Ballater & Crathie Eagle, Issue 65, Spring 2012

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Ballater & crathie Community magazine

‘Festive Flair’

no. 65 spring 2012 £1 where sold

...and it’s Goodbye from him...

Nigel departs Royal Lochnagar – see Page 26

Thank you very, very much Ballater Boules’ generous donation to your Eagle – see Editor’s Letter, Page 6

The Ballater & Crathie Eagle is made possible by:

Advertising, Donations, Sponsorship, Fundraising, “Awards for All” Lottery funding, 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.

picture by Paul Mackie

picture by John Paul

Gill Garrow wows Ballater RHS Floral Art Group at Christmas – see Page 9

59

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place. A host of twitching snouts on grey squeakie heads, large and small, had emerged from a variety of hidey places, consternation written on their pointed faces. Old ‘One Lug’, his long yellow teeth bared in a menacing snarl, his whiskers quivering, stretched up on his hind legs and used his tail to bang out the danger signal on an old biscuit tin. ‘Attack!

Attack!’ he screamed and a few of the older clan males bunched together and made as if to run forward, while mothers gathered in their snivelling bairns and held them close. But, as always, it was that inbred fear of humans that held them back. ‘Cowards,’ ‘One Lug’ roared!

Overhead, a number of ugly black crows had gathered, circling, unsure what to do.

‘Thief! Thief !’ their leader crawed, ‘That loon is stealing our perch’ and a flight of screeching seagulls, alarmed by the commotion and led by Messrs Schmidt and Heinkel, two

visitors from the Baltic region, formed up in battle formation over the Dee and made a strafing run, using their favourite low level bombing technique, that only served to spatter the ground all around with white blobs and cause the squeakies to dive for cover once more. With a menacing wave of the hickory shafted seven iron, ‘Loon’ soon had them veering away back to the trees, their ammunition spent.

‘Cheerio Bike’ some of the friendlier rats squealed, ‘hope you have a good life’ and I had to admit those good wishes made me a little sad. ‘You’ll be back! You’ll be back!’ a now deflated old ‘One Lug’ muttered sourly, as he wiped his old rheumy eyes on his wife’s back, all his fight now gone. He had been quite a warrior in his day, but since losing his lug to a trespassing weasel, he no longer had the will to get involved in actual physical combat.

Next Issue: Part Three, in which ‘Ozzy begins a New Life’ ...

DARROCH LEARG Dinner 7pm - 9pm

Diary

The dates you need

4-5

The Crathie Pages Comings & goings

35

Man, Dog, Stroke

37

Royal British Legion A scrapbook snippet

39

CNPA

From your representative

41

It’s not the weather driving her mad...

45

Glen Girnoc Not always so peaceful

49

From salvage to salvation!

54

Ballater Business Association: 23

CLAN: 16 Community Council: 22 Deeside Management Organisation: 12 Deeside & Donside Development Project: 21

Library Date: 23 Rotary Club: 24 SWRI: 15 Upper Deeside Art Society: 11 Upper Deeside Music: 10

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Pedalling for Papyrus Advertising:

Ballater Royal Horticultural Society: 8

Kincardine & Deeside Befriending: 20

Pottering About

Cycling the UK

Ballater (RD) Ltd: 14

Ballater Songsters: 8

Heartwarming tale against the odds

Fascinating extracts

Ballater Boules: 6 & 60

Balmoral Estate Events: 29

Looking ahead to Jubilee Year

V&A Halls Minutes

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

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Victoria Week News

A Red Star Hotel An AA Inspector’s choice Hotel Recommended in the Good Food Guide and Scotland the Best

Local Groups:

Ballater RHS Floral Art Group: 9

Pass of Ballater in past times

Ozzy - Part 2

Royal Deeside’s Award Winning Highland Retreat

25

Silver Mine Stories

Sunday Lunch 12:30 - 2pm

3

Inside Your Spring Eagle:

Victoria and Albert Halls: 18 V&A Halls Bowling Club: 10

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Donations:

Donations are gratefully received, Full page: £60; Half page: £30; and acknowledged. You can also put Quarter page: £20; Eighth page: £10 Book and pay for 4 issues: series discount money into our tins in the Library of 10% - copy can be changed each issue or Yules Newsagents. contact Faye Swan at info@swandesign A big “Thank You” this issue to Michael Littlejohn or Tel 55345

4

Eagle Eyes...

March Guild Meeting, World Day of Prayer, Glenmuick Church, 6.30pm Winter Ceilidh featuring Straefoot, Ballater School, 7pm BRHS Talk by Andy Beckingham on Gardens in Glen Tanar: Past, Present and Future, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm Ballater Post Office CLOSED CLAN Quiz, Glenaden Hotel, 7.30pm Boules at the Pavilion, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am Upper Deeside Music presents the Greenwich Trio at the Darroch Learg Hotel, 4.30pm. £15 for non-members, tea is £2.50. Bookings Tel 013397 55443. Free to young people and members of HM Forces.

Mothers’ Day Annual Coffee Morning at Royal Lochnagar Distillery, Crathie, in aid of the Anchor Unit, Aberdeen, and CLAN Upper Deeside, 10.30am-12.30pm British Summer Time begins Boules at the Pavilion, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am Upper Deeside Music, Young Cellists from Marr at Craig Megan, 4pm Church Guild meeting, Teaching blind and deaf children, Glen Muick Church Hall, 7pm Ballater Library sponsored author visit by Kenneth Steven, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm Second Chancers Cancer Support Group, 1st floor, Ballater Golf Club, 4pm Easter Bingo, Ballater School, All welcome.

6.30pm for 7pm start Ballater School term ends Ballater Golf Club Ladies Section Welcome Coffee Morning, 10am April Sun 1 Final Boules meeting followed by BBQ, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am Mon 2 BRHS Mini Bulb Show followed by Jenni Stockan: Slugs & Bugs –

A Guide To The Smaller Creatures In The Garden, Mike

Sheridan Room, 7.30pm Fri-Sun 6-8 Easter Weekend NHS 24: 08454 242424

Fri 2 Sat 3 Mon 5

Tue 6 Sun 11

Sun 18 Sat 24

Sun 25

Mon 26

Wed 28

Thu 29

Fri 30 Sat 31

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and after studying it for a while, he would keep muttering away to himself as if trying to learn something from it. ‘I’m over here loon,’ I kept screaming silently, willing him to come my way and to my utter astonishment and as I had been losing hope, he had done just that. It was then that I truly believed ‘Fairy Cycle’, the good fairy of all cycles was watching over me.

It was the blue book that came to my aid, for as he climbed over the grey mound of ashes that had been my bed for so long, the book fell from his pocket and dropped onto my freshly exposed crossbar. The pages had fallen apart in the gentle breeze and I saw that the title on the cover read ‘Palgraves Golden Treasury’.

In reaching down to pick it up, ‘Loon’ gave a loud gasp of surprise when he saw what lay beneath. Tugging hard he pulled me up, his eager hands quickly brushing away the dirt and as they ran over my tired old body, he said, ‘Weel! Weel! At last I’ve found fit I’m seekin. Yer a gey battered auld lad and I can

see you’ve had a hard life, but ye’ve nae cracks an I see by yer badgie that yer a Raleigh.’

‘Fit a coincidence,’ he had said to himself, ‘here am I trying tae learn the words o’ King Ozymandias o’ Egypt for next wiks hamework an tae fin oot fit the message is that Percy Shelley’s trying to convey. The bittie where this King o’ Kings is found lying half buried in the sand, seems to me tae have some parallel wi’ oor situation, for here you are, the King o’ Bikes lying half buried in the sands o’ this desert o’ rubbish. Ye ken, fan I get ye back on the road, I’ll jist hae to ca’ you Ozzy!’ and with those words he picked me up placed my crossbar over his shoulder and made off for home without a backward glance.

‘Ozzy’. I tried to get a feel for the name, which at that time I had thought a bit common! Surely rising from the ashes I should be a Phoenix! But Ach Pot, I thought happily, what’s in a name?

Behind us, a great commotion was taking

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12 RD & C DMO

by John Carnie

There are exciting plans for the year ahead in terms of tourism for Ballater and the whole Royal Deeside area.

For one thing, 2012 is the official Year of Creative Scotland – a year-long celebration of Scotland’s rich cultural and creative heritage.

This should create many opportunities for businesses in Royal Deeside to take advantage of local initiatives and build profitable partnerships.

Marketing Push

Much of our activity for 2012 will be working with tourism businesses to market the area. A marketing plan recently been agreed with local businesses who are members of the DMO. These include a relaunch of a greatly extended Victorian Heritage Trail. All DMO Partners will be part of this project, which will tie in with the Queen’s Jubilee. This will be a vastly enhanced Heritage Trail including walks, culture, accommodation and eating places and it will cover the whole of Deeside and Donside.

There will be 50,000 leaflets printed, a new website section and mobile website with downloadable maps. We will be carrying out special promotions with some of the UK’s biggest selling papers. All DMO Partners will be able to be included in the Trail.

Mobile Websites

We also have exciting plans for creating new mobile websites for the area. Did you know that over 50% of all internet searches are now done by tourists on the move using mobile phones?

Our Monthly Marketing Campaigns will be sent out around 600,000 potential customers throughout the UK. These will feature all business that wish to be included at no extra cost. If you have not already joined the Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms DMO,

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

Glen Girnoc

by Sheila Sedgwick

On the B976 South Deeside road, one climbs up the Knock Brae where on the right are the modernised Knocks Houses, once Victorian grace and favour cottages, and further on the almost indistinguishable remains of the settlement of Little Knocks. Just after the top of the hill, on the left, is Strathgirnoc, home of a Forbes prospective bride of a son of Knock Castle. He was killed, perhaps accidentally, by her father. Later Forbes killed the remaining seven sons of Knock while they were cutting peat. As a result, the baron-baillie, Gordon of Abergeldie, hanged him at his home in Strathgirnoc.

Further along the B976 south Deeside road is the awkwardly angled Bridge of Girnoc. Immediately over the bridge, on the main road on the right was a school, now a private house, erected by Prince Albert and closed

49

in 1943. Once over the bridge, with a sharp turn to the left is the Glen of Girnoc, lying between the Hill of the Piper, Creag Phiobaidh and the hill of the pines, Creag Ghiubhais. Now a quiet glen, it had a stormy past.

Journeying up the Glen, one leaves behind the former farm and cloth dyeing mill known as Little Mill, childhood home of the Gordon benefactor of Ballater and builder of the Village Hall as well as a couple of bridges. The track passes a few houses with, on the left, the old Mill of Cosh. When the school was about to close because pupil numbers were down to two, a miller was appointed with 13 children.

The school remained open but the wee cottage must have been crowded!

Ahead were two rows of houses, but only substantial stones remain. On the right is

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24

Rotary Update by Ron Drever

Your local Rotary Club of Aboyne

and Upper Deeside finished 2011 with a Christmas Dinner at the Potarch Hotel, and started 2012 with a very enjoyable Burns Supper at Douneside House, Tarland.

Ballater’s John Dean-Perrin has rejoined the Club, and at least two other new members seem possible. Unfortunately however, we are now without John Taylor, well known in Ballater and a former President. John has given years of great service to Club and community, and, together with his unique humour, will be sorely missed.

Fundraising

Our Christmas bag-packing at Aboyne Co-op raised over £1,300 over two days.

We again provided and manned the BBQ at the Aboyne Bonfire Night, and our share of monies raised helped our Charity Account by c£500. With our assistance on two days, the

KALLOS beauty Emma Murphy A friendly and professional beauty therapist, formerly of the Marcliffe.

Beauty treatments carried out in your home or tourist accommodation.

Call 077345 43554 for an appointment. www.kallosbeauty.com

Christmas Car Raffle in the Bon Accord Centre in Aberdeen raised c£58,000 gross. The proceeds are going to CLAN, although our Charity Account also receives a contribution.

Advance notice of our Charity Golf Day, in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre, on 22 June at Aboyne Golf Club. Teams of three are invited to challenge for our Golf Quaich and other superb prizes. For entry information contact Andrew Brown, on 013397 56351 or email abrown@struancottage.wanadoo.co.uk.

Community Service

We distributed hampers and Christmas cake to the residential homes in Ballater and Upper Deeside. Donations have been made to Ballater Small Bore Rifle Range Club, to assist their building upgrade, and to the Finzean School of Piping, to help establish the club. As thanks to those who entertained us at Douneside, a donation was made to the Tarland First Responders.

Vocational

We will be sponsoring three Aboyne Academy pupils to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Award event at Nethybridge, a summer week of leadership training, and will again organise the Rotary Primary Schools Quiz for our area. This takes place at Torphins Primary on 20 March. A new project is a Young Photographer Competition for Aboyne Academy students.

Engaging Our Community We’re keen to improve the way we engage and communicate with the community. We’ve held our first informal small group gathering which proved successful and enjoyable, and we hope some attendees might see joining Rotary as an enjoyable way by which they can serve our community. We’ll be contacting attendees, and plan further informal meetings in the coming weeks. For more about Rotary contact Ron Drever on 013397 56224. We meet 1st and 3rd Mondays monthly at the Boat Inn, Aboyne, 6.30pm, and 2nd and 4th Mondays at the Glen Lui Hotel, Ballater, 7pm.

Man, Dog, Stroke

by Eric Sinclair

On 17 July 2004 I fell asleep in an Oslo hotel, hale and hearty. I was visiting my son, Iain, who works on a golf course there.

We’d planned a round of golf next day and before sleeping I tried to prepare myself mentally for what this meant.

I was Eric Sinclair preparing for something like this: in the fresh morning air, we’d tee up on the long first hole. Iain would politely let me play first. I would send a fairly mediocre shot up the fairway roughly in the direction of the hole. He’d say, “Good shot, Dad,” to encourage me, then quietly tee up, strike the ball squarely and send a stinger straight and true up the fairway to within a few feet of the hole. This process would be repeated at a further 17 holes. After the 18th hole we’d retire to the club house – I’d try to forget what had happened, Iain would chat about life, the universe and everything; we’d go our separate ways and family bonding would be complete.

The golf never took place.

On 18 July 2004 I wakened to find myself paralysed and struggling to speak. During the night I had suffered a major stroke. I was about to spend four months in hospital in Oslo, then Aberdeen. For my wife and for me, this would be followed by years of struggling to return to some kind of normality. There’s nothing you can do to prepare for that.

When I fell ill, I knew nothing about the medical emergency that is stroke and the

37 devastating consequences it can bring – some of which are much worse than anything I have suffered. Man, Dog, Stroke is my account of the experience of stroke and its aftermath. It is intended to help and inform anyone with an interest in this serious health condition which each year affects for the first time 150,000 people across the UK. It’s a fairly short book, less than 100 pages, partly because it is aimed at other stroke survivors, many of whom, like me, will struggle to concentrate on anything longer. It is also aimed at medical professionals in an attempt to give a patient perspective of life in their hands.

A stroke is, essentially, a brain attack and so it gets you thinking about brains. Thus it was that I found myself one day staring at my dog, wondering what was going through

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Saturday 24 March from 10.30am to 12.30pm, in aid of the Anchor Unit Aberdeen and Clan Upper Deeside. Come along to enjoy lots of home baking plus various stalls such as a Bottle Stall, Hand Made Cards, Baking Stall and a Raffle. Entry will be £3.50 – we will be waiting for you with a warming fire in the fireplace and a fine aroma of coffee!

VIP Distillery Departure

Regular visitors to Royal Lochnagar Distillery will notice a gap in the staff line-up this year. Nigel the cat (see photo, back page) has worked tirelessly outside the Visitor Centre for almost five years.

His main duties included meeting and greeting visitors, and posing for photographs.

He has even had his own visitors with one lady from Aberdeen bringing him gifts – she brought him a Christmas stocking filled with

cat treats!! He also liked getting into people’s cars and was often found on the tour buses.

However, all things must change and Nigel, with his owners, Kay and Gordon, has moved house and will be greatly missed.

Coffee at the Kirk

Monday mornings haven’t been the same over the winter without the Coffee Ladies of Crathie Kirk, but the good news is that they will be back from Easter Monday 9 April to tempt you with their delicious home baking. They are looking forward to seeing old friends and welcoming new ones from 10am to 12.30pm in Crathie Church Hall.

Crathie Bowling Club

Crathie bowlers continue to meet on Tuesday and Friday evenings from 7- 9pm in Crathie New Hall.

All welcome – if you would like more information, contact Jean Young, telephone 42415.

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Jubilee Year Victoria Week

by Cat Houston

It’s party time! Come and join a double celebration for the country and for Ballater as Queen Elizabeth II commemorates 60 years on the throne shortly before Ballater Victoria Week remembers 25 years of loopiness in honour of a previous monarch. Taking place in the village annually since 1987 (then to recognise 150 years since Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee), this year VW runs from Saturday 4 to Sunday 12 August.

Special events on the drawing board for 2012 include a Victorian photo studio, a sideburn festival (fringe, geddit?) featuring music and comedy for those pub-going types (imagine!), and a scarecrow parade. Other ideas include a tennis tournament (in Victorian dress, of course), an antiques fayre, hot-air balloon ascent, talent competition, and a duck

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race that actually takes place on water...

The pet show, which was such a hilarious success last year, will be improved for spectators and participants alike and esteemed clairvoyant Maureen Smith has been booked to provide an evening of spookyiness on Friday August 10. Lady Jennifer’s Picnic should have some additional attractions and it is hoped to rejuvenate the tea dance at the Hilton Craigendarroch. All the old favourites are there too: you can take part in a 4x4 safari, a ghost or history tour/talk, or sit back and relax to something musical in our historic and much-loved halls. And don’t forget the book fair, messy play, photo exhibition and car boot sale. There’s really is something for everyone. And if there isn’t, we dare you to tell us what’s missing!

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...continued from Page 29

Strontian is situated at the head of Loch Sunart on the west coast and many, many miles from Ballater, but as a major mineral location I have brought it into my book.

The minerals there were discovered around 1722 and by 1724, the York Building Co. had acquired the mining rights. After the Union of the Parliaments, that organisation had acquired many timber concessions for pine, mainly on the Spey, and oak woods in Argyll to produce charcoal to smelt imported iron ore from Cumbria. The York Building Co. saw the Strontian lead mines as yet another business opportunity, but a mineral deposit high on a remote mountain, with hostile Highlanders removing their supplies and even their cattle, caused the company to send an urgent request to General Wade for a detachment from his road-building troops to guard the mine. The good general complied,

and, whether he thought it a good investment, or he was simply being rewarded for his protection, it is known that he acquired shares in the Company.

The Highlanders refused to work underground. ‘It is a bad place’, they said ‘the home of evil spirits’. That Highland superstition could well have been based on much earlier health problems experienced at Strontian, but, as time passed, toxic radio-active minerals were identified in the mines. Indeed the element Strontium was first identified here, and named after the locality. Labour then came from farther afield. The government brought in French prisoners-of-war. Those unfortunates were set to mining lead for bullets and artillery shells destined to be fired at their own countrymen all over the Continent, and, finally, and drastically so, at Waterloo.

(This article, along with the one in the Xmas Eagle, are extracts from Ian’s next book: “Minerals, Monuments and Man.”)

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Crathie School are clearly enjoying themselves come snow or sunshine! Thanks for telling everyone at the Eagle all about your fun.

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Outdoor Fun

On Monday 6 Februar y I met Jock Edwards for the first time. He is good at outdoor stuff and he is going to help me find out about surviving in the woods. Today we made a shelter from bits of fallen tree and logs. We put up a tent and at break time I showed my friend Josh. He said, “it is cool.”

Next week Jock Edwards and me are going to make a fire and cook spaghetti hoops on it.

James Tocher P6

Burns Supper

Crathie School had a Burns Supper on the 25 January. Paul Anderson played the fiddle for us in the morning. My brother, Josh, did a great job when he decorated the room and set the table. Me, Rachel, Joseph, Alfie and Emilie did the cooking. We cooked Haggis, Neeps and Tatties. Sarah made a birthday cake for her brother, James. Rachel and Sarah learned how to sign ‘The Selkirk Grace’. After we ate our Haggis, Neeps and Tatties we did some ceilidh dancing with Mrs Munro. We all thought we really enjoyed our Burns Supper.

Zak Buchanan P5

The P5-7s went up on the Chairlift and Pomas and the P1-4s were on the practice slope. I really enjoyed skiing because I love going really fast downhill. Josh Buchanan P5

WHY? ...because your eyes are definitely worth it!

Skiing

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On Thursday 2 and Friday 3 February Crathie School went skiing at the Lecht. The weather was fantastic, the sun was shining and the snow was crispy. We were split into 2 groups: P1-4 went with an instructor called Andy and P5-7 went with an instructor called Lee. We were joined by some Strathdon kids.

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Original Oil Paintings

Highland Yurts

Janice McIlwain (Rattray)

Tailor made yurts Choice of seven colours

Balmoral SCOTTISH HOME

TO

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T H E R O YA L F A M I LY

Paul Spencer

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...continued from Page 29

Today you can no longer see the timbers, and 60 more years of erosion have tumbled many boulders down the scree slope into the shaft, but if you know where to look, the entrance can still be seen. The rocks in this scree are well worth examination for both mineral ores and crystals, amazingly, so near Ballater yet so undisturbed. It is very interesting to note all the lead mining that was going on around here in the early days of the 19th Century. We see activity at Abergairn and at the Pass of Ballater. Meanwhile, on the south side of the Dee, the Gordon laird of Abergeldie was also mining away for lead on the exposed veins of Creag Ghiubhais.

I digress a little; but one hundred and forty years later the 22nd/24th companies of the Canadian Forestry Corps came over to clear-fell the Scots pine on Creag Ghiubhais during

the Second World War. The Canadians could not believe the mineral wealth lying around unexploited. Those men were very mineral conscious; many had worked in mines in prewar Canada, and saw here the potential for mining lead, zinc and silver. It was a topic in the local pubs all through the war.

Back to our tale. In the early 1800s, and by 1805 especially, we have to remember that Britain was fighting with France in the Napoleonic wars and an invasion of these islands seemed imminent.

We read of local militias being formed, like the 5th Volunteer Battalion with its Ballater Company, and, whether through patriotism, or for monetary gain, many lead mines were opened throughout Scotland. Lead was undoubtedly at a premium for bullets, and the great mines at Strontian, that General Wade had shares in from the 1720s, were very busy. continued Page 34

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Balmoral Spring Events by Glyn Jones Saturday 14 April ‘Learn to Read or Get Lost’ A practical guide to basic navigation, including taking bearings, grid references, mountain safety and use of a GPS. Mountain walk, off path on rough ground. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre.

Time: 10am - 4pm. Distance: 10Km (6 miles), ascent 350m. Cost: £10 per person.

Booking Essential – 013397 55059.

Friday 27 April ‘Birds B4 Breakfast’ An excellent opportunity to observe the courtship rituals of black grouse from a Land Rover Discovery. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre. Time: 6 - 8:30am.

Cost: £10 per person. Booking essential, limited places available– 013397 55059.

Monday 7 May ‘Red Deer Ramble’ Discover the intriguing lifestyle and learn about the management of the majestic red deer of Glen Muick. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre. Time: 6 - 8pm. Distance: 4.5Km (3 miles), ascent 50m. Cost: Free.

Booking essential– 013397 55059.

Wednesday 6 June ‘Lochnagar Ascent’ 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. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre. Time: 9:30am-5pm. Distance: 19Km (12 miles), ascent 1050m. Cost: £10 per person. Booking essential– 013397 55059. Mountain walk.

Bring lunch.

Pass of 29 Ballater Silver Mine

Part 2 by Ian Cameron

Continue past the quarry workings above the bridge on the Pass and carry on up the hill: soon you will come to the hidden valley.

At the entrance is a still recognisable ditch that drained the mine workings. It is noteworthy that the vegetation here has altered to that which will withstand the still highly toxic contents of the drain. This ditch is deeper and longer than I had remembered. At the entrance is a huge mound of excavations won from the ditch. I estimate that more than two hundred tons has been dug by pick and shovel and barrowed out of this cutting.

On your right is a sheer cliff face, with erosion scree-flows spilling from the bottom of the cliff to the valley floor. On your left are traditional Scots pine woodlands and a path that skirts the scree. Look again at the cliff face: there is a holly tree clinging, improbably, from the crags. Farther along is the mineral vein, ascending the face, the continuation of the ore vein we saw on the Pass, except that by now it is carrying lead ore.

Climb out along the foot of the cliff and when you reach the lead ore vein, follow it down into the scree. In my youth, a mere one hundred and fifty years after Francis Farquharson’s nephew, William, was conducting his mining operations, you could still see the rotting timbers that supported his shaft, following the vein deep into Creag an t-Seabhaig.

The galena proved to be argentiferous, from the Latin argentum (silver). It was like Abergairn, silver-bearing lead ore. It was William Farquharson’s proud boast that he had recovered enough silver to have cast a set of silver buttons for his dress tunic. continued page 34

30 Poetry The Magic Box I will put into the box The feel of a five pound note The inside lining of a very soft coat The slow movement of a sailing boat I will put into the box The smell of night air The water from the clearest lake The taste and smell of chocolate cake The box is rectangular with two question marks on the top and metal edges and corners I will float away on my box on a huge sea of lemonade.

Ruaraidh Murray P7 I will put into the box An art box full of pens and pencils A stage with Jessie J singing The memory of going to Disneyland Paris I will put into the box The sound of a horse’s neigh A poem that was written years ago The cutest meerkats in the world

Ballater School Burns Supper On February 2 Ballater School held a Burns Supper to celebrate the life of Robert Burns. P6/7 organised the event. We invited the whole school to come along and celebrate.

We had to organise the food and entertainment. A few of us went shopping and got neeps, tatties and 12 bottles of Irn Bru. Then P6/7 peeled and chopped the vegetables. The teachers took the food home to cook it all.

On the day of the supper we started with the arrival of the haggis, which was brought in by Barry from Sheridan’s Butchers. Then P6/7 did the Address to the Haggis. Everyone was served food and drink. It was tasty!

After our food we had entertainment. Holly and Zoe did highland dancing, Hannah and Orla played the drums, P1/2 sang Three Craws, and Ye Canna Shove Yer Granny, Ben and Orla played Flower of Scotland on the recorders, Mrs Arthur sang Gin a Body, Hannah and Kara did Tam O’Shanter and Lily and Pacha sang Donald Fars Yer Troosers.

We finished our event with everyone in a huge circle singing Auld Lang Syne. We learnt a lot organising and running our event and had lots of fun. Special thanks to Barry Florence and everyone at Sheridan’s Butchers for donating the delicious haggis.

Ben and Archie, P7

My box is made of chocolate With little sweets on the lid Ice cream for the hinges I shall ski in my box Down all the hills you can go down Then ski back down and have a hot chocolate Pasha Georgeson-Ball, P6 A haggis in the wild? wordpress.com

Skiing On the 23rd and 25th of January 18 P5 and 6 children went to Glenshee for skiing.

We also joined up with Aboyne and Braemar schools.

We were very excited when we got there.

First we went to ski hire to get our skis and boots. We were put into our groups, met our instructors and off we went.

On Monday the weather was really good with lots of sunshine and snow. Tuesday was ok but quite misty. Wednesday was really wet so we skied until 1pm then had our lunch and came home. Unfortunately the snow had melted by Thursday so we had to stay in school instead.

Lily and Louise G Greyfriars Bobby Over 100 years ago there lived a little dog and his master. The dog was called Bobby and his master was called Old Jock. Bobby was a Skye terrier but not just any old type.

He worked in Edinburgh as a cattle dog. He was brave and strong. In winter they huddled together still guarding the cattle unaware how bitter cold this winter was going to be which made Old Jock so ill that he died. The next day Bobby followed his master into the graveyard for the last time. The one person I’m missing in this story is Mrs Ramsay, the café owner, but if Bobby went would there still be a bone waiting for him like there always was?

Of course there was. When Mrs Ramsay found out where Bobby was living there was food for him every day. He was given his own food bowl, collar and a special permission to live in the graveyard and that’s where he stayed for 14 years. Cluan, P2

31 Victoria Week Challenge!

You probably know this year is a special one for Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrates 60 years on the throne. But did you also know that Ballater’s own Victoria Week, which remembers the reign of a former monarch, is also celebrating a special jubilee? Victoria Week started in 1987 so it is celebrating 25 years in 2012 and has lots of exciting events for you to enjoy. The VW Committee is looking for special artwork and creative writing to include in the Jubilee edition of the VW 2012 brochure, and is inviting local school children to contribute their artwork and articles. You can use the following for inspiration...

1) What would Queen Victoria make of our Victoria Week today? What would her favourite activity be and what new ones do you think she or Albert would suggest?

2) Draw a picture of what you think QV would wear to our Jubilee party, if she had a time machine that would bring her to 2012.

3) Write a poem about what life was like in Victorian times, or about one particular Victorian event or person.

4) What do you think Deeside will be like as a place to live in another 25 years’ time?

Take your creations to your teacher or send them/drop them into 17 Hawthorn Place, Ballater, AB35 5QH before May 31 2012.

30 Poetry The Magic Box I will put into the box The feel of a five pound note The inside lining of a very soft coat The slow movement of a sailing boat I will put into the box The smell of night air The water from the clearest lake The taste and smell of chocolate cake The box is rectangular with two question marks on the top and metal edges and corners I will float away on my box on a huge sea of lemonade.

Ruaraidh Murray P7 I will put into the box An art box full of pens and pencils A stage with Jessie J singing The memory of going to Disneyland Paris I will put into the box The sound of a horse’s neigh A poem that was written years ago The cutest meerkats in the world

Ballater School Burns Supper On February 2 Ballater School held a Burns Supper to celebrate the life of Robert Burns. P6/7 organised the event. We invited the whole school to come along and celebrate.

We had to organise the food and entertainment. A few of us went shopping and got neeps, tatties and 12 bottles of Irn Bru. Then P6/7 peeled and chopped the vegetables. The teachers took the food home to cook it all.

On the day of the supper we started with the arrival of the haggis, which was brought in by Barry from Sheridan’s Butchers. Then P6/7 did the Address to the Haggis. Everyone was served food and drink. It was tasty!

After our food we had entertainment. Holly and Zoe did highland dancing, Hannah and Orla played the drums, P1/2 sang Three Craws, and Ye Canna Shove Yer Granny, Ben and Orla played Flower of Scotland on the recorders, Mrs Arthur sang Gin a Body, Hannah and Kara did Tam O’Shanter and Lily and Pacha sang Donald Fars Yer Troosers.

We finished our event with everyone in a huge circle singing Auld Lang Syne. We learnt a lot organising and running our event and had lots of fun. Special thanks to Barry Florence and everyone at Sheridan’s Butchers for donating the delicious haggis.

Ben and Archie, P7

My box is made of chocolate With little sweets on the lid Ice cream for the hinges I shall ski in my box Down all the hills you can go down Then ski back down and have a hot chocolate Pasha Georgeson-Ball, P6 A haggis in the wild? wordpress.com

Skiing On the 23rd and 25th of January 18 P5 and 6 children went to Glenshee for skiing.

We also joined up with Aboyne and Braemar schools.

We were very excited when we got there.

First we went to ski hire to get our skis and boots. We were put into our groups, met our instructors and off we went.

On Monday the weather was really good with lots of sunshine and snow. Tuesday was ok but quite misty. Wednesday was really wet so we skied until 1pm then had our lunch and came home. Unfortunately the snow had melted by Thursday so we had to stay in school instead.

Lily and Louise G Greyfriars Bobby Over 100 years ago there lived a little dog and his master. The dog was called Bobby and his master was called Old Jock. Bobby was a Skye terrier but not just any old type.

He worked in Edinburgh as a cattle dog. He was brave and strong. In winter they huddled together still guarding the cattle unaware how bitter cold this winter was going to be which made Old Jock so ill that he died. The next day Bobby followed his master into the graveyard for the last time. The one person I’m missing in this story is Mrs Ramsay, the café owner, but if Bobby went would there still be a bone waiting for him like there always was?

Of course there was. When Mrs Ramsay found out where Bobby was living there was food for him every day. He was given his own food bowl, collar and a special permission to live in the graveyard and that’s where he stayed for 14 years. Cluan, P2

31 Victoria Week Challenge!

You probably know this year is a special one for Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrates 60 years on the throne. But did you also know that Ballater’s own Victoria Week, which remembers the reign of a former monarch, is also celebrating a special jubilee? Victoria Week started in 1987 so it is celebrating 25 years in 2012 and has lots of exciting events for you to enjoy. The VW Committee is looking for special artwork and creative writing to include in the Jubilee edition of the VW 2012 brochure, and is inviting local school children to contribute their artwork and articles. You can use the following for inspiration...

1) What would Queen Victoria make of our Victoria Week today? What would her favourite activity be and what new ones do you think she or Albert would suggest?

2) Draw a picture of what you think QV would wear to our Jubilee party, if she had a time machine that would bring her to 2012.

3) Write a poem about what life was like in Victorian times, or about one particular Victorian event or person.

4) What do you think Deeside will be like as a place to live in another 25 years’ time?

Take your creations to your teacher or send them/drop them into 17 Hawthorn Place, Ballater, AB35 5QH before May 31 2012.

32

...continued from Page 29

Today you can no longer see the timbers, and 60 more years of erosion have tumbled many boulders down the scree slope into the shaft, but if you know where to look, the entrance can still be seen. The rocks in this scree are well worth examination for both mineral ores and crystals, amazingly, so near Ballater yet so undisturbed. It is very interesting to note all the lead mining that was going on around here in the early days of the 19th Century. We see activity at Abergairn and at the Pass of Ballater. Meanwhile, on the south side of the Dee, the Gordon laird of Abergeldie was also mining away for lead on the exposed veins of Creag Ghiubhais.

I digress a little; but one hundred and forty years later the 22nd/24th companies of the Canadian Forestry Corps came over to clear-fell the Scots pine on Creag Ghiubhais during

the Second World War. The Canadians could not believe the mineral wealth lying around unexploited. Those men were very mineral conscious; many had worked in mines in prewar Canada, and saw here the potential for mining lead, zinc and silver. It was a topic in the local pubs all through the war.

Back to our tale. In the early 1800s, and by 1805 especially, we have to remember that Britain was fighting with France in the Napoleonic wars and an invasion of these islands seemed imminent.

We read of local militias being formed, like the 5th Volunteer Battalion with its Ballater Company, and, whether through patriotism, or for monetary gain, many lead mines were opened throughout Scotland. Lead was undoubtedly at a premium for bullets, and the great mines at Strontian, that General Wade had shares in from the 1720s, were very busy. continued Page 34

Wee Jim Landscapes

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Firewood Available Call for details

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Tel: 013397 55997 Mobile: 07821 746756 Email: weejim03@live.co.uk

Balmoral Spring Events by Glyn Jones Saturday 14 April ‘Learn to Read or Get Lost’ A practical guide to basic navigation, including taking bearings, grid references, mountain safety and use of a GPS. Mountain walk, off path on rough ground. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre.

Time: 10am - 4pm. Distance: 10Km (6 miles), ascent 350m. Cost: £10 per person.

Booking Essential – 013397 55059.

Friday 27 April ‘Birds B4 Breakfast’ An excellent opportunity to observe the courtship rituals of black grouse from a Land Rover Discovery. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre. Time: 6 - 8:30am.

Cost: £10 per person. Booking essential, limited places available– 013397 55059.

Monday 7 May ‘Red Deer Ramble’ Discover the intriguing lifestyle and learn about the management of the majestic red deer of Glen Muick. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre. Time: 6 - 8pm. Distance: 4.5Km (3 miles), ascent 50m. Cost: Free.

Booking essential– 013397 55059.

Wednesday 6 June ‘Lochnagar Ascent’ 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. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick visitor centre. Time: 9:30am-5pm. Distance: 19Km (12 miles), ascent 1050m. Cost: £10 per person. Booking essential– 013397 55059. Mountain walk.

Bring lunch.

Pass of 29 Ballater Silver Mine

Part 2 by Ian Cameron

Continue past the quarry workings above the bridge on the Pass and carry on up the hill: soon you will come to the hidden valley.

At the entrance is a still recognisable ditch that drained the mine workings. It is noteworthy that the vegetation here has altered to that which will withstand the still highly toxic contents of the drain. This ditch is deeper and longer than I had remembered. At the entrance is a huge mound of excavations won from the ditch. I estimate that more than two hundred tons has been dug by pick and shovel and barrowed out of this cutting.

On your right is a sheer cliff face, with erosion scree-flows spilling from the bottom of the cliff to the valley floor. On your left are traditional Scots pine woodlands and a path that skirts the scree. Look again at the cliff face: there is a holly tree clinging, improbably, from the crags. Farther along is the mineral vein, ascending the face, the continuation of the ore vein we saw on the Pass, except that by now it is carrying lead ore.

Climb out along the foot of the cliff and when you reach the lead ore vein, follow it down into the scree. In my youth, a mere one hundred and fifty years after Francis Farquharson’s nephew, William, was conducting his mining operations, you could still see the rotting timbers that supported his shaft, following the vein deep into Creag an t-Seabhaig.

The galena proved to be argentiferous, from the Latin argentum (silver). It was like Abergairn, silver-bearing lead ore. It was William Farquharson’s proud boast that he had recovered enough silver to have cast a set of silver buttons for his dress tunic. continued page 34

26

Original Oil Paintings

Highland Yurts

Janice McIlwain (Rattray)

Tailor made yurts Choice of seven colours

Balmoral SCOTTISH HOME

TO

www.highlandyurts.co.uk

T H E R O YA L F A M I LY

Paul Spencer

To view paintings please call Janice, 013397 55546 or email janicerattray@yahoo.co.uk Commissions welcome for every occasion.

Paintings can be purchased at: The Silver Thistle and Braemar Gallery

Telephone: 013397 42295 or Mobile 07814 051388

www.janicemcilwain.com

Domestic & Commercial Crown Thinning & Reduction Dismantling & Felling

Open April 1st - July 31st 2012

Hedge Pruning & Maintenance

Castle Ballroom and Royal Dress Exhibition, Gardens, Audio Tour, Coffee Shop, Balmoral Collection and Gift Shop

Tel: 01339 742 534 for further information

Dangerous Tree Control Stump Grinding & Removal

Professional Tree Surgeon N.P.T.C. Qualified

Fully Insured Free Estimates www.balmoralcastle.com

call: 013398 80823 e: deesidetreecare@gmx.co.uk

Firewood for sale

m: 07786 756078 w: www.deesidetreecare.co.uk

34

...continued from Page 29

Strontian is situated at the head of Loch Sunart on the west coast and many, many miles from Ballater, but as a major mineral location I have brought it into my book.

The minerals there were discovered around 1722 and by 1724, the York Building Co. had acquired the mining rights. After the Union of the Parliaments, that organisation had acquired many timber concessions for pine, mainly on the Spey, and oak woods in Argyll to produce charcoal to smelt imported iron ore from Cumbria. The York Building Co. saw the Strontian lead mines as yet another business opportunity, but a mineral deposit high on a remote mountain, with hostile Highlanders removing their supplies and even their cattle, caused the company to send an urgent request to General Wade for a detachment from his road-building troops to guard the mine. The good general complied,

and, whether he thought it a good investment, or he was simply being rewarded for his protection, it is known that he acquired shares in the Company.

The Highlanders refused to work underground. ‘It is a bad place’, they said ‘the home of evil spirits’. That Highland superstition could well have been based on much earlier health problems experienced at Strontian, but, as time passed, toxic radio-active minerals were identified in the mines. Indeed the element Strontium was first identified here, and named after the locality. Labour then came from farther afield. The government brought in French prisoners-of-war. Those unfortunates were set to mining lead for bullets and artillery shells destined to be fired at their own countrymen all over the Continent, and, finally, and drastically so, at Waterloo.

(This article, along with the one in the Xmas Eagle, are extracts from Ian’s next book: “Minerals, Monuments and Man.”)

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Crathie School are clearly enjoying themselves come snow or sunshine! Thanks for telling everyone at the Eagle all about your fun.

27

Outdoor Fun

On Monday 6 Februar y I met Jock Edwards for the first time. He is good at outdoor stuff and he is going to help me find out about surviving in the woods. Today we made a shelter from bits of fallen tree and logs. We put up a tent and at break time I showed my friend Josh. He said, “it is cool.”

Next week Jock Edwards and me are going to make a fire and cook spaghetti hoops on it.

James Tocher P6

Burns Supper

Crathie School had a Burns Supper on the 25 January. Paul Anderson played the fiddle for us in the morning. My brother, Josh, did a great job when he decorated the room and set the table. Me, Rachel, Joseph, Alfie and Emilie did the cooking. We cooked Haggis, Neeps and Tatties. Sarah made a birthday cake for her brother, James. Rachel and Sarah learned how to sign ‘The Selkirk Grace’. After we ate our Haggis, Neeps and Tatties we did some ceilidh dancing with Mrs Munro. We all thought we really enjoyed our Burns Supper.

Zak Buchanan P5

The P5-7s went up on the Chairlift and Pomas and the P1-4s were on the practice slope. I really enjoyed skiing because I love going really fast downhill. Josh Buchanan P5

WHY? ...because your eyes are definitely worth it!

Skiing

www.cyberdyne-av.com info@cyberdyne-av.com

On Thursday 2 and Friday 3 February Crathie School went skiing at the Lecht. The weather was fantastic, the sun was shining and the snow was crispy. We were split into 2 groups: P1-4 went with an instructor called Andy and P5-7 went with an instructor called Lee. We were joined by some Strathdon kids.

dp opticians 45 Bridge Street, Ballater 013397 56222 mail@dpopticians.co.uk

26

Saturday 24 March from 10.30am to 12.30pm, in aid of the Anchor Unit Aberdeen and Clan Upper Deeside. Come along to enjoy lots of home baking plus various stalls such as a Bottle Stall, Hand Made Cards, Baking Stall and a Raffle. Entry will be £3.50 – we will be waiting for you with a warming fire in the fireplace and a fine aroma of coffee!

VIP Distillery Departure

Regular visitors to Royal Lochnagar Distillery will notice a gap in the staff line-up this year. Nigel the cat (see photo, back page) has worked tirelessly outside the Visitor Centre for almost five years.

His main duties included meeting and greeting visitors, and posing for photographs.

He has even had his own visitors with one lady from Aberdeen bringing him gifts – she brought him a Christmas stocking filled with

cat treats!! He also liked getting into people’s cars and was often found on the tour buses.

However, all things must change and Nigel, with his owners, Kay and Gordon, has moved house and will be greatly missed.

Coffee at the Kirk

Monday mornings haven’t been the same over the winter without the Coffee Ladies of Crathie Kirk, but the good news is that they will be back from Easter Monday 9 April to tempt you with their delicious home baking. They are looking forward to seeing old friends and welcoming new ones from 10am to 12.30pm in Crathie Church Hall.

Crathie Bowling Club

Crathie bowlers continue to meet on Tuesday and Friday evenings from 7- 9pm in Crathie New Hall.

All welcome – if you would like more information, contact Jean Young, telephone 42415.

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Regular deliveries to Ballater Crombie Place, Aberdeen, AB11 9PJ Tel: 01224 877611 (opt 1) Fax: 01224 877489 Email: timber@cordiners.com www.cordiners.com

Jubilee Year Victoria Week

by Cat Houston

It’s party time! Come and join a double celebration for the country and for Ballater as Queen Elizabeth II commemorates 60 years on the throne shortly before Ballater Victoria Week remembers 25 years of loopiness in honour of a previous monarch. Taking place in the village annually since 1987 (then to recognise 150 years since Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee), this year VW runs from Saturday 4 to Sunday 12 August.

Special events on the drawing board for 2012 include a Victorian photo studio, a sideburn festival (fringe, geddit?) featuring music and comedy for those pub-going types (imagine!), and a scarecrow parade. Other ideas include a tennis tournament (in Victorian dress, of course), an antiques fayre, hot-air balloon ascent, talent competition, and a duck

35

race that actually takes place on water...

The pet show, which was such a hilarious success last year, will be improved for spectators and participants alike and esteemed clairvoyant Maureen Smith has been booked to provide an evening of spookyiness on Friday August 10. Lady Jennifer’s Picnic should have some additional attractions and it is hoped to rejuvenate the tea dance at the Hilton Craigendarroch. All the old favourites are there too: you can take part in a 4x4 safari, a ghost or history tour/talk, or sit back and relax to something musical in our historic and much-loved halls. And don’t forget the book fair, messy play, photo exhibition and car boot sale. There’s really is something for everyone. And if there isn’t, we dare you to tell us what’s missing!

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Fabulous Fresh Flowers

Bunches to Bouquets Handcooked Crisps Cheeses & Biscuits Olives Antipasto Charcuterie Picnic Hampers Buffets catered for

47 Bridge Street, Ballater. 013397 55741

24

Rotary Update by Ron Drever

Your local Rotary Club of Aboyne

and Upper Deeside finished 2011 with a Christmas Dinner at the Potarch Hotel, and started 2012 with a very enjoyable Burns Supper at Douneside House, Tarland.

Ballater’s John Dean-Perrin has rejoined the Club, and at least two other new members seem possible. Unfortunately however, we are now without John Taylor, well known in Ballater and a former President. John has given years of great service to Club and community, and, together with his unique humour, will be sorely missed.

Fundraising

Our Christmas bag-packing at Aboyne Co-op raised over £1,300 over two days.

We again provided and manned the BBQ at the Aboyne Bonfire Night, and our share of monies raised helped our Charity Account by c£500. With our assistance on two days, the

KALLOS beauty Emma Murphy A friendly and professional beauty therapist, formerly of the Marcliffe.

Beauty treatments carried out in your home or tourist accommodation.

Call 077345 43554 for an appointment. www.kallosbeauty.com

Christmas Car Raffle in the Bon Accord Centre in Aberdeen raised c£58,000 gross. The proceeds are going to CLAN, although our Charity Account also receives a contribution.

Advance notice of our Charity Golf Day, in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre, on 22 June at Aboyne Golf Club. Teams of three are invited to challenge for our Golf Quaich and other superb prizes. For entry information contact Andrew Brown, on 013397 56351 or email abrown@struancottage.wanadoo.co.uk.

Community Service

We distributed hampers and Christmas cake to the residential homes in Ballater and Upper Deeside. Donations have been made to Ballater Small Bore Rifle Range Club, to assist their building upgrade, and to the Finzean School of Piping, to help establish the club. As thanks to those who entertained us at Douneside, a donation was made to the Tarland First Responders.

Vocational

We will be sponsoring three Aboyne Academy pupils to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Award event at Nethybridge, a summer week of leadership training, and will again organise the Rotary Primary Schools Quiz for our area. This takes place at Torphins Primary on 20 March. A new project is a Young Photographer Competition for Aboyne Academy students.

Engaging Our Community We’re keen to improve the way we engage and communicate with the community. We’ve held our first informal small group gathering which proved successful and enjoyable, and we hope some attendees might see joining Rotary as an enjoyable way by which they can serve our community. We’ll be contacting attendees, and plan further informal meetings in the coming weeks. For more about Rotary contact Ron Drever on 013397 56224. We meet 1st and 3rd Mondays monthly at the Boat Inn, Aboyne, 6.30pm, and 2nd and 4th Mondays at the Glen Lui Hotel, Ballater, 7pm.

Man, Dog, Stroke

by Eric Sinclair

On 17 July 2004 I fell asleep in an Oslo hotel, hale and hearty. I was visiting my son, Iain, who works on a golf course there.

We’d planned a round of golf next day and before sleeping I tried to prepare myself mentally for what this meant.

I was Eric Sinclair preparing for something like this: in the fresh morning air, we’d tee up on the long first hole. Iain would politely let me play first. I would send a fairly mediocre shot up the fairway roughly in the direction of the hole. He’d say, “Good shot, Dad,” to encourage me, then quietly tee up, strike the ball squarely and send a stinger straight and true up the fairway to within a few feet of the hole. This process would be repeated at a further 17 holes. After the 18th hole we’d retire to the club house – I’d try to forget what had happened, Iain would chat about life, the universe and everything; we’d go our separate ways and family bonding would be complete.

The golf never took place.

On 18 July 2004 I wakened to find myself paralysed and struggling to speak. During the night I had suffered a major stroke. I was about to spend four months in hospital in Oslo, then Aberdeen. For my wife and for me, this would be followed by years of struggling to return to some kind of normality. There’s nothing you can do to prepare for that.

When I fell ill, I knew nothing about the medical emergency that is stroke and the

37 devastating consequences it can bring – some of which are much worse than anything I have suffered. Man, Dog, Stroke is my account of the experience of stroke and its aftermath. It is intended to help and inform anyone with an interest in this serious health condition which each year affects for the first time 150,000 people across the UK. It’s a fairly short book, less than 100 pages, partly because it is aimed at other stroke survivors, many of whom, like me, will struggle to concentrate on anything longer. It is also aimed at medical professionals in an attempt to give a patient perspective of life in their hands.

A stroke is, essentially, a brain attack and so it gets you thinking about brains. Thus it was that I found myself one day staring at my dog, wondering what was going through

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12 RD & C DMO

by John Carnie

There are exciting plans for the year ahead in terms of tourism for Ballater and the whole Royal Deeside area.

For one thing, 2012 is the official Year of Creative Scotland – a year-long celebration of Scotland’s rich cultural and creative heritage.

This should create many opportunities for businesses in Royal Deeside to take advantage of local initiatives and build profitable partnerships.

Marketing Push

Much of our activity for 2012 will be working with tourism businesses to market the area. A marketing plan recently been agreed with local businesses who are members of the DMO. These include a relaunch of a greatly extended Victorian Heritage Trail. All DMO Partners will be part of this project, which will tie in with the Queen’s Jubilee. This will be a vastly enhanced Heritage Trail including walks, culture, accommodation and eating places and it will cover the whole of Deeside and Donside.

There will be 50,000 leaflets printed, a new website section and mobile website with downloadable maps. We will be carrying out special promotions with some of the UK’s biggest selling papers. All DMO Partners will be able to be included in the Trail.

Mobile Websites

We also have exciting plans for creating new mobile websites for the area. Did you know that over 50% of all internet searches are now done by tourists on the move using mobile phones?

Our Monthly Marketing Campaigns will be sent out around 600,000 potential customers throughout the UK. These will feature all business that wish to be included at no extra cost. If you have not already joined the Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms DMO,

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

Glen Girnoc

by Sheila Sedgwick

On the B976 South Deeside road, one climbs up the Knock Brae where on the right are the modernised Knocks Houses, once Victorian grace and favour cottages, and further on the almost indistinguishable remains of the settlement of Little Knocks. Just after the top of the hill, on the left, is Strathgirnoc, home of a Forbes prospective bride of a son of Knock Castle. He was killed, perhaps accidentally, by her father. Later Forbes killed the remaining seven sons of Knock while they were cutting peat. As a result, the baron-baillie, Gordon of Abergeldie, hanged him at his home in Strathgirnoc.

Further along the B976 south Deeside road is the awkwardly angled Bridge of Girnoc. Immediately over the bridge, on the main road on the right was a school, now a private house, erected by Prince Albert and closed

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in 1943. Once over the bridge, with a sharp turn to the left is the Glen of Girnoc, lying between the Hill of the Piper, Creag Phiobaidh and the hill of the pines, Creag Ghiubhais. Now a quiet glen, it had a stormy past.

Journeying up the Glen, one leaves behind the former farm and cloth dyeing mill known as Little Mill, childhood home of the Gordon benefactor of Ballater and builder of the Village Hall as well as a couple of bridges. The track passes a few houses with, on the left, the old Mill of Cosh. When the school was about to close because pupil numbers were down to two, a miller was appointed with 13 children.

The school remained open but the wee cottage must have been crowded!

Ahead were two rows of houses, but only substantial stones remain. On the right is

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Ballater & crathie Community magazine

‘Festive Flair’

no. 65 spring 2012 £1 where sold

...and it’s Goodbye from him...

Nigel departs Royal Lochnagar – see Page 26

Thank you very, very much Ballater Boules’ generous donation to your Eagle – see Editor’s Letter, Page 6

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picture by Paul Mackie

picture by John Paul

Gill Garrow wows Ballater RHS Floral Art Group at Christmas – see Page 9