Ballater & Crathie Eagle, Issue 64, Winter 2011

Ballater & crathie

Community

magazine

no.64 xmas/hogmanay 2011/12

£1 where sold

56

The Ballater & Crathie Eagle is made possible by:

Advertising, Donations, Sponsorship, Fundraising, "Awards for All"

Lottery and Cairngorms Leader+ European funding. Thank You.

We deliver FREE from Crathie to Cambus O’May.

Thanks to Friends of the Eagle for delivering to some outlying areas.

Clean sweep of

appreciationsee page 36

Postie Pic by John Holley

Special visitor at

Crathie Schoolsee page 21

Private Preview see page 9

Alfresco book club meetsee page 20

The Eagle Team

wish you all a

Fabulous

Festive Season!

STUART ESSONPLUMBING &HEATINGENGINEER

TEL: 013397 56378MOBILE: 07786 543100

LOCAL EXPERIENCED AWARD WINNING KNOWLEDGEABLE INDUSTRIOUS EFFICIENT

54 3

Diary

The dates you need: 4-5

The Crathie Pages

Group news and School: 20 & 21

The Weddin

By Mary Munro: 53

Ballater School

They have been busy: 28 & 29

Eagle & Robin

Cartoon and more about Luke: 30

Pottering About

Weather, Willow and wandering: 48

Local History

Christmas greenery: 38

V&A Minutes

From the 20s:44

Ozymandias of the Arrigation

A new serialised story from wee Chis: 40

Local Groups:

Ballater Royal Horticultural Society: 8

BRHS Floral Art Group: 9

Ballater (Royal Deeside) Ltd: 15

BOVOF: 10

CLAN: 12

Community Council: 13

RD&C DMO: 17

Rotary: 33

SWRI: 14

Upper Deeside Art Society: 9

Upper Deeside Music: 24

V & A Halls: 23

Victoria Week: 19

Contact us:

All the ways YOU can contribute: 7

Donations:

Donations are gratefully received, and

acknowledged. You can also put

money into our tins at various

local establishments.

Advertising:

Full page: £60; Half page: £30;

Quarter page: £20; Eighth page: £10

Please contact Faye Swan [email protected] or Tel.55345

Abody within a radius o’ ten

yairds started tae sniff roon

aboot, for it wis a smell like rot-

ten eggs that wid hae sunk a bat-

tleship! Jean just sat there, calm an

innocent as ye like, newsin awa aboot

naethin’ ava tae the meenister lad, fa hid

his hunkie tae his face – his verra e’en were

waterin!

Worse wis tae come! Willie hid gorged

himself on steak an ingins as weel, syne hid

a gweed feow drams wi his cronies. Fit wi

the maet, the whisky an the nerves in his

stamack at the thocht o’ speechifyin, fan he

got tae his feet his belly just did a flip o’er,

an afore he could say a wird, he spewed a

o’er the table afore him. There wis a deathly

hush for a twa, three seconds, syne there

wis a muckle stampede o’ fowk tae the doors,

ane or twa cowkin in tae their hauns.

“Fit an affront!” thocht Jean as she socht

tae cover up the table wi napkins an console

peer Flossie fa wis roarin an greetin. Fit a

thing tae happen, for Jean kent she’d niver

live it doon – Bella doon the road, wid craw

like a cock aboot this for wiks.

Come time, the tablecloth wis whippit

aff an air fresheners sprayed aroon. Willie

got some waater an Flossie dichted her reed

e’en an snottery nib. Fowk cam driftin back,

tryin tae forget the disaster at the table.

There wis aye the dancin an drinkin tae

come, an efter the gweed present they’d

gien, they winted their money’s worth.

“Weel, I winna forget my weddin day in

a hurry!” thocht Flossie as she heitered roon

the fleer wi her new man. As for Jean, she

wis in her element, as she oxtered the wee

sharger o’ a meenister roon the dance fleer.

She wis “The Mither o’ the Bride” an she

wis gaen tae mak the maist o’ it fitever hap-

pened!

Warm Winter Welcometo your festive Eagle

As the long cold dark nights are upon us, brighten up your life with what’s on,

what the local groups are doing, some fabulous fresh new writing, a wee surprise for one

nonegenerian and even a poem and a cartoon! Put your feet up and enjoy!

...Sumptuous Service

...Dedicated Attention ...Fabulous Frames

= Complete Customer Satisfaction

(This is not just any Optician... ...this is YOUR Eyecare Specialist! )

dp opticians, 45 Bridge Street, Ballater 013397 56222 [email protected]

4 53Eagle Eyes...

Jock and Jean were fair trickit fan Flossie,

their ae yowe lammie, cam in aboot ae day

wi the news that she wis tae be merried in

June. It didna maitter a docken that her chiel,

Willie, an her hid been bidin thegither for

near twa year – they were tae dee the dacent

thing noo, an sae Jean wis fair determined

that it wid be a fite weddin, wi a the fal-

derals – it wid be a “reed-letter” day in their

gey hum drum life. Wi a gweed deal o narkin

fae Jean, they sat doon tae mak a list o’ a the

things tae be deen.

“We’ll hae tae invite a the Aunties, even

Aggie, worse luck. She’s a richt affront that

ane, bit she’s faimily. She michtna come –

we can bit hope!” Jean wis real wun-up aboot

the hale thing, an Jock’s heid wis bizzin like

a bees’ byke or lang. It wis like that for wiks

– the kirk, the flooers, the cake, the cars.

Syne Jean rakit Aiberdeen lookin for a frock.

She wis a fair size o’ a deem – wi a gweed

grip o’ Scotland wi creashy lurks an faulds

roon her kite, an sae Jock goggled in horror

fan she paraded afore him ae nicht in a yalla

bell-tent o’ a frock wi navy blue flooers clarted

a o’er it. Jock said, “Aye, aye, that’ll dee

fine!”, for he wis a typical North-easter, a

man o’ feow wirds, an onythin for a quaet

life wis his motto.

Time flew by, an seen presents started

tae come in aboot. “Fit the hell div I need

fower kettles for?” Flossie girned tae her

mither, bit Jean soothed her doon. “They’ll

aye keep – ye’ll hae a kettle a yer days”.

The groom wis a postie an his pals catched

him ae nicht an gied him a richt blackenin,

syne ringin a haun-bell, they trailed him in a

hurlie roon the village – a richt target he wis,

clarted wi diesel ile an feathers. A “feet

washin” wis supposed tae bring gweed luck,

The Weddinby Mary Munro

bit Willie hid a plooky kine o’ skin,

an sae wi a the scrubbin an sweelin, his

physog broke oot in a sotter o’ prood flesh

an skelfs for days aifterhin. The nicht afore

the weddin, Jean hid them for their tea, an

they hid a great feed o’ steak, chips an fried

ingins. Jean wis tae live tae regret thae ingins!

The day o’ the weddin wis fine, an it a

went fine if ye ignored the fact that Aggie

hoasted an spluttered a the time in the kirk,

near droonin oot the meenister. Syne at the

“sit-doon”, thon ingins fae the nicht afore

started tae come back tae Jean – fae baith

ends! Sittin there like a flooery Queen of

Sheba, she wis haein tae let aff thon saft,

pluffery farts fae time tae time. The stink

wis something terrible. They were wirin awa

at the puddin fan Jean hid tae let aff a bosker.

DecemberSat 3 Christmas Fair, Ballater School, 11am-2pm

Bring a Party to a Party, Ballater Golf Club, £25pp

Sun 4 Christingle Service, St Kentigern’s, 9.30am

Upper Deeside Music, Darroch Learg Hotel, 4.30pm

Mon 5 Christmas Special Coffee, Crathie Kirk, 10am-12.30pm

BRHS: Eric Baird: “The Landscape of Glen Tanar”,

Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm

Tue 6, 13 & 20 Advent Holy Communion, St Kentigern’s, 9.30am

Wed 7 Ballater Business Association Meeting, 7.30pm, Glen Lui Hotel

Sat 10 Christmas Fair, Victoria Hall, 10.30-4pm

please contact Bell, on 55745 for a table

Sun 11 High-Level Winter Walk with Balmoral Rangers,

meet Glen Muick Visitor Centre, 9.30am

Ballater Boules, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am

Mon 12 B & C Community Council Meeting, 7pm Mike Sheridan Room

Sun 18 Glenmuick Christingle service 11am

St Kentigerns “9 lessons & carols” 4pm

Tue 20 Last posting date for Christmas (first class)

Fri 23 Ballater School term ends

School service, Glenmuick, 11am

Sat 24 Ballater Post Office closes 12.30pm

Santa and his Reindeer, Kirk Green, 11.30am –12.30pm

Glenmuick: carols 11.15, watchnight 11.30pm

Midnight Communion Service, St Kentigern’s, 11.30pm

Christmas Mass, St Nathalan’s, 8pm

Sun 25 Holy Communion Service, St Kentigern’s, 9.30am

Family service Glenmuick, 10.30am - bring favourite toy!

Mon 26 Ballater Post Office, Chemist and Surgery closed

Tue 27 Ballater Post Office, Chemist and Library closed

Ballater Surgery open 9am-12 for emergencies only

Boules for the Golden Boules Trophy, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am

Sat 31 Hogmanay Party, Ballater Golf Club, £20pp

JanuarySun 1 Lunch and Karaoke, Ballater Golf Club, £12pp


Boules for the New Year Quaich, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am

Aboyne

Van Hire

Mobile

07808 568434

Moira Melrose

Kiltmaker

since 1992

Quality Hand Sewn Kilts

013398 80074

Email: [email protected]

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

Are Your Dates Here?

For inclusion in this FREE section of the Eagle,

please contact Cat Houston on 55243,

mob: 07968 941359 (texts welcome)

email: [email protected]

Ballater Surgery: All emergencies outwith the normal times

please tel: 013397 55686 OR NHS 24: 08454 242424

and able to supply their own

stone independent of the local

laird and his quarry. The gran-

ite at Cambus o’May was also

much finer grained than the red stone

of the Pass and much easier to cut and dress.

The shift to the Cambus quarries did not

please the Farquharson lairds at Invercauld

House who had gained the Monaltrie es-

tate on William’s death.

After the railway reached Ballater in

1866, the Invercauld Estate was swamped

with requests to buy building land in Ballater.

The estate was quite happy to oblige, but

with conditions attached, one demanding that

the proposed house be built of granite won

and paid for from the old quarries on

Invercauld ground round the Pass of Ballater.

That monopoly on building stone meant

that the rough red Pass of Ballater granite

got a new lease of life, and explains how the

vast majority of the houses continued to be

built of that granite long after the Cambus

quarries came into operation. We have to wait

until the Edwardian days, with their final

boom of building, for the Cambus quarries

really to come into their own, quite briefly

as it happened, before the hard, white

Kemnay granite came steaming up the val-

ley on railway trucks to face the great villas

we see today on Braemar and Queen’s

Roads.

As we continue up the track from the

Pass road we find mature firs blocking the

path of what had been the horse-and-cart

track up to the quarries. Almost two hun-

dred years have passed and nature has been

reclaiming her hill for a long time. The track

is built as steep as a horse could climb, but

of one thing we can be sure, the return trip

with a loaded cart of granite would have re-

quired a second horse chained behind to hold

the load back till level ground was reached.

Once we reach the quarry level, there

are still traces of the rough shelter where the

masons lunched and doubtless sheltered from

the worst of the weather. The granite here

is very coarse with large crystals; indicating

that it had cooled very slowly, allowing the

constituent minerals, the micas, the feldspar

and indeed the quartz crystals, to form indi-

vidually.

Under such conditions, and in this local-

ity, are found the Cairngorms crystals.



Mon 9 Ballater School term starts

Tue 10 CLAN Walking Group, check with the CLAN Centre

Sun 15 Boules, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am

Wed 18 SWRI: Scottish Night, Entertainment & Sales Table, Albert Hall, 7.30pm

Mon 23 Church Guild Afternoon Tea, Glen Muick Church Hall, 2.30pm

Wed 25 Second Chancers, CLAN Support Group, Ballater Golf Club, 4pm


February

Mon 6 BRHS: Chris Wardle: “How Crathes Works, An insight behind

the scenes”, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm



Wed 15 SWRI: Fire Service by Barry Florence, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm



Mon 27 Church Guild: Speaker Rev Ian Strachan, Glenmuick Church Hall, 2.30pm

Wed 29 CLAN Support Group, Second Chancers, Ballater Golf Club, 4pm

MarchFri 2 World Day of Prayer, Glenmuick Church, 6.30pm

Mon 5 BRHS: Andy Beckingham: “Gardens in Glen Tanar, past, present

and future”, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm

Wed 21 SWRI: Horseback UK by Jock Hutchison,


La

Mangiatoia

Ristorante &

Pizzeria

Closed from Sunday 20 November for annual

holidays. Re-open Tuesday 27

December

Bridge Square

Ballater

Tel. 013397-55999

6 51Letter from our Editor

Dear Readers,As our front cover indicates, winter

is with us once more, but the Royal Mail still gets

through despite atrocious weather. The same is true of

the team of people who deliver the Eagle to your letter

box, and we must be grateful that they, posties,

community carers, our wonderful health centre staff,

council road workers and people working in local shops are

prepared to battle through whatever weather faces them, to get the job done.

On behalf of the Eagle Team, I must express our grateful thanks to the

Victoria Week committee for a very generous donation to Eagle funds from the

surplus made from this year’s event. As a result, things look somewhat healthier

for the Eagle on the financial front. It is this sort of co-operation which makes

Ballater a community, as opposed to just a gathering of dwellings.

Readers will no doubt notice the return of the cartoon “Eagle and Robin” in

this issue. A short series appeared initially some time ago, and Luke Strachan

has put together some others for us. We are extremely grateful to Luke, a Crathie

lad working in London, for giving his time and talent to enliven our community

magazine with his humorous cartoon. On the subject of local talent, we are also

happy to highlight the work of young Eilidh Gow in this issue, with her pencil

portrait of Betty Wilson. Other examples of her work may be seen in Gow’s

Deli. Perhaps more young people in the village with other talents, such as writ-

ing short stories or poetry might contact the Eagle, and help make our magazine

something to appeal across the generations. After all, we highlight items from

the primary schools, but nothing comes to us from secondary pupils. Let’s see

what you can do.

Meanwhile, thank you to everyone who supports the Eagle. On behalf of

the Eagle Team, I wish all our readers, advertisers and contributors of articles a

happy, healthy and prosperous 2012.

Ian Hay

By Popular Demand!Ballater Library opening Hours:

Sunday & Monday: Closed

Tuesday: 10am-1pm, 6.30pm-8pm

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 2-4pm, 6.30pm-8pm

Friday: 2-5pm

Saturday: 10am-12noon

As youngsters, we often climbed about

in the Pass of Ballater. Usually we were try-

ing to reach the nests of the ravens, which

still lived there in the 1940s. When the

ravens defeated us, we would start looking

for strange rocks. There was, and still is, a

vertical mineral vein that runs up over the

top of the cliff giving up many different crys-

tals, lithium ores, green microcline, fluorite

and beryl.

On a compass setting, the vein travels

north to a hidden valley that had been an

early run-off channel for the impounded gla-

cial ice-melt waters trying to escape down-

valley, at a time before the Pass of Ballater

had been eroded out. The erosion there is

still active today, as was shown one day in

the spring of 2004 when a huge mass of

rock fell off the cliffs, the resultant shock

waves being recorded by the British Geo-

logical Survey’s instruments in Edinburgh.

The easiest way to reach this hidden

valley from the Pass is by starting at the gate

on the bridge at the Fog House. This was

Francis Farquharson’s work after he returned

from exile in England following his exploits

in the 1745 rising. The Fog House was a

folly built into the bank of the Loin burn

that flows through the Pass. It would have

been constructed at the same time as the

bridge that gave access to the granite quar-

ries on the hill above. Its name stems from

the roofing of heather and moss (fog).

Farquharson’s Monaltrie House was built

in 1782 from the red granite that he quar-

ried here. The early 1780s would have been

a busy time in the Pass of Ballater quarries,

as apart from Monaltrie House stone, the

first Ballater Bridge that opened to traffic in

Pass of Ballater Silver Mine

Part 1 by Ian Cameron

1783 was being built from granite won here.

You can still follow the track, traversing

the hill that accessed the various levels where

Francis Farquharson quarried the building

stone from large boulders on the steep scree

slope. Not only did Francis Farquarson use

those quarries for the stones of Monaltrie

House and Ballater’s first bridge, but his

successor, William Farquharson, built the

original Monaltrie Arms Hotel, the farm

buildings that went with the hotel, and most

of the early houses of Bridge Square of this

same rough red granite.

The shift to the Cambus o’May quar-

ries came later, with the local masons leasing

quarries there from the Marquis of Huntly,

so becoming contractors in their own right

Ballater

Post Office

Hours of Opening:

Mon: 9am - 5.30pm

Tues: 9am - 5.30pm

Weds: 9am - 5.30pm

Thurs: 9am - 12.30pm

Fri: 9am - 5.30pm

Sat: 9am - 12.30pm

Please note we are OPEN over lunchtime

Foreign Currency

We now stock Euros

& US Dollars

for immediate purchase.

Tel: 013397 55505

www.ballaterpo.net

Support your local Post Office,

you know it makes sense!

Seasons Greetings

from all of us at your Post Office

C.S.M. Aerial Satellite

Deeside and Donside sky

approved installers

Strathgirnoc Farmhouse

South Deeside Road

Ballater

Tel: 013397 56227

Mobile: 07506951506

Email:

[email protected]

J.Lanigan

Engineer

750

Ways to contact the Eagle:

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Library, Ballater, AB35 5QB

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flung friends and relatives.

Simply provide the name and address to whom

the issues should be sent, with a cheque or postal

order for 'Ballater Eagle' for the relevant amount

and drop off your request to the Library. Betty, our

Subscriptions person, will do the rest. Easy!

Eagle Who's Who & Where

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

Editor: Ian Hay � 55941

Treasurer: Dr. Sheila Sedgwick � 55292

Secretary: Betty Wilson � 55791

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Distribution: Andy and Julie Bloor

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Design Team: Stella Potter, Ollie Ross, Cat Houston, Karen Major

Email us at: [email protected]

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How to

contact our

Representatives:

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email:

dennis.robertson.msp@scottish parliament .uk

WESTMINSTER:Sir Robert Smith MP

� 01330 820330, Fax: 01330 820338,

e-mail: [email protected]

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL:Peter Argyle: � 013398 82973


Rosemary Bruce � 013398 89318


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Katrina Farquar � 013398 81006


subway downtown to join the

Occupy Wall Street protesters.

Bit of a no-brainer really. Espe-

cially after talking to the family

who all agreed Zell would have been

proud of me to do so. To say nothing of my

eldest, who wouldn’t have forgiven me if I’d

not taken some camaraderie from Scotland.

So I went to Liberty Square, met some re-

ally interesting folk, listened to some of their

stories, had some excellent conversations and

was delighted to show my solidarity. It was a

life affirming experience doing what I felt

was right.

That feeling will help keep me warm this

winter. Whatever you do over the cold

months, I wish you all as much joy and en-

gagement in life…

“Don’t cry because it’s over.Smile because it happened”

Dr Seuss

Chanaich Lodge

Provost Craig Road

Ballater

Aberdeenshire

AB35 5NN

Tel. 01339 756336

Fax. 01339 755893

Mobiles: 07710 469563

07850 653160

Managing Director

Peter Henderson


H.P.S. (Aberdeen) Ltd

Integrated Building / Landscaping

Services and Supplies

498 Local Group News

Ballater Royal

Horticultural Society

by Jim Clark

By the time you read this, our new ses-

sion will be well underway with our AGM

having taken place on Monday 7 Novem-

ber, followed by a talk entitled Highland

Charm, by Eric Jensen, a most entertaining

speaker.

The Society has a number of committee

vacancies, which at the time of writing, hope-

fully will be filled at the AGM. Please sup-

port the Society by renewing your member-

ship. All new members will be made most

welcome. Refreshments are always avail-

able at the end of the meetings where one

has the opportunity to discuss any points with

the guest speaker, meet new people and catch

up with friends.

We have an exciting programme planned

with a meeting on 5 December with a talk

by Eric Baird on the Landscape of Glen

Tanar. Chris Wardle from Crathes will speak

at our February meeting about How Crathes

Works – An Insight Behind the Scenes.

Please look out for future events in the Ea-

gle diary and on the various posters located

throughout the village.

Congratulations to all the prize winners

at our annual Exhibition and Flower Show

held in August and in particular to Hazel

Bruce, winner of our best garden competi-

tion.

We look forward to seeing you at our

meetings.

was correct. All the time I was away, I never

wore the one cardi I took. My sandals, how-

ever, were all the footwear worn, with the

travelling addition of very uncool fluffy

socks. Comfort comes before any semblance

of fashion sense for me, as those who know

me could doubtless testify…

Bit of an aside. The biggest thing that

bugs me most about winter here is that I

can’t contemplate going out of the door

without a whole new layer of clothing -

boots, hat, gloves, coat, scarf, sometimes

snow shovel or ice grips on my boots too. In

the summer if I don’t mind being occasion-

ally damp, and remember never to wear

crocs when it’s wet –I’ve had the bruises to

prove that– I can just walk out of the door.

Back to New York. What a wonderful

weekend it was, despite the many hours

travelling. It was tremendous to meet up

with so many of the family again. Zell’s

eldest daughter and a delight-

ful couple who were gay retired

Episcopalian ministers led the

ceremony. I was so happy to be

able to speak on behalf of my daughters and

me. It was an uplifting, fitting and joyous

ceremony.

We finished by singing ‘The Battle

Hymn of the Republic’ which initially

seemed a very odd choice until we were told

that the lyrics were written by Zell’s great-

grandmother and singing it at the end of every

family funeral is a tradition she wished to

carry on. I was delighted to do so. Normally

I wouldn’t have sung such a song but I made

an exception, giving it laldy in memory of a

wonderful woman.

Returning south to New York city I had

a choice as to how to spend my three hours

before going to the airport- contribute to the

acquisition culture by shopping, or take the

Marie Chapman

Soft Furnishings, Tarland

Hand and machine work

available for curtains,

pelmets, tie backs, cushions

and Roman blinds.

Also curtain alterations and

home visits available.

Free estimates with a large

collection of fabric samples.

Complete job catered for from

measuring to fitting.

Tel. 077860 66940

[email protected]

Crannach Coffee

Shop & Bakery

at Cambus O’May

Open Thursday - Tuesday11am - 5pm

Bread Making Courseson Wednesdays

Gift Vouchers Available

Tel: 013397 55126 for details

948 Pottering About . . .by Stella Potter

Upper Deeside

Art Society

by Moira Mckenzie

HRH The Duchess of Rothesay at-

tended a private preview of the annual art

exhibition organised by the Upper Deeside

Art Society (UDAS) in Ballater, during

August. see pic on back page....

Held in the Victoria Hall, the 19th an-

nual UDAS exhibition featured 299 works,

demonstrating the broad array of talent of

UDAS members. The Duchess, an Hon-

orary Lifetime Member of the Society, was

able to meet the 58 artists whose works were

on display and discussed their creative inspi-

ration.

The sublime landscapes of the Dee Val-

ley continue to inspire local artists, along with

botanical, animal and human subjects. The

mediums on display varied from watercolours

and oils to delicate sculptures in willow

branch, and finely turned bowls in yew and

elm wood.

UDAS was established in 1992 and now

boasts nearly 100 members. It is open to all

amateur artists living in the Upper Deeside

area and is a living demonstration that art

need not be a solitary pastime. Members

attend regular workshops, demonstrations of

creative techniques and talks by professional

artists. In the summer months, UDAS or-

ganises painting days at local landmarks, such

as Crathes Castle and Finzean House.

Floral Art Group

by Mildred Coull

The Floral Art Group had many success-

ful entries in the BRHS Annual Exhibition

which was held in the Victoria Hall on 21 and

22 August and were well represented, par-

ticularly in the novice category, with six ladies

testing their skills for the first time.

It was a most successful show with beau-

tiful flowers and vegetables and

the increased number of entries

in the children’s section was en-

couraging for the organisers.

Three ladies from the Floral Art Group,

Kathleen McCulloch, Jenny Houston and

Maria Franklin, were successful in the Vic-

toria Week Scarecrow competition winning a

first prize for their entry which they had

made, decorated and exhibited in the Sta-

tion Square Information Centre forecourt.

Congratulations to these talented and artis-

tic ladies.

BRHS Floral Art Group met on 15 Sep-

tember. Our chairwoman, Kathleen

McCulloch was absent as she and her hus-

band were celebrating their Golden Wed-

ding. We sent them our good wishes and

congratulations.

In the absence of Kathleen our meeting

went ahead with Rena Cross from Aber-

Ho hum, I note winter is back. I had to

rush out to bring in the washing because it

was snowing in early October. My heart sank.

Will the many harbingers of doom speculat-

ing on the severity of this winter be proved

right? Will we Home Carers yet again spend

weeks trudging through deep snow at even

sillier o’clock in the morning so we can reach

everyone? Will I wear through 2 pairs of

snowboots again this winter? Have I stacked

enough wood to keep the stove going? And,

of course, the killer question: just why is it

that I live here when I detest the white stuff

so much? I’ll perhaps try and answer some

of these in a later issue…

Just as the weather suddenly cooled,

Willow, our half wildcat, returned from his

summer jaunt to wherever it is he goes. He

seems pretty healthy and has wasted no time

whatsoever in getting the household running

after him again. Sleeping in his usual place

- the warmest room of the house - when he

wakes he starts meowing on the assump-

tion, I presume, that he needs to alert the

house that he’s awake and putting his serv-

ants on standby. As he saunters downstairs

the meowing gets louder, not ceasing until

he’s been thoroughly stroked and had

enough due attention paid with interest. We

know who rules the roost round here, and it

sure isn’t me!!

In September, after a long and well-lived

life, my brother’s mother-in-law, Zell, had

a peaceful, dignified and loving death. My

daughters and I liked her very much, having

spent some glorious weeks over the years at

her house in Thousand Islands. (yes, where

the salad dressing comes from, and they’re

islands in the St Lawrence at the USA/

Canada border). A memorial ceremony at

Thousand Islands was planned for early

October. I checked my diary. It was do-able

with a wee juggle. I could almost hear my

Mum’s voice in my head telling me these

things are important and of course I must

go. So go I did. All the way to New York

state and city for a long weekend.

The day before leaving I checked the

forecast online. I had been told to bring warm

clothes. I triple checked on other weather

websites before actually believing that it may

really be a ridiculously unseasonable 24-29C

and sunny. So, everything out of the ruck-

sack and a swift repack after a frantic delve

into the depths of my clothes to find sum-

mer varieties. I’m so glad I did. The forecast

Buying and Selling Property

Wills and Powers of Attorney

Trusts and Executries

Notarial Executions

Resident Solicitors

Your local

solicitor and

estate agent

FRASER & MULLIGAN

24 Bridge Street, Ballater, AB35 5QP

Tel No. 013397 55633

Fax No. 013397 55564

[email protected]

10 deen kindly stepping into the

shoes of Helen Robb from

Montrose who had been taken

ill. We send her our good wishes

and our grateful thanks go to Rena

who, apart from producing stunning designs,

coped with the unexpected arrival of a bat

which swooped and dived over the heads of

a bemused audience. I wondered why

Kathleen had left me with full instructions

for the meeting but had omitted to include

bat catching equipment. A brave lady suc-

ceeded in catching the bat in the brightly lit

hallway after we had extinguished the lights

in the room. It was released unharmed.

Ivy Duncan’s tea and biscuits were very

welcome at the end of such an exciting evening.

Our October meeting was our AGM

with Sonia Wolfe-Murray demonstrating af-

ter the business had been completed.

Our fund-raising Christmas Charity

evening on 24 November will be reported in

the next Eagle issue when we hope to record

an evening of Christmas designs from Gill

Garrow and be able to make generous do-

nations to our two charities, The Sandpiper

Trust and the Community Bus.

Floral Art Meetings will resume in April

2012.

BOVOF

by Ron Drever

Many will have noticed the new sign at

the entrance to Monaltrie Park. This was a

project initiated by the Monaltrie Park Us-

ers Group (MPUG), a BOVOF Partner-

ship, intended to make the Park entrance

more welcoming.

Ballater Highland Games kindly agreed

to fund the manufacture of the sign, while

Aberdeenshire Council kindly provided the

labour necessary to remove the old sign and

erect the new. Our thanks to both – we trust

the community enjoys this latest BOVOF/

MPUG project.

With regard to the possible new Dental

Practice, BOVOF have been pushing NHS

Grampian for action, and will continue to

do so. In October, we were advised by NHS

Grampian that:-

“We are still in the process of looking at

all the options available to us in line with

funding allocations and if there is anything

to update you with, I will give you a call.”

We’ll keep trying!

47The Lost Watch by Betty Wilson

Glen Lui

Restaurant open all year round

Comfortable and Relaxing with Excellent Food and Wine

Family groups and companies welcome

Book for our Festive Menu available throughout December

Closed December 24, 25 and 26.

Lunch daily from 12 to 2 p.m. / Dinner daily from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Invercauld Road, Ballater, Royal Deeside AB35 5PP

Tel.013397 55402

www.glen-lui-hotel.co.uk Email: [email protected]

Private Function & Conference Facilities

* Licensed for Weddings *

H O T E L

RESTAURANT & bISTRO BAR

My watch is not as old as I, but getting on that way.It doesn’t have a battery, I wind it up each day.

The other day, I lost it- it could be anywhere,Lying on the bathroom shelf, or underneath a chair.

My mind went back to yesterday, but I could not recallWhere was I when I took it off? Maybe in the hall.

I searched beside the telephone, then each step of the stair,Up into the bedroom, but I couldn’t find it there.

It must be in the kitchen, maybe beside the sink.It wasn’t in the living room. Where else? I couldn’t think.

I wondered if I’d scooped it up with yesterday’s P&J.,So I emptied out the waste bin - no luck, I have to say.

After an hour, or two, or more, my house was looking neat,Perhaps the strap had given way, and I’d lost it in the street.

That must be what happened - search ended for today.I might as well give up, and buy another straight away.

I’d lost it, yes I’d lost it, it had well and truly gone -And then I rolled my sleeves up, and you’ve guessed it! I’d got it on!!

FFFFForbes Duguidorbes Duguidorbes Duguidorbes Duguidorbes Duguid

PPPPPainterainterainterainterainter

&&&&&

DecoratorDecoratorDecoratorDecoratorDecorator

TTTTTelelelelel.55816.55816.55816.55816.55816

1146 Committee Skills

Training

by Lindsay Lumsden

Sandy Mathers of Aberdeen Council for

Voluntary Service delivered an interesting

and informative training session on Commit-

tee Skills to members of the community in

Ballater on 19 September. They looked at

the roles of committee members and office

bearers, running meetings, minute-taking,

and financial and legal responsibilities.

The course was organised by a partner-

ship of BOVOF (Ballater One Voice Our

Future), Aberdeenshire Coun-

cil Community Learning &

Development and Aberdeen-

shire CVS Training Initiative.

One participant commented, ‘Many

thanks for a fab. course, I really enjoyed it

and got a lot out of it’.

proved. The Trustees decided

not to install radiators mean-

time but that they would board

up the ventilators in the roof. In

November 1924 they asked Mr Walter

Simpson to draw up a report on the prob-

able cost of heating the Albert Hall and also

one for heating the rest of the Halls sepa-

rately. No reply had been received by Au-

gust 1925 but on enquiry it appeared that

Mr Simpson had died so the Trustees now

had the task of recovering all the plans and

papers he had taken away with him. Mr

Bennet Mitchell was asked to recommend a

heating engineer in Aberdeen but he was

unable to do this so an engineering firm in

Glasgow was sought. The consultations went

on until June 1926 when the contract was

finally let to William Walsh of Ballater, his

tender being £409.16/6(£409.83pence).

After all this time the Trustees wanted the

work completed by the end of September

1926 but it was well into 1927 before the

new system was fully installed and the whole

building was then redecorated.

In June 1928 the Trustees agreed to have

the footpath in front of the Halls tar sprayed

by the contractor who was spraying Station

Square, so long as it cost about £2.

In December 1928 a letter was received

from the son-in-law of Mr and Mrs Charles

Paterson who had left £7,500 to Ballater for

the provision of cottage homes, asking if the

Trustees would accept portraits of Mr and

Mrs. Paterson for the “public hall”. The

Trustees replied that although the Halls were

not strictly public, they would be happy to

hang the portraits in the Victoria Halls pend-

ing possible removal to the Paterson Cot-

tage Homes once they were built. At the

same time the portraits of Mr and Mrs Al-

exander Gordon would be re-hung in the

Victoria Hall.

Towards the end of 1929 the minister,

Mr Waugh, asked if badminton could be

played in the Albert Hall on Thursdays in

the winter. Permission was granted on con-

dition that play be confined to young people

connected to the Church of Scotland. The

Albert Hall was found to be unsuitable for

the game so the Victoria Hall was offered

on condition that no permanent marks be

made on the floor. Later, the club was al-

lowed to mark out the court with Duresco,

the work to be done by a skilled tradesman

and the lines to be as narrow as possible.

This proved unsatisfactory and the club was

eventually allowed to use ordinary black paint

and black enamel.

In January 1930 the small mirror in

Room 2, which was often used as a ladies’

cloakroom, was replaced with a larger sec-

ond hand one. It was also agreed to provide

soap and towels for the adjoining lavatory. 4

x 2 yard roller towels and a quantity of

Lifebuoy soap were purchased.

“The mind that is anxiousabout future events ismiserable.” Seneca

Total Building

Services

For all your home improvement needs

All Property MaintenanceNo Job Too Small / Distance No Object

Telephone 013397 56221or 07728 480706

• Carpentry

• Electrics

• Roofing

• Plastering

• Plumbing

• Brickwork

• Tiling

• Driveways

• Kitchens

• Bathrooms

• Extensions

• Landscapes

• Decorating

• Guttering

12 45

In March 2008 CLAN Can-

cer Support launched a campaign to raise

funds for a new cancer support centre in

Aberdeen. At the end of October this year,

we moved into our wonderful new home

adjacent to the city’s Westburn Park.

Of particular interest to readers in

Deeside is our accommodation facility -

CLAN Haven. Our Haven provides afford-

able B&B accommodation and so much,

more to anyone from outlying areas coming

to Aberdeen for treatment or appointments.

Family members and close friends are also

made very welcome. We have twenty-seven

en-suite rooms including two family rooms

and two disability adapted rooms.

The Haven is renowned for its warm,

welcoming atmosphere – many a long chat

CLAN News

by Joan Cowiegoes on round the kitchen table. Our Ha-

ven team offers practical and emotional sup-

port as well as providing a continental break-

fast. Our guests are also welcome to access

any of the services in the centre including a

wide range of complementary therapies.

To find out more about CLAN Haven,

or to make a booking, please call us on:

01224 647000.

Of course, when people return home to

Deeside they can continue to access sup-

port locally. At CLAN in the Community

based in Ballater you will find the same warm

welcome. There is always time to talk and

our kettle is always on. Our complementary

therapies can help with relaxation whilst our

support group, and walking group provide

friendship, peer support and gentle exercise.

However we simply could not provide

these services without a very special group

of people – our volunteers. Volunteers help

us in so many ways – providing support in

the centre, in the CLAN shop, fundraising

and organising events. We’d be delighted to

hear from anyone who would be interested

in helping us in any way. To find out more

please drop into the centre or call us on:

013397 56318.

And finally a huge thank you from our

bag-packers who were at the Co-op in

Aboyne on 8 October. Thanks to your gen-

erosity we raised £396 which will directly

benefit people in this area.

For more information about CLAN lo-

cally and in Aberdeen visit our website at

www.clanhouse.org

“Never fight aninanimate object.”

P. J. O’Rourke

until the next day as the trustees insisted on

play continuing until 10pm rather than

9.45pm as Mr Angus wanted. The Trus-

tees decided at this time to allow the playing

of Pool (common or snooker) on the billiard

tables.

On 23 May 1920, even though the day

was a Sunday and the Trustees were un-

happy about allowing commercial use of the

premises on a Sunday, they allowed the Vic-

toria Hall to be used for a luncheon venue

for 300 delegates from the National Union

of General Workers conference being held

in Aberdeen. The delegates were visiting

Balmoral Castle and no other building in

Ballater was large enough for the purpose.

In February 1923 a letter was received

from an Edinburgh solicitor’s office inform-

ing the Trustees that Miss Scott of Rothesay

Place, Edinburgh, who had died in Ballater

the previous September, had dictated an in-

formal memorandum two days before her

death leaving the books in her

house in Ballater to the library.

The residuary legatees had de-

cided to honour the bequest but

pointed out that as the house was let, most

of the more than 400 books would not be

available until October. It was agreed that

as the books were of general literature and

the works of Scott, Stevenson and Dickens

being in the best editions, the Trustees

would gratefully accept the bequest. This

bequest caused a lot of work for the Trus-

tees as they had to have new bookcases in-

stalled which necessitated moving a door in

the library, and having a catalogue of the

books drawn up and 400 copies printed.

In the summer of 1923 the streets were

being repaired and several loads of the re-

sulting refuse were obtained to resurface the

area in front of the Institute.

In February 1924 the Choral Union

asked for the Albert Hall heating to be im-

C.S.M.

Handyman

J.Lanigan

general maintenance inside and

out, gutter cleaning, garden

tidying, chimney sweep, etc.


South Deeside Road

Ballater

Tel.

013397 56227

Mobile

07506951506


All the little jobs

you can’t get any1 to do

1344

Co-Op UpdateThings with the Co-op have moved for-

ward a bit since the last issue of the Eagle.

Following our letter to the CEO, and vari-

ous telephone conversations, we have been

informed that;

“Ballater Main St. has been reviewed

and several sections in-store are currently

being increased, which will increase our

range. Space in-store is limited but we are

committed to continually work with you to

improve the service that we offer to the

Ballater community.

The range changes that the company is

going through nationwide at present, is help-

ing to increase range in most stores. This should

further help increase the range. A gluten free

product range has been put forward to our

Space Planning Manager to look at ways to

incorporate this range into the store.

In regards to the split ranging across the

two stores, Michael McCarthy, Area Op-

erations, hopes to discuss this when he meets

with you in the near future.”

In the meantime, we may request the

local managers to ask customers for details

of specific items they require in the event

that some shelf space can be made free by

rationalising stock between the two stores.

Please let us know what you think would

make the Co-op better - we will try and put

your comments to them.

Bridge Street

CongestionThe communities’ survey that B&CCC

conducted last autumn showed a degree of

concern about traffic congestion, especially

on Bridge Street. We understand that opin-

ions on the significance of this may be di-

Community Councilby Graham Adams

vided. However, it seems that a fairly small

increase in traffic activity can turn Bridge

Street from a picture of calm serenity into a

source of considerable frustration. The part

between Bridge Square and Victoria Road /

Hawthorn Place junction seems to be par-

ticularly sensitive.

We don’t know if there are any smart

measures that can be taken to improve the

situation, but we intend to explore possibili-

ties, in consultation with personnel from Ab-

erdeenshire Council.

Youth ActivitiesThe communities’ survey also revealed

that there is a perceived lack of facilities and

activities for Ballater youth (people in the

age range 11-18 (approximately). The prob-

Charleston Buildings, Ballater RoadAboyne, AB34 5HN

(013398) 86874

The first task facing the Trustees of the

Halls after cessation of hostilities, was set-

tling the account with the Red Cross who

had used the Victoria Hall as a hospital

during the war. At first they asked for £20.00

for electric light, the replacement of five dozen

cups and saucers and one and a half tons of

coke, being the estimated amount used by

the hospital. After discussion with the Red

Cross, the Trustees agreed to waive the elec-

tricity charge but insisted on the crockery and

coke being replaced and also asked for £4.00

for a new sink and £5.00 for a new wash

hand basin. Once all this was agreed, Dr

Hendry, the hospital superintendent, pre-

sented the Trustees with a clock in apprecia-

tion. The War Office sent a letter express-

V&A Halls Minutes Extracts

the Roaring Twentiesby Janet Riddler

ing its “deep appreciation of the Trustees’

kind and patriotic action”.

The Trustees next decided to allow the

Town Council free use of the Halls for a

“Treat for Returning Soldiers” on 2 May,

1919. They also agreed to let the large base-

ment room to The Discharged Soldiers and

Sailors Association for two shillings (10

pence) a month payable quarterly. This was

on the strict understanding that if the Room

was found not to be being used for its pur-

pose of providing a place of meeting which

was morally and socially beneficial to young

men, its use would be discontinued. No in-

toxicating liquor could be consumed on the

premises and no intoxicated person would

be admitted. The members of the Associa-

tion were to discourage any loitering outside

the Room or in the vicinity of the Halls,

whether by men or women.

A new flagpole, rope and flag were or-

dered from Messrs Shirras Laing of Aber-

deen in time for the Peace Celebrations.

In October 1919 some local gentlemen

asked to rent the Victoria Hall for a cinemato-

graph entertainment twice a week. It was

agreed to offer the Hall for £60 a year to

include use of the piano. This was subse-

quently reduced to once a week for £30 a

year.

Mr Angus, the Hallkeeper, asked for an

assistant but the only applicant, Willie

Rattray, was found not to be eligible to leave

school until January so it was suggested that

because Mr Angus was on duty till 10pm a

woman might be engaged to clean the rooms

in the morning so that Mr Angus did not

need to arrive until 10am. He was also al-

lowed to leave brushing the billiard tables

ATHOLL COUNTRYWEAR

For Quality Ladies’

and Men’s Clothing

Accessories & Shoes

Fine Gifts

13 Bridge Street,

Ballater AB35 5QP

Tel: 013397 53810

Open:

Monday-Saturday 10am-5.30pm

14 43lem is obviously shortage of

funds to pay for facilities, what-

ever form they might take. Early

participation in discussions with

teenagers would be useful, to get some

credible definition of facilities that would be

most beneficial to Ballater youth.

But here’s the catch – you don’t get any-

thing for nothing. Ballater youth would have

to pay for it. We are suggesting that a scheme

could be devised whereby they get involved

in “community services” in exchange for cash,

sponsorship, or pledges of support. Activi-

ties such as washing cars, cleaning, garden-

ing, snow clearance, help with computers and

many more could be included. Possibly local

trades people could help train those inter-

ested to do more complex tasks. The pro-

ceeds would be paid into a fund to finance

the desired facilities. This can be co-ordinated

with opportunities to capture additional fund-

ing through sources like the Lottery.

This would need a lot of organising and

effort. More definition of a scheme like this

would be needed, and the goal should be

challenging but achievable, as the obvious

consequences of failure are worth avoiding.

However, as well as achieving the in-

tended outcome from a project like this, there

could be huge benefits to the community,

like improved relations across generations, and

making unexpected new friends.

If any readers are interested in taking up

a challenge like this, please let us know.

SWRI

by Aileen Barbour

On 21 September President Anne

Richardson welcomed members and visitors

to the meeting after the summer break.

After business, the President introduced

Aileen Asher, Glass Engraving Artist from

Tomintoul who gave a talk then demonstrated

the art of engraving. Mrs Asher brought a

selection of her beautiful work to let us see

and this was greatly admired. Members

were invited to participate, which some did

and were pleased with their efforts. The

competition was a “Decoration Candle”:

1) Joan Anderson, 2) Frances Johnstone,

3) Margaret Finnie, 4) Pat Fraser.

The meeting on 19 October was entitled

“Theatre Experiences” by Tommy Baxter.

It was fascinating to get an insight into the

West End theatre world in London and was

most enjoyable. The competition this

month was “Double Shortbread”:

1 ) Frances Johnstone, 2) Margaret

Cameron, 3) Margaret Finnie, 4) Thelma

Cooper.

On 16 November, Jenny Houston gave

a talk on the “History of Flower Arrang-

ing”. Dates for meetings through until March

are contained within the Eagle Diary.

way upstream to spawn, I was surprised to

feel several sharp tugs on my chain. Two fish-

ermen, rods in hand, were standing on the

riverbank, one of them complaining that his

hook was caught in something and that he

would have to wade out to retrieve it.

Soon the owner of a large pair of feet

encased in heavy rubber waders appeared

and an astonished red face peered down at

me. ‘Its an auld roosty bike’, he yelled, ‘I’d

better rug it oot afore it snags somebody else’s

hookie’ and a moment later, using his gaffe,

he pulled me to the water’s edge and after

unhooking his fly, threw me casually onto

the grassy bank.

My wheels were the first to go, some

scavenging bairns delighted at the prospect

of making themselves a cartie of sorts. My

handlebars soon followed to some auld wifie,

a knitter, living on her own, who, needing

an extra pair of hands when it came to turn-

ing skeins of wool into balls, was keen to

have them fixed to the back of her kitchen

chair. Sadly, the last to go was my fine leather

saddle, scuffed and cracked, but still in one

piece and serviceable.

So there I rested, a skeleton of my former

self, rusting quietly in the long grass, my

bonnie blue paint almost all gone and no

doubt there I would have remained, had not

some progressive and energetic new mem-

ber of the village council decided that there

should be a clean up of the river bank oppo-

site the Riverside Garage and some seats

installed, for the old folk to while away their

pensioner days. Soon the grey ash cart ar-

rived and I was once more on my travels,

this time to the Arrigation. The journey was

short, and without ceremony I was dumped

on this festering pile of rubbish, where I now

remain.

Next issue: Part Two - In which ‘Ozzy

finds Salvation after Salvage’...

Can you help

concerning

Colville Cottage?Joan from Dunfermline would

like to know if anyone has any information

about Colville Cottage (41 Victoria Road)

in the 1930s? Maybe a photograph of the

tenants who resided there at around that

time?

She would really appreciate any info you

can give her. Please talk to Sabine Muir,

who has Joan’s details. You can contact

Sabine through the library.

“There is only one wayto happiness, and that isto cease worrying things

which are beyond thepower of our will.”

Epictetus

1542

Ballater Caravan ParkThe major part of the site was bought

by Ballater Town Council in 1967. The sur-

pluses which accrued enabled the Town rates

to be reduced by a shilling in the pound –

not a bad return for the investment. There

were many other benefits to the community

in the form of increased trade for shops, res-

taurants, and the Golf Club. Later, owner-

ship passed to Kincardine and Deeside Dis-

trict Council and eventually to Aberdeen-

shire Council. A return to community man-

agement will complete the loop, bring ben-

efits to the community, and secure the fu-

ture of the Caravan Park.

At the end of 2007, Aberdeenshire

Council, in the light of the losses accruing

from their 11 Caravan Parks, invited inter-

Ballater (RD) Ltdby Paddy Wright

est from possible partners to be-

come involved in the management. BRD

expressed an interest in the Ballater Park

and formed a steering group to negotiate. It

has been a long hard slog with little progress

being made until recently, when the Coun-

cil resolved to cease operation of all its Cara-

van Parks by the end of the current season.

It resolved to transfer management to suit-

able community bodies, and only as a last

resort would commercial organisations be

considered. The recent Community Asset

Transfer legislation permits local authorities

to transfer assets, including leases, to com-

munity bodies at below market value.

BRD is now very optimistic that a lease

or transfer of ownership of the Park will be

agreed with the Council by the end of this

by Bob Thomson

Tel: 013397 41214

Kindrochit Drive, Braemar

AB35 5YW

Old Cine Film Reels

& Slides to DVD:

Excellent Results

Reasonable Cost and No VAT!

Do before they fade away!

Local Interest DVDs

(e.g. “Braemar”,

“Royal Deeside - Its Land

& People”) & More!

(Established 1969)

dented and scratched, properly

inflated tyres with a modicum

of tread and a battery operated

headlamp instead of the splutter-

ing feeble carbide one that hung from

my front bracket. Above all, I wanted to have

my paintwork and chrome looked after and

treated with respect. Very rarely in life do

one’s prayers get answered, but one memo-

rable day, the good fairy of all cycles must

have been listening, for at long last a chink

in the dark cloud of my despair opened briefly

and my wishes came true.

My owner was in his usual half coma-

tose state on the way home and barely man-

aging to make progress, we stopped at the

brow of the bridge as it crosses the Dee. In

the course of the evening he had somehow

managed to acquire a half bottle of some

spirit and reaching into his grimy coat he

pulled it forth and removing the stopper, took

a long swig. Burping loudly, he then went to

replace it, but somehow his fumbling hand

missed his pocket and the bottle fell, shat-

tering on the ground.

Roaring with frustration, he then climbed

back into my saddle and once there his pow-

erful legs forced me to move. Unfortunately,

the oaf had given me no alternative but to

travel through the sharp glass shards now

littering the road. The outcome was inevita-

ble and with heavy sighs both my poor old

bald tyres expired - sadly their patched pneu-

matic lives were finally over.

Unable to maintain his balance the man

then fell sideways and as he went down with

a heavy thump, my badly worn and jagged

left hand pedal cut through the cloth of his

trouser leg and for good measure, gave him

a nasty gash across his shin.

Now thoroughly enraged, in pain and

with the prospect of a long walk home fac-

ing him, he picked me up. Ye’ll nae get the

better o’ me, ye useless auld piece o’ scrap’,

he roared and with a curse hurled me over

the parapet of the bridge and down, down I

went, into the swollen waters of a river Dee

in full winter spate. Many feet below, with

scarcely a splash, the cold waters softly cush-

ioned my fall and gathering all around me,

welcomed me to their dark brown depths.

The fierce current then tumbled me wheel

over wheel for several hundred yards, until

finally one of my pedals became wedged be-

tween two boulders. I was held fast and there

I remained!

Hidden below the surface, this watery

resting place among the slimy eels, inquisi-

tive trout and migrating salmon could easily

have been my last resting place and for sev-

eral months I enjoyed the peace and quiet,

my only worry in this sea of tranquility aris-

ing from the corrosive effect the water seemed

to be having on my limbs. It came to pass

however, that one fine spring day as I was

watching the salmon moving past me on their

16 41year. As BRD has charitable

status, it cannot trade directly.

It is proposed to set up a sub-

sidiary trading company which will

be wholly owned by BRD. All sur-

pluses will be applied to the improvement of

facilities at the Park and to other community

projects. Directors for this new company will

be recruited from the community. Over the

past 15 years there has been little invest-

ment in the Park, other than the provision of

services to the static stances. It is hoped that,

under community management, the facilities

will be greatly enhanced, thus attracting an

increase in numbers of visitors.

Further information can be found in a

leaflet which is available on our website

www.royal-deeside.org.uk, or at our office.

SignageJack Coull reports that progress is being

made towards the achievement of our aim to

erect 3 pedestrian fingerpost directional signs

within the village and a granite “Welcome”

sign at the entrance to Ballater on the A93.

The Old SchoolIn the summer edition of the Eagle, we

reported that BRD and the North East of

Scotland Preservation Trust had combined

to undertake an Options Appraisal Study

on the future of the Old School. The con-

sultants used the community drop-in day in

July to get residents’ views on various pro-

posals. The consultants’ report is expected to

be published at the beginning of November

and for more details contact the BRD office.

Glenmuick Church

by Betty Wilson

Glenmuick and Glengairn are among the

few churches in Scotland that are able to

keep their doors open during the summer

months. Comments in the visitor’s books

show that this facility is much appreciated,

and in both churches, the beautiful flower

arrangements are often mentioned.

This year, a visitor to Glenmuick from

Essex picked up a Wordsearch puzzle, pro-

duced to raise money for the upgrading of

the Ballater Halls. When she sent in her

solution, she enclosed an unsolicited dona-

tion to the church flower fund. A draw took

place to select three winners and her name

was the first one out! She was sent a cheque

for £10 and she wrote back to say that she

was going to spend the money on a special

flower arrangement for her church.

Who would have thought that a

Wordsearch puzzle in Ballater would

bring about a floral display in an Essex

Church?!!

Graham Stuart

Plumbing & Heating Engineers

Tel: 013397 55627 / Fax: 56342Mobile: 07836 562946

Est. 1975

BathroomsBoiler ReplacementsPressurised Systems

Oil Fired, Solid Fuel orUnderfloor Central Heating

open doorway.

A sign had then been hung from my front

lamp bracket, which in large letters said, “For

Sale - Gents Raleigh - £12/10s”, but that

sign didn’t stay there long!

I waited eagerly to begin the transport-

ing duties for which I had been made, but

had to admit taking an immediate dislike to

the rough looking man who became my first

owner and whose actions soon justified my

worst fears. In the months that followed,

never a drop of oil did my poor chain and

other moving parts receive to ease away the

dryness and pain caused by metallic friction.

My groans and squeaks were ignored and

there was never any attempt to clean away

the dirt that soon accumulated on my wheels

and body.

The chrome on my beautiful shiny han-

dlebars soon started to rust, succumbing to

the blood and other liquids oozing from the

dozen or so rabbits that usually dangled from

their extremities. Occasionally, when threat-

ened with a beating and snarled at long

enough, one of his scruffy, nit infested and

half starved bairns would find my pump and

try their puny best to force some fresh air

into my poor worn tyres, but I was offered

no other kind of maintenance and starved of

any respect.

My owner, a poacher, lived up in one of

the glens and on most evenings my main

task was to convey him to the village, where

he would spend several hours at the

Invercauld Hotel, in a noisy place to one side,

known locally as ‘The Tink’. When he

emerged, most often barely able to stand,

the journey home would become a painful

experience. Once in the saddle and after

several false attempts to remain upright, his

tackety booted feet would at last find my

pedals and I would be forced to move in

whatever his drink-addled brain thought was

a straight line. Invariably however, a drunken

mist would overcome his senses

and unable to focus, we would

follow a meandering course that

took us from one kerbside in the

road, to the other. Many a time he would

end up on top of me in a hedge at the road-

side or in some foul ditch, cursing and swear-

ing and of course blaming me for his lack of

control. Occasionally he would fall asleep and

lie there for several hours before the cold and

wet half sobered him up and the journey

could continue. I suffered terribly and the

daily abuse, kicks and general neglect gradu-

ally reduced me to such a shabby state, that

if I had been given a head, I would have

hung it in shame every time I met another

roadster of my ilk

How I longed for some relief, to be able

to run free on well oiled hubs and bearings,

to have well adjusted brakes acting on well

polished wheel rims, to have pedals that were

not seized up, mudguards that were not

“Wine is constant proof thatGod loves us and loves to

see us happy.” Benjamin Franklin

Invercauld Lodges

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web: www.weejim.webs.com

1740

Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms Des-

tination Management Organisation (DMO)

which is based in Ballater is seeking addi-

tional directors and a new chairman. For the

first time, the DMO will be recruiting direc-

tors from the general business community in

the area as well as from its own partnership

base. The DMO currently has 90 partner

businesses and is a company limited by guar-

antee. It is the official tourism organisation

for the Deeside, Donside and the Eastern

Cairngorms area and has carried out many

tourism projects.

Current Chair of the DMO Board,

Garry Marsden says, “This is an exciting

time for the DMO and its partners. We have

several years of hard work under our belt

and have delivered successful promotional

campaigns but now is the time to bring fresh,

enthusiastic talent to the table to help us

continue to deliver for our partners. We are

in talks with our key partners at Scottish

Enterprise, Aberdeenshire Council and

VisitScotland about the funding of our new

business strategy and three year marketing

plan and it’s now time to strengthen our

Board to give it a sustainable future.” The

organisation is seen as one of Scotland’s most

successful tourism bodies.

Garry continues, “There are no special

skills or experience required to become a

Board member. What we need are enthusi-

astic people who are committed to making

Royal Deeside and The Cairngorms a lead-

ing tourist destination, who can attend Board

meetings and give the benefit of their expe-

rience. Obviously, a link to tourism would

be preferable, but we are also seeking peo-

ple from other business sectors to bring fresh

thinking to the Board. Our recent partner

R D & C DMOby John Carnie

survey shows us that there is

goodwill towards the work and

significant achievements of the

DMO and that our partners want

the DMO to continue promoting the area and

at the same time improving communication with

partner businesses and other organisations.”

The DMO has delivered many projects

since its inception including the introduction

of the Venison Festival, and the Dine on

Deeside events; production of a food maga-

zine Deelicious; The Tanalonga gastro ram-

ble; the Deeside Music Sessions; attend-

ance at VisitScotland’s Expo and seasonal

marketing campaigns. The food and drink

projects under the brand of Royal Deeside

Larder has been nominated for nine PR and

marketing awards in 2011.

For more information about the role of

the board members and confidential discus-

sion about the position of Chairman, please

contact Garry Marsden on 013397 42555.

Royal Deeside & the Cairngorms DMO

is the official Destination Management Or-

ganisation for tourism businesses in the ar-

eas of Royal Deeside, Donside and the

Eastern Cairngorms. Find out more about

the DMO at www.discoverroyaldeeside.com

For three days and nights it hammered

non-stop. Steel-like rods of rain drove the

grey furry squeakies deep into their holes

and silenced the squawking crows and gulls

that cowered in the scanty shelter offered by

the oak trees that hugged the banks of the

nearby Dee. It was a miserable time for the

wild life and had it continued much longer,

it could have brought some of them close to

starvation. But for me - although I did not

know it at the time - this tropical style down-

pour was to be my salvation. The more it

lashed the earth, the more it chiselled away

the years of dirt and rubbish that had accu-

mulated on my limbs, exposing me once

more to a world I had never expected to see

again.


by Wee Chis

Part One - ‘Ozzy finds Peace after Purgatory’

Saturday dawned and with it came the

sun. The squeakies, pleased to be free of

their enforced confinement, were soon back

again, sniffling and snuffling and foraging

all around me as usual, one beady eye jeal-

ously guarding their spoils, the other forever

scanning the skies for their mortal enemies

the thieving crows, who, when hungry as

now, could easily kill an unwary young rat

with their long sharp wicked beaks and they

often did. The rats were just as bad how-

ever, as birds’ eggs and young chicks were a

welcome addition to their diet, as many a

sad, ground nesting avian family, often found

out.

Being inedible of course I was of no value

to any of them. I also detested these black

scavengers, but for a different reason. With

complete lack of respect for my limbs, they

would use me as a perch, their sharp talons

gripping me hard and scratching off what

remained of my poor royal blue skin. Preen-

ing, primping and calling to one another in

hoarse, croaking tones, they would, worst of

all, leave me covered in their foul, white,

acidic paint-removing deposits

I had long been resigned to my fate, but

I still dreamt of that day when I had first

arrived in Ballater in the luggage van of a

steam train. The journey from Nottingham,

the place where I had been born, had been

long and tedious and I had been glad, when

bandaged like an Egyptian mummy in pro-

tective wrapping paper to protect my shiny

new skin, I had been carried across the Sta-

tion Square and delivered to a nearby shop,

where the shopkeeper, an old soldier called

Jock, welcomed my arrival and soon had me

standing proud and polished, close to his

“Cross country skiing is greatif you live in a small country.”

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18 39Keys to the Door

by John Holley

It has been 2 years since AA

Box 472 at Cambus O’ May on

the A93 was ‘saved’ by residents of Ballater

from further decay and eventual extinction.

Its interest to locals and tourists alike has

been unbelievable and the number of com-

ments in the visitors’ book by people from

around the world clearly proves its impor-

tance as a piece of social history.

As we attempt to add to the ‘mini’ mu-

seum contained within the box, we would

like to ask for your help. Many people have,

hidden away somewhere in cupboards, draw-

ers and other secret places, old AA-issued

box keys. We have secured a few keys from

various sources, and these are proudly dis-

played as part of the ‘mini’ museum within

Box 472.

If you think you may have an AA key

hidden away somewhere, then please can

you search high and low and if successful

pass the key to Alistair Cassie at his empo-

rium in Bridge Street, Ballater, and he will

ensure that it becomes part of our ‘mini’

museum.

Happy searching! Play your part in add-

ing to our Box 472 museum. Thank You.

International

Mountain Day Walk

by Glyn Jones

On Sunday 11 December, the Balmoral

Rangers will be celebrating International

Mountain Day with a Winter ascent of a

local peak. This will be a high winter walk,

with the exact route being decided on the

morning of the walk, and will mainly de-

pend on the weather conditions. A good level

of fitness is required. The meeting point is

Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre at

9.30am. Cost is £5 per person, and book-

ing is essential. Contact 013397 55059.

Wee Jim Landscapes

Bridgefoot,Glenmuick, Ballater

Aberdeenshire AB35 5SN

Firewood AvailableCall for details

Tel: 013397 55997Mobile: 07821 746756

Email:

[email protected]

James Anderson

lies but when the holly’s green.” As holly is

evergreen, the person concerned never tells

the truth.

IvyIvy is associated with the god Bacchus.

A cure for drunkeness as well as whooping

c o u g h

was to

drink from

a cup of ivy

wood. Drink-

ing ivy leaves and ber-

ries dissolved in vinegar followed by a drink

of water in which ivy leaves had been boiled,

protected against the effects of over-indul-

gence In medieval times an ivy garland hang-

ing on a door, indicated that wine was for

sale. Ivy leaves were used in divination. If a

leaf put into a bowl of water on Christmas

Eve was still fresh on Twelfth Night, New

Year prospects were good. It there were black

spots, illness would come to a member of

the family, the position of the marks on the

leaf – top, middle and bottom - correspond-

ing to parts of the body. Spots all over the

leaf were a sign of coming death. Ivy is still

used medically. A corn cure is to soak ivy

leaves in vinegar and styes and sore eyes are

bathed in water that ivy leaves have been

soaked in. Catarrh was also treated with an

inhalation of ivy leaf juice.

MistletoeMistletoe, the Golden Bough of legend,

was sacred to both Druids and Norsemen.

Known as the plant of peace,

it was considered to have

magical properties and

was dedicated to the

goddess of love. Called

All-Heal, it was believed

to promote fertility. It was

used as an antidote to poi-

son but it was also used to cure

snakebite, toothache and gen-

eral sores. Mistletoe tea was

regularly used to control epilepsy.

Apart from its medicinal prop-

erties, mistletoe protected the house from

thunder and lightning. To this day, many

churches refuse to bring mistletoe inside be-

cause of its Druidical associations. Years ago,

English people were inclined to kiss on greet-

ing each other - even strangers newly meet-

ing – but Scots were more reticent! In the

1720s the Kirk forbade kissing on the mouth

but hand-shaking was permitted! Customs

have changed but a girl today still hopes to

be kissed under the mistletoe!

Don’t forget to order your tree and the

mistletoe and go searching for ivy and holly

with berries!

“The superfluous, a verynecessary thing.”

Voltaire

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Please call for an appointment

38 19

Over £6,000 was distributed among

Ballater’s local groups and charities as a re-

sult of this year’s very successful Victoria

Week. At the group’s AGM in November,

over a dozen organisations were given

cheques following presentations by commit-

tee members on how the week-long event

went and what plans are in store for 2012.

A slideshow of photos from this year’s Vic-

toria Week was shown during the evening

and wine and nibbles served afterwards. The

largest beneficiary was the Victoria and

Albert Halls, which received £1,500 towards

continued improvements in insulation. Glen

Muick Church’s steeple restoration project,

Ballater School Parent Council and the

upcoming Ballater Winter Festival each re-

ceived £500. BRD got £350 towards a

project to improve signage around the village

while the esteemed Eagle got £500 added

to its coffers to help with production costs.

The Ballater Songsters raised £1,000

through their VW event and have asked that

the money be split between CLAN and the

Forget Me Not charity. A further £150 was

raised for CLAN during a raffle at the com-

bined City of Roses Chorus/Quiz night and

the committee opted to match that with an-

other £150. Other groups to benefit included

the Ballater Pipe Band, Ballater Enhance-

ment Group, YES, the Royal Guard’s cho-

sen charity and the Castleton Dancers, all

receiving between £200 and £250.

Plans are already being made for next

year’s Ballater Victoria Week, which is a lit-

tle bit special as it’s a jubilee year for the

event, which started in 1987. It is hoped

that the Scarecrow Competition will attract

even more entries, that the weather will be

Bumper Victoria Week

Benefits Ballater Causesby Cat Houston

kind enough to allow a real duck

race to take place on the River Dee (!) and

perhaps that the number of sporting events

may be increased, as VW’s run (4-12 Aug)

coincides with the Olympics. Many of the

usual favourite events will also take their

place in the varied programme, which offers

something for all, be they resident or visitor.

The band of folk that make the event hap-

pen is blooming but more volunteers are al-

ways needed. If you would like to get in-

volved or have any fab ideas for an event you

would like to put on to make VW 2012 ex-

tra special, then get in touch with the com-

mittee via email at

[email protected] or by phone

on 55018 or 55243. You can also see

www.ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk or find us on

Facebook for information and updates.

Christmas will soon be here and most of

us will have a Christmas tree – real or artifi-

cial. Christmas Tree legends go back to the

fourth century but written evidence is only

from the seventeenth century. The setting

up and decoration of a tree was a German

custom, introduced to Britain by Hessian

soldiers of George III. There was a children’s

party at Windsor in 1821 and again in 1829

with a tree and candles and by 1841 Prince

Albert had a tree. Today we regard a tree as

essential for Christmas. The hanging of trin-

kets on the tree dates back to the Romans.

Candles have been Christianised and repre-

sent Christ as the Light of the World, but in

earlier times they were just essential house-

hold items.

Christmas Greeneryby Sheila Sedgwick

Three types of greenery are on the

Christmas scene – Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe.

HollyBecause holly is

evergreen and has red

berries, it was consid-

ered to be the symbol

of everlasting life. Prickly

holly is lucky for men and

the smooth type for women.

On Deeside in the past, a sprig was re-

tained after the festivities, said to be a pro-

tection against lightning. To burn holly when

green was considered to be very unlucky.

Nowadays, holly wreaths are placed on fam-

ily graves at Christmas and hung on front

doors. An old Deeside saying was “He never

Seasons Greetings from

Cindy Adams

PG Dip (Coun)

Person Centred Counsellor

1 Netherley Place

Tel: 07969 495399

Crathie, By Ballater

Log fires and a warm welcome

at The Inver

Open to non residents

Good food & fine wines

Lunches & Dinners

Reservations

Telephone 013397 42345

The

I N V E R

H O T E L

Closed 22

December 2011 - 3 January 2012

www.inverhotel.com

20 37

Hogmanay at the HallCrathie Hall is the place to be when the

bells ring in 2012! Celebrations start at 9pm

on New Year’s Eve and continue into the

early hours of New Year ’s Day. Eddie

Esson’s Scottish Dance Band will be there

to set your toes tapping. For tickets or more

information contact Jean Young 42415 or Bell

Macaulay 55745

Coffee at the KirkThe ladies who run The Monday Morn-

ing cafe in Crathie would like to say a HUGE

THANK YOUto all who have so gener-

ously supported them over the past seven

months. They are all looking forward to see-

ing you at their Christmas Special on Mon-

day 5 December 2011, weather permitting!

Crathie Newsby Marion MacIntyre

Book GroupThe group continues to thrive and enjoy

a varied selection of books to discuss. Dur-

ing our recent Indian Summer, which lasted

for at least 3 days (!), we even managed to

have an open air meeting (see photo on back

page) when we discussed “Oryx and Crake”

by Margaret Atwood.

The book provoked mixed reactions but

certainly gave us plenty to talk about and

was an interesting read if not universally

enjoyed! We are currently reading “The

Conjurer’s Bird” by Martin Davies for our

October meeting and then next on the

agenda will be “Penguins Stopped Play”

by Harry Thompson

Bowling ClubCome along to Crathie New Hall on a

Tuesday or Friday evening from 7pm to 9pm

if you would like to join with the Crathie

Bowlers this winter. Whether you are an

experienced bowler or a complete beginner

you will be made most welcome!

Christmas is ComingPatricia Fraser has been busy, with her

helpers, organising the Christmas Meal for

Crathie Senior Citizens and tries very hard

to include all those who are eligible to be

invited. If however you live in Crathie, if you

are a woman aged 60 years or over, or a man

aged 65 years or over, and you think that you

might not be on her list, please contact Patricia

on telephone number 42327 to be included –

she will be pleased to hear from you.

and Ballater Songsters, holding elected of-

fice in many and of course she has served as

an elder of Glenmuick Church. Betty was a

founder, along with David and Valerie

Kinghorn, of the Friday Fellowship, and ea-

gerly joined the Ecumenical Choir. Our pho-

tograph on the back page show her partici-

pating in the SWRI float during one Victo-

ria Week as the Lucky Sweep at Mhairi’s

Wedding. Many will remember her hilarious

responses to the Toast to the Lassies at

Burns Nights, with this rather short lady

having large, kilted Scotsmen rolling in the

aisles, tears of laughter running down their

faces. However interesting the Immortal

Memory may have been, it was always

Betty ’s responses that remained in my

memory! Betty has culinary expertise too,

being the first winner of the SWRI’s Mary

MacPherson Quaich for her lemon meringue

pie (recipe still a secret!). Her puzzles and

competitions have raised hundreds of pounds

for organisations within the village, includ-

ing recently, the refurbishment of the Victo-

ria & Albert Halls.

Betty has always been a caring person,

concerned and willing to help others around

her. Stella Potter, who has been involved with

the Eagle since its early days, remembers

how her elder daughter, before she went to

university, “…cleaned for Betty and some

other folk. She loved going to Betty’s best,

partly as her house was ‘never really dirty’

but mostly she hugely enjoyed the conversa-

tion and laughter they shared. Betty showed

a real interest in my daughter’s life, contrib-

uting to making her the strong young woman

she is today. This is one of Betty’s huge

strengths: she is genuinely interested in the

people she meets. As her personal interests

are wide-ranging too it is always good to see

her smiling face at a meeting, or in the street.

Her presence lightens our lives”.

Caring as she does about others, Betty

is always quick to acknowledge

the considerable assistance

given to her by her immediate

neighbours, particularly Paddy and

Ivy Duncan. Paddy, Betty says, is very handy

for reaching objects on high shelves!

The Ballater Eagle has for years been

happy to publish articles by Betty, whether

extolling the contribution of others to Ballater

life, giving reports of SWRI or church activi-

ties, or a humorous poem such as the one

included in this Eagle. Her talents are nu-

merous and greatly appreciated by all who

know her. She has been our very efficient

Subscription Secretary since the first Eagle

was produced, (Betty, Sheila and Tom are

the only remaining Eagle Team members

from the very first meeting) and keeps in

touch with the ever changing list of subscrib-

ers, currently standing at nearly 80. All of

this is done without the benefit (or draw-

backs) of a computer. She engages with our

subscribers too, sending notes in perfect hand

writing and, as we saw in our summer 2011

issue, exchanging humorous poetry with some

of them.

The Eagle is very proud to have such a

wonderful lady as an active member of our

Team, and trust that she will continue in

that role for some years yet.

We all hope you had a very Happy Birth-

day, Betty.

“I don’t need you to remindme of my age. I have a

bladder to do that for me.”Stephen Fry

36

When I heard on the Ballater Bush Tel-

egraph that our subscription secretary was

to celebrate a birthday milestone in late

November, I felt that some recognition of her

considerable contribution to Ballater commu-

nity life was called for.

I approached various

people who have en-

joyed Betty’s company

during meetings of the

numerous clubs and

organisations in the vil-

lage of which she is

such an enthusiastic

member, and all ex-

pressed their admira-

tion for the energy,

commitment, friendli-

ness and particularly

the humour of a very

popular lady.

Although she is not

a Ballater quine, Betty’s family has had links

with the village for over 100 years, her grand-

father having been a custodian at the Bar-

racks in Queen’s Road during the 19th cen-

tury. The daughter of a pharmacist, Betty

was brought up as a Scot in exile. The tale

of her time in the ATS towards the end of

World War II was contained within Eagle 38,

and her vivid description of dancing with Lord

Louis Mountbatten at a soiree in India gives

a clear indication of her humour. (Her nose,

she recalls, was pressed against his middle

waistcoat button!) Betty may be small

of stature but she is large in personality, and

with her ready smile and twinkling eyes is a

wonderful friend to many.

After WW2, Betty became a teacher of

Betty Wilson: Ever young at 90

by Ian HayPencil portrait by Eilidh Gow (see also Editor’s letter)

history, and ended up as deputy Head of a

school in Wokingham. Many of us who have

listened to her give talks on a variety of sub-

jects over the years, can only wish that our

own teachers could have been half so much

fun to listen to as

Betty is. I am sure

that there are

many former pu-

pils who have very

fond memories of

their caring, ap-

proachable teacher

who had a sense of

humour. I’m sure

that she had no

difficulty keeping

the attention of her

young charges.

As Sabine

Muir, the first edi-

tor of the Eagle

recalls: “Betty and I used to go to a German

Class years ago, run by Willma Sim. We

had a great time. Betty was always enter-

taining us with funny tales of her time as a

teacher. One was of a child writing a report

after a cooking class and how they had to

tidy up afterwards. She wrote something like:

“We washed up everything and then turned

our bowels upside down on the table and

put a tea towel on top.” Betty told this story

in such an engaging manner that we were

all in hoots of laughter. Betty also came to

the Writers group at the library”.

Betty has been, and indeed still is, a

very active and enthusiastic member of nu-

merous organisations in Ballater, including

SWRI, Ladies’ Probus, Women’s Guild,

21

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we are, what we do, and how we do it. Hope-

fully we can also then meet those of you who

may be interested in finding out a bit more

and, who knows, see Rotary as something you

too could be a big part of, and by means of

which you could serve our community.

Have a look at us on www.rotary-ribi.org,

where you simply type in “Aboyne” and press

“GO”.

The Club would like to take this oppor-

tunity to thank all those who have supported

us throughout the year in many different

ways. Without your generosity when we are

fundraising, we would not be able to sup-

port so many local good causes, or help peo-

ple in other countries.

If you would like to find out more about

Rotary, we would be delighted to hear from

you. Please contact Ron Drever at High

Trees, Morven Way, or telephone 013397

56224. We meet on the first and third Mon-

days (and usually any fifth

Monday) of each month at the

Boat Inn, Aboyne, 6 for

6.30pm, and on the second and

fourth Mondays at the Glen Lui Hotel,

Ballater, 6.30 for 7pm.

We have moved to:

2 Braemar Road, Ballater

013397 - 55566

www.cybernaut.org.uk

Royal Deeside’s Premier

Internet Venue!

Open Monday - Friday 9.30am-5pm

Saturday 10am-4pm

Web Design & Hosting

Internet access at an hourly rate

DVDs for Sale / Rent

& Exchange

PC Spares, Repairs, & Upgrades

Cybernaut

Rotary is perhaps best known for

raising thousands of pounds for good causes

and helping local organisations with their own

projects. But there is another side to Rotary –

it also provides opportunities for business and

professional people who are not Rotarians to

experience another culture and learn about the

work of their counterparts abroad.

For three days at the beginning of Sep-

tember, a team of four such young people from

New South Wales, led by an Australian

Rotarian, were hosted by the Rotary Club of

Aboyne and Upper Deeside. The team, com-

prising a journalist, educational designer, con-

struction supervisor and communications of-

ficer, spent some of their time enjoying the

wonderful Deeside scenery but a day was set

aside for each of them to meet representatives

New South Wales Study Exchangeby David Allan

from local businesses and organisations.

The journalist, Stacey Miller, met up with

the Eagle Editor in Ballater to find out how

this popular community magazine is compiled

and published, and about its role in helping

to keep the community informed on local af-

fairs. Stacey currently works as a community

journalist for the Forbes Advocate newspaper

in her home town of Forbes, New South Wales

and she found many similarities between the

Eagle and her own publication. She was par-

ticularly interested in how the Eagle is funded

and offered suggestions as to how revenue

might be increased. Stacey was surprised to

learn of the existence near Ballater of the

Forbes family seat, and hoped to visit Donside

during her time here.

“A government that robs Peterto pay Paul can always depend

on the support of Paul.”George Bernard Shaw

EDWARD J. EMSLIE

House Furnishers &

Floor Covering Specialists

Serving Deeside & Donside

Carpets * Tiles * Blinds

Thousands of samples

to choose from!!

* Hand Made Soft Furnishings *

Thank you for choosing Emslie’s

We wish you all a very Happy

Christmas and New Year.

Station Square

Ballater

AB35 5DX

013397 55005

2334

The Victoria and Albert Memorial Halls

continue to provide a base for community

activities, with many groups meeting again

after the summer break.

The Halls Trustees and Development

Association are working together to keep the

buildings in a good state of repair in the short

term, whilst commencing a staged programme

of renovation. An asbestos survey has been

completed, and some small amounts of the

substance are to be removed from the base-

ment area. This will allow us to obtain the

relevant safety documents which are neces-

sary for further work on the building.

We have applied for funding to cover the

cost of professional assistance to manage the

first stage of the refurbishment which will

tackle insulation of the entire building. To

that end, the Cairngorms National Park

Authority has come up trumps once again,

pledging an award of up to £4,000 provid-

ing we can cover the rest of the cost from

other sources.

As reported previously, we are working

on the formation of a new management body

which can apply for funding to organisations

such as The Big Lottery Fund, as our exist-

ing arrangements do not meet their criteria,

and we have signed up to the Keystone

Awards Scheme which will validate our man-

agement practices – all of these things take

time when we want to get on with things!

We have done our best to ensure that

Halls users are warm and comfortable

throughout the cold weather. Trace heating

has been installed to minimise the risks of

frozen pipes, broken heating elements have

been replaced in the two large halls, and

some work is to be carried out on the roofs

and flashings to prevent further leaks.

V&A Hallsby Bell Macaulay

We are ver y grateful to

Ballater Library for taking halls

bookings for three weeks over

recent holiday times. Over the next

few weeks, a small team will be discussing

how best to manage bookings in the future,

as well as preparing for the appointment of

new hall-keepers when Billy and Annetta

retire at the end of February.

Looking to the future, we are exploring

the possibility of setting up a cinema club,

perhaps in partnership. If anyone is inter-

ested in helping us with this, we would be

delighted to hear from them.

We are fortunate that Cat Houston has

volunteered to do some groundwork towards

the provision of a Learning Centre for Up-

per Deeside, located in the Beaton Craigie

Room and she will be collating information

already available, and contacting groups to

update information over the coming months.

In the meantime, we are continuing with

Mon - Fri 9am - 5.30pmSat 9am - 5pm

10 Bridge Street, BallaterTel: 013397 55409

Delivering Quality Healthcaresince 1897

PRESCRIPTIONSCOSMETICS

PHOTOGRAPHICOver-the-Counter MEDICINES

& ADVICE

DavidsonsChemists

Retail Pharmacyand

Veterinary Chemist Group

we shall also be assisting

CLAN and other charities by

selling raffle tickets for a Car in

the Bon Accord Centre in Aber-

deen in December. See you there?

Our Aboyne area contingent will again

be bag packing at Aboyne Coop, on Fridays

23 and 30 December, while, probably on

Saturday 17 December, weather permitting,

our Ballater worthies will be braving the ele-

ments to let you add to our Line of Silver in

front of the Ballater War Memorial. Please

come and have a chat!!

Community ServiceThe Club has agreed to purchase a mo-

bile wheelchair power unit which will be

available locally to help wheelchair users.

VocationalThe Aboyne Academy pupils sponsored

to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership

Awards (RYLA) summer event will be at-

tending a Club Meeting in November to tell

us how they enjoyed the experience and meet-

ing all the challenges of leadership training.

The Club hope to be organising another

fundraising Film Night at the Aboyne Thea-

tre in the near future, with at least some of

the proceeds helping to sponsor pupils for

RYLA next year. Depending on the suc-

cess of the evening, we may be able to spon-

sor even more pupils than before! Look out

for details and the ticket sales!

Following a very productive meeting at

Aboyne Academy to review present projects

and consider new ones, we are looking at a

closer contact with the Academy involving

photography and music. Hopefully we’ll be

able to report progress in the next Eagle.

We also had a very productive and enjoy-

able meeting with the Head Teachers of most

of the Primary Schools in our area, when we

again reviewed the present and considered the

future, discussing closer contacts and new

projects. We look forward once again to being

involved with the running of the successful Pri-

mary Schools Quiz early next year.

International ServiceAs ever, we continue to support Project

Mala, which is concerned with the educa-

tion of children in one of the poorest parts of

India. We are very pleased to be able mean-

time to sponsor three children in primary

school and one now in the middle school.

Engaging our

CommunityAs previously reported, we are keen this

year to engage with you to provide more in-

formation about Rotary in general, and our-

selves in particular, showing how we are all

about fun, fellowship, fundraising, and com-

munity service.

We are presently organising informal so-

cial gatherings locally for small groups to

spread the message a little better about who

STATION

Station Square, Ballater AB35 5PB


Popular Informal Restaurant in the Old Royal Station

Open daily from 10am

24 33Upper Deeside Music

by Jane Angus

After a very happy meeting in Victoria

Week at St. Kentigern’s Church, with Grant

Golding playing three instruments and Matt

Edwards the organist at the Paisley Coats

Memorial Church, the society met in the

Darroch Learg for a charming evening with

the Trio Ecossaise. The members of this clari-

net, cello and piano trio having come as in-

dividuals and duos before, were willing also

to take workshops for all the children in the

schools on Upper Deeside. There was also

a further cello ensemble with those from

Tarland and Aboyne. This built on the pre-

vious years’ activity for the young people

studying with Jamie Barclay.

The meeting on 4 December will be a

violin/viola - piano duo, Michael Beeston and

Andrew Johnston.

our fund-raising -300+ Club

– October draw – winners -

£75 No.12 Brenda Searle, £50

No.251 Mr & Mrs Will, £40

No.278 Mrs Moira Wight, £30

No.199 Mrs Margaret Crawford. We will

be renewing the tickets for next year’s lot-

tery over the coming weeks, and will be of-

fering the same numbers to all those who

very kindly supported us this year.

Do you have any ideas for fundraisers?

We would love to hear from you. Why not

come along to one of our monthly Halls

meetings where you would be made most

welcome! Please contact me by telephone

on 013397 55745, or email

[email protected]

Christmas Fair!Please also contact Bell for tables atthe Halls Christmas Fair on Saturday10 December, in aid of Halls heatingand refurbishment...

the

ALEXANDRAHOTEL

12 Bridge Square, Ballater. Tel: 013397 55376

www.alexandrahotelballater.com

Lunch served 12 noon - 2pm

and

Supper / Dinner served 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Everybody Welcome!

We are very pleased to welcome a new

member to the Club, Dr. Ian Ritchie having

joined us in October. Ian is an Aberdeen-

shire lad whose career in medicine has var-

ied from healthcare work in Canada, consul-

tancy in England, forensic medicine, and

General Practice, before retiring to Ballogie.

Also at the time of writing, Ballater’s

Optician, John Dean-Perrin, has applied to

rejoin the Club. Previously, business com-

mitments and timetables meant that John

had to give up membership, but we are de-

lighted that business changes now enable

John to rejoin us.

The Club is now gearing up for Christ-

mas and the various activities and fundraising

we are always involved with at that time of

Rotary Update

by Ron Drever

year. We look forward to see-

ing many of you during our

travels.

FundraisingThe Club attended all the local High-

land Games as usual with our “Roll the Dice

for Whisky” Stall, including our famous bells

and horns! At Aboyne we again helped with

the car parking, and raised around £2300

gross on the day. We also raised gross just

under £800 at Ballater, around £800 at Brae-

mar, £400 at the Tarland Show, and around

£1600 at the Lonach Games. We had great

fun and our thanks go to everyone who sup-

ported us.

We also enjoyed running the Barbeque

at the Ballater School Race Day, raising

some £100 for our Charity Fund.

At the time of writing this, the Club is

getting ready to again provide and man the

Barbeque at the Aboyne Bonfire Night, and

* Cutting * Colouring

* Perming * Concessions

* Bridal/Special Occasions

* Gift Vouchers available

07824 338 767

Aboyne - Ballater - Crathie - Braemar

By Rae Stanford

Ballater Golf Shop

Ballater Golf Club

Victoria Road, Ballater AB35 5QX

Tel. 013397 55658


Bill Yule

PGA Golf Professional

Tuition available

£20 per 1/2 hour - 5 Lessons for £80

Non Members Welcome!

*Gift Vouchers Available*

Stockist of:

Ping / Titliest / Nike / Glenmuir / Srixon

‘SNO DEVIL’Joseph Farquharson

The Joyless Winter Day

Ballater (off A939) AB35 5UB

Tel: 013397 55429

E:[email protected]

Please telephone to ensure we are open

during winter months.

The McEwan

Gallery

Balmoral Gift ShopChristmas Sale

Saturday 10th December10am until 4pm

20% off most lines

013397 42534www.balmoralcastle.com

Original Oil Paintings

Janice McIlwain (Rattray)

To view paintings please call Janice, 013397

55546 or email [email protected]

Commissions welcome for every occasion.

Paintings can be purchased at:

The Silver Thistle and Braemar Gallery

www.janicemcilwain.com

Opening Hours:

Monday 2pm - 6pmTuesday 10am - 2pm

Wednesday 10am - 5pmThursday ClosedFriday 2pm - 5pm

Tel. 013397 - 55134

Morven Veterinary

Practice

24 Golf Rd

Ballater

Aberdeenshire

AB35 5RS

2730

Luke Strachan is a

London based artist

and illustrator who

grew up in Tornuaran,

a rustic croft in

Crathie, where his

family still live

today. Luke spent a

year living and working

with Tibetan refugee

communities in India

before university. He

later pursued this

interest by undertaking

an apprenticeship in

Tibetan Buddhist art for

his anthropological

fieldwork. After

graduating from the

University of St Andrews with a Master of

Arts degree in Social Anthropology and

English, Luke spent the next six months

teaching Art and English to high school

students on Wotje, a remote coral atoll in

the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Luke’s fine art has frequently focused

on his rural roots and draws inspiration from

landscape and wildlife, as well as the myths

and folklore of Britain. His paintings, whilst

traditional in scope, often have

dreamlike undercurrents and have been dis-

played in the McEwan Gallery as well as

online at www.artgallery.co.ukNow living in London, Luke’s art remains

focused on urban wildlife, viewing the city

as a natural environment teeming with life.

Inspired by the apiaries of his highland

home and the threat to bees across the world,

Luke is now making plans for his first solo

exhibition entitled “Honey”, which explores

the secret lives of bees.

His passion for graphic art, illustration

and fantasy has led to his cartoons being

published in The Eagle, Sidewalk, EastBound

and most recently Gosh Monsters Book for

children. In addition to this Luke has worked

as an illustrative cartographer, creating hand

drawn maps of London as well as providing

bespoke illustrations for various literary works.

In his spare time Luke is working to com-

plete his first graphic novel, The Orcologist,

which follows the exploits of a schizophrenic

anthropologist whose study of Orc-ish culture

reveals the hidden monsters in each of us.

Though Luke is now living in London

he is always interested in taking on commis-

sions. To see samples of his work and make

contact with him please visit his website

www.lukestrachan.co.uk

Grampian Police and other agencies

across the Grampian area have been ‘gear-

ing up for winter’ and urging residents to

make sure they are prepared too.

Despite the late summer that was en-

joyed by all, emergency services and local

authorities are keen to encourage everyone

to prepare for winter, which can arrive in our

area much earlier than other parts of Scot-

land and with little notice. The last two years

have seen particularly harsh winter weather

with heavy snow and very low temperatures.

A multi-agency response team, involving

Police, Fire and Rescue, NHS and the Lo-

cal Authority amongst others, prepares for

and supports the response in an emergency.

All these organisations have worked together

to develop guidance for people to use when

preparing for the winter. The guidance in-

cludes important steps everyone should take

to keep themselves safe and focuses on Your

Home, Your Travel and Your Community.

Your Home covers a range of is-

sues like making sure that medicine cabinets

are stocked, pipes are protected from freez-

ing temperatures, stocking up fuel supplies,

clearing paths around your home and mak-

ing sure someone knows where you are and

how to contact you.

Your Travel, which is of particular

interest to local Police Officers, encourages

people to plan ahead, checking the forecast

and making sure that transport services are

running to their normal schedules, changing

driving styles to suit the conditions and mak-

ing sure you can keep warm and comfort-

able if your journey is delayed. Make sure

your vehicle is prepared for the winter

weather and ensure all windows are fully

cleared of snow and frost prior to starting

Are You ready for winter?by PC Steve Lafferty

your journey (however short).

Please obey ‘road closed’ signs and if your

journey is not vital, STAY AT HOME...

Your Community urges peo-

ple to think about their neighbours in poor

weather, particularly the elderly or those with

mobility issues. Can transport be shared with

others and can the community work together

to clear paths and drives? Regularly check

on neighbours to ensure all is well.

Further advice can be found on the

Grampian Police and Local Authority

websites.

As always, if you require further advice,

wish to report a crime or discuss any other

issue with us, call in at the Police office or

call Grampian Police on 0845 600 5 700.

Late News: The Schools fabulous 2012calendar, designed by the pupils, ia now

available st £5.50. Call Jo Croll on 55540.Also see Jo for your 2012 200Club tickets.

Late News: The Schools fabulous 2012calendar, designed by the pupils, ia now

available st £5.50. Call Jo Croll on 55540.Also see Jo for your 2012 200Club tickets.

Opening Hours:

Monday 2pm - 6pmTuesday 10am - 2pm

Wednesday 10am - 5pmThursday ClosedFriday 2pm - 5pm

Tel. 013397 - 55134

Morven Veterinary

Practice

24 Golf Rd

Ballater

Aberdeenshire

AB35 5RS

2730

Luke Strachan is a

London based artist

and illustrator who

grew up in Tornuaran,

a rustic croft in

Crathie, where his

family still live

today. Luke spent a

year living and working

with Tibetan refugee

communities in India

before university. He

later pursued this

interest by undertaking

an apprenticeship in

Tibetan Buddhist art for

his anthropological

fieldwork. After

graduating from the

University of St Andrews with a Master of

Arts degree in Social Anthropology and

English, Luke spent the next six months

teaching Art and English to high school

students on Wotje, a remote coral atoll in

the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Luke’s fine art has frequently focused

on his rural roots and draws inspiration from

landscape and wildlife, as well as the myths

and folklore of Britain. His paintings, whilst

traditional in scope, often have

dreamlike undercurrents and have been dis-

played in the McEwan Gallery as well as

online at www.artgallery.co.ukNow living in London, Luke’s art remains

focused on urban wildlife, viewing the city

as a natural environment teeming with life.

Inspired by the apiaries of his highland

home and the threat to bees across the world,

Luke is now making plans for his first solo

exhibition entitled “Honey”, which explores

the secret lives of bees.

His passion for graphic art, illustration

and fantasy has led to his cartoons being

published in The Eagle, Sidewalk, EastBound

and most recently Gosh Monsters Book for

children. In addition to this Luke has worked

as an illustrative cartographer, creating hand

drawn maps of London as well as providing

bespoke illustrations for various literary works.

In his spare time Luke is working to com-

plete his first graphic novel, The Orcologist,

which follows the exploits of a schizophrenic

anthropologist whose study of Orc-ish culture

reveals the hidden monsters in each of us.

Though Luke is now living in London

he is always interested in taking on commis-

sions. To see samples of his work and make

contact with him please visit his website

www.lukestrachan.co.uk

Grampian Police and other agencies

across the Grampian area have been ‘gear-

ing up for winter’ and urging residents to

make sure they are prepared too.

Despite the late summer that was en-

joyed by all, emergency services and local

authorities are keen to encourage everyone

to prepare for winter, which can arrive in our

area much earlier than other parts of Scot-

land and with little notice. The last two years

have seen particularly harsh winter weather

with heavy snow and very low temperatures.

A multi-agency response team, involving

Police, Fire and Rescue, NHS and the Lo-

cal Authority amongst others, prepares for

and supports the response in an emergency.

All these organisations have worked together

to develop guidance for people to use when

preparing for the winter. The guidance in-

cludes important steps everyone should take

to keep themselves safe and focuses on Your

Home, Your Travel and Your Community.

Your Home covers a range of is-

sues like making sure that medicine cabinets

are stocked, pipes are protected from freez-

ing temperatures, stocking up fuel supplies,

clearing paths around your home and mak-

ing sure someone knows where you are and

how to contact you.

Your Travel, which is of particular

interest to local Police Officers, encourages

people to plan ahead, checking the forecast

and making sure that transport services are

running to their normal schedules, changing

driving styles to suit the conditions and mak-

ing sure you can keep warm and comfort-

able if your journey is delayed. Make sure

your vehicle is prepared for the winter

weather and ensure all windows are fully

cleared of snow and frost prior to starting

Are You ready for winter?by PC Steve Lafferty

your journey (however short).

Please obey ‘road closed’ signs and if your

journey is not vital, STAY AT HOME...

Your Community urges peo-

ple to think about their neighbours in poor

weather, particularly the elderly or those with

mobility issues. Can transport be shared with

others and can the community work together

to clear paths and drives? Regularly check

on neighbours to ensure all is well.

Further advice can be found on the

Grampian Police and Local Authority

websites.

As always, if you require further advice,

wish to report a crime or discuss any other

issue with us, call in at the Police office or

call Grampian Police on 0845 600 5 700.

* Cutting * Colouring

* Perming * Concessions

* Bridal/Special Occasions

* Gift Vouchers available

07824 338 767

Aboyne - Ballater - Crathie - Braemar

By Rae Stanford

Ballater Golf Shop

Ballater Golf Club

Victoria Road, Ballater AB35 5QX

Tel. 013397 55658


Bill Yule

PGA Golf Professional

Tuition available

£20 per 1/2 hour - 5 Lessons for £80

Non Members Welcome!

*Gift Vouchers Available*

Stockist of:

Ping / Titliest / Nike / Glenmuir / Srixon

‘SNO DEVIL’Joseph Farquharson

The Joyless Winter Day

Ballater (off A939) AB35 5UB

Tel: 013397 55429

E:[email protected]

Please telephone to ensure we are open

during winter months.

The McEwan

Gallery

Balmoral Gift ShopChristmas Sale

Saturday 10th December10am until 4pm

20% off most lines

013397 42534www.balmoralcastle.com

Original Oil Paintings

Janice McIlwain (Rattray)

To view paintings please call Janice, 013397

55546 or email [email protected]

Commissions welcome for every occasion.

Paintings can be purchased at:

The Silver Thistle and Braemar Gallery

www.janicemcilwain.com

STATION

Station Square, Ballater AB35 5PB


Popular Informal Restaurant in the Old Royal Station

Open daily from 10am

24 33Upper Deeside Music

by Jane Angus

After a very happy meeting in Victoria

Week at St. Kentigern’s Church, with Grant

Golding playing three instruments and Matt

Edwards the organist at the Paisley Coats

Memorial Church, the society met in the

Darroch Learg for a charming evening with

the Trio Ecossaise. The members of this clari-

net, cello and piano trio having come as in-

dividuals and duos before, were willing also

to take workshops for all the children in the

schools on Upper Deeside. There was also

a further cello ensemble with those from

Tarland and Aboyne. This built on the pre-

vious years’ activity for the young people

studying with Jamie Barclay.

The meeting on 4 December will be a

violin/viola - piano duo, Michael Beeston and

Andrew Johnston.

our fund-raising -300+ Club

– October draw – winners -

£75 No.12 Brenda Searle, £50

No.251 Mr & Mrs Will, £40

No.278 Mrs Moira Wight, £30

No.199 Mrs Margaret Crawford. We will

be renewing the tickets for next year’s lot-

tery over the coming weeks, and will be of-

fering the same numbers to all those who

very kindly supported us this year.

Do you have any ideas for fundraisers?

We would love to hear from you. Why not

come along to one of our monthly Halls

meetings where you would be made most

welcome! Please contact me by telephone

on 013397 55745, or email

[email protected]

Christmas Fair!Please also contact Bell for tables atthe Halls Christmas Fair on Saturday10 December, in aid of Halls heatingand refurbishment...

the

ALEXANDRAHOTEL

12 Bridge Square, Ballater. Tel: 013397 55376

www.alexandrahotelballater.com

Lunch served 12 noon - 2pm

and

Supper / Dinner served 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Everybody Welcome!

We are very pleased to welcome a new

member to the Club, Dr. Ian Ritchie having

joined us in October. Ian is an Aberdeen-

shire lad whose career in medicine has var-

ied from healthcare work in Canada, consul-

tancy in England, forensic medicine, and

General Practice, before retiring to Ballogie.

Also at the time of writing, Ballater’s

Optician, John Dean-Perrin, has applied to

rejoin the Club. Previously, business com-

mitments and timetables meant that John

had to give up membership, but we are de-

lighted that business changes now enable

John to rejoin us.

The Club is now gearing up for Christ-

mas and the various activities and fundraising

we are always involved with at that time of

Rotary Update

by Ron Drever

year. We look forward to see-

ing many of you during our

travels.

FundraisingThe Club attended all the local High-

land Games as usual with our “Roll the Dice

for Whisky” Stall, including our famous bells

and horns! At Aboyne we again helped with

the car parking, and raised around £2300

gross on the day. We also raised gross just

under £800 at Ballater, around £800 at Brae-

mar, £400 at the Tarland Show, and around

£1600 at the Lonach Games. We had great

fun and our thanks go to everyone who sup-

ported us.

We also enjoyed running the Barbeque

at the Ballater School Race Day, raising

some £100 for our Charity Fund.

At the time of writing this, the Club is

getting ready to again provide and man the

Barbeque at the Aboyne Bonfire Night, and

EDWARD J. EMSLIE

House Furnishers &

Floor Covering Specialists

Serving Deeside & Donside

Carpets * Tiles * Blinds

Thousands of samples

to choose from!!

* Hand Made Soft Furnishings *

Thank you for choosing Emslie’s

We wish you all a very Happy

Christmas and New Year.

Station Square

Ballater

AB35 5DX

013397 55005

2334

The Victoria and Albert Memorial Halls

continue to provide a base for community

activities, with many groups meeting again

after the summer break.

The Halls Trustees and Development

Association are working together to keep the

buildings in a good state of repair in the short

term, whilst commencing a staged programme

of renovation. An asbestos survey has been

completed, and some small amounts of the

substance are to be removed from the base-

ment area. This will allow us to obtain the

relevant safety documents which are neces-

sary for further work on the building.

We have applied for funding to cover the

cost of professional assistance to manage the

first stage of the refurbishment which will

tackle insulation of the entire building. To

that end, the Cairngorms National Park

Authority has come up trumps once again,

pledging an award of up to £4,000 provid-

ing we can cover the rest of the cost from

other sources.

As reported previously, we are working

on the formation of a new management body

which can apply for funding to organisations

such as The Big Lottery Fund, as our exist-

ing arrangements do not meet their criteria,

and we have signed up to the Keystone

Awards Scheme which will validate our man-

agement practices – all of these things take

time when we want to get on with things!

We have done our best to ensure that

Halls users are warm and comfortable

throughout the cold weather. Trace heating

has been installed to minimise the risks of

frozen pipes, broken heating elements have

been replaced in the two large halls, and

some work is to be carried out on the roofs

and flashings to prevent further leaks.

V&A Hallsby Bell Macaulay

We are ver y grateful to

Ballater Library for taking halls

bookings for three weeks over

recent holiday times. Over the next

few weeks, a small team will be discussing

how best to manage bookings in the future,

as well as preparing for the appointment of

new hall-keepers when Billy and Annetta

retire at the end of February.

Looking to the future, we are exploring

the possibility of setting up a cinema club,

perhaps in partnership. If anyone is inter-

ested in helping us with this, we would be

delighted to hear from them.

We are fortunate that Cat Houston has

volunteered to do some groundwork towards

the provision of a Learning Centre for Up-

per Deeside, located in the Beaton Craigie

Room and she will be collating information

already available, and contacting groups to

update information over the coming months.

In the meantime, we are continuing with

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we shall also be assisting

CLAN and other charities by

selling raffle tickets for a Car in

the Bon Accord Centre in Aber-

deen in December. See you there?

Our Aboyne area contingent will again

be bag packing at Aboyne Coop, on Fridays

23 and 30 December, while, probably on

Saturday 17 December, weather permitting,

our Ballater worthies will be braving the ele-

ments to let you add to our Line of Silver in

front of the Ballater War Memorial. Please

come and have a chat!!

Community ServiceThe Club has agreed to purchase a mo-

bile wheelchair power unit which will be

available locally to help wheelchair users.

VocationalThe Aboyne Academy pupils sponsored

to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership

Awards (RYLA) summer event will be at-

tending a Club Meeting in November to tell

us how they enjoyed the experience and meet-

ing all the challenges of leadership training.

The Club hope to be organising another

fundraising Film Night at the Aboyne Thea-

tre in the near future, with at least some of

the proceeds helping to sponsor pupils for

RYLA next year. Depending on the suc-

cess of the evening, we may be able to spon-

sor even more pupils than before! Look out

for details and the ticket sales!

Following a very productive meeting at

Aboyne Academy to review present projects

and consider new ones, we are looking at a

closer contact with the Academy involving

photography and music. Hopefully we’ll be

able to report progress in the next Eagle.

We also had a very productive and enjoy-

able meeting with the Head Teachers of most

of the Primary Schools in our area, when we

again reviewed the present and considered the

future, discussing closer contacts and new

projects. We look forward once again to being

involved with the running of the successful Pri-

mary Schools Quiz early next year.

International ServiceAs ever, we continue to support Project

Mala, which is concerned with the educa-

tion of children in one of the poorest parts of

India. We are very pleased to be able mean-

time to sponsor three children in primary

school and one now in the middle school.

Engaging our

CommunityAs previously reported, we are keen this

year to engage with you to provide more in-

formation about Rotary in general, and our-

selves in particular, showing how we are all

about fun, fellowship, fundraising, and com-

munity service.

We are presently organising informal so-

cial gatherings locally for small groups to

spread the message a little better about who

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we are, what we do, and how we do it. Hope-

fully we can also then meet those of you who

may be interested in finding out a bit more

and, who knows, see Rotary as something you

too could be a big part of, and by means of

which you could serve our community.

Have a look at us on www.rotary-ribi.org,

where you simply type in “Aboyne” and press

“GO”.

The Club would like to take this oppor-

tunity to thank all those who have supported

us throughout the year in many different

ways. Without your generosity when we are

fundraising, we would not be able to sup-

port so many local good causes, or help peo-

ple in other countries.

If you would like to find out more about

Rotary, we would be delighted to hear from

you. Please contact Ron Drever at High

Trees, Morven Way, or telephone 013397

56224. We meet on the first and third Mon-

days (and usually any fifth

Monday) of each month at the

Boat Inn, Aboyne, 6 for

6.30pm, and on the second and

fourth Mondays at the Glen Lui Hotel,

Ballater, 6.30 for 7pm.

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Rotary is perhaps best known for

raising thousands of pounds for good causes

and helping local organisations with their own

projects. But there is another side to Rotary –

it also provides opportunities for business and

professional people who are not Rotarians to

experience another culture and learn about the

work of their counterparts abroad.

For three days at the beginning of Sep-

tember, a team of four such young people from

New South Wales, led by an Australian

Rotarian, were hosted by the Rotary Club of

Aboyne and Upper Deeside. The team, com-

prising a journalist, educational designer, con-

struction supervisor and communications of-

ficer, spent some of their time enjoying the

wonderful Deeside scenery but a day was set

aside for each of them to meet representatives

New South Wales Study Exchangeby David Allan

from local businesses and organisations.

The journalist, Stacey Miller, met up with

the Eagle Editor in Ballater to find out how

this popular community magazine is compiled

and published, and about its role in helping

to keep the community informed on local af-

fairs. Stacey currently works as a community

journalist for the Forbes Advocate newspaper

in her home town of Forbes, New South Wales

and she found many similarities between the

Eagle and her own publication. She was par-

ticularly interested in how the Eagle is funded

and offered suggestions as to how revenue

might be increased. Stacey was surprised to

learn of the existence near Ballater of the

Forbes family seat, and hoped to visit Donside

during her time here.

“A government that robs Peterto pay Paul can always depend

on the support of Paul.”George Bernard Shaw

36

When I heard on the Ballater Bush Tel-

egraph that our subscription secretary was

to celebrate a birthday milestone in late

November, I felt that some recognition of her

considerable contribution to Ballater commu-

nity life was called for.

I approached various

people who have en-

joyed Betty’s company

during meetings of the

numerous clubs and

organisations in the vil-

lage of which she is

such an enthusiastic

member, and all ex-

pressed their admira-

tion for the energy,

commitment, friendli-

ness and particularly

the humour of a very

popular lady.

Although she is not

a Ballater quine, Betty’s family has had links

with the village for over 100 years, her grand-

father having been a custodian at the Bar-

racks in Queen’s Road during the 19th cen-

tury. The daughter of a pharmacist, Betty

was brought up as a Scot in exile. The tale

of her time in the ATS towards the end of

World War II was contained within Eagle 38,

and her vivid description of dancing with Lord

Louis Mountbatten at a soiree in India gives

a clear indication of her humour. (Her nose,

she recalls, was pressed against his middle

waistcoat button!) Betty may be small

of stature but she is large in personality, and

with her ready smile and twinkling eyes is a

wonderful friend to many.

After WW2, Betty became a teacher of

Betty Wilson: Ever young at 90

by Ian HayPencil portrait by Eilidh Gow (see also Editor’s letter)

history, and ended up as deputy Head of a

school in Wokingham. Many of us who have

listened to her give talks on a variety of sub-

jects over the years, can only wish that our

own teachers could have been half so much

fun to listen to as

Betty is. I am sure

that there are

many former pu-

pils who have very

fond memories of

their caring, ap-

proachable teacher

who had a sense of

humour. I’m sure

that she had no

difficulty keeping

the attention of her

young charges.

As Sabine

Muir, the first edi-

tor of the Eagle

recalls: “Betty and I used to go to a German

Class years ago, run by Willma Sim. We

had a great time. Betty was always enter-

taining us with funny tales of her time as a

teacher. One was of a child writing a report

after a cooking class and how they had to

tidy up afterwards. She wrote something like:

“We washed up everything and then turned

our bowels upside down on the table and

put a tea towel on top.” Betty told this story

in such an engaging manner that we were

all in hoots of laughter. Betty also came to

the Writers group at the library”.

Betty has been, and indeed still is, a

very active and enthusiastic member of nu-

merous organisations in Ballater, including

SWRI, Ladies’ Probus, Women’s Guild,

21

Seasons Greetings from

Cindy Adams

PG Dip (Coun)

Person Centred Counsellor

1 Netherley Place

Tel: 07969 495399

Crathie, By Ballater

Log fires and a warm welcome

at The Inver

Open to non residents

Good food & fine wines

Lunches & Dinners

Reservations


The

I N V E R

H O T E L

Closed 22

December 2011 - 3 January 2012

www.inverhotel.com

20 37

Hogmanay at the HallCrathie Hall is the place to be when the

bells ring in 2012! Celebrations start at 9pm

on New Year’s Eve and continue into the

early hours of New Year ’s Day. Eddie

Esson’s Scottish Dance Band will be there

to set your toes tapping. For tickets or more

information contact Jean Young 42415 or Bell

Macaulay 55745

Coffee at the KirkThe ladies who run The Monday Morn-

ing cafe in Crathie would like to say a HUGE

THANK YOUto all who have so gener-

ously supported them over the past seven

months. They are all looking forward to see-

ing you at their Christmas Special on Mon-

day 5 December 2011, weather permitting!

Crathie Newsby Marion MacIntyre

Book GroupThe group continues to thrive and enjoy

a varied selection of books to discuss. Dur-

ing our recent Indian Summer, which lasted

for at least 3 days (!), we even managed to

have an open air meeting (see photo on back

page) when we discussed “Oryx and Crake”

by Margaret Atwood.

The book provoked mixed reactions but

certainly gave us plenty to talk about and

was an interesting read if not universally

enjoyed! We are currently reading “The

Conjurer’s Bird” by Martin Davies for our

October meeting and then next on the

agenda will be “Penguins Stopped Play”

by Harry Thompson

Bowling ClubCome along to Crathie New Hall on a

Tuesday or Friday evening from 7pm to 9pm

if you would like to join with the Crathie

Bowlers this winter. Whether you are an

experienced bowler or a complete beginner

you will be made most welcome!

Christmas is ComingPatricia Fraser has been busy, with her

helpers, organising the Christmas Meal for

Crathie Senior Citizens and tries very hard

to include all those who are eligible to be

invited. If however you live in Crathie, if you

are a woman aged 60 years or over, or a man

aged 65 years or over, and you think that you

might not be on her list, please contact Patricia

on telephone number 42327 to be included –

she will be pleased to hear from you.

and Ballater Songsters, holding elected of-

fice in many and of course she has served as

an elder of Glenmuick Church. Betty was a

founder, along with David and Valerie

Kinghorn, of the Friday Fellowship, and ea-

gerly joined the Ecumenical Choir. Our pho-

tograph on the back page show her partici-

pating in the SWRI float during one Victo-

ria Week as the Lucky Sweep at Mhairi’s

Wedding. Many will remember her hilarious

responses to the Toast to the Lassies at

Burns Nights, with this rather short lady

having large, kilted Scotsmen rolling in the

aisles, tears of laughter running down their

faces. However interesting the Immortal

Memory may have been, it was always

Betty ’s responses that remained in my

memory! Betty has culinary expertise too,

being the first winner of the SWRI’s Mary

MacPherson Quaich for her lemon meringue

pie (recipe still a secret!). Her puzzles and

competitions have raised hundreds of pounds

for organisations within the village, includ-

ing recently, the refurbishment of the Victo-

ria & Albert Halls.

Betty has always been a caring person,

concerned and willing to help others around

her. Stella Potter, who has been involved with

the Eagle since its early days, remembers

how her elder daughter, before she went to

university, “…cleaned for Betty and some

other folk. She loved going to Betty’s best,

partly as her house was ‘never really dirty’

but mostly she hugely enjoyed the conversa-

tion and laughter they shared. Betty showed

a real interest in my daughter’s life, contrib-

uting to making her the strong young woman

she is today. This is one of Betty’s huge

strengths: she is genuinely interested in the

people she meets. As her personal interests

are wide-ranging too it is always good to see

her smiling face at a meeting, or in the street.

Her presence lightens our lives”.

Caring as she does about others, Betty

is always quick to acknowledge

the considerable assistance

given to her by her immediate

neighbours, particularly Paddy and

Ivy Duncan. Paddy, Betty says, is very handy

for reaching objects on high shelves!

The Ballater Eagle has for years been

happy to publish articles by Betty, whether

extolling the contribution of others to Ballater

life, giving reports of SWRI or church activi-

ties, or a humorous poem such as the one

included in this Eagle. Her talents are nu-

merous and greatly appreciated by all who

know her. She has been our very efficient

Subscription Secretary since the first Eagle

was produced, (Betty, Sheila and Tom are

the only remaining Eagle Team members

from the very first meeting) and keeps in

touch with the ever changing list of subscrib-

ers, currently standing at nearly 80. All of

this is done without the benefit (or draw-

backs) of a computer. She engages with our

subscribers too, sending notes in perfect hand

writing and, as we saw in our summer 2011

issue, exchanging humorous poetry with some

of them.

The Eagle is very proud to have such a

wonderful lady as an active member of our

Team, and trust that she will continue in

that role for some years yet.

We all hope you had a very Happy Birth-

day, Betty.

“I don’t need you to remindme of my age. I have a

bladder to do that for me.”Stephen Fry

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38 19

Over £6,000 was distributed among

Ballater’s local groups and charities as a re-

sult of this year’s very successful Victoria

Week. At the group’s AGM in November,

over a dozen organisations were given

cheques following presentations by commit-

tee members on how the week-long event

went and what plans are in store for 2012.

A slideshow of photos from this year’s Vic-

toria Week was shown during the evening

and wine and nibbles served afterwards. The

largest beneficiary was the Victoria and

Albert Halls, which received £1,500 towards

continued improvements in insulation. Glen

Muick Church’s steeple restoration project,

Ballater School Parent Council and the

upcoming Ballater Winter Festival each re-

ceived £500. BRD got £350 towards a

project to improve signage around the village

while the esteemed Eagle got £500 added

to its coffers to help with production costs.

The Ballater Songsters raised £1,000

through their VW event and have asked that

the money be split between CLAN and the

Forget Me Not charity. A further £150 was

raised for CLAN during a raffle at the com-

bined City of Roses Chorus/Quiz night and

the committee opted to match that with an-

other £150. Other groups to benefit included

the Ballater Pipe Band, Ballater Enhance-

ment Group, YES, the Royal Guard’s cho-

sen charity and the Castleton Dancers, all

receiving between £200 and £250.

Plans are already being made for next

year’s Ballater Victoria Week, which is a lit-

tle bit special as it’s a jubilee year for the

event, which started in 1987. It is hoped

that the Scarecrow Competition will attract

even more entries, that the weather will be

Bumper Victoria Week

Benefits Ballater Causesby Cat Houston

kind enough to allow a real duck

race to take place on the River Dee (!) and

perhaps that the number of sporting events

may be increased, as VW’s run (4-12 Aug)

coincides with the Olympics. Many of the

usual favourite events will also take their

place in the varied programme, which offers

something for all, be they resident or visitor.

The band of folk that make the event hap-

pen is blooming but more volunteers are al-

ways needed. If you would like to get in-

volved or have any fab ideas for an event you

would like to put on to make VW 2012 ex-

tra special, then get in touch with the com-

mittee via email at

[email protected] or by phone

on 55018 or 55243. You can also see

www.ballatervictoriaweek.co.uk or find us on

Facebook for information and updates.

Christmas will soon be here and most of

us will have a Christmas tree – real or artifi-

cial. Christmas Tree legends go back to the

fourth century but written evidence is only

from the seventeenth century. The setting

up and decoration of a tree was a German

custom, introduced to Britain by Hessian

soldiers of George III. There was a children’s

party at Windsor in 1821 and again in 1829

with a tree and candles and by 1841 Prince

Albert had a tree. Today we regard a tree as

essential for Christmas. The hanging of trin-

kets on the tree dates back to the Romans.

Candles have been Christianised and repre-

sent Christ as the Light of the World, but in

earlier times they were just essential house-

hold items.

Christmas Greeneryby Sheila Sedgwick

Three types of greenery are on the

Christmas scene – Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe.

HollyBecause holly is

evergreen and has red

berries, it was consid-

ered to be the symbol

of everlasting life. Prickly

holly is lucky for men and

the smooth type for women.

On Deeside in the past, a sprig was re-

tained after the festivities, said to be a pro-

tection against lightning. To burn holly when

green was considered to be very unlucky.

Nowadays, holly wreaths are placed on fam-

ily graves at Christmas and hung on front

doors. An old Deeside saying was “He never

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18 39Keys to the Door

by John Holley

It has been 2 years since AA

Box 472 at Cambus O’ May on

the A93 was ‘saved’ by residents of Ballater

from further decay and eventual extinction.

Its interest to locals and tourists alike has

been unbelievable and the number of com-

ments in the visitors’ book by people from

around the world clearly proves its impor-

tance as a piece of social history.

As we attempt to add to the ‘mini’ mu-

seum contained within the box, we would

like to ask for your help. Many people have,

hidden away somewhere in cupboards, draw-

ers and other secret places, old AA-issued

box keys. We have secured a few keys from

various sources, and these are proudly dis-

played as part of the ‘mini’ museum within

Box 472.

If you think you may have an AA key

hidden away somewhere, then please can

you search high and low and if successful

pass the key to Alistair Cassie at his empo-

rium in Bridge Street, Ballater, and he will

ensure that it becomes part of our ‘mini’

museum.

Happy searching! Play your part in add-

ing to our Box 472 museum. Thank You.

International

Mountain Day Walk

by Glyn Jones

On Sunday 11 December, the Balmoral

Rangers will be celebrating International

Mountain Day with a Winter ascent of a

local peak. This will be a high winter walk,

with the exact route being decided on the

morning of the walk, and will mainly de-

pend on the weather conditions. A good level

of fitness is required. The meeting point is

Spittal of Glen Muick Visitor Centre at

9.30am. Cost is £5 per person, and book-

ing is essential. Contact 013397 55059.

Wee Jim Landscapes

Bridgefoot,Glenmuick, Ballater

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James Anderson

lies but when the holly’s green.” As holly is

evergreen, the person concerned never tells

the truth.

IvyIvy is associated with the god Bacchus.

A cure for drunkeness as well as whooping

c o u g h

was to

drink from

a cup of ivy

wood. Drink-

ing ivy leaves and ber-

ries dissolved in vinegar followed by a drink

of water in which ivy leaves had been boiled,

protected against the effects of over-indul-

gence In medieval times an ivy garland hang-

ing on a door, indicated that wine was for

sale. Ivy leaves were used in divination. If a

leaf put into a bowl of water on Christmas

Eve was still fresh on Twelfth Night, New

Year prospects were good. It there were black

spots, illness would come to a member of

the family, the position of the marks on the

leaf – top, middle and bottom - correspond-

ing to parts of the body. Spots all over the

leaf were a sign of coming death. Ivy is still

used medically. A corn cure is to soak ivy

leaves in vinegar and styes and sore eyes are

bathed in water that ivy leaves have been

soaked in. Catarrh was also treated with an

inhalation of ivy leaf juice.

MistletoeMistletoe, the Golden Bough of legend,

was sacred to both Druids and Norsemen.

Known as the plant of peace,

it was considered to have

magical properties and

was dedicated to the

goddess of love. Called

All-Heal, it was believed

to promote fertility. It was

used as an antidote to poi-

son but it was also used to cure

snakebite, toothache and gen-

eral sores. Mistletoe tea was

regularly used to control epilepsy.

Apart from its medicinal prop-

erties, mistletoe protected the house from

thunder and lightning. To this day, many

churches refuse to bring mistletoe inside be-

cause of its Druidical associations. Years ago,

English people were inclined to kiss on greet-

ing each other - even strangers newly meet-

ing – but Scots were more reticent! In the

1720s the Kirk forbade kissing on the mouth

but hand-shaking was permitted! Customs

have changed but a girl today still hopes to

be kissed under the mistletoe!

Don’t forget to order your tree and the

mistletoe and go searching for ivy and holly

with berries!

“The superfluous, a verynecessary thing.”

Voltaire

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1740

Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms Des-

tination Management Organisation (DMO)

which is based in Ballater is seeking addi-

tional directors and a new chairman. For the

first time, the DMO will be recruiting direc-

tors from the general business community in

the area as well as from its own partnership

base. The DMO currently has 90 partner

businesses and is a company limited by guar-

antee. It is the official tourism organisation

for the Deeside, Donside and the Eastern

Cairngorms area and has carried out many

tourism projects.

Current Chair of the DMO Board,

Garry Marsden says, “This is an exciting

time for the DMO and its partners. We have

several years of hard work under our belt

and have delivered successful promotional

campaigns but now is the time to bring fresh,

enthusiastic talent to the table to help us

continue to deliver for our partners. We are

in talks with our key partners at Scottish

Enterprise, Aberdeenshire Council and

VisitScotland about the funding of our new

business strategy and three year marketing

plan and it’s now time to strengthen our

Board to give it a sustainable future.” The

organisation is seen as one of Scotland’s most

successful tourism bodies.

Garry continues, “There are no special

skills or experience required to become a

Board member. What we need are enthusi-

astic people who are committed to making

Royal Deeside and The Cairngorms a lead-

ing tourist destination, who can attend Board

meetings and give the benefit of their expe-

rience. Obviously, a link to tourism would

be preferable, but we are also seeking peo-

ple from other business sectors to bring fresh

thinking to the Board. Our recent partner

R D & C DMOby John Carnie

survey shows us that there is

goodwill towards the work and

significant achievements of the

DMO and that our partners want

the DMO to continue promoting the area and

at the same time improving communication with

partner businesses and other organisations.”

The DMO has delivered many projects

since its inception including the introduction

of the Venison Festival, and the Dine on

Deeside events; production of a food maga-

zine Deelicious; The Tanalonga gastro ram-

ble; the Deeside Music Sessions; attend-

ance at VisitScotland’s Expo and seasonal

marketing campaigns. The food and drink

projects under the brand of Royal Deeside

Larder has been nominated for nine PR and

marketing awards in 2011.

For more information about the role of

the board members and confidential discus-

sion about the position of Chairman, please

contact Garry Marsden on 013397 42555.

Royal Deeside & the Cairngorms DMO

is the official Destination Management Or-

ganisation for tourism businesses in the ar-

eas of Royal Deeside, Donside and the

Eastern Cairngorms. Find out more about

the DMO at www.discoverroyaldeeside.com

For three days and nights it hammered

non-stop. Steel-like rods of rain drove the

grey furry squeakies deep into their holes

and silenced the squawking crows and gulls

that cowered in the scanty shelter offered by

the oak trees that hugged the banks of the

nearby Dee. It was a miserable time for the

wild life and had it continued much longer,

it could have brought some of them close to

starvation. But for me - although I did not

know it at the time - this tropical style down-

pour was to be my salvation. The more it

lashed the earth, the more it chiselled away

the years of dirt and rubbish that had accu-

mulated on my limbs, exposing me once

more to a world I had never expected to see

again.


by Wee Chis

Part One - ‘Ozzy finds Peace after Purgatory’

Saturday dawned and with it came the

sun. The squeakies, pleased to be free of

their enforced confinement, were soon back

again, sniffling and snuffling and foraging

all around me as usual, one beady eye jeal-

ously guarding their spoils, the other forever

scanning the skies for their mortal enemies

the thieving crows, who, when hungry as

now, could easily kill an unwary young rat

with their long sharp wicked beaks and they

often did. The rats were just as bad how-

ever, as birds’ eggs and young chicks were a

welcome addition to their diet, as many a

sad, ground nesting avian family, often found

out.

Being inedible of course I was of no value

to any of them. I also detested these black

scavengers, but for a different reason. With

complete lack of respect for my limbs, they

would use me as a perch, their sharp talons

gripping me hard and scratching off what

remained of my poor royal blue skin. Preen-

ing, primping and calling to one another in

hoarse, croaking tones, they would, worst of

all, leave me covered in their foul, white,

acidic paint-removing deposits

I had long been resigned to my fate, but

I still dreamt of that day when I had first

arrived in Ballater in the luggage van of a

steam train. The journey from Nottingham,

the place where I had been born, had been

long and tedious and I had been glad, when

bandaged like an Egyptian mummy in pro-

tective wrapping paper to protect my shiny

new skin, I had been carried across the Sta-

tion Square and delivered to a nearby shop,

where the shopkeeper, an old soldier called

Jock, welcomed my arrival and soon had me

standing proud and polished, close to his

“Cross country skiing is greatif you live in a small country.”

Steven Wright

16 41year. As BRD has charitable

status, it cannot trade directly.

It is proposed to set up a sub-

sidiary trading company which will

be wholly owned by BRD. All sur-

pluses will be applied to the improvement of

facilities at the Park and to other community

projects. Directors for this new company will

be recruited from the community. Over the

past 15 years there has been little invest-

ment in the Park, other than the provision of

services to the static stances. It is hoped that,

under community management, the facilities

will be greatly enhanced, thus attracting an

increase in numbers of visitors.

Further information can be found in a

leaflet which is available on our website

www.royal-deeside.org.uk, or at our office.

SignageJack Coull reports that progress is being

made towards the achievement of our aim to

erect 3 pedestrian fingerpost directional signs

within the village and a granite “Welcome”

sign at the entrance to Ballater on the A93.

The Old SchoolIn the summer edition of the Eagle, we

reported that BRD and the North East of

Scotland Preservation Trust had combined

to undertake an Options Appraisal Study

on the future of the Old School. The con-

sultants used the community drop-in day in

July to get residents’ views on various pro-

posals. The consultants’ report is expected to

be published at the beginning of November

and for more details contact the BRD office.

Glenmuick Church

by Betty Wilson

Glenmuick and Glengairn are among the

few churches in Scotland that are able to

keep their doors open during the summer

months. Comments in the visitor’s books

show that this facility is much appreciated,

and in both churches, the beautiful flower

arrangements are often mentioned.

This year, a visitor to Glenmuick from

Essex picked up a Wordsearch puzzle, pro-

duced to raise money for the upgrading of

the Ballater Halls. When she sent in her

solution, she enclosed an unsolicited dona-

tion to the church flower fund. A draw took

place to select three winners and her name

was the first one out! She was sent a cheque

for £10 and she wrote back to say that she

was going to spend the money on a special

flower arrangement for her church.

Who would have thought that a

Wordsearch puzzle in Ballater would

bring about a floral display in an Essex

Church?!!

Graham Stuart

Plumbing & Heating Engineers

Tel: 013397 55627 / Fax: 56342Mobile: 07836 562946

Est. 1975

BathroomsBoiler ReplacementsPressurised Systems

Oil Fired, Solid Fuel orUnderfloor Central Heating

open doorway.

A sign had then been hung from my front

lamp bracket, which in large letters said, “For

Sale - Gents Raleigh - £12/10s”, but that

sign didn’t stay there long!

I waited eagerly to begin the transport-

ing duties for which I had been made, but

had to admit taking an immediate dislike to

the rough looking man who became my first

owner and whose actions soon justified my

worst fears. In the months that followed,

never a drop of oil did my poor chain and

other moving parts receive to ease away the

dryness and pain caused by metallic friction.

My groans and squeaks were ignored and

there was never any attempt to clean away

the dirt that soon accumulated on my wheels

and body.

The chrome on my beautiful shiny han-

dlebars soon started to rust, succumbing to

the blood and other liquids oozing from the

dozen or so rabbits that usually dangled from

their extremities. Occasionally, when threat-

ened with a beating and snarled at long

enough, one of his scruffy, nit infested and

half starved bairns would find my pump and

try their puny best to force some fresh air

into my poor worn tyres, but I was offered

no other kind of maintenance and starved of

any respect.

My owner, a poacher, lived up in one of

the glens and on most evenings my main

task was to convey him to the village, where

he would spend several hours at the

Invercauld Hotel, in a noisy place to one side,

known locally as ‘The Tink’. When he

emerged, most often barely able to stand,

the journey home would become a painful

experience. Once in the saddle and after

several false attempts to remain upright, his

tackety booted feet would at last find my

pedals and I would be forced to move in

whatever his drink-addled brain thought was

a straight line. Invariably however, a drunken

mist would overcome his senses

and unable to focus, we would

follow a meandering course that

took us from one kerbside in the

road, to the other. Many a time he would

end up on top of me in a hedge at the road-

side or in some foul ditch, cursing and swear-

ing and of course blaming me for his lack of

control. Occasionally he would fall asleep and

lie there for several hours before the cold and

wet half sobered him up and the journey

could continue. I suffered terribly and the

daily abuse, kicks and general neglect gradu-

ally reduced me to such a shabby state, that

if I had been given a head, I would have

hung it in shame every time I met another

roadster of my ilk

How I longed for some relief, to be able

to run free on well oiled hubs and bearings,

to have well adjusted brakes acting on well

polished wheel rims, to have pedals that were

not seized up, mudguards that were not

“Wine is constant proof thatGod loves us and loves to

see us happy.” Benjamin Franklin

1542

Ballater Caravan ParkThe major part of the site was bought

by Ballater Town Council in 1967. The sur-

pluses which accrued enabled the Town rates

to be reduced by a shilling in the pound –

not a bad return for the investment. There

were many other benefits to the community

in the form of increased trade for shops, res-

taurants, and the Golf Club. Later, owner-

ship passed to Kincardine and Deeside Dis-

trict Council and eventually to Aberdeen-

shire Council. A return to community man-

agement will complete the loop, bring ben-

efits to the community, and secure the fu-

ture of the Caravan Park.

At the end of 2007, Aberdeenshire

Council, in the light of the losses accruing

from their 11 Caravan Parks, invited inter-

Ballater (RD) Ltdby Paddy Wright

est from possible partners to be-

come involved in the management. BRD

expressed an interest in the Ballater Park

and formed a steering group to negotiate. It

has been a long hard slog with little progress

being made until recently, when the Coun-

cil resolved to cease operation of all its Cara-

van Parks by the end of the current season.

It resolved to transfer management to suit-

able community bodies, and only as a last

resort would commercial organisations be

considered. The recent Community Asset

Transfer legislation permits local authorities

to transfer assets, including leases, to com-

munity bodies at below market value.

BRD is now very optimistic that a lease

or transfer of ownership of the Park will be

agreed with the Council by the end of this

by Bob Thomson

Tel: 013397 41214

Kindrochit Drive, Braemar

AB35 5YW

Old Cine Film Reels

& Slides to DVD:

Excellent Results

Reasonable Cost and No VAT!

Do before they fade away!

Local Interest DVDs

(e.g. “Braemar”,

“Royal Deeside - Its Land

& People”) & More!

(Established 1969)

dented and scratched, properly

inflated tyres with a modicum

of tread and a battery operated

headlamp instead of the splutter-

ing feeble carbide one that hung from

my front bracket. Above all, I wanted to have

my paintwork and chrome looked after and

treated with respect. Very rarely in life do

one’s prayers get answered, but one memo-

rable day, the good fairy of all cycles must

have been listening, for at long last a chink

in the dark cloud of my despair opened briefly

and my wishes came true.

My owner was in his usual half coma-

tose state on the way home and barely man-

aging to make progress, we stopped at the

brow of the bridge as it crosses the Dee. In

the course of the evening he had somehow

managed to acquire a half bottle of some

spirit and reaching into his grimy coat he

pulled it forth and removing the stopper, took

a long swig. Burping loudly, he then went to

replace it, but somehow his fumbling hand

missed his pocket and the bottle fell, shat-

tering on the ground.

Roaring with frustration, he then climbed

back into my saddle and once there his pow-

erful legs forced me to move. Unfortunately,

the oaf had given me no alternative but to

travel through the sharp glass shards now

littering the road. The outcome was inevita-

ble and with heavy sighs both my poor old

bald tyres expired - sadly their patched pneu-

matic lives were finally over.

Unable to maintain his balance the man

then fell sideways and as he went down with

a heavy thump, my badly worn and jagged

left hand pedal cut through the cloth of his

trouser leg and for good measure, gave him

a nasty gash across his shin.

Now thoroughly enraged, in pain and

with the prospect of a long walk home fac-

ing him, he picked me up. Ye’ll nae get the

better o’ me, ye useless auld piece o’ scrap’,

he roared and with a curse hurled me over

the parapet of the bridge and down, down I

went, into the swollen waters of a river Dee

in full winter spate. Many feet below, with

scarcely a splash, the cold waters softly cush-

ioned my fall and gathering all around me,

welcomed me to their dark brown depths.

The fierce current then tumbled me wheel

over wheel for several hundred yards, until

finally one of my pedals became wedged be-

tween two boulders. I was held fast and there

I remained!

Hidden below the surface, this watery

resting place among the slimy eels, inquisi-

tive trout and migrating salmon could easily

have been my last resting place and for sev-

eral months I enjoyed the peace and quiet,

my only worry in this sea of tranquility aris-

ing from the corrosive effect the water seemed

to be having on my limbs. It came to pass

however, that one fine spring day as I was

watching the salmon moving past me on their

ATHOLL COUNTRYWEAR

For Quality Ladies’

and Men’s Clothing

Accessories & Shoes

Fine Gifts

13 Bridge Street,

Ballater AB35 5QP

Tel: 013397 53810

Open:

Monday-Saturday 10am-5.30pm

14 43lem is obviously shortage of

funds to pay for facilities, what-

ever form they might take. Early

participation in discussions with

teenagers would be useful, to get some

credible definition of facilities that would be

most beneficial to Ballater youth.

But here’s the catch – you don’t get any-

thing for nothing. Ballater youth would have

to pay for it. We are suggesting that a scheme

could be devised whereby they get involved

in “community services” in exchange for cash,

sponsorship, or pledges of support. Activi-

ties such as washing cars, cleaning, garden-

ing, snow clearance, help with computers and

many more could be included. Possibly local

trades people could help train those inter-

ested to do more complex tasks. The pro-

ceeds would be paid into a fund to finance

the desired facilities. This can be co-ordinated

with opportunities to capture additional fund-

ing through sources like the Lottery.

This would need a lot of organising and

effort. More definition of a scheme like this

would be needed, and the goal should be

challenging but achievable, as the obvious

consequences of failure are worth avoiding.

However, as well as achieving the in-

tended outcome from a project like this, there

could be huge benefits to the community,

like improved relations across generations, and

making unexpected new friends.

If any readers are interested in taking up

a challenge like this, please let us know.

SWRI

by Aileen Barbour

On 21 September President Anne

Richardson welcomed members and visitors

to the meeting after the summer break.

After business, the President introduced

Aileen Asher, Glass Engraving Artist from

Tomintoul who gave a talk then demonstrated

the art of engraving. Mrs Asher brought a

selection of her beautiful work to let us see

and this was greatly admired. Members

were invited to participate, which some did

and were pleased with their efforts. The

competition was a “Decoration Candle”:

1) Joan Anderson, 2) Frances Johnstone,

3) Margaret Finnie, 4) Pat Fraser.

The meeting on 19 October was entitled

“Theatre Experiences” by Tommy Baxter.

It was fascinating to get an insight into the

West End theatre world in London and was

most enjoyable. The competition this

month was “Double Shortbread”:

1 ) Frances Johnstone, 2) Margaret

Cameron, 3) Margaret Finnie, 4) Thelma

Cooper.

On 16 November, Jenny Houston gave

a talk on the “History of Flower Arrang-

ing”. Dates for meetings through until March

are contained within the Eagle Diary.

way upstream to spawn, I was surprised to

feel several sharp tugs on my chain. Two fish-

ermen, rods in hand, were standing on the

riverbank, one of them complaining that his

hook was caught in something and that he

would have to wade out to retrieve it.

Soon the owner of a large pair of feet

encased in heavy rubber waders appeared

and an astonished red face peered down at

me. ‘Its an auld roosty bike’, he yelled, ‘I’d

better rug it oot afore it snags somebody else’s

hookie’ and a moment later, using his gaffe,

he pulled me to the water’s edge and after

unhooking his fly, threw me casually onto

the grassy bank.

My wheels were the first to go, some

scavenging bairns delighted at the prospect

of making themselves a cartie of sorts. My

handlebars soon followed to some auld wifie,

a knitter, living on her own, who, needing

an extra pair of hands when it came to turn-

ing skeins of wool into balls, was keen to

have them fixed to the back of her kitchen

chair. Sadly, the last to go was my fine leather

saddle, scuffed and cracked, but still in one

piece and serviceable.

So there I rested, a skeleton of my former

self, rusting quietly in the long grass, my

bonnie blue paint almost all gone and no

doubt there I would have remained, had not

some progressive and energetic new mem-

ber of the village council decided that there

should be a clean up of the river bank oppo-

site the Riverside Garage and some seats

installed, for the old folk to while away their

pensioner days. Soon the grey ash cart ar-

rived and I was once more on my travels,

this time to the Arrigation. The journey was

short, and without ceremony I was dumped

on this festering pile of rubbish, where I now

remain.

Next issue: Part Two - In which ‘Ozzy

finds Salvation after Salvage’...

Can you help

concerning

Colville Cottage?Joan from Dunfermline would

like to know if anyone has any information

about Colville Cottage (41 Victoria Road)

in the 1930s? Maybe a photograph of the

tenants who resided there at around that

time?

She would really appreciate any info you

can give her. Please talk to Sabine Muir,

who has Joan’s details. You can contact

Sabine through the library.

“There is only one wayto happiness, and that isto cease worrying things

which are beyond thepower of our will.”

Epictetus

C.S.M.

Handyman

J.Lanigan

general maintenance inside and

out, gutter cleaning, garden

tidying, chimney sweep, etc.


South Deeside Road

Ballater

Tel.

013397 56227

Mobile

07506951506


All the little jobs

you can’t get any1 to do

1344

Co-Op UpdateThings with the Co-op have moved for-

ward a bit since the last issue of the Eagle.

Following our letter to the CEO, and vari-

ous telephone conversations, we have been

informed that;

“Ballater Main St. has been reviewed

and several sections in-store are currently

being increased, which will increase our

range. Space in-store is limited but we are

committed to continually work with you to

improve the service that we offer to the

Ballater community.

The range changes that the company is

going through nationwide at present, is help-

ing to increase range in most stores. This should

further help increase the range. A gluten free

product range has been put forward to our

Space Planning Manager to look at ways to

incorporate this range into the store.

In regards to the split ranging across the

two stores, Michael McCarthy, Area Op-

erations, hopes to discuss this when he meets

with you in the near future.”

In the meantime, we may request the

local managers to ask customers for details

of specific items they require in the event

that some shelf space can be made free by

rationalising stock between the two stores.

Please let us know what you think would

make the Co-op better - we will try and put

your comments to them.

Bridge Street

CongestionThe communities’ survey that B&CCC

conducted last autumn showed a degree of

concern about traffic congestion, especially

on Bridge Street. We understand that opin-

ions on the significance of this may be di-

Community Councilby Graham Adams

vided. However, it seems that a fairly small

increase in traffic activity can turn Bridge

Street from a picture of calm serenity into a

source of considerable frustration. The part

between Bridge Square and Victoria Road /

Hawthorn Place junction seems to be par-

ticularly sensitive.

We don’t know if there are any smart

measures that can be taken to improve the

situation, but we intend to explore possibili-

ties, in consultation with personnel from Ab-

erdeenshire Council.

Youth ActivitiesThe communities’ survey also revealed

that there is a perceived lack of facilities and

activities for Ballater youth (people in the

age range 11-18 (approximately). The prob-

Charleston Buildings, Ballater RoadAboyne, AB34 5HN

(013398) 86874

The first task facing the Trustees of the

Halls after cessation of hostilities, was set-

tling the account with the Red Cross who

had used the Victoria Hall as a hospital

during the war. At first they asked for £20.00

for electric light, the replacement of five dozen

cups and saucers and one and a half tons of

coke, being the estimated amount used by

the hospital. After discussion with the Red

Cross, the Trustees agreed to waive the elec-

tricity charge but insisted on the crockery and

coke being replaced and also asked for £4.00

for a new sink and £5.00 for a new wash

hand basin. Once all this was agreed, Dr

Hendry, the hospital superintendent, pre-

sented the Trustees with a clock in apprecia-

tion. The War Office sent a letter express-

V&A Halls Minutes Extracts

the Roaring Twentiesby Janet Riddler

ing its “deep appreciation of the Trustees’

kind and patriotic action”.

The Trustees next decided to allow the

Town Council free use of the Halls for a

“Treat for Returning Soldiers” on 2 May,

1919. They also agreed to let the large base-

ment room to The Discharged Soldiers and

Sailors Association for two shillings (10

pence) a month payable quarterly. This was

on the strict understanding that if the Room

was found not to be being used for its pur-

pose of providing a place of meeting which

was morally and socially beneficial to young

men, its use would be discontinued. No in-

toxicating liquor could be consumed on the

premises and no intoxicated person would

be admitted. The members of the Associa-

tion were to discourage any loitering outside

the Room or in the vicinity of the Halls,

whether by men or women.

A new flagpole, rope and flag were or-

dered from Messrs Shirras Laing of Aber-

deen in time for the Peace Celebrations.

In October 1919 some local gentlemen

asked to rent the Victoria Hall for a cinemato-

graph entertainment twice a week. It was

agreed to offer the Hall for £60 a year to

include use of the piano. This was subse-

quently reduced to once a week for £30 a

year.

Mr Angus, the Hallkeeper, asked for an

assistant but the only applicant, Willie

Rattray, was found not to be eligible to leave

school until January so it was suggested that

because Mr Angus was on duty till 10pm a

woman might be engaged to clean the rooms

in the morning so that Mr Angus did not

need to arrive until 10am. He was also al-

lowed to leave brushing the billiard tables

Total Building

Services

For all your home improvement needs

All Property MaintenanceNo Job Too Small / Distance No Object

Telephone 013397 56221or 07728 480706

• Carpentry

• Electrics

• Roofing

• Plastering

• Plumbing

• Brickwork

• Tiling

• Driveways

• Kitchens

• Bathrooms

• Extensions

• Landscapes

• Decorating

• Guttering

12 45

In March 2008 CLAN Can-

cer Support launched a campaign to raise

funds for a new cancer support centre in

Aberdeen. At the end of October this year,

we moved into our wonderful new home

adjacent to the city’s Westburn Park.

Of particular interest to readers in

Deeside is our accommodation facility -

CLAN Haven. Our Haven provides afford-

able B&B accommodation and so much,

more to anyone from outlying areas coming

to Aberdeen for treatment or appointments.

Family members and close friends are also

made very welcome. We have twenty-seven

en-suite rooms including two family rooms

and two disability adapted rooms.

The Haven is renowned for its warm,

welcoming atmosphere – many a long chat

CLAN News

by Joan Cowiegoes on round the kitchen table. Our Ha-

ven team offers practical and emotional sup-

port as well as providing a continental break-

fast. Our guests are also welcome to access

any of the services in the centre including a

wide range of complementary therapies.

To find out more about CLAN Haven,

or to make a booking, please call us on:

01224 647000.

Of course, when people return home to

Deeside they can continue to access sup-

port locally. At CLAN in the Community

based in Ballater you will find the same warm

welcome. There is always time to talk and

our kettle is always on. Our complementary

therapies can help with relaxation whilst our

support group, and walking group provide

friendship, peer support and gentle exercise.

However we simply could not provide

these services without a very special group

of people – our volunteers. Volunteers help

us in so many ways – providing support in

the centre, in the CLAN shop, fundraising

and organising events. We’d be delighted to

hear from anyone who would be interested

in helping us in any way. To find out more

please drop into the centre or call us on:

013397 56318.

And finally a huge thank you from our

bag-packers who were at the Co-op in

Aboyne on 8 October. Thanks to your gen-

erosity we raised £396 which will directly

benefit people in this area.

For more information about CLAN lo-

cally and in Aberdeen visit our website at

www.clanhouse.org

“Never fight aninanimate object.”

P. J. O’Rourke

until the next day as the trustees insisted on

play continuing until 10pm rather than

9.45pm as Mr Angus wanted. The Trus-

tees decided at this time to allow the playing

of Pool (common or snooker) on the billiard

tables.

On 23 May 1920, even though the day

was a Sunday and the Trustees were un-

happy about allowing commercial use of the

premises on a Sunday, they allowed the Vic-

toria Hall to be used for a luncheon venue

for 300 delegates from the National Union

of General Workers conference being held

in Aberdeen. The delegates were visiting

Balmoral Castle and no other building in

Ballater was large enough for the purpose.

In February 1923 a letter was received

from an Edinburgh solicitor’s office inform-

ing the Trustees that Miss Scott of Rothesay

Place, Edinburgh, who had died in Ballater

the previous September, had dictated an in-

formal memorandum two days before her

death leaving the books in her

house in Ballater to the library.

The residuary legatees had de-

cided to honour the bequest but

pointed out that as the house was let, most

of the more than 400 books would not be

available until October. It was agreed that

as the books were of general literature and

the works of Scott, Stevenson and Dickens

being in the best editions, the Trustees

would gratefully accept the bequest. This

bequest caused a lot of work for the Trus-

tees as they had to have new bookcases in-

stalled which necessitated moving a door in

the library, and having a catalogue of the

books drawn up and 400 copies printed.

In the summer of 1923 the streets were

being repaired and several loads of the re-

sulting refuse were obtained to resurface the

area in front of the Institute.

In February 1924 the Choral Union

asked for the Albert Hall heating to be im-

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TTTTTelelelelel.55816.55816.55816.55816.55816

1146 Committee Skills

Training

by Lindsay Lumsden

Sandy Mathers of Aberdeen Council for

Voluntary Service delivered an interesting

and informative training session on Commit-

tee Skills to members of the community in

Ballater on 19 September. They looked at

the roles of committee members and office

bearers, running meetings, minute-taking,

and financial and legal responsibilities.

The course was organised by a partner-

ship of BOVOF (Ballater One Voice Our

Future), Aberdeenshire Coun-

cil Community Learning &

Development and Aberdeen-

shire CVS Training Initiative.

One participant commented, ‘Many

thanks for a fab. course, I really enjoyed it

and got a lot out of it’.

proved. The Trustees decided

not to install radiators mean-

time but that they would board

up the ventilators in the roof. In

November 1924 they asked Mr Walter

Simpson to draw up a report on the prob-

able cost of heating the Albert Hall and also

one for heating the rest of the Halls sepa-

rately. No reply had been received by Au-

gust 1925 but on enquiry it appeared that

Mr Simpson had died so the Trustees now

had the task of recovering all the plans and

papers he had taken away with him. Mr

Bennet Mitchell was asked to recommend a

heating engineer in Aberdeen but he was

unable to do this so an engineering firm in

Glasgow was sought. The consultations went

on until June 1926 when the contract was

finally let to William Walsh of Ballater, his

tender being £409.16/6(£409.83pence).

After all this time the Trustees wanted the

work completed by the end of September

1926 but it was well into 1927 before the

new system was fully installed and the whole

building was then redecorated.

In June 1928 the Trustees agreed to have

the footpath in front of the Halls tar sprayed

by the contractor who was spraying Station

Square, so long as it cost about £2.

In December 1928 a letter was received

from the son-in-law of Mr and Mrs Charles

Paterson who had left £7,500 to Ballater for

the provision of cottage homes, asking if the

Trustees would accept portraits of Mr and

Mrs. Paterson for the “public hall”. The

Trustees replied that although the Halls were

not strictly public, they would be happy to

hang the portraits in the Victoria Halls pend-

ing possible removal to the Paterson Cot-

tage Homes once they were built. At the

same time the portraits of Mr and Mrs Al-

exander Gordon would be re-hung in the

Victoria Hall.

Towards the end of 1929 the minister,

Mr Waugh, asked if badminton could be

played in the Albert Hall on Thursdays in

the winter. Permission was granted on con-

dition that play be confined to young people

connected to the Church of Scotland. The

Albert Hall was found to be unsuitable for

the game so the Victoria Hall was offered

on condition that no permanent marks be

made on the floor. Later, the club was al-

lowed to mark out the court with Duresco,

the work to be done by a skilled tradesman

and the lines to be as narrow as possible.

This proved unsatisfactory and the club was

eventually allowed to use ordinary black paint

and black enamel.

In January 1930 the small mirror in

Room 2, which was often used as a ladies’

cloakroom, was replaced with a larger sec-

ond hand one. It was also agreed to provide

soap and towels for the adjoining lavatory. 4

x 2 yard roller towels and a quantity of

Lifebuoy soap were purchased.

“The mind that is anxiousabout future events ismiserable.” Seneca

Buying and Selling Property

Wills and Powers of Attorney

Trusts and Executries

Notarial Executions

Resident Solicitors

Your local

solicitor and

estate agent

FRASER & MULLIGAN

24 Bridge Street, Ballater, AB35 5QP

Tel No. 013397 55633

Fax No. 013397 55564

[email protected]

10 deen kindly stepping into the

shoes of Helen Robb from

Montrose who had been taken

ill. We send her our good wishes

and our grateful thanks go to Rena

who, apart from producing stunning designs,

coped with the unexpected arrival of a bat

which swooped and dived over the heads of

a bemused audience. I wondered why

Kathleen had left me with full instructions

for the meeting but had omitted to include

bat catching equipment. A brave lady suc-

ceeded in catching the bat in the brightly lit

hallway after we had extinguished the lights

in the room. It was released unharmed.

Ivy Duncan’s tea and biscuits were very

welcome at the end of such an exciting evening.

Our October meeting was our AGM

with Sonia Wolfe-Murray demonstrating af-

ter the business had been completed.

Our fund-raising Christmas Charity

evening on 24 November will be reported in

the next Eagle issue when we hope to record

an evening of Christmas designs from Gill

Garrow and be able to make generous do-

nations to our two charities, The Sandpiper

Trust and the Community Bus.

Floral Art Meetings will resume in April

2012.

BOVOF

by Ron Drever

Many will have noticed the new sign at

the entrance to Monaltrie Park. This was a

project initiated by the Monaltrie Park Us-

ers Group (MPUG), a BOVOF Partner-

ship, intended to make the Park entrance

more welcoming.

Ballater Highland Games kindly agreed

to fund the manufacture of the sign, while

Aberdeenshire Council kindly provided the

labour necessary to remove the old sign and

erect the new. Our thanks to both – we trust

the community enjoys this latest BOVOF/

MPUG project.

With regard to the possible new Dental

Practice, BOVOF have been pushing NHS

Grampian for action, and will continue to

do so. In October, we were advised by NHS

Grampian that:-

“We are still in the process of looking at

all the options available to us in line with

funding allocations and if there is anything

to update you with, I will give you a call.”

We’ll keep trying!

47The Lost Watch by Betty Wilson

Glen Lui

Restaurant open all year round

Comfortable and Relaxing with Excellent Food and Wine

Family groups and companies welcome

Book for our Festive Menu available throughout December

Closed December 24, 25 and 26.

Lunch daily from 12 to 2 p.m. / Dinner daily from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Invercauld Road, Ballater, Royal Deeside AB35 5PP

Tel.013397 55402

www.glen-lui-hotel.co.uk Email: [email protected]

Private Function & Conference Facilities

* Licensed for Weddings *

H O T E L

RESTAURANT & bISTRO BAR

My watch is not as old as I, but getting on that way.It doesn’t have a battery, I wind it up each day.

The other day, I lost it- it could be anywhere,Lying on the bathroom shelf, or underneath a chair.

My mind went back to yesterday, but I could not recallWhere was I when I took it off? Maybe in the hall.

I searched beside the telephone, then each step of the stair,Up into the bedroom, but I couldn’t find it there.

It must be in the kitchen, maybe beside the sink.It wasn’t in the living room. Where else? I couldn’t think.

I wondered if I’d scooped it up with yesterday’s P&J.,So I emptied out the waste bin - no luck, I have to say.

After an hour, or two, or more, my house was looking neat,Perhaps the strap had given way, and I’d lost it in the street.

That must be what happened - search ended for today.I might as well give up, and buy another straight away.

I’d lost it, yes I’d lost it, it had well and truly gone -And then I rolled my sleeves up, and you’ve guessed it! I’d got it on!!

Marie Chapman

Soft Furnishings, Tarland

Hand and machine work

available for curtains,

pelmets, tie backs, cushions

and Roman blinds.

Also curtain alterations and

home visits available.

Free estimates with a large

collection of fabric samples.

Complete job catered for from

measuring to fitting.

Tel. 077860 66940

[email protected]

Crannach Coffee

Shop & Bakery

at Cambus O’May

Open Thursday - Tuesday11am - 5pm

Bread Making Courseson Wednesdays

Gift Vouchers Available

Tel: 013397 55126 for details

948 Pottering About . . .by Stella Potter

Upper Deeside

Art Society

by Moira Mckenzie

HRH The Duchess of Rothesay at-

tended a private preview of the annual art

exhibition organised by the Upper Deeside

Art Society (UDAS) in Ballater, during

August. see pic on back page....

Held in the Victoria Hall, the 19th an-

nual UDAS exhibition featured 299 works,

demonstrating the broad array of talent of

UDAS members. The Duchess, an Hon-

orary Lifetime Member of the Society, was

able to meet the 58 artists whose works were

on display and discussed their creative inspi-

ration.

The sublime landscapes of the Dee Val-

ley continue to inspire local artists, along with

botanical, animal and human subjects. The

mediums on display varied from watercolours

and oils to delicate sculptures in willow

branch, and finely turned bowls in yew and

elm wood.

UDAS was established in 1992 and now

boasts nearly 100 members. It is open to all

amateur artists living in the Upper Deeside

area and is a living demonstration that art

need not be a solitary pastime. Members

attend regular workshops, demonstrations of

creative techniques and talks by professional

artists. In the summer months, UDAS or-

ganises painting days at local landmarks, such

as Crathes Castle and Finzean House.

Floral Art Group

by Mildred Coull

The Floral Art Group had many success-

ful entries in the BRHS Annual Exhibition

which was held in the Victoria Hall on 21 and

22 August and were well represented, par-

ticularly in the novice category, with six ladies

testing their skills for the first time.

It was a most successful show with beau-

tiful flowers and vegetables and

the increased number of entries

in the children’s section was en-

couraging for the organisers.

Three ladies from the Floral Art Group,

Kathleen McCulloch, Jenny Houston and

Maria Franklin, were successful in the Vic-

toria Week Scarecrow competition winning a

first prize for their entry which they had

made, decorated and exhibited in the Sta-

tion Square Information Centre forecourt.

Congratulations to these talented and artis-

tic ladies.

BRHS Floral Art Group met on 15 Sep-

tember. Our chairwoman, Kathleen

McCulloch was absent as she and her hus-

band were celebrating their Golden Wed-

ding. We sent them our good wishes and

congratulations.

In the absence of Kathleen our meeting

went ahead with Rena Cross from Aber-

Ho hum, I note winter is back. I had to

rush out to bring in the washing because it

was snowing in early October. My heart sank.

Will the many harbingers of doom speculat-

ing on the severity of this winter be proved

right? Will we Home Carers yet again spend

weeks trudging through deep snow at even

sillier o’clock in the morning so we can reach

everyone? Will I wear through 2 pairs of

snowboots again this winter? Have I stacked

enough wood to keep the stove going? And,

of course, the killer question: just why is it

that I live here when I detest the white stuff

so much? I’ll perhaps try and answer some

of these in a later issue…

Just as the weather suddenly cooled,

Willow, our half wildcat, returned from his

summer jaunt to wherever it is he goes. He

seems pretty healthy and has wasted no time

whatsoever in getting the household running

after him again. Sleeping in his usual place

- the warmest room of the house - when he

wakes he starts meowing on the assump-

tion, I presume, that he needs to alert the

house that he’s awake and putting his serv-

ants on standby. As he saunters downstairs

the meowing gets louder, not ceasing until

he’s been thoroughly stroked and had

enough due attention paid with interest. We

know who rules the roost round here, and it

sure isn’t me!!

In September, after a long and well-lived

life, my brother’s mother-in-law, Zell, had

a peaceful, dignified and loving death. My

daughters and I liked her very much, having

spent some glorious weeks over the years at

her house in Thousand Islands. (yes, where

the salad dressing comes from, and they’re

islands in the St Lawrence at the USA/

Canada border). A memorial ceremony at

Thousand Islands was planned for early

October. I checked my diary. It was do-able

with a wee juggle. I could almost hear my

Mum’s voice in my head telling me these

things are important and of course I must

go. So go I did. All the way to New York

state and city for a long weekend.

The day before leaving I checked the

forecast online. I had been told to bring warm

clothes. I triple checked on other weather

websites before actually believing that it may

really be a ridiculously unseasonable 24-29C

and sunny. So, everything out of the ruck-

sack and a swift repack after a frantic delve

into the depths of my clothes to find sum-

mer varieties. I’m so glad I did. The forecast

Chanaich Lodge

Provost Craig Road

Ballater

Aberdeenshire

AB35 5NN

Tel. 01339 756336

Fax. 01339 755893

Mobiles: 07710 469563

07850 653160

Managing Director

Peter Henderson


H.P.S. (Aberdeen) Ltd

Integrated Building / Landscaping

Services and Supplies

498 Local Group News

Ballater Royal

Horticultural Society

by Jim Clark

By the time you read this, our new ses-

sion will be well underway with our AGM

having taken place on Monday 7 Novem-

ber, followed by a talk entitled Highland

Charm, by Eric Jensen, a most entertaining

speaker.

The Society has a number of committee

vacancies, which at the time of writing, hope-

fully will be filled at the AGM. Please sup-

port the Society by renewing your member-

ship. All new members will be made most

welcome. Refreshments are always avail-

able at the end of the meetings where one

has the opportunity to discuss any points with

the guest speaker, meet new people and catch

up with friends.

We have an exciting programme planned

with a meeting on 5 December with a talk

by Eric Baird on the Landscape of Glen

Tanar. Chris Wardle from Crathes will speak

at our February meeting about How Crathes

Works – An Insight Behind the Scenes.

Please look out for future events in the Ea-

gle diary and on the various posters located

throughout the village.

Congratulations to all the prize winners

at our annual Exhibition and Flower Show

held in August and in particular to Hazel

Bruce, winner of our best garden competi-

tion.

We look forward to seeing you at our

meetings.

was correct. All the time I was away, I never

wore the one cardi I took. My sandals, how-

ever, were all the footwear worn, with the

travelling addition of very uncool fluffy

socks. Comfort comes before any semblance

of fashion sense for me, as those who know

me could doubtless testify…

Bit of an aside. The biggest thing that

bugs me most about winter here is that I

can’t contemplate going out of the door

without a whole new layer of clothing -

boots, hat, gloves, coat, scarf, sometimes

snow shovel or ice grips on my boots too. In

the summer if I don’t mind being occasion-

ally damp, and remember never to wear

crocs when it’s wet –I’ve had the bruises to

prove that– I can just walk out of the door.

Back to New York. What a wonderful

weekend it was, despite the many hours

travelling. It was tremendous to meet up

with so many of the family again. Zell’s

eldest daughter and a delight-

ful couple who were gay retired

Episcopalian ministers led the

ceremony. I was so happy to be

able to speak on behalf of my daughters and

me. It was an uplifting, fitting and joyous

ceremony.

We finished by singing ‘The Battle

Hymn of the Republic’ which initially

seemed a very odd choice until we were told

that the lyrics were written by Zell’s great-

grandmother and singing it at the end of every

family funeral is a tradition she wished to

carry on. I was delighted to do so. Normally

I wouldn’t have sung such a song but I made

an exception, giving it laldy in memory of a

wonderful woman.

Returning south to New York city I had

a choice as to how to spend my three hours

before going to the airport- contribute to the

acquisition culture by shopping, or take the

Ballater

Post Office

Hours of Opening:

Mon: 9am - 5.30pm

Tues: 9am - 5.30pm

Weds: 9am - 5.30pm

Thurs: 9am - 12.30pm

Fri: 9am - 5.30pm

Sat: 9am - 12.30pm

Please note we are OPEN over lunchtime

Foreign Currency

We now stock Euros

& US Dollars

for immediate purchase.

Tel: 013397 55505

www.ballaterpo.net

Support your local Post Office,

you know it makes sense!

Seasons Greetings

from all of us at your Post Office

C.S.M. Aerial Satellite

Deeside and Donside sky

approved installers


South Deeside Road

Ballater

Tel: 013397 56227

Mobile: 07506951506

Email:

[email protected]

J.Lanigan

Engineer

750

Ways to contact the Eagle:

�Hand in to the Library

� Post to Ballater Eagle, c/o Ballater

Library, Ballater, AB35 5QB

� E-mail to:

[email protected]

� Contributions of any kind on

PC disc / cd always welcome.

Keep in touch with a

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For the rates above, four issues will be posted.

A subscription can be a very welcome gift to far-

flung friends and relatives.

Simply provide the name and address to whom

the issues should be sent, with a cheque or postal

order for 'Ballater Eagle' for the relevant amount

and drop off your request to the Library. Betty, our

Subscriptions person, will do the rest. Easy!

Eagle Who's Who & Where

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

Editor: Ian Hay � 55941

Treasurer: Dr. Sheila Sedgwick � 55292

Secretary: Betty Wilson � 55791

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Distribution: Andy and Julie Bloor

Diary Secretary: Cat Houston �55243

Design Team: Stella Potter, Ollie Ross, Cat Houston, Karen Major

Email us at: [email protected]

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How to

contact our

Representatives:

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT:Dennis Robertson MSP

email:

dennis.robertson.msp@scottish parliament .uk

WESTMINSTER:Sir Robert Smith MP

� 01330 820330, Fax: 01330 820338,

e-mail: [email protected]

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL:Peter Argyle: � 013398 82973


Rosemary Bruce � 013398 89318


Marcus Humphrey : � 013398 85332


CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK:

Katrina Farquar � 013398 81006


subway downtown to join the

Occupy Wall Street protesters.

Bit of a no-brainer really. Espe-

cially after talking to the family

who all agreed Zell would have been

proud of me to do so. To say nothing of my

eldest, who wouldn’t have forgiven me if I’d

not taken some camaraderie from Scotland.

So I went to Liberty Square, met some re-

ally interesting folk, listened to some of their

stories, had some excellent conversations and

was delighted to show my solidarity. It was a

life affirming experience doing what I felt

was right.

That feeling will help keep me warm this

winter. Whatever you do over the cold

months, I wish you all as much joy and en-

gagement in life…

“Don’t cry because it’s over.Smile because it happened”

Dr Seuss

La

Mangiatoia

Ristorante &

Pizzeria

Closed from Sunday 20 November for annual

holidays. Re-open Tuesday 27

December

Bridge Square

Ballater

Tel. 013397-55999

6 51Letter from our Editor

Dear Readers,As our front cover indicates, winter

is with us once more, but the Royal Mail still gets

through despite atrocious weather. The same is true of

the team of people who deliver the Eagle to your letter

box, and we must be grateful that they, posties,

community carers, our wonderful health centre staff,

council road workers and people working in local shops are

prepared to battle through whatever weather faces them, to get the job done.

On behalf of the Eagle Team, I must express our grateful thanks to the

Victoria Week committee for a very generous donation to Eagle funds from the

surplus made from this year’s event. As a result, things look somewhat healthier

for the Eagle on the financial front. It is this sort of co-operation which makes

Ballater a community, as opposed to just a gathering of dwellings.

Readers will no doubt notice the return of the cartoon “Eagle and Robin” in

this issue. A short series appeared initially some time ago, and Luke Strachan

has put together some others for us. We are extremely grateful to Luke, a Crathie

lad working in London, for giving his time and talent to enliven our community

magazine with his humorous cartoon. On the subject of local talent, we are also

happy to highlight the work of young Eilidh Gow in this issue, with her pencil

portrait of Betty Wilson. Other examples of her work may be seen in Gow’s

Deli. Perhaps more young people in the village with other talents, such as writ-

ing short stories or poetry might contact the Eagle, and help make our magazine

something to appeal across the generations. After all, we highlight items from

the primary schools, but nothing comes to us from secondary pupils. Let’s see

what you can do.

Meanwhile, thank you to everyone who supports the Eagle. On behalf of

the Eagle Team, I wish all our readers, advertisers and contributors of articles a

happy, healthy and prosperous 2012.

Ian Hay

By Popular Demand!Ballater Library opening Hours:

Sunday & Monday: Closed

Tuesday: 10am-1pm, 6.30pm-8pm

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 2-4pm, 6.30pm-8pm

Friday: 2-5pm

Saturday: 10am-12noon

As youngsters, we often climbed about

in the Pass of Ballater. Usually we were try-

ing to reach the nests of the ravens, which

still lived there in the 1940s. When the

ravens defeated us, we would start looking

for strange rocks. There was, and still is, a

vertical mineral vein that runs up over the

top of the cliff giving up many different crys-

tals, lithium ores, green microcline, fluorite

and beryl.

On a compass setting, the vein travels

north to a hidden valley that had been an

early run-off channel for the impounded gla-

cial ice-melt waters trying to escape down-

valley, at a time before the Pass of Ballater

had been eroded out. The erosion there is

still active today, as was shown one day in

the spring of 2004 when a huge mass of

rock fell off the cliffs, the resultant shock

waves being recorded by the British Geo-

logical Survey’s instruments in Edinburgh.

The easiest way to reach this hidden

valley from the Pass is by starting at the gate

on the bridge at the Fog House. This was

Francis Farquharson’s work after he returned

from exile in England following his exploits

in the 1745 rising. The Fog House was a

folly built into the bank of the Loin burn

that flows through the Pass. It would have

been constructed at the same time as the

bridge that gave access to the granite quar-

ries on the hill above. Its name stems from

the roofing of heather and moss (fog).

Farquharson’s Monaltrie House was built

in 1782 from the red granite that he quar-

ried here. The early 1780s would have been

a busy time in the Pass of Ballater quarries,

as apart from Monaltrie House stone, the

first Ballater Bridge that opened to traffic in

Pass of Ballater Silver Mine

Part 1 by Ian Cameron

1783 was being built from granite won here.

You can still follow the track, traversing

the hill that accessed the various levels where

Francis Farquharson quarried the building

stone from large boulders on the steep scree

slope. Not only did Francis Farquarson use

those quarries for the stones of Monaltrie

House and Ballater’s first bridge, but his

successor, William Farquharson, built the

original Monaltrie Arms Hotel, the farm

buildings that went with the hotel, and most

of the early houses of Bridge Square of this

same rough red granite.

The shift to the Cambus o’May quar-

ries came later, with the local masons leasing

quarries there from the Marquis of Huntly,

so becoming contractors in their own right

Aboyne

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Moira Melrose

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

Are Your Dates Here?

For inclusion in this FREE section of the Eagle,

please contact Cat Houston on 55243,

mob: 07968 941359 (texts welcome)


Ballater Surgery: All emergencies outwith the normal times

please tel: 013397 55686 OR NHS 24: 08454 242424

and able to supply their own

stone independent of the local

laird and his quarry. The gran-

ite at Cambus o’May was also

much finer grained than the red stone

of the Pass and much easier to cut and dress.

The shift to the Cambus quarries did not

please the Farquharson lairds at Invercauld

House who had gained the Monaltrie es-

tate on William’s death.

After the railway reached Ballater in

1866, the Invercauld Estate was swamped

with requests to buy building land in Ballater.

The estate was quite happy to oblige, but

with conditions attached, one demanding that

the proposed house be built of granite won

and paid for from the old quarries on

Invercauld ground round the Pass of Ballater.

That monopoly on building stone meant

that the rough red Pass of Ballater granite

got a new lease of life, and explains how the

vast majority of the houses continued to be

built of that granite long after the Cambus

quarries came into operation. We have to wait

until the Edwardian days, with their final

boom of building, for the Cambus quarries

really to come into their own, quite briefly

as it happened, before the hard, white

Kemnay granite came steaming up the val-

ley on railway trucks to face the great villas

we see today on Braemar and Queen’s

Roads.

As we continue up the track from the

Pass road we find mature firs blocking the

path of what had been the horse-and-cart

track up to the quarries. Almost two hun-

dred years have passed and nature has been

reclaiming her hill for a long time. The track

is built as steep as a horse could climb, but

of one thing we can be sure, the return trip

with a loaded cart of granite would have re-

quired a second horse chained behind to hold

the load back till level ground was reached.

Once we reach the quarry level, there

are still traces of the rough shelter where the

masons lunched and doubtless sheltered from

the worst of the weather. The granite here

is very coarse with large crystals; indicating

that it had cooled very slowly, allowing the

constituent minerals, the micas, the feldspar

and indeed the quartz crystals, to form indi-

vidually.

Under such conditions, and in this local-

ity, are found the Cairngorms crystals.



Mon 9 Ballater School term starts



Wed 18 SWRI: Scottish Night, Entertainment & Sales Table, Albert Hall, 7.30pm

Mon 23 Church Guild Afternoon Tea, Glen Muick Church Hall, 2.30pm

Wed 25 Second Chancers, CLAN Support Group, Ballater Golf Club, 4pm


February

Mon 6 BRHS: Chris Wardle: “How Crathes Works, An insight behind

the scenes”, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm



Wed 15 SWRI: Fire Service by Barry Florence, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm



Mon 27 Church Guild: Speaker Rev Ian Strachan, Glenmuick Church Hall, 2.30pm

Wed 29 CLAN Support Group, Second Chancers, Ballater Golf Club, 4pm

MarchFri 2 World Day of Prayer, Glenmuick Church, 6.30pm

Mon 5 BRHS: Andy Beckingham: “Gardens in Glen Tanar, past, present

and future”, Mike Sheridan Room, 7.30pm

Wed 21 SWRI: Horseback UK by Jock Hutchison,


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4 53Eagle Eyes...

Jock and Jean were fair trickit fan Flossie,

their ae yowe lammie, cam in aboot ae day

wi the news that she wis tae be merried in

June. It didna maitter a docken that her chiel,

Willie, an her hid been bidin thegither for

near twa year – they were tae dee the dacent

thing noo, an sae Jean wis fair determined

that it wid be a fite weddin, wi a the fal-

derals – it wid be a “reed-letter” day in their

gey hum drum life. Wi a gweed deal o narkin

fae Jean, they sat doon tae mak a list o’ a the

things tae be deen.

“We’ll hae tae invite a the Aunties, even

Aggie, worse luck. She’s a richt affront that

ane, bit she’s faimily. She michtna come –

we can bit hope!” Jean wis real wun-up aboot

the hale thing, an Jock’s heid wis bizzin like

a bees’ byke or lang. It wis like that for wiks

– the kirk, the flooers, the cake, the cars.

Syne Jean rakit Aiberdeen lookin for a frock.

She wis a fair size o’ a deem – wi a gweed

grip o’ Scotland wi creashy lurks an faulds

roon her kite, an sae Jock goggled in horror

fan she paraded afore him ae nicht in a yalla

bell-tent o’ a frock wi navy blue flooers clarted

a o’er it. Jock said, “Aye, aye, that’ll dee

fine!”, for he wis a typical North-easter, a

man o’ feow wirds, an onythin for a quaet

life wis his motto.

Time flew by, an seen presents started

tae come in aboot. “Fit the hell div I need

fower kettles for?” Flossie girned tae her

mither, bit Jean soothed her doon. “They’ll

aye keep – ye’ll hae a kettle a yer days”.

The groom wis a postie an his pals catched

him ae nicht an gied him a richt blackenin,

syne ringin a haun-bell, they trailed him in a

hurlie roon the village – a richt target he wis,

clarted wi diesel ile an feathers. A “feet

washin” wis supposed tae bring gweed luck,

The Weddinby Mary Munro

bit Willie hid a plooky kine o’ skin,

an sae wi a the scrubbin an sweelin, his

physog broke oot in a sotter o’ prood flesh

an skelfs for days aifterhin. The nicht afore

the weddin, Jean hid them for their tea, an

they hid a great feed o’ steak, chips an fried

ingins. Jean wis tae live tae regret thae ingins!

The day o’ the weddin wis fine, an it a

went fine if ye ignored the fact that Aggie

hoasted an spluttered a the time in the kirk,

near droonin oot the meenister. Syne at the

“sit-doon”, thon ingins fae the nicht afore

started tae come back tae Jean – fae baith

ends! Sittin there like a flooery Queen of

Sheba, she wis haein tae let aff thon saft,

pluffery farts fae time tae time. The stink

wis something terrible. They were wirin awa

at the puddin fan Jean hid tae let aff a bosker.

DecemberSat 3 Christmas Fair, Ballater School, 11am-2pm

Bring a Party to a Party, Ballater Golf Club, £25pp

Sun 4 Christingle Service, St Kentigern’s, 9.30am


Mon 5 Christmas Special Coffee, Crathie Kirk, 10am-12.30pm

BRHS: Eric Baird: “The Landscape of Glen Tanar”,


Tue 6, 13 & 20 Advent Holy Communion, St Kentigern’s, 9.30am

Wed 7 Ballater Business Association Meeting, 7.30pm, Glen Lui Hotel

Sat 10 Christmas Fair, Victoria Hall, 10.30-4pm

please contact Bell, on 55745 for a table

Sun 11 High-Level Winter Walk with Balmoral Rangers,

meet Glen Muick Visitor Centre, 9.30am

Ballater Boules, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am

Mon 12 B & C Community Council Meeting, 7pm Mike Sheridan Room

Sun 18 Glenmuick Christingle service 11am

St Kentigerns “9 lessons & carols” 4pm

Tue 20 Last posting date for Christmas (first class)

Fri 23 Ballater School term ends

School service, Glenmuick, 11am

Sat 24 Ballater Post Office closes 12.30pm

Santa and his Reindeer, Kirk Green, 11.30am –12.30pm

Glenmuick: carols 11.15, watchnight 11.30pm

Midnight Communion Service, St Kentigern’s, 11.30pm

Christmas Mass, St Nathalan’s, 8pm

Sun 25 Holy Communion Service, St Kentigern’s, 9.30am

Family service Glenmuick, 10.30am - bring favourite toy!




Boules for the Golden Boules Trophy, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am

Sat 31 Hogmanay Party, Ballater Golf Club, £20pp

JanuarySun 1 Lunch and Karaoke, Ballater Golf Club, £12pp


Boules for the New Year Quaich, Monaltrie Park, 10.30am

STUART ESSONPLUMBING &HEATINGENGINEER

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54 3

Diary

The dates you need: 4-5

The Crathie Pages

Group news and School: 20 & 21

The Weddin

By Mary Munro: 53

Ballater School

They have been busy: 28 & 29

Eagle & Robin

Cartoon and more about Luke: 30

Pottering About

Weather, Willow and wandering: 48

Local History

Christmas greenery: 38

V&A Minutes

From the 20s:44


A new serialised story from wee Chis: 40

Local Groups:

Ballater Royal Horticultural Society: 8

BRHS Floral Art Group: 9

Ballater (Royal Deeside) Ltd: 15

BOVOF: 10

CLAN: 12

Community Council: 13

RD&C DMO: 17

Rotary: 33

SWRI: 14

Upper Deeside Art Society: 9

Upper Deeside Music: 24

V & A Halls: 23

Victoria Week: 19

Contact us:

All the ways YOU can contribute: 7

Donations:

Donations are gratefully received, and

acknowledged. You can also put

money into our tins at various

local establishments.

Advertising:

Full page: £60; Half page: £30;

Quarter page: £20; Eighth page: £10

Please contact Faye Swan [email protected] or Tel.55345

Abody within a radius o’ ten

yairds started tae sniff roon

aboot, for it wis a smell like rot-

ten eggs that wid hae sunk a bat-

tleship! Jean just sat there, calm an

innocent as ye like, newsin awa aboot

naethin’ ava tae the meenister lad, fa hid

his hunkie tae his face – his verra e’en were

waterin!

Worse wis tae come! Willie hid gorged

himself on steak an ingins as weel, syne hid

a gweed feow drams wi his cronies. Fit wi

the maet, the whisky an the nerves in his

stamack at the thocht o’ speechifyin, fan he

got tae his feet his belly just did a flip o’er,

an afore he could say a wird, he spewed a

o’er the table afore him. There wis a deathly

hush for a twa, three seconds, syne there

wis a muckle stampede o’ fowk tae the doors,

ane or twa cowkin in tae their hauns.

“Fit an affront!” thocht Jean as she socht

tae cover up the table wi napkins an console

peer Flossie fa wis roarin an greetin. Fit a

thing tae happen, for Jean kent she’d niver

live it doon – Bella doon the road, wid craw

like a cock aboot this for wiks.

Come time, the tablecloth wis whippit

aff an air fresheners sprayed aroon. Willie

got some waater an Flossie dichted her reed

e’en an snottery nib. Fowk cam driftin back,

tryin tae forget the disaster at the table.

There wis aye the dancin an drinkin tae

come, an efter the gweed present they’d

gien, they winted their money’s worth.

“Weel, I winna forget my weddin day in

a hurry!” thocht Flossie as she heitered roon

the fleer wi her new man. As for Jean, she

wis in her element, as she oxtered the wee

sharger o’ a meenister roon the dance fleer.

She wis “The Mither o’ the Bride” an she

wis gaen tae mak the maist o’ it fitever hap-

pened!

Warm Winter Welcometo your festive Eagle

As the long cold dark nights are upon us, brighten up your life with what’s on,

what the local groups are doing, some fabulous fresh new writing, a wee surprise for one

nonegenerian and even a poem and a cartoon! Put your feet up and enjoy!

Ballater & crathie

Community

magazine

no.64 xmas/hogmanay 2011/12

£1 where sold

56

The Ballater & Crathie Eagle is made possible by:

Advertising, Donations, Sponsorship, Fundraising, "Awards for All"

Lottery and Cairngorms Leader+ European funding. Thank You.

We deliver FREE from Crathie to Cambus O’May.

Thanks to Friends of the Eagle for delivering to some outlying areas.

Clean sweep of

appreciationsee page 36

Postie Pic by John Holley

Special visitor at

Crathie Schoolsee page 21

Private Preview see page 9

Alfresco book club meetsee page 20

The Eagle Team

wish you all a

Fabulous

Festive Season!

Documents

Ballater & Crathie Eagle, Issue 64, Winter 2011