with an increase in opening hours due to popular demand. This Exhibition is stewarded by the Artists themselves and they look forward to meeting you there.

appropriate to each one. The choices ranged from “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” to Ella Fitzgerald’s “Blue Moon”. The relaxed and happy atmosphere in the room was due in no small way to Edna’s fascinating anecdotes related whilst she was so expertly creating beauty in line and colour with her flowers. We feel fortunate to have someone so skilled in our neighbourhood and the evening was a great success for the Floral Art Group.

An outing to Pitlochry is planned for Sunday 26 September when “Tastes of the Seasons” will be the theme of the demonstrations. In the morning Christopher Trotter will demonstrate cooking and Diane Fair will do floral arrangements in the afternoon. A few tickets for this event are still available. The Floral Art Group is thriving in Ballater and new members are always welcome.

11

The Hair Loft Ballater Hairstyling

Floral Art Group

by Mildred Coull

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The new season of the BRHS Floral Art Group got off to a flying start on 15th April in the Mike Sheridan Room when Chairman K athleen McCulloch welcomed over 50 ladies to the first meeting. With an overall theme of ‘With a Song in my Heart’, the ever popular Edna Matthew from Alford delighted the audience with her superb arrangements and sparkling personality.

Edna’s innovative designs were accompanied by excerpts of music which were

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12 Boules Conquer the Elements

by John Holley see picture on back page....

Following one of the worst winters experienced in Ballater for the past 30 to 40 years the Ballater Boules Challenge faced up to all the elements thrown at it and came out a winner.

The ‘Challenge’, in its fifth successful season, was hit by some extreme weather, but despite this we cancelled just two gatherings. We are very much aware that playing through a Ballater winter can cause problems but to lose just two meetings during the 2009/2010 winter was a great achievement and congratulations must go to our players for their unabated enthusiasm.

Once again we achieved an average turnout throughout the season of 35 which is amazing for a game that is expected to be

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played in warm sunshine with a glass of Pernod (or similar!) in hand!

During the festive season we raised £375 for the Ballater Enhancement Group over our two charity days, the ‘Golden Boules Trophy’ played for at Christmas and the ‘New Year Quaich’ hard fought for in January. Thanks to the generosity of our players we broke all our previous records for collections donated to local good causes.

The Golden Boules Trophy was won by ‘Jones Laing ‘ (Martin Young & Alastair Whitson) and the ‘New Year Quaich’ was won by the ‘R aedykers’ (Ian & Ann Ritchie). ‘Jones Laing’ also achieved the most wins for the season.

Several new faces joined us during the season. All were warmly welcomed and quickly began to enjoy the fun and friendship the Challenge offers.

Our meetings could not run smoothly without the help of many people who offer their services freely without having to be asked. However, special thanks must go to the following for their invaluable assistance: Chris Perrin, Michael & Maria Franklin, Ian Ritchie, Martin Young, Alistair Cassie and Jean Holley.

The fifth season finished as usual with a superb BBQ that was enjoyed by 65 people. Thankfully, on this occasion the weather was very kind to us and to use a cliché, a good time was had by all!

Our sixth season will commence in late October and run through to early April 2011.

A final list of dates will be posted in Alistair Cassie’s Emporium window in early October or visit www.ballaterboules.webs.com or email ballaterboules@gmail.com

forced to purchase the whole of Pannanich Hill to secure his investment in the mineral wells. He then planted the hill with Scots pine seedlings from his tree nursery in the field below Monaltrie House.

The Dalmuchie burn reaches the Dee just beyond this point, and only a few yards up the burn you could still find the sawdust from an early sawmill. The water power to drive this mill came from a dam farther up the burn beside the Ballater butcher’s killing house in the wood.

By the time of the Great War the hill had been replanted for a second time and these were the trees that the men of the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit clearfelled in the 1940s to provide pit props for the coal industry in war-time Britain.

At this point, we return to the road.

Only a hundred yards on, a large twin oak tree grows out of the pavement. This is the Wishing Tree, under which generations of Ballater courting couples have silently embraced while ‘wishing’. Round the next corner is evidence of the old Pannanich brae granite quarry. This was the scene of a tragic traffic accident in 1941, when two Newfoundlanders lost their lives. The lumberjacks were buried across the river in Tullich kirkyard.

Pannanich Wells Hotel, right at the top of the hill, was built out of this quarry. This new section of road was opened specifically to allow easier access to the mineral springs after the first Ballater Bridge opened in 1783.

Pannanich Lodge and the Dalmuchie ferry fell into decline after Ballater Bridge and Pannanich Wells Hotel were built. With the sudden collapse of this early bridge in 1799, Lodge and ferry gained a new lease of life until Telford built the second bridge some years later.

We continue along the road a couple of hundred yards past the hotel, and here we

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52

Pannanich Hill

by Ian Cameron

We used to explore both banks of the river Dee and going over the bridge and down Pannanich Road was a regular trek for us. The usual attraction was the remains of the Newfoundlanders’ log cabin camp in the woods, quite derelict now, with unlocked doors swinging eerily in the wind.

On the banks of the Dee, a short distance east of Ballater Bridge, are the ruins of what was once Pannanich Lodge.

Built originally as an inn on the old South Deeside road at the Dalmuchie ferry, it expanded to accommodate the patrons of the mineral waters found on the hill above.

There are scant traces of that lodge today,

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13

by Mairi Burgess

Site of Pannanich Lodge

but the sheltering oak, beech and sycamore trees are still there marking the remains. In that then ostentatious hostelry, the view from the bay window of the River Dee, the magnificent backdrop of the Coyles of Muick, and, above and beyond, the towering skyline of Dark Lochnagar must have been inspiring, and certainly proved so to the young Lord Byron.

Imagine for a moment that we are back in 1772. Pannanich Lodge is a bustling place this spring morning. The inn has stabling for the guests’ horses, and byres and outhouses for its farm. The ferryman is setting out across the Dee to meet the Laird, Francis Farquharson, who he can see approaching on his grey mare. The first Ballater Bridge with its five arches is still eleven years away and ferries on the Dee at Dalmuchie and Garranmhor serve the young Ballater. Today Francis Farquharson is off to inspect the progress at the great march dyke he is building east of the mineral wells up on the hill.

His work in setting up bathhouses and pumps at the wells was so successful that he has extended Pannanich Lodge to cater for the patrons.

A victim of his own success, Francis was

The long winter, we hope, has disappeared at long last and gardeners all over the country are now counting the cost of all the hard and prolonged frosts and very heavy, wet snow. Most gardens will have lost longstanding and favourite shrubs, plants and even trees, but now we must think of the summer ahead, enjoy the sunshine and plan for the future.

The Horticultural Society members are planning for the new season and looking forward to the Annual Show on 21 and 22 August. This year we hope for a large number of entries in all classes, but especially the children’s section, as they are the future gardeners.

There will be an opportunity to stock up on plants at the annual Plant Sale on the Green on Saturday 12 June. You are very welcome to bring any spare plants to sell, and also to add to your own collection. Home baking will be very welcome for us to sell, as all proceeds from the Sale help to fund our Show, and village projects.

The Society has purchased new planters for Station Square. These look very grand, and we are awaiting their arrival, hoping they will add to the ambiance of the area.

The Cairngorm National Park has kindly added two matching planters for their office entrance, so the Square should look very smart for all our visitors, and locals alike.

The competition for the Best Garden in the area will be judged before the Annual Show, and the lucky winners will receive a cash prize of £100 and the Alex Copland Rose Bowl. The gardens entered may be of any size, and the judges are looking for variety, and not ones that are perfect in every

detail, so please don’t be afraid to enter. We need lots of entries to give the judges a hard task. Entries may be handed to Rosemary O’Shea at Oaklands House in Braemar Road, or to any member of the committee.

Finally, we are delighted and very proud to announce that HRH the Prince of Wales, Duke of Rothesay has agreed to continue his patronage of our Society for another 5 years. His annual donation of a thoughtful gift for our fundraising, has been greatly appreciated. The Society is very fortunate to have had royal patronage for many years, including HM the Queen, and the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who also regularly donated prizes for our fundraising raffle.

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14

New Ballater Singing Group

‘Dial-a-Bus’

by Sheena Armstrong

by Christiane Hinz

At the end of March, a new singing group started up with enthusiastic singers from Ballater. The group is open for more people who want to join and sing along.

This ancient art not only feels good, it can enhance your well-being, reduce your feelings of pain and even prolong your life. Studies have linked singing with a lower heart rate, decreased blood pressure and reduced stress. It also boosts feelings of relaxation, mood and confidence.

If you want to: Explore your own voice; Get to know sing-along-songs from all over the world, which you can sing with your children and/or family; Surprise your partner or your family with a new skill; Increase your happiness and well-being ...then this is the perfect way to spend an evening every two weeks. There is no fee to pay, and everyone is welcome. No musical experience is necessary.

Contact Christiane on 013397 53894, by e-mail at maketodaycount@web.de or leave your name and telephone number at Ballater Library.

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You may not have heard about the Diala-Bus service, or the 6-5 Special as it has been called. This is a bus service free to those who have bus passes or taxi passes.

There are several different destinations, and the details are as follows:Ballater to Aboyne:

The bus will call at your home in Ballater on request at around 10.15am every Thursday, leaving Aboyne at 12noon to return to Ballater. You are picked up at your own front door, and returned there with your shopping etc.

Ballater to Aberdeen: This service, on the second Tuesday of each month, comes through Ballater from Braemar, going on to Aberdeen leaving Ballater at around 11.20am and leaving Aberdeen at 4pm to return to Ballater.

Again, you are picked up and returned to your own front door.

Ballater to Inverurie:

This service runs on the third Tuesday of each month, again coming through Ballater from Braemar at around 11.20am, leaving Inverurie at 3pm to return to Ballater.

This may not seem to be very long but the bus picks you up at your door, takes you perhaps to Tesco or Marks & Spencer and drops you off at your door with your shopping. It is also a chance for a fine run out.

You need to phone and book a place one week before you want to go and they will give you on the phone any more information that you need. The number to call is 01569 765765. This is a wonderful FREE service, and if insufficient use is made of it, then it may well be withdrawn.

stage, and all the actors. At the Crucifixion scene, nature seemed to be in harmony with the sad happenings on stage – the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled and as Jesus hung on the Cross, the heavens opened and a deluge of rain enveloped the stage and all the actors. I was so moved by this, and indeed by the whole afternoon’s performance, that I decided there and then to return in ten years’ time and see the complete play.

And so it was that in the year 2000, I was seated in the second front row of the newly renovated theatre, absolutely enthralled by the wonderful, moving performance on stage.

And as I later thought about my visits to both Berlin and Oberammergau, Frank Sinatra’s song “The Second Time Around” came into my head and I realised that for me, the second visits to Berlin and Oberammergau had also been better the second time around.

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our last day doing what all tourists should do - sitting outside Café Kranzler drinking coffee and watching the world go by.

Our 7½ hour journey from Berlin to Munich passed surprisingly quickly and we arrived in Munich exactly on time. We had decided to spend a couple of days seeing something of Munich and of the surrounding countr yside before going to Oberammergau. After visiting some ancient churches and interesting museums, and marvelling at the size of the fruit on sale at the local open-air markets, we boarded a train for Fussen, a small picturesque village, where we hoped to visit Neuschwanstein, the fairy tale Castle built by King Ludwig II in 1869.

It is built 200 metres above the valley floor and its towers reach so high that they are sometimes lost in the mist. We found the climb rather steep, but the sight of the Castle was worth all the effort. We could really

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understand why Walt Disney had been so inspired by it when creating his Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Next morning we caught the local bus to Oberammergau, arriving there mid-morning with still some time to wander through the village, admiring the houses with fairy-tale motifs painted on their walls, and the myriad of shops selling intricate wood carvings. But our main reason for coming here was to see the Passion Play, enacted each 10th year by the inhabitants of Oberammergau. Unfortunately when we enquired at the ticket office, we were informed that there were no seats available for the afternoon performance.

The entire play lasts from 9am - 5.30pm with a three hour break for lunch. All the 2200 actors are locals who have had to grow their hair for months ahead of the production, which takes place six times weekly from May to October.

In the tremendous crowd scenes there can be as many as 250 people on stage at one time. We watched enviously as the morning session audience poured out of the theatre, and were amazed when we were approached by two young ladies who said “We’ve heard you want to see the Passion Play. Please take our tickets for the afternoon performance, as we have to move on”.

Hardly believing our luck we asked where they came from. “Wagga Wagga in Australia” was the reply. George could hardly believe his ears. “I never believed that such a place existed except in the imagination of the Goon Show script writers. I think we must come and visit you next time we’re in Australia”. “You’ll be most welcome” they said as they left.

The afternoon audience had filed in quietly and there was total silence as the second half of the Passion Play began. Our seats were very far back in the auditorium, but we still had a clear view of the open-air

Ballater & Crathie Community Council

15

by Robin Blyth, Chairman Future B&CCC contributions to the Eagle will be in the form of a Newsletter.

This will be a conscious attempt to keep the community of Ballater & Crathie fully informed on the working and considerations of their Community Council.

Briefly, the CC consists of 12 persons elected for a period of 4 years every fourth April. Casual vacancies are filled by holding an election in which the successful candidate will be elected for the remainder of the current period.

The Council meets every second Monday of the month with the exception of August when we take a welcome break. Meetings are held in Ballater, in the Halls, with the exception of October when the meeting will be held in Crathie. The AGM is always held in April, and in alternate years, the venue changes between Ballater and Crathie.

Members of the public are very cordially invited to attend CC meetings and though they cannot speak without prior written permission from the Secretary, can be invited by the Chairman to contribute to the discussion.

Watchful comment on Planning Applications is one of the CC’s important briefs and we now have a Sub-Committee which meets fortnightly to fulfil this task. Our main essence of being is to act as the ears and eyes of the community and to pass concerns upwards to Aberdeenshire Council, and also to our Elected Council Members, including Marcus Humphrey who attends all of our meetings.

Ballater and Crathie share with a few

other communities the pleasures of being both in the Cairngorms National Park and a Local Authority. This brings differing things to the party and we must duplicate a lot of our work and thought.

All members’ details and contact addresses are on the Ballater notice-board so please avail yourselves of what we can offer.

Lastly we wish to acknowledge the work and the tireless efforts of Marybell Macaulay, our retiring Secretary. Bell has spent many years wholeheartedly serving the community in public life, having had two sessions on the CC. We wish her well in her part retirement.

H.M. Sheridan 11 Bridge Street Ballater AB35 5QP

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museums, famous for its classical Greek, Babylonian, Roman, Islamic and Middle Eastern art and architecture. But we were quite unprepared for the magnificence of the Pergamon Altar from Asia Minor (165BC) - a huge raised marble altar with a 120-metre frieze of the Gods doing battle with the giants, or the 30 metre long ‘Processional Way’ made of blue and ochre-glazed bricks with reliefs of lions, horses, dragons and unicorns, dating from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar 11 (604-562 BC) - A ‘must see’ for anyone visiting Berlin.

I had always wanted to visit Potsdam, some 24kms west of Berlin, where at the end of World War II, Prime Minister Churchill, Secretar y Josef Stalin and President Harry Truman had signed the Potsdam Agreement - a plan of tripartite military occupation and reconstruction of Nazi Germany. In a small unpretentious single-storeyed house we viewed the round table where

the Agreement had been signed, and found the memorabilia displayed there really interesting. But I also wanted to see Schloss Sanssouci, the rococo palace built

by Frederick the Great in 1747. It is now a world heritage site, and because of a rule laid down by UNESCO, only 2000 visitors per day are allowed to view its glorious interiors. The extensive gardens contained many beautiful plants, but my favourite thing was the Orangery which protects the trees from the snow and ice of winter but allows the oranges to ripen in the summer sunshine.

Our last day in Berlin was spent visiting the celebrated Zoo, walking past the tall TV tower with its high revolving restaurant, and visiting the modern octagonal church which replaced the original Memorial Church, built in 1961. The deep blue stained-glass windows reach from floor to ceiling and reflect light to all corners of the Church. We ended

49

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48

Berlin & Oberammergau

by Willma Sim

It’s summer 1990 and I am back in Berlin, this time accompanied by my husband George, who had heard me talk so much about Berlin, that he felt he had to come and see it for himself. We also plan to visit a small town in Bavaria called Oberammergau for this is the year in which the inhabitants enact a play depicting the passion, death and resurrection of Christ all this to celebrate the town’s deliverance from the Black Death in 1632.

But first we have to visit the Wall. Arriving at the Brandenburg Gate, where in November 1989, victorious students had breached the wall, and danced a jubilant jig along it, we were astonished to find no trace of the wall. However, I was so pleased to see that the Guadriga, the two-wheeled chariot drawn by four horses and driven by

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the Winged Goddess of Victory on top of the Brandenburg Gate, now faced into West Berlin, rather than into East Berlin, as it had done from 1961 when the Wall was built.

Street traders were selling Russian memorabilia, but we ignored them and soon found our way to Checkpoint Charlie, the only gateway for foreigners between the two Berlins during the Cold War. No buses now ply the route I had travelled into East Berlin all these years ago, but nearby stands Haus Am Checkpoint Charlie, a private museum of memorabilia and photos of those who had tried to escape to the West. I remember especially a glider which had been constructed in the attic of a house, and had successfully delivered its crew to freedom. But not all attempts had been so successful.

We did eventually manage to locate a section of the Wall, but it bore no resemblance to the grey forbidding erection which had struck terror into so many hearts. Now the furious anger of the people had reduced it to barely half its original height and its plasterwork was covered in lurid graffiti.

Enterprising Germans were hiring out tools, so that each visitor - and they seemed to come for all over the world - could chip off his own little piece of history. “How are the mighty fallen”, I thought as we left clutching our little piece of what was left of the dreaded Mauer.

Access to what had been East Berlin via the U-Bahn was easy, and we even had our passports stamped by a very dour Russian official. Huge grey housing blocks greeted us as we walked through untidy streets, virtually devoid of traffic. We managed a quick peep into the magnificent Opera House, preserved in all its glory, before heading for the Pergamon Museum, one of Berlin’s 170

Designer Appeal

by Stella Potter The Eagle has been plopping through our community’s letterboxes, informing and entertaining our readers, for 58 issues now.

The Eagle team currently has 3 designers Naomi, Faye and me - who between us produce each edition on industry standard DTP software. Thanks to a very generous donation from Mike Sheridan’s estate, we also now have a dedicated laptop and updated software. However, it is now imperative we enlarge our bank of designers, due to growing other commitments for the design team members. This is where YOU have the opportunity to join us.

If you are computer literate, and could spare some time, would you like to be trained to produce an occasional edition? Currently Naomi and Faye produce one each and I do two editions every year. It takes between 1-

Wee Jim Landscapes

3 weeks per issue depending on how much spare time you can allocate to Eagling away!

And, of course, you would be a full member of the eclectic group that is the Eagle Team. We work collectively to make decisions, so you wouldn’t be expected to sit at home alone grappling with articles without full support. I trained and supported both Naomi and Faye and am happy to do likewise for new designers. There is a small compensatory payment for each edition but, being a community magazine, nothing like commercial rates, so this cannot in any way be considered employment. It is, however, a hugely gratifying endeavour, and a great opportunity to learn and use industry standard software on our dedicated laptop, and to give back something to our community. If you are interested, do contact me for info and a chat: 55969 or stella.potter@btopenworld.com I look forward to hearing from you…

17

Karl Jones Joiner (Now Self-Employed)

For all your joinery needs James Anderson Bridgefoot, Glenmuick, Ballater Aberdeenshire AB35 5SN

Tel: 013397 55997 Mobile: 07821 746756 Email: weejimlandscapes@yahoo.co.uk

Telephone Karl for a quick response Mobile: 0789 1493989

18

47

Scottish Government Consultations

by Phil Swan

The following text (in italic) is an extract from the Scottish Government’s web site on consultation: “Consultation is an essential and important aspect of Scottish Government working methods. Given the wide-ranging areas of work of the Scottish Government, there are many varied types of consultation. However, in general consultation exercises aim to provide opportunities for all those who wish to express their opinions on a proposed area of work to do so in ways which will inform and enhance that work.

Typically consultations involve a written paper inviting answers to specific questions or more general views about the material presented.

Written papers are distributed to organisations and individuals with an interest in the area of consultation, and they are also posted under the current consultations section of this website, enabling a wider audience to access the paper and submit their responses. The Government has an email alert system for consultations (SEConsult). It allows individuals and organisations to register and receive a weekly email containing details of new consultations (including web links) and those about to end.

The views and suggestions detailed in consultation responses are analysed and used as part of the decision-making process.

Within the consultation section of the Scottish Government website there is a full list of all closed consultations and a listing of forthcoming consultations. The “closed” section will, in the future, provide details about the outcome of consultations and have links to any reports produced from the consultation exercise.

If you have any queries about the consultation process please contact: Constitutional Policy and Civic Participation Team, GA North. Victoria Quay, Leith,

Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ. email: consultationqueries@scotland.gsi.gov.uk ” As a general observation, consultation topics seem to fall into three categories (although this is not stated by the government): Anyone might well hold an opinion which can contribute to the consultation process.

Likely to concern a specific sector of the community that will be most affected by the policy and therefore especially interested in responding.

People with specific knowledge are likely to be able to contribute to the government’s work.

You can find out about current and forthcoming consultations at the following web site: www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations. As mentioned above, the Government has an email alert system for consultations, accessible at: www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/ seconsult.aspx . If you don’t have internet access at home, Ballater library is probably the best place to get it. In addition, a full list of current consultation topics will be located on the Ballater library notice board, updated periodically.

Firewood

Tel: 013397 55997 Mobile: 07821 746756

Eagle & Robin by Luke Strachan ing proceedings. Earlier in the year, Alistair was very excited that a rare specimen of red grouse, not a frequent sight around Ballater, had taken refuge from the severe weather in some cardboard boxes to the side of Alan Yule’s shop and again he has produced a photograph which the Eagle is happy to reproduce.

Will Ballater Bridge Street become a mecca for twitchers from world-wide? Should our Bed & Breakfast proprietors ready themselves for a sudden influx of visitors? We can but wait and see.

It is a red grouse, honest!

Aboyne Van Hire

Mobile 07808 568434

46

Cairngorms Ceilidh Trail

by Eileen Collins

The Cairngorms Cèilidh Trail offers professional development and performance opportunities for young local musicians to share their skills and enthusiasm for traditional music. Now in its fourth year, it has established a great reputation and is making a welcome return to a number of venues throughout the National Park and visiting some for the first time.

The 2010 Trail kicks off with a training week in Plockton and then tours venues in Badenoch & Strathspey from 14-16 July, visits Tomintoul Games on Saturday 17 and then takes in several venues in the eastern and southern parts of the National Park from 19-23 July. This year they are visiting Ballater’s Victoria Hall on Wednesday 21 July at 7pm. Tickets, priced at £4, will be

dp opticians ...are you ready for summer? our 2010 sunglasses have arrived!

available from Gow’s Deli, Eileen Collins on 013397 55307, or on the door.

This year’s band comprises 8 young musicians from in and around the CNP, three of whom are ‘old hands’, having been part of the line-up last year. Owen Sinclair, guitar, percussion and vocals, Duncan Bullivant, cello and bass guitar, and Seonag Buxton, fiddle, Gaelic song and pipes, all enjoyed last year’s tour so much that they have again taken up what is offered as ‘a summer job with a difference’. They are joined by brothers Ally and Callum Forsyth, Tara Cunningham, Amy Paparinsky and Becca Skeoch, collectively adding fiddles, guitar, keyboard, song, pipes and clarsach to the group.

The Cairngorms Ceilidh Trail is run by Fèis Spè, with support from Feisean nan Gaidheal and major funding from Cairngorms Leader, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, Scottish Arts Council, the Highland Council, Angus Council and Aberdeenshire Council.

Bridge Street Birds

...choose from Bolle, Carrera, Polaroid, Police, Max Mara, Regatta, Serengeti, Valentino - and lots of affordable trendy styles, too!

Don’t forget ALL our sunglasses have full UV protection.

Coma and check them out at dp opticians 45 Bridge Street, Ballater Tel.56222 “...your local opticians who care how you look!”

by Ian Hay In our Spring issue, the Eagle had a photograph by Glyn Jones of a sparrow-hawk having breakfast in Bridge Street outside Cassie’s Emporium, oblivious to passing traffic and Angus Davidson on his bike!

Now, bird watcher extraordinaire (by appointment) Alistair Cassie has produced further evidence of the attractions of Bridge Street for our avian friends. A pigeon has raised a chick in the cast iron decorated and dated (1924) guttering of Cassie’s store, and he has sent the Eagle a photograph of the youngster, taken while perched precariously on a ladder, and Mum flew around watch-

Victoria & Albert Halls

19

by Bell Macaulay The Victoria and Albert Halls Development Association held its Annual General Meeting on 20 April, and a strong and supportive committee has been elected: Chair – Bell Macaulay; Vice Chair – Jack Coull; Treasurer – Willie Meston; Secretary – Eileen Collins; Members – Veronica Houston, Margaret Hay, Ron Drever, Jenny Gow, Frances Johnstone.

The Spring edition of the Eagle contained a report from the Refurbishment sub-committee on efforts to obtain funding for a study to find the best heating system for our complex halls, and to draw up ideas for improving the general facilities. Successful applications have been made to Cairngorms Leader, Community Energy Scotland under the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewables Scheme (CARES), the MacRobert Trust and Marr Area Partnership, and we are extremely grateful to these organisations for their very generous funding.

Thanks are also due to those individuals and local organisations who took the trouble to write letters and emails confirming their support for the project. This is greatly appreciated, and will be invaluable in showing possible future funders that the Ballater community endorses the project wholeheartedly.

A heating consultant and an architect are already drawing up plans to improve the heating, insulation and general facilities in the Victorian complex. Initial draft plans, incorporating views and ideas expressed by local people at a consultation held in October, were made available at a further Community Consultation held in the Victoria Hall on Saturday 22 May. Views, reactions and comment on these initial ideas were taken away by the consultants to tweak and adjust

in preparation for a final public consultation at the end of July. Then the really hard work of raising very considerable sums of money will begin! A list of ideas has been drawn up and several of the user groups have already pledged to help raise money for the project.

Anyone wishing to add their support can do so by contacting Ian Hay: 013397 55941 thehaysbraemore@btopenworld.com

Halls Jumble Sale On Saturday 3 July the Victoria & Albert Halls Committee will be holding a jumble and tabletop sale from 11am to 4pm to raise funds for upgrading the Halls. We will have jumble tables, a raffle, and bottle stall with all money from these tables going entirely to the hall improvement fund.

Any donations of raffle, jumble or a bottle would be gratefully received. Please contact Eileen on 013397 55307 any evening from now till the 2 July and your jumble will be collected. Alternatively deliver any items to the hall on the evening of Friday 2 July from 6.30pm – 7.30pm.

If you would like to book a table, please also contact Eileen on the above number.

Forbes Duguid Painter & Decorator Tel .55816 el.55816

20

Ballater Victoria Week

by Mike Franklin

Preparations are well under way for the next Ballater Victoria Week festival which will be held from 7 - 15 August 2010. The festival is now 23 years old and continues to be a fun week for visitors and residents alike.

It will follow its normal pattern of evening and daytime events, indoor and outdoor events.

Some old favourites will be repeated as with the traditional music concert by Paul Anderson and friends and the afternoon concert by the Ballater Songsters. The Classic car and tractor rallies will be held as usual but this year along with the rally of vintage bicycles (and a few vintage cyclists as well) first held last year. The 4x4 safaris and barbecue will continue as will the Ghosts and

Old Cine Film Reels & Slides to DVD: Excellent Results Reasonable Cost and No V.A.T.!

Do before they fade away!

Local Interest DVDs (e.g. “Braemar”, “Royal Deeside - Its Land & People”) & More!

by Bob Thomson (Established 1969) Tel: 013397 41214 Kindrochit Drive, Braemar AB35 5YW

Ghoulies outings.

Scottish Countr y Dancing returns to the program after a gap of a year but this time led by Braemar ’s Castleton dancers.

The new children’s event ‘Go wild in the woods’ run by Julia Truscott of the Forestry Commission in Cambus O’May woods proved very popular and will be repeated.

As always, central to the week is the Ballater Highland Games on Thursday 12 August.

Each year Victoria Week passes on surplus funds of several thousand pounds to local groups and charities. However, organising Ballater Victoria Week is hard work and we welcome any offers of help. In particular we would like groups to volunteer to run the box-office for one day. Individuals can help in any number of ways. Businesses can help to promote Victoria Week or donate raffle prizes; if you wish to advertise in the everpopular Ballater Times, contact me as soon as possible.

To offer help or seek information please contact me: 013397 53174 or franklin579@btinternet.com.

“You will find that the mere

established and the numbers killed and seriously injured on our roads falling over the past three years, only one group – motorcyclists have ‘bucked the trend’. Operation Zenith aims to tackle road traffic fatalities among motorcyclists, with local officers playing a key part in this.

Rural policing presents a variety of challenges, one of which is wildlife crime. In addition to their normal duties, Steve and Donald are Wildlife Crime Officers. A specialist area of policing, the Wildlife Crime Unit deals with such crimes as hare coursing, bird of prey persecution, environmental crime and salmon poaching.

Partnership working is often the key to success, and The Dee ‘Riverwatch’ scheme, launched on 29 April, aims to combat incidents of salmon poaching. It is a partnership venture between Grampian Police, Water Bailiffs from the Dee Fisheries Board and local Ghillies.

Your local policing team is looking forward to a busy summer of games, shows and events, and meeting and engaging with our communities in the course of our duties.

If we can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us via the Grampian Police Service Centre: 0845 600 5 700, or via email at mypolicingarea@grampian.pnn.police.uk “When one door closes another door opens, but we

resolve not to be useless,

so often look so long and

and the honest desire to help

so regretfully upon the closed

other people, will, in the

door, that we do not see

quickest and delicatest ways, improve yourself.”

John Ruskin

the ones which open for us.”

Alexander Graham Bell

Ballater Post Of fice

Hours of Opening: Mon: 9am - 5.30pm Tues: 9am - 5.30pm Weds: 9am - 5.30pm Thurs: 9am - 12.30pm Fri: 9am - 5.30pm Sat: 9am - 12.30pm Please note we are OPEN over lunchtime

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

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

Tel: 013397 55505 www.ballaterpo.net

44 There have been some changes afoot recently in your local policing team. In October 2009 Sergeant Stuart Clark took up the post of Upper Deeside Sergeant, with supervisory responsibility for all the officers stationed at Aboyne, Ballater and Braemar.

Stuart, who has thirteen years service, has carried out uniformed and CID roles in Aberdeen.

Constable Fiona Brown returns to Ballater after six years as a handler and instructor in the Grampian Police Dog Unit, with Constable Dave Woods returning after a period in Aberdeen. The Ballater team is also made up by Constables Steve Lafferty and Donald Macleod.

Donald and Dave, in addition to their main duties, are members of the mountain

Larks Gallery Contemporary Scottish Art Paintings, Sculpture, Wood, Glass, Textiles, Photography, Ceramics & Jewellery

10, Braemar Road Ballater Aberdeenshire AB35 5RL Tel : (013397) 55888

Police Page

Ballater Charitable Chiels

by Sgt. Stuart Clark

by Derek Mutch, Secretary

rescue team. As you can imagine the worst winter weather conditions seen in the UK for many years saw Donald and Dave test their skills with the rest of the mountain rescue team on several occasions, with successful conclusions.

Local policing is at the heart of Grampian Police’s service delivery. Your local officers are empowered and encouraged to work with partners to resolve local challenges and respond to incidents. Consulting, listening, responding and providing feedback, is the methodology by which we aim to bring local policing closer to you.

With this in mind, since February of this year, local police surgeries have been run every four to six weeks. Some of you may have seen the mobile police office parked outside Glenmuick Church. Please take the opportunity to pop in past, say hello, and discuss with us the issues that you feel are a priority in our community. In addition, your local Police are committed to attending Ballater and Crathie Community Council meetings so that we can better understand and, therefore, respond to the issues raised by you. We can’t promise we’ll react to everything we’re told, but we will explain why if we don’t.

With the summer months upon us the local roads and particularly the A93 North Deeside Road, see a substantial increase in the volume of traffic. Despite 2009 seeing the lowest number of fatal road traffic collisions across Grampian since the Force was

As I write this article for the Eagle the Chiels are currently planning their latest challenge. Approximately 12 of us are going to try and bag the most Easterly, Northerly, Westerly and Southerly Munros in four days, Mount Keen, Ben Hope, Ben More and Ben Lomond. We are looking for sponsorship and support. All we need is some luck with the weather and a lot of energy! The challenge will take place on the last weekend of May. As usual any monies raised will be distributed to local worthy causes.

The golf day takes place on the 11 June this year. It is the usual format, Texas scramble, with teams of four playing for the Sandy Barclay claret jug. This has always been a good day and is our biggest money raiser of the year. The main beneficiary of this will be the Euan McDonald research centre for Motor Neurone Disease.

Other beneficiaries in the past 12 months include; Braemar Mountain Rescue, Ballater Primary school, Ballater Little Masons, St Andrews Church Braemar, Sluiemohr, Monaltrie Court, Braemar cubs, OAP’s hut, Monaltrie Play Park, Braemar Junior Games, and Ballater YES group.

Our music night is booked for Saturday 2 October, and as in previous years, the band “Flites” will entertain us, ably supported by a talented band from Braemar!! This has always been a great night so it’s definitely one to put in the diary!

Towards the end of the year we will have the fireworks display and probably a fancy dress disco at Xmas. No doubt at some point we will have a quiz night or two. In the past they have always proved to be a big hit with all who take part.

21

2011 will be our tenth year so we were thinking about something special to celebrate.

A few of the Chiels have had some good suggestions but if anyone has any good ideas we would love to hear from them!

Hope everyone has a good summer and if your group needs help or support we would love to hear from you.

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.”

Chinese Proverb “The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.”

B. B. King

Davidsons Chemists Retail Pharmacy and Veterinary Chemist Group Delivering Quality Healthcare since 1897

PRESCRIPTIONS COSMETICS PHOTOGRAPHIC Over-the-Counter MEDICINES & ADVICE Mon - Fri 9am - 5.30pm Sat 9am - 5pm

10 Bridge Street, Ballater Tel: 013397 55409

22

BOVOF Ballater One Voice Our Future

Monaltrie Park Users Group The Group has continued to progress improvements to Monaltrie Park.

Our first completed project is the construction of an all abilities path from the cinder path down to the play area. The new path provides better access from Ballater Primary School to the Park for pupils’ sporting activities, and easier access to the play area for families with pushchairs and wheelchairs. The 25 metre gently sloping path has an Astroturf surface, and the adjacent ground has been seeded with a woodland wildflower mix.

The project was part funded by the

by Ron Drever Cairngor ms National Park Authority (CNPA). Match funding was made up by the kind donation of the Astroturf from Ballater Golf Club, and donations from the Upper Deeside Community Development Group, Ballater Highland Games, and GJB Accountancy. Our grateful thanks go to all who helped, as well as the Ballater Walking Festival who underwrote the funding to enable us to obtain the CNPA grant in time.

We have also been able to fund the installation of rubber tiles on the play area, as well as bins and additional seating. Again this project will be part funded by the CNPA, with match funding kindly provided by the Ballater Chiels. Aberdeenshire Council are obtaining the tiles for us and are kindly

records generated by our group have now begun to be uploaded onto this website so are accessible to both researchers and the general public.

Our surveys, so far, have been along two main strands - surveys of settlements and townships on the lower ground and surveys of individual structures further up the hills, such as shielings and still houses. The ultimate objective is to produce a landscape scale map of Glen Muick with all of these structures mapped so that we can compare this with other parts of Scotland; this will give us an insight into how people lived and how they managed the land over two hundred years ago. So far we have surveyed four settlements and many shieling sites. We are working from the top of Glen Muick down.

Some of the sites that we have recorded have already been noted by RCAHMS, mainly from old editions of maps. Other sites that we have surveyed were previously unrecorded.

Some of the information that we have acquired from this project has been used by Balmoral Ranger Service to improve the historical information provided to the public. For example we have a waymarked walk around the township at The Spittal of Glen Muick. You can pick up a leaflet that takes you around this walk at the visitor centre. We also recently installed an information board along the track between the car park and the visitor centre to highlight the presence of the township to passing walkers. This summer we are organising a guided walk around the township on 30 August. On 25 September we are undertaking a bike ride around some of the other sites. (see pages 38/39) If anyone would like any further information about the Glen Muick SRP group then drop me a line at: glyn.jones@balmoralcastle.com

43

BALLATER LAUNDRY Ballater Business Centre Ballater, Aberdeenshire AB35 5PN Tel. 013397 55151

Your Local Laundry & Dry Cleaners in Upper Deeside serving Hotels, Guest Houses & Restaurants with Collection & Delivery in Ballater, Aboyne and Braemar twice weekly.

We also carry out Dry Cleaning, Service Washes, Curtain and Duvet Cleaning.

Please Telephone 013397 55151 or call in at the laundry.

Proprietors: Louise & David Halliday

Henderson Funeral Directors Ballater’s only Family owned and run Funeral Directors

24 hour caring, personal service covering Deeside Respectful and dignified care guaranteed

Contact Neil Henderson (Funeral Director)

Tel. 013397 53255 Unit 1, Craigview Road, Ballater

42

Glen Muick Archaeological Survey

by Glyn Jones

Scotland’s Rural Past is a fiveyear, nationwide project, which supports local communities across Scotland to investigate deserted rural settlements dating from the medieval and post-medieval periods. The project, which was launched in October 2006, is hosted by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Through the work of the Historic Rural Settlement Trust these organisations have recognised the need to improve our understanding of these rural sites and encourage their conservation by involving local people.

In September 2008 the Scotland’s Rural Past team ran a training weekend for lo-

cal people at The Spittal Of Glen Muick visitor centre. About twenty folks attended the initial training course and from that a hard-core group of six of us have continued to meet on a monthly basis to put the skills we learnt into action and record our local archaeology. About fifty groups similar to us exist throughout Scotland.

Our initial aim is to record all the archaeology in Glen Muick to a standard which can be accepted for inclusion by The Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments Scotland on their Canmore database.

The ground surveying that we do is backed up by detailed archival research. A quick look at the Canmore website will give you an idea of the wealth of archaeological sites present on our doorstep www.jura.rcahms.gov.uk/CANMAP/Map. The

DARROCH LEARG Dinner 7pm - 9pm Sunday Lunch 12:30 - 2pm A Red Star Hotel AA Recommended in the Good Food Guide, Good Hotel Guide and Scotland the Best Royal Deeside’s Award Winning Highland Retreat

Darroch Learg, Braemar Road, Ballater AB35 5UX Telephone 013397-55443 www.darrochlearg.co.uk

providing labour free of charge as a contribution to the project. Our thanks again go to all who are helping. This project will be completed as soon as possible after the rubber tiles arrive.

We are actively investigating the provision of a public toilet facility on the park, and have considered the pavilion, repair of the portakabin, and replacement of the portakabin with a portable toilet. There is as yet no obvious solution, taking into account cost, cleaning and continuing petty vandalism. If any lateral thinkers can come up with ideas, we would be delighted to hear from them.

Other active issues include repair of the floodlights, and a new entrance sign, the latter in cooperation with the BRD Signage Group. We are also continuing to discuss the future development of the park with other interested parties.

BOVOF has been instrumental in facilitating cooperation between local groups, and the progress we have already made has only been possible due to such cooperation.

Anyone interested in joining the Park Users Group to help in any way should contact Gillian at the BRD office Tel: 55467; email: ballaterdeeside@btinternet.com

Motorbike scrambling We reported in the last Eagle that a BOVOF interest group was searching for land locally which might be available and suitable for use by Ballater motorbike scramblers. We were then awaiting information from one landowner in connection with a particular parcel of land.

Unfortunately, we have now heard that there are general health and safety issues with the land in question which would not make the land suitable for scrambling.

We will continue searching, and, as before, if any local landowner / land user can offer any presently unused land, the group

would be delighted to hear from you. Even if you think the land may not be suitable, please let us check with the bikers, as they would be prepared to work the land themselves to possibly make it suitable.

Please contact Gillian as above.

23

Learning in Ballater

By Lindsay Lumsden One of the issues raised in the Ballater One Voice Our Future Action Plan was “to increase the opportunity for learning, training and preparation for employment in Ballater” – in the widest sense.

To look into what those learning needs are, Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning and Development team for the area brought together a partnership group of education and training providers and members of the community to design a survey. This was subsequently delivered door-to-door in Ballater in December last year.

The results of the survey have now been analysed and discussed, and plans are in place to try to bring as many of the requested learning opportunities into Ballater as possible.

The Cairngorms Learning Partnership is hoping to open a learning centre in Ballater which will be able to provide a wide range of opportunities, including computing – from how to switch it on, to fully accredited training.

Opportunities from other providers will include workshops on small business startup from Enterprise North East Trust and training in committee skills for voluntary groups from the Council for Voluntary Service. Community Learning and Development will also be contacting local groups and businesses to explore other less formal ways of growing local people’s skills.

For more information, contact Caroline Cowie or Lindsay Lumsden on: 013398 85705.

24

Ballater (RD) Ltd.

Deeside/Donside Development Project: DDDP The funding package for the DDDP has now been confirmed. How has the project come about?

The background to the project has been the development of community action planning within the Cairngorms National Park (CNP), with the support of statutory agencies, to enable communities to take a lead role in assessing their needs and aspirations.

Project Aims: To facilitate economic, environmental and social development and sustainability for all the communities of Deeside and Donside within the CNP for the benefit of the people of the area.

To roll out community action planning, and continuing development support,

by Gordon Riddler to involve all the communities, as appropriate to their size, needs and situation, during 2010 and 2011.

Support and build on the community action plan for Ballater, Ballater One Voice Our Future (BOVOF), also creating benefits for other communities.

Supporting and potentially linking continuing development for other communities as action plans are developed and implemented.

To make a Development Manager role for the Deeside-Donside area within the CNP self-sustaining and self-financing, based on ongoing enterprises and addressing identified needs of the communities,

Total Building Services For all your home improvement needs - from the front wall to the back fence and everything in between.

• Carpentry • Electrics • Roofing • Plastering • Plumbing • Brickwork • Tiling

• Driveways • Kitchens • Bathrooms • Extensions • Landscapes • Decorating • Guttering

All Property Maintenance No Job Too Small / Distance No Object Telephone 013397 56221 or 07728 480706

Monday 30 August: Meet Your Ancestors A guided tour around the Spittal of Glen Muick Township. Meet the township residents along the way and hear some of their tales and find out how they live. Organised as part of Scottish Archaeology month.

Distance 1km, ascent 30m. 2pm - 4pm, Free.

Saturday 25 September: A Cycle Through Time Join the rangers during Scottish Archaeology Month on a guided bike ride through Glen Muick. Discover the fascinating history of the old inhabitants of the Glen.

Distance 30kms, Ascent 450m.

Meeting point: Ballater car park, next to the Glenaden Hotel, 10am - 5pm, Free.

Health & Hygiene Courses in Ballater Since 2000 Katrina Farquhar has been providing Health and Hygiene courses for anyone who is working with food. Initially these were very much for employees in butchers’ shops, as by law, anyone employed in such a business had to have a Food Hygiene Certificate.

Over the years, Katrina has presented quite a number of courses but due to illhealth had to stop for a time. Now the courses she runs have restarted and she has presented four courses over the last few months. It has now been recognised that anyone working with food that is being served to the public must by law have a Food Hygiene Certificate.

This has been very difficult to enforce but modern technology is helping and a new system has been introduced by Aberdeenshire Council. When an Environmental Health Officer inspects premises dealing with food, a record will be made of the inspection

and put on-line. The public can then see what kind of report any food premises has received and training is of course part of this.

Please see Katrina’s advertisement below for information on how to contact her.

41

“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet.

I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”

Groucho Marx “After enlightenment, the laundry.”

Zen proverb

Katrina A Farquhar Health & Hygiene Training Health and Safety One Day courses provided locally

Certificate issued

by R.E.H.I.S. Edinburgh

FOR

MORE INFORMATION,

PLEASE CALL TEL:

013397 55218

OR

07753 851637

40

Balmoral Estate Summer Events The meeting point is Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre, unless otherwise stated. Booking for all these events is essential: call 013397 55059

Saturday 12 June: Mending Our Ways

Friday 9 July: Wildflower Wander

Come and join the rangers as they repair the damage caused by hundreds of thousands of trampling feet on some of Scotland’s most popular paths. Take part in a day of practical conservation action in spectacular mountain scenery. All tools and training provided. 10am – 4pm, Free.

Identify the wonderful array of wild flowers in Glen Muick and learn more about their habitat and uses. Organised to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity.

2pm - 4pm, Free.

Saturday 3 July: Lochnagar Ascent

Join the rangers on an exposed rocky route up one of the local munros. A good level of fitness and a head for heights are required for this strenuous but rewarding hill day.

Distance: 12km, ascent 750m.

9.30am - 5pm, £10 per person, limited places available.

Enjoy a full day on one of Scotland’s highest peaks, looking at the natural history and management of ‘Dark Lochnagar’. A full mountain day. Hill-walking gear and a good level of fitness required. Distance: 19km, ascent 1050m. 9.30am - 5pm, £10 pp.

Cybernaut Royal Deeside’s Premier Internet Venue!

Web Design & Hosting Internet access at an hourly rate DVDs for Sale / Rent & Exchange PC Spares, Repairs, & Upgrades Open Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm 14 Bridge Street, Ballater 013397 - 55566 www.cybernaut.org.uk

Friday 30 July: Spectacular Summer Scrambles

Saturday 7 August: Glen Girnock Circuit This low level circuit will travel up Glen Girnock passing the abandoned houses of Loinveg, Camlet and Bovaglie. We will visit one of Queen Victoria’s favourite little houses at the Genechal before a short walk along the South Deeside Road leads us to the path around Creag Ghubais and back to where we started. Distance 16kms, ascent 350m.

Meeting point: Crathie Tourist Information Centre. 10am - 5pm, £5 per person

Friday 13 August: Night Hunters and their Prey Get up close and personal with bats and moths. Come and dispel all your fears of these intriguing animals. If weather allows we will also take the opportunity to do some star gazing at this event. Joint event with Aberdeenshire Ranger Service for Ballater Victoria Week. 8pm – late, Free.

by 2012-2013, and continue, through management of community enterprises, to generate ongoing funding for community projects.

Project Delivery: Managed by Ballater (RD) Ltd (BRD), and overseen by a steering group chaired

by BRD and including officers of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Aberdeenshire Council.

A full time Development Manager for the project is currently being recruited.

A post fully funded for two years, and half funded for the third year, supported by the Marr Area Partnership Development Officer to facilitate, support and enable community and project groups to achieve sustainable projects.

Administrative support will be provided by BRD. Further information about the project and its progress from: Gordon Riddler,

Chairman, Ballater (RD) Ltd, details below. or visit www.deedondev.org

25

Other BRD News BRD provided assistance to Helen Rowe (Aberdeenshire Ranger) who organised a clean up along the Old Line from the old Ballater station to Pannanich Wood on Saturday 10 April.

The tree thinning process has commenced at the Pannanich Woodland at the east of the village. Strips 4m wide at either side of the paths were thinned. BRD convened a group of volunteers to remove the sleeves from the trees in that area to enable the forester to make faster progress.

John Lovie has agreed to act as Company Secretary following the retirement of George Inglis from the BRD Board.

Contact BRD at 013397 55467 or ballaterdeeside@btinternet.com

Gows Delicatessen Charcuterie Fine Wines Smoked Fish Scottish Beers Handcooked Crisps Sauces Biscuits Mackie’s Ice Cream Cheeses Cakes Monday - Saturday Olives Pickles from 9am -5pm Antipasto Chutneys Pasta Jams 37 Bridge Street, Ballater 013397 56183 Enjoy an individually chosen Cheeseboard Seasonal Gift Baskets & Hampers to suit any budget

26

Upper Deeside Music

by Jane Angus

With the bad road and weather conditions over the past few months, there is not so much news to report since the highly enjoyable concert in December when Blair Cargill from Banchory gave a packed room a splendid evening with a piano recital.

The committee had hoped for variations of instruments to cheer the dark days but the fascinating concert from Djordje Gajic, lecturer in accordion at the Royal College in Glasgow, ranging from an organ-like Bach Chorale by way of a soaring Mozart to the marching feet of modern Russia, was eventually deferred until April, and Cantiones Sacre from Dundee until 2nd May with Renaisssance songs including both the sacred and madrigals.

The Heller Quartet are to play on the Friday of Victoria Week (13 August) with more ‘Music for a Summer Evening’, Beethoven, Haydn’s ‘Joke’ quartet and the Dvorack quartet - and Ivan Illich returns on September 26 to the Darroch Learg piano.

The schools work-shop planned for the year will be run by the renowned lecturer in Guitar at Glasgow, Allan Neave, who will play in St Kentigern’s on October 31.

He will then go on to Braemar on November 1 to work certainly with the young people, but I should be grateful if others who are interested would contact me as Allan likes to work with equivalent levels of skills, rather than age and we are still trying to find such people.

at the Stadio Flaminio against a rapidly improving Italian team is never an easy task – as England found out with their own edgy visit this year.

It was, however, the Wales game that put the nail in Scotland’s Six Nations coffin. It was an agonising defeat in Cardiff. After a great display Scotland looked to be home and dry with a thoroughly deserved away win – but it was not to be. Not only did Scotland concede two infuriating tries in the closing five minutes to lose the game, they also lost several key players to injury in the process. For this reason, England’s ensuing trip to Edinburgh was always going to be a tough game for the home side, yet perhaps they should have managed more than a draw.

The thing about Scotland is that they’re always nearly there. Always nearly winning games before throwing it all away in the final quarter; always finding themselves inches

from the try line before dropping the ball and so on. With the likes of Chris Patterson (arguably rugby’s finest goal kicker), Dan Parks, Sean Lamont and an incredible scrum line-up Scotland should be up there with the best in world rugby.

Despite the results, 2010 has so far proved they have the potential to finally get there. With the 2011 World Cup just around the corner, Scotland’s time may well be coming, and everyone else had better watch out!

39

“The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance.”

E. M. Forster

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38

When will we see your likes again?

by Sammy Wilson

Editor’s Note:- Sammy Wilson is 16 years old, and hails from Yorkshire, but has a great love for Scotland. He has visited Ballater every year with his parents since he was very young and enjoys walking and cycling in the area. He hopes to be a journalist one day, so the Eagle is happy to provide him with some exposure and experience.

They may have finished fifth and lost to bottom placed Italy, but Scotland could easily have won the Six Nations.

When it comes to international rugby, Scotland are never considered alongside the likes of New Zealand and South Africa as a world-class team. Whilst the boys in blue boast a proud rugby heritage, let’s face it, they haven’t been that good over recent years. The last championship trophy to come to Murrayfield was that of the old Five Nations championship back in 1999. Since then, it is safe to say that, despite a few Calcutta Cup victories over England, the Scottish

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rugby record has been fairly miserable.

Coming off the back of a delirious 9-8 victory over Australia last autumn, Scotland were no doubt fired up more than ever for the 2010 Six Nations championship. However it was business as usual for Andy Robinson’s squad as they found themselves at the foot of the table in their annual battle for the unflattering ‘wooden spoon’ with Italy.

This time around things seemed even more dire than usual: the Scots lost out 16-12 to a stubborn Italian side in Rome, after defeats to both France and Wales. A sordid 15-15 draw with England saw Scotland register just one point with as many games left in the competition.

After a long wait, Scotland’s visit to Dublin to play reigning grand-slam champions Ireland, finally gave tartan-clad fans something to shout about. An impressive and determined performance saw them win 2320 in Ireland’s last game at Croke Park stadium. As they celebrated a victory that lifted them to second-bottom in the final standings, supporters were left to wonder what could have been in spring 2010 if luck had gone Scotland’s way.

That’s because this year’s championship was by far Scotland’s best for several years.

Their record – 3 losses, 1 win and 1 draw – does not do them justice. Coming within 9 points of France in their opening game isn’t too bad, considering France went on to win the grand slam in convincing style. Whilst losing to Italy would be seen as shocking by the more ignorant rugby fan, playing away

Ballater ARCHIE Ball

27

by Joan Anderson An English friend recently spoke of a grand charity ball held near London which surpassed anything he’d ever experienced, organised by one ordinary woman, but on a scale and style normally enjoyed by those with siller.

As he described the fun and sheer pleasure experienced in a local setting which meant more ordinary people giving generously to a good cause, I thought of the fabulous ball I’d attended on 20 March in the Victoria Hall, organised by Ballater’s own charity champion Jenny, ably abetted by her large collection of friends, fans and family…. even her kids were in on it this time, to great effect.

This was the seventh time Jenny and friends have made Ballater folk feel like Royalty while fleecing us for something worthy, including two Balls for the Halls themselves, one jointly for Ballater School/ the MS Society, one for the Anchor Unit and three – including this latest – for the ARCHIE Foundation, which aims to improve things for NHS child patients in Grampian, Orkney and Shetland.

Guests were delighted to hear that the £4750 liberated from their wallets that night would support a truly local ARCHIE project which will make the treatment room and waiting area at the GMED centre within Aboyne Hospital more child friendly.

Appropriately, the keynote speech was given by Mr Chris Driver, Paediatric Surgeon at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, who spoke about the difference the work of the foundation makes to the children of the North-east.

A sumptuous meal was provided by Aileen Lawrence and the Glenshee team, the bar was by the Coilacriech Inn and guests

danced to the fabulous Jennifer Forrest ceilidh band. Aboyne’s amazing magician Peter Nicol provided close-up conjuring fun at every table.

Renowned speaker Jim Brown from Fettercairn gave an excellent after dinner talk and Wilson Forbes of Aboyne followed with an entertaining speech to celebrate Jim Brown’s 65th Birthday.

Auction prizes included a stunning original painting of Loch Muick from Janice McIllwain, a print of otters on Loch Kinord from Willie Forbes and a signed gardening book and tour of the Birkhall Gardens donated by the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.

Jenny, who is an ARCHIE trustee, said she was particularly proud of the welcome given to guests by five young people, including her daughters Eilidh (12) and Louise (10). Guests were piped in by 12-year-old Ian from Tarland, who did a “fabulous” job, she said. This was followed by a highly amusing welcome speech by Eilidh and Louise and their friends, Sasha (14) and Sam (11) who gave a confident four-way presentation on the reasons for the ball, followed by a cheeky poke of fun at their favourite adults, which had the audience in gales of laughter.

“They made the night,” declared Jenny.

“It was fantastic. More to the point I will never need to do a speech again as they have proved themselves worthy of the task. They did it without any nerves and, even better, they actually enjoyed it.” As did we all, Jenny. Thank you. www.archiefoundation.org.uk www.friendsofanchor.org www.mssociety.org.uk

28

Crathie News

by Marion Macintyre Distillery News

A cheque for £500 was presented to Lorraine White and Maggie MacAlpine of Crathie Opportunity Holidays by Angus Hunter on behalf of Royal Lochnagar Distillery, along with a commemorative plaque to show their continued support for this worthy venture. Maggie says that the Distillery has supported them from the very beginning

and this support is very much appreciated.

The cheque will go towards the servicing and maintenance of the specialised equipment. The Distillery also donated £500 to Braemar Castle.

As well as supporting local causes, Royal Lochnagar has also been busy on the environmental front and has twice recently won Green IQ Awards from its parent company, Diageo, for Waste Management and Ways of Working.

Coffee Morning

Highland Yurts Tailor made yurts Choice of seven colours www.highlandyurts.co.uk

Paul Spencer Telephone: 013397 42295 or Mobile 07814 051388

The recent coffee morning at Royal Lochnagar Distiller y raised £840 for Alzheimer Scotland and the Deeside Forget-me-not Club. Margaret and Marion are extremely grateful to all those who worked hard before, during, and after the event and also extend sincere thanks to all who came along and supported the event so generously.

Both the receiving charities were delighted with the fantastic sum raised, and as always, thank you to the Distillery for providing the wonderful venue!

Crathie Book Group Like everyone else, Crathie Book Group struggled to meet over the winter, with snowy roads taking their toll of our meetings. However we managed to get through a varied selection of books, which produced some lively discussions.

The three most recent were The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (who also wrote The Time Traveller’s Wife) and The Changeling by Robin Jenkins. The first two of these resulted in a spirited “for” and “against” reaction, but the Robin Jenkins (Anna’s favourite!) had unanimous approval.

In The Changeling, Jenkins, an under val-

instance, we helped with the Cash for Kids collection at the Balmoral Races, and will also be helping at the Ballater Primary School Fair, the MacBeth Fest cross country race at Deeside Activity Park, the CLAN Upper Deeside Tartan Trek, and the Balmoral Bike Ride Day on behalf of Children 1st on Sunday 13 June.

International Local churches in Aboyne and Tarland raised funds to help purchase ShelterBoxes and Aquaboxes for those suffering after recent natural disasters abroad. We were asked by the churches to route the raised amount of over £1200 through the direct Rotary channels, and were very pleased to do so, adding funding from our Charity Fund to enable purchase of even more equipment.

A further donation was also given by the Club to the international charity, Medecins sans Frontieres.

Vocational Our Club participates in a Primar y Schools Quiz involving schools in different areas, and organised the Upper Deeside area event this year at Tarland School. Schools from Aboyne, Ballater, Kincardine O’Neil, Logie Coldstone, Lumphanan, Tarland and Torphins took part, and Tarland came out on top, thereby going to the zone final on 15 May. We hope to report their success in the next Eagle.

Four pupils from Aboyne Academy have recently been selected to attend this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) Camp at Abernethy Outdoor Centre for a week of intensive activities designed to stretch the candidates both physically and mentally.

The Club and the Academy each sponsor two pupils.

Pupils at the Academy were also asked to design a new Aboyne and Upper Deeside Rotary Club banner. We now have a new

banner which is a composite of various design features created by the pupils, and a prize has been presented to the art group.

(See photo on back page) The Club continues to support the Dictionaries for Life project referred to in previous reports, and is presenting these dictionaries to Primary 7 pupils at local schools, including Ballater.

If you are interested in Rotary, please contact Ron Drever at High Trees, Morven Way, or telephone 013397 56224. We meet on the first Monday of each month at the Glen Lui Hotel, Ballater, 6.30 for 7pm, and on every other Monday at the Boat Inn, Aboyne, 6 for 6.30pm

37

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”

Irish Proverb

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36

Rotary Update

by Ron Drever

Our busy time of year for fundraising has now started, and we look forward to your continued support, which is always much appreciated. Look out for us at all the local Highland Games as usual. Have a great summer!

Fundraising By the time you read this our annual Fun Run in Aboyne will have taken place on Aboyne Green. This is organised in association with Aboyne Primary School, with the aim of youngsters (and parents if wished) arranging to be sponsored to run, jog, walk or even crawl around defined laps on the Green over a maximum period of 60 minutes. Our Club organises the venue, the Run, a barbeque and refreshments, while

the school organises the advertising and sponsorship, and other entertainment, and uses the project in their Citizen Awareness syllabus.

Our Charity Golf Day takes place on Friday 18 June at Aboyne Golf Club. Over the last ten plus years around £60,000 has been raised for charities! Teams of three are invited to challenge for our Golf Quaich and other superb team and individual prizes, at a cost of £150 per team, this also including a meal at the Golf Club, and other extras. For information about entering a team or any other details contact our Charity Golf Convener, Andrew Brown, on 013397 56351 or email: abrown@struancottage.wanadoo.co.uk

Community Service

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Since the last Eagle update we have given a donation to CLAN Upper Deeside, and to a local man Andrew Keir who was fundraising for ARCHIE by means of a sponsored climb of Mount Kilimanjaro.

We also gave a donation to a local girl to help fund her studying on a deaf communication course, and contributed to the purchase of a motorised folding wheelchair for a local person in need.

In May we organised a Film Night in Aboyne where we hoped to raise a significant amount to be split between CLAN Upper Deeside and the Deeside Friends of ARCHIE, with raffle proceeds to replenish our own Charity Fund. There will be a report on the outcome of this in the next Eagle. Hope you were there!

We are very pleased to be able to provide manpower at various local events. For

ued Scottish author, created a memorable story full of humour and sadness, peopled with fully rounded characters whose flaws and vulnerability engaged our sympathy.

Our book for the month of May is Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris. If you would like to find out more about the book group, phone Marion 42361.

Crathie Bowling Club Crathie Bowling Club will continue to meet over the summer months, on Tuesday evenings only from 7pm to 9pm at Crathie New Hall. This will continue till the end of September and the winter programme will resume from the beginning of October.

Coffee at the Kirk While away a Monday morning in the Crathie Church Hall with a cup of tea or coffee and some delicious homebakes. The coffee mornings will run throughout the summer on Mondays from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

fundraising event for The Anchor Unit. The pupils were also saying au revoir to their French teacher M. Remi Journe who is leaving to take up a new post.

French music helped the atmosphere whilst the pupils kept busy at the variety of fundraising stalls. A grand total of £192.70 was raised by the pupils for The Anchor Unit.

Mrs Field the head teacher said, ‘it was lovely to see so many people coming along to support this worthwhile event, as the Anchor Unit provides excellent support for people in the North East’.

Mrs Tapp said “What a wonderful warm welcome. Thank you for the lovely coffee”.

Harriet, P5, said “It was good - I can’t believe how much we raised”. Mrs Bernard, Teacher, said “Tres Bien Crathie School”.

Cameron, P6, said “It was very good but I was upset when M. Journe left”.

29

Braemar Clock Crathie and Braemar parishioners have been continuing with their efforts to raise funds for renovating the Church Clock in Braemar They held a 4 day “Clock Sale” in the temporarily vacant Capercaillie premises and this proved to be a worthwhile exercise, spreading the word about the fundraising and involving all the village. They were delighted to raise around £2,000, which brought the total raised at that point to just over £4,000.

This leaves another £3,500 to raise, so they are more than half way there!

French Café Recently Crathie School was transformed into a French café. The smell of coffee and croissants wafted down the corridor to greet the many guests who came along to support the children’s

The I N V E R H O T E L Crathie, By Ballater Log fires and a warm welcome at The Inver Open to non residents Good food & fine wines Lunches & Dinners Reservations Telephone 013397 42345 www.inverhotel.com

30

Our Bird Survey

This year Glyn a Balmoral Ranger came in to have a look at all the different kinds of birds in the school garden and we made fat balls for the birds during the winter. Glyn brought in some lard, seeds and nuts. We had to mix all the ingredients together. We had to stick the mixture into a yoghurt pot and put a hole in the bottom of the yoghurt pot and put string through it. It was very messy but we enjoyed it.

Rachel and Keiran

Skiing We went skiing in February. We were in two groups: beginners and the novices. I learnt a lot and it was good fun. By the end of the three days Fiona (helper) said that we looked like a bunch of marauding Vikings coming down Sunny Side (one of the runs). The best bit was when we were going over the jumps because it was exciting.

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Even though we got FREEZING! I loved every second. The ski instructors were really nice because they let us go over jumps.

I am looking forward to doing it again next year.

Harriet

Tai Chi On Monday afternoon we have Tai Chi with Jane.

Tai Chi is a form of Kung Fu with slow flowing movements. It is used in China for relaxing and loosening your muscles and some old people in China do it every day in the park to make them look younger and feel younger. Tai Chi is also a form of martial arts that was invented in China.

We did the tiger and the deer on the first day. These are the easy postures but Jane could do better and more difficult ones.

Cameron

K’nex We are young engineers for Britain.

K’nex are building materials for children.

This man comes into school every year for the K’nex challenge. We built windmills. The man said we should build it all together to make a perfect windmill. We needed to make steps, and a handle for Prince Albert. And a door for him to check on the cogs. Whoever won they got to go to Aberdeen to compete in the next round. Rachel and Keiran won out of p4, 5 and 6. I enjoyed it because the man was really funny.

Rhianna and Rachel

Ballater Business Association 35

by Bryn Wayte, Chairman & Faye Swan, Communications The recent business rates revaluation has seen many businesses in Ballater, particularly retail and hotels, being faced with an increase of 100% or more. This increase is beyond the norm and has been sanctioned by the current SNP Scottish Government without any prior consultation, no transitional relief (as in England) and no cap on annual increases. The BBA Chair and Vice Chair have already met with Mike Rumbles, the Lib Dem MSP for our area, who has been very supportive and has advised everybody with any larger increase to appeal. At the time of writing this article the BBA has arranged a meeting with the Grampian Assessor and we will advise everyone of the outcome.

Victoria Halls. which for some time has been an unsightly mess of tacks, staples etc. After such a long winter we were finally able to get this done! The staples were painstakingly removed, the board was sanded and repainted, and now looks really smart. The top edge has been resealed, and a few coats of paint applied in between rain showers.

Thanks are due particularly to Phil Swan and his son Richard, and to local MP Sir Robert Smith and Councillor Peter Argyle who lent a hand with the staple removal. (see pic on back page) Posters may be delivered to the Library to be laminated and posted. We will also check occasionally to remove staples and keep the board neat.

BBA & Web Info The Cairngorms Business Partnership’s new website, www.visitcairngorms.com, is now up and running and has an interactive link to Ballater which in turn has an interactive link to our own web site, www.visitballater.com. The BBA and a number of its members also have listings on the DMO web site, www.discoverroyaldeeside.com .

We’ve also worked once more with Speyside Wildlife on the summer 2010 issue of the Parki. For the first time we were able to have a separate section for Dinnet & Glen Tanar and still keep the section for Ballater at 8 pages. If you have any information to add to the text or any photographs that might be used in future issues these can be sent to info@visitballater.com or delivered to Deeside Books. Have a wonderful summer!

Halls Notice Board Last year the BBA donated the paint to tidy up the notice board on the side of the

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32

Ballater School

33

Our grateful thanks to P4/5 for their fabulous work for this issue.

The Eagle team wish all staff and pupils a wonderful summer holiday!

This beautiful castle was designed by Pacha

First Aid classes

Gaelic classes

Primary 5s got some first aid lessons. We learned what to do if someone was unconscious which was a long list of things and what to do if someone was choking and we got to see loads of asthma inhalers.

I found it interesting and it is good to know.

Drew p5

This term and last term we have been learning to speak Gaelic with Miss Nicholson. We have learnt quite a lot such as how to say “What is your name?” (De an t-ainm atha ort) and “My name is” (Is mise…) These are just a few of the things we have learnt.

One day Miss Nicholson took us round the village to look at Gaelic house names. We found many but the most popular was Creag an Darroch: Creag means large rock and Darroch means oak tree.

I really enjoyed the walk and the lessons.

Finn P5

P4/5 mini-election

We are doing a mini-election! Every two people have to think of a name for their party and three things to change at Ballater School and make it better.

Miss Bryce made a Ballot box for us.

We made big posters and rosettes.

Katie and I are the “Small Pink Bunny party”. Our poster is mostly full of little bunnies and we hope it attracts loads of voters. We would like to put in a big swimming pool, an ice-cream van at lunchtime on Friday and build a new sports centre.

Owen tells a lunchtime tale: On Thursday May 6 we will all James Bond vote for one of the 3 winning parties! comes to lunch Orla The Eagle asked the School for the The day James Bond came to lunch results: at our school he: The election results were as follows: Dive bomb’d a sausage, There were three winning parties for the election: Dream Leaders, Target Party, The Pink Fluffy Party The winners were the Pink Fluffy Party: Lily and Pacha.

Their teacher writes: Lily won the ‘runner up’ prize in the P4-P7 category of “Design a children’s hospital competition”. (see pic above) Well done Lily!! We are all proud of you!!

Kung Fu’d a carrot, Machine gun’d a fish cake,

Swam through the custard...

AND Kissed Agnes the dinner lady.

32

Ballater School

33

Our grateful thanks to P4/5 for their fabulous work for this issue.

The Eagle team wish all staff and pupils a wonderful summer holiday!

This beautiful castle was designed by Pacha

First Aid classes

Gaelic classes

Primary 5s got some first aid lessons. We learned what to do if someone was unconscious which was a long list of things and what to do if someone was choking and we got to see loads of asthma inhalers.

I found it interesting and it is good to know.

Drew p5

This term and last term we have been learning to speak Gaelic with Miss Nicholson. We have learnt quite a lot such as how to say “What is your name?” (De an t-ainm atha ort) and “My name is” (Is mise…) These are just a few of the things we have learnt.

One day Miss Nicholson took us round the village to look at Gaelic house names. We found many but the most popular was Creag an Darroch: Creag means large rock and Darroch means oak tree.

I really enjoyed the walk and the lessons.

Finn P5

P4/5 mini-election

We are doing a mini-election! Every two people have to think of a name for their party and three things to change at Ballater School and make it better.

Miss Bryce made a Ballot box for us.

We made big posters and rosettes.

Katie and I are the “Small Pink Bunny party”. Our poster is mostly full of little bunnies and we hope it attracts loads of voters. We would like to put in a big swimming pool, an ice-cream van at lunchtime on Friday and build a new sports centre.

Owen tells a lunchtime tale: On Thursday May 6 we will all James Bond vote for one of the 3 winning parties! comes to lunch Orla The Eagle asked the School for the The day James Bond came to lunch results: at our school he: The election results were as follows: Dive bomb’d a sausage, There were three winning parties for the election: Dream Leaders, Target Party, The Pink Fluffy Party The winners were the Pink Fluffy Party: Lily and Pacha.

Their teacher writes: Lily won the ‘runner up’ prize in the P4-P7 category of “Design a children’s hospital competition”. (see pic above) Well done Lily!! We are all proud of you!!

Kung Fu’d a carrot, Machine gun’d a fish cake,

Swam through the custard...

AND Kissed Agnes the dinner lady.

30

Our Bird Survey

This year Glyn a Balmoral Ranger came in to have a look at all the different kinds of birds in the school garden and we made fat balls for the birds during the winter. Glyn brought in some lard, seeds and nuts. We had to mix all the ingredients together. We had to stick the mixture into a yoghurt pot and put a hole in the bottom of the yoghurt pot and put string through it. It was very messy but we enjoyed it.

Rachel and Keiran

Skiing We went skiing in February. We were in two groups: beginners and the novices. I learnt a lot and it was good fun. By the end of the three days Fiona (helper) said that we looked like a bunch of marauding Vikings coming down Sunny Side (one of the runs). The best bit was when we were going over the jumps because it was exciting.

J.Lanigan Engineer

C.S.M. Aerial Satellite Deeside and Donside sky approved installers

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

Even though we got FREEZING! I loved every second. The ski instructors were really nice because they let us go over jumps.

I am looking forward to doing it again next year.

Harriet

Tai Chi On Monday afternoon we have Tai Chi with Jane.

Tai Chi is a form of Kung Fu with slow flowing movements. It is used in China for relaxing and loosening your muscles and some old people in China do it every day in the park to make them look younger and feel younger. Tai Chi is also a form of martial arts that was invented in China.

We did the tiger and the deer on the first day. These are the easy postures but Jane could do better and more difficult ones.

Cameron

K’nex We are young engineers for Britain.

K’nex are building materials for children.

This man comes into school every year for the K’nex challenge. We built windmills. The man said we should build it all together to make a perfect windmill. We needed to make steps, and a handle for Prince Albert. And a door for him to check on the cogs. Whoever won they got to go to Aberdeen to compete in the next round. Rachel and Keiran won out of p4, 5 and 6. I enjoyed it because the man was really funny.

Rhianna and Rachel

Ballater Business Association 35

by Bryn Wayte, Chairman & Faye Swan, Communications The recent business rates revaluation has seen many businesses in Ballater, particularly retail and hotels, being faced with an increase of 100% or more. This increase is beyond the norm and has been sanctioned by the current SNP Scottish Government without any prior consultation, no transitional relief (as in England) and no cap on annual increases. The BBA Chair and Vice Chair have already met with Mike Rumbles, the Lib Dem MSP for our area, who has been very supportive and has advised everybody with any larger increase to appeal. At the time of writing this article the BBA has arranged a meeting with the Grampian Assessor and we will advise everyone of the outcome.

Victoria Halls. which for some time has been an unsightly mess of tacks, staples etc. After such a long winter we were finally able to get this done! The staples were painstakingly removed, the board was sanded and repainted, and now looks really smart. The top edge has been resealed, and a few coats of paint applied in between rain showers.

Thanks are due particularly to Phil Swan and his son Richard, and to local MP Sir Robert Smith and Councillor Peter Argyle who lent a hand with the staple removal. (see pic on back page) Posters may be delivered to the Library to be laminated and posted. We will also check occasionally to remove staples and keep the board neat.

BBA & Web Info The Cairngorms Business Partnership’s new website, www.visitcairngorms.com, is now up and running and has an interactive link to Ballater which in turn has an interactive link to our own web site, www.visitballater.com. The BBA and a number of its members also have listings on the DMO web site, www.discoverroyaldeeside.com .

We’ve also worked once more with Speyside Wildlife on the summer 2010 issue of the Parki. For the first time we were able to have a separate section for Dinnet & Glen Tanar and still keep the section for Ballater at 8 pages. If you have any information to add to the text or any photographs that might be used in future issues these can be sent to info@visitballater.com or delivered to Deeside Books. Have a wonderful summer!

Halls Notice Board Last year the BBA donated the paint to tidy up the notice board on the side of the

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36

Rotary Update

by Ron Drever

Our busy time of year for fundraising has now started, and we look forward to your continued support, which is always much appreciated. Look out for us at all the local Highland Games as usual. Have a great summer!

Fundraising By the time you read this our annual Fun Run in Aboyne will have taken place on Aboyne Green. This is organised in association with Aboyne Primary School, with the aim of youngsters (and parents if wished) arranging to be sponsored to run, jog, walk or even crawl around defined laps on the Green over a maximum period of 60 minutes. Our Club organises the venue, the Run, a barbeque and refreshments, while

the school organises the advertising and sponsorship, and other entertainment, and uses the project in their Citizen Awareness syllabus.

Our Charity Golf Day takes place on Friday 18 June at Aboyne Golf Club. Over the last ten plus years around £60,000 has been raised for charities! Teams of three are invited to challenge for our Golf Quaich and other superb team and individual prizes, at a cost of £150 per team, this also including a meal at the Golf Club, and other extras. For information about entering a team or any other details contact our Charity Golf Convener, Andrew Brown, on 013397 56351 or email: abrown@struancottage.wanadoo.co.uk

Community Service

The Green Inn Dinner 7 - 9pm Open Tuesday - Saturday

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Since the last Eagle update we have given a donation to CLAN Upper Deeside, and to a local man Andrew Keir who was fundraising for ARCHIE by means of a sponsored climb of Mount Kilimanjaro.

We also gave a donation to a local girl to help fund her studying on a deaf communication course, and contributed to the purchase of a motorised folding wheelchair for a local person in need.

In May we organised a Film Night in Aboyne where we hoped to raise a significant amount to be split between CLAN Upper Deeside and the Deeside Friends of ARCHIE, with raffle proceeds to replenish our own Charity Fund. There will be a report on the outcome of this in the next Eagle. Hope you were there!

We are very pleased to be able to provide manpower at various local events. For

ued Scottish author, created a memorable story full of humour and sadness, peopled with fully rounded characters whose flaws and vulnerability engaged our sympathy.

Our book for the month of May is Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris. If you would like to find out more about the book group, phone Marion 42361.

Crathie Bowling Club Crathie Bowling Club will continue to meet over the summer months, on Tuesday evenings only from 7pm to 9pm at Crathie New Hall. This will continue till the end of September and the winter programme will resume from the beginning of October.

Coffee at the Kirk While away a Monday morning in the Crathie Church Hall with a cup of tea or coffee and some delicious homebakes. The coffee mornings will run throughout the summer on Mondays from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

fundraising event for The Anchor Unit. The pupils were also saying au revoir to their French teacher M. Remi Journe who is leaving to take up a new post.

French music helped the atmosphere whilst the pupils kept busy at the variety of fundraising stalls. A grand total of £192.70 was raised by the pupils for The Anchor Unit.

Mrs Field the head teacher said, ‘it was lovely to see so many people coming along to support this worthwhile event, as the Anchor Unit provides excellent support for people in the North East’.

Mrs Tapp said “What a wonderful warm welcome. Thank you for the lovely coffee”.

Harriet, P5, said “It was good - I can’t believe how much we raised”. Mrs Bernard, Teacher, said “Tres Bien Crathie School”.

Cameron, P6, said “It was very good but I was upset when M. Journe left”.

29

Braemar Clock Crathie and Braemar parishioners have been continuing with their efforts to raise funds for renovating the Church Clock in Braemar They held a 4 day “Clock Sale” in the temporarily vacant Capercaillie premises and this proved to be a worthwhile exercise, spreading the word about the fundraising and involving all the village. They were delighted to raise around £2,000, which brought the total raised at that point to just over £4,000.

This leaves another £3,500 to raise, so they are more than half way there!

French Café Recently Crathie School was transformed into a French café. The smell of coffee and croissants wafted down the corridor to greet the many guests who came along to support the children’s

The I N V E R H O T E L Crathie, By Ballater Log fires and a warm welcome at The Inver Open to non residents Good food & fine wines Lunches & Dinners Reservations Telephone 013397 42345 www.inverhotel.com

28

Crathie News

by Marion Macintyre Distillery News

A cheque for £500 was presented to Lorraine White and Maggie MacAlpine of Crathie Opportunity Holidays by Angus Hunter on behalf of Royal Lochnagar Distillery, along with a commemorative plaque to show their continued support for this worthy venture. Maggie says that the Distillery has supported them from the very beginning

and this support is very much appreciated.

The cheque will go towards the servicing and maintenance of the specialised equipment. The Distillery also donated £500 to Braemar Castle.

As well as supporting local causes, Royal Lochnagar has also been busy on the environmental front and has twice recently won Green IQ Awards from its parent company, Diageo, for Waste Management and Ways of Working.

Coffee Morning

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Paul Spencer Telephone: 013397 42295 or Mobile 07814 051388

The recent coffee morning at Royal Lochnagar Distiller y raised £840 for Alzheimer Scotland and the Deeside Forget-me-not Club. Margaret and Marion are extremely grateful to all those who worked hard before, during, and after the event and also extend sincere thanks to all who came along and supported the event so generously.

Both the receiving charities were delighted with the fantastic sum raised, and as always, thank you to the Distillery for providing the wonderful venue!

Crathie Book Group Like everyone else, Crathie Book Group struggled to meet over the winter, with snowy roads taking their toll of our meetings. However we managed to get through a varied selection of books, which produced some lively discussions.

The three most recent were The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (who also wrote The Time Traveller’s Wife) and The Changeling by Robin Jenkins. The first two of these resulted in a spirited “for” and “against” reaction, but the Robin Jenkins (Anna’s favourite!) had unanimous approval.

In The Changeling, Jenkins, an under val-

instance, we helped with the Cash for Kids collection at the Balmoral Races, and will also be helping at the Ballater Primary School Fair, the MacBeth Fest cross country race at Deeside Activity Park, the CLAN Upper Deeside Tartan Trek, and the Balmoral Bike Ride Day on behalf of Children 1st on Sunday 13 June.

International Local churches in Aboyne and Tarland raised funds to help purchase ShelterBoxes and Aquaboxes for those suffering after recent natural disasters abroad. We were asked by the churches to route the raised amount of over £1200 through the direct Rotary channels, and were very pleased to do so, adding funding from our Charity Fund to enable purchase of even more equipment.

A further donation was also given by the Club to the international charity, Medecins sans Frontieres.

Vocational Our Club participates in a Primar y Schools Quiz involving schools in different areas, and organised the Upper Deeside area event this year at Tarland School. Schools from Aboyne, Ballater, Kincardine O’Neil, Logie Coldstone, Lumphanan, Tarland and Torphins took part, and Tarland came out on top, thereby going to the zone final on 15 May. We hope to report their success in the next Eagle.

Four pupils from Aboyne Academy have recently been selected to attend this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) Camp at Abernethy Outdoor Centre for a week of intensive activities designed to stretch the candidates both physically and mentally.

The Club and the Academy each sponsor two pupils.

Pupils at the Academy were also asked to design a new Aboyne and Upper Deeside Rotary Club banner. We now have a new

banner which is a composite of various design features created by the pupils, and a prize has been presented to the art group.

(See photo on back page) The Club continues to support the Dictionaries for Life project referred to in previous reports, and is presenting these dictionaries to Primary 7 pupils at local schools, including Ballater.

If you are interested in Rotary, please contact Ron Drever at High Trees, Morven Way, or telephone 013397 56224. We meet on the first Monday of each month at the Glen Lui Hotel, Ballater, 6.30 for 7pm, and on every other Monday at the Boat Inn, Aboyne, 6 for 6.30pm

37

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”

Irish Proverb

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38

When will we see your likes again?

by Sammy Wilson

Editor’s Note:- Sammy Wilson is 16 years old, and hails from Yorkshire, but has a great love for Scotland. He has visited Ballater every year with his parents since he was very young and enjoys walking and cycling in the area. He hopes to be a journalist one day, so the Eagle is happy to provide him with some exposure and experience.

They may have finished fifth and lost to bottom placed Italy, but Scotland could easily have won the Six Nations.

When it comes to international rugby, Scotland are never considered alongside the likes of New Zealand and South Africa as a world-class team. Whilst the boys in blue boast a proud rugby heritage, let’s face it, they haven’t been that good over recent years. The last championship trophy to come to Murrayfield was that of the old Five Nations championship back in 1999. Since then, it is safe to say that, despite a few Calcutta Cup victories over England, the Scottish

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rugby record has been fairly miserable.

Coming off the back of a delirious 9-8 victory over Australia last autumn, Scotland were no doubt fired up more than ever for the 2010 Six Nations championship. However it was business as usual for Andy Robinson’s squad as they found themselves at the foot of the table in their annual battle for the unflattering ‘wooden spoon’ with Italy.

This time around things seemed even more dire than usual: the Scots lost out 16-12 to a stubborn Italian side in Rome, after defeats to both France and Wales. A sordid 15-15 draw with England saw Scotland register just one point with as many games left in the competition.

After a long wait, Scotland’s visit to Dublin to play reigning grand-slam champions Ireland, finally gave tartan-clad fans something to shout about. An impressive and determined performance saw them win 2320 in Ireland’s last game at Croke Park stadium. As they celebrated a victory that lifted them to second-bottom in the final standings, supporters were left to wonder what could have been in spring 2010 if luck had gone Scotland’s way.

That’s because this year’s championship was by far Scotland’s best for several years.

Their record – 3 losses, 1 win and 1 draw – does not do them justice. Coming within 9 points of France in their opening game isn’t too bad, considering France went on to win the grand slam in convincing style. Whilst losing to Italy would be seen as shocking by the more ignorant rugby fan, playing away

Ballater ARCHIE Ball

27

by Joan Anderson An English friend recently spoke of a grand charity ball held near London which surpassed anything he’d ever experienced, organised by one ordinary woman, but on a scale and style normally enjoyed by those with siller.

As he described the fun and sheer pleasure experienced in a local setting which meant more ordinary people giving generously to a good cause, I thought of the fabulous ball I’d attended on 20 March in the Victoria Hall, organised by Ballater’s own charity champion Jenny, ably abetted by her large collection of friends, fans and family…. even her kids were in on it this time, to great effect.

This was the seventh time Jenny and friends have made Ballater folk feel like Royalty while fleecing us for something worthy, including two Balls for the Halls themselves, one jointly for Ballater School/ the MS Society, one for the Anchor Unit and three – including this latest – for the ARCHIE Foundation, which aims to improve things for NHS child patients in Grampian, Orkney and Shetland.

Guests were delighted to hear that the £4750 liberated from their wallets that night would support a truly local ARCHIE project which will make the treatment room and waiting area at the GMED centre within Aboyne Hospital more child friendly.

Appropriately, the keynote speech was given by Mr Chris Driver, Paediatric Surgeon at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, who spoke about the difference the work of the foundation makes to the children of the North-east.

A sumptuous meal was provided by Aileen Lawrence and the Glenshee team, the bar was by the Coilacriech Inn and guests

danced to the fabulous Jennifer Forrest ceilidh band. Aboyne’s amazing magician Peter Nicol provided close-up conjuring fun at every table.

Renowned speaker Jim Brown from Fettercairn gave an excellent after dinner talk and Wilson Forbes of Aboyne followed with an entertaining speech to celebrate Jim Brown’s 65th Birthday.

Auction prizes included a stunning original painting of Loch Muick from Janice McIllwain, a print of otters on Loch Kinord from Willie Forbes and a signed gardening book and tour of the Birkhall Gardens donated by the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.

Jenny, who is an ARCHIE trustee, said she was particularly proud of the welcome given to guests by five young people, including her daughters Eilidh (12) and Louise (10). Guests were piped in by 12-year-old Ian from Tarland, who did a “fabulous” job, she said. This was followed by a highly amusing welcome speech by Eilidh and Louise and their friends, Sasha (14) and Sam (11) who gave a confident four-way presentation on the reasons for the ball, followed by a cheeky poke of fun at their favourite adults, which had the audience in gales of laughter.

“They made the night,” declared Jenny.

“It was fantastic. More to the point I will never need to do a speech again as they have proved themselves worthy of the task. They did it without any nerves and, even better, they actually enjoyed it.” As did we all, Jenny. Thank you. www.archiefoundation.org.uk www.friendsofanchor.org www.mssociety.org.uk

26

Upper Deeside Music

by Jane Angus

With the bad road and weather conditions over the past few months, there is not so much news to report since the highly enjoyable concert in December when Blair Cargill from Banchory gave a packed room a splendid evening with a piano recital.

The committee had hoped for variations of instruments to cheer the dark days but the fascinating concert from Djordje Gajic, lecturer in accordion at the Royal College in Glasgow, ranging from an organ-like Bach Chorale by way of a soaring Mozart to the marching feet of modern Russia, was eventually deferred until April, and Cantiones Sacre from Dundee until 2nd May with Renaisssance songs including both the sacred and madrigals.

The Heller Quartet are to play on the Friday of Victoria Week (13 August) with more ‘Music for a Summer Evening’, Beethoven, Haydn’s ‘Joke’ quartet and the Dvorack quartet - and Ivan Illich returns on September 26 to the Darroch Learg piano.

The schools work-shop planned for the year will be run by the renowned lecturer in Guitar at Glasgow, Allan Neave, who will play in St Kentigern’s on October 31.

He will then go on to Braemar on November 1 to work certainly with the young people, but I should be grateful if others who are interested would contact me as Allan likes to work with equivalent levels of skills, rather than age and we are still trying to find such people.

at the Stadio Flaminio against a rapidly improving Italian team is never an easy task – as England found out with their own edgy visit this year.

It was, however, the Wales game that put the nail in Scotland’s Six Nations coffin. It was an agonising defeat in Cardiff. After a great display Scotland looked to be home and dry with a thoroughly deserved away win – but it was not to be. Not only did Scotland concede two infuriating tries in the closing five minutes to lose the game, they also lost several key players to injury in the process. For this reason, England’s ensuing trip to Edinburgh was always going to be a tough game for the home side, yet perhaps they should have managed more than a draw.

The thing about Scotland is that they’re always nearly there. Always nearly winning games before throwing it all away in the final quarter; always finding themselves inches

from the try line before dropping the ball and so on. With the likes of Chris Patterson (arguably rugby’s finest goal kicker), Dan Parks, Sean Lamont and an incredible scrum line-up Scotland should be up there with the best in world rugby.

Despite the results, 2010 has so far proved they have the potential to finally get there. With the 2011 World Cup just around the corner, Scotland’s time may well be coming, and everyone else had better watch out!

39

“The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance.”

E. M. Forster

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40

Balmoral Estate Summer Events The meeting point is Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre, unless otherwise stated. Booking for all these events is essential: call 013397 55059

Saturday 12 June: Mending Our Ways

Friday 9 July: Wildflower Wander

Come and join the rangers as they repair the damage caused by hundreds of thousands of trampling feet on some of Scotland’s most popular paths. Take part in a day of practical conservation action in spectacular mountain scenery. All tools and training provided. 10am – 4pm, Free.

Identify the wonderful array of wild flowers in Glen Muick and learn more about their habitat and uses. Organised to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity.

2pm - 4pm, Free.

Saturday 3 July: Lochnagar Ascent

Join the rangers on an exposed rocky route up one of the local munros. A good level of fitness and a head for heights are required for this strenuous but rewarding hill day.

Distance: 12km, ascent 750m.

9.30am - 5pm, £10 per person, limited places available.

Enjoy a full day on one of Scotland’s highest peaks, looking at the natural history and management of ‘Dark Lochnagar’. A full mountain day. Hill-walking gear and a good level of fitness required. Distance: 19km, ascent 1050m. 9.30am - 5pm, £10 pp.

Cybernaut Royal Deeside’s Premier Internet Venue!

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Friday 30 July: Spectacular Summer Scrambles

Saturday 7 August: Glen Girnock Circuit This low level circuit will travel up Glen Girnock passing the abandoned houses of Loinveg, Camlet and Bovaglie. We will visit one of Queen Victoria’s favourite little houses at the Genechal before a short walk along the South Deeside Road leads us to the path around Creag Ghubais and back to where we started. Distance 16kms, ascent 350m.

Meeting point: Crathie Tourist Information Centre. 10am - 5pm, £5 per person

Friday 13 August: Night Hunters and their Prey Get up close and personal with bats and moths. Come and dispel all your fears of these intriguing animals. If weather allows we will also take the opportunity to do some star gazing at this event. Joint event with Aberdeenshire Ranger Service for Ballater Victoria Week. 8pm – late, Free.

by 2012-2013, and continue, through management of community enterprises, to generate ongoing funding for community projects.

Project Delivery: Managed by Ballater (RD) Ltd (BRD), and overseen by a steering group chaired

by BRD and including officers of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Aberdeenshire Council.

A full time Development Manager for the project is currently being recruited.

A post fully funded for two years, and half funded for the third year, supported by the Marr Area Partnership Development Officer to facilitate, support and enable community and project groups to achieve sustainable projects.

Administrative support will be provided by BRD. Further information about the project and its progress from: Gordon Riddler,

Chairman, Ballater (RD) Ltd, details below. or visit www.deedondev.org

25

Other BRD News BRD provided assistance to Helen Rowe (Aberdeenshire Ranger) who organised a clean up along the Old Line from the old Ballater station to Pannanich Wood on Saturday 10 April.

The tree thinning process has commenced at the Pannanich Woodland at the east of the village. Strips 4m wide at either side of the paths were thinned. BRD convened a group of volunteers to remove the sleeves from the trees in that area to enable the forester to make faster progress.

John Lovie has agreed to act as Company Secretary following the retirement of George Inglis from the BRD Board.

Contact BRD at 013397 55467 or ballaterdeeside@btinternet.com

Gows Delicatessen Charcuterie Fine Wines Smoked Fish Scottish Beers Handcooked Crisps Sauces Biscuits Mackie’s Ice Cream Cheeses Cakes Monday - Saturday Olives Pickles from 9am -5pm Antipasto Chutneys Pasta Jams 37 Bridge Street, Ballater 013397 56183 Enjoy an individually chosen Cheeseboard Seasonal Gift Baskets & Hampers to suit any budget

24

Ballater (RD) Ltd.

Deeside/Donside Development Project: DDDP The funding package for the DDDP has now been confirmed. How has the project come about?

The background to the project has been the development of community action planning within the Cairngorms National Park (CNP), with the support of statutory agencies, to enable communities to take a lead role in assessing their needs and aspirations.

Project Aims: To facilitate economic, environmental and social development and sustainability for all the communities of Deeside and Donside within the CNP for the benefit of the people of the area.

To roll out community action planning, and continuing development support,

by Gordon Riddler to involve all the communities, as appropriate to their size, needs and situation, during 2010 and 2011.

Support and build on the community action plan for Ballater, Ballater One Voice Our Future (BOVOF), also creating benefits for other communities.

Supporting and potentially linking continuing development for other communities as action plans are developed and implemented.

To make a Development Manager role for the Deeside-Donside area within the CNP self-sustaining and self-financing, based on ongoing enterprises and addressing identified needs of the communities,

Total Building Services For all your home improvement needs - from the front wall to the back fence and everything in between.

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Monday 30 August: Meet Your Ancestors A guided tour around the Spittal of Glen Muick Township. Meet the township residents along the way and hear some of their tales and find out how they live. Organised as part of Scottish Archaeology month.

Distance 1km, ascent 30m. 2pm - 4pm, Free.

Saturday 25 September: A Cycle Through Time Join the rangers during Scottish Archaeology Month on a guided bike ride through Glen Muick. Discover the fascinating history of the old inhabitants of the Glen.

Distance 30kms, Ascent 450m.

Meeting point: Ballater car park, next to the Glenaden Hotel, 10am - 5pm, Free.

Health & Hygiene Courses in Ballater Since 2000 Katrina Farquhar has been providing Health and Hygiene courses for anyone who is working with food. Initially these were very much for employees in butchers’ shops, as by law, anyone employed in such a business had to have a Food Hygiene Certificate.

Over the years, Katrina has presented quite a number of courses but due to illhealth had to stop for a time. Now the courses she runs have restarted and she has presented four courses over the last few months. It has now been recognised that anyone working with food that is being served to the public must by law have a Food Hygiene Certificate.

This has been very difficult to enforce but modern technology is helping and a new system has been introduced by Aberdeenshire Council. When an Environmental Health Officer inspects premises dealing with food, a record will be made of the inspection

and put on-line. The public can then see what kind of report any food premises has received and training is of course part of this.

Please see Katrina’s advertisement below for information on how to contact her.

41

“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet.

I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”

Groucho Marx “After enlightenment, the laundry.”

Zen proverb

Katrina A Farquhar Health & Hygiene Training Health and Safety One Day courses provided locally

Certificate issued

by R.E.H.I.S. Edinburgh

FOR

MORE INFORMATION,

PLEASE CALL TEL:

013397 55218

OR

07753 851637

42

Glen Muick Archaeological Survey

by Glyn Jones

Scotland’s Rural Past is a fiveyear, nationwide project, which supports local communities across Scotland to investigate deserted rural settlements dating from the medieval and post-medieval periods. The project, which was launched in October 2006, is hosted by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Through the work of the Historic Rural Settlement Trust these organisations have recognised the need to improve our understanding of these rural sites and encourage their conservation by involving local people.

In September 2008 the Scotland’s Rural Past team ran a training weekend for lo-

cal people at The Spittal Of Glen Muick visitor centre. About twenty folks attended the initial training course and from that a hard-core group of six of us have continued to meet on a monthly basis to put the skills we learnt into action and record our local archaeology. About fifty groups similar to us exist throughout Scotland.

Our initial aim is to record all the archaeology in Glen Muick to a standard which can be accepted for inclusion by The Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments Scotland on their Canmore database.

The ground surveying that we do is backed up by detailed archival research. A quick look at the Canmore website will give you an idea of the wealth of archaeological sites present on our doorstep www.jura.rcahms.gov.uk/CANMAP/Map. The

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providing labour free of charge as a contribution to the project. Our thanks again go to all who are helping. This project will be completed as soon as possible after the rubber tiles arrive.

We are actively investigating the provision of a public toilet facility on the park, and have considered the pavilion, repair of the portakabin, and replacement of the portakabin with a portable toilet. There is as yet no obvious solution, taking into account cost, cleaning and continuing petty vandalism. If any lateral thinkers can come up with ideas, we would be delighted to hear from them.

Other active issues include repair of the floodlights, and a new entrance sign, the latter in cooperation with the BRD Signage Group. We are also continuing to discuss the future development of the park with other interested parties.

BOVOF has been instrumental in facilitating cooperation between local groups, and the progress we have already made has only been possible due to such cooperation.

Anyone interested in joining the Park Users Group to help in any way should contact Gillian at the BRD office Tel: 55467; email: ballaterdeeside@btinternet.com

Motorbike scrambling We reported in the last Eagle that a BOVOF interest group was searching for land locally which might be available and suitable for use by Ballater motorbike scramblers. We were then awaiting information from one landowner in connection with a particular parcel of land.

Unfortunately, we have now heard that there are general health and safety issues with the land in question which would not make the land suitable for scrambling.

We will continue searching, and, as before, if any local landowner / land user can offer any presently unused land, the group

would be delighted to hear from you. Even if you think the land may not be suitable, please let us check with the bikers, as they would be prepared to work the land themselves to possibly make it suitable.

Please contact Gillian as above.

23

Learning in Ballater

By Lindsay Lumsden One of the issues raised in the Ballater One Voice Our Future Action Plan was “to increase the opportunity for learning, training and preparation for employment in Ballater” – in the widest sense.

To look into what those learning needs are, Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning and Development team for the area brought together a partnership group of education and training providers and members of the community to design a survey. This was subsequently delivered door-to-door in Ballater in December last year.

The results of the survey have now been analysed and discussed, and plans are in place to try to bring as many of the requested learning opportunities into Ballater as possible.

The Cairngorms Learning Partnership is hoping to open a learning centre in Ballater which will be able to provide a wide range of opportunities, including computing – from how to switch it on, to fully accredited training.

Opportunities from other providers will include workshops on small business startup from Enterprise North East Trust and training in committee skills for voluntary groups from the Council for Voluntary Service. Community Learning and Development will also be contacting local groups and businesses to explore other less formal ways of growing local people’s skills.

For more information, contact Caroline Cowie or Lindsay Lumsden on: 013398 85705.

22

BOVOF Ballater One Voice Our Future

Monaltrie Park Users Group The Group has continued to progress improvements to Monaltrie Park.

Our first completed project is the construction of an all abilities path from the cinder path down to the play area. The new path provides better access from Ballater Primary School to the Park for pupils’ sporting activities, and easier access to the play area for families with pushchairs and wheelchairs. The 25 metre gently sloping path has an Astroturf surface, and the adjacent ground has been seeded with a woodland wildflower mix.

The project was part funded by the

by Ron Drever Cairngor ms National Park Authority (CNPA). Match funding was made up by the kind donation of the Astroturf from Ballater Golf Club, and donations from the Upper Deeside Community Development Group, Ballater Highland Games, and GJB Accountancy. Our grateful thanks go to all who helped, as well as the Ballater Walking Festival who underwrote the funding to enable us to obtain the CNPA grant in time.

We have also been able to fund the installation of rubber tiles on the play area, as well as bins and additional seating. Again this project will be part funded by the CNPA, with match funding kindly provided by the Ballater Chiels. Aberdeenshire Council are obtaining the tiles for us and are kindly

records generated by our group have now begun to be uploaded onto this website so are accessible to both researchers and the general public.

Our surveys, so far, have been along two main strands - surveys of settlements and townships on the lower ground and surveys of individual structures further up the hills, such as shielings and still houses. The ultimate objective is to produce a landscape scale map of Glen Muick with all of these structures mapped so that we can compare this with other parts of Scotland; this will give us an insight into how people lived and how they managed the land over two hundred years ago. So far we have surveyed four settlements and many shieling sites. We are working from the top of Glen Muick down.

Some of the sites that we have recorded have already been noted by RCAHMS, mainly from old editions of maps. Other sites that we have surveyed were previously unrecorded.

Some of the information that we have acquired from this project has been used by Balmoral Ranger Service to improve the historical information provided to the public. For example we have a waymarked walk around the township at The Spittal of Glen Muick. You can pick up a leaflet that takes you around this walk at the visitor centre. We also recently installed an information board along the track between the car park and the visitor centre to highlight the presence of the township to passing walkers. This summer we are organising a guided walk around the township on 30 August. On 25 September we are undertaking a bike ride around some of the other sites. (see pages 38/39) If anyone would like any further information about the Glen Muick SRP group then drop me a line at: glyn.jones@balmoralcastle.com

43

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We also carry out Dry Cleaning, Service Washes, Curtain and Duvet Cleaning.

Please Telephone 013397 55151 or call in at the laundry.

Proprietors: Louise & David Halliday

Henderson Funeral Directors Ballater’s only Family owned and run Funeral Directors

24 hour caring, personal service covering Deeside Respectful and dignified care guaranteed

Contact Neil Henderson (Funeral Director)

Tel. 013397 53255 Unit 1, Craigview Road, Ballater

44 There have been some changes afoot recently in your local policing team. In October 2009 Sergeant Stuart Clark took up the post of Upper Deeside Sergeant, with supervisory responsibility for all the officers stationed at Aboyne, Ballater and Braemar.

Stuart, who has thirteen years service, has carried out uniformed and CID roles in Aberdeen.

Constable Fiona Brown returns to Ballater after six years as a handler and instructor in the Grampian Police Dog Unit, with Constable Dave Woods returning after a period in Aberdeen. The Ballater team is also made up by Constables Steve Lafferty and Donald Macleod.

Donald and Dave, in addition to their main duties, are members of the mountain

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Police Page

Ballater Charitable Chiels

by Sgt. Stuart Clark

by Derek Mutch, Secretary

rescue team. As you can imagine the worst winter weather conditions seen in the UK for many years saw Donald and Dave test their skills with the rest of the mountain rescue team on several occasions, with successful conclusions.

Local policing is at the heart of Grampian Police’s service delivery. Your local officers are empowered and encouraged to work with partners to resolve local challenges and respond to incidents. Consulting, listening, responding and providing feedback, is the methodology by which we aim to bring local policing closer to you.

With this in mind, since February of this year, local police surgeries have been run every four to six weeks. Some of you may have seen the mobile police office parked outside Glenmuick Church. Please take the opportunity to pop in past, say hello, and discuss with us the issues that you feel are a priority in our community. In addition, your local Police are committed to attending Ballater and Crathie Community Council meetings so that we can better understand and, therefore, respond to the issues raised by you. We can’t promise we’ll react to everything we’re told, but we will explain why if we don’t.

With the summer months upon us the local roads and particularly the A93 North Deeside Road, see a substantial increase in the volume of traffic. Despite 2009 seeing the lowest number of fatal road traffic collisions across Grampian since the Force was

As I write this article for the Eagle the Chiels are currently planning their latest challenge. Approximately 12 of us are going to try and bag the most Easterly, Northerly, Westerly and Southerly Munros in four days, Mount Keen, Ben Hope, Ben More and Ben Lomond. We are looking for sponsorship and support. All we need is some luck with the weather and a lot of energy! The challenge will take place on the last weekend of May. As usual any monies raised will be distributed to local worthy causes.

The golf day takes place on the 11 June this year. It is the usual format, Texas scramble, with teams of four playing for the Sandy Barclay claret jug. This has always been a good day and is our biggest money raiser of the year. The main beneficiary of this will be the Euan McDonald research centre for Motor Neurone Disease.

Other beneficiaries in the past 12 months include; Braemar Mountain Rescue, Ballater Primary school, Ballater Little Masons, St Andrews Church Braemar, Sluiemohr, Monaltrie Court, Braemar cubs, OAP’s hut, Monaltrie Play Park, Braemar Junior Games, and Ballater YES group.

Our music night is booked for Saturday 2 October, and as in previous years, the band “Flites” will entertain us, ably supported by a talented band from Braemar!! This has always been a great night so it’s definitely one to put in the diary!

Towards the end of the year we will have the fireworks display and probably a fancy dress disco at Xmas. No doubt at some point we will have a quiz night or two. In the past they have always proved to be a big hit with all who take part.

21

2011 will be our tenth year so we were thinking about something special to celebrate.

A few of the Chiels have had some good suggestions but if anyone has any good ideas we would love to hear from them!

Hope everyone has a good summer and if your group needs help or support we would love to hear from you.

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.”

Chinese Proverb “The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.”

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20

Ballater Victoria Week

by Mike Franklin

Preparations are well under way for the next Ballater Victoria Week festival which will be held from 7 - 15 August 2010. The festival is now 23 years old and continues to be a fun week for visitors and residents alike.

It will follow its normal pattern of evening and daytime events, indoor and outdoor events.

Some old favourites will be repeated as with the traditional music concert by Paul Anderson and friends and the afternoon concert by the Ballater Songsters. The Classic car and tractor rallies will be held as usual but this year along with the rally of vintage bicycles (and a few vintage cyclists as well) first held last year. The 4x4 safaris and barbecue will continue as will the Ghosts and

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Ghoulies outings.

Scottish Countr y Dancing returns to the program after a gap of a year but this time led by Braemar ’s Castleton dancers.

The new children’s event ‘Go wild in the woods’ run by Julia Truscott of the Forestry Commission in Cambus O’May woods proved very popular and will be repeated.

As always, central to the week is the Ballater Highland Games on Thursday 12 August.

Each year Victoria Week passes on surplus funds of several thousand pounds to local groups and charities. However, organising Ballater Victoria Week is hard work and we welcome any offers of help. In particular we would like groups to volunteer to run the box-office for one day. Individuals can help in any number of ways. Businesses can help to promote Victoria Week or donate raffle prizes; if you wish to advertise in the everpopular Ballater Times, contact me as soon as possible.

To offer help or seek information please contact me: 013397 53174 or franklin579@btinternet.com.

“You will find that the mere

established and the numbers killed and seriously injured on our roads falling over the past three years, only one group – motorcyclists have ‘bucked the trend’. Operation Zenith aims to tackle road traffic fatalities among motorcyclists, with local officers playing a key part in this.

Rural policing presents a variety of challenges, one of which is wildlife crime. In addition to their normal duties, Steve and Donald are Wildlife Crime Officers. A specialist area of policing, the Wildlife Crime Unit deals with such crimes as hare coursing, bird of prey persecution, environmental crime and salmon poaching.

Partnership working is often the key to success, and The Dee ‘Riverwatch’ scheme, launched on 29 April, aims to combat incidents of salmon poaching. It is a partnership venture between Grampian Police, Water Bailiffs from the Dee Fisheries Board and local Ghillies.

Your local policing team is looking forward to a busy summer of games, shows and events, and meeting and engaging with our communities in the course of our duties.

If we can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us via the Grampian Police Service Centre: 0845 600 5 700, or via email at mypolicingarea@grampian.pnn.police.uk “When one door closes another door opens, but we

resolve not to be useless,

so often look so long and

and the honest desire to help

so regretfully upon the closed

other people, will, in the

door, that we do not see

quickest and delicatest ways, improve yourself.”

John Ruskin

the ones which open for us.”

Alexander Graham Bell

Ballater Post Of fice

Hours of Opening: Mon: 9am - 5.30pm Tues: 9am - 5.30pm Weds: 9am - 5.30pm Thurs: 9am - 12.30pm Fri: 9am - 5.30pm Sat: 9am - 12.30pm Please note we are OPEN over lunchtime

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

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

Tel: 013397 55505 www.ballaterpo.net

46

Cairngorms Ceilidh Trail

by Eileen Collins

The Cairngorms Cèilidh Trail offers professional development and performance opportunities for young local musicians to share their skills and enthusiasm for traditional music. Now in its fourth year, it has established a great reputation and is making a welcome return to a number of venues throughout the National Park and visiting some for the first time.

The 2010 Trail kicks off with a training week in Plockton and then tours venues in Badenoch & Strathspey from 14-16 July, visits Tomintoul Games on Saturday 17 and then takes in several venues in the eastern and southern parts of the National Park from 19-23 July. This year they are visiting Ballater’s Victoria Hall on Wednesday 21 July at 7pm. Tickets, priced at £4, will be

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available from Gow’s Deli, Eileen Collins on 013397 55307, or on the door.

This year’s band comprises 8 young musicians from in and around the CNP, three of whom are ‘old hands’, having been part of the line-up last year. Owen Sinclair, guitar, percussion and vocals, Duncan Bullivant, cello and bass guitar, and Seonag Buxton, fiddle, Gaelic song and pipes, all enjoyed last year’s tour so much that they have again taken up what is offered as ‘a summer job with a difference’. They are joined by brothers Ally and Callum Forsyth, Tara Cunningham, Amy Paparinsky and Becca Skeoch, collectively adding fiddles, guitar, keyboard, song, pipes and clarsach to the group.

The Cairngorms Ceilidh Trail is run by Fèis Spè, with support from Feisean nan Gaidheal and major funding from Cairngorms Leader, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, Scottish Arts Council, the Highland Council, Angus Council and Aberdeenshire Council.

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by Ian Hay In our Spring issue, the Eagle had a photograph by Glyn Jones of a sparrow-hawk having breakfast in Bridge Street outside Cassie’s Emporium, oblivious to passing traffic and Angus Davidson on his bike!

Now, bird watcher extraordinaire (by appointment) Alistair Cassie has produced further evidence of the attractions of Bridge Street for our avian friends. A pigeon has raised a chick in the cast iron decorated and dated (1924) guttering of Cassie’s store, and he has sent the Eagle a photograph of the youngster, taken while perched precariously on a ladder, and Mum flew around watch-

Victoria & Albert Halls

19

by Bell Macaulay The Victoria and Albert Halls Development Association held its Annual General Meeting on 20 April, and a strong and supportive committee has been elected: Chair – Bell Macaulay; Vice Chair – Jack Coull; Treasurer – Willie Meston; Secretary – Eileen Collins; Members – Veronica Houston, Margaret Hay, Ron Drever, Jenny Gow, Frances Johnstone.

The Spring edition of the Eagle contained a report from the Refurbishment sub-committee on efforts to obtain funding for a study to find the best heating system for our complex halls, and to draw up ideas for improving the general facilities. Successful applications have been made to Cairngorms Leader, Community Energy Scotland under the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewables Scheme (CARES), the MacRobert Trust and Marr Area Partnership, and we are extremely grateful to these organisations for their very generous funding.

Thanks are also due to those individuals and local organisations who took the trouble to write letters and emails confirming their support for the project. This is greatly appreciated, and will be invaluable in showing possible future funders that the Ballater community endorses the project wholeheartedly.

A heating consultant and an architect are already drawing up plans to improve the heating, insulation and general facilities in the Victorian complex. Initial draft plans, incorporating views and ideas expressed by local people at a consultation held in October, were made available at a further Community Consultation held in the Victoria Hall on Saturday 22 May. Views, reactions and comment on these initial ideas were taken away by the consultants to tweak and adjust

in preparation for a final public consultation at the end of July. Then the really hard work of raising very considerable sums of money will begin! A list of ideas has been drawn up and several of the user groups have already pledged to help raise money for the project.

Anyone wishing to add their support can do so by contacting Ian Hay: 013397 55941 thehaysbraemore@btopenworld.com

Halls Jumble Sale On Saturday 3 July the Victoria & Albert Halls Committee will be holding a jumble and tabletop sale from 11am to 4pm to raise funds for upgrading the Halls. We will have jumble tables, a raffle, and bottle stall with all money from these tables going entirely to the hall improvement fund.

Any donations of raffle, jumble or a bottle would be gratefully received. Please contact Eileen on 013397 55307 any evening from now till the 2 July and your jumble will be collected. Alternatively deliver any items to the hall on the evening of Friday 2 July from 6.30pm – 7.30pm.

If you would like to book a table, please also contact Eileen on the above number.

Forbes Duguid Painter & Decorator Tel .55816 el.55816

18

47

Scottish Government Consultations

by Phil Swan

The following text (in italic) is an extract from the Scottish Government’s web site on consultation: “Consultation is an essential and important aspect of Scottish Government working methods. Given the wide-ranging areas of work of the Scottish Government, there are many varied types of consultation. However, in general consultation exercises aim to provide opportunities for all those who wish to express their opinions on a proposed area of work to do so in ways which will inform and enhance that work.

Typically consultations involve a written paper inviting answers to specific questions or more general views about the material presented.

Written papers are distributed to organisations and individuals with an interest in the area of consultation, and they are also posted under the current consultations section of this website, enabling a wider audience to access the paper and submit their responses. The Government has an email alert system for consultations (SEConsult). It allows individuals and organisations to register and receive a weekly email containing details of new consultations (including web links) and those about to end.

The views and suggestions detailed in consultation responses are analysed and used as part of the decision-making process.

Within the consultation section of the Scottish Government website there is a full list of all closed consultations and a listing of forthcoming consultations. The “closed” section will, in the future, provide details about the outcome of consultations and have links to any reports produced from the consultation exercise.

If you have any queries about the consultation process please contact: Constitutional Policy and Civic Participation Team, GA North. Victoria Quay, Leith,

Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ. email: consultationqueries@scotland.gsi.gov.uk ” As a general observation, consultation topics seem to fall into three categories (although this is not stated by the government): Anyone might well hold an opinion which can contribute to the consultation process.

Likely to concern a specific sector of the community that will be most affected by the policy and therefore especially interested in responding.

People with specific knowledge are likely to be able to contribute to the government’s work.

You can find out about current and forthcoming consultations at the following web site: www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations. As mentioned above, the Government has an email alert system for consultations, accessible at: www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/ seconsult.aspx . If you don’t have internet access at home, Ballater library is probably the best place to get it. In addition, a full list of current consultation topics will be located on the Ballater library notice board, updated periodically.

Firewood

Tel: 013397 55997 Mobile: 07821 746756

Eagle & Robin by Luke Strachan ing proceedings. Earlier in the year, Alistair was very excited that a rare specimen of red grouse, not a frequent sight around Ballater, had taken refuge from the severe weather in some cardboard boxes to the side of Alan Yule’s shop and again he has produced a photograph which the Eagle is happy to reproduce.

Will Ballater Bridge Street become a mecca for twitchers from world-wide? Should our Bed & Breakfast proprietors ready themselves for a sudden influx of visitors? We can but wait and see.

It is a red grouse, honest!

Aboyne Van Hire

Mobile 07808 568434

48

Berlin & Oberammergau

by Willma Sim

It’s summer 1990 and I am back in Berlin, this time accompanied by my husband George, who had heard me talk so much about Berlin, that he felt he had to come and see it for himself. We also plan to visit a small town in Bavaria called Oberammergau for this is the year in which the inhabitants enact a play depicting the passion, death and resurrection of Christ all this to celebrate the town’s deliverance from the Black Death in 1632.

But first we have to visit the Wall. Arriving at the Brandenburg Gate, where in November 1989, victorious students had breached the wall, and danced a jubilant jig along it, we were astonished to find no trace of the wall. However, I was so pleased to see that the Guadriga, the two-wheeled chariot drawn by four horses and driven by

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the Winged Goddess of Victory on top of the Brandenburg Gate, now faced into West Berlin, rather than into East Berlin, as it had done from 1961 when the Wall was built.

Street traders were selling Russian memorabilia, but we ignored them and soon found our way to Checkpoint Charlie, the only gateway for foreigners between the two Berlins during the Cold War. No buses now ply the route I had travelled into East Berlin all these years ago, but nearby stands Haus Am Checkpoint Charlie, a private museum of memorabilia and photos of those who had tried to escape to the West. I remember especially a glider which had been constructed in the attic of a house, and had successfully delivered its crew to freedom. But not all attempts had been so successful.

We did eventually manage to locate a section of the Wall, but it bore no resemblance to the grey forbidding erection which had struck terror into so many hearts. Now the furious anger of the people had reduced it to barely half its original height and its plasterwork was covered in lurid graffiti.

Enterprising Germans were hiring out tools, so that each visitor - and they seemed to come for all over the world - could chip off his own little piece of history. “How are the mighty fallen”, I thought as we left clutching our little piece of what was left of the dreaded Mauer.

Access to what had been East Berlin via the U-Bahn was easy, and we even had our passports stamped by a very dour Russian official. Huge grey housing blocks greeted us as we walked through untidy streets, virtually devoid of traffic. We managed a quick peep into the magnificent Opera House, preserved in all its glory, before heading for the Pergamon Museum, one of Berlin’s 170

Designer Appeal

by Stella Potter The Eagle has been plopping through our community’s letterboxes, informing and entertaining our readers, for 58 issues now.

The Eagle team currently has 3 designers Naomi, Faye and me - who between us produce each edition on industry standard DTP software. Thanks to a very generous donation from Mike Sheridan’s estate, we also now have a dedicated laptop and updated software. However, it is now imperative we enlarge our bank of designers, due to growing other commitments for the design team members. This is where YOU have the opportunity to join us.

If you are computer literate, and could spare some time, would you like to be trained to produce an occasional edition? Currently Naomi and Faye produce one each and I do two editions every year. It takes between 1-

Wee Jim Landscapes

3 weeks per issue depending on how much spare time you can allocate to Eagling away!

And, of course, you would be a full member of the eclectic group that is the Eagle Team. We work collectively to make decisions, so you wouldn’t be expected to sit at home alone grappling with articles without full support. I trained and supported both Naomi and Faye and am happy to do likewise for new designers. There is a small compensatory payment for each edition but, being a community magazine, nothing like commercial rates, so this cannot in any way be considered employment. It is, however, a hugely gratifying endeavour, and a great opportunity to learn and use industry standard software on our dedicated laptop, and to give back something to our community. If you are interested, do contact me for info and a chat: 55969 or stella.potter@btopenworld.com I look forward to hearing from you…

17

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museums, famous for its classical Greek, Babylonian, Roman, Islamic and Middle Eastern art and architecture. But we were quite unprepared for the magnificence of the Pergamon Altar from Asia Minor (165BC) - a huge raised marble altar with a 120-metre frieze of the Gods doing battle with the giants, or the 30 metre long ‘Processional Way’ made of blue and ochre-glazed bricks with reliefs of lions, horses, dragons and unicorns, dating from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar 11 (604-562 BC) - A ‘must see’ for anyone visiting Berlin.

I had always wanted to visit Potsdam, some 24kms west of Berlin, where at the end of World War II, Prime Minister Churchill, Secretar y Josef Stalin and President Harry Truman had signed the Potsdam Agreement - a plan of tripartite military occupation and reconstruction of Nazi Germany. In a small unpretentious single-storeyed house we viewed the round table where

the Agreement had been signed, and found the memorabilia displayed there really interesting. But I also wanted to see Schloss Sanssouci, the rococo palace built

by Frederick the Great in 1747. It is now a world heritage site, and because of a rule laid down by UNESCO, only 2000 visitors per day are allowed to view its glorious interiors. The extensive gardens contained many beautiful plants, but my favourite thing was the Orangery which protects the trees from the snow and ice of winter but allows the oranges to ripen in the summer sunshine.

Our last day in Berlin was spent visiting the celebrated Zoo, walking past the tall TV tower with its high revolving restaurant, and visiting the modern octagonal church which replaced the original Memorial Church, built in 1961. The deep blue stained-glass windows reach from floor to ceiling and reflect light to all corners of the Church. We ended

49

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our last day doing what all tourists should do - sitting outside Café Kranzler drinking coffee and watching the world go by.

Our 7½ hour journey from Berlin to Munich passed surprisingly quickly and we arrived in Munich exactly on time. We had decided to spend a couple of days seeing something of Munich and of the surrounding countr yside before going to Oberammergau. After visiting some ancient churches and interesting museums, and marvelling at the size of the fruit on sale at the local open-air markets, we boarded a train for Fussen, a small picturesque village, where we hoped to visit Neuschwanstein, the fairy tale Castle built by King Ludwig II in 1869.

It is built 200 metres above the valley floor and its towers reach so high that they are sometimes lost in the mist. We found the climb rather steep, but the sight of the Castle was worth all the effort. We could really

50

paintings sculpture wood glass silver bronze ceramics unusual gifts 46 Bridge Street, Ballater, AB35 5QD Telephone/Fax: 013397 55515

understand why Walt Disney had been so inspired by it when creating his Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Next morning we caught the local bus to Oberammergau, arriving there mid-morning with still some time to wander through the village, admiring the houses with fairy-tale motifs painted on their walls, and the myriad of shops selling intricate wood carvings. But our main reason for coming here was to see the Passion Play, enacted each 10th year by the inhabitants of Oberammergau. Unfortunately when we enquired at the ticket office, we were informed that there were no seats available for the afternoon performance.

The entire play lasts from 9am - 5.30pm with a three hour break for lunch. All the 2200 actors are locals who have had to grow their hair for months ahead of the production, which takes place six times weekly from May to October.

In the tremendous crowd scenes there can be as many as 250 people on stage at one time. We watched enviously as the morning session audience poured out of the theatre, and were amazed when we were approached by two young ladies who said “We’ve heard you want to see the Passion Play. Please take our tickets for the afternoon performance, as we have to move on”.

Hardly believing our luck we asked where they came from. “Wagga Wagga in Australia” was the reply. George could hardly believe his ears. “I never believed that such a place existed except in the imagination of the Goon Show script writers. I think we must come and visit you next time we’re in Australia”. “You’ll be most welcome” they said as they left.

The afternoon audience had filed in quietly and there was total silence as the second half of the Passion Play began. Our seats were very far back in the auditorium, but we still had a clear view of the open-air

Ballater & Crathie Community Council

15

by Robin Blyth, Chairman Future B&CCC contributions to the Eagle will be in the form of a Newsletter.

This will be a conscious attempt to keep the community of Ballater & Crathie fully informed on the working and considerations of their Community Council.

Briefly, the CC consists of 12 persons elected for a period of 4 years every fourth April. Casual vacancies are filled by holding an election in which the successful candidate will be elected for the remainder of the current period.

The Council meets every second Monday of the month with the exception of August when we take a welcome break. Meetings are held in Ballater, in the Halls, with the exception of October when the meeting will be held in Crathie. The AGM is always held in April, and in alternate years, the venue changes between Ballater and Crathie.

Members of the public are very cordially invited to attend CC meetings and though they cannot speak without prior written permission from the Secretary, can be invited by the Chairman to contribute to the discussion.

Watchful comment on Planning Applications is one of the CC’s important briefs and we now have a Sub-Committee which meets fortnightly to fulfil this task. Our main essence of being is to act as the ears and eyes of the community and to pass concerns upwards to Aberdeenshire Council, and also to our Elected Council Members, including Marcus Humphrey who attends all of our meetings.

Ballater and Crathie share with a few

other communities the pleasures of being both in the Cairngorms National Park and a Local Authority. This brings differing things to the party and we must duplicate a lot of our work and thought.

All members’ details and contact addresses are on the Ballater notice-board so please avail yourselves of what we can offer.

Lastly we wish to acknowledge the work and the tireless efforts of Marybell Macaulay, our retiring Secretary. Bell has spent many years wholeheartedly serving the community in public life, having had two sessions on the CC. We wish her well in her part retirement.

H.M. Sheridan 11 Bridge Street Ballater AB35 5QP

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Hire the Hog Roast or Barbecue & a Butcher to cook it for you.

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14

New Ballater Singing Group

‘Dial-a-Bus’

by Sheena Armstrong

by Christiane Hinz

At the end of March, a new singing group started up with enthusiastic singers from Ballater. The group is open for more people who want to join and sing along.

This ancient art not only feels good, it can enhance your well-being, reduce your feelings of pain and even prolong your life. Studies have linked singing with a lower heart rate, decreased blood pressure and reduced stress. It also boosts feelings of relaxation, mood and confidence.

If you want to: Explore your own voice; Get to know sing-along-songs from all over the world, which you can sing with your children and/or family; Surprise your partner or your family with a new skill; Increase your happiness and well-being ...then this is the perfect way to spend an evening every two weeks. There is no fee to pay, and everyone is welcome. No musical experience is necessary.

Contact Christiane on 013397 53894, by e-mail at maketodaycount@web.de or leave your name and telephone number at Ballater Library.

Moira Melrose Kiltmaker since 1992 Quality Hand Sewn Kilts

013398 80074 Email: kiltmaker@hotmail.co.uk

You may not have heard about the Diala-Bus service, or the 6-5 Special as it has been called. This is a bus service free to those who have bus passes or taxi passes.

There are several different destinations, and the details are as follows:Ballater to Aboyne:

The bus will call at your home in Ballater on request at around 10.15am every Thursday, leaving Aboyne at 12noon to return to Ballater. You are picked up at your own front door, and returned there with your shopping etc.

Ballater to Aberdeen: This service, on the second Tuesday of each month, comes through Ballater from Braemar, going on to Aberdeen leaving Ballater at around 11.20am and leaving Aberdeen at 4pm to return to Ballater.

Again, you are picked up and returned to your own front door.

Ballater to Inverurie:

This service runs on the third Tuesday of each month, again coming through Ballater from Braemar at around 11.20am, leaving Inverurie at 3pm to return to Ballater.

This may not seem to be very long but the bus picks you up at your door, takes you perhaps to Tesco or Marks & Spencer and drops you off at your door with your shopping. It is also a chance for a fine run out.

You need to phone and book a place one week before you want to go and they will give you on the phone any more information that you need. The number to call is 01569 765765. This is a wonderful FREE service, and if insufficient use is made of it, then it may well be withdrawn.

stage, and all the actors. At the Crucifixion scene, nature seemed to be in harmony with the sad happenings on stage – the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled and as Jesus hung on the Cross, the heavens opened and a deluge of rain enveloped the stage and all the actors. I was so moved by this, and indeed by the whole afternoon’s performance, that I decided there and then to return in ten years’ time and see the complete play.

And so it was that in the year 2000, I was seated in the second front row of the newly renovated theatre, absolutely enthralled by the wonderful, moving performance on stage.

And as I later thought about my visits to both Berlin and Oberammergau, Frank Sinatra’s song “The Second Time Around” came into my head and I realised that for me, the second visits to Berlin and Oberammergau had also been better the second time around.

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52

Pannanich Hill

by Ian Cameron

We used to explore both banks of the river Dee and going over the bridge and down Pannanich Road was a regular trek for us. The usual attraction was the remains of the Newfoundlanders’ log cabin camp in the woods, quite derelict now, with unlocked doors swinging eerily in the wind.

On the banks of the Dee, a short distance east of Ballater Bridge, are the ruins of what was once Pannanich Lodge.

Built originally as an inn on the old South Deeside road at the Dalmuchie ferry, it expanded to accommodate the patrons of the mineral waters found on the hill above.

There are scant traces of that lodge today,

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BRHS

13

by Mairi Burgess

Site of Pannanich Lodge

but the sheltering oak, beech and sycamore trees are still there marking the remains. In that then ostentatious hostelry, the view from the bay window of the River Dee, the magnificent backdrop of the Coyles of Muick, and, above and beyond, the towering skyline of Dark Lochnagar must have been inspiring, and certainly proved so to the young Lord Byron.

Imagine for a moment that we are back in 1772. Pannanich Lodge is a bustling place this spring morning. The inn has stabling for the guests’ horses, and byres and outhouses for its farm. The ferryman is setting out across the Dee to meet the Laird, Francis Farquharson, who he can see approaching on his grey mare. The first Ballater Bridge with its five arches is still eleven years away and ferries on the Dee at Dalmuchie and Garranmhor serve the young Ballater. Today Francis Farquharson is off to inspect the progress at the great march dyke he is building east of the mineral wells up on the hill.

His work in setting up bathhouses and pumps at the wells was so successful that he has extended Pannanich Lodge to cater for the patrons.

A victim of his own success, Francis was

The long winter, we hope, has disappeared at long last and gardeners all over the country are now counting the cost of all the hard and prolonged frosts and very heavy, wet snow. Most gardens will have lost longstanding and favourite shrubs, plants and even trees, but now we must think of the summer ahead, enjoy the sunshine and plan for the future.

The Horticultural Society members are planning for the new season and looking forward to the Annual Show on 21 and 22 August. This year we hope for a large number of entries in all classes, but especially the children’s section, as they are the future gardeners.

There will be an opportunity to stock up on plants at the annual Plant Sale on the Green on Saturday 12 June. You are very welcome to bring any spare plants to sell, and also to add to your own collection. Home baking will be very welcome for us to sell, as all proceeds from the Sale help to fund our Show, and village projects.

The Society has purchased new planters for Station Square. These look very grand, and we are awaiting their arrival, hoping they will add to the ambiance of the area.

The Cairngorm National Park has kindly added two matching planters for their office entrance, so the Square should look very smart for all our visitors, and locals alike.

The competition for the Best Garden in the area will be judged before the Annual Show, and the lucky winners will receive a cash prize of £100 and the Alex Copland Rose Bowl. The gardens entered may be of any size, and the judges are looking for variety, and not ones that are perfect in every

detail, so please don’t be afraid to enter. We need lots of entries to give the judges a hard task. Entries may be handed to Rosemary O’Shea at Oaklands House in Braemar Road, or to any member of the committee.

Finally, we are delighted and very proud to announce that HRH the Prince of Wales, Duke of Rothesay has agreed to continue his patronage of our Society for another 5 years. His annual donation of a thoughtful gift for our fundraising, has been greatly appreciated. The Society is very fortunate to have had royal patronage for many years, including HM the Queen, and the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who also regularly donated prizes for our fundraising raffle.

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12 Boules Conquer the Elements

by John Holley see picture on back page....

Following one of the worst winters experienced in Ballater for the past 30 to 40 years the Ballater Boules Challenge faced up to all the elements thrown at it and came out a winner.

The ‘Challenge’, in its fifth successful season, was hit by some extreme weather, but despite this we cancelled just two gatherings. We are very much aware that playing through a Ballater winter can cause problems but to lose just two meetings during the 2009/2010 winter was a great achievement and congratulations must go to our players for their unabated enthusiasm.

Once again we achieved an average turnout throughout the season of 35 which is amazing for a game that is expected to be

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played in warm sunshine with a glass of Pernod (or similar!) in hand!

During the festive season we raised £375 for the Ballater Enhancement Group over our two charity days, the ‘Golden Boules Trophy’ played for at Christmas and the ‘New Year Quaich’ hard fought for in January. Thanks to the generosity of our players we broke all our previous records for collections donated to local good causes.

The Golden Boules Trophy was won by ‘Jones Laing ‘ (Martin Young & Alastair Whitson) and the ‘New Year Quaich’ was won by the ‘R aedykers’ (Ian & Ann Ritchie). ‘Jones Laing’ also achieved the most wins for the season.

Several new faces joined us during the season. All were warmly welcomed and quickly began to enjoy the fun and friendship the Challenge offers.

Our meetings could not run smoothly without the help of many people who offer their services freely without having to be asked. However, special thanks must go to the following for their invaluable assistance: Chris Perrin, Michael & Maria Franklin, Ian Ritchie, Martin Young, Alistair Cassie and Jean Holley.

The fifth season finished as usual with a superb BBQ that was enjoyed by 65 people. Thankfully, on this occasion the weather was very kind to us and to use a cliché, a good time was had by all!

Our sixth season will commence in late October and run through to early April 2011.

A final list of dates will be posted in Alistair Cassie’s Emporium window in early October or visit www.ballaterboules.webs.com or email ballaterboules@gmail.com

forced to purchase the whole of Pannanich Hill to secure his investment in the mineral wells. He then planted the hill with Scots pine seedlings from his tree nursery in the field below Monaltrie House.

The Dalmuchie burn reaches the Dee just beyond this point, and only a few yards up the burn you could still find the sawdust from an early sawmill. The water power to drive this mill came from a dam farther up the burn beside the Ballater butcher’s killing house in the wood.

By the time of the Great War the hill had been replanted for a second time and these were the trees that the men of the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit clearfelled in the 1940s to provide pit props for the coal industry in war-time Britain.

At this point, we return to the road.

Only a hundred yards on, a large twin oak tree grows out of the pavement. This is the Wishing Tree, under which generations of Ballater courting couples have silently embraced while ‘wishing’. Round the next corner is evidence of the old Pannanich brae granite quarry. This was the scene of a tragic traffic accident in 1941, when two Newfoundlanders lost their lives. The lumberjacks were buried across the river in Tullich kirkyard.

Pannanich Wells Hotel, right at the top of the hill, was built out of this quarry. This new section of road was opened specifically to allow easier access to the mineral springs after the first Ballater Bridge opened in 1783.

Pannanich Lodge and the Dalmuchie ferry fell into decline after Ballater Bridge and Pannanich Wells Hotel were built. With the sudden collapse of this early bridge in 1799, Lodge and ferry gained a new lease of life until Telford built the second bridge some years later.

We continue along the road a couple of hundred yards past the hotel, and here we

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see a massive drystone dyke, the mother of all dykes, marching up the hill. This is the hard evidence of our Francis Farquharson’s work. The dyke, built in 1772, marks the boundary between the Earl of Aboyne’s ground to the east and Francis Farquharson’s recent acquisition to the west. We follow the great dyke up the hill. Only in its immediate presence, and seeing the enormous foundation stones, can one truly appreciate the superhuman effort that had created it.

On my last visit, I realised what a little tree-covered knoll that had puzzled me for many years was - a 1772 borrow pit for the monster stones that founded the dyke. This discovery brought images of an army of workmen digging out the stones, loading them on sledges for Highland ponies to pull across to the work at the wall. Again it all came

54

alive - the clues are all around and we only have to do the interpretation.

About 150 feet up the hill, the dyke swings to the right. Several hundred yards farther on, and 500 feet higher up, we are above the Craigs of Pannanich and close by the source of the Dalmuchie burn. There is a lochan here, and running due north is a massive shelf of rock, not granite, but quartzite. The outcrop is faulted and fractured.

We could see that the cracks were coated with tiny, intensely red-coloured, crystals.

Closer inspection revealed metallic flakes and more crystals. This we felt was surely the source of the mineral waters below. We took no examples, but did theorise on what was there as we carried on our way.

“Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”

Oscar Wilde

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UDAS Summer Exhibitions

by Moira Mackenzie

The Upper Deeside Art Society started in 1992 by a handful of enthusiastic art amateurs, has now swelled to having over 120 members, the majority of whom are still amateurs and still enthusiastic. The Society holds two Exhibitions each year. They exhibit their work for 4 months in the Stables at Balmoral Castle from the beginning of April every year until the end of July when the Castle then closes to the public.

This Exhibition in a delightful venue, is very popular with visitors and locals alike.

Then in the last week of August the Upper Deeside Art Society presents their annual Ballater Exhibition in the Victoria Hall. This year their colourful Exhibition runs from Saturday 28 August, daily from 10am – 7pm, until Sunday 5 September, with an increase in opening hours due to popular demand. This Exhibition is stewarded by the Artists themselves and they look forward to meeting you there.

appropriate to each one. The choices ranged from “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” to Ella Fitzgerald’s “Blue Moon”. The relaxed and happy atmosphere in the room was due in no small way to Edna’s fascinating anecdotes related whilst she was so expertly creating beauty in line and colour with her flowers. We feel fortunate to have someone so skilled in our neighbourhood and the evening was a great success for the Floral Art Group.

An outing to Pitlochry is planned for Sunday 26 September when “Tastes of the Seasons” will be the theme of the demonstrations. In the morning Christopher Trotter will demonstrate cooking and Diane Fair will do floral arrangements in the afternoon. A few tickets for this event are still available. The Floral Art Group is thriving in Ballater and new members are always welcome.

11

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Floral Art Group

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The new season of the BRHS Floral Art Group got off to a flying start on 15th April in the Mike Sheridan Room when Chairman K athleen McCulloch welcomed over 50 ladies to the first meeting. With an overall theme of ‘With a Song in my Heart’, the ever popular Edna Matthew from Alford delighted the audience with her superb arrangements and sparkling personality.

Edna’s innovative designs were accompanied by excerpts of music which were

& also

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10

Local Group News Ballater Halls Indoor Bowling

by Sheila Rumbles

Our last season was a little disrupted, with the snow affecting attendances. However, we still had a good year. It was Ballater’s turn to host the Final of the winners of the Deeside League and Mearns League, namely Lumphanan v. Marykirk “B”. A successful evening, which saw Marykirk emerge as the winners, was enjoyed by approximately 80 people who gathered afterwards to partake of a beautiful spread of food.

Ballater Halls came second in the Deeside League for 2009/10 and we thank all our players who contributed to the achievement of this result. We start the new season on Tuesday 21 September at 2-4pm and 79pm. Any new members will be made most welcome.

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Ballater Songsters

by Sheila Rumbles

Since our successful concert during Victoria Week last year we have had a busy winter providing entertainment at various venues. The Songsters are now working hard in regular practise sessions preparing the programme which we intend to present in our concert for this year’s Victoria Week on Wednesday 11 August, at 2-30pm.

We are looking forward to seeing all our loyal friends there for what we hope will be another successful fun afternoon of music and song.

Please put this date in your diary.

Ballater SWRI

by Frances Johnstone The Institute’s meeting on 24 February was badly affected by a terrible snowstorm, with only a few local members able to attend McEwen’s shop in Ballater. This was unfortunate, as those attending had a very enjoyable evening.

The meeting on 18 March was a cookery demonstration called “Tasty Bits” by Cathie Brown from Midmar. Those present sampled many of her starters, main courses and puddings, for which she supplied recipes.

The business at our well attended AGM on 21 April was conducted by the ladies of Aboyne WRI who also entertained us with poems, Doric songs, stories and a sketch, all of which were much enjoyed. The Ballater SWRI ladies bowling team were congratulated on winning the cup for Aberdeenshire.

The summer bus outing has been arranged to go to the “Retreat” at Glenesk on 2 June. The new session of SWRI will start on Wednesday 15 September 2010.

Accident at Abergeldie!

55

by Dr Sheila Sedgwick In 1824 a tragic accident took place at Abergeldie that made headline news.

Across the Dee from Abergeldie castle were two hamlets, Torgalter and Greystone, each with their quota of residents and tradesmen, like a miller, weaver, carpenter. For generations the Brown family had had a small piece of land there and at the time concerned, George was a skilled weaver. He was intelligent and literate and read the minister’s newspaper from end to end and had access to the books of both minister and schoolmaster. He spent a week every year in Aberdeen buying books and learning all he could.

George had a family of sons and daughters, one girl in particular, Barbara, a noted beauty, being known as “The Flower of Deeside”. She had a number of well-connected suitors but Babby settled on Peter Franchie, smart and handsome, her senior by a number of years, a widower without children. He had a good job as gamekeeper at Alltnaguibhsaich and in 1824 they were married in Glenmuick.

The couple stayed for a few days in Greystone until the keeper’s house was done up and visited many friends. On the Sunday they visited the Smarts at Abergeldie Mains. Early in the afternoon they crossed the Dee by way of the wooden “cradle” at Abergeldie, the only way of crossing between Crathie and Ballater. A strong cable was wound round a windlass on each bank and on it ran the “cradle.” This was only three planks held together by iron hoops, curved like the rockers of a cradle. At each end was an upright, linked by a crossbar. Under it two grooved wheels ran along. The cradle could hold only two passengers and was usually worked by the Abergeldie gardener.

Early in the afternoon the river was high

but not in spate. A pleasant visit over, the Franchies left the castle side of the river about 9pm. The river was higher. As the cradle was crossing, the rope broke and the passengers were thrown into the water.

It was dark and rescuers, including old George, ran along both banks with lanterns.

The gardener was rescued but it was not until the next morning that rescuers found Babby’s body in shallow water. A week later Peter’s body was found near Coilacriech.

There was mourning over Deeside. An investigation was carried out but no explanation was found for the cradle rope breaking.

George Brown died in 1828 and was buried in an unmarked grave at Crathie. It was not until 1885 that the cradle was replaced by a bridge, now also in an unsafe state.

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56

Pottering About . . .

by Stella Potter

Whilst driving into town recently (something I do as little as possible!) doing 10mph under the speed limit, I rounded the corner

by Raemoir House Hotel. I have always slowed to at least 50mph there as I know there are often impatient drivers trying to get out of the Banchory road, particularly in the nearest we rural folk get to ‘rush hours’.

Suddenly something absolutely gigantic was flashing at me. I prepared to emergency stop, heart a-thumping, adrenaline rushing through my veins, whilst my brain tried to work out what on earth was going on. No, not an accident, abnormal load, tractor or road works.

A ridiculously oversized road sign telling me something, but I was so shocked I couldn’t even read it. What on earth...? For the life of me I can’t see why the sign was nearly the size of a house. Perhaps the sign-makers had confused metric and imperial measurements? Admittedly I was pleased to notice the monstrosity had windmills, so assume the power for the eyesore was green.

A few deep breaths later, my heartbeat gradually returned to normal, leaving me with that slightly shaky and queasy feeling a surge of adrenaline leaves.

As I continued my journey I mused on

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the ways we are exhorted to keep our speed down whilst driving. Take, for instance, the flashing 30mph sign a mere few yards after the speed limit sign going into Aboyne from Ballater. Is it just me who gains some perverse pleasure in making it flash? Just 31mph will do it. It seems to me to be missing some basic elements of psychology. The rash of these authoritative ‘You’re a bad person for not slowing down to exactly 30mph or less soon enough’ signs not only make me feel like a naughty schoolgirl again, but also make me want to rebel against this inanimate authority. Yet I do think myself to be a careful and considerate driver. There are much better ways to encourage safe driving in my humble opinion. For instance, the signs which flash a smiley face at you when you are doing the speed limit, and a miserable face if you are speeding, which I have seen in other parts of Scotland. How encouraging and gently humorous. One can’t help but smile at a smiley face, even one electrically generated. There’s more than a nuance of pleasure to create a smiley face whilst entering a built up area, and this is far less likely to annoy the hell out of drivers than the commanding schoolmarmy telling off.

How about it, Roads Department?

And whilst I’m having this little rant, (thank you for your patience!) I’d like to have a quick rail at whoever thought it was a good idea to design car headlights bright enough to floodlight a bloomin’ football stadium. In excellent daylight I saw a car with not only those horrible eye numbingly blinding blue headlights, but also a whole row of ridiculously glittery little ones underneath. Why? I’m sure all this does is lead to a false sense of security for the person behind the wheel:

cinated with the whole set up.

I am sure that when they left Clashinruich the whole puppet theatre would have been passed to some interested party and would not have been thrown out.

Around the walls of the attic was an extensive display of rock samples, all labelled, with a good part of the collection from the Cairngorm area but also from many parts of the world especially in mountainous regions as the Miss Smiths were expert climbers and skiers. I think I remember that this collection went to the Geology Department in Aberdeen University.

Hugh J. Mackay Hosting Students HOLA! Do you have room to host a young Spanish student (or more than one!) for two weeks from 14 - 25 June? The pro-

gramme is being organised once again by Schoolhouse English, a language school based in Ballater.

A group of students aged 14-17 is coming from Barcelona with three of their teachers to attend English classes and enjoy a programme of activities and visits. Students stay as part of the family and experience ‘normal’ day-to-day family life. They attend classes and a programme of visits and activities every day. There are several evening events as well, including a ceilidh and BBQ for all the family to attend.

Hosting a student can be a lot of fun and there’s a generous allowance to cover all expenses. If you live in the area between Crathie and Banchory and you’d like to know more about hosting a student this summer, please call Cathy Low on 013397 56333 or email: info@school-house.eu

9

Clothing & Accessories for Men, Women & Children Adults’ Jackets Fleeces Knitwear Slippers Bags & Purses Gifts

Lucy’s Clothing Something for Everyone The Old Station, Ballater Tel. 013397 - 53855

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8

Dear Editor,

I very much enjoyed the article by Sheena Blackhall on Strachan’s ‘Reid Bussies’. I am an Aberdonian by birth, though I left the Silver City at the tender age of nine months!

However, family holidays took me back to the NE of Scotland for many years.

Having developed an interest in bus companies as a hobby, it is perhaps not surprising that Strachan’s garage at Ballater should figure high on my list of visits when back in the area - that was until 1965, of course.

Could I ask, through the pages of your excellent magazine, that anyone with memories of the company, or better still photographs of the ‘reid bussies’ themselves, contact me by email at petertulloch@aol.com? I do already have a substantial collection of photographs, but there is always room for more!

Regards, Peter Tulloch

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Dear Eagle...

In the Spring edition, we published a letter from Mr Martin McGilp, seeking information about a Miss Janet Smith of Ballater, who had been involved with puppets. A local resident, Mr Hugh Mackay, has responded to Mr McGilp, and details of his memories of Miss Smith are given below. The Eagle, and Mr McGilp are very grateful to Mr Mackay for the information. Mr Mackay writes:Miss Janet Smith lived with her sister Annette at Addistoun, Ratho, Newbridge, Midlothian and also spent considerable time every year at Clashinruich in Glengairn, Ballater.

They were connected to the Keillers (the owners of the marmalade empire in Dundee) of Morven Estate and I think came from a family important in the jute industry. It was rumoured that Keiller did not want the family to build on his Morven Estate so they resorted to build on his boundar y in Glengairn.

My mother went to Edinburgh to work for the Miss Smiths during the war years and on her return to live in Glengairn looked after Clashinruich. Every year the dust sheets had to be removed and Jim Salmond the plumber had to bicycle up from Ballater to turn the water supply back on before their annual visit.

When the cleaning was in progress I was allowed up in the vast attic via a hatch and sliding ladder. In the attic was a large Punch and Judy type theatre complete with puppets and lights worked off torch batteries.

There was a multitude of other stage props including a starter’s pistol for making real gunshot sounds. Of course I was banned from touching anything but remember being fas-

I’m brighter than an exploding star (slight exaggeration I’ll admit!) so everyone will see oh-so-important-me and keep out of my way.

Only Police, emergency vehicles and motorbikes should be allowed to be so dazzling.

Grrr…

Everything else on planet Stella is going relatively swimmingly, despite the, yet again, late start in the garden. I was very touched to be gifted gardening vouchers recently so have treated myself to some new tools and a boxful of vegetable seeds. To my delight, every single garlic clove I planted has come up, and is looking pleasingly healthy. Some tatties are in, sprouts are sown, as are parsnips in loo rolls – it helps them grow straight I’m told, which is why I’m trying that way.

Sadly the rosemary didn’t survive our horrendous winter, but I have windowsills full of different seedlings looking pretty strong and healthy. I’m just waiting for the frosts to

go before planting out.

I am also very excited that we have another internet forum meet-up planned – this time a group of Humanists are descending on Ballater later this month, including a woman all the way from Canada who I’m very much looking forward to meeting. I love the way the internet makes the world smaller and engenders friendships impossible to establish in the days before we were all able to communicate so easily.

Doubtless like us all, I hope for a real summer to match the very real winter we have endured.

However you spend your summer, if and when we get one: enjoy!

57

“Home is not where, it is whom.”

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58 ‘Allons enfants de la Patrie’

by Arthur Chisnall To be bi –lingual in English and the local Scots accent was a great asset to a young English loon growing up in Ballater before the war, when the only enemy was the ‘Sassenachs’ and when some of the old battles were re-enacted, as the excuse for some playground bullying. It was at times like these that his allegiance could well have caused some doubt when sides were being chosen, but inevitably it was always his strong local accent that swung the scales in his favour and caused him to be accepted by the always-dominant Scottish side.

It could be said that it was the war years and the great influx of ‘foreigners’ that it brought to the area that changed the way incomers were regarded. Ere long the old

suspicions began to fade, - perhaps English folk, especially the soldiers, weren’t such a bad lot after all - and in the playground the ‘Battle of Bannockburn’ was quietly consigned to its rightful place in history. There was now a new and more potent enemy for young minds to focus on.

Once through the classroom door, there was of course a basic requirement to learn English grammar and the use of the local dialect, having no place in the curriculum, was actively discouraged. When the evacuees arrived, mainly from Glasgow, extra teachers with no knowledge of the Doric were drafted in to help and so it was even more essential that a common means of communication prevailed.

H.P.S. (Aberdeen) Ltd Integrated Building / Landscaping Services and Supplies

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Simply provide the name and address to whom the issues should be sent, with a cheque or postal order for 'Ballater Eagle' for the relevant amount and drop off your request to the Library. Betty, our Subscriptions person, will do the rest. Easy!

Ways to contact the Eagle:

Hand in to the Library Post to Ballater Eagle, c/o Ballater

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7

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT: Mike Rumbles MSP

01330 820268 Fax: 01330 820106 e-mail: Mike.Rumbles.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

WESTMINSTER: Sir Robert Smith MP

01330 820330, Fax: 01330 820338, e-mail: robert.smith.mp@parliament.uk

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL: Peter Argyle: 013398 81180 email: cllr.p.argyle@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Library, Ballater, AB35 5QB

Rosemary Bruce 013398 89318 email: cllr.r.bruce@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

E-mail to:

Marcus Humphrey : 013398 85332 email: cllr.m.humphrey@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com

Contributions of any kind on PC disc / cd always welcome.

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK: Geva Blackett email: geva.blackett@btconnect.com

Eagle Who's Who & Where Chanaich Lodge Provost Craig Road Ballater Aberdeenshire AB35 5NN

Tel. 01339 756336 Fax. 01339 755893 Mobile 07710 469563

Managing Director Peter Henderson Email: peter.hps@btconnect.com

Editor: Ian Hay 55941 Treasurer: Dr. Sheila Sedgwick 55292 Secretary: Betty Wilson 55791 Advertising Manager: Faye Swan 55345 Distribution: Andy and Julie Bloor Diary Secretary & Typing: Isobel Michie 54094 Design: Stella Potter 55969 Email us at: ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com Eagle Online by Tom Potter: www.ballaterscotland.com/eagle

If you would like a large print version of the Eagle, please contact Faye Swan at info@swandesign.uk.com or Tel.55345.

6

Letter from our Editor

mmer is eaders, tes that su a ic d in r Dear R a d the the calend ve informe a h to Although rs is a pe here as this no one ap , st n o o z lm ri a o h is on the g Festival for an. Walkin ts are well in hand Weatherm en itors alike d arrangem ter residents and vis n a , ats, n e tt ri w might be d woolly h Balla n t a u s b e , v k oks as if it e lo e g lo , W h ts ic a a h o ri c w to ow Vic seasons ” in ll into the “happit up derable covering of sn e ll w e d w e l h il tc st re smoke! nsi are year has st ar has a co f barbeque is g o a th ll n e r h c te sm o in e L s we th and time yet. W shine and ver y day a e n e m su d , so in r th m fo rm to a t w f the around yet brough d to bring gh some o n se u e o o v p e h p lt a re su a s, re r which a cult winte ith pothole of our diffi ill pitted w st s e , ri a o re m a e e M th Ballater filled. ociety and ads around S ro ly l ri e ra ra th u o e lt p v u m ic d their dri village, an ave been te embers of the Hort h r u s o e f n o o r ts e e m in the stre deep l displays is however, ing to brighten the ra th o fl e it l u sp rf e e D are striv sual wond ciated. ent group with the u s it guir uch appre sp m Enhancem r u re o a ft s li since we re rt l o il ff rs e a w e l e y a n u e v n lo efforts a is now fi Their an frequently ings up, it elsewhere. vers have th o d c n g t a in n n n o e fr te re h r g u G the two bject of bri in the Eagle, and o shown by ty li a it v e On the su h es T rapher, colour pag nd colour. the photog a d y e b ty d li d lu a c re u in q tu eir cap ears. I larly er those y ented for th f this edition is well v o m li rs p e v m o o c c our ld ask er o been , and wou on the cov ndards of a st a rs st e p c h e n ig a th h d young inclusion graphs in intain the ues to ma for possible d, but plied photo n t p ti n n su le o c e ta v d a ir n h e a ho ples of th ph receive nk those w bmit exam y photogra n Hay su r e v wish to tha to e e e u d n ti lu to con not inc e. Ia our readers s. We obviously can ful magazin ss e c c su y e r e su v in future is contributions to our r u o y e m welco

By Popular Demand!

Ballater Library opening Hours: Sunday & Monday: Closed Tuesday: 10am-1pm, 6.30pm-8pm Wednesday: Closed Thursday: 2-4pm, 6.30pm-8pm Friday: 2-5pm Saturday: 10am-12noon

Once outside the school doors of course, the children soon dropped their Englified speech. He remembered his father’s shock, when soon after his arrival he had been greeted casually in the street by a small loon, who said pleasantly enough. ‘Aye, Aye, Dod, fit like the day?’ This was of course just a normal Doric greeting and enquiry after his health and no disrespect had been intended.

It was just the way things were and always had been in the small Highland community.

Anyone who has ever spent time in Royal Deeside of course soon gets familiar with the way ‘ie’ is added on to most nouns and so a horse becomes a ‘horsie’, a dog becomes a ‘doggie’, a man becomes a ‘mannie’, a wife becomes a ‘wifie’ and so on. The word that caused some doubt when his parents were first learning the dialect, arose when a boy was being referred to, for locally the word for boy is ‘loon’ and to hear one referred to as a ‘loonie’ caused them no end of amusement.

As is a common practice in the North, people often acquire nicknames from a very early age and those who choose to remain in the area are unfortunately saddled with them for the rest of their lives. If for example your first name was Alexander, and you also had the surname of Alexander, then naturally from childhood you became ‘Double Sandy’.

On the other hand in later life, the green keeper at the local golf course acquired his, when some loons, deciding that he was far too quick off the mark for an old man when chasing them off his precious greens, gave him the nickname of ‘ Blue Peter’ after a famous racehorse of the day and many folk came to believe his first name was Peter.

Parents often picked up these nicknames from their bairns and it always gave Wee Chis great pleasure to recall his mother telling his father one day how a woman friend of hers had met his French teacher, a spinster, in the street one fine winter’s morning. ‘Good

morning Miss Gilly,’ she had said ever so politely, and then with some horror, she had remembered that ‘Gilly’ was only the lady’s nickname and in fact her real name was Gilchrist.

In her confusion and the silence that followed, she then gave a great gulp and added on the other half, which unfortunately came out as, ‘Christ isn’t it cold today.’ ‘Auld Gilly’ had never said a word, although her having the reputation of being an ardent ‘Scot Nat’ and my mother’s friend a wartime refugee and Sassenach, it may well have been construed as deliberate.

‘Auld Gilly’ took her French studies very seriously indeed and as the war progressed, strongly encouraged her pupils to follow the events in France. Aluminium badges in the shape of ‘The Cross of Lorraine’ and adorned with ribbons in the three colours of

59

Deeside Books

Quality Books Bought & Sold Antiquarian, Second Hand & a selection of new Scottish books Gifts Jewellery Silk Scarves Jelly Cat Toys Children’s Books Cards & Gift Wrap Open: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Sun 12-5pm 18-20 Bridge Street Ballater Tel. 013397 54080 Email: deesidebk@aol.com

France were purchased to support the ‘Free French’ movement. The class would often begin with the pupils rising to their feet and after a few sharp taps on the side of her desk with the tuning fork, the right note would be produced and she would then lead them into a vigorous rendering of ‘La Marseilles’. It was words Wee Chis for one, was proud to learn and ones he would never forget.

As well as being an excellent French teacher of the old school, who brooked no nonsense, ‘Auld Gilly’ also took over singing duties for the senior classes when the ‘dominie’ Donald Chisholm retired. When it came to one of her favourites, ‘The Hundred Pipers’, she would invariably detail some poor unfortunates to sing some of the verses solo and Wee Chis remained convinced that her way of getting in a sly dig at the

60

Sassenachs, was by always choosing him to sing the verse that ended, ‘The English they a’ ran awa, awa, fae the Hundred pipers an’ a, an’ a! At that time, no one had seen fit to advise him that the only way to escape ‘Auld Gillys’ selection process was to become a ‘drone’, for Gilly hated boys who droned and they were often detailed to tidy up the playground when the singing lesson took place.

In those days it was not considered very wise to show teachers disrespect for many had a strong arm and used it effectively to wield the ‘tag’ (a stout purpose made leather strap).

Some lady teachers of a more timid disposition – and there weren’t many of those - would merely send the culprit to the nearest man teacher for the punishment to be applied.

In all his school days, Wee Chis only had the ‘tag’ once and that was in the first year classroom above the Victoria Hall, when a

...so you know What's Going On 5

7-15 Sun 8 Wed 11

Tue 17

September

STUART ESSON PLUMBING & HEATING ENGINEER

Wed 1 Sun 5 Wed 8 Sun 12 Mon 13

TEL: 013397 56378 MOBILE: 07786 543100

Thu 16

LOCAL EXPERIENCED AWARD WINNING KNOWLEDGEABLE INDUSTRIOUS EFFICIENT

Ballater Victoria Week. Get your copy of The Ballater Times for details - available July throughout the village and from the Box Office.

Book Fair Victoria Hall 10am-5pm The Lodge of St. Nathalan of Tullich in Mar Open Doors Day, Masonic Lodge, Queens Road, Ballater, 10am-8pm Ballater Songsters Concert - Albert Hall at 2.30pm Ballater School Term Begins Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm 21 & 22 BRHS Annual Show - Victoria Hall Tues 24 Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm 28-5 Sept Upper Deeside Art Society Annual Exhibition: Victoria Hall, 10am-7pm daily Mon 30 Ballater Post Office Closed Balmoral Rangers: Meet Your Ancestors, 2-4pm, Free. p40

Tue 21 Sat 25 Mon 27

Ballater Business Assoc., Glen Lui Hotel, 7.30pm CLAN Upper Deeside Fashion Show, Hilton Craigendarroch, 7pm Ballater & District Men’s Probus Club - New Session starts Focus Craft Fair Victoria Hall 10am-5pm Ballater & Crathie Community Council Meeting, Michael Sheridan Room, 7pm Wed 15 Ballater SWRI - New Session starts Floral Art Group: Floral Arranging on a Grand Scale”, Dr. Gordon Smith, Glenmuick Church, 7.30pm Indoor Bowling Starts, Victoria Hall 2-4pm and 7-9pm Balmoral Rangers: A Cycle Through Time, 10am-5pm, Free. p40 Ballater Post Office Closed

Are Your Dates Here?

For inclusion in this FREE section of the Eagle, please contact our Diary Secretary: Isabel Michie 54094.

Eagle Eyes...

4

June Wed 2 Fri 11 Sat 12 Sun 13 Mon 14 Sat 26

Ballater School Sports Continental Market, Church Green, 9am-5pm Ballater Royal Horticultural Society Annual Plant Sale on the Green Balmoral Rangers: Mending Our Ways, 10am–4pm, Free, p40 Focus Craft Fair Victoria Hall 10am- 4pm Ballater & Crathie Community Council Meeting, Michael Sheridan Room, 7pm Strawberry Tea for CLAN, Kindrochit Court, Braemar, 2pm-4pm St. Kentigern’s Church Sale Victoria Hall

July Fri 2 Sat 3 Wed 7 8-11 Fri 9 Mon 12 Sat 17 Sun 18 Wed 21 Tues 20 Tues 27 Fri 30

Ballater School Annual Prize Giving at 11am Ballater School End of Term Victoria Halls Improvement Fund Jumble Sale 11am - 4pm Balmoral Rangers: Lochnagar Ascent. 9.30am - 5pm, £10 pp. p40 Ballater Business Assoc., Glen Lui Hotel, 7.30pm Himalayan Goods Sale Victoria Hall (To be confirmed) Balmoral Rangers: Wildflower Wander, 2-4pm, Free. p40 Ballater & Crathie Community Council Meeting, Michael Sheridan Room, 7pm Glenmuick Church Sale, Victoria Hall Table Top Sale, Ballater, CLAN Centre, 10am - 2pm Focus Craft Fair Victoria Hall 10am-5pm Cairngorm Ceilidh Trail Concert, Victoria Hall, 7pm. p46 Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm Balmoral Rangers: Spectacular Summer Scrambles. 9.30am-5pm, £10pp. p40

August Sun 1 Tues 3

Copy Date for autumn Eagle, issue 59 Paul Anderson Concert Albert Hall 7pm-9pm

certain ‘Meg’ Robertson ‘clyped’ on him to their teacher ‘Dod’ Beadie. When asked why she was sniggering one day, ‘Meg’ blamed him for looking up rude words in the dictionary and ‘Dod’ Beadie, without asking for his side of the story, immediately ordered him out to the front of the class, where he then administered four lashes of the tag to the palm of his hand. The pain and shock was such that, lesson learnt, he vowed never to be caught again.

At the time there were so many evacuees staying in the area that the school made temporary classrooms for the senior years above the Victoria and Albert Halls. After morning assembly by classes in the playgrounds at the main school, the pupils then walked down School Lane in crocodile formation and along to the Station Square.

Along the way, it wasn’t long before most of the houses that faced onto the pavement found

it prudent to disconnect their doorbells and ignore the ‘chaps’ on their windows.

61

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ballater Royal Deeside A friendly, family hotel with “The Henhoose” Restaurant Lunches 12-3 daily / Evenings 5.30-9pm / All Day Coffee & Tea Newly refurbished Function Suite available for Hire Bed & Breakfast Available

Live Music Regularly Fridays & Sundays!

Contact Neil or Angela for details Tel. 013397 55488 6 Church Square Ballater AB35 5NE

62

Alistair: OAP

March 11, 2010

Welcome to your Summer Eagle

by Mary Munro

There’s loads to read in our bumper 64 page edition.

Local group reports, history, humour, poetry and more... open and enjoy!

The following poem was delivered by Mary Munro at a surprise celebration of Alistair Cassie’s 65th birthday organised by some of his friends in the Glenaden Hotel.

The poem says everything about the owner of Ballater’s Royal Warrant holding hardware emporium.

Local Groups:

Diary The dates you need: 4-5

The Crathie Pages We’re here the nicht tae praise this lad.

Aye loyal tae oor village, throwe gweed an bad.

He’s like oor Provost, without the chain, Tchauvin on thro’ snaw an rain.

His shop, it’s full o’ a heeze o’ trock; Bird-nuts an spads, hoovers an socks.

Fowk speir his advice fae morn till nicht, Bit he niver sooks up, jist tells fit’s richt.

An a smile fae Alistair is files As scarce as the teeth o’ a hen!

In Victoria Week, ye’ll find him there, Wi’ ferrets, safaris an sae muckle mair.

If in doot, “Ask Alistair” is aft the cry, For, in a crisis, he kens the wey.

He curls wi gusto fan Winter lays doon the ice, Syne “Boules” in the park on the Sabbath day.

He gings tae meetins, without ony pay, An fowk aye hearken tae fit he his tae say.

Group News, School, and more... 28,29

Ballater School 32-33

Alistair – ye’re 65 years YOUNG the day, An a yer friens wid like tae say, “Haud ye gaen for mony a lang, lang year, Gweed health an drams we wish ye here.”

Sae raise yer glesses, ane an a – Here’s the toast – ALISTAIR – oor Ballater loon.

Ballater Boules: 12 Ballater Business Association: 35 Ballater & Crathie Community Council: 15 Ballater Royal Horticultural Society: 13

Local History

Ballater Indoor Bowling: 10

Accident at Abergeldie: 55

Ballater (Royal Deeside) Ltd: 24

‘Allons enfants de la Patrie’

BOVOF: 22

Arthur Chisnall reminisces: 58

Chiels: 21

Pannanich Hill

Dial a Bus: 14

Ian Cameron: 52

Ballater ARCHIE Ball

Floral Art Group: 11 New Singing Group: 14

Joan Anderson tells all: 27

Alistair: OAP

Rotary: 36 Songsters: 10

Mary Munro’s affectionate poem: 62 SWRI: 10

Pottering About

Upper Deeside Art Society: 11

Slow down!: 56

and much more....

Ballater’s his toon, without a doot, Its on-goin ploys, his pride an joy.

At History Club meetins, full o’ dry wit, Jist a character, we’d be loathe tae dee athoot.

3

Contact us: All the ways YOU can contribute: 7

Advertising: Full page: £60; Half page: £30; Quarter page: £20; Eighth page: £10

Please contact Faye Swan at info@swandesign.uk.com or Tel.55345

Upper Deeside Music: 26 Victoria Week: 20 Victoria & Albert Halls: 19

Donations: Donations are gratefully received, and acknowledged. You can also put money into our tins in the Library or Yules Newsagents.

A big thank you this issue to Andrew Robb.

The McEwan Gallery

SAY HELLO TO THE FIRST HYBRID NAIL COLOUR!

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Say good-bye to chips, smudges & dry time! Shellac Hybrid Nail Colour wears flawlessly for 2 weeks of high gloss shine!

This premium service available exclusively at Ballater Beauty Room!

George Smith East Coast Harbour

Annual Exhibition opens 2nd August - 31st October Ballater (on A939) AB35 5UB Tel.013397 55429 www.mcewangallery.com

FOR PERFECTION CALL THE PROFESSIONALS

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Ballater Golf Shop

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Open 7 days a week at Ballater Golf Club Victoria Road, Ballater AB35 5QX Tel. 013397 55658 Email: shnyule@aol.com

64

Ballater & crathie Community magazine no.58 summer 2010

Bowl along to Ballater Boules p12

Gutter Chick fly to p46 to find out more....

Bonny Banner p36 The Ballater & Crathie Eagle is made possible by:

Advertising, Donations, Sponsorship, Fundraising, "Awards for All" Lottery and Cairngorms Leader+ European funding. Thank You. We deliver FREE from Crathie to Cambus O’May. Thanks to Friends of the Eagle for delivering to some outlying areas.

Kirsty and Abbie dancing at Victoria Week 2009 picture by Juergen Hoss

Take notice! p33