Ballater & Crathie Eagle, Issue 66, Summer 2012 by Faye Swan

Ballater & crathie Community magazine no. 66 Summer 2012 ÂŁ1 where sold

Inside Your Summer Eagle: With articles on the Jubilee and the Olympics, your Summer Eagle will get you in the mood for the fun of the forthcoming Summer

Diary

All the dates for the forthcoming months:

4-5

The Crathie Pages

News from Crathie and Crathie School: 18-20

Victoria Week Silver Jubilee Year

Get ready for this special Victoria Week:

Birth of Victoria Week How it all began:

35 37

Pottering About

A new life begins

The Coyles of Muick The backdrop to Ballater:

Advertising:

Community Council: 21

Project: 16

Ozzy - Part 3

Balmoral Estate Events: 29

Deeside & Donside Development

Thoughts from a trip to Canada:

Ballater (RD) Ltd: 14

Cairngorms National Park Authority: 48

Memories of the London Olympics 1948

from someone who was there:

Ballater Boules: 9

Ballater RHS Floral Art Group: 10

Queen Victoria’s Jewels The background to some of the jewels that might be worn for the Jubilee:

Local Groups:

Kincardine & Deeside Befriending: 17 Library Update: 48 Rotary Club: 11 SWRI: 13 Upper Deeside Art Society: 9 Upper Deeside Music: 26 Victoria and Albert Memorial Halls: 55

Full page: £60; Half page: £30; Quarter page: £20; Eighth page: £10 Book and pay for 4 issues: series discount of 10% - copy can be changed each issue contact Faye Swan at info@swandesign or Tel 55345

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” to anyone who has made a donation

Fri 1 Sat 2 Mon 4 Tue 5 Sun 10 Mon 11 Wed 13 June 14 Sat 16 Sun 17 Fri 22 Fri 29

Fri 6 Sat 7 Wed 9 Sat 14 July 31

Thu 2 Fri 3

The Eagle Diary

...so you know What’s Going On June

Nova Scotia Jazz Band, Victoria Hall, 7.30pm Ballater Films presents The Muppets (U), Mike Sheridan Room, 5pm Community Jubilee Picnic on Church Green, from noon Jubilee Family Ceilidh, Victoria Hall, 7-11pm Diamond Jubilee Holiday 14th Annual North East Classic Commercial Vehicle Road Run, noon to 1.30pm, Church Square Olympic Torch comes through Ballater at 15.55, stopping outside Bank of Scotland in Bridge Street Ballater and Crathie Community Council meet 7.30pm Ballater School Parent Council, Ballater School, 7.30pm Ballater Victoria Week meeting, Beaton Craigie Room 7.30pm Floral Art Outing to Tillypronie Gardens with tea 2.30pm by car. CLAN Strawberry Tea at Oak Ridge, Braemar Road, Ballater, 2-4pm Bike Balmoral, www.cyclehighlands.com Fathers’ Day Continental Market, Church Green, 9am-4pm End of school term

July

Comedy Night, Glenaden Hotel, tbc, www.ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk Ballater Films presents a family film (tbc), Mike Sheridan Room, 5pm Ballater Victoria Week meeting, Beaton Craigie Room 7.30pm Ballater Victoria Week 2012 brochure published Floral Art Invitation to Birkhall Gardens 1.30pm by car.

August

University of the Philippines Concert Choir (AIYF concert), Victoria Hall, info Bell Macaulay 55745 Ballater Victoria Week Box Office opens 10am

Are Your Dates Here?

For inclusion in this FREE section of the Eagle, please contact Cat Houston on 55243, 07968 941359 (texts welcome) or catrionahouston@yahoo.co.uk

Sat 4 Sat 4-Sun 12 Tue 7 Wed 8 Thurs 9 Sat 13 Sat 18 Sun 19 Tue 21 Sat 25 - Sun 2 Sept Mon 29

Ballater Films and Ballater Victoria Week present Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brave (U), Victoria Hall, 5pm Ballater Victoria Week 2012. See programme or www.ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk for details of individual events Strawberry Teas by the Guild Ladies, Glenmuick Church hall, 2.30pm Ballater Songsters Victoria Week Concert, Albert Hall, 2.30pm Ballater Highland Games, Monaltrie Park, from 12.30pm Car Boot Sale, Church Green, from 10.30am BRHS Annual Show, Victoria Hall, 1-5pm BRHS Annual Show, Victoria Hall, 11am-3.30 Prizegiving from 3pm (includes BVW Scarecrow Comp winners) Ballater School term starts UDAS Annual Exhibition, Victoria Hall, 10am - 6pm daily Ballater Post Office closed

September

Mon 3 Ballater School Parent Council AGM, Ballater School, 7.30pm Banchory Strathspey & Reel Society, Victoria Hall, info Bell Macaulay Thu 13 55745 Thu13- 24 Active Aboyne Outdoor Activities Festival, www.activeaboyne.co.uk North East Open Studios, www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk Sat 15-Sun 23 Ballater Halls Indoor Bowling restarts, 2-4pm and 7-9pm Tue 25

NHS Direct 0845 4647 Notes!

Ballater Library Opening Hours Sun, Mon & Wed: Closed Tuesday: 10am-1pm, 6.30-8pm Thursday: 2-4pm, 6.30-8pm Friday: 2-5pm Saturday: 10am-12noon

Letter from the Editor

The year 2012 is indeed one during which events of great note are taking place, what with the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Diamond Jubilee. the XXXth Olympiad in London and the 25th anniversary of the start of Victoria Week. Ballater will be participating in the celebration of all these events, with the creation of a Jubilee cairn, a Jubilee Picnic on the Church Green on Monday 4th June, the Olympic torch passing through the village only a week later, and numerous very special Victoria Week events. In this edition of the Eagle, there are articles by Ballater residents reminiscing about the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coronation, nearly 60 years ago, and attending the XIVth Olympics in London 64 years ago. These events are obviously well remembered by the people concerned, and it is to be hoped that young people in Ballater today will similarly think back with nostalgia to the day when Ballater, as a community, celebrated the fact that the monarch had reigned for 60 years, something which had not happened since Queen Victoria achieved the feat back in 1897. Will someone be writing in the Ballater Eagle 60 years from now, of their memories of the events taking place in 2012? I certainly hope so. Of course, memories of the first Victoria Week are recorded in the Eagle too. Ballater is proud of its association with the Royal Family, and hopes that Her Majesty continues to enjoy good health for many years to come. The Eagle Team is grateful to H.R.H. Prince Charles, himself an enthusiastic reader of the Eagle, for contributing the special foreword in this issue. Meanwhile, we all hope that this summer, we enjoy some good warm sunny weather. The spell of warmth in March gave us hope that 2012 would be a special year as far as weather is concerned, so let us hope that all summer events this year, whether Jubilee celebrations, Olympics, Victoria Week or Ballater Games are blessed with warm dry days. I hope you all enjoy a truly Special Summer.

Ian Hay

How to contact our Representatives:

Ways to contact the Eagle:

Hand in to the Library

Scottish Parliament:

 Post to Ballater Eagle, c/o Ballater

dennis.robertson.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

 E-mail to:

Dennis Robertson MSP e-mail:

 0791 955 7152 (mobile)

Westminster: Sir Robert Smith MP  01330 820330, Fax: 01330 820338, e-mail: robert.smith.mp@parliament.uk

Aberdeenshire Council: Peter Argyle:  013398 81180 e-mail: cllr.p.argyle@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Geva Blackett:  013397 41541 e-mail: cllr.g.blackett@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Katrina Farquhar:  07876475403 email: cllr.k.farquhar@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Cairngorms National Park: Katrina Farquhar email: info@katrinafarquhar.co.uk

 013398 81006

Library, Ballater, AB35 5QB

ballater.eagle@btopenworld.com



Contributions of any kind on PC disc (Word format) always welcome.

Keep in touch with an Eagle Subscription A subscription can be a very welcome gift to farflung friends and relatives. Simply provide the name and address to whom the issues should be sent, with a cheque or postal order for ‘Ballater Eagle’ for the relevant amount and drop off your request to Ballater Library. Betty, our Subscriptions person, will do the rest. Easy! For the rates below, four issues will be posted. UK: £10.00 EU: £12.00 Overseas: £16.00

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

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

Local Group News Upper Deeside Art Society

by Moira Mackenzie UDAS Members have since early April been busy Exhibiting up at Balmoral Castle Coffee shop and in the Stables for the open tourist season. Our colourful Summer Exhibition in the Victoria Hall takes place from Saturday August 25th through to Sunday 2nd September 2012, from 10am to 6pm daily and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone who is in Ballater at that time. In addition to framed drawings and paintings in a variety of media, there will be mounted works in browsers for you to look through and also craftwork including wood turning, willow work, mosaic work and leaded coloured glasswork. At the moment our Sculptor in the Society tells me that she has work in progress for this Exhibition. Our own website www.udas.org.uk has grown in content now and you can follow our activities throughout the year online as well as viewing paintings in the members Online Gallery. We wish everyone in Ballater and surrounds a very happy pleasant Summer.

Another Successful Boules Season by John Holley

On April 1st 2012 the seventh successful season of the Ballater Boules Challenge ended with over 50 players and guests enjoying the traditional end of season BBQ at the Pavilion, Monaltrie Park. Some excellent burgers with ‘special secret recipe sauce’ and delightful sweets were enjoyed by all. The ‘Challenge’ really has gone from strength to strength which was most definitely not envisaged back in our inaugural season of 2005. Each season our numbers have increased, - during the 2011/2012 season we had 13 meetings with an average of 38 players participating. At no time have our numbers fallen below 36, and our biggest turn out was 48 players!

The 2011/2012 season was unique in that we were not forced to cancel one of our gatherings due to adverse weather conditions. Our players are very hardy and play through the most inclement weather that Mother Nature can throw at us. Apart from the fortnightly winners, the ‘Golden Boule Trophy’ winners were the ‘Northern Lights’ (Derek & Rosemary North) and the ‘New Year Quaich’ winners were the ‘Snow Boules’ (Anne Ritchie & Ray Sangster). The recipients of the ‘Most Wins For The Season’ plaque, for the second season in succession, were ‘Jones Laing’ (Alistair Whitson & Martin Young). The basis of our success is reliant on three main ingredients, Fun, Friendship and Fresh Air. All three are guaranteed and have been well to the fore during our first 7 seasons. Clearly, anything that is successful must have input from many people and the ‘Challenge’ certainly has its fair share of those that play a huge part in the smooth running of our fortnightly meetings throughout

Crannach Coffee Shop & Bakery at Cambus O’May Open Tuesday -Sunday 11am - 5pm

Bread Making Courses on Wednesdays

Gift Vouchers Available Tel: 013397 55126 for details

the winter months. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all of them for their invaluable and, importantly, enthusiastic assistance. The boules are now safely put away for the summer months and come the end of October we will once again be looking forward to some more Fun, Friendship & Fresh Air and the beginning of our 8th season.

BRHS Floral Art Group by Maria Franklin Thursday April 19th saw the beginning of the new Floral Art session with ‘The Girls’ showing a friendly and interested audience ‘How did they do That!’ based on their previous exhibits. Maria Franklin produced a contemporary arrangement ‘Loop the Loop’ which she had created in 2009. Rather strangely (with the aid of a hammer, drill and a staple gun) a birch branch, some cane, and a few blooms, all combined into a floral experience.

Aileen Barbour, an enthusiastic novice to the floral world, excelled herself in arranging from scratch ‘Flowers in a Basket’, not an easy task for a beginner, but after a little initial nervousness, she succeeded, with much aplomb, in charming us all. Mary Wright, knowledgeable and experienced in the flower business, swept us along with her choice of ‘Tulip Mania’, dropping on the way a few welcome flower hints and historic facts. The two arrangements featured beautiful tulips but were markedly different. Audrey Macrae reminded us about the shortage of fresh food during World War II. In her arrangement ‘Dig for Victory’ there was not a flower in sight. What a treasure of vegetables though and how skilfully placed. The lucky winner in the raffle was much envied - soup for a month! Kathleen McCulloch, our Chairwoman, involved us all with her meticulous step by step re-creation of her design ‘Changing Times’. The rhythmic foliage marked the perfect ‘Hogarth Curve’ and, complemented by the jewel-like flowers, elegantly evoked the passage of time.

STATION Popular Informal Restaurant in the Old Royal Station

Open daily from 10am Station Square, Ballater AB35 5PB Telephone 013397 55050

Rotary Update by Ron Drever We are delighted to say that, by the time you read this, the Club will have its first lady member. More details of our new member will be included in the next Eagle, and we hope by that time that we may have even more new member news, following our previously reported “Engaging our Community” information evenings. 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 Also 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. Our Charity Golf Day takes place on Friday 22nd June at Aboyne Golf Club in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre. 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 We were delighted to contribute to the Jubilee Cairn, Heather and Rock Bed being constructed on the Church Green in Ballater as part of Ballater’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.

THE SILVER THISTLE Highland Wear Highland Accessories Highland Dancing Bagpipe Accessories Jewellery Quality Gifts 46 Bridge Street, Ballater, AB35 5QD Tel: 013397 56200 www.silverthistleballater.com

As ever, we are very pleased to be able to provide manpower at various local events. For instance, at the time of writing we are organised to help with, among others, the Potarch 5km run, and the CLAN Upper Deeside Tartan Trek, and to help with our BBQ skills at the Aboyne Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and at an orienteering day for local primary schools P7 pupils in Tarland. Vocational Our Club participates in a Primary Schools Quiz involving schools in different areas, and again organised the Upper Deeside event this year at Torphins School. Schools from Aboyne, Ballater, Braemar/Crathie, Finzean, Lumphanan, Tarland and Torphins took part, and Torphins came out on top, thereby going to the area final on 12th May in Westhill. We hope to report their further success in the next Eagle. Three pupils from Aboyne Academy have recently been selected by the Club to be sponsored

by the Club 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. Our Young Photographer Competition for Academy students is now on the go, with entries due to be in by the end of April. A report on the first of what we hope might become an annual event will be included in the next Eagle. For more information about the Club, have a look at us on www.rotary-ribi.org where you simply type in “Aboyne” and press “GO”. Otherwise, if you would like to find out more about Rotary, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Ron Drever at High Trees, Morven Way, or telephone 013397 56224. We meet on the first and third Mondays (and usually any fifth Monday) of each month at the Boat Inn, Aboyne, 6 for 6.30pm, and on the second and fourth Mondays at the Glen Lui Hotel, Ballater, 6.30 for 7pm.

Davidsons Chemists

The I N V E R H O TE 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

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

SWRI by Aileen Barbour President Anne Richardson welcomed members to our February meeting, when our guest speaker was Barry Florence who gave a very interesting and informative talk about his work with the Fire Service and gave good advice on safety in the home. Joan Anderson entertained us with a short story which we all enjoyed. Barry also judged the competition. “Sunset Photo” 1) Anne Richardson, 2) Diane Wright, 3) Margaret Cameron, 4) Thelma Cooper. Veronica Houston gave the vote of thanks. At our March meeting after business was concluded, Anne Richardson introduced Jock Hutchison of “Horseback UK” who explained the work that the organisation does. Our monthly competition “Animal Ornament” was judged by Mr Hutchison 1)Diane Wright, 2) Deirdre Tait, 3) Mary Munro, 4) Margaret Finnie. The Ann Wallace Sugar Sifter Competition “Small Border Tart” was judged by Frances Johnston 1) Sheena Fraser, 2) Margaret Finnie, 3) Thelma Cooper, 4) Diane Wright and Sheena Armstrong gave the vote of thanks. On the 18th April President Anne Richardson welcomed representatives of Lumphanan WRI who were to conduct the business meeting. After reports were given, Mrs Millership gave a vote to thanks to the outgoing committee. The entertainment started off with two amusing quizzes, instructions and tasting of two delicious recipes, a very entertaining raffle with cards and their final item was a demonstration of Lumphanan Olympic synchronized swimmers which was absolutely hilarious. The new committee was announced, President, Anne Richardson, Vice President, Mary Munro, Secretary, Sheena

Armstrong, Assistant Secretary, Veronica Houston, Treasurer, Thelma Cooper, Press Secretary, Aileen Barbour, Magazine Secretar y, Margaret Cameron, Tea Conveners, Sheena Fraser & Diane Wright, Raffles, Margaret Finnie & Pat Fraser. The Marjorie Gordon Cup - Special Competition - “Individual Trifle” judged by Moira Gordon & Mary Marshall, was presented by the President to Margaret Finnie, while she was also presented by Veronica Houston with the Mary Macpherson Quaich -Special Competition“Easter Bonnet”, judged by Catriona Houston. The trophies for the most competition points were presented joint 1st to Margaret Finnie and Frances Johnstone, 2) Diane Wright, 3) Margaret Cameron. At the end of all our meetings a lovely tea is served and a raffle drawn. Anne thanked the ladies of Lumphanan for a very enjoyable evening and wished members a good summer and looked forward to seeing them in September.

EDWARD J. EMSLIE House Furnishers Serving Deeside & Donside

*Quality, fast & friendly service *Extensive flooring range

Moira Melrose Kiltmaker since 1992 Quality Hand Sewn Kilts

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

*Blinds, curtains, rails & poles *Haberdashery Station Square Ballater AB35 5DX 013397 55005

BALLATER (RD) LTD. Ballater Caravan Park

Ballater Community Enterprise Ltd. (BCE) was incorporated at the end of February as a totally owned subsidiary of BRD. It has been operating the Caravan Park since the opening on 30 th March. The directors, administrator and wardens have had a very busy time since incorporation, arranging bank accounts, booking systems, employment of wardens, transfer of service contracts, and many other matters. Although there have been some teething problems, the transition from operation by Aberdeenshire Council to BCE has gone remarkably smoothly. In the first week we had to contend with a snow cover of 7 inches which took us all by surprise! Despite this, there was a good turn out of touring vans over the holiday period. We are very happy that the wardens have agreed to take up duties for another season, and that Gillian Sinclair has taken on the duties of Administrator.

H M Sheridan Ltd Butcher, Ballater Tel: 013397 55218 email: info@hmsheridan.co.uk By royal appointment to H.R.H. The Queen and H.R.H. The Prince of Wales

by Gillian Sinclair

While many changes and improvements are required, the directors have decided to keep things much as they are for the first season which will be a learning period. Thereafter surpluses will initially be applied to improvements at the Park, and in future years passed to the parent company, BRD, to assist with community projects. BCE’s remit is not restricted to the operation of the Caravan Park. Other income generating community projects can be considered. It is interesting to note that the Park, opened in 1968 by Ballater Burgh Council, was originally under local management. As the years progressed, and under various local authority reorganisations, management became more and more centralised and remote from Ballater. So the wheel has gone full circle!

The Royal Deeside Partnership

The Royal Deeside Partnership (RDP) helps to coordinate the work of three similar community organisations – Mid-Deeside Ltd. (Aboyne), Ballater (RD) Ltd. and Braemar Community Ltd. Between them, the three organisations cover a wide range of activities including community woodlands, community buses, walking festivals, Ballater Caravan Park and Braemar Castle. The partnership regularly meets with other rural partnerships from across Aberdeenshire and it is the effectiveness of these partnerships which convinced Aberdeenshire Council to offer its caravan parks to the community in the first instance. Mike Franklin, who has been Chairman of RDP for the last four years, has now stepped down and the chair passes to Eilidh Scobbie.

Ballater Walking Festival 2012 19th to 25th May Come and visit us at 11 Bridge Street or Shop Online: www.hmsheridan.co.uk Delivery is free on Deeside and Donside

This year’s will be the 15th successive walking festival, bringing to the village walkers from all over the UK and abroad. At time of going to press, 82 participants have signed up and we look forward to a great week of walking.

We offer three levels of walk each day for 6 days with anything from a level 5 mile stroll to more serious ventures into some of the Cairngorm Munros. The harder outings are led by professional guides but the easy and medium walks are taken by local leaders and helpers who put in a huge amount of work to make the week a success. There is also a programme of evening events such as Irvine Ross’s excellent presentation “Glen Muick Revisited”. A dinner in the Golf Club on Wednesday is followed by a ceilidh in the Victoria Hall on Friday to round off a week of meeting friends, both old and new. If all goes well we hope to see them all again next year.

Ballater Old School

The sorry saga of the old school in Ballater has moved into a new phase. The Options Appraisal consultants have now reported and, due to a combination of greater costs and lack of funding sources, there appears little future for

proposals which mixed affordable housing with community use of the main buildings. At present, use of the site for housing appears the most likely outcome – but the old school buildings will be preserved. This was a project which initially promised much but delays stretching out over a decade meant that opportunities were lost. It is to be hoped that the North East Scotland Preservation Trust are able to find a viable future for the site. BRD will remain involved with the project for the benefit of the community.

Signage

The fingerpost signs are ready and should be in place by the time you are reading this article. BRD is always looking for help and support from the community. If you can help and you have the spare time, please contact Gillian on 013397 55467 for information.

H.P.S. (Aberdeen) Ltd Integrated Building / Landscaping Services and Supplies Chanaich Lodge Provost Craig Road Ballater Aberdeenshire AB35 5NN

Tel. 01339 756336 Fax. 01339 755893 Mobiles: 07710 469563 07850 653160

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

16 Deeside Donside Development Project by Nick Mardall Broadband

The project sits on a consortium which is headed by Aberdeenshire Council and brings together communities in Aberdeenshire, Angus and Moray to look at a way of bringing appropriate broadband infrastructure to the area. The project has worked with the park authority to undertake a survey to ensure that the next round of gover nment funding is spent where there is most need, especially where there is no current service.

Dalmochie

Currently the project is having the site at Dalmochie valued for an opportunity to purchase it under the Forestry Commission National Forest Land Scheme. If it is feasible to purchase the land, then the project will be looking at formalising a proposal for the site. As I mentioned

in the last Eagle we have a Canadian college which is willing to help with the construction of one or two of the original cabins at the site.

Ballater Learning Centre

We have to date received back about 100 surveys which, although not as many as we would have liked, does give us something to work on for preparing a business case for a learning centre in Ballater. The next job is to collate the results and incorporate them into a feasibility study. We will be working with Aberdeenshire Council to incorporate the original survey of 2009 to strengthen the proposal.

Braemar action plan

Braemar has begun the process of community action planning which will see the community make their views known through a specialist questionnaire which is currently being put together by a working group from the village. Currently Braemar already has quite a few projects on the go and this process will help the community prioritise where resources should be focused.

Community Website Assistance

Invercauld Lodges Self-Catering Accommodation Prices from: ÂŁ55/night & ÂŁ350/week 12a Invercauld Road BALLATER AB35 5RP Tel: 013397 55015

Finally there is a small fund available from the Cairngorms National Park Authority to help local groups establish or improve their group or project websites. If anybody is interested in applying for this fund please contact me on the details below as I have the guidance and application forms. As always I would ask folk to contact me if they have any project or funding they would like me to help them pursue Nick.dddp@btconnect.com or tel; 013397 53775 Jubilee Fact 1: The Queen has sent almost 540,000 telegrams to couples in the Uk and the Commonwealth celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary

Ballater Post Of f ice

Kincardine 17 and Deeside Befriending needs you by Sheena Watt

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

Please note we are OPEN over lunchtime

Foreign Currency We stock Euros, US Dollars and Turkish Lira for immediate purchase. Support your local Post Office, you know it makes sense!

Tel: 013397 55505 www.ballaterpo.net

We are a small local registered charity and are looking for new volunteers. Why should you consider our organisation? Well, the charity work our volunteers undertake is extremely valuable to your local community and our aim is to befriend older, lonely and isolated people with a view to helping them have a better life. You will either learn new skills by joining our team or utilise your existing skills. We will give you comprehensive training, full support and out of pocket expenses. Are you a “people person”? If so, please contact Sheena, Deeside Co-ordinator on 01330 823368 or 07816958839 or visit our website www.kdbefriending.org.uk to find out more about us. To the gentlemen reading this article, please note that we have men on our waiting list who would love a male befriender and even ladies who would prefer a male befriender. Unfortunately we do not get enough men coming forward to volunteer, so please do have a think about it – you could really make an older person’s life much better by visiting them for a couple of hours weekly or fortnightly or by taking them out for drive and a coffee.

Crathie News Jubilee Bottling at Royal Lochnagar

On Monday 6th Februar y 2012, which marked sixty years to the day since The Queen’s accession, a very special bottling took place at Royal Lochnagar Distillery. David Gates, Grantee of the Royal Warrant, John Walker & Sons, oversaw the bottling of 60 editions of a specially crafted blend of rare malt and grain whiskies distilled in and maturing since 1952, the year Her Majesty acceded to the throne. The creation of this very special blend was entrusted to Master Blender Jim Beveridge and his apprentice Matthew Crow who oversaw the selection and expert blending of the whiskies from the beginning. The final, traditional step of marrying was carried out in casks made using oak from Sandringham Estate. Such a special whisky required a special presentation, and a diamond shaped crystal decanter decorated with Britannia silver and a

Physiotherapy Osteopathy Sports & Remedial Massage Aboyne Physiotherapy oﬀers a wide range of treatments to help with back and neck pain, sports injuries, muscular and joint pain, stroke rehabilitation. A GP referral is not a requirement for private physiotherapy. Patients are very welcome to self refer. Charleston Buildings, Ballater Road Aboyne, AB34 5HN (013398) 86874 www.aboynephysiotherapy.co.uk

by Marion MacIntyre

collar set with a half carat diamond standing on a crystal base, was created. Each edition also includes a pair of lead Cumbria Crystal glasses and a commemorative book, and is contained in a chest incorporating oak from Sandringham to echo the whisky marrying casks and Caledonian pine from The Queen’s Balmoral Estate.

These special bottles, named Diamond Jubilee, are for sale around the world at £100,000 each. John Walker & Sons has pledged its profits from the sale of these editions to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, established in 1990 to mark its 150th anniversary and the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. A guaranteed donation of at least £1million will support the provision of scholarships to preserve rare skills and enable talented craftsmen and women with promise and a passion for their craft to achieve greater levels of excellence through study with masters of their craft around the world. As a reminder of the part played by Lochnagar Distillery in the Diamond Jubilee bottling, the oak casks which were used for the marrying of the whiskies have been retained on site in the Duty Paid Warehouse. One of the sixty bottles is on display at Balmoral Castle.

Coffee at the Distillery

The Coffee Morning at Lochnagar Distillery on 24 March raised a magnificent £1016 for Clan in the Community and The Anchor Unit Aberdeen. A huge thank you is due to all those who worked so hard to make it such a success, and to everyone who came along to support it so generously. We were very grateful for all the donations of raffle prizes, bottles for the Bottle Stall, great home baking for the Baking Stall, to Margaret for her hand made cards, and of course to the Distillery for the use of their lovely premises, the malt whisky for the raffle and the tea and coffee. As ever, thank you to Alex for the wonderful shortbread!

Crathie Book Group

The group has been delighted to welcome two new members, Heather and Alison, to add to the mix of opinions and viewpoints in our discussions. “The Tenderness of Wolves” by Steff Penney and “One Day” by David Nicholls both provoked worthwhile discussions with differing opinions as to their good and not so good aspects. “The Tenderness of Wolves” made an absorbing and haunting read for some, but failed to grip the interest of others, who found it too full of far fetched coincidences. As for “One Day”, the reactions to it ranged from loving it to loathing it! The exciting news for the group was that two members, Jackie and Anna, were successful in their applications to become “givers” in this year’s World Book Night. They each, unbeknownst to the other, had chosen “The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox” by Maggie O’Farrell, a previous favourite of the Book Group, and

ROY MITCHELL JOINER 76 Golf Road Ballater TELEPHONE:(013397) 55378 MOBILE: 07792 117963

so will be distributing copies of it early in May. More of how that goes in the next edition of the Eagle.

Crathie Bowling Club

The Club recently hosted the play-off between Deeside Clubs and Mearns Clubs in the annual championship of the Indoor Bowling League. The match was won by Lumphanan. If you would like to try your hand at bowling or if you have played in the past and would like to play again, come along to Crathie New Hall on Tuesday or Friday evenings, or telephone Jean Young, 42415 for more information.

Coffee at the Kirk

The Coffee Ladies of Crathie Kirk have resumed their popular Coffee Mornings and got off to a flying start with a good turnout on their first of the season on 9 April. You will find them at Crathie Church Hall on Mondays from 10am to 12.30pm with an array of fine baking and a warm and friendly welcome.

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20 Crathie School News Crathie Café

Mrs Smith and I made a tea party in our café. We laid a tablecloth on the table. We put out four plates and cups. To eat we had chocolate muffins, chocolate cookie and a strawberry iced cake. We also had some fruit. We had some tea with milk. We could have a blackcurrant juice if we wanted. We had fun playing in the café. by Emilie P1

Litter pick

Our school went for a litter pick. My dog Sarg and my Mum came. We went litter picking in Crathie and I had only two or three pieces of litter in my bag. Our teacher, Miss McCrory, had a big bag filled with litter and when we got back to school our yellow bibs and gloves were all wet. I felt proud because I helped the community. by Zak P5

P7 Academy Visit

On the 24th of April I went to the academy for a P7 visit. All the Primary 7s from the entire Aboyne cluster came as well. All the schools met up in the theatre where we watched a play about the River Tay disaster, - it was brilliant. Afterwards we all went up to the canteen to meet each other. I sat at a table with children from Braemar, Ballater and Tarland Schools. We had some juice and biscuits, and then went back to the theatre.

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The lady told us,

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our full day in May we had to prepare a presentation about bridges and make a scrap bridge”. We looked at all the different shapes, sizes and materials. We had to decide which shape would be the strongest between a circle, hexagon, triangle, square or an arch. I got the correct answer. Can you guess which one it would be? I can’t wait to go to the academy, it will be so much fun. by Rachel P7

The Lego Man

After a long bus ride we got off and walked into Strathdon School. When we got to the entrance we had to go through the reception where there was a lady waiting for us. She took us into the classroom. All the kids were sitting on the carpet. We sat down beside them and a man walked into the room. He was the Lego man. He sat down on the chair in front of us and picked up half of a Lego house from the table next to him. He started talking, telling us how to make a realistic Lego roof. Then he told us what he wanted us to make…… AN OLYMPIC GAMES CITY! He split us into groups and I was pretty happy with the group that I was in. We were told to make a football stadium. We all got to work and it turned out like this…… by Josh P5

Community Council news by Graham Adams Community Council Election

A big thank you to everyone who turned out for the Community Council elections. This was the first opportunity in 8 years that residents of Ballater and vicinity have been given to elect the full membership of the Community Council by a competitive vote-off. There was a good turnout, with over 700 votes cast for 14 candidates who were standing for 10 seats. The two Crathie seats were uncontested, Susan Matthews being the only candidate for that area, so there is one seat remaining vacant. The results for the ten successful candidates were:

104 Phil Swan 81 Francis Duguid 78 Martin Holroyd 78 Graham Adams 68 Ian Cameron 64 Jane Angus 59 Sheila Sedgwick 57 Ruth Sim 48 Anne Reid 48 We say farewell, with much gratitude for all their efforts, to Sheila Potter and Alistair Thomson, and a big welcome to Francis Duguid and Anne Reid. Now that this piece of important business is complete, we can get on with the job of “changing the world”! Pat Downie

Affordable Housing

It has become increasingly clear over past months that policies presently being pursued by CNPA are unlikely to deliver any affordable houses in Ballater in the foreseeable future. This is why we delivered or posted to every household in the area we serve, a two-side summary of B&CCC’s alternative strategy for you to consider in your responses to the Main Issues Report on which

CNPA were consulting up to 9th December 2011. Based on this strategy, B&CCC is working with Aberdeenshire Council, along with one of the Registered Social Landlords and the CNPA, in an attempt to deliver some affordable housing in Ballater. We do not know if this is going to succeed in this difficult economic climate, but more information should be available in the next issue of the Eagle.

Initiatives for Young People

Feedback received from the B&CCC communities’ survey in late 2010 gave strong indications that, while residents of Ballater were generally very satisfied with the range of recreation and leisure facilities, it was widely understood that young people in the community are less fortunate. We have reported on this in past issues

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of the Eagle. Now that the election is behind us (and we know who is in B&CCC!) it is timely for us to try to make the first steps to get things moving. We hope to co-opt one, or possibly two young members (in addition to the full quota of up to 12 elected members) who are over 14 and less than 18 years of age. Our hope is that these young people will be able to help in building bridges between the young people and other residents. This, we believe, could have widespread and profoundly beneficial consequences for the “community spirit” which for many people is a highly prized feature of the area.

Litter Collection

Aberdeenshire Council has announced its intention to suspend some of the litter collection activities in Ballater as part of its cost cutting program. This is, in our opinion, not a high quality decision, especially at this time of the year. Also, in the light of Ballater’s heightened economic sensitivity to tourism appeal, this is not a good place in which to make such economy measures.

In fact it will probably be a false economy overall as the existing services are very effective. We have conveyed this message to Aberdeenshire Council where it has, we are assured, been taken “right to the top”. We are hopeful that the management will appreciate that, in this respect, Ballater is a “special case” and revoke this change

Gairnshiel Bridge Closure.

We were horrified by the short notice that Aberdeenshire Council gave for the roadworks on Gairnshiel Bridge. We were originally told it would be closed from 2nd April to 27th May. This represented bad news for tourism and business in Ballater and the communities to the north of the bridge. After we applied considerable pressure to Aberdeenshire Council to add extra time and resource to this we are told at the time of writing that the Bridge will re-open by 4th May.

Jubilee Celebrations, 4th June 2012

The Picnic on the Green should be a great day out – lots to do for all the family. Please tell all your friends and come along

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– noon until late! Apart from the picnic there will be the King and Queen of the day from the school, Pipe Bands, children’s fairground and street drummers, a hog roast, lots of stalls, a Ceilidh with raffle in the evening and much more… In addition a Jubilee Cairn is being built on the Green, with 2 rocks from each of 30 surrounding hills, heathers and a large engraved Jubilee stone from Inver as the centrepiece. Many thanks to the Rotary Club of Aboyne and Upper Deeside, Ballater Business Association, Ballater History Group, BRHS and all the individuals from within and outside Ballater who have donated money and time to this project Please contact B&CCC for more information on the events of the day, or see the posters in the Village. Please note that Bridge Street will be closed between Victoria Road and Golf Road during the afternoon of June 4th, as the event will cover both greens and the road. www.ballaterandcrathie.org.uk info@ballaterandcrathie.org.uk

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Dear Dog 23 Owners ..... On my way to school I have noticed a lot of dog mess on the pavements. When I see the dog mess everywhere it makes me feel sick. With the Diamond Jubilee and Victoria Week coming soon, we should all be working together to make Ballater beautiful! Please clean up after your dogs, so other people don’t stand in it. Yours sincerely, Ciaran Johnston (aged 7)

Editor’s note:- Local G.P. Dougie Glass made the following comment on being told of Ciaran’s letter. “As a dog owner myself I have to be careful what I say...! The greatest danger from our point of view would be people slipping in it and falling, but there’s also the risk of humans picking up worms from dog faeces, such as threadworms. We would certainly advocate responsible dog ownership.” Dougie Glass

BOVOF

by Nick Mardall

At the Monaltrie Park Users Group (MPUG) we are still working to resolve the issue of providing toilets in the Park for public use. We have made progress in that we have an indication of the likely costs of either (a) modifying the pavilion; or (b) modifying the Portakabin toilet block, the latter also requiring refurbishment of the facilities. We’ll have to budget for regular cleaning in either case. Unfortunately, however, we’ll also have to budget for control of opening and closing times, to hopefully avoid the petty and mindless vandalism which has previously taken place and led to the present closure of the Portakabin block.

Housing Partnership – Self-build group The group continues to look for appropriate sites in and around Ballater and has been provided a lot of

The Hair Loft

support from the National Park Authority. Currently the group is in discussions with Balmoral Estate who have been very positive to the concept of self-build and together a site with some potential is being discussed .

Thinking of starting up a business? Business Gateway, in association with Aberdeenshire Council Community Learning & Development and BOVOF, are offering to run either a half-day course or one-to-one advice sessions in Ballater for those looking to start up a new business or those in their first 3 months of trading. If this would be of interest to you, please contact Lindsay Lumsden at Lindsay.Lumsden@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk or 013398 86222 or 85033 as soon as possible.

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Hand and machine work available for curtains, pelmets, tie backs, cushions and Roman blinds. Also curtain alterations and home visits available. Free estimates with a large collection of fabric samples. Complete job catered for from measuring to fitting.

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CANCER, Don’t get scared get checked If you’re worried about cancer, the best person to speak to is your doctor. It could be nothing, but it’s better to be safe than sorry and, outcomes are much better these days. In fact, twice as many people survive cancer compared to 30 years ago. Whatever you do, don’t worry that you might be wasting your doctor’s time. They want to see you. All you have to do is make an appointment. A FEW SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR. • A new lump which appears or gets bigger, in the breasts, testicles or anywhere else. • A sore that doesn’t heal up – in the mouth, throat or skin • A mole that changes shape, size or colour • Any growth that appears on the skin and continues to grow • Coughing up blood, or blood in the urine or mixed through stools

• Things that refuse to clear up, like a cough that never goes away, or a pain somewhere that won’t settle • A change in pattern of going to the toilet • Unexpected weight loss (that’s not because you’ve been on a diet) Please remember that these symptoms don’t necessarily mean you’ve got cancer. But they could indicate that something else is wrong. So, it’s still important that you talk to your doctor anyway. Don’t just rely on screening, although it is important, you should still check yourself regularly and keep an eye out for any of the above changes in your body. For more information on signs or symptoms and signposting to local cancer support organisations contact your local NHS Grampian healthpoint, call the free healthline on 0500 20 20 30 or log into nhsinform.co.uk

Larks Gallery

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Upper Deeside Music

In the last two months activity in and by Upper Deeside Music has become rather frantic. There were four concerts in all starting with the greatly appreciated visit of Philip Higham and Sam Armstrong from London, carrying out the deferred recital following the heavy snow in December 2010. The cello and piano programme more than lived up to our expectation in a stimulating evening with one of the finest young cellists in the country. This was followed by more ‘developing’ musicians in a Tunnell Tour with the Greenwich Trio, who come from Croatia, Japan and Belarus and who more than maintained the previous level of ability sought by the trustees and of whom we also expect to hear more in the future. Then as the good weather continued, we enjoyed the visit of students of Jamie Barclay in blazing sunshine. It was very good to hear and see how the 13 young cellists and two double basses have developed in the year since they first came to Craig Megan, and much more fun for them to enjoy tea in the garden than careful balancing of drinks and cake indoors.

The Bergman and Glennie clan did Trojan work in making that afternoon so successful and the Society is more than grateful to them so that we can help to add to the musical experience of our young people. We advertise that no charge is made when young people came to the concerts ‘if accompanied’ and we have ‘disclosured’ members if parents cannot manage to come, but tell us of need.

by Jane Angus

Then after Easter the pianist Valentin Scheidermair came again, to play Chopin, Ravel, Schumann and Beethoven in the Darroch Learg and at least this time had some skiing on Cairn Gorm in sun while his plans for Lochnagar’s buttress were not sensible in the thaw and rain here. We are a long way from the big musical centres and were very fortunate that James Dunster made such excellent contacts in the first few years of the Society and high standards in music can be continued. Over the summer we hope to add to the gaiety of the Jubilee with the Nova Scotia Jazz Band who play Dixieland, and Chicago styles – and we look forward to Beiderbeke in the Victoria Hall (BYOB/Refreshments) at 7.30p.m., on Friday June 1st. with the saxophone and clarinet, banjo, double bass and cornet players. Tickets may be bought at the Balmoral Kiosk, Fraser and Mulligan or the door for £8 to hear, what is in the opinion of The Scotsman, ‘the best Jazz Band in the country’. For Victoria Week there is to be a quintet, Arctic Winds, though we do not yet have their programme. To support the Victoria and Albert Halls Development funds, on September 13th at 7.30 p.m., the Banchory Strathspey and Reel Society have kindly agreed to come with their traditional style and vigour. We may have some musicians to play in the local areas completely informally on September 15th at various places and intervals during that day. We think we have found some venues with good acoustics and wait to see what Enterprise Music Scotland think of our suggestions and – as always – if the weather holds……. Then Ivan Ilich returns on September 30th at 4.30 p.m., to the Darroch Learg . Jubilee Fact 2: The Queen has given out approximately 90,000 Christmas puddings to staff, continuing the custom of George V and George VI

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Balmoral Summer Events by Glynn Jones

Wednesday 6th 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 to 5.00pm. Distance: 19 km, ascent 1050m. Cost £10 per person. Mountain Walk – bring lunch Booking essential – telephone 013397 55059. Sunday 8th July – Wildflower Wander Identify the wonderful array of wild flowers in Glen Muick and learn more about their habitat and uses. An easy ramble. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre. Time 2.00pm until 4.00pm Cost: Free. Booking essential – telephone 013397 55059. Friday 10th 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. Event run in conjunction with Aberdeenshire Ranger Service as part of Ballater Victoria Week. Bring midge spray and a midge net, if you have one, and a torch. M e e t i n g p o i n t : To b e c o n f i r m e d . Time 8.00pm until late. Cost – Free. Booking essential – telephone 013397 55059. Sunday 12th August- Magical Moorlands A high level moorland walk across the shoulder of Lochnagar. Experience the moorlands at their best in high summer. Learn about the wildlife and management of this magical and secluded place. Meeting point: Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre.Time – 9.30am until 3.30pm.

Distance: 14 km, ascent 350m. Mountain Walk – bring lunch. Cost: £5 per person. Booking essential – telephone 013397 55059. Sunday 2nd September – Local History Walk Spectacular scenery and fascinating historical sites are the theme for this day. Visit a variety of historical sites with stunning views across this less-visited part of Deeside. Organised as part of Scottish Archaeology Month. Meeting point: To be confirmed. Time 10.00am until 4.00pm. Mountain Walk Bring lunch. Distance: 14 km. ascent 260m. Cost - Free Booking essential – telephone 013397 55059. Sunday 23rd September – Coyles of Muick Walk A very varied route. From the secluded Loch Ullachie to the summit of The Coyles of Muick. With spectacular views across Deeside, Glen Muick and Lochnagar. We then descend through the forest for an encounter with one of the residents of the lost township of Loinmuie. Meeting Place: Car park in Ballater. Time 10.00am until 3.30pm Distance 15kms, ascent 450m. Bring lunch. Cost – Free. Booking essential – telephone 013397 55059

Cindy Adams PG Dip (Coun)

Person Centred Counsellor 1 Netherley Place Tel: 07969 495399

The children of P1 and P2 have been thinking about the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jubilee. Thank you for these brilliant drawings.

This is a picture of the Queen at the Diamond Jubilee. She is having a tea party with her friends. Zak Harrison P2

Ballater The Queen making beans on toast for her lunch. Jacob Bywater-Eyers P1

These knickers are flowery. I chose them because they are lovely. Zuzanna Lobocka P1

This is the Queen doing the hoovering at the palace. Zack Eyers P2

PC Mark Robertson visited Ballater School as part of his recent charity Bike ride

These knickers are for the Queen to wear when she visits Ballater School. Beth Donaldson P1

r School

I made these knickers for the Queen because I thought sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like the design. Zack Eyers P2

These VIP knickers are for when the Queen travels from London to the USA. She is in a comfy carriage with a pretty horse. I drew that because she does a lot of travelling. Kirsty McLeod P1

This is the Queen picking up the corgiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business. Nicole Rezin P1

These knickers are for the Queen to wear in the park. Sahil Panwar-Singh P2

On Friday 27th April, Brid McKibbon, the Food for Life Development Officer of Cairngorms National park Authority, visited. Brid talked to the whole school about native plants we can use for cooking. She also explained the rules for safe foraging. Later on each class had the chance to try out wild cooking. Various classes made either bramble smoothies, gorseflower ice cream, sorrel salad, ground elder omelette and nettle soup. For both pupils and staff it was a great eye-opening experience, being able to try out some different foods that grow right on our doorstep

Ballater & District Old People’s/Over 50’s Association

2011 was a busy year as much work needed to be done to the Hut on the Green. This included remedial work and re-decoration throughout, so all is now in tip-top shape. With the appointment of Terry Gauld to the committee, who is our very able “maintenance man/cleaner/looker-outer” as well as vice Chairman, all should be well. In order to carry out the repairs, 2011 was the year of the fund-raiser. In May, the Association took two tables at the Halls Jumble Sale – generously paid for by one of the Association’s members, who also dug deep in other ways. Almost without exception, in spite of the economic climate, the business community came up trumps by donating items for sale and for raffle prizes on the day. Their generosity was beyond my expectations, as was that of non-members who rallied to the cause. My thanks also to the B.B.A and the Ballater Chiels for their contributions to what was a

by Ruth Burrows

mammoth task. An extra raffle was held on our first outing of the year, prizes again donated by local businesses. However, it was still necessary to dip into the Association’s limited reserves. That first outing was to Inverness in May with high tea taken at Grantown-on-Spey. September saw us enjoy a gloriously sunny day in Pitlochry with high tea at the Bridge of Cally. We are shortly to visit St. Andrews, and in September will be going to Elgin, the shorter of our two outings for the year. Any seats on the coach are available to non-members at a cost of £6. At our recent AGM, it was agreed that as the Hut is no longer used by members, it would be appropriate to see whether any other group or organisation would like to take over the Hut for their own purposes. Meanwhile, the hut is available for hire at a daily rate of £12, the same as last year. Any enquiries should be made to Ruth on 013397 53244.

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Victoria Week Silver Jubilee Year by Cat Houston

The Scarecrow Competition

Having started in 1987, Ballater Victoria Week is, like the Queen, also celebrating a special anniversary this year. Special events planned to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the week-long event include a Great Exhibition of photos from the early years, a Sideburn Festival, a Back to ’87 Disco and a Disney Film Premiere! It is, of course, fitting that Victoria Week has a presence at the village’s Queen’s Diamond Jubilee events and, to that end, the committee intends to run a stall as part of the picnic scheduled on the Church Green for Monday June 4. As well as being graced by the scarecrow forms of Queen Victoria (and, new for this year, her beloved Albert!), the stall will be your first port of call for Scarecrow Competition 2012 entry forms, the eagerly anticipated Pet Show Category Lists and the opportunity to sign up as a BVW volunteer or Mini Marshall. In honour of the Duck Race we hope to hold on the River Dee as part of Victoria Week, you can come and play hook

a duck and win a prize, and there will be homebakes for sale as well. See you there! This year VW runs from Saturday 4 to Sunday 12 August and other events in the pipeline for 2012 include a Victorian Photo Studio with local photographer Amy Muir, where groups, families and individuals will be invited to dress up

the

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in Victorian costume and have their photo taken as in days of old (but the magic of digital means they can pick up their print later!) The new Sideburn Festival will provide more music and comedy, some of Ballater’s talented youth aim to pull together a tennis tournament (if you can’t be serious, Be Amused…) and as well as creating a scarecrow for their home, business or society to rival last year’s fantastic entries, people will also be invited to take their scarecrows to join in the Sunday Parade on August 5, be that on a float or in a wheelbarrow... It is hoped that the Duck Race will actually take place on water this year and another 250 brightly-coloured super-weighted river-racing ducks have been purchased to cope with the demand for this exciting event on Sunday August 12. The Pet Show on Monday 6 August will be improved for spectators and participants alike and esteemed Fyvie clairvoyant Maureen Smith has been booked for Friday 10 August. Lady Jennifer’s Picnic should have some additional attractions and it is hoped to rejuvenate the Tea Dance at the Hilton Craigendarroch. All the

Some of last years pet show entrants

old favourites such as the Ghost Tours and 4x4 Safaris are there too, while the popular kids’ Potted Sports will have an Olympic theme this year, and the Box Office will have a range of Jubilee-related souvenirs for sale. Tickets for some events, including the Duck Race, should be available online this year. Keep an eye on the website for details. The event’s website has recently been updated with details of this year’s new events and all the existing ones. Got a smartphone? Scan the QR

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code on the back page, and it will take you straight there. The website is also the place to go if you want to contact the committee, though telephone numbers are also given below. There’s plenty of time to get involved if you want to. The event as a whole always needs an army of “money bucket shakers”, major and mini, and anyone with a first aid qualification and a little spare time during Victoria Week is asked to volunteer their services so all events can also be covered safely. As well as being a fun-filled week of events, Victoria Week raises thousands of pounds for local charities and organisations, with over £6,000 distributed last year. For more information contact Val on 013397 55018 (secretary) or Adrian/Cat on 013397 55243 (publicity) or email or info@ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk. The friendly and open VW committee will be meeting in the Beaton Craigie Room in the V&A Halls at 7.30pm on Wednesday June 13 and Wednesday July 11 and all are welcome to come along, see what we do and make suggestions. See www.ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk for updates (and details of the Village Domes April Fool!) or find us on Facebook and, above all, Be Amused.

Birth of 37 Victoria Week, 1987 by Mike Franklin

Around 1980 the Ballater Community Halls were getting into a poor state. The Post Office, which previously occupied the area now used by the Cairngorms National Park Authority, had recently moved to its present location. The Albert Hall was used as a furniture store and the Victoria Hall was used for storing carpets. (When dances were held the carpets were moved out.) In 1981 a group of local residents led by George Beaton and Hugh Craigie (who are commemorated in the naming of the Beaton-Craigie room) began a campaign to raise money for the refurbishment of the Halls. Their efforts were so successful that, despite the discovery of extensive dry-rot, the refurbishment of Albert Hall was completed by 1986. New features included the lift and the ‘bridge’ connecting the Albert Hall to the other halls.

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About this time the idea of holding a Victorian celebration was suggested and, with the 150th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne falling in 1987, it was decided to mark this with a ‘oneoff ’ Victoria Week festival. The Chairman of the organising committee was Dr Peter Crawford, who was at that time local physician to the Royal Family. The committee invited the Queen to open officially the refurbished Albert Hall and the response was positive. Thus it was that on the final Saturday of the first Victoria Week (15th August 1987) the Queen came to the Halls. For the visit the small ‘quad’ in front of the halls was cordoned off for use by elderly and disabled residents of Ballater – many of whom were in wheel chairs. The Queen’s party arrived in Station Square. From there she went to Albert Hall where she was introduced to the Halls Committee and other local dignitaries before opening the hall. (The plaque can still be seen on the wall of the Albert Hall beneath the painting by John Mitchell of Ballater and Lochnagar.) After that she watched schoolchildren re-enact the events of a typical Victorian school-day.

From the Hall, the Queen’s party went downstairs where Lulu Gillies guided her round the magnificent Victorian ‘museum’, a wonderful collection of artefacts loaned by local residents and museums (and manned by locals in Victorian Dress). The quality of the display can be judged by the fact that even at that time the value for insurance was £1,000,000! The Queen then viewed the Great North of Scotland Railway museum and the new Tourist Information Centre before exiting back to Station Square. In the square she inspected a genuine Victorian horse-drawn fire-engine (with firemen in Victorian dress) before going to meet some of the many visitors crowding the square. Finally, the Queen visited the Ballater Royal Horticultural Society Annual Flower show. Here she signed the Society’s cash accounts book – something that Queen Victoria had also done many years before. Fund-raising and refurbishment of the Halls continued for another few years and during that time the basement store was converted into a ‘Day-Centre’ (the Beaton-Craigie Room) for the elderly. The Day Centre itself received a visit from the Queen in 1989. Victoria Week, far from being a one-off event, this year celebrates its silver jubilee.

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QUEEN VICTORIA’S JEWELS

Sheila Sedgwick

At this time of celebration for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Royal Jewels will be very much in evidence. They form one of the greatest collections in the world. The Royal Jewels, some of them dating back to the 16th century, are owned personally by the monarch and are quite separate from the Crown Jewels. Most were designed for female monarchs or consorts while others were brought to the United Kingdom as a result of wars and revolutions. The Crown Jewels, mainly dating from the reign of Charles II are worn at Coronations and State Openings of Parliament. At most other formal occasions, tiaras are worn. Too numerous to discuss in detail are a dozen beautiful jewelled tiaras, earrings, assorted necklaces, and many different brooches and parures (complete sets of matching jewellery.) When in 1714, the Stuarts ceased to rule, British monarchs came from the House of Hanover and were rulers of both England &

Hanover. George III gave half of his heirlooms to his wife Charlotte and in her will she left them to “The House of Hanover.” The Hanoverians had adopted the Salic Law, that succession came only through the male line. When Victoria succeeded to the throne, Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland & Teviotdale, became King of Hanover. He demanded the jewellery, as ruler of Hanover and as son of Queen Charlotte. After a great deal of wrangling and little support, Parliament found in favour of Hanover and the jewels went to Hanover. In 1737 the 18 year old Victoria became Queen. Young and pretty, she could be respected and emulated. Everything she wore became fashionable. Jewellery was very important to Queen Victoria. She felt that a Queen should wear jewels, especially diamonds, to uphold the dignity of her position. Because of her small stature much of her inherited jewellery was reduced in size, under Prince Albert’s guidance.

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In 1840 Victoria had married Prince Albert. The engagement ring was a snake with an emerald-set head. The snake was the symbol of everlasting love and the emerald her birthstone. So came the fashion for engagement rings. On the wedding day, she wore on her dress a sapphire and diamond brooch, Albert’s gift. When Albert purchased Balmoral, Scottish items became “fashion pieces.” Bracelets with tartan enamel and highland brooches and pins became popular. Most were in silver, with a few in gold. Scottish jewellery was set with cairngorms (smoky quartz), carnelian, bloodstone and agate. At the end of 1861 Albert died. Mourning periods were clearly defined, - full mourning for a year followed by a six month half-mourning. All relatives of a deceased person were obliged to observe mourning rules and wear black. Lockets became the fashion, to liven up drab clothes and also as a reminder of the deceased, containing a picture or a lock of hair. Mourning jewellery

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became popular, - rings, gem-set or painted brooches with little containers for hair. Jet beads became popular – black was permissible. This fashion gave a boost to the Whitby jet industry. When Queen Victoria celebrated her 50 years on the throne in 1887, donations were requested to mark the occasion. As a result a large equestrian statue of Prince Albert was erected but a necklace was also created. Its centre could be detached and worn separately. Queen Victoria left the whole necklace to the Crown in 1901. Replicas and many souvenir pendants, and brooches. were created to satisfy popular demand. Spectacular and priceless jewels may have been worn on State or special occasions but a whole series of “jewellery” is associated with the royal couples’ stay on Deeside. We think it odd that objects like hair, teeth, moustaches, the claws of pet dogs were kept and frequently made into jewellery. While staying at Balmoral, the Queen incorporated some of her own hair into brooches as presents for some friends

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and faithful servants and some still remain in the area. Her governess was given a bracelet containing hair. Prince Albert showered his wife with gifts, often somewhat unusual. A gold and enamel necklace that he had made up for a gift to his wife incorporated 44 teeth from stags that he shot on Balmoral estate. Every tooth was engraved with the date on which the stag was shot and on the fastening was engraved “All shot by Albert.” Another circular brooch also featured stag-teeth, probably a birthday present in 1851. There were also ear-rings. Most of these pieces were worn by the Queen on private occasions. To our Scottish ideas, these things were somewhat unusual but we have to remember that in Germany at the time, an animals’ tooth was considered to be a talisman. No doubt Albert was merely trying to show his love for Victoria. Not quite so unusual were the interesting pebbles that Albert picked up – unusual in shape

or colour, and these were mounted in silver. Victoria and her beloved Albert produced nine much-loved children and no event associated with them or with episodes in family life escaped some form of commemoration, usually of a permanent nature. The first milk tooth of a child is not usually kept when it comes out. Princess Victoria – “Vicky” – the eldest daughter, lost hers but it was kept and appeared in a rather bizarre brooch. This was of enamel and gold, in the shape of a thistle, and Vicky’s tooth forms the flower. A rear inscription indicates that Prince Albert extracted the loose tooth when the family was on holiday at Loch Laggan on 13th September 1747. The child would have been seven years old. Jewellery still fascinates and much of it will be seen in Jubilee celebrations. Thank you to Eilidh Gow for this brilliant pencil sketch

Memories of the London Olympics 1948 by Cyril Puddicombe

It was in 1947 that London was confirmed as the venue for the next Olympics. Had it not been for the Second World War, the Games would have been held in London in 1944. Britain had the least repairs to undertake to make venues ready on time after the blitz on Europe. Austerity was still very much in evidence, with food rationed etc. There was however still accommodation from Army barracks and colleges to house athletes of the 59 countries represented, some of whom brought their own food. The Americans, using an Army camp in Richmond Park in Surrey, even brought their own ice cream! The old Empire Stadium at Wembley was brought up to scratch with a new track costing £2,000, and was tested over 10 days in all possible weathers by a few members of my own athletic club to ensure that it could stand up to the wear and tear of nine competitions. Many of Britain’s sports stars were still in the armed services following the war.

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In the RAF were Arthur Wint and Macdonald Bailey of world class and Donald Finlay who had been a competitor in 3 previous Olympiads. The Amateur Athletics Association therefore decided to hold a meeting at London’s White City with a Combined Services team and the best of the “civvies”, most of whom came from Oxford and Cambridge Universities, competing for places in the British Olympic team. As I had been short-listed for the steeplechase, I was invited to take part, but my time was not good enough. Three University runners went on to compete at Wembley, but in the end were beaten by three competitors from Sweden. The XIV Olympics eventually opened in London before King George VI, the Olympic Committee President and a crowd of about 80,000. Tickets cost, from memory, 5/- to 10/6d (25p to 52p being today’s equivalent) and the final Games profit was just in excess of £30,000. The Olympic torch arrived on time, having travelled across Europe from Athens direct to the French coast, avoiding crossing Germany, and then to London. With no television coverage on the route of the torch, you had to wait to see the torch and bearer somewhere along the direct route from the coast to London. Of course in 2012, the torch will pass through many towns and villages all over Great Britain, even coming through Ballater, and there will be television coverage, in colour. Germany and

Japan were not invited to take part as they were held responsible for W.W.2, and USSR was not present simply because they were yet to become members of the I.O.C. I cannot remember the exact opening events, but after John Mark of Polytechnic Harriers had arrived and lit the Stadium Flame, hundreds of pigeons were released. The teams paraded round the track, led of course by Great Britain, and took up positions on one side facing the Royal box. There then followed a first class display by well over a hundred Swedish gymnasts. Television was then in its infancy and there were two fixed cameras only, one at the start line and the other at the finish. As you ran down the track, you simply became larger and larger on the screen, and disappeared once past the totally immobile camera. When events got under way, I will always remember Arthur Wint of Jamaica collapsing with an injury in the 400m relay heats. A spectator ran out on to the track to keep him warm until the St. John Ambulance Brigade arrived. That spectator was none other than the pre-war Scottish international runner Alick Pirie, and father of Gordon Pirie who was later to become famous as the holder of world distance records, and a gold medallist. Can you imagine that happening today? Alick would immediately be surrounded by armed police, even if he got as far as the track. The British supporters stayed late into the evening, thrilled to see Dorothy Tyler win our first silver medal in the high jump, just as she had done 12 years previously in front of Adolf Hitler in Berlin, when she pushed the German girl back to bronze. The athletics star of the Games was Fanny Blankers-Koen who won 4 gold medals. Three British girls won silver in her events trying

to beat her. Emile Zatopek of Czechoslovakia began a splendid career with a gold in the 10,000m and silver in the 5,000m, going on to win more medals in 1952 at Helsinki with world records. The steeplechase winner from Sweden ran 9 minutes 04 seconds, some 12 seconds better than my own personal best time. U.S.A.was easily the leading medal winner with 38, followed by Sweden with 16. Of course in those days all competitors were completely amateur, and had they received any payment whatsoever, would have been barred from participating, so different from what we have today. The athletics finished after 10 days of splendid performances, the track remaining in good condition despite some days of heavy rain. I was a spectator at some of the athletics events, and today still have the folder which contained my series of tickets (see photograph). Jubilee Fact 3: The first football match the Queen attended was the 1953 FA Cup Final

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A Visitor’s Thoughts on Deeside by Sammy Wilson

I can’t remember the first time I came to Ballater. I can only assume that the first of many trips north from the Yorkshire Wolds to the Cairngorms was made as a very small child at some point in 1994. Since then, every October half term has meant only one thing: a holiday on Royal Deeside. That’s at least 18 visits, with a handful of Easter and summer excursions thrown in for good measure. The point I make is that I am no stranger to the village nestled amongst the Cairngorms. I am familiar with all the local attractions; know every bend of the roads into (and out of) Ballater and can see the imposing shape of Lochnagar by merely closing my eyes and picturing it. I have walked, biked, sledged – and even rollerblading – down the slopes of Glen Gairn more times than I would care to mention. After countless unfortunate incidents

involving adventurous ‘fishing’ and overflowing Wellingtons, I’ve probably drunk a great deal of the River Dee. Family adventures around Ballater, and surrounding area, have shaped a significant amount of my childhood memories. I can recall a tiny figure clad in waterproof trousers and his brother’s old anorak hurtling down the path towards Burn O’ Vat, desperate to be the first one to find the opening which led to the wonderful waterfall and cave. We were never ones for posh or expensive equipment – which made hopping across the rocks, wading through the burn and ascending the slippery sides of the waterfall all the more intrepid and adventurous. Our most satisfying Burn O’ Vat moment was a memorable encounter with a group who resembled something of a walking outdoor

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superstore – dressed head to toe in brand-new gear complete with poles and the latest in hi-tech video equipment. Upon reaching the point where the Burn O’ Vat path rather unsubtly turns into a stream, ‘Team Gortex’ (after much deliberation) concluded that “this must be the end of the path.” Genetically unable to resist the chance to show off, the Wilson clan took their cue and surged forward into the crevice with jubilant cries of “No it’s not!” and helpfully (if not a little smugly) suggested that our ‘local knowledge’ would show the way. Burn O’ Vat is, of course, at its best when there is no other company. You are at leisure to test out the echo or stomp around pretending you are a caveman. No visit would be complete without taking a deep breath and plunging through the sheet of icy waterfall to gain access to the cave itself. As you stood there shivering you knew that your clothes would be soaked for the rest of the day. But at least you’d been in. Many years ago, walking the Burn O’ Vat circuit would take up most of the day - nowadays it can be done in under half an

hour. However it is, and will remain, a very special place. Just a stone’s throw away is the magical Loch Kinord and five minutes down the road is Cambus O’May and the impressive suspension bridge which I have crossed about a million times. I believe Hovis once took some time out from baking bread to name the bridge as ‘Britain’s best picnic site’ although I cannot recall ever having a picnic there – it was usually the starting or finish point for another expedition on foot or on bike. For those who get their thrills from throwing themselves around on a mountain bike, the Cambus O’May area and the rest of Deeside is like Christmas come early. A superb network of paths, trails and tracks provides a huge amount of tantalising routes whilst a seemingly endless supply of river crossings, mud and castles ensures entertainment is guaranteed. The best ride for me (of many) took place not too far from Ballater on a stretch of single-track known (I think)

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as ‘The Green Mile.’ It took some finding and it was fairly late in the day when our group ended up on a winding loggers track, heading upwards in search of the elusive downhill trail. After we had gained more and more height (and some members of the party had gotten more and more indignant) and had begun to question the competency of the navigator, a peculiar building came into view amongst the trees. The first investigators were rather disappointed to discover nothing more than a hut filled with chairs – still no sign of The Green Mile. Everintrepid, we ploughed on through a bog and stumbled (I’m sure you can ‘stumble’ on a bike) upon a faint trail that even the smallest of sheep would have been fairly disgusted with. Was this the mythical Green Mile? Well, there was, quite literally, nothing else for miles (apart from The Hut of Many Chairs) and it was almost time for tea so, armed with that attitude of desperate optimism that can get you out of (but, more often, in to) all sorts of trouble, the almost-invisible path

was proclaimed to be The Green Mile. Our blind faith paid off as the path began to develop into something a little more legible and what a wonderful path it turned into. A beautiful, nottoo-technical, not-too-easy, ribbon of single-track snaked its way through the heather at an ideal gradient. It was neither green nor a mile but it was fantastic and seemed to last for ever. Perfection. Having raced along the “SDR” to Ballater, we’ll pick up tea from the ‘royal shops,’ treat ourselves in Deeside Confectionery or perhaps drop in on the occasional coffee morning. There’s even the opportunity to swot up on the bathroom arrangements on Queen Victoria’s private train. The weather forecast is religiously checked as the Tourist Information’s Met Office print-out is given some sort of semi-God status. You never know, one day the sun might shine! Jubilee Fact 4: During the past 60 years almost one and a half million people have attended garden parties at Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyrood House.

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Pottering About... by Stella Potter

For those of you who follow my ramblings, the vagaries of Eagle copy dates mean I can’t yet give you the “jar of marmalade to Italy” story. As I type I haven’t done that particular deed yet. However, I did have a rather unexpected use of my passport recently – and I even got a stamp in it. As I mostly travel to our own continent I miss the days when one’s travels were memorably documented by the ink in one’s passport. In the 70s I particularly liked the bright purple beautifully decorated stamp of my Nepalese visa. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t miss officious border controls but it was rather nice to have those eclectic stamps. My unplanned travel was to support a good friend. Her lovely son, who was physically and mentally challenged, lost his battle with life at the far too tender age of 18. Whatever the difficulties, it just isn’t right that children die before parents. Despite his challenges, he had wholeheartedly embraced living and had clearly been an inspiration to many, including me. I had the privilege of spending time with him last summer. When my friend gently explained to him that he would probably only be fit for one more big trip and asked him where he wanted to go he said Scotland. So it was. I remember his smile growing with every foot as we went up the Cairngorm funicular. How he relished every last scrap of the haggis, neeps and tatties I cooked. His all-encompassing smile. With other good folk on the Humanist internet forum where his Mum and I first met, we had been supporting her through the last few harrowing months of his dying. I hadn’t been able to support my friend directly, as she lives in Toronto, but had many phone conversations with her. When it was clear he was dying, she asked me if I’d at least write, and ideally perform, his funeral. Of course, she’s a good friend and that’s what friends do - use their skills to support - so I said “Yes”. I hadn’t really thought it through, but knew I would do

what I could when the time came. One sad Sunday afternoon she called to say that her son had just died peacefully. When we’d hung up, and I’d stopped crying for them both, I looked at my diary. The following weekend I already had annual leave booked as I’d planned to be going on a big wild camping trip with my eldest and other good friends. If I could manage a few more days off, it might be possible to go and support her and do the funeral. A few phone calls later all was organised. I would like to take this opportunity to give my heartfelt thanks to my colleagues for covering my work, and the wild campers for their understanding of the situation. When talking with a mutual friend from the forum, I told her I was going to Canada and in passing said that I didn’t know how I would pay for it but I was going anyway. Unbeknown to me she contacted others. In 48 hours she’d raised not only enough money for my fare but enough to give my friend to help her over the next wee while. My friend and I were humbled and astounded at such group generosity. So off to Toronto I went. Did what I could: made pots of tea, wholesome home cooked food - when he stopped eating so did she - encouraged sleep, passed tissues, hugged and listened. I think I helped a little. In planning the funeral, my friend and I discovered we are a great team. On the day the funeral parlour was packed, not even any standing room left. My friend had written beautifully about her son, and decided to read her contribution herself. She told me that courage is not the absence of fear, but feeling the fear and doing it anyway. She’s wise. What made the ceremony so special was not only the four people, including her, who spoke with such eloquence and love, but her son’s music teacher, with a band of young disadvantaged folk, who played us in and out New Orleans style. At the end, without

rehearsal, they gave “When the saints come marching in” huge laldy (a fave of the deceased). Folk were clapping, singing, cheering, every face reflecting her son’s wonderful smile we had all talked about. Finally I hugged her and we walked out arm in arm. I don’t think the poor Funeral Director quite knew what had hit his quiet parlour! I can’t express how much of a privilege it was to do this, and just how grateful we both are for the wonderful generosity of our fellow humans. Sometimes it takes an individual in great pain to remind us how good, caring and supportive folk can be. I returned home exhausted and humbled, but hugely heart-warmed that I had the opportunity to help make a true celebration of his short life and hopefully ease the grief a little.

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Library News by Sabine Muir Kenneth Steven’s Visit

Poet and author Kenneth Steven held an author talk in the Mike Sheridan Room in Ballater in April, hosted by Ballater Library and the Scottish Book Trust. It was well attended and included a couple of primary school children, who really enjoyed the visit. Kenneth gave readings from his short fiction collection “The Ice” and recited poems from his latest collection “Evensong”, interspersed by explanations of his work. He also accommodated the children by reading poems from his inspiring collection “Imagining Things”, of which some were very amusing and enjoyed by everyone. After his Question and Answer session, he signed copies of his books. If you’d like to know a bit more about Kenneth and his work, please visit his website on http://www.kennethsteven.co.uk

by Sheila K. Rumbles

I’m a little bluebell who sits on the edge of Craigendarroch Hill. I sit here all alone and giant ferns surround me. Why? - am I an ugly duckling? But when I awoke today, I thought, what a beautiful morning; I feel something different is going to happen. Just then a couple came by and they leaned over me, so close that I could feel them breathing on my face. They said ---”Gee, isn’t she lovely, isn’t she so pretty”. I could feel my face quiver with excitement. Then they took a photograph of me! Wow! I MUST BE SPECIAL! Even if I shrivel and die now, I will go on living with them, and perhaps be seen by others - and in Canada of all places! I will travel as well! - Goodness me! What an achievement for a tiny bluebell.

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The Coyles of Muick by Ian Cameron

“The Coyles of Muick are big and braw, But they are afa’ cauld when they are covered with snaw.” Words of a local poet: A.Mackie. On the south side of the Dee lie the Abergeldie and Strath Girnoc hills, and nearer home, the three peaks that make up the Coyles of Muick and the western backdrop to Ballater. As viewed from Ballater Bridge, only the hill on the left is the Coyles; Craig of Loinmuie is the hill in the centre and farther away and to the right is Meall Dubh, (the black lump). The Coyles and Craig of Loinmuie are both, surprisingly, of serpentine rock, while Meall Dubh is of meta-basic, massively altered, igneous rock. When you climb to the top of the Coyles, you find a second summit a little farther west, and out of sight of Ballater. The whole area is one of grass land growing on strange cinnamon- brown weathered rock. There is a certain well-frequented aura to this

place. People have been drawn here for a very long time, and it was this sense of antiquity and mystery that drew Alexander Keiller here in 1923. Flushed with his successful ascent of Morven Hill in his Citreon-Kegresse halftrack, the ‘Caterpillar’ of local legend, Alexander Keiller turned his attention to new challenges. He combined his archaeological interests with his motor mountaineering and next drove the ‘Caterpillar’, laden with picks, shovels and strong labourers, to the top of the Coyles. Keiller surveyed and supervised an archaeological dig on the Coyles; culminating in burying a sealed tin containing his findings and a set of the then current coins of the realm, including, I was told by one of his labourers, a gold sovereign.

Meall Dubh Meall Dubh (the black lump) is well named. It is noted as being a home for adders, but on its eastern face there is a quarry, and here the dark

rock has been metamorphosed into slates. This Meall Dubh quarry was the source, in the early 1700s, of the thick, heavy slates that roofed the original Birkhall House. There is no cart road through the hill to Meall Dubh quarry, and the many tons of slate must have been brought down to Birkhall with pack horses, rented, no doubt, from the same worthies that normally used their ponies to cart illicit whisky kegs over the mountains to Angus, and on to a thirsty Dundee.

The Craig of Loinmuie The Craig of Loinmuie is the central and nearest of our three hills and like the Coyles, it is of serpentine rock. The ridge of serpentine has been classified as a SAC (Special Area of Conservation) specifically in regard to the alpine plants that bloom there in early summer, the most noted being the Mossy and Yellow Mountain saxifrages. The mass of serpentine is also interesting for thin veins of chrysotile filling the fractures in the

rock. That fibrous, opaque mineral is similar to the much more valuable Tiger’s Eye found mainly in South Africa. Craig of Loinmuie rises steeply above the land of Loinmuie, once rich pasture that had been farmed since the ice went away. The ground slopes gently up from the Muick, is south-facing, and the serpentine rock here has broken down into a rich clay, that, despite its great altitude, grew better crops than the light gravel soils of the river terraces downstream could ever achieve. This fertile hillside was dotted with the crofters’ small blackhouses with clay floors, small windows, a kail-yard and a heather-thatched roof. The old folk had picked their home with great care. This was a special place, where, far to the east, they could see the magic peak of Bennachie. As with the other glens, continuous cultivation could be traced back to Neolithic times. This sustainable existence broke up with the ‘improvements’ and the application of rents. The ‘improvements’ brought the building of new granite and slate farm houses and rents that drove the

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heart out of the people, together with gamekeepers who restricted the age-old right of a fish from the river and a beast from the hill, and foresters who cut off the supply of sticks and stones from the woods. The ‘improvements’ heralded the end for subsistence crofting. Time and labour they had in abundance---it was the rent money that was in short supply. One by one, the crofts were amalgamated into larger and larger units as the old folk left or died, until finally, there was only one Loinmuie Farm left. The laird built the last Loinmuie Farm house, a modern house for its time. The granite stone was brought up from Ballater, it boasted the first and last slated roof on Loinmuie hill and the old kail-yard was enlarged into a wall-enclosed garden, but by 1887 the farm was abandoned. By 1919, most of the Deeside hills were bare of trees. The Great War and the immense requirements of timber to shore up the miles of trench warfare in France had taken a brutal toll of the stands of local pine. There was a crisis, and, out of the realisation that timber was a strategic resource, was born the Forestry Commission. The fledgling Forestry Commission’s brief was simply to create

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a reserve of timber for the next war. That was commendable, but to grow trees, the Forestry Commission first needed land. The whole project seemed to be about to stall for want of ground. In Scotland, land was everything to the lairds, it was their heritage, their traditional powerbase, and it was their duty to hand it on in better heart. But wars, and winning wars, was also the trade of lairds, and to start the ball rolling King George V gave the embryonic Forestry Commission a long lease on his Allt Cailleach Forest that included the Birkhall sawmill and the farm lands of Loinmuie. Over the next few years the Loinmuie fields were planted with conifers. The trees throve on the rich soil and all trace of past human existence disappeared. Fast forward to the early 1990s. By this time, Allt Cailleach Forest had reverted to the Royal Family and it was decided time to clear fell the block of spruce growing on Loinmuie. As the trees were cleared, a ‘Brigadoon’ village appeared. The last Loinmuie farmhouse stood again in the sunlight, the previous farmhouse going back to the early 1700s reappeared, the byres, the well, the long houses, the black houses, older houses yet with rounded gables, and traces of Bronze Age hut circles all came back into being. The fields have been replanted again with trees and soon our Brigadoon will go back to sleep, but for the present, Loinmuie holds court to all who would visit.

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Ozzymandias of the Arrigation by Wee Chris

Part Three – Ozzy - A New Life Begins

As he carried me away from the rubbish dump, I was quite a weight for the young ‘Loon’ and his muscles must have ached terribly, but he was a determined wee soul and after several stops to change shoulders, we made our way past the Riverside Garage and up Monaltrie Road to the Post Office. Across the Station Square we trudged, where many years before I had made my debut and up over the railway bridge, finally arriving with great relief at his fathers shed. In the gathering gloom, I was amazed to see the large collection of bicycle parts of many makes that ‘Loon’ had already gathered, wheels, handlebars, pedals, mudguards, etc, all piled up in one corner and seemingly awaiting that one major component - a frame. It was little wonder that the warm welcome I received, made my steel heart sing. Many of these parts, had like me, been left to rot in the arrigation and were delighted, when later that evening, I regaled them

with the story of old ‘One Lugs’ encounter with the horse, for most of them knew the old rogue well. I could hardly believe my good fortune, but at that moment, things were to get even better, for a well remembered Midland voice in Bikespeak then said, ‘Well it’s me old mate, you took your time getting here, I thought you’d be red rust by now’, and there, hanging on the wall, to my astonishment and great delight - and although I hardly recognized him - was my old leather saddle. The transformation since our last farewell on the riverbank was enormous and he now looked as good as new. His leatherwork was no longer cracked and scuffed, but supple and with a healthy glossy sheen and I could see his springs had been freshly painted with black enamel. The chrome on the round bar that attached him to my frame gleamed and I could hardly wait for my own refurbishment to begin!

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Every evening with his homework and household chores behind him, ‘Loon’ would appear and get so engrossed in his work that invariably his mother would appear and drag him, protesting, off to bed. There was no shortage of tools in the shed and although his father was eager to lend a hand, he forced himself to limit his efforts to offering advice, for he respected his sons desire to see the project through on his own. On Bridge Street, old soldier Jock’s cycle shop had long ceased to exist, but another had opened on Station Square opposite the paper shop. John, the affable owner, soon saw how keen ‘Loon’ was and would often let him help in the back shop, as he trued a wheel or renewed some spokes. What little money he had soon went on new brake blocks, tubes and tyres and so for helping him out one day, John gave him for free, half a tin of grey metal priming paint, some white undercoat and a pair of new rubber handgrips. Using hot soapy water and his mother’s old scrubbing brush, ‘Loon’ gave me a thorough cleansing until not a vestige of arrigation dust or crows droppings remained. He then stripped me of all components, carefully preserving my crossshaft and its ball bearings in a jar of paraffin. The stripping back of my paintwork then began in earnest and I relished the feel of the harsh ‘wet and dry’ sand paper as it rasped off the rust and brought my sturdy limbs back to their bare metal. With a fine paintbrush borrowed from his father, ‘Loon’ then gave me two coats of the battleship grey primer and two of the white undercoat. After each coat was dry, he made sure I was sanded down lightly. There was no doubt in my mind now that I would be back on the road one day soon, but not I realised sadly as a full-blown Raleigh, for only my frame and saddle were retrievable. I was to become a ‘BITSA’, or as his father aptly put it, ‘Bits o’ a thing’. ‘Loon’ then carefully selected, from his assorted pile, the components that he thought would best suit my frame. Many had some defect or another and it was especially in the selection and repair of some BSA wheels that the bike shop tuition paid off. Finally, with his selection made and the parts

thoroughly overhauled, all that remained was my assembly. Before this took place however, he decided to give me my final topcoat of paint, but with no more cash available the only choice he had from his fathers store, was, cream, brown or green. After much deliberation, a colour was selected, that was to bring me a modicum of fame, for I became well known as the first ‘Eau-deNil’ BITSA ever to be seen in Ballater and living in the village to this day, there is still at least one man, who remembers me well! I hardly felt his weight that day, as ‘Loon’ sat in my saddle ready at last for our first road test. My parts were well oiled and running freely and the shining chrome complimented my flawless paintwork. I was anxious not to let him down, as grasping my new rubber handgrips tightly, he pressed hard on my now freely spinning pedals. Slowly at first and then with increasing confidence, the muscular power in his legs flowed through my pedals and cranks, the downward thrust changing to a rotary action that forced

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big chain sprocket to revolve. Its 54 my teeth then caused my chain to rotate

the smaller wheel sprocket fixed to my back wheel and unable to resist, my back tyre pushed hard against the road propelling me forwards. ‘Loon’ and I were off on our first journey together. The first thing I noticed, was the lack of pain, for the lubrication had done its job and as we sped along, I reflected how all it had taken, was a simple spot of maintenance from a caring owner, to produce this effortless, freewheeling motion. Up the ‘Old Line’ we went, but I could sense that ‘Loon’ wasn’t happy, a small irritating fault had showed up. My left hand crank, taken from an old ‘BSA’, although in sound condition and with good chrome, was slightly bent and under pressure tapped rather annoyingly against my lower side strut. ‘Loon’ braked carefully, saw what the problem was and muttered, ‘Right we’ll hae tae get you straightened my lad an ay ken jist the place far there’s a large vice that’ll dee the job’. Slowly we returned to the shed. As we passed ‘Kohima’ at the top of Queens

Road, I could see that someone had left a rather grand, silver painted, male ‘Hercules’ leaning against the gatepost. When it saw me, it called out loudly in a plummy ‘Bikespeak’ accent to a crimson red, ladies ‘Vanguard’, parked at ‘Glenmoriston’. ‘Well would you just look at the state of that ‘Vannie’ old girl, surely it can’t be one of us. No pedigree, no three speed, no dynamo, no cable brakes, no reflectors, no tool bag, no bell, made up of all sorts of scrap and that green paint! Ugh! It’s enough to make ones Sturmey Archer curl up and die of shame. Surprised at this attack and now feeling quite naked, I was unable to give a sharp riposte. All I could reply was, ‘Away and boil your head, you jumped up twit, can you not see I’m just stripped and ready for action. You may look fancy but I’ll give you a run for your money any day. I hope your bell falls off bounces and breaks your fancy headlamp.’ Across the road, I thought I saw ‘Vanny’s’ basket shake, with her suppressed laughter. Part Four -In which, ‘Ozzy becomes Airborne’

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Victoria and Albert Memorial Halls by Bell Macaulay The Victoria and Albert Halls Development Association held its Annual General Meeting on 8th May. The annual report recorded considerable activity from a dedicated committee, working towards the goal of providing the community with improved facilities. Grateful thanks are due to all the committee members, most of whom have agreed to re-election. Ladies Probus representatives Wilma Glashan and Ellie Wilson have stood down, and are replaced by Sheila Hourston who was warmly welcomed along with our first youth Cellar representative, Rhona Mitchell. The refurbishment Group headed by Ian Hay has made great progress in focusing on the first stage refurbishment, It is likely that this will include roof repairs, insulation, double glazing and possibly new heating systems in the three main halls. At the same time, the Halls Trust and the Association are working together on the formation of a new management body - a Scottish Community Incorporated Organisation. A new constitution has been drawn up, and application has been made to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator to form the new structure. Only then can Trust and Association merge assets, ready to launch the new management structure. The entire community has a vital role to play if the halls complex is to be refurbished – match funding will be required against any applications for financial support from the larger funding bodies such as the Big Lottery, and the current Association and some user groups continue to hold events and fundraisers. We need to raise the profile and usage of the Halls. Looking to the future, we are working with other community groups and facilities to offer new opportunities. Halls Bookings – we are working with Ballater Library to explore the possibility of setting up a Halls website, with integral booking system where information and forms are available online. There will always be a facility for those who prefer to book by other methods, but with a current occupancy rate

of around 20% we do need to attract a wide range of users to balance the books, and ensure our community gets the best possible service. Improvements to stage facilities – with the assistance of a lighting designer very conveniently based in Finzean, we have installed the first phase of stage lighting. This gives us controllable overhead floodlights and a system which can be added to as we progress. Halls Events Saturday Film Shows - We are working with Ballater School Parent Council and Ballater Victoria Week to provide Saturday film shows once a month for youngsters. Community Learning facility –we are working with Deeside Donside Development Manager Nick Mardall to establish the needs of the community – can we offer a training facility in the Beaton Craigie Room, making this a multi-use space? The Halls 300+ Club - started a new Draw in April. Willie Meston, Halls treasurer has the tickets if you haven’t already signed up – Tel. 013397 55377, email info@braemargathering.org 1st June - Nova Scotia Jazz Band– In the Victoria Hall, bring your own refreshments – information from Upper Deeside Music. 2 nd A u g u s t - A b e r d e e n I n ternational Youth Festival – University of the Philippines Concert Choir 13th September – Banchory Strathspey and Reel Society 30th November - A St Andrew’s Dinner Dance Much more help is needed if we are to realise the aspirations of the community for a first class facility serving the needs of all. Do you have any ideas for fundraisers? We would love to hear from you. Why not come along to one of our monthly Halls meetings where you would be made most welcome! Please contact me by telephone on 013397 55745, or email marybellmacaulay@ btinternet.com

65 Special Dial-A-Trip (Deeside)

65 Special dial-a-trip is a demand responsive door-to-door bus service, and as such, operates differently to other public bus services you may have used before. The buses are wheelchair-accessible and easily recognisable.

Booking Trips

All trips are pre-booked through the dial-atrip booking hotline on 01339 887070. You can book trips up to a week in advance or if you are travelling for a medical appointment you can book up to 2 weeks in advance. At the time of booking we will confirm your trip times. If we cannot provide the exact time that you are looking for we will offer you the nearest available time. If your trip is time-critical, for example: if you are attending an appointment please let us know when booking.

We kindly ask passengers to be ready 10 minutes before your pick-up time.

Passenger Assistance

The driver will provide assistance on and off the vehicle, should you need it, and if time allows, assist you to and from your door. However, if you need additional assistance you are recommended to travel with a companion.

Enquiries

For information on where we operate or to find out more, please call our general enquiries number on 01224 664747 between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Alternatively if you have access to the internet you can find out more about the service on: http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/publictransport/ deeside.asp

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Coronation Memories by Mary Munro 57

An air o’ anticipation an excitement grippit the hale country in 1953 as June approached. The Coronation, wi’ a’ its shenanigans, seemed tae be the topic o’ conversation, an’ we, as bairns, hid been looking forrit tae the day fan the glamour an pomp o’ the crownin o’ oor new Queen wis tae tak place in far-awa London. Onythin tae brak the monotony o’ a post-war era, fan a lot o’ fowk aye mynt o’ the years o’ sacrifices an’ deein without a lot o’ things efter World War II. We bade at the boddom o’ the village by the Dee an’, at that time, nae mony fowk hid the luxury o’ a TV, bit my mither hid been on a jaunt tae the Sooth wi her frien May Burnett fae the big hoose o’ Inverdene, an brocht hame the miracle o’ a wee black an’ fite model. Fowk wid crack their ribs lauchin at it nooadays bit back then it wis the latest invention for us, an it sat like a God that ye worshipped an spoke aboot in awed whispers. Wird seen got roon that we hid a TV an a’ my pals fraised an sooked up tae me for wiks aforehaun. Naturally, as the Fates would hae it, even tho’ it wis the month o’ June, it poored stair-rod rain maist o’ the day! At the squeel, we’d already been gien a mug an a purple tin boxie o’ wrappit chocolates – some o’ the loons ate a’ the chocolate on the road hame, even tho’ the teacher tellt us tae keep the things as mementoes o’ the special day. I used my box as a pencil case for a lang time, bit I think eventually it landed up in the ash-cairt! I canna really myne! I’m tellt there wis a funcy-dress competition held in the Auld Kirk Hall, bit I wisna there – maybe the lure o’ the TV, squatterin in a’ its glory, wis o’er great. Oor humble livin room at Inverdene wis stappit tae the gunnels wi a heeze o’ fowk, sittin’ in raws in front o’ the screen. I myne auld Miss Cameron fae the Alexandra Hotel next door wis sittin esconced in pride o’ place, dressed tae the nines she wis - she even hid her fox-fur stole roon her neck! My pal Sheila an’ mysel stood at the back, for a’ the cheers were taen up wi the growne-ups, sae we were jist left tae “staun an growe big”. An abiding memory fae thon day lang syne, wis fan the National Anthem wis played, a’ the big fowk stood tae attention as stracht as rashes, an we, young an feel, thocht this a great lauch. We sniggered an capered at the back till I saw Faither glowerin o’er the heids, his face black

as thunner. I got some o’ergaun later on, an a lick or twa on the legs fae his razor-strop belt. “I wis black-affrontit at you twa caperin like feels – nae respect for yer elders an oor new Queen. Get aff tae yer bedroom oot o’ my sicht. That’ll maybe larn ye nae tae mak a feel o’ me in my ain hoose!” Sae I wis banished for a file in disgrace. Barrin that episode, I hid fair enjoyed watchin the ceremony, bit at oor tender age, some o’it wis hine o’er oor heids, an it seemed ever-laistin! I myne thinking I wished the heid mannie wid just get on wi it and plunk her croon on her heid, maybe sing a hymn or twa, syne ging awa hame, bit then I didna really appreciate the solemnity o’ the ritual. Nane the less, the bonny young Queen wi a’ her jewels an fite frock wis spoken aboot for wiks by the aulder fowk, for this wis the start o’ a new Elizabethan age, an fowk lookit tae the future an better days tae come. A’ that wis a lang time ago, an Faither’s lang gane noo, bit I ken he wid still hae hid the same respect for her as he hid thon far aff day nearly 60 year ago.

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Cairngorm National Park Authority by Katrina Farquhar

Every time I sit down to write a piece for the Eagle I always say to myself, - “This is going to be so interesting readers will be enthralled” - and I find myself writing facts and figures which albeit very interesting, are not always fascinating to all! Therefore this issue I have decided on new tactics. I have just celebrated my first anniversary of actually being a member of the CNPA board and we didn’t even have a party! I have however a great feeling of satisfaction as I have thoroughly enjoyed myself, learned so much and hope to learn so much more over the next few years. Six years ago I thought my life was going to come to an abrupt end when I was diagnosed with breast cancer but instead, after my treatment, I have been given a new determination to achieve ambitions which I used to think “ Oh I would like to do that” and now it is ” I will aim to do that”. If I am totally honest, the day after winning the election and attending my first board meeting, I did wonder what I was actually doing there. However, the board members made me feel very welcome and assured me I would be fine, which at that point in time wasn’t what my stomach was telling me!! I joined the board at the best possible time as plans were afoot for summer visits and I have travelled throughout the Park visiting residents,

businesses and talking to visitors, learning what everyone’s aspirations for a National Park are. I think it is a very important role of the CNPA Board to actually go and meet residents on the ground and find out their views, how they think the National Park is working for them and if they have ideas for improvements they would like to see. As you are reading this you may have some opinions of your own, so please do get in touch with me with any views and comments - good and not so good are accepted. Details of how to contact me are on Page 7 of this Eagle. I would like to tell you of one of our visits which took place last year. Four Board members decided we would enjoy the National Park and attend a Board meeting at the same time. We would walk from Glenmuick to Glen Clova Hotel where the Board Meeting was taking place. On a fine sunny Thursday albeit a windy one, Janet Riddler drove us to Glenmuick and Gordon Riddler, Peter Argyle, Allan Wright and me, set off over the Capel Mounth to Glen Clova. It was a stunning walk and I have some fabulous photographs of the day. We reached Glen Clova Hotel in time for tea and a hot bath to ease the weary limbs then followed a pre board meeting. Next morning we walked up to the Glen Clova visitor centre to the building of which the CNPA had contributed funding. We had the Board meeting in the morning at the centre then following lunch, travelled up through a dense forest and emerged out into the picturesque Glen Fee which made me feel as though I was Lucy from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe entering a fantasy world - although I didn’t have a wardrobe! It is the most amazing Glen I have ever seen in my life and I urge you if you can, to go and visit. I promise you will not be disappointed and will enjoy every minute of The Angus Glens.

Katrina with fellow Board members, Gordon Riddler, Alan Wright and Peter Argyll

Jubilee Fact 5: The Queen has sat for 129 portraits during her reign

Victoria Week 2011

Victoria Week 2012

Some of the smiles and colour - see Page 35 invited you to Be Amused, whatever the weather - see Page 35

Victoria Week 2012

scan here with your phone to the website - see Page 37

Poet and Author Kenneth Steven - see Page 48

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.