Spotlight Strathspey feb 2019

Buckie Furniture

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FEBRUARY 2019

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A wide range of high quality vehicle adaptations for either private purchasers or through Motability. We also offer a mobile fitting service when appropriate.

For further information telephone 01309 676677

Along the A96 in Forres Postcode: IV36 2GW

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21 West Road, Greshop Industrial Estate, Forres IV36 2GW (Behind Lidl) 0QFO .POEBZ 'SJEBZ BN UP QN t &BTZ QBSLJOH EJTBCMFE UPJMFU GBDJMJUJFT 01309 676677 t TFSWJDF!NPPSJOHTNFEJRVJQ DPN

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Clubs and Societies ABERLOUR ANGLING CLUB Visitors welcome. Day & weekly tickets at reasonable prices.

Call 01340 871428 or email at hamish@ munro-ofspeyside.com AVIEMORE & ABERNETHY ANGLING ASSOCIATION (Feb - Sept, no Sunday fishing).

Fishing for salmon, sea trout & brown trout. Call Alan Riach (Sec) on 01479 831105 or email allan220@hotmail.co.uk AVIEMORE BOWLING CLUB Mon & Wed (all ages & visitors welcome), 2pm - 4.30pm, 6.45pm - 8.30pm; Wed (Children's classes) 3.30pm ; Thurs (Bingo), 7pm. Outdoor bowling (May - Sept); indoor carpet bowling year round.

Dalfaber Drive, Aviemore. Adults £3 & Children £2, Email at chrissycurby123@gmail.com Bowls supplied with free tuition.

Club can be open on request.

BADENOCH AND STRATHSPEY PIPE BAND Mon, 7pm - 9pm & Tues, 6.30pm - 7.30pm: Novice Juvenile Pipe Band practice & 7.30pm-9.30pm,

Sample one-off advertising rates (colour advert)

Box Big box ¼ page ½ page Full page

£46 £74 £120 £209 £399

Discounts available for series bookings and for black and white

Publisher:

Winterburn Media Ltd Unit 15, Horizon Scotland, Enterprise Park, Forres, Moray, IV36 2AB (01309) 690063

All material within the SpotLight magazines is subject to formal copyright restrictions and therefore the reproduction of any listings, editorial, advertiser artwork or any other content, without the publisherʼs prior consent, will be considered a breach of copyright.

page 4 - February 2019

Grade 3A band practice, Macdonald Aviemore resort.

Email Sarah Rathbone at piperspeace@aol.com CAIRNGORM BRIDGE CLUB Tues, 6.45pm for a prompt start, St John's Church Hall, Rothiemurchus (opposite tennis courts, on the ski road). All welcome. Call Carol on 01479 810882 CAIRNGORM PILATES Thurs, 10am - 11am, Boat of Garten Community Hall. Try your first class for £5. Normally £28 for a four-week term, £8 drop-in.

Before attending your first session, please contact Lucy!

Call Lucy Boyes on 07783 427603 or 01479 821780 or lucy@cairngormpilates.com or info@boathall.org.uk CRAIGELLACHIE REAL ALE CLUB 1st Wed of month, 7.30pm. All welcome. Call 01340 881446 GRANTOWN HEALTH WALK Tues, 10.30 am, the Curling Rink Car Park, Anagach Wood. Call Isabell on 01479 872142 GRANTOWN PARENT, BABY AND TODDLER GROUP Twice weekly at Inverallan Church Hall for fun & play for children & parents/carers alike.

All welcome to pop in for a chat & a coffee. Call Simone on 01479 873922 INVERALLAN OLD TYME DANCING 2nd Tues of month, 7.30pm 10pm, Inverallan Church Hall, Grantown-on-Spey. Mixed old tyme & country dancing to live music. No partner required. £3 incl. tea & biscuits. Call Jane Mackintosh on 01479 851353 or email jane.mackintosh.01@ btinternet.com KINGUSSIE CAMANACHD CLUB (SHINTY) Games played Mar - Sept, normally Saturdays.

Call 01540 661886

tel: 01309 690063

What’s on, Clubs, Eating out, Trades Listings and much more... bring along your child's own cup

KINGUSSIE SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE CLUB Wed (Sept - Mar), 7.30pm 9.30pm, Tala na Ros, King Street, Kingussie . New members & visitors welcome.

Call 01540 662060 or 01540 661772.

ROTHES ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB Wed, P3s & under, 6pm - 7pm; P4/5s, 7pm - 8pm & P6/7s, 8pm - 9pm. Indoor training, Grant Hall, Rothes. £1.50 to cover the hire of the hall. Call Willie Young on 01340 831732

LINEDANCE Wed, 7pm - 9pm, Inverallen Church Hall, Grantown-on-Spey. £3 per session. All welcome.

Call Lorna on 07541 372524 NEWTONMORE DRAMA GROUP Mon (Feb - Dec), 6pm - Children, 7pm - Adults. Newtonmore Village Hall. Ages 8 & over welcome. Call Angela Cox on 01540 673817 NEWTONMORE HIGHLAND GAMES COMMITTEE The Highland Games are held on the Eilan on the 1st Sat in August. The Games coincide with the Clan MacPherson Rally & another special feature is the Hill Race up Craigdhu. Call Tom Robertson on 01540 673348 or knockmalloch@onetel.net.uk

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION DUFFTOWN 3rd Sat of month is cinema day.

Children in the afternoon & adults in the evening. 50 Balvenie Street, Dufftown. Mon, 7.30pm Stramash - traditional Scottish music.

Call 01340 820711 STRATHSPEY BRANCH CLUB LEGION SCOTLAND 31 The Square Grantown-onSpey. Call 01479 872212 or 01479 873690 STRATHSPEY WINDS Mon, 2pm, Boat of Garten Hall Email at info@boathall.org.uk WEE BOGEES - PARENTS & TODDLERS Fri, 10am, Boat of Garten Hall Email at info@boathall.org.uk

NEWTONMORE INDOOR BOWLING CLUB Tues & Thurs (Oct - Apr), afternoons & evenings, Village Hall. Call Stuart Anderson on 01540 673802 NEWTONMORE TENNIS CLUB 3 All weather courts, Golf Course Road, Newtonmore. Call Helen Coyle on 01540 673711 RIVER LIVET FISHING (SEASON FEB - SEPT) Salmon, sea trout & brown trout fishing for the whole family on the River Livet. Permits can be obtained from Ballindalloch Post Office, Tomnavoulin Post Office, Crown Estate Office, Tomintoul & the Glen Livet Distillery. www.facebook.com/riverlivet fishing ROTHES BABY & TODDLER GROUP Tues, 9.30am - 11.30am, Upstairs Hall, Grant Hall, Rothes.

Friendly welcome, songs & stories, toys, snack time - please

Y-ENGAGE Fri (term time only,) 7pm - 9pm, for S3 to S6 pupils, Grantown YMCA Community Centre. £1 per session. Come along & join in the fun! Call Heather Fraser (Centre Co-ordinator) on 01479 872262 or email at grantowncommunitycentre@ gmail.com YOGA CLASSES (IYENGAR) Mon, 6.30pm - 7.30pm, Speyside Sports & Community Centre, Aberlour; Tues, 10am 11.30am, Glenlivet Hall, Glenlivet All are welcome. Call Jo Macdonald on 07722 594966 PLEASE NOTE Details of Clubs & Societies are published on a rotational basis. If you would like your details to be included in this section please email linda@winterburnmedia.co.uk

admin@winterburnmedia.co.uk

Welcome to our February 2019 issue of SpotLight. You may have noticed that we have been running more editorial pieces lately and this is intentional and is designed to add some more interest to each issue. This month there are various items featuring Valentine’s Day including the occasional attempt at humour.

Somewhere in the magazine you will find a reply from a reader about the ‘Wild Haggis’ that appears to be making somewhat of a comeback to our countryside! We do hope that you enjoy this issue and if you feel that you have an interesting story for us then please do not hesitate to email us on david@winterburnmedia.co.uk

PUBLISHER ..............David Nelmes ADVERTISING ..............Susan Innes PRODUCTION .........Linda J Donald ART & DESIGN...............Flo Skinner ACCOUNTS ..................Alan Radley

March Issue Deadlines

Editorial - Thursday 31/01/19 1 16/01/2018 Advertising - Tuesday 05/02 /19

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Pastoral Le er & Church Meetings As I write this there is a news report that New Horizons has started to send back images from Ultima Thule. Now I had never heard of either New Horizons or Ultima Thule until that news report, but as it turns out, New Horizons is a space satellite that was launched in 2006 to investigate a tiny rock measuring 35 km by 10 km, Ultima Thule orbiting 6.5 billion kilometres from the earth. Which is a mind-blowing distance to consider. A distance made more stunning when we consider that the satellite is travelling at 14 kilometres per second and yet it has taken 13 years to reach its target. However, 6.5 billion kilometres is a tiny distance compared to the vast expanses of space which is so vast that astronomers measure distances by the length of time it takes light to travel from one place to another.

Which again is mind boggling when we consider that the light from our sun takes approx. 8 minutes to cover the 150 million kilometres to earth. While the light from the nearest star takes 4.5 years to reach the earth and other stars are much,

much further away than even that and there are millions of stars to be seen from earth.

Nowadays it is difficult for many of us to find somewhere away from street lights to look at the night sky but from the right place the sheer number of stars is almost impossible to comprehend. Even although we can only see a tiny number with the naked eye there still seem to be huge numbers of them. The Psalmist was also awed by the wonder of the night sky and he offered a prayer to God. A prayer that has a question, ‘When I look at the sky, which you have made, and the moon and stars, which you set in their places – what is humanity, that you think of it; mere human beings that you care for them?’

(Psalm 8: 3 – 4, Good News Bible).

Which is a valid question when we consider the enormous distances of space, the tiny planet on which we live and how small compared to the enormous size of the universe. The Psalm writer was aware of just how tiny humanity and each human being is; awestruck by the sheer size of God’s creation and humbled

Kingussie Parish Church Sundays 11am. All welcome. www.kingussieparishchurch.org.uk Knockando, Elchies & Archiestown Parish Church of Scotland Sundays 10am. Contact Rev Robert M Anderson 01340 831381.

Mortlach & Cabrach Church Dufftown. Sundays at 10.30am Tea & coffee after. 01340 820049 (Session Clerk). All welcome.

Rothes Parish Church Sundays 11.30am. Contact Rev Robert M Anderson 01340 831381.

Rothiemurchus & Aviemore Church of Scotland St Andrews Church, Grampian Road, Aviemore. Sundays 11.15am. Website: www.standrews-aviemore.org.uk Sacred Heart RC Church Chapel Terrace, Aberlour, AB38 9LL. Vigil Mass alternate Saturdays at 5pm. Tel 01340 810442 St Brides’ Church of Scotland Newtonmore. Sundays 11.15am. Rev Catherine Buchan. Tel: 01540 673236.

St Columba’s Episcopal Church High Street, Grantown.

Sundays 10.30am: Holy Communion. Ven. Richard Gillings: page 6 - February 2019

by humanity’s place in it. Yet the Psalmist wrote of God’s care for humanity and human beings.

As hard as it is for our minds to grasp the vastness of the universe it is even harder to comprehend that the creator of all things cares for us.

We are tiny creatures in a vast universe, yet we are beloved children of God. The God who only wants our love in return. Asked for the greatest commandment Jesus replied, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it, ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’” (St Matthew 22: 37 – 39, GNB). Take time one dark, clear night to look at the stars, time to wonder, and time to know that the God of all creation loves you and me, and every one of his children.

Rev. Morris Smith, Locum Minister, Aberlour Parish Church

richard.gillings698@btinternet.com or phone 01479 831365.

St John’s Episcopal Church Sunday 10.30am: Eucharist.

Followed by refreshments in the church hall. Email: blessings@stjohns-rothiemurchus.co.uk St Mary’s RC Church Fife Street, Dufftown, AB55 4AP Vigil Mass alternate Saturdays at 5pm. Tel 01340 810442 St Michael’s Episcopal Church Conval Street, Dufftown.

Family Eucharist every Sunday at 11 am. All welcome.

Contact Rev Michael Last on 01542 882782 St Margaret of Scotland, Episcopal Church High Street, Aberlour, AB38 9QD. Sundays 10am: Eucharist. Website: www.stmargaretsaberlour.co.uk Tomintoul Church of Scotland Sunday morning service 11.15am All welcome.

Listed from K - T & regularly rotated. If you are a member of a church not listed here or if there are any amendments to existing details, please email linda@winterburnmedia.co.uk

tel: 01309 690063

admin@winterburnmedia.co.uk

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Parliament Blog Last month I launched my campaign to ensure Fairer Hospital TV Charges for patients.

The current pricing system for bedside television in many of our health boards is extortionate and prohibitive, with some providers charging up to £9.90 a day.

Patients who can no longer afford expensive bedside TVs can begin to suffer from boredom, loneliness and isolation. This set of feelings is unlikely to aid recovery during a long-stay in the hospital.

What patients need is a better deal and now is the time for health boards such as NHS Highland and NHS Grampian to secure Fairer Hospital TV Charges as contracts come up for renewal. I will be pressing the Scottish Government and our health boards to look at all the options.

Edward Mountain MSP

Last month I convened a meeting in Forres along with the local community council to discuss the increasing reports of anti-social behaviour in the town.

I was pleased that we were joined by representatives from Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Moray Council.

The meeting provided an opportunity for local residents to highlight some of their concerns and seek reassurances from the various agencies about what is being done to address these issues.

As I made clear at the meeting, we live in a very safe part of Scotland but unfortunately the behaviour of a small minority can have a huge impact on the majority of local residents.

I am hopeful that following this meeting there will be even greater joint working between the agencies and local residents who have been concerned about anti-social behaviour and we can deal with this blight on our community once and for all.

If any resident in Moray would like to raise issues of anti-social behaviour or any other matter then please contact me at douglas.ross.mp@parliament.uk or through my constituency office at 63 High Street, Forres.

Douglas Ross MP

Independent businesses are at the heart of our community, and here in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey, we are spoiled for choice with a vast array of independent shops, cafes, and more, on our door step. As consumers, we have the ability to support local, through purchasing from them, or simply recommending them to a friend or visitors to our area. As an MP, I regularly take the time to visit new and established retailers in the constituency, and I’m always hugely impressed with what is on offer. Independent businesses truly highlight the best of our community, and I feel immensely proud that our constituency is one in which local businesses can thrive.

If you wish to get in touch with me you can find contact details on my website: www.drewhendrymp.scot”

MP M.S Tree Service DEC Drew 18.pdfHendry 1 31/10/2018

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MOTORHOMES FOR HIRE Pet friendly motorhome coming to the fleet from March 2019 07825 172891 U info@saltiremotorhomes.co.uk Strathlene House, Elgin, Moray, IV30 8NB

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Useful Information

Local & Bank Holidays and Special Days Valentine’s Day Thurs14th Feb 2019 Ash Wednesday Wed 14th Feb 2019 St David’s Day Fri 1st Mar 2019 Shrove Tuesday Tues 5th Mar 2019 Ash Wednesday Wed 6th Mar 2019 St Patrick’s Day Sun 17th Mar 2019 British Summertime Starts Sun 31st Mar 2019 Mothering Sunday Sun 31st Mar 2019

April Fool’s Day Local Holiday § Isra & Mir’aj (M)

Mon 1st Apr 2019 Mon 1st Apr 2019 Wed 3rd Apr 2019

§ includes Aberlour, Craigellachie, Knockando, Tomintoul, Dufftown & Rothes * excludes Dufftown; ± Dufftown (H - Hindu; J - Jewish; M - Muslim; S - Sikh)

School Term Dates MORAY COUNCIL SCHOOLS

HIGHLAND COUNCIL SCHOOLS

for 2018/2019 (all dates inclusive) Mid Term Holiday Fri 8th Feb 2019 Mid Term Holiday Mon 11th Feb 2019 Spring Term Ends Fri 29th Mar 2019 Spring Holiday Starts Mon 1st Apr 2019 Spring Holiday Ends Fri 12th Apr 2019 Summer Term Starts Mon 15th Apr 2019 Good Friday Holiday Fri 19th Apr 2019 May Day Holiday Mon 7th May 2019

for 2018/2019 (all dates inclusive) Mid Term Holiday Mon 18th Feb 2019 Mid Term Holiday Tues 19th Feb 2019 In-Service Day Wed 20th Feb 2019 Spring Term Ends Fri 5th Apr 2019 Spring Holiday Starts Mon 8th Apr 2019 Spring Holiday Ends Fri 19th Apr 2019 Easter Monday Mon 22nd Apr 2019 Summer Term Starts Tues 23rd Apr 2019

Useful Contacts

Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Aberlour Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 871693 Aberlour Sub Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 871201 Archiestown Sub Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 810339 Aviemore Citizens Advice Bureau. . . . . . . . 01479 810919 Aviemore Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01479 813141 Aviemore Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0843 224 7528

Aviemore Registrar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01479 812807 Aviemore Social Work Services . . . . . . . . . 01479 812618 Aviemore Tourist Information . . . . . . . . . . . 01479 810930 Badenoch Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01540 661596 Badenoch Learning & Resource Centre . . . 01540 662420 Craigellachie Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 871115 Dufftown Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01542 835642 Dufftown Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .01340 820272 Grantown Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01479 873175

Highland Migrant & Refugee Advocacy . . . . . . 01463 729152 Men in Recovery ............................info@meninrecovery.org

Moray Families Information Service .................................. www.facebook.com/ MorayFamiliesInformationService National Domestic Abuse & Forced Marriage Helpline .... ....................................................................0800 027 1234 National Rail Enquires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08457 484950 Moray Cats Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07837 342646 Railway Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 078419 85768 Rothes Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 831245 page 10 - February 2019

tel: 01309 690063

Samaritans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01343 543000 Women’s Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01343 548549 VILLAGE HALLS AND COMMUNITY CENTRES Archiestown Village Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 810442 Aviemore Church Hall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01479 810280 Boat of Garten Community Hall . . . . . . . . . 01479 831213 Dufftown Community Centre . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 871641 Dufftown Mortlach Memorial Hall . . . . . . . . 01340 820287 Edinvillie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 871745 Fleming Hall (Aberlour) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 871853 Glenlivet Public Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01807 590486 Glenrinnes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 821061 Grant Hall (Rothes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 831828 Kincraig Community Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01540 651663 Speyside Sports and Community . . . . . . . . 01340 871641 Tomintoul Richmond Memorial Hall . . . . . . 01807 580709 VETS Aberlour Veterinary Centre. . . . . . . . . . . . . 01340 871385 Morven Veterinary Practice Ltd . . . . . . . . . 01975 962837 Strathspey Veterinary Centre . . . . . . . . . . . 01479 872252 Rotated on a regular basis. To add a contact or to amend existing details, email linda@winterburnmedia.co.uk

admin@winterburnmedia.co.uk

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Valentine’s Day A History

Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology.

Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine’s Day greetings.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, though written Valentines didn’t begin to appear until after 1400. The oldest known Valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. (The greeting is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London.) Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a Valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

The history of Valentine’s Day–and the story of its patron saint–is shrouded in mystery. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realising the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Approximately 150 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card sending holiday after Christmas.

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SpotLIGHTon FREE Listings, FREE to View, FREE to upload Promote your events in this section by going online at www.spotlighton.co.uk Register, key in details which will then automatically be printed in the magazine.

*March Issue Deadline: 31st January*.

Inclusion of events is free. We do not accept submissions for classes, courses or workshops.Contact venues & organisers first as there may be changes.

Rolling Events 21 february - 14 march upcycling workshop (thurs) tbc, new start highland, inverness. free. all welcome. call 01463 715615 www.newstarthighland.org

until 31 december moray supports refugees: appeal for warm clothing, toiletries, camping equipment & toys. volunteers, transport & cash donations welcome.please bring all you can spare! for collection points see facebook page at https://en-gb.facebook.com/MorayCalAid

January 2019 28 monday

30 wednesday aviemore & district lucky2bhere training sessions 7.30pm - 9.30pm, st andrew's church of scotland hall, aviemore. free but donations welcome. free emergency life support training including cpr & defibrillator. booking essential. call 01479 810990 or email at aviemorelucky2bhere@gmail.com the classic rock show 2019 7pm - 10pm, eden court, inverness. tickets from www.ticketmaster.co.uk

31 thursday banff mountain film festival tour 2019 eden court, inverness. the films feature intrepid explorers on expeditions in the most remote & spectacular reaches of the planet. www.banff-uk.com battle of the bands@ tooth & claw, inverness, tbc. grand prize ÂŁ1,000 cash plus loads of runner up prizes to be announced! to apply to play please email venue-hire@thetoothandclaw.co.uk. over 18s

February 2019 1 friday live music with gilly@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, free. call 01479 812368 or email at info@thewinkingowl.co

1 friday - 28 thursday

winter show: james gordon photography & winter paintings 10am - 4pm, chapel house arts, high street, kingussie. all welcome. call 07921 729249

winter show: james gordon photography & winter paintings 10am - 4pm (1pm on a sat), chapel house arts, high street, kingussie. no sunday openings. call 07921 729249

29 tuesday

2 saturday

interfaith moray meeting 7pm - 9pm, st. sylvester's church, institution road, elgin. open meeting for anyone interested in sharing & learning across different faith traditions & stances. call jenny on 01343 830276 or email at jadams@churchofscotland.org.uk

sold on soul dance in aid of unicef doors open 7.30pm band starts 8.30pm, elgin town hall. ÂŁ10 + 50p booking fee. soul band. licenced bar. over 18s only. tickets from sound & vision, elgin. call irene easton on 01343 544600 or email at irene_easton@hotmail.com mockchester with the complete stone roses@the

admin@winterburnmedia.co.uk

tel: 01309 690063

February 2019 - page 15

3

the

highlander inn

Melt down your Chocolate and Butter in a heat safe bowl in a pan of simmering water (make sure the base of your bowl doesn’t come into contact with the water).

$,, Unsalted Butter #)' Dark Chocolate Buttons

Once your chocolate and butter are smoothly bound together, take your bowl off of the heat and sit to the side.

4 eggs

Set your oven to 180°c or 160°c for fan ovens. Grease and line a baking tray (around 21cm – 8 inches).

%$' Caster Sugar #,, Plain Flour (, Cocoa Powder

Beat your eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thick and fluffy.

This can take up to 5 minutes.

Add your melted chocolate into your egg mixture and fold together gently. Sift your flour and cocoa powder and fold all together.

Put the mixture into your baking tray and bake for 30 mins.

] Serve with chocolate sauce & whipped cream

the

highlander inn craigellachie

Mother’s Day

H A LF PRICE MARCH - 13 Excusive Single Malt Whiskies For March we have carefully selected 13 very exclusive Single Malt Whiskies reduced in price by %!!

This is a unique opportunity before the Whisky Festival to come along and enjoy some exclusive Malts.

50

Continued throught February - Friday Meal Special Fish Supper Buy 1 get 2nd HALF PRICE total cost £18.00 (Pensioners will receive complimentary Tea or coffee with this deal)

31st March 2019

3 Course Meal r only with Tea/Coffee fo

£19.50

Olive you HP feb 19.pdf

1

08/01/2019

Speyside Whisky Festival 1st to 6th May 2019 We are located in the middle of the Festival area. Why not come along and visit us, try some local whiskies and get into the festival spirit. Our bar stocks approx 300 whiskies from all over the globe with a specially handpicked Japanese section.

Our world renowned Whisky Bar & Restaurant situated on Speyside Way, with 8 bedrooms.

Please call: 01340 881446 or email: info@whiskyinn.com Meal reservations are only required for parties of 6 persons or more.

21:41

olive you.

ironworks, inverness 7.30pm. www.ironworksvenue.com dougie sim@the seaforth club, elgin tbc great glen walking club: fortrose to rosehaugh 9am (please arrive 15 mins earlier), uhi car park, ness walk, inverness. grade: c; distance: 8 miles www.greatglen.org

undertook a journey around germany by motorbike in the summer of 2018 & will tell us about his travels. call richard baxter on 01463 571372 or email at richbax52@yahoo.com live music with tweed@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm. call 01479 812368

7 thursday the story of guitar heroes@ the ironworks, inverness 7.30pm. www.ironworksvenue.com

3 sunday whiskey shivers@the ironworks, inverness 7.30pm www.ironworksvenue.com live music with keith mair@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, free. call 01479 812368

8 friday

4 monday

37th annual bothy ballads champion of champions 7 p.m., elgin town hall. £12. traditional doric singing competition. www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs the googie urquhart snowman rally: snowman rally 2019 8am - 6pm, castle heather, inverness bed head@the seaforth club, elgin tbc, all welcome live music with rant@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, all welcome

moray field club indoor meeting: the birds of dava moor; speaker - mike crutch of a9 birds 7.30pm, the lounge, elgin town hall £2 (inc tea & coffee). call sara marsh on 07840 285438 or email at morayfieldclub@gmail.com piano recital: concert pianist steven osborne gives a recital of works by schubert & prokofiev 7.30pm 9.30pm, inverness town house. £15 standard, £5 students. call paul crowe on 01463 221535 or email at paul@paulcrowe.co.uk Kes Furniture April 18.pdf 1 01/03/2018 www.invernesspianorecitals.com

Furniture Restorers Mobile: 07503 211349 Workshop: 01340 810388 Woodend House, Carron, Aberlour. Moray. AB38 7QP

www.kesfurniture.co.uk

9 saturday

10 sunday cars & coffee - inverness 10am - 12pm, rollerbowl, inverness. a quiet social gathering of like-minded 10:49 car enthusiasts on the 2nd sun of month. www.facebook.com/carsandcoffeeinverness inverness orienteering club (invoc): anagach woods tbc, anagach woods, nr grantown on spey regional event. www.invoc.org.uk great glen walking club: tulloch hill circuit 9am (please arrive 15 mins earlier), uhi car park, ness walk, inverness. grade: c+; distance: 8 miles www.greatglen.org

11 monday

5 tuesday badenoch & strathspey orienteering club: kincraig 6.30pm, training. www.basoc.org.uk highlands astronomical society: ice giants; speaker pauline macrae (has) 7.15pm for 7.30pm - 10pm, smithton culloden free church. www.spacegazer.com scottish ornithologists' club highland: nest building & blue tits in a changing climate; speaker - sophie edwards 7.30pm, culloden library, keppoch road, culloden, inverness. £3 members; £4 non-members call kathy boniface on 01463 772539 or 01808 511740

6 wednesday around germany by motorcycle: speaker - duncan colburn on his 2018 tour of germany 2pm, st. ninian's church hall, culduthel road, inverness. page 18 - February 2019

live music with the cowans@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm. call 01479 812368

tel: 01309 690063

royal scottish geographical society (inverness): stop the plastic tide; speaker - catherine gemmell. marine conservation society 7.30pm, highland council chamber, inverness

12 tuesday elgin u3a members meeting: 'social isolation'; speaker - maria pabolaza-lacambra from the scottish government 2pm - 4pm, supper room, elgin town hall all members, & interested parties welcome. free (incl tea, biscuits &more). call steve gross (member sec) 01340 881569 or email at membersecretary@u3a-elgin.org.uk www.u3a-elgin.org.uk badenoch & strathspey orienteering club: loch vaa sw 6.30pm, loch vaa, nr aviemore. training. admin@winterburnmedia.co.uk

www.basoc.org.uk inverness botany group: buzz pollination; speaker mario vallejo-marin 7.30pm, smithton culloden free church

13 wednesday the arts society speyside lecture: 'the nation's prize: the gripping story of how velazquez's rokeby venus was saved for the nation.' 11am - coffee & tea available from 10.15am, the williamson hall, duff avenue, elgin. new members welcome/£7 for visitors call mrs karen weller on 07789 880481 or email at twelk69@hotmail.com the clan donald society of the highlands & islands: massacre of glencoe 11am, glencoe. annual commemoration. st mary's church service; march to the memorial & lunch. please email the society re booking lunch at contact@clandonald.org www.clandonald.org highland rock garden club: mike's spanish fiesta (andalucia); speaker - mike hopkins, aberdeen rock garden club 7.30pm, nairn community & arts centre £4 (incl refreshments). all welcome. call john owen on 01320 366246 scilly sojourns: speaker - richard pegler, wildlife blogger 8.30pm, the grant arms hotel, the square, grantown on spey winter mountain safety: speaker - heather morning, mountain safety advisor 7pm, tiso's outdoor experience store, aviemore. £5 with all proceeds go to air ambulance. call heather morning on 01479 861241 or email at heather@mountaineering.scot www.mountaineering.scot/safety-and-skills/coursesand-events/winter-safety-lectures

14 thursday scottish studies: scottish education revealed through literature; speaker - dr hilary christie 2pm 4pm, elgin library, cooper park. £3 gilly's open mic night@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, free. all welcome the arts society highland: form & fortune; 50 years of british sculpture 1968 - 2018. speaker - mary yule 2.15pm, the free church hall, smithton, inverness tea, coffee & biscuits served after the lecture. www.theartssocietyhighland.org.uk

15 friday live music with mother's ruin@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, all welcome

16 saturday moravian orienteering: saturday & moray & nairn schools league: gordonstoun tbc, gordonstoun admin@winterburnmedia.co.uk

school, duffus. see www.moravianorienteering.org grant saunders hypnotist@the ironworks, inverness 7pm. www.ironworksvenue.com inverness fiddlers' rally 7.30pm, eden court £17; £15 all welcome. call 01463 234234 something different@the seaforth club, elgin tbc murder mystery evening in aviemore 7pm - 11pm, the strathspey hotel, macdonald aviemore resort £29. 1920s dress (optional). call 03448 799152. specialevents.aviemore@macdonald-hotels.co.uk great glen walking club: auchbain/mid largs area 9.30am, late start (please arrive 15mins, uhi car park, ness walk, inverness.grade: c+; distance: 6.6 miles. www.greatglen.org

until

16 saturday

snowforms: exhibition by david buchanan tbc, flow photofest wall, one touch corridor, eden court theatre, inverness. exploring the way in which snow transforms the landscape to create features that can be sensuous & ambiguous

17 sunday inverness courier highland wedding fair 12pm 4pm, eden court, inverness tickets from www.eventbrite.co.uk

18 monday schools rock challenge: be your best foundation tbc, eden court theatre, inverness. open to secondary schools, colleges, academies, students with special needs & independent schools from all backgrounds. call 01463 234234. www.eden-court.co.uk my diseases & other animals: speaker - mike dilger, research biologist on the current problems in conservation 8.30pm, the grant arms hotel, the square, grantown on spey

19 tuesday trust fast health: exploding common health myths & offering fascinating insights into the workings of the human body; speaker - dr michael mosley 7.30pm, the empire theatre, eden court, inverness. £24.50; £22.50. call 01463 234234. www.eden-court.co.uk badenoch & strathspey orienteering club: loch vaa sw 6.30pm, loch vaa, nr aviemore. training. www.basoc.org.uk highland quilters: t-shirt quilts; speaker - kathy collins 7.30pm, smithton church hall, murray road, inverness. visitors - £5. email at highlandquilters@gmail.com. www.highlandquilters.com

tel: 01309 690063

February 2019 - page 19

20 wednesday inverness field club: sugar, slavery & the north highlands before 1707; speaker - david worthington, director, uhi centre for history 7.30pm, the lecture theatre, uhi inverness campus. www.invernessfieldclub.org.uk live music with tweed@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, free. all welcome

21 thursday clan cancer drop ins with coffee 10.30am - 12pm, the clan cancer support centre, 227 high street, elgin. free. open to anyone affected by cancer with information & support available. guest speakers. all welcome. call 01343 544132 why feather trumps fur: speaker - mike dilger on why birds are at the top of his 'must see' list 8.30pm, the grant arms hotel, the square, grantown on spey

22 friday scottish rock garden club (moray group): the dolomites; speaker - andrew fraser 7.30pm, new elgin hall annex, land street, new elgin. call alan souter (convener) or amanda willox (sec) on 013440 871504 or 07787 289372 the inverness battle of the bands: semi final tbc, tooth & claw, inverness. 21 acts ranging from rock to hip-hop to acoustic to metal live music with scott macdonald@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, free. all welcome

23 saturday graham black@the seaforth club, elgin tbc

24 sunday children's classic concerts: gypsy jazz tbc, one touch theatre, eden court, inverness. £9; u18 £6 live music with scott macdonald@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, free. all welcome the osprey musical society (toms): phileas ensemble; luba tunnicliffe - viola; henry roberts flute; oliver wass - harp, playing saints seans, telemann, salter, gershwin boat of garten communitiy hall. £14; £16; sudents & schoolchildren - comp. call ann napier on 01479 831213 or 07850 752757. email at ann.nap@btinternet.com great glen walking club: glen tromie 8.30am (early start), please arrive 15 m, uhi car park, ness walk, inverness. grade: b; distance: 9 miles. www.greatglen.org

27 wednesday blood donors: aviemore 5.15pm- 7.45pm, aviemore primary school. to book an appointment please call page 20 - February 2019

tel: 01309 690063

0345 90 90 999 or email nss.snbtsenquiry@nhs.net www.scotblood.co.uk free emergency life support training including cpr & defibrillator 7.30pm, st andrew's church of scotland hall, aviemore. free but booking essential. call 01479 810990 or email at aviemorelucky2bhere@gmail.com

28 thursday moray society: the scottish dolphin centre; speaker lorna hall 2.30pm, elgin museum hall, 1 high street, elgin, £3, £2 for moray society members, £1.50. call mary shand on 01343 543675 or email at curator@elginmuseum.org.uk. www.elginmuseum.org.uk inverness gathering 2019: speaker - jeanne kamara, christian aid's country manager in sierra leone 10am, inshes church, inverness gilly's open mic night@winky's bothy bar, grampian road, aviemore 9pm, free. all welcome

WML Survey Quarter Page.pdf

1

06/12/2018

o hear t t n a w We U! from YO 2019 Re

ader Sur

vey

Spotlight is conducting a survey into what you feel about your monthly magazine. We want to know: t What you like t What you don’t like t What you would like to see included which isn’t already.

In order to contribute your views we would invite you to go to the home page of our websitenwww. spotlighton.co.uk and click on the survey button.

Alternatively, if you prefer to just send us an email then please forward your comments to admin@winterburnmedia.com admin@winterburnmedia.co.uk

Robert Burns A Red, Red Rose 1794 O my Luve's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June: O my Luve's like the melodie, That's sweetly play'd in tune.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi' the sun; And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o' life shall run.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!

And fare-thee-weel, a while!

And I will come again, my Luve, Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile!

Robert Burns Love for Love

Robert Burns O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast

1792

1794

Ithers seek they ken na what, Features, carriage, and a' that; Gie me love in her I court, Love to love maks a' the sport.

Let love sparkle in her e'e; Let her lo'e nae man but me; That's the tocher-gude I prize, There the luver's treasure lies.

O wert thou in the cauld blast, On yonder lea, on yonder lea, My plaidie to the aingry airt, I'd shelter thee, I'd shelter thee.

Or did misfortune's bitter storms Around thee blaw, around thee blaw, The bield* should be my bosom, To share it a', to share it a'.

Or were I in the wildest waste, Sae black and bare, sae black and bare, The desert were a Paradise, If thou wert there, if thou wert there; Or were I monarch o' the globe, Wi' thee to reign, wi' thee to reign, The brightest jewel in my crown Wad be my queen, wad be my queen!

Adult Fiction

Adult Fiction

By Peter May

By Bridget Collins

The Binding

Man With No Face

1979. Jaded Edinburgh journalist Neil Bannerman is sent to Europe, intent on digging up dirt. Yet it is danger he discovers, when two British men are found murdered. One victim is a journalist, the other a Cabinet Minister: the double-assassination witnessed by the former's autistic daughter. This girl recalls every detail about her father's killer - except for one.

Bannerman is compelled to follow his instincts. He is now fighting to expose a murderous conspiracy, protect a helpless child, and unmask a remorseless killer.

Adult Non Fiction

Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a letter arrives summoning him to begin an apprenticeship. He will work for a Bookbinder, a vocation that arouses fear, superstition and prejudice - but one neither he nor his parents can afford to refuse. He will learn to hand-craft beautiful volumes, and within each he will capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory. If there's something you want to forget, he can help. If there's something you need to erase, he can assist. Your past will be stored safely in a book and you will never remember your secret, however terrible.

Then one day Emmett makes an astonishing discovery: one of them has his name on it.

Churchill: Walking With Destiny

By Andrew Roberts Winston Churchill towers over every other figure in twentieth-century British history.

By the time of his death at the age of 90 in 1965, many thought him to be the greatest man in the world. There have been over a thousand previous biographies of Churchill. The author draws on over forty new sources, including the private diaries of King George VI, used in no previous Churchill biography to depict him more intimately and persuasively than any of its predecessors.

Teenage Fiction

What if it's us?

By Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera Two very different boys, Ben and Arthur, can’t decide if the universe is pushing them together—or pulling them apart. A chance meeting at the post office, leaves them wondering what exactly the universe does have in store for them.

What if - in a city of eight million people - they can't find each other again? What if they do ... and then can't nail a first date even after three do-overs?

Adult Non Fiction

The Light in the Dark: a Winter Journal

By Horatio Clare Winter can be tough. Seasonal sadness; winter blues; depression such feelings are widespread in the darker months. But by looking outwards, by being in and observing nature, we can appreciate its rhythms.

Horatio Clare raises a torch against the darkness, illuminating the blackest corners of the season.

By learning to see, we can find the magic, the light that burns bright at the heart of winter: spring will come again.

Junior Fiction

Death in the Spotlight

By Robin Stevens

Fresh from their adventure in Hong Kong, Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells are off to the Rue Theatre in London to face an entirely new challenge: acting. But danger has a nasty habit of catching up with the Detective Society, and it soon becomes clear that there is trouble afoot at the Rue. Jealousy, threats and horrible pranks quickly spiral out of control – and then a body is found. Now Hazel and Daisy must take centre stage and solve the crime... before the murderer strikes again.

THE WILD IONA HAGGIS

Dea r Sir/ Mad am Refe rrin g to your scie ntif ic artic le in the Janu ary 201 9 edit ion of Spo tligh t, I was plea sed to see a serio us peri odic al repo rtin g on wha t man y peop le seem to see as a joke .

Befo re mov ing to the Isle of Lew is near ly two year s ago, I visit ed othe r islan ds, part icul arly Iona on num erou s occa sion s.

It is a littl e kno wn fact that ther e is, on Iona , a rare subs peci es of the Wil d Hag gis, Hag gis Sco ticu s Col umb anu s.

Sinc e Iona only has two sma ll hills , the Iona hagg is does not hav e the une ven leng th legs repo rted for the mor e com mon hagg is.

It pref ers to wad dle arou nd the shor elin e, espe ciall y favo urin g rock poo ls, whe re it hun ts for limp ets and win kles , hen ce its fish y flav our.

It is a shy retir ing crea ture , but I was luck y eno ugh som e year s ago to pho togr aph one near the shor e. On a late r trip, two of the hagg is were sigh ted. I am plea sed, in the inte rests of scie ntif ic rese arch , to atta ch thes e rare pho togr aph s.

Ala n

April 2002

November 2011

April 2011

April 2013 - after a swim!

The Garden TOM ANGEL IS A

GARDEN DESIGNER, LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT AND

structures can overwhelm and suffocate a garden.

Similarly an abundance of small objects or differing landscaping materials in a garden can make it feel fussy.

CHARTERED HORTICULTURIST BASED IN

AVIEMORE.

TOM PROVIDES

CONSULTANCY AND DESIGN SERVICES AS

ANGEL HORTICULTURE LTD. TOM ALSO BLOGS AS ‘THE MOUNTAIN GARDENER’ WHICH YOU CAN FIND ON HIS WEBSITE AT WWW.ANGELHORT.COM Winter took a while to arrive this year, but as I write this it looks as if the snow is arriving any day.

There are always jobs to be done in the garden but this time of year is ideal for planning ahead too. With many plants having died back or lost their leaves we have a great opportunity to look at the structure of our gardens. In fact I really enjoy looking round famous gardens in the winter as without lush growth spilling out of all the beds, it is much easier to see the framework upon which the garden has been built. It is this framework that makes the gardens ‘feel’ nice to look at and be in.

We can do the same in our own gardens.

A common issue is one of balance. Look out into your garden now and perhaps you can work out what is throwing the balance off in your own garden. A big shed on one side, for example, needs to be balanced on the other side of the garden. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be another shed! The rule is that it needs to be something of a similar overall mass - a large bush or new tree might suffice.

Perhaps you have plants that are out of proportion for your garden? Many people have trees that are too large. Disproportionately large plants or

Harmony within a garden is important, but can be a delicate issue to work around. If you have too many of the same plants or materials going on in a garden it can become too formal, or just plain dull.

However, by simply including a few of the same species in several of your flowerbeds and in different parts of the garden, you can tie the garden together and make it feel far more intentional.

When it comes to your planting scheme perhaps you feel that some of your favourites are lost within the garden. The answer here is often to plant in groups. Hellebores are a great example here, on their own they can look a bit lonely at best, and downright miserable at worst! Plant them in a group however and you have an indispensable addition to your garden.

Maybe you feel you are lacking colour in your garden at certain times during the year. A great way to get round this is to decide to go to a local garden centre once a month for the next twelve months, and each time you’re there buy something that’s in flower. Hey presto, you’ll have flowers in your garden throughout the year in no time!

Hopefully that gives you a few ideas to be going on with. If you would like to see more of what I have been up to you can read my blog at www.angelhort.com

SpotLIGHT

STEP 1 Visit www.spotlighton.co.uk

STEP 2 Click SMART PHONES, TABLETS, DESKTOP AND LAPTOPS

STEP 2 Enter your Email and Click

Sign up

YOU’RE DONE! Now you will be up to date each week Timber Buildings QP March 18.pdf

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23/01/20

TIMBER BUILDINGS UK

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A History of the Snowman Rally (Written by Iain Campbell Snr & Jim McGill)

The first organised in February 1955 was a closed to club event using tarmac roads and covering over 350 miles. The inaugural event was run overnight with high tea available before the start at 10pm. Finishers could enjoy the luxury of a cooked breakfast for 7/6 (37p). Of course there was no Nomex racewear in those days. Instead the fashionable gear was Norwegian sweaters, with matching "bunnets". Interestingly, bunnets have again become a regular feature of the event since 1999 as a thank you to our volunteer marshals.

While 50 successful and highly competitive rallies have been organised, only three have had to be cancelled at the last minute. In 1969 lack of a sponsor forced the event to be cancelled; the world oil crisis led to a rallying ban in 1972; and two years later the RAC banned rallying because of the outbreak of foot and

mouth disease across the whole of the UK. In 1962 the mileage covered by the rally had been reduced to 250 miles. It was though, still an overnight event starting at 10pm, with a half-hour halt for fuel and refreshments . The entry fee was ÂŁ1.05 with a deposit of ÂŁ1.50 for the sealed watch carried in each car. The ÂŁ1.50 was refundable at the end of the rally when the watch was returned intact to the organisers.

Many of the trophies from that era are still part of the Snowman prize list. The organisers promised "a route of over 250 miles of typically highland terrain, but we have striven to eliminate untarred tracks, impossible time schedules, steep hills, and regularity sections" In 1959 the rally had two start points, Monte Carlo style, at Inverness and Elgin and such was the growing success of the Snowman that it had become

known favourably as "the poor man's Monte Carlo".

In 1964 Iain Sutherland, the outright winner, virtually had to be lifted out of his car as a frozen lump because he had removed the driver's door in something of a farcical, but nonetheless rapid manoeuvre.

Finding himself in a position where he needed to reverse in a hurry, Iain glanced in his rearview mirror to find the rear window completely misted up. Undaunted, he threw open his driver's door, peered into the dark, reversed at speed ... and ripped the door clean off its hinges against a rather substantial, but unseen, snowbank.

In 1967, the event ventured into the forests: 65 stage miles combined with a number of selectives on public roads to give a total competitive mileage of 300 miles throughout Inverness-shire and Moray.

9th Feb 2019 Inver nes s s now manrally.co.uk

The organisers permitted the use of studded (but not spiked) tyres.

Route books were issued one hour before each competitor's start time.

The overnight rally, which was popularly sponsored by beer-makers McEwens, began at 10.31pm on the Saturday from Inverness, finishing at Aviemore on Sunday morning at 11am, where lunch was available for the equivalent of 32p. Entry fees had increased to £4.20, no doubt the increase was due to the cost of using Forestry Commission roads.

The following year stage mileage increased to 100 miles, while the road mileage of 250 miles was used only as road sections as we know today. The rally started in Spean Bridge at 10pm and OS maps 27, 28, 29, 35, 36, 37, and 38 were required. Crews were warned in the supplementary regulations that smoking during the course of a special stage would result in exclusion!

In 1972 there were three classes up to 1000cc; 1001 to 1300cc; and over 1300cc. Total mileage was 300 with 100 miles of timed stages. The start was in Fort William at 9pm and the finish was at the Royal Stuart Motor Hotel, Inverness (Drumossie) at 7am on Sunday morning. By now the entry fee had increased to £12.

Service cars were allowed, but had to have pre-glued stickers fixed to the inside of the driver's rear

passenger window. And as an indication as to how things have changed, the programme advertised a new 2.0-litre BMW for £2,197.

The following year the first Snowman Rally ran in daylight and Roger Clark won the rally with the Esso Uniflo Ford Escort from a lowly seeding position of five. The highest seeded locals were A. Martin and Fiona Kennedy at 37 in an Imp; Vince Finlayson and Hector Munro, both also in Imps, were seeded 42 and 50, Terry Glendinning was in car 54 in a BMW and Dougie Riach was in car 58, a Ford Escort. Wilson Girvan was entered at 102 in another Escort.

The rally attracted a full entry of 120 plus seven reserves and 1973 also marked the introduction of the 60mph stage 'bogey', or target, for competitors.

1991 supplementary regulations said ‘As in previous years our sport is again having to endure excessive rising costs from both the Forestry Commission and the RACMSA, but despite this we are able to offer 50 stage miles for an entry fee of £148.’

Our 2005 Forest costs were £475 per mile plus £60 permit and insurance fees per car.

The Snowman Rally has changed dramatically since that cold night in 1955 when the first competitors set off, but we still get the same challenges of weather, testing roads, and luck, things just happen quicker than they did in 1955.

The C o o g i e U r q u ha rt

Around 150 registered competitors will tackle gravel forestry tracks during the course of the season in a bid to take the overall championship crown, or one of the many unique awards on offer at the end of the season.

A s i s now tradition, t he I nv er nes s bas ed S no w m a n R a l l y w i l l k i c k o ff p roc ee dings in ea rly F ebruary, befo re a t r i p t o t h e Sou t h o f Sc ot l a n d f o r th e Border Counties Ral l y a mo nt h l at er.

T he ever- popu lar Spe y s id e S ta ge s hos ts round th re e , b e f o re t h e c l a s s i c S c o ttish Rally, the p ic ture s q ue A rgy ll R a lly, the ch a l l e n g i n g G r a m pi a n F o re st Rally an d t he Ga llow a y Hills R a lly tha t w ill c o n c l u d e t h e s e a s o n i n S e ptember. The at mos p he re in Ca s tle Dougla s w i l l be f e v e r pi t c h , wi t h t h e Galloway Hills also w e lc oming the B r itis h R a lly C h a m pi o n s h i p f o r i t s f i n a l e .

In a bid t o encou rage c omp e titor p a r tic ip a tion, e a c h e v e n t i s a t l e a s t f o u r we e ks apart , w ith t he b igge r ga p s hop ing to a lle v i a t e a n y f i n a n c i a l s t r a i n between n umerou s r a llie s . S R C Cha ir ma n Gord on Ad a m i s l o o k i n g f o r wa rd to anot her f iercely c omp e titiv e s e a s on in the f ores t s i n 2 0 1 9 , k n o wi n g t h a t the drivers are in f or a tre a t w ith s uc h a s trong c ro p o f e v e n t s t o t a c k l e .

T he sta ge s a re e xcellent as y ou would ex pec t f or t h i s a r e a a n d d e l i v e r j u s t unde r 45 miles an d a gr eat c ent r al s er v ic e ar ea a t D i n g w a l l M a r t . S o m e o l d st ages th at a re fa vo ur it es , s uc h as M eall M hor an d M i l l b u i e , m i x e d w i t h some ne w sta ge s suc h as Loc hlet t er, all ex em plif y t h e b e s t o f t h e s t a g e s i n t he Hig hla nd s.

Th e orga nising te am l o o k fo rw ard t o w el co mi ng f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y, o l d an d new, to Inver nes s - s hi re fo r a g reat day ’s mo t o r s p o r t on c e a ga i n .

The Coogie Urquhart Snowman Rally Saturday, 9th February 2019 from 08:00-18:00 Starting at: Fairways, Inver ness www.snowmanrally.co.uk Find u s on Facebook for more information

Crafty Corner Essential Oil Shower Melts Materials needed for this project: s 1 1/2 cups cornstarch s 20 drops peppermint essential oil s 20 drops eucalyptus essential oil s 1 tablespoon witch hazel (optional) s Food colouring (optional) s Water – 3 to 4 tablespoons to start, more will likely be needed s ice cube tray or silicone molds s medium size bowl s mixing spoon Here’s how you make this project: 1. Add your cornstarch, essential oils, witch hazel and food colouring to medium sized mixing bowl. Stir. It will be very powdery and clumpy.

2. Add water, starting with 3 tablespoons. Mix well - it will start as a dry, crumbly mixture. Add water, a few drops at a time and mix well. Then a few more drops and mix some more. Repeat until you get JUST past the crumbly point and the colou r is mixed in. If the mixture gets too wet, add a little more cornstarch.

3. Spoon the paste into the ice cube tray or silicone mold.

Gently tap / shake to work out the bubbles. Freeze for at least 1 hour.

4. Store your cold kicking shower melts in a cool, dry place or back in the freezer until you need one! Then just toss it on the floor of your shower for some peppermint and eucalyptus relief!

Did you know?

Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries

« Life Hack #322 »

If you apply traditional shaving cream to your mirror and wipe it down with a paper towel or rag, not only will you rid the mirror of smudges and streaks, but it’ll also keep it from fogging up during a shower for a few weeks. This trick is also useful for cleaning your glasses and car windows.

P u zz le Pa g e

Easy

Medium

Easy

Solutions to last month’s puzzles Medium

Tarbet Sunset Martini

By James Sutherland of 56 North, Edinburgh, UK. "It’s evocative of sky, land and sea, as the sun is setting on the day."

60ml Isle of Harris Gin 5ml Vermut Lustau Sweet Sherry Vermouth 3 drops Isle of Harris Sugar Kelp Aromatic Water Sprig of fresh Thyme Pink Grapefruit peel

1. Place bottle of Isle of Harris Gin in freezer until ice cold.

2. Place a large block of ice into a mixing glass.

3. Add the gin, Vermut, aromatic water and thyme to the mixing glass.

4. Squeeze a large twist of pink grapefruit into the liquid and drop the peel into the mixing glass.

5. Stir with a bar spoon for 2-3 minutes.

6. Strain slowly into a chilled coupe glass.

7. Squeeze a fresh twist of pink grapefruit over the drink and place into the glass.

8. Tie or clip a stem of fresh thyme onto the stem

freshness of pink grapefruit peel with the green notes of thyme, and the ocean notes of sugar kelp water. It’s

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