The Villagers News MARCH 2019 for Balquhidder Strathyre St Fillans Lochearnhead

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The Voice of Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Strathyre & St Fillans • MARCH 2019

ry a m i r P e r Strathy o ol Sch ! t s a l t a d e n e p o e R

See the report - pages 16/17

Editor’s Bit Following our AGM, a report of which is included on page 8, there are several matters regarding the future of The Villagers which we hope to address over the next couple of months. These will be prominently displayed in April’s edition where your views on our newsletter will be sought. It was disappointing to have so few people in attendance, but I would like to thank Bruce Montgomery in particular for coming from St Fillans.

Grumbles over. Let’s turn to happy thoughts encouraged by this wonderful weather, early spring flowers, days not ending at 4pm - and another bit of good news for the BLS villages on page 19 (top right corner)...

More than enough from me this month!

JJ

Burns Night at Balquhidder

The village hall was filled on the night of the 25th January, with 75 expectant Burns aficionados, all eager for illumination about the great man’s life and works; at least that might have been Lloyd Deeley’s worst case scenario after he and his wife Lorraine had very bravely decided to revive the Burns supper in Balquhidder.

In fact, we were all there to enjoy not only Lloyd’s Immortal Memory but also some great entertainment. Following our minister Russel making a start to the proceedings with ‘The Selkirk Grace’ we were treated to some of Burns’ songs from The Lassies from Balquhidder & Strathyre (Gill and Jan). The two Charlies (Hunter and Methven) performed with their usual exuberance the “killing” of the haggis and recounting the plight of poor Tam O’Shanter. Jim Brown piped in the wonderful haggis in grand style.

Andy Massie had been “persuaded “ that it was appropriate for him to do the Toast

to the Lassies, which was a great success even if we only understood about 50% of what was said! Clare Hunter rose to the challenge of replying to Andy on behalf of the female sex - and Lorraine, continuing the girl power was terrific as MC for the evening. She also was keeping a watchful eye on the kitchen where Fiona, Gillian and “the girls” produced three excellent courses to enjoy with a wee dram at the appropriate moments.

The wonderful entertainment also included another joint venture when Matthew, accompanied by Vera on the piano, regaled us with some masterful singing. It was certainly a very enjoyable evening with friends from the other villages joining us too.

Lloyd and Lorraine would just like to thank all who performed, cooked, served or just ate and enjoyed themselves for coming along. I can assure them that all present will book again for next year. JJ

Lorraine did a great job as MC for the night

Lloyd and ‘The Immortal Memory’

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Charlie Hunter inhaling the haggis

Strathyre News Jim Brown piping in the Haggis, borne in by Jane Convoy

Smart Village Scotland by Kenny Higgins

Burns Night Photography by Richard Harris

Charlie Methven demonstrating Tam O’Shanter’s fondness for the ladies...

... “and left poor Maggie scarce a stump...” or in this case, a carrot!

I have just launched Smart Village Scotland based on the village Strathyre, which is the first Smart Village under a Digital Scotland initiative. The strategy for this was several years in the making and the village has achieved some great success to help on this, through enhancement, tidy-ups, fundraising, music festival, and many other initiatives with more great ideas in the pipeline through BLS community Trust.

Smart Village Scotland is a large project with a key focus on rural development attracting tourism to the village and helping to encourage an uptake on digital connectivity. It has the community at the heart of each application. It’s quite early days - but we have a small pipeline of 12 villages asking us to add them as Smart Villages and an equal number asking for further information all achieved in little over 24 hours.

Part of the application includes a digital cloud that helps to link all groups, clubs, associations, the school, along with weather, flood warnings, road traffic info, links to the council and social media links. At this point, the platform passes to each village to add further information and links to existing businesses, their websites or contact points.

Each village can add its own history, heritage, places to visit, places to stay locally - or anything else of value to each village. It is a collaborative approach and not aimed at replacing or competing with any existing sources of excellent info such as the great work done locally by Kim Proven at Leti.

We hope to help further promote this this invaluable information to a wide audience with international links and in partnership with major organisations such as VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Government departments, SEPA, Scottish Flood Forum, Neighbourhood watch, Scottish Rural Network and several others in collaboration.

I would love to include Balquhidder, Lochearnhead and St Fillans in the roll out plans. I know there is interest from our local community to be part of this so it would be good to reach out through The Villagers magazine to let local folks know the background.

Ladies’ ‘20s Lunch

The Grand

Speakeasy

Shhhh!! Don’t tell everyone...

Strathyre Village Hall 28th April 2019 From 1pm, Entry £25

Buffet, Raffle, Entertainment & Champagne Curling The Lassies (from Balquhidder & Strathyre)

(PS You will need your invitation - and password!)

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Lochearnhead Latest Lochearnhead Village Hall Quiz Night The hall committee would like to send a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who made this night such a success. We were amazed with the turn out and managed to raise in the region of £400.

This event took place on the evening of 16 February with a total of ten teams. With 10 questions in each round and 5 rounds questions, with the possibility of playing a joker, there were a total of 60 points to be had. After the final round the two teams from Strathyre were tied and a tie-breaker had to be held.

We really hope everyone had a good time and enjoyed mixing with people from the other villages. We certainly did. There was a lovely range of ages participating and varied questions (although we didn’t always agree with the answers!).

We have had a lot of feedback and thank you to those who have been kind enough to tell us how we did.

The loneliness of the long-distance Quiz Master

Ecotourism Student Request For Feedback on BLiSS trail

Team ‘Southsiders’, who got some of the answers right, and below, the tense tie-break

“I am an MSc student of Ecotourism at Edinburgh Napier University. I am carrying out a visitor experience survey as part of my MSc project. I am interested in gathering ideas and opinions to evaluate the potential of BLiSS Trail as a sustainable tourism development, which is the main focus of the project. The results will be part of a larger project which explores the development and management of scenic routes in Scotland, to provide guidance for the government. I would be grateful for your help and I want to thank you for your time. “ Mira Steiner For the visiting guest survey: www.tinyurl.com/blisstrailsurvey For the BLS local residents survey: www.tinyurl.com/blisslocalsurvey

If you have not visited any of the BLiSS trail installations yet, have a look at this audio tour: https://geotourist.com/tours/2040 .

When you stand at a BLiSS trail sculpture with your smartphone and the free GeoTourist BLiSS trail App, you will hear wonderful stories told by locals, artists and others.

Kim Proven (LETi)

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BOOK REVIEW The Tattooist of Auschwitz Heather Morris This is a book I read a while ago and since reading it and pondering on its effect, I am still not sure I liked it. However, this week I notice it is still at the top of the Sunday Times paperback best read list, having been there or thereabouts for 18 weeks, so does this mean it is a good read or did I think it was a book I ought to read.

We know from the start that both the main character and his girlfriend survive the horrors of the concentration camps. Is it this knowledge which makes it an “easier “read I wonder? It is of course a love story above all else, but a love story played out against the most horrific background of the cruelty of Auschwitz -Birkenau. The author originally wrote this as a screenplay from interviews with Lale and Gita’s son. Their story is beautiful and redemptive. Lale in particular understands early on that he must work with the system and not against it. Lale “befriends” a German guard who is aware that his own particular warped style of cruelty gives him supreme power to spread fear and loathing. But it is this relationship which helps Lale to meet with Gita in secret. Lale’s ability to speak Russian is helpful also, as he falls in with some Russian soldiers who have been put to work by the Germans in building the sinister extensions to the death camp. These men also play a part in Lale’s survival as he manages to set up a barter system which gives him a way for him and Gita to stay alive. It is impossible to imagine the indignity of being forcibly tattooed to become nothing more than a number, never mind be the person who in order to survive, is that Tattooist.

It is impossible to tell this story without including harrowing tales of those who disappeared, of the appalling deprivations, cruelty and abuse of power and death.

The friendships made and quite literally lost. This book is well written.

Although I was filled with admiration for Lale, whose determination to survive to marry the girl he met in the Tattooist’s queue at Auschwitz, is the book’s driving force, I did find it a difficult read despite its happy ending.

Blues and Twos

Congratulations to Tracy and PC Will Diamond as they welcome their new twins, Finlay (left) - and Blair, who is the older by two minutes. The wee lads look great in Constabulary blue!

CLACHAN COTTTAGE HOTEL ONE OF SCOTLAND’S ICONIC SETTINGS ON THE SHORE OF LOCH EARN The Clachan has been here for a long time, tending to travellers and residents alike - and is now the largest hotel in the area, boasting deluxe bedrooms and amazing loch view rooms.

Spring is coming - but the evenings are still chilly, so snuggle up in front of our blazing log burner...

Try our ‘smoked venison with grilled wild mushrooms’ accompanied by one of our 20 trendy gins.

Sample our fresh scallops from Loch Broome - and finish off with an old favourite: home made sticky toffee pudding, smothered with butterscotch sauce.

Hotel residents can take advantage of our free bikes or canoes to really explore the surrounding countryside. This gives our overseas visitors the chance to see Cycle Route 7 without the hassle of travelling with bikes.

Weddings and small functions are hosted by the Clachan.

Our stunning setting provides the perfect backdrop for those all important videos or photos.

Clachan Cottage Hotel • Lochside, Lochearnhead • Perthshire FK19 8PU info@clachancottagehotel.co.uk • 01567 830300 5

The

St Fillans Bit

Burns... and Birds... and Other Things First, our recent Village activities. The bi-annual Burns Night was held in Sandison Hall on 26 January. It was chaired by Russell Cunningham, who, in his introduction began with typical selfdeprecating humour by noting that the Bard had been born in 1759, “which was about the same time that planning for the Village playpark started”. More on that topic later, but his comment was greeted with much amusement and set the tone for an evening, which, while holding fast to the traditional elements of the Supper, introduced many lighter touches. Our thanks to all the key contributors. The address to the Haggis was delivered by Community Council Chairman, Richard Graham, the Immortal Memory was delivered by Alex Duncan our local Burn’s enthusiast, the Toast to the Lassies by Norman Butter and the reply by Sheila Cramond. Musical entertainment was jointly provided by Rico Hollas and myself, and was performed during and in support of sections of the Immortal Memory and the Toast to the Lassies.

A bit different, but received comment was positive. Poems To a Louse and Holy Willie’s Prayer were performed by Graham McWilliams and Dave Pryde respectively, with Dave regaling us from a temporary pulpit as pictured below - and Graham joking that he might borrow it for Sunday Service.

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I attended the first of two Birdwatching Walks around the Village organised

by Aquila Ecology. It was led by Andrea’s partner Terry, who amazed us by advising us which birds we were hearing, but not at the time seeing. He could have been telling us anything, but when we got there/saw them, he was always correct. It was truly educative to be introduced to three species of birds I had never knowingly seen before, all within 200 yards of my house! If you have any interest in birdlife, I would heartily recommend taking part in one of these events. It is a revelation.

Another Villagers’ Walk organised by Ruth Graham was held on 10th February - this time around Loch Monzievaird. The weather all that week had been poor, but that day somehow the sun shone and there was a fabulous turn out of villagers and friends as can be seen in the photo at the top of the page. All enjoyed the walk around the Loch and learnt a little of the history about Castle Cluggy along the way.

There are further birdwatching events and village walks planned for the near future and more - updated details can be found on the Village Website: www. stfillanscc.org.uk. As I write this, the March dates are Birding on 8th and 22nd and the next walk will be from Lochearnhead to Mhor 84 on the 9th.

Out of the blue in late January, came the news that Brad and Zelda had sold the Achray. The new owners are Laura Muirhead and Panu Lehti. Laura hails from Edinburgh and Panu comes from Finland. They were able to attend Burns Night, it was good to meet them and equally good for them to undergo a “St Fillans experience”. They took ownership as the hotel reopened in mid-February after its winter shutdown and have since been busy benefitting from a structured handover from Brad. I am expecting to meet up with them in due course to learn a bit more about them and their hopes and plans for the Hotel, all of which I will share next month. For their

part, Brad and Zelda have moved up to a house close to Lochearnhead, so will continue to be our neighbours.

There are also exciting changes in The Four Seasons Hotel, which has also reopened for the season with some fresh faces in front of house. Susan is also welcoming the return of Head Chef Chris Temple later in the month. Chris worked with Susan for a short spell last summer. In the interim, Susan has Ash Martin as Guest Chef for March. During his tenure, in addition to the traditional menu he will offer Chinese Delicacies.

March will also bring a Food and Wine Pairing, and a Mother’s Day Celebration.

I understand that Susan is also looking forward to providing US Style Brunch on Bank Holiday weekends starting April.

Read more in the Four Seasons insertion this month.

Both hotels are utilising the village website and inter-village email to provide updated information about their planned events.

St Fillans Golf Clubhouse is opening for the Season on Thursday 28 March.

Catering will again be provided (as last year) by “Nutritious and Delicious” and will be available from that day.

I did make reference at the beginning to the Playpark. You remember – that’s the one first thought of in 1759. Well, it has started…...!!!

I am not going to tempt fate by giving an expected completion/opening date but will revisit it next month.

Finally, it would appear that the Parishes and Communities of Comrie and St Fillans (Dundurn) are losing the services of Rev. Dr. McWilliams, or Graham as we all know him, to the Parishes of Fairlie and Largs on the West Coast. Graham will preach his last service as Minister in Dundurn Church on March 3. While he will be greatly missed, Villagers understand that he has been called to a Church closer to his home and wish him Good Luck and God Speed in his future endeavours.

Bruce

A Day in The Life of...

Luke Graham MP Sometimes parliament can feel a bit far away even when MPs are taking decisions that impact our everyday life. I therefore thought it might be useful and, I hope, interesting to give you an idea of what the average day in the life of an MP might look like.

While it is worth saying that no two days in Parliament are exactly the same, I still try to stick to a routine. My day often starts at 6.30am with a WhatsApp message from the Whips informing me of the days upcoming events. I will usually try to fit in a run, circuits or phone call with colleagues before getting into the office for 8.30am.

My team and I all have a conference call at 8.45am to catch up on where everyone is with their work, any upcoming issues we need to address, and to keep everyone informed of any developments about which we all need to be aware.

These can last anywhere between five to twenty minutes, depending on how busy we all are; often the busier we are, the shorter the call is!

After that, if I don’t have any meetings to attend, I try to get through any paperwork that is on my desk. This can be anything from reading through casework and signing letters to discussing any forthcoming legislation, of which I need to be aware, with my staff.

Depending on the day, I then have regular meetings in my diary. For example, on Monday’s I meet with Cabinet Office Ministers, for whom I am the Parliamentary Private Secretary (‘PPS’ in parliamentary parlance), where we discuss the department’s policies, priorities or legislation we will be introducing. However, on Tuesday’s I will meet with my other Scottish MP colleagues, where we might discuss Scotland-specific issues on which we wish to work together as a group.

I have recently been appointed as PPS for Ministry of Housing Communities & Local Government also. Although PPS’ are often known as the “bag-carriers” of government, the roles give a good chance to push constituency and Scottish issues straight to ministers and input in policy that isn’t available to most backbenchers.

Although my working day starts at 6.30 in the morning, the House of Commons doesn’t start sitting until 2.30pm

on a Monday, 11.30am Tuesday and Wednesday, and 9.30 on a Thursday or sitting Friday. This doesn’t mean we don’t start working until then, it just allows us to do some of our work, which goes on outside of the Chamber throughout the day, before the House starts sitting.

Every sitting day starts with departmental questions, which rotate on a six-week basis. As a PPS I am involved in supporting the ministers in answering the questions whenever my department’s rotation comes around.

When I am not a PPS, I will try to ask my own questions about the issues that are important to Ochil and South Perthshire.

One of the key issues I am currently championing is making sure Scotland is included in the UK Agriculture Bill, to provide clarity and certainty for our farmers and rural communities.

Depending on the debate, I will either try to give a speech or intervene on a colleague, or else I will attend meetings, either with department ministers or with representatives of external organisations who are active in our constituency.

Recently, I have been meeting with representatives from the banks, Post Office, and renewable energy companies, all with interests in the issues and challenges facing our constituency.

Towards the end of the afternoon, I often try to pop back up to my office to deal with the paperwork that has come throughout the day. My team get through a great deal of constituent case work and research every day, and there is often as much waiting for me in the afternoon as there is the next morning.

Debates in the House of Commons often start mid-afternoon and are known to run to 10pm at night. Although I try and get in as many debates as possible, it is always a balancing act between meetings, constituent case work and on-going campaigns. After the particular debate is done, the House then decides

The Four Seasons Hotel St Fillans

It is all change at The Four Seasons with new staff both in the front of house and in our busy kitchen brigade preparing for all the following events’.

29th March we are following a South American theme for our Food and Wine Pairing Evening for £75 per person - just a nod to the day’s Other big event!

30th & 31st March - we are celebrating Mother’s Day with a Strawberry Cream Tea Brunch will be available in true American Style over bank holiday weekends (Easter, May and August) 18th May we will be celebrating World Whisky Day with a date in our diaries with Chivas regal’s Master Blender, Colin Scott - an evening not to be missed.

Full details can be found on our website or by calling the hotel on 01764 685333.

whether or not to vote – if the issue is contentious, then the House will “divide”.

Often the media only cover votes on the major issues, such as Brexit, but there are actually often multiple votes every day, with each vote taking around fifteen minutes each to be completed. We have eight minutes to get to the voting lobbies and then another 5-7 minutes for the votes to be counted before the result is announced.

So many times I have heard the system of voting criticised, with many asking why we waste the 10-15 minutes for each vote, but being in the voting lobby actually gives back bench MPs their best chance to access ministers – so if you have written to a minister about a constituency issue and not received a reply (Continued on page 19) 7

BLS NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION

Minutes of the 26th Annual General Meeting held at The White Stag on 12 February 2019.

Present: Jill Johnston (JJ) (Chair), Ali Calder (AC), Gill Waugh (GW), Andrew Poulter (AP), Andrea Poulter (AnP), David Johnston (DJ) (Minutes), Richard Harris (RH), Bruce Montgomery (BM). Apologies: Wullie Dalziel.

Welcome and Introductions At 19:30 the Chair welcomed all those attending the 26th AGM. Previous Minutes The minutes from the previous meeting were distributed and, once read by those present, were accepted as a true record of the 255h AGM. Their adoption was proposed by AF and seconded by GW. Matter Arising There were no matters arising from the previous minutes.

Editor’s Report JJ said: “This is version 5 I think and that does not take into account all the ones I have mentally composed in the middle of the nights. Having previously had a penchant for beginning with a political allusion it would be easy to simply say” It’s all because of Brexit” and perhaps we could just come back next month, and all will be milk and honey in the land of the lochs and glens. However, being Editor, or Boss lady as Wullie would have said if he was here, does mean standing up and taking the responsibility for our current position. Listening to a recent report on local real papers one compared the role of an editor as being that of a custodian, a comparison that resonated as I feel I am here until I can pass this Rolex or is that a Chalice, poisoned or otherwise, on to the next mad soul who thinks it cannot be the 21st of the month again and time to harass all our lovely regular correspondents/contributors. The report also highlighted the dichotomy we all face being acutely challenged by dwindling revenues from both advertising and numbers actually sold balanced by the enduring charm of newsprint, the rustle of real paper and the sinking back in the chair to read and doze over at your leisure.

So, for now I am consigning all the grim news to later reports, might as well blame everyone-else, and concentrate on the positives. We do still produce the paper 11 times where we reflect on “the everyday life of country folk”. And we advertise as many village events as we can and then have reports and photos to show the fun there is still in village life, here I must give a special mention to SF who seem to be doing a grand PR job for any local estate agents promoting their unique events and adopting the Love Village as their slogan. We constantly look for new features, this year we had ‘A day in the Life Of’ and also some articles connected to The Year of Young People, and thanks here are due to Kim Provan the wonder woman of Lochearnhead and LETI. I do feel we need more articles to make us think/question our entrenched or preconceived ideas about our world and I know I often feel challenged by ‘Musings from the Manse’ for instance. I also love it when a story of yester- year pops into either the traditional post box or the email so please dear readers keep them coming. We are hoping, now that the primary school has its super extended building, to work with the children and find some budding journalists to regale us with stories and reflections on school life and the exciting plans they have for the next few months.

Our continued existence will be dependent on overcoming several challenges, mainly financial ones so, before I hand over to the rest of the Team, I just need to thank them all for their work and continued support over the last year and to thank once more our wonderful advertisers without whom nothing would be possible.”

Production Report GW said: There have been no major changes since last year. We have now had a whole year of The Villagers being the smaller size of 24 pages. Putting each issue together takes a minimum of two days; as I find myself having new responsibilities to manage and (come March) I will have been laying out The Villagers for 10 years, it is probably time to start looking for someone else to take over production.

Accounts The accounts were distributed and showed an operating loss of £1,532.22 and a bank balance of £5,547.21. In reality because the printers were slow in submitting invoices there was an extra invoice to come in making the loss in the region of £2,000.00 Andrew Poulter asked for a vote of thanks to be recorded for Rory Gilchrist who had once again audited the accounts.

The accounts were adopted with DJ proposing and RH seconding.

Advertising AP reported that they had lost some advertisers and the paper could do with someone who had time to seek out new advertisers.

A number of charts which illustrated the downward trend in sales, and losses in advertising were then circulated and discussed.

It was proposed by DJ that we should explore a dedicated campaign to persuade people to move to a digital edition of the paper thus reducing printing costs and hopefully encouraging a rise in circulation through the development of a modern website and subscription service. This would require a careful planning and marketing campaign and the recruitment of someone to build the web website.

Action: JJ to pull together a small team to develop the concept of moving the paper to a digital subscription service which could still include a small number of print copies.

Local Reports Strathyre – no report.

Balquhidder - no report.

Lochearnhead – AC reported that it was still difficult to obtain information about Lochearnhead activities and asked how the book reviews she was sending in were received. The consensus was that they are well received and a valuable addition.

St Fillans – BM reported that he had been lucky when he started writing for The Villagers that there was a lot going on - and his being involved in many activites makes it easy to write pieces. He is happy to continue. There is quite a lot of new blood coming into the village, so he is hoping to get them involved.

Meeting closed at 20:31.

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OBITUARY

William MacFarlane Hendry

Billy, as he was known when a boy, was born on the12th of August in Overgogar in Ratho. His whole life revolved round the farming life but could have been a tragically short one as he fell into a cesspool outside the byre door when he was only four, and was saved by wearing a thick winter coat which opened on either side of him and kept him afloat until he was pulled out. The next year he contracted polio and was in hospital for a long time. His right arm was very weakened as a result of this, but Willie taught himself to write with his left hand and certainly never used it as an excuse to try and get out of any of the hard physical work on the farms which were his life’s work. Marianne said he had no hobbies; he had the old-fashioned outlook on life where you worked hard and doing nothing during the day was severely frowned upon.

His first farm was Keith Hill Farm in East Lothian where he started with eight cows and in the first year unfortunately six died.

This inauspicious start did not deter him, however. He had a knack of buying cattle no one else wanted but he could see their potential - and how, after a few months on his grass, they would develop. He also had thousands of sheep over his lifetime and was the last farmer to graze sheep on Holyrood Park. He would put the lambs on Arthur’s Seat in the autumn and they were good and fat by the spring. One of the conditions imposed was that if the Queen was going to be in residence all the sheep droppings had to be removed so that there was no danger of the Royal feet being tainted. Edinburgh council terminated this contract in 1976.

In 1978 he made the move to Immeroin and began the task of buying the thousands of sheep which all had to be

dosed, jagged and put out to feed on fields all over Fife, Dundee and Stirling areas as well as in Balquhidder. In all this he was supported by his beloved Olwen whom he married in 1960. Family life on the farm with his sons David and John and then grandsons remained the centre of his life. He was a very private man (never liking his photo to be taken, for instance) and happiest with his “bonnet on, wellies or boots, checked shirt, corduroy trousers and his farmers jacket, never buttoned up even in the pouring rain as he claimed he struggled breathing with his jacket shut.”

Olwyn died in November and the family feel they can take some comfort from the fact that they are together again. The end of an era - but there’s a new generation of Hendrys working hard to continue his legacy, albeit with some new methods but with the same hard-working principles and ethos which made him so proud.

More Ramblings about Dundurn Parish Mill of Dundurn

Set on the banks of the River Earn about half a mile east of the village: William Drummond, Chamberlain of Strathearn, mentions in 1497 the Meal Mill as being newly built, and let to Finlayso Phylopsoune for three years at a rent of £22 (Finlays original name had been McNab, and he was afterwards referred to as Finlay McNab alias Philpsone). A Later sasine from 5th April 1552 shows that the lands of Dundurn, with the mill, and, excepting the lands of Easter Dundurn was given to Jacob Chesholme, afterwards known as Sir James Chisholm of Dundurn.

During the next three hundred years, the Mill passed through a number of tenants, the last Meal miller being Duncan McIntyre.

In 1861 the tenancy was taken by Alexander Menzies, from Fortingall, who transformed it into a sawmill. Sadly his grandson Duncan, aged 4, was drowned in 1873, it was supposed that while crossing the lade to the garden behind the mill; he lost his footing, stumbled off the planks composing the rough bridge and fell into the water, the river being swollen with recent heavy rain his body was carried downriver to the pool at Kindrochat Bridge. The mill was occupied by Alexander’s descendants, until shortly before the death of Charles Stewart Menzies in 1969. This family have an unmarked lair in the old Kirk-yard.

John Hall of Stirling composed the following lines in 1943. Alas I have no knowledge of his connection to the Mill, but it would appear he knew the area The Old Crook well.

The Mill in 1839

Dundurn Mill There’s a sma snod Perthshire hame-sted, That has stood the stress o’ years, It has heard the lilt o’ laughter, An’ has felt the saut o’ tears.

Juist a humble hamely housie, ‘Mangst the toozie stots an’ sheep, Keep’in guaird ower that we kirk yaird, Whaur the old folk lie asleep.

Burdens drappit, soond they slumber In god’s acre in the strath; An’ I dander in the gloamin’ Wast the byre an’ doon the path Tae the dry stane dyke, like sheep fauld, That the ruifless kirk surrounds; An’ I feel in tune wi’ Nature, As I drink in a’ her sounds.

Noo I harken to the laughter O the burnie on the hill, As it loups juist like a laddie, At the skailin o’ the schule: An’ I watch the creepin’ shadows, In the slowly deein’ licht, An’ my soul is awed wi’ wonder At the miracle o’ night.

I can hear the wheelin’ peaseweeps, As they pipe each, to its mate; An’ I lean, engrossed in fancies, On the old ramshackle gate.

Hoo I lo’e each heich an hollow!

Fine I ken each ditch an’ stane, An’ my love could be nae warmer, Were the hale domain my ain:

Ye maun ken I’m free to wander Ower the knowes an’ by the lade: An’ the image o’ that millhoose Will frae mem’ry never fade.

An’ then whiles, as if to cheer me.

Hoo that creakin’ wheel will turn, Singin’ wi’ its splashin’ water Heist ye back tae “Auld Dundurn.”

Noo I ettle, yet a wheen times, Gaun tae that hoose ‘mang the broom; But when I sleep my last lang sleep In my ain we narrow room, I’d like, when life’s chapters ended, An’ ive heard that grand ‘Amen,’ To rest juist yont the old mill wheel, In the shadow o’ the Ben.

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Pin-Feathers*

*Once in demand by Victorian miniaturists, the tiny pin-feather comes from the leading edge of a woodcock’s wing and only two such feathers occur on each bird (one on each wing).

This month, Old Nyati writes about a heartbreaking truth which affects us all.

After last month’s admission of the ‘Big Eight-O’ it seemed a good idea to continue with a few memories of the past 80-odd years in the countryside. Let us think about the present plight of wildlife and of the countryside and country ways.

When I was a very small boy living on a small family dairy farm in Derbyshire things were very different to what we see today.

Let us start with cropping. The grazing land was all old pasture full of wild flowers and herbs with a few fields of wheat or oats, green crops of potatoes, turnips and mangolds - all winter fodder for the cattle. As regards wildlife there were natural populations everywhere.

The old pasture herbage supported a huge number of insects, many varieties of butterflies and moths and invertebrates, field voles and moles. These latter creatures were trapped to prevent damage to the grass cutting machine with their heaps of tunnel soil and the skins were used to make gentlemen’s waistcoats, a useful source of pin money.

There were many resident species of birds in the fields: curlews, skylarks, peewits, rooks, starlings, grey partridges and pheasants - with always the seasonal cuckoo. I do recall a few weeks’ visit along the stream where bittern, moorhens and mallards nested on the field ponds, with the occasional snipe in a boggy corner. There were many rooks which thrived on the invertebrates in the old turf. A few carrion crows and magpies too; these were kept under control as protection for the nests, eggs and young of all the others. All around were lots of rabbits, hares and woodpigeons, some which, in the winter, would be shot as an addition to the pot.

The farmyards and buildings were alive with swallows, martins, house sparrows and always a resident barn owl which in turn controlled the mice and voles around the farm. Tawny and little owls would often be seen. Kestrels worked the fields and fed on the abundance of voles too.

There were water voles in the streams and ponds, frogs in abundance - with both crested and smooth newts. Huge flock of fieldfares and redwings came in the winter to feed on hedgerow berries.

But what happened to all that in the last 80 years? They have almost all gone now.

Back in the late 1950s and onwards the UK was desperately short of home-produced food, so the government introduced subsidies to farmers to increase production. So, changes began to happen, and I was one of the guilty ones. In order to make a living and, driven by ambition, the old pastures were ploughed up and reseeded with fast growing ryegrasses, 10

hedges were dug out, drains were laid, and ponds filled in.

But... pause for a moment. Because of my interest in shooting and working gun dogs, I saved our ponds and some of the waste land because it was good habitat for game, especially wild duck and rabbits - so I could take an occasional one for the pot. Excellent training for the gundogs too. Early days of shooting and conservation? But sadly, I was mostly alone in this idea so the destruction in most other areas carried on.

It is sad to see now that a hedgerow tree is never left like it used to be by the farmer trimming the hedge with a slasher. The modern machine cuts everything off just at a time when the harvest of berries and seeds are needed by the birds. The next generation may well see a countryside almost bereft of hedgerow oak, ash and sycamore trees.

Now, what about the Balquhidder Glen over the last 30 odd years of my life there?

Still a haven of much original old pasture land, birch scrub, Atlantic oak, yew, and some fine specimens of original wellingtonia and Douglas fir. But none are being planted in replacement, are they? Just huge hillside blocks of sterile Sitka spruce.

Golden eagles have gone from Balquhidder Glen along with blackgame and grouse.

Carrion crows abound, foxes, mink and pine

martens add to predation of ground nesting birds.

But on a better note there are places where one can still find a number of quite rare butterflies. I once saw the very interesting caterpillar of the elephant hawk moth, quite a weird thing. You may still see a few swallows, martins and bats, but they all rely on old buildings or something similar to nest in.

These are now in short supply.

Who remembers car windscreens being covered with squashed insects in the summertime? What has happened there? No insects, fewer birds etc.

Is it too late to do anything about all this loss - perhaps we need a wake-up call?

I recall seeing a memorial stone to an eminent African conservationist on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania with the epitaph “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”.

In the last 80 years what has the world population reached, what will it reach in the next 80 years? Will there be massive human starvation, climatic and political migration? It is nature’s way.

In the museum of the Zambian town of Livingstone on the Zambezi, there is a very tall mirror and as you look into it the inscription reads, “The greatest threat to the planet earth!”

Balquhidder Church News MUSINGS FROM THE MANSE

A Note from St Angus .... And I continue to ponder from the pew…...

With Burns night not far behind I’ve been pondering on his poem To a Louse with its familiar words “O wad some Power the giftie gie us, to see oursels as others see us...”

The poem was a result of Burns’ ponderings in church - on a louse loitering along the hat of the lady in the pew in front (must have been a boring sermon!).

I was speaking to an agnostic friend of mine recently who feels the Church is out of touch with modern thinking and far too hidebound by tradition.

Is she right? Are we trying to escape in our nostalgia to a time which we feel – probably erroneously – that life was so much better? Could we be hampering the work of the Holy Spirit by a need to hang on to the comfort of the familiar? This brings to mind that amusing if hard-hitting parody of the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers...

Like a mighty tortoise moves the Church of God, Brothers we are treading where we’ve often trod.

We are much divided Many bodies we Having different doctrines But not much charity.

Maybe we should reflect on this not just as a Church but as individuals too.

How much does our Church reflect the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how much do I? It has made for painful ponderings.

Anger, Culture and Chill-Out Pills!

Have you noticed recently how angry our society seems to be at the moment?

Everybody’s talking and no-one is listening. Outrage, offended feelings, sarcasm, pointed comments, insults, innuendos, accusations, downright rudeness... and that is just breakfast television! Heated exchanges seem to be everywhere with interruptions and “talking over” the other person being the usual tactic. Sometimes you wonder why the presenter is even there as they often seem irrelevant, as well as being ineffective as referees in the exchanges.

From politics to sport and entertainment, from road rage to internet websites and social media, from activists and campaigners of all sorts to newspaper articles, books, radio and TV shows, everyone seems to be at war!

Now don’t get me wrong, many subjects are important and people are right to feel passionate about certain issues, but we are in danger of making this into a spectator sport, or turning many people off completely with their subsequent disengagement - the result of cynicism and scepticism. This is, sadly, counter-productive to a healthy society. Recently, I heard the following quotation. “Some folks need to take a chill-out pill... and even better, some people need to choke on theirs!” Despite being funny it does make the point that we often see the problem in other folks and not in ourselves. I grew up in a working class housing estate so the “red mist” can come down on me very quickly…not ideal if one is wearing a clerical collar!

When I was young and wanting to change the world I was the proverbial “angry young man” but now, as my wife often reminds me I’m just a “grumpy old git.” Over the years I have often meditated on the Bible verse “Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger, for human anger does not work the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19, 20). This has helped me on many an occasion.

Before we get angry or annoyed with others regarding what they do or say let us remember a few things. First, people can be just as passionate as we are on a given subject and just as perplexed at us as we are at them. In a democracy, that is allowed. Second, we rarely know what is going on in someone’s life and what they are dealing with. So before we react strongly and negatively to their words or actions it is always wise to give them the benefit of the doubt and cut them some slack. Hopefully we will receive the same consideration from others when we need it. Third, although it might be hard to contemplate, there may be occasions when we are “wrong”: it is just that we don’t know it! Fourth, we may be responding to what we think someone said, wrote or did, but we don’t have the full story or the full context.

Interpretation requires both plus accurate quoting, something often ignored, misused and abused by the media in quite unprofessional ways. The result is a storm of social protest or criticism where the whole issue grows arms and legs and consists of further responses to original responses to a misquotation or misrepresentation or misunderstanding of what actually was said or written… if you get my gist! Fifth, we need to beware of the weaponisation of words.

When I was a child there was a ditty which went “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never harm me.” Unfortunately, that is not true.

“Words” can wound deeply and disturbingly. Whenever a teenager commits suicide as a result of online bullying we realise just how true and awful this can be. Character assassination is commonplace online and in the media and it shows the darker side of humanity. We need to beware of the personalisation of any criticism we have regarding an issue or subject that we hold strong opinions on. Lastly, it is always wise, after anger or annoyance has been aroused by someone, to pause before we respond. This can be as simple as taking a deep breath or counting to ten when in the presence of the offending person or, alternatively, “sleeping” on it if we are thinking of sending an email or making a phone call. Do it later - we might be surprised how different the response can be because of this.

Life is often messy and complex and to navigate our way through requires wisdom and grace.

Russel May the Good lord grant us these.

11

Clare’s Threads of Life Threads of Life: A History of the World through the Eye of a Needle, is the full title of the first book by Clare Hunter.

I kept hearing on the radio about it being Radio 4’s Book of the Week and then how Clare was going to be interviewed on Woman’s Hour and Radio Scotland.

Feeling rather daunted by such luminaries I asked Clare if she could share some thoughts with The Villagers.

Over coffee and admiring the view from the Old Schoolhouse in Balquhidder, she took me through the journey from her initial thoughts to the publication of her book which ranges from the Bayeux Tapestry to Hattie’s Quilt in Balquhidder.

The book consists of 16 chapters which Clare said reflects the structure she had first used to organise the stories she knew or had heard of. They seemed to fall naturally into different chapter headings. They include themes such as Power, Community, Art, Loss and Voice, the final chapter where Clare pulls together her final threads. All the chapters contain personal stories, but they also reflect universal experiences across centuries and through different cultures.

The book took Clare about three and a half years to write. It began when she was doing a Masters at Dundee University in Writing Study and Practice and chose the theme of sewing for her final dissertation. This was well received, and her tutor had said she should make a book of it. So, Clare’s journey began. She has always had an interest in history and discovered that she loved doing the research for the book. It became a labour of love. With so much information available now online she could do a lot of her research on the computer at home, but she still needed to find books in the library, talk to Textile curators and visit museums to verify and corroborate the things she found out about.

Clare was surprised how many stories and amazing coincidences arose from friends who, when they found out that she was writing a book about sewing, had their own story to share, one example being an old friend John Cummings who told her about his mother’s experiences in the prisoner-of-war camp in Changi, Singapore. The women embroidered quilts ostensibly for the prison hospital but cleverly inserted their signatures and images of home into their sewn squares to send messages to their husbands and fathers in the adjoining camp. The quilts recorded their own plight and their making kept up their spirits. She discovered that Tony, a neighbour of John’s, was the son of an army Major had also turned to embroidery during his internment in Germany during World War Two. He stitched letters and bookmarks for his wife and son and Tony invited Clare to his home where he had his father’s embroideries displayed on the walls, although he said his father had never talked about his sewing once he returned safely home. There are in the book other examples of how people in wartime used sewing to tell of their experiences. One of the most poignant is that of a young Dutch POW who was forced to become a ‘comfort woman’ for Japanese soldiers. She

12

embroidered a handkerchief with her own and the signatures of the other girls sharing her ordeal and secretly kept it for the next 50 years as a relic of terror and survival.

Clare then explained how very lucky she had been when first starting on the voyage to actually getting her book printed. The Scottish Book Week were running a scheme for 8 writers to be given a chance to pitch their books to Jenny Brown, Scotland’s main literary agent. Applicants had to write a piece about their book and submit it on-line and the 8 were then chosen to meet Jenny in Waterstones in Edinburgh. Clare confessed it was a very nervous ten minutes with Jenny and she left

Here’s an extract from Threads of Life: A History of the World through the Eye of a Needle Connections It is 2011 and Harriet’s eighteenth birthday. Her mother wants to give her something special to take away with her on what is to be a new adventure - leaving the farm in Perthshire where she grew up in a remote rural glen, for the urban excitement of Glasgow. Harriet’s mother enlists the help of family, friends and neighbours to secretly sew a patchwork quilt which, through small, individually designed squares, will be an intimate and personal capturing of the different strands of Harriet’s life.

There is a stitched version of the Pythagoras theory made by her maths teacher; hearts in the clan tartans of both sides of her family; the embroidered house number of her new flat in Glasgow and the cross-stitched street view of where she sometimes stays with friends in Edinburgh; her Dad has appliquéd his red tractor; her Mum, a reproduction of a much loved photo of Harriet, bare bottomed at the age of two, trying to round up sheep. Among all these are other references and mementoes of her life so far: horses and thistles, fabric-printed selfies. Her interests, hopes and friendships all gathered together in a personal biography of family and friendship made by those who wish her well.

On her birthday Harriet receives her quilt. Its makers gather at the house for a celebration and to see, for the first time, what others have made, how their piece fits into Harriet’s story. For Harriet, the quilt is an unexpected gift of farewell and fortune, made by those who have helped shape her life.

It is an album of connection to places and people, redolent with personal bonds and special memories.

Kasia’s Co okin’... Poppy Seed Cake

Clare

a copy of one chapter with her. Clare was amazed to receive an email that evening from Jenny saying she loved the chapter, and could Clare send more.

This then led to Jenny saying she would like to represent her which meant that Jenny would do all the negotiations on Clare’s behalf with publishers.

Over a period of two years various publishers were interested but each wanted something different changed or a different emphasis given to various sections. One was keen for Clare to make it more personal, but Clare did not want to go down the road of making it read like ‘my life in sewing.’ That summer she worked hard on the book, rewriting and refocusing it, and then Jenny sent it back out to publishers. Clare was amazed to receive three offers. She feels she was very lucky to choose Spectre, a new imprint of the publisher Hodder & Stoughton because, as this was one of their first books, she received a lot of support and encouragement.

Once you find a publisher you are assigned an editor and again Clare feels she was fortunate to be taken in hand

by Juliet Brooke, a hard task master in the best of ways, who gave Clare expert advice on re-working chapters and providing more background to different stories to make it the book it has become. It was finally published on the 7th of February and the majority of its reviews have been very kind. To have it chosen as Radio 4’s Book of the Week was incredible, particularly for a first book by an unknown author about the rather obscure topic of sewing! Clare has emerged from her hermit existence of writing from 6.30 a.m. until nighttime for months on end, a private world, into a very different world of interviews and media attention. She has already had her first sell-out book event for the Arts Fund in Edinburgh and has invitations to Book Festivals and literary events throughout this coming year.

Just to make sure she will not get bored or complacent with all the plaudits which have already come her way for her writing, Clare is busy doing a Masters in Historical Research at Stirling University. This is one step she feels is essential to help her write her next book based on Mary Queen of Scots and her embroidery!

Many congratulations, Clare.

JJ

This cake was very popular in Poland in the 80-90s. It is not complicated, and it is very tasty and moist.

Perfect for a quick dessert.

Składniki (Ingredients): 4 eggs 1 cup of flour 1 cup of sugar 1 cup of poppy seeds 250g butter 2 tsp baking powder The first step is optional.

Dry poppy seeds can be used, soaked seeds will be less crunchy and softer.

Soak the poppy seeds in hot water for around 10-20min and drain afterwards.

Whip the egg yolks with sugar. Melt the butter add to the egg mixture. Add flour mixed with baking powder, whip the egg whites, add to the mixture.

Add poppy seeds, mix to incorporate all the ingredients. Transfer into the 30x20cm form lined with baking paper and bake for 30 min at 180C or until the wooden pick comes out dry after inserting into the cake.

Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Enjoy! Smacznego!

Do You Make Things?

Do you paint, draw or create?

We would like you to share in a community event in September!

The Village Hall in Strathyre will be an art and craft hub for the Perthshire Open Studios this year. It will showcase the creativity in the area. Works will be for sale or for show only.

Initially we would like you to indicate if you have an interest in this venture leaving your contact details: Name, email address and telephone number at the Village Shop or with Archie Scott at archie@zoolou.co.uk

Indian ChampissageTM Scotland

Ayurvedic Treatments Head Massage ~ Kansa Vatki Foot Massage ~ Natural Facelift Massage ~ Rejuvenating Neal’s Yard Organic Facials

Weekend Head Massage Certificate/ Diploma Courses in Balquhidder GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE

Also award-winning ethical, organic NEAL’S YARD beauty products

www.indianchampiscotland.com 07796 327765

13

Mother’s Ruin this March at Monachyle

This March one of Scotland’s most iconic hotels is giving Mother’s Day a facelift, while breathing new life into old skills and traditions.

Monachyle Mhor Hotel, located in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, will be celebrating with a weekend of activities, from hedge laying and drystone walling to gin and whisky pairing.

In 2019, we all know a woman’s place is no more in the kitchen than it is weilding an axe by the woodpile, and in recognition of this, Mother’s Day weekend will see creators and makers from across the country come together and share their skills in the grounds of Monachyle Mhor Hotel.

Stevie Donne of the National Hedge laying Society will be on hand Saturday the 30th of March to pass on his hedge laying skills and, not to discriminate against other forms of traditional, countryside partition building, Stevie will also lead a drystone walling demo.

Also, on Saturday, there will be an introduction to mead making, wood working, basket making, upholstery, foraging and Mhor besides! Teas, coffees and fish and chips will provide sustenance, alongside a selection of baked goods from Mhor Bread.

The Woodland Trust will be on hand to share information on conservation, tree planting and their own projects, as will representative of the National Parks. For those who like to enjoy nature in a more active way, there will be archery and clay pigeon shooting on both days.

And, in keeping with the Mhor Collection’s calendar of events, the 31st of March will see the 4th Mhor Wine and Whisky Safari take place, this time with mother’s ruin thrown into the mix.

Taking place twice a year, as the clocks change, the Mhor Wine & Whisky Safari leads guests on a 6-mile wander of Balquhidder Glen, skirting Loch Voil and passing Rob Roy’s grave. Starting out from Mhor 84 and finishing up at Monachyle, guests will enjoy regular refreshments stops and the chance to soak up some of the country’s very best views.

Entry to the Rural Skills Day at Monachyle Mhor is free. Individual classes may be chargeable on the day.

To join the Wine, Whisky and Gin Safari tickets are £55 and places can be booked by emailing monachyle@mhor.net or by calling our reception team on 01877 384 622.

Scottish Wildlife Trust CALLANDER LOCAL GROUP TALKS PROGRAMME 2018-19 Meetings start at 7:30pm Kirk Hall, Church St, Callander FK17 8BN Tuesday 12th March ’19 Management of Healthy River Systems Jonathan Louis River Forth Fisheries Trust Project Officer

• Tuesday 9th April ‘19 Gardening with Wildlife + very brief AGM Suzanne Burgess, Buglife Scotland Manager Suggested donations to cover costs: Members £2, non-members £2.50 students free includes tea/coffee & biscuits Local Contact: Lesley Hawkins 01877 339080 mlhawkins@tiscali.co.uk General information available on swt.org.uk

Monachyle

MHOR

MHOR Fish

MHOR In Store

Award winning hotel and restaurant.

Chic rooms, open fires, stunning location.

Open all day, walkers welcome.

Fish & chip shop / seafood cafe.

Open Wednesday - Sunday. 12 noon to 9pm Open Tuesday - Sunday in summer.

From Kindling to Cashmere.

Open Thursday - Monday, 10am to 5pm.

Open 7 days in summer.

W www.mhor.net Balquhidder FK19 8PQ T 01877 384 622

75/77 Main Street, Callander FK17 8DX T 01877 330 213 W www.mhor.net

Kingshouse, Balquhidder, FK19 8NY T 01877 384 691 W www.mhor.net

MHOR 84

MHOR Bread

MHOR

Stylish motel with 11 rooms and 1 self catering cottage. Roaring fires, games room, great food 8am - 9pm. Live acoustic roots music every Thursday.

Kingshouse, Balquhidder, FK19 8NY T 01877 384 646 W www.mhor.net

Artisan bakery and tearoom - Open 7 days.

Tearoom 9am - 5pm.

Bakery / shop 8am - 6pm.

14

75/77 Main Street, Callander FK17 8BB T 01877 339 518 W www.mhor.net

to your door Anytime. Anyplace. Anywhere. From fish & chips to fine dining,from private to corporate events. W www.mhor.net E events@mhor.net T 01877 384 622

Callander Ramblers Club

Stirling Shopper Bus

Sponsored by Caledonian Country Wear

The Club consists of a group of enthusiasts who meet regularly throughout the year to participate in a programme of strolls, rambles, hill walks and a Long Distance Path. Details are published on incallander.co.uk/ ramblers.htm in the Ben Ledi View and on posters around Callander.

New members and guests are always welcome. Here are some dates for your diary: March Sat 2 08:30 Hill: Moncrieffe Hill (223m) Contact 01786 823086 Wed 13 09:30 Stroll: Denovan & Dales Wood (4 miles) Contact 01786 825682 Sat 23 08:30 Ramble: Invertrossachs & Loch Drunkie (11 miles) Contact 01877 382682 April Sat 6 08:30 Hill: Beinn an Fhogharaidh (616m) Contact 01877 382682 We meet in Ancaster Square, unless otherwise indicated. Please bring wet weather clothing, appropriate footwear and a packed lunch. And please let the walk leader know if you plan to join the walk via the contact number given!

Visitors and non-members welcome.

Have you used this wonderful service yet?

This was set up as a trial and has been generally well used but I am surprised by how many people still haven’t heard of it. It runs every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. At the moment it is running until May, but it is hoped it will continue after that date. It is run by First Bus (supported by Stirling Council) so it is wheelchair and pushchair accessible. Currently it is £5 return and bus passes are usable. The bus also runs live up to Tyndrum and back either side of the timetable which you can check online:

bustimes.org/services/s60-stirling-tyndrum

We personally love the direct journey, getting 4 1/2 hours in town (or Morrison’s) to do whatever we please.

If you live away from the bus stop don’t forget you can access DRT to get you there.

Don’t forget to pick up your schedule for this year’s Horticultural Show - now available at Strathyre and Lochearnhead village shops!

15

Official Opening of Our New School On Friday 8th February Strathyre Primary School was officially reopened after we had spent 18 months at McLaren High School in Callander.

All boxes were unpacked and everything put away in the correct places for the opening.

Mrs Comrie, who was the head teacher for 20 years at Strathyre between 1986 and 2006 had the pleasure of unveiling the plaque.

There were local ward councillors, Councillor Susan McGill, Convener of the Children and Young People Committee and Council Officers from the Education and Infrastructure teams also attended.

The children and staff of the school were all piped into the hall by our past pupil, Connor Ramsay Clapham and then we sang two songs that we had previously sung at our Burns celebration – Coulters Candy and Touch the Sky. After that Mrs Comrie made a speech and told us that at her time in Strathyre School she had a saying: ‘ARE YOU READY?’ and the children shouted back, ‘WE WERE BORN READY!’ Mrs Comrie then said that ‘this wonderful school was certainly ready for the 21st century.’

Keely Brydie and Oksana MacLennan were celebrating their birthdays that weekend so they got their photos taken with Mrs Comrie at the plaque.

At the end the P6 pupils were given the honour of showing people around the school. In Class 2 we had thought about words that described our new school: enormous, awesome, new, fun, epic, overwhelming, gigantic, spectacular, interesting fab, big and adventurous - were some of words we used.

This was a very special day for all the staff and pupils who have worked hard to get this school up and jumping.

Ember Mulhearn and Jack Pace Bain, P6 16

Mrs Comrie making it official!

Connor

Our New Hall

d to have to go to a big P.E hall. We use ve ha w no we l oo don’t. Our new hall At Strathyre Sch ery Monday and now we ev P.E in r ou do to ll ha d is wet playtimes we go Lochearnhea es a week in it and if it ard tim o bo y tw pla , P.E an do en Ke We . s Mr big is very anised by play a game or sport org lunches there and we can either re as well so we get our the in is en ch kit l oo sch have e we Th er at. aft ch cupboard games or sit and d up and get put in the fol t ng tha rni lea les en tab be al eci ve sp ss one ha in there on uipment for P.E and cla at eq w gre is ne It of s le. lot bb ve dri d ha an We eaten. to pass, tackle w ho ow kn w P3 no tt, Ke We . n Trista hockey with Mr Martin having so much space.

Moving

Moving was hard for everyone. There were hundreds of boxes to be moved from Callander to Strathyre. When we moved back to the school before Christmas Class 1 and Class 2 were ready for us. The cupboards and drawers were filled with everything we needed to do our work but Class 3 which is our Hub was still filled with boxes to get put in the store cupboard. Everything there eventu ally got put in the cupboard and class 3 started to get transformed into our new HUB with a robotics corner, a maker station, cool library with bean bags, compu ters, play trays which are filled with things to make a story up and there is going to be an outdoor leaning table. Outside everything is the same, we still have a play area out the front and the top woods are still the same with trees, paths and hill to run up.

The friendship hut is still there but it is filled with things until springt ime. We lost our ‘chocolate factory’ in the bottom woods but we have a new one at the very top of the school grounds and we have been given buckets and spoons for it. Our new school is great.

Poppy Mackenzie, P5

Differences between Old and New

they were at I was never at the ‘old’ Strathyre School. I just joined everyone when McLaren it At better. is school new our but good McLaren High. McLaren High was airs. downst were 1 Class and upstairs were 2 Class plan, open was it was very noisy as three have we school We could always hear what each class was doing. In our new 1 room but big classrooms. At McLaren if it was a wet playtime we had to stay in class every games t differen es organis Keenan Mrs and now we can go to the new P.E hall to had we es sometim but good was n McLare at und playgro The time for us to play. und playgro the have we share it with the high school children but now at Strathyre It’s great to ourselves and it is great. We have a mixture of trees, hill and a flat area. s, P4 Hutchin Lewis re!

Strathy at being for playing tig and hiding. I prefer

What I Like

wee class quieter than being at McLaren. The I like that’s it’s a calmer school! It is re are g.

- now we can’t hear anythin The big could hear us and we could hear them the aren McL at classroom in Strathyre but er, corridors and doors in between the bigg is ol scho new Our rs. there were no doo re class was above the wee class and The s. room e mor are e ther and py, friendly the it’s eco-friendly. It is amazing, fun, hap as wn kno . In the spare classroom which is is also a lift and an amazing PE hall ch I enjoy. Our new school is great! whi MIC hub we have a robotic station Uisdean Cameron, P5

Transport in the Trossachs

Robotics

Robotics

We went to the Robotics competition at McLaren High School. Tabitha, Anna, Violette Mackenzie and myself had to build a robot and programme it to go around a course themed like space. Mr Martin helped us as it was very difficult to programme and it took lots of tries to get it right. We were very nervous about the competition as we had never done anything like this before. We went round all the entries and praised them all.

In the competition we came third.

Jenna Sneddon, P4

Riverside Museum

Old method of transport!

One of our topics this year was Transport in the Trossachs.

We researched this and found out lots of interesting facts. We worked with a partner a senior pupil with a junior pupil all from class 2. We had to choose two different types of transport and make up a presentation to show to everyone at the end of the topic.

This is a great way to learn, you learn through what you research for yourself and you also learn when you watch and listen to other presentations. We learnt about the old railway line between Callander and Lochearnhead.At the end of the topic we went through to the Riverside Museum which is the Transport Museum in Glasgow.

We went around in our classes and each class did a workshop.

Class 1 went to a workshop on boats, class 2 went to a workshop on old transport. We got to look through the museum, it was all very interesting.

Ember Mulhearn, P6

Our Annual Christmas Fair

Mufti Day

At the end of term we had a mufti day to raise funds for our dolphin and panda that we adopt from WWF. We get newsletters and information to let us know how our animals are doing. I hope we can raise more money for our panda and our dolphin next year. Stuart Mathieson, P4

Science ‘Friction’

Class 2 have been learning about friction in science. We have been finding out about different types of friction e.g. if you were to ski on a road the skis would barely move because roads have more friction but if you were to ski on snow the skis would go faster because snow has less friction. The next thing we tried was we got a cube and put different materials on each side of the cube, then put string around a cup and then taped the cup onto the cube.

After putting the cup on the cube each group had a bunch of weights and then the groups put the weights in the cup for each material to see how much was needed for each side to move and wrote how much weight each side took. Then two people from each group typed their results on the computer and we compared all the results.

Jack Pace-Bain, P6

Munching at the Christmas Fair

Tweet of the Week

Our communication group has decided to have a ‘tweet of the week’.

Tweet of the week is when we ask students from all age groups to think of a tweet of a week which is a short sentence which I will then write onto our tweet sheet. This will then get stuck on the door so all can see. Our first tweet back at Strathyre was ‘Our new school is neat’ Ember Mulhearn, P6

Book Festival

On December 7th we had our Christmas Fair and raised lots of money for our school fund.

Each class had their own enterprise making different things. Class 1 made stained glass effect Christmas baubles, picture frames, snow globes and they baked cakes. Class 2 made Christmas cards, tree decorations, gingerbread men. We had a Santa’s Grotto and served tea, coffee and juice. Lots of parents, grandparents and friends of the school came to buy our things. We raised a lot of money for our funds.

Stuart Mathieson, P4

Fo otball Club

The football club was a suggestion from Tyler and myself. We made a poster about the football club. P1-3 were on Monday and P4-7 were on Wednesday. We taught the P1-3 class quite a lot of skills. We did dribbling round the cones, shooting, free kicks, penalties and striking. P1-3 behaved pretty well. On the first Wednesday it was pouring with rain we didn’t know if we were going to do it or not.

The teachers said we could do it but if it started to rain heavily we would need to stay inside. Luckily it stopped raining and we got outside to do it there were a lot of people. We started off with a game of tig as a warm up and then we did penalties and I was the goalie. We also did dribbling around cones. At the end we had a little match and the yellow team won 3-2. Tyler and I enjoyed holding the club and hopefully we can do it again.

Ossian de Arkotxa Dougall, P6 17

Ranger’s Review

by Gareth Kett

If asked to consider the world’s rarest cats, maybe you would think of Siberian tigers (400-500 thought to remain in the wild)1, or Iberian lynxes (just over 400 left in the wild)2, but would you think of the Scottish wildcat? Most recent estimates put the number of genetically pure wildliving Scottish wildcats at 35, with none in captivity3, which would make them by far the rarest wild-living cat in the world.

So why is there so little interest in our most enigmatic predator?

Could it be because Scottish wildcats are not a subspecies? Until recently the Scottish wildcat has been considered a subspecies of the European wildcat, but in 2017 a review of wild-living cat taxonomy carried out by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature concluded that the Scottish wildcat is not distinct from the European wildcat.

Therefore its extinction would not mean the loss of a species; but it would be a huge symbolic blow to Scottish conservation.

Perhaps it’s a case of out-of-sight, outof-mind? The Scottish Wildcat is incredibly illusive, so most people have very little chance of ever seeing one in the wild. They are very hard to film too and arguably less spectacular than tigers or lynxes, so dramatic documentaries about them are hard to make.

Or is it because we ourselves have driven the Scottish wildcat to the brink of extinction?

There are no illegal loggers or poachers to blame – just us and a historic culture of forest clearance, over-grazing and over-hunting.

Whatever the reason for their decline largely slipping beneath the radar, they are in desperate trouble now.

Scottish wildcats (or maybe more correctly European wildcats in Scotland) need open woodland, or woodland edges where core prey species such as voles, rabbits and hares can thrive. They once roamed across the British Isles, but with the gradual disappearance of native forests across Britain over the last 6,000 years or so and widespread persecution, by the late 1800s the wildcat had become confined to wooded areas of the Scottish Highlands. Yet even here it wasn’t safe. Perceived as a threat to grouse shooting interests wildcats were heavily persecuted through the 18th and 19th centuries. Records show that, between 1837 and 1840, 198 wildcats were killed on Glengarry Estate alone4.

In the mid-late 1800’s, with wolves already driven to extinction, high wool prices and the growing popularity of stalking as a sport, heavy grazing by increasing numbers of sheep and deer prevented forest regeneration, hastening the retreat of Highland woodlands.

This forced the remaining wildcats into remnant woodland areas, which were often near settlements bringing them into contact with feral cats. Vastly depleted in numbers and with their habitat significantly reduced 18

Scottish (left) and European wildcats. Note the difference in markings

and fragmented, wildcats sought mating opportunities with feral cats leading to hybridisation.

With the loss of many gamekeepers due to WW1 and fresh habitat provided by young conifer plantations following the establishment of the Forestry Commission in 1919 pressure on wildcats reduced and they were able to expand their range. But hybridization was already widespread and due to this and the absence of any specimens from before the introduction of domestic cats 3000 years ago, identification of wildcats has become contentious. Scientists working with the Scottish Wildcat Action (SWA) group have said, “there might even be none with no domestic ancestry.” 5. There are thought to be around 100,000 stray and feral cats in Scotland today 6. Can we really have let the wildcat go extinct in Scotland?

Scottish Wildcat Action is the multi-partner official wildcat conservation project delivering a national action plan to try to save the Scottish wildcat. The action plan runs from 2013 to 2019 with objectives including establishing the distribution of wildcats, feral cats and hybrids across the Highlands, reducing the risk of hybridization and disease through a trap, neuter, vaccinate , release programme for feral cats, developing a captive breeding programme, encouraging wildcat-sensitive land-management and raising awareness of the plight of wildcats in Scotland. Five priority areas for wildcat conservation have been identified; Strathbogie, Angus Glens, Northern Strathsprey, Morven and Strathpeffer.

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park is one of the SWA partners. Lying at the southern limit of the potential wildcat range the Park doesn’t contain any priority areas, but there are plenty of historic/anecdotal records of wildcats/hybrids from areas across the Park.

Our role is to surveys these areas using baited camera-trap stations and to raise awareness of wildcats across the area. The Ranger Service is leading the project within the National Park with invaluable support from volunteers and landowners. This is our second survey season.

While we haven’t yet captured any definitive cat images, we have found feline prints in snow and have recovered the carcass of a probable hybrid, which will be DNA tested to

establish percentage purity. The Woodland Trust is assisting us by surveying Glen Finglas.

Our survey season runs through February and March to coincide with peak wildcat activity due to the mating season and a scarcity of food necessitating longer periods of hunting.

The next step, should the cameras detect wildcats, would be to try to obtain genetic material for DNA analysis. Our results will go into the wider SWA survey dataset, which will be used to inform future wildcat conservation policy.

I would like to thank the following estates/ landowners who have kindly given permission for us to conduct surveys on their land and assisted us with their knowledge. Forestry Commission Scotland, Woodland Trust, RSPB, Auchlyne Estate, Craigruie, Immervoulin Farm, Strone Estate, Ardvorlich Estate and Drummond Estate.

If anyone has seen any possible wildcats or hybrids I would be very keen to hear about it.

Please get in touch using the details below.

As usual if you have anything you wish to discuss or any wildlife sightings (wildcat or otherwise) to report you are welcome to drop into the Lochearnhead office, or you can contact me by e-mail at gareth.kett@ lochlomond-trossachs.org, or call me on the Lochearnhead office number 01389 722044.

If I’m not in the office please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

References: 1. https://www.bioexpedition.com/siberian-tiger/ 2. http://wwf.panda.org/our_work/wildlife/profiles/ mammals/iberian_lynx/ibelynx_threats/ 3. https://w w w.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ article-2202542/Scottish-wildcats-extinct-monthswarn-experts-reveal-just-35-left-wild.html 4. Avery, Mark (2015). Inglorious. London: Bloomsbury. p. 74. ISBN 978 1 4729 17416.

5. http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2018/01/10/ conservationists-warn-unlikely-there-are-any-purebred-wildcats-left/ 6. https://www.nms.ac.uk/scottishwildcat

A Day in the Life...

Good News!

Luke

(Continued from page 7) or just want to push the issue a little harder, the lobby is the perfect place!

A minister can’t run away when you are next to each other in the voting queue!

Finally, once the votes are over, if I don’t go and eat, I will go back up to the office to go through a bit more paperwork or reading to prepare for the next day or two. Although by this stage most of my staff will have gone home, they will usually have left me plenty more to go through before I head off. It can sometimes be as late as 11.30pm before this is all done, before we get up again to do it all again the next day.

In next month’s article, I intend to do a day in the life of an MP while up in the constituency. The life of an MP in Parliament is very different from the life of an MP in the constituency, so the contrast may be interesting for you to read.

If you have any issues or concerns please contact me at my office on 2 Comrie Street, Crieff, by telephone (01764 680384) or by email (luke. grahamoffice@parliament.uk).

Ranger’s Review cont’d

Above: Gareth setting the camera up; and right: wildcat footprint in snow

Allander Jazz Band at St Mary’s, Aberfoyle 17th March at 3pm The Allander Jazz Band was formed in the mid-eighties by a group of Dixieland enthusiasts who were in midcareer and could therefore devote a little more time to leisure pursuits. The founder members are now well past mid-career and except for one member, all of the band are now retired. We continue to enjoy playing this happy, foot-tapping music and try to make our concerts fun occasions.

Our singer, Jeannie Maxwell is a well-known character in the Jazz Scene, having sung with all the best Jazz Bands in Scotland (and further afield) and latterly her own band the Jazzwegians. Jeannie is quite simply the best in the business; we are delighted she decided to come and sing with the Allander Jazz Band.

All the members of the band play in many other bands but come together as the Allander Jazz Band to keep this style of music going for Dixieland and Traditional Jazz enthusiasts.

Today the majority of concerts the band undertake are to help raise funds for a wide range of registered charities and to entertain people in the process, whilst at the same time bringing some pleasure to the audience and ourselves.

Reserve a place by email to musicstmary@btinternet.com or online from stmarychurchaberfoyle.org.uk/?page_id=124

Well it is always nice to be the bearers of some exciting news for a change and, as we know many of our readers have been really missing their monthly read of the Community Council minutes, we are delighted to bring the glad tidings that this time enough candidates put themselves forward to enable the CC to resume its invaluable work for the Community.

We are unfortunately not at liberty to reveal the names of these public-spirited individuals, mainly because we don’t know who they are yet, but rest assured we hope to have the minutes of their first meeting in next month’s edition.

Have We All Got It Wrong?

No, we are not referring to Brexit - it’s the fact that we all seem to have forgotten Grannie’s sage advice, namely: “Ne’er cast a clout till May be out!”

And what are we doing?

Running around in tee shirts in February!

We still find that U3A (The University of the Third Age) is a mystery to some people and now that we can see Spring a little closer our committee has updated the leaflet we use to promote the aims and values of U3A and to invite more retired and semiretired people in our area to visit our groups and make new friends. We are centred in Callander but cover all villages from Kippen in the south to Killin in the north and indeed, Killin has launched 5 groups in its own area. Most groups take place in Callander itself, but we try to find venues outwith the town and encourage members to offer hospitality in their own homes as well. For the full list of our very varied interests please look at our website ‘Callander and West Perthshire U3A’ where there are details of times and meeting places, together with contact details for more information. Groups have a break in the summer so for the rest of this year subscriptions are only £5. The individual groups charge for refreshments and some require rental of a room or a hall. Everyone participates in groups on the basis of Learning for Fun and sharing our expertise. We will be visiting villages and leaving our leaflets in shops and libraries.

We look forward to meeting new people and recruiting new members.

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Orienteering Advance notice...

Orienteering is coming to the area in July and August!

Further details will be in April’s edition of The Villagers.

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The Villagers’ Contacts Jill Johnston Editor Gardeners Cottage Balquhidder FK19 8PB 01877 384227

Gill Waugh Production Manager Stronvar Farm Balquhidder FK19 8PB 01877 384203

David Johnston Production Gardeners Cottage Balquhidder FK19 8PB 01877 384227

Other Contacts...

Andrew Poulter Advertising Coire A Chroine Balquhidder FK19 8PB 01877 384784

Copy Deadline Day is the 21st of the month. Send your contributions to: c o n t a c t @ t h e - v i l l a g e r s . o r g . u k

Please help us to get The Villagers to you as so on as possible!

Lochearnhead Contact:

Ali Ferguson 01567 830 405 St Fillans Contact: Bruce Montgomery Strathyre Contact:

Wullie Dalziel 01877 384 384 Mobile 07768 221661 Mail Order Distribution:

Andrea Poulter 01877 384784

DIARY DATES We e k l y A c t i v i t i e s Tuesday

Keep Fit - Lochearnhead Hall - 10.30 to11.30am Gaelic Playgroup - Balquhidder Hall - 10.30am to 12.30pm St Fillans Music Circle - Sandison Hall - 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Light lunch included.

Contact John Light (01764 685307) / Malcolm Gregory (01764 670493).

Country Dancing - St Fillans

Wednesday Yoga - Balquhidder Hall - 11.00am to 12noon (contact Ann Cobbett 01877 376291) Thursday

Darts League - The White Stag, Strathyre - 7.00pm Choir Occasional - Balquhidder Village Hall - 7.30-9pm (Contact Gill 07778 702304)

Friday

Playgroup - Lochearnhead Hall - 10.00am-12 noon (Contact Dani Bird 07812 600301)

Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Strathyre and St. Fillans CHURCH OF SCOTLAND

Balquhidder Parish Church Registered Charity No. SCO12316

MARCH SWT Talk ‘Healthy River Systems’ - Kirk Hall, Callander - see page 14

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20-13

Callander Amateur Operatic Society Annie (see opposite page for details)

30/31

Activity Weekend at Monachyle Mhor (see opposite page!)

APRIL

CHURCH SERVICES

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SWT Talk ‘Gardening with Wildlife’ - Kirk Hall, Callander - see page 14

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Ladies’ Lunch, 1920s theme - Strathyre Village Hall - see page 3

Stephen Kerr MP 49 Borestone Crescent, Stirling FK7 9BQ 01786 475034 Luke Graham MP Crieff Constituency Office, 2 Comrie Street, Crieff 01764 680384 luke.graham.mp@parliament.uk Councillor Martin Earl Stirling Council, Old Viewforth, Stirling FK8 2ET earlm@stirling.gov.uk 01786 233114 Councillor Evelyn Tweed Stirling Council, Old Viewforth, Stirling, FK8 2ET 01786 233101 Councillor Jeremy McDonald Stirling Council, Old Viewforth, Stirling, FK8 2ET 01786 233117

Sundays 11.30am Minister: Rev Dr Russel Moffat The Manse, Main Street, Killin FK21 8TN revmoffat@gmail.com Dundurn Church, St Fillans

Sundays 11.30am Minister: Rev Graham McWilliams Tel: 01764 671 045

ROMAN CATHOLIC Callander, St Joseph the Worker Sundays 11.30am Saturday Vigil Mass 5.30pm from May through to September Killin, in the Episcopal Church Sundays 2.30pm Father Jim McCruden 2 Ancaster Square, Callander Tel: 01877 330 702

SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH St Angus’s Church, Lochearnhead 1st Sunday each month: 11.30am Communion 2nd Sunday 5.30pm Evensong 3rd Sunday 11.30am Communion 4th Sunday 5.30pm Evensong 5th Sunday (if applicable) 5.30pm FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A reflective time to discuss contemporary issues in a spiritual context (Check with Rector for venue: 01764 655389)

Vestry Secretary - Maureen Lipscomb Tel: 01567 830234

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T HE VIL L AGER S ’ TR A D E D I R EC TORY

Or receive as a .pdf file by email £11

Cheques for advertising and mail order subscriptions should be made out to: The BLS Newspaper Association

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SUPPORT YO U R LOC A L S U PPLI ER S !

Advertising News There is no advertisement this month from Allan Grant, who has told us that he is retiring. Allan has been a long term advertiser in The Villagers and was good enough to say that he has had quite a bit of work over the years as a result.

Happy retirement, Allan!

This month we welcome PFK Garage of Callander.

We have space for more ads - either regular or one-offs. Please contact Andrew Poulter (details on page 21) for more information.

PFKCallander Ltd GARAGE

140 Main Street CALLANDER Tel: 01877 331569 or 07901 651361 Email: pfkcallander@btconnect.com

MOT’s, Servicing, Repair’s, Diagnostics & ECU Remapping MOT’s: £45.00; MOT & SERVICE FROM: £99.00; ECU REMAP FROM: £200.00.

Open: Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm & Sat 8am to 1pm

Do you need an affordable home ?

Rural Stirling Housing Association aims to support local communities by providing quality homes at affordable rents for families, couples and single people in housing need.

We currently have over 595 rented houses and flats. Around 40 of these become available for rent each year. We currently have properties in the following communities:

Aberfoyle • Doune • Killin • Strathyre Balfron • Drymen • Kinlochard Stronachlachar • Buchlyvie • Gargunnock Kippen • Tyndrum • Callander • Gartmore Lochearnhead • Deanston • Killearn Strathblane We may be able to build in other communities in the future – please let us know if you want to live in a village that is not listed above. Information on local housing need and demand helps us plan for the future.

If you are interested in renting one of our properties when they become available please contact us: Rural Stirling Housing Association Stirling Road, Doune FK16 6AA

01786 841101 enquiries@rsha.org.uk www.rsha.org.uk

Building affordable homes: growing rural communities Printed by Graphics and Print Services, University of Stirling Tel: 01786 467209 email: graphicsandprint@stir.ac.uk Published by The BLS Newspaper Association

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Tales from down under

by Liz Kelly

For many years we had considered making the long trip to New Zealand, fuelled by our own natural curiosity of the world and the many tales from family and friends who had already made that trip. So, when we finally decided to go it was all steam ahead to plan what was probably going to be a one-off trip and we needed to see as much as possible. In the end we created a hitlist of the ‘must see’ things and whilst we appreciate that this is far from definitive, we picked the places, sights and activities that we thought we’d enjoy the most.

After we landed in Auckland, on the north island, we headed straight out of the airport to enjoy a day sightseeing on the Coromandel Peninsula, from there we headed south to stay at Turangi (via Rotorua for the geysers and the stunning blue water of Lake Taupo). Turangi was our base to tackle the Tongariro Alpine Crossing; at the height of summer the name is misleading because it was roasting, and we were glad we’d started out early!

The walk follows a well-trodden footpath up the slopes and across the crater of an extinct volcano (or is that dormant, yikes?); the views and terrain were simply amazing, and we felt we’d really achieved something special when we got to the car park at the end (not sure our feet would agree!).

Our next stop was Wellington and although cities were a low priority on our hit list, Wellington provided a very pleasant experience in particular the Te Papa Museum on the buzzing waterfront was well worth the visit and the ice cream was good too (if a bit drippy in the bright sunshine!).

We arrived on the South Island (by a picturesque ferry journey from Wellington)

at Picton located in the Marlborough wine region – well it would have been rude not to stay and sample some of the local brew wouldn’t it? Eventually (hmm!), we headed down the west coast staying for a few days at Hokitika (the setting for Eleanor Caton’s book ‘The Luminaries’ which was reviewed in The Villagers a couple of months ago) and from which base we explored local sights, the Hokitika Gorge, Lake Kaniere and the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki. From Hokitika we travelled further south to Franz Josef where we enjoyed half a day hiking on the glacier and then on to Queenstown which is the ‘adventure capital’ of New Zealand – sure no one would be surprised to hear that we managed to avoid the temptation for the bungee jumping and other extreme activities on offer (just too wimpy!). We finished our trip down the west coast in Manapouri from where we headed into Doubtful Sound

in the Fjiordland National Park; again, we weren’t disappointed as the reality lived up to the hype, the scenery was gorgeous.

Into the final stages of the trip - but still some big stuff to see! An anticipated highlight of the trip was fulfilling our ambitions to see an albatross in flight and penguins in the wild, we managed to achieve both of these on the Otago peninsula near Dunedin (a city nicknamed the ‘Edinburgh of New Zealand’ – sorry but a poor imitation in our view!).

Heading back north we managed to get some great views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Tasman Glacier before heading to Christchurch for our return journey.

Throughout the trip we were blessed with great weather and several locals remarked that ‘we must have brought the good weather with us’ …… we had to confess that that was unlikely given the current weather in Bonnie Scotland!

Overall it was a great holiday with many memorable moments.