FGD - Issue 17 - April 2021

Fit’s gan Doune

Issue 17 of Strathdon Area’s Local Newsletter, April 2021

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School’s in!!!

At last, the kids are back in school.
As the staff at Strathdon School
have commented, it has been a
delight to see so many smiling faces
clearly enjoying a return to the
familiarity of friends, teachers and
support staff and, of course, the
school environment.

Since their return, the children have
taken part in lots of outdoor
activities, including daily walks and
storytelling in a den in the woods.

Children in P2 and 3 make
rain gauges

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The next issue of Fit’s Gan Doune will come out in summer 2021. Please send your
news, stories and comments by mid-June to [email protected]

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School’s in till summer! This year we will be sad, as always,
to say goodbye to our P7 pupils at
The staff are very grateful to the the end of the summer term as they
parents and carers who stepped up continue their learning journeys at
to help with home learning during Alford Academy. We hope to
the lockdown. Both Mrs Ellis (P1–3) welcome some new P1 entrants in
and Miss Fowlie (P4–7) provided August and will be starting their
daily support to pupils through transition activities very soon.
online activities via Google
Classroom, with guest visits from This has been a particularly hard
other members of staff. Live year for families across the UK. With
meetings every day helped to this in mind, we would like to invite
provide continuity to the children’s parents and carers in our community
learning and to address any anxieties who currently provide home learning
they may have had. Our great to consider the option of flexible
advantage during the most recent learning. This would offer your
lockdown was that our use of Google child/children opportunities to
Classroom enabled staff and children socialise with their peer groups, to
to see each other on camera. It enjoy a wide range of learning
certainly brightened up our days! experiences, to benefit from access
to our excellent indoor and outdoor
We are gradually settling back into facilities and to meet others within
our familiar routines whilst assessing the community. This can be
the impact of the lockdown. combined with home education for
2 part of the week.

Please contact Strathdon School on
019755 20420 or by email for further
information and to arrange a visit.

Lilian Field
Head Teacher, Strathdon School
[email protected]

Back to school in S1

I am now back at school (in S1) and
let’s just say the restrictions are
worse, to the point where I am
wondering why we are even back
except to see our friends. We only
stay at school from 9 to 12 and we

only have three classes, all in the one My favourite thing about going back
classroom, unless it’s PE. is seeing my friends, whom I haven’t
seen in three and a half months. It’s
You have to wear a mask the whole been so good to catch up with them
time unless you are eating your and also to get out of the house.
snack, which you have to eat in the
classroom. I normally like school, but Thank goodness we are going back
this is just strange. At break time full-time next term!
halfway through the second class,
we have to leave the classroom and Eve Simpson
go for a walk only to come back S1, Alford Academy
three minutes later. The teachers say
the purpose of this is to ‘stretch your Ho ho social life!!!
legs’ and ‘move around’; I know why
we go for a walk because who wants The Steading Bar will reopen with
to sit in a chair for three hours outdoor hospitality from Monday 26
straight, but I think we should walk April. During our extended
for a bit longer than three minutes! hibernation, we have updated our
drinks lists and product selection. If
When you need to speak to the there’s anything you would like to
teacher, you have to shout across see stocked at the Steading Bar,
the classroom because the children please drop us a line at
are not allowed to go to the teacher, [email protected]. We also
and I don’t think the teachers are have jobs available for over-18s only.
meant to go to the students if they
can avoid it. Kildrummy Inn will reopen its
restaurant and rooms from 28 April.
The other thing I don’t understand is Advance booking is required on
we only go to school one day a week 019755 71227 or
and the rest of the time we do [email protected].
learning at home. I think we should
at least go to school two half days a Songs with Cath
week; I get that there are a lot of
children and the teachers are trying Live on Facebook, every Sunday
to split everyone up so that’s okay, at 8 pm
but if we are going for a half day a
week, why not make it a full day?

At least the teachers have cut back
on the amount of work they give us
to do at home because we go to
school now so that is good.

3

Strathdon Medical Practice how flexible we can be, and we hope
you will help by making yourself
COVID-19 vaccinations available as best you can.

As we write this, Scotland has just Online prescriptions
recorded the delivery of two million
first doses of COVID-19 vaccines to The ‘new’ way of running services at
the adult population, a very the health centre means that the
significant milestone and one that phones are busier than ever and the
surely indicates that we as a nation ordering of routine repeat
are heading in the right direction. prescriptions obviously accounts for
a significant part of this. Repeat
We are pleased to have been able to prescriptions can be ordered easily
play a small part in the vaccination at your convenience online to reduce
effort by delivering the vaccine to all the number of phone calls coming
our patients above the age of 50 or into the practice. This requires you
in ‘at-risk’ groups locally here in to complete a paper form which can
Strathdon. We’d like to say a big be collected from the health centre.
thank you to all who have taken up Once this is completed, there are a
the offer of vaccination so far, and few simple steps online to complete
who have been very accommodating the process. We are aware that
in making themselves available, online ordering will not be possible
sometimes at short notice. for some people, for whom we will
continue to take requests over the
We hope to be able to start phone, but we hope this option will
vaccinating people under the age of make the process of ordering easier
50 very soon and will contact people and will free up our phone lines and
as soon as we can offer a reception staff time.
vaccination. There is no need to
contact the health centre. However, Our website
we do appreciate that those in the
next age groups will include many Please remember that we now have
who work away from Strathdon a website, strathdon.gp.scot, at
during the day. We will try to which you can access some of our
configure the roll-out of the services, including online
programme in a way that prescriptions, and find links to a lot
accommodates this. However, as the of NHS health information.
vaccine comes in vials of 10 doses
that must be used within a few Contact details
hours of the vial being opened, there
is some degree of constraint as to Now, more than ever, it is extremely
important that we hold up-to-date
4 contact details for all patients,
particularly mobile phone numbers.

If any of your details have changed, Callum Whitelaw on litter-picking duty
please phone the surgery to update
them. New SCIO for
Glenbuchat Hall
Equipment Fund donations
We are, as always, very grateful for Glenbuchat Hall Community
all donations to our Equipment Fund. Association intends to transfer
We especially wish to record our ownership of the Hall, Bothy and
sincere thanks to two generous and land from its outdated trust into a
anonymous individuals for their new SCIO (Scottish Charitable
donations, and, most recently, the Incorporated Organisation), which
Strathdon Masonic Lodge for its gift has an approved constitution,
of £500. These funds allow us buy appropriate membership, trustees
equipment for which there is no NHS and decision-making powers, to
funding and to continue to develop enable the buildings to be managed
the services we offer as a rural responsibly for the benefit of local
health centre. people. The SCIO will be able to
better fulfil its charitable purposes.
The staff at Strathdon Medical
Practice Membership is free and open to
strathdon.gp.scot anyone aged 16 or over who resides
either full- or part-time in
Community Litter Pick Glenbuchat, or who owns property
within Glenbuchat, being defined as
The Community Litter Pick in March the valley of the River Buchat and its
2020 was one of the last public tributaries.
events to be held in our area before
lockdown commenced. One year To sign up for free membership,
later, although we are gradually please go to our new website:
beginning to come out of lockdown, www.glenbuchathall.com.
we still live under restrictions and so
this year's litter pick did not take Nicole Carr, Membership Secretary
place. However, our usual dedicated [email protected]
volunteers have been collecting litter
from the roads of Upper Donside 5
during their daily exercise. A big
thank you goes to all concerned for
their efforts in tackling the litter that
continues to blight our landscape.

Lorna Eddie

Silver Circle News In February we held a story
afternoon, with one session held in
As we write, we are putting together Doric and another in English. Our
our one-year anniversary newsletter. creative writer Gillian read a story,
The first Silver Circle newsletter which was followed by open
went out to our members in the discussion. The stories were light-
week commencing 16 March 2020. hearted and drew you in to their end
We didn’t anticipate at that time we – they focused on topics of
would be doing them for over a year childhood and so provided plenty
and that the readership would scope for discussion amongst the
include more than our Day Centre participants. We have another story
members. We are delighted with the afternoon booked for April.
success of the newsletter, but at the
same time hope to be able to meet Our online/phone activities are for
up sometime soon. We thank members only, but we can welcome
everyone who has contributed new members at any time. We are
articles, photos and snippets and are currently also working with the local
continuing to do so. Our challenge shops to ensure the delivery of
now is to make sure we don’t start groceries and can help with the
to repeat ourselves! delivery of prescriptions.

In the autumn, we started Our Friday bus service is suspended
online/phone bingo and Countdown for the time being, but we will keep
on Tuesday afternoons. This year, we everyone posted through the
have continued with these and have newsletter as to when this will start
introduced Scattegories and also again. For any information on the
hosted a Burns song session and bus service, please contact Gavin on
story sessions. 019756 51798.

In January we spent a fabulous hour To arrange transport to medical
listening and singing along to appointments and the delivery of
Scottish songs and owe a huge thank prescriptions, please contact Irene
you to Cath Currie. The singing along on 07707 624657.
was a bit of a challenge, given the
time delay in connections, and For any information on the Silver
although it was wonderful to hear Circle and the support we can
everyone singing, we all had to mute currently offer, please contact Nancy
so we could hear Cath!! We have by either phone (07771 749849) or
since held another singalong session email ([email protected]).
with Cath in March.

6

Towie & District Senior event and a lasting feature to mark
Citizens’ Club the occasion in The Strath.

Hello and Happy Easter to all At the time, popular opinion
members of the Towie & District favoured the creation of a
Senior Citizens’ Club. We were Millennium Noticeboard to be
hoping to have gotten going again by placed in a strategic spot.
this time, but as you all know it’s Unfortunately, unlike many projects
taking ages for things to get back to in the area that still shine bright,
some kind of normal. When we are Strathdon’s effort has been
allowed to start again, rest assured dismantled. Opinion held that the
you will be the first to know. Thank noticeboard was located in the
you all so much for your patience. wrong place and it was removed to
make way for the very popular
Sadly before Christmas we lost one seating area by the Nochty near
of our oldest members, Mary Stuart, Bellabeg Shop, enjoyed by locals and
who died at Alastrean House. Our visitors alike.
condolences were sent to her family.
What are local residents’ thoughts
We hope that once we have all had on this topic? The noticeboard is
our COVID-19 vaccinations we will be currently stored at a property in
able to meet up for a Tea Party and Bellabeg. One suggestion is to
Knees-Up!!! remodel it, retaining the original
‘Strathdon 2000’ and welded leaf
For now, keep safe and smiling. design. Another is to renew the
backing area for posters and add an
Eileen Davies easy-to-open protective plastic front.
Relocating the noticeboard to
Millennium Noticeboard another area in Strathdon or
Bellabeg has been mentioned. We
Time flies! How is it possible that must also consider those in the
we’ve have entered the third decade community who worked hard with
of the 2000s? It doesn't seem too the community's blessing to pull the
long ago that soothsayers were project together at the time, and
predicting the end of the world as who are still around. On reflection,
clocks struck midnight on 31 21 years is a comparatively short
December 1999. Back then, length of time for a millennium
communities throughout the UK and project to be discarded! Local
beyond were making plans to mark resident Lorna Eddie is happy to
the new millennium. Some readers gather feedback on this initiative and
may recall the forming of a can be contacted on 019756 51732.
committee to plan a community
7

Rest your weary legs If you can solve this riddle

During the last year we have often …you have a chance to win a great
seen pictures in the media of friends prize while supporting Glenbuchat’s
perched, socially distanced, at either defibrillator!
end of a park bench. Green spaces in
urban areas have been welcomed by 1st prize: Glen Keith Single Malt
city dwellers, but thankfully we don't 2nd prize: Yealands Sauvignon Blanc
have a problem in finding places to 3rd prize: Galaxy Easter Egg
roam in Donside. Our problem is that
our benches are sadly neglected, a The whisky and wine come with the
fact noted by several local residents personal recommendations of Jamie
who enjoy the great outdoors. and Denise at our local Spar Shop.
They also very kindly donated the
A circular walk from Bellabeg to Easter egg when they heard that the
Waterside, and returning via the proceeds of the competition will be
Lonach Hall, provides several used to buy consumables for the
examples of just how unappealing defibrillator at Glenbuchat Hall.
our seating areas are! The benches
in question are the one outside So put your thinking cap on and
Bellabeg Shop presented by the solve this riddle:
Lonach WRI in 1992, a bench erected
near the War Memorial in memory Where am I?
of the late Sammy Wallace, and
another at Doune Court donated by Looking North, South, East or West,
Freda Haselup, who was a district Visibility is 18 metres at best.
nurse. A stroll up Manse Brae finds a I see nothing much but walls of
memorial bench under the big beech stone,
tree and a second bench located by Yet when it rains, I'm drenched to the
the hall. A further bench outside the bone
Lonach Hall, frequently used by The Battle of Culblean was fought
weary revellers, was placed in nearby,
memory of Isabel Calder, who died Where, oh where, on Earth am I?
in March 1994.
You can pay for and enter your
On a positive note, located near the answer at startcpr.weebly.com. The
Manse Bridge is a new seat made suggested minimum donation is £1.
from recycled plastic, which has a Winners will be randomly selected
25-year lifespan and has so far from all correct entries on 26 April
survived two floods in six months! 2021. It won’t burn a hole in your
pocket and donations are free of
Lorna Eddie VAT. Good luck!

8 Nicole Carr
[email protected]

Finlay makes the headlines! of pollen, the bees’ main source of
protein, and nectar, which gives
While his them carbohydrate. Soon they will
owners be able to get pollen from pussy
were busy willow and hazel. It’s important to
shovelling get them off to a good start, so I will
snow, feed my bees with sugar syrup to
Finlay, a give them a little boost as they start
Falabella to build up their brood for the year.
who lives
in Glenbuchat, laid claim to fame via As we start to think about our
the BBC News by sharing his winter gardens, we can help pollinators by
hay with hungry wild rabbits. The following these tips:
bunnies climbed into the stables,
where they found Finlay perfectly Leave an area wild for flowers such
happy to share his supper! Falabellas as dandelion, clover, cranesbill,
are miniature horses of a breed broom, birdsfoot trefoil, heather,
originally developed in Argentina. gorse and rosebay willow herb.
Flowering trees and shrubs like
Help our pollinators plum, cherry, apple, hawthorn,
hazel, cotoneaster, buddleia and
Now that we’ve had some really willow are good for bees.
warm sun, my honey bees have been Herbs such as thyme, marjoram,
taking every opportunity for a first mint, lavender and rosemary are all
spring poop and to gather pollen, loved by bees.
nectar and water. It was challenging If you like flowers, old single
for them to find the snowdrops, varieties are best. Good bee flowers
butterbur and crocuses under the include borage, echiums, poached
snow. These are good early sources egg flower, phacelia.

Early bulbs are good value in these
northern climes as they grow quite
happily underground and push their
way through the snow on cue each
spring. Snowdrops, aconites,
bluebells, alliums and crocuses are
best for bees. Daffodils may be
heart-warming to us, but honey bees
can’t get their tongues down to the
nectar from them. Happy spring!

Maria Dawson

9

Strathdon Community recruitment of 219 members (new
Development Trust members are always welcome!).

The last 12 months have challenged In the past we relied on holding face-
us all as we cope with the pandemic. to-face events and raffles to support
We hope we can now look to the our ongoing costs. The Trust needs
future with greater confidence as we to generate around £2000 each year
adjust to a more normal and to cover the costs of public
satisfying lifestyle. meetings, the newsletter, public
liability insurance and snowgate
During the pandemic, the SCDT has camera maintenance. We have used
had to suspend key mid- to longterm crowdfunding successfully in the
projects, such as a public community past and at present are trying to
consultation planned for last spring. raise this sum through
However, the Trust successfully www.justgiving.com. We thank all
secured a £5000 COVID support who have given past and present
grant through Foundation Scotland, support. Mony a mickle maks a
funds from which were made muckle, as they say!
available to local groups, halls and
the Strathdon foodbank. We hope to continue to investigate
projects and find ways of generating
The Trust was created two years ago a sustainable income that can be
to help the community and local reinvested in the community in
groups take forward actions order to help it not only to survive
identified in the Strathdon the challenges ahead, but, indeed, to
Community Action Plan, supporting thrive.
projects and developing community
sustainability. SCDT has worked hard When we are able to meet again in
to secure funding and deliver a person, the Trust looks forward to
number of projects. As well as holding a community event open to
exploring larger key projects, smaller all and to inviting the service
projects include the installation of providers in the community who
the snow webcam at Corgarff, the play such a vital part in sustaining
provision of support to the Paths life in the Strath. Emerging from
Group for the creation and lockdown is a time for reassessing
management of walking paths, the our priorities for the longterm
provision of support for the resilience of the community. For this,
publishing of Fit’s gan Doune, the we welcome your support and ideas.
procurement of funding to renovate
the tennis court, the securing of Please see the SCDT Facebook page
liability insurance and the or contact John Morris, on
019756 51305 and
10 [email protected]

Strathdon Community Action Paths In February 2021, the SCAP bench on
SCAP’s activities have been severely the south side of the Bellabeg bridge
curtailed by the pandemic, but the over the Don was remediated by
group still includes 15 people with Richard Burn after flooding nearly
direct involvement and a further 15 washed it away. Willows will be
helpers. planted to protect the seat from
future flooding.
Paul Johnson scythes the
Forbestown path. If you are interested in taking part or
In December 2020, 210 trees want to find out more, please
donated by the Woodland Trust contact Chris Tauber on
were planted in the area of 07811 457991 or
harvested trees behind the Old [email protected].
Police Station on the Forbestown
path. Corgarff Games
The planting includes a Gaelic tree
circle, where the twenty letters of It is with regret that the Games
the Gaelic alphabet, each Committee must announce the
represented by a tree, have been cancellation of the 2021 Corgarff
planted in a circle. Games.
Also in December, drainage
maintenance was carried out on the …and Corgarff Hall
Forbestown path between Craig na
Hullie and Bellabeg, with the Photographer Gerard Murphy hopes
generous loan of Campbell and to open his summer exhibition at
Mcintosh Green Builders’ mini- Corgarff Hall on Saturday 1 May.
digger.
Strathdon food bank…

…remains open for non-perishable
products. Donations can be left
outside the surgery or at Bellabeg
Shop and are much appreciated.

11

Church News I think that Mothering Sunday took
on a special perspective this year,
As I write, we are halfway through coming as it did on the day before
March and two weeks into many children returned to school. In
meteorological spring, although in recent times, the role of ‘mothering’
many ways it still feels very much has taken on a new significance as
like winter, battered as we are by ‘home tutor’ has been added to a
gales at the moment!! The first few parent’s ‘job description’, and those
days of the month were fine and dry of us who have daughters or
and an old saying ‘springs’ to mind: daughters-in-law with school-age
As March came in like a lamb, let us children know how much anxiety this
hope it doesn’t go out like a lion!!! has caused. We owe these women a
huge debt of gratitude.
Having said that, there are definite
signs of spring around and I’m sure I recorded a short video message
that some of the trees have a wee which was played in local schools, in
hint of green on them. The which I strongly suggested that
snowdrops are a real picture this children do something extra-special
year; I never cease to be amazed at for their mums this year… so I very
how resilient they are, lying dormant much hope that it worked??
under the snow, waiting for the right
moment to make an appearance. I know that all our nursery and
I’ve also seen the first lambs skipping primary school-aged children are
in the sunshine, a sure sign that back full-time now and I hope that is
spring is just around the corner. going well. I believe that Alford
Academy pupils are continuing with
For my service on Mothering Sunday blended learning and are able to go
on 14 March, I put a couple of into school for only a limited time
bunches of tulips and daffodils in a each week. I also understand that
vase for display throughout my after the Easter Holidays, things will
recording. It brought a much-needed return pretty much to normal, so
splash of colour to what has been for again I wish you all well with that.
many a very trying and dark time.
So, how have you all been during the
12 icy cold winter days? I just couldn’t
believe how quickly all that snow
went!! I very well remember the
winter of 2010/2011, when the snow
just kept coming, but unlike this year
it seemed to hang about for weeks.
A sign of global warming perhaps?

The roll-out of the vaccination Service on Easter Day, Sunday 4
programme seems to be progressing April, in Strathdon Church, at
very well and I hope that many of 10.30 am. The service will include an
you have had, or will shortly have, Easter Holy Communion and will be
your first dose, and some of you a joyous celebration not only of
even your second!! There is no Easter, but also of our slow
doubt that through the tremendous emergence from the pandemic and
skill of our medical and research of the restarting of communal
staff, this initiative will define our worship in our churches. Seating will
route out of this pandemic and a be limited and I would strongly
return to some semblance of advise people to get in touch with
normality, although that of course me to reserve seats. The service will
may be different to before. also be recorded and will be
available to watch on the Upper
I would like to mention especially Donside Parish Facebook page and
the staff at Strathdon Medical YouTube from 6 pm on Sunday.
Practice, who have done an excellent
job of organising and administering I will continue to post details of
vaccinations, during what is a very weekly services and other
stressful time for everyone. Thank information on the Parish Facebook
you so much for all that you have page. If you have difficulty in
done and are doing to get this accessing the page, or require more
programme rolled out to everyone. information, please get in touch.

As far as the church is concerned, In the meantime, in these very
Strathdon Church reopened for challenging times, I wish you all and
worship following permission from your families a very Happy Easter,
Gordon Presbytery towards the end and I very much hope it won’t be too
of last year, and the last in-person long before we are able to meet up.
service held in it was our Christmas
Day Celebration Service. We had to Stay safe and well.
suspend live worship in January, but
the very welcome recent Simon
announcement by the Scottish
Government that communal worship Rev Simon Crouch, Locum Minister
can commence towards the end of 019756 51779 / 07713 101358
the month means we hope Sunday
worship will be able to resume [email protected]
shortly afterwards.
13
We have just confirmed that we are
able to hold an Easter Celebration

Ballad of the Great Escapee Duck

I’m only very small but I really can float,
I have plastic feathers, not a fancy coat.
I come out to play in Corgarff but once a year,
And I float along the River Don with very little fear.

Lots of us take part in the famous Duck Race,
We like to think our efforts put a smile on every face.
We have ten races and we raise a lot of money,
But it’s Corgarff Games so it’s almost never sunny!

I was known as 14 because I never got a real name,
My fellow racers all look very much the same.
But I wanted to be different and go my own way,
So I sneaked off and floated my wee self away.

Escaping the catch nets down the Don I did go,
For 30 months and 13 k I floated nice and slow.
I came to a stop at a bridge near Lonach Farm,
I feel a little jaded but I haven’t come to harm.

I’d fluff my feathers if I could ‘cos I feel no shame,
My grand adventure’s given me a new and lovely name!
If you visit the Schoolhouse, you may very well see,
A great Escapee Duck, newly christened HOUDINI!

John Edwards

Humour in Uniform rates. Everything was to change
forever.
The last time a government placed
the general population under Although we are at present at war
draconian restrictions with regard to with an invisible virus and not
face coverings, travel, and the another nation, there are a few
silencing of church bells, limiting of amusing tales from local history that
movement and provision of a steady can make us laugh or smile.
stream of government advice was
during World War II. It was the last In 1940 the government created the
time incredible numbers of people ‘Local Defence Volunteers’ (later the
were hospitalised and it saw ‘Home Guard’). The local LDV was
correspondingly horrific mortality commanded by a Lieutenant W Ellis
of Towie. Local halls became drill
14

halls. LDVs were low on the priority Forres, developed problems whilst
list with regard to military uniforms on a training exercise and the pilot
and equipment and were given advised the crew to bail out. Only a
armbands and broomsticks 20-year-old RAF Volunteer Reservist
(substitute rifles) for training! The managed it above the advised safe
local LDV started as one of the height. The pilot belly-landed the
better-armed units as a substantial plane on a flattish piece of land in
number of older men owned guns. Glen Ernan, a short walk from Annie
Stewart’s crofthouse, Relaquiem, at
For the duration of WWII church which the crew were met with the
bells were silent, only to be rung as a wrong end of a shotgun… Annie was
warning of invasion. On 7 September apparently quite handy with the
1940, when Britain was within hours weapon. Thankfully, no angel wings
of losing the Battle of Britain, the were added to the wings on their
government ordered the ringing of uniforms. Sadly, however, Sydney
bells to mobilise the LDVs and Ellis did not survive his jump as his
church bells rang out all over the parachute had failed to open. He
nation… except for Upper Donside! was found above Loinherry at
The lieutenant contacted the LDV to Cockbridge after the spring thaw.
order the ringing. However, the local
sergeant disregarded the order as he In 1944 Corgarff became the site of
thought the Lieutenant was what was probably Scotland’s first
inebriated. The Strathdon and Indian takeaway. A contingent of
Corgarff bells never rang! The new Indian troops with a caravan of
day dawned, invasion-free. The bells supply-carrying mules travelled
were next rung on VE day and the through Upper Donside via the Clas-
story of the silent peel remained choille (A93 road) and set up a field
secret until after the war had ended. kitchen at West Tornahaish. It seems
that every schoolchild visited the
Also in 1940 Corgarff was bombed. camp... their visits were brief, but
Four bombs fell on the hillside above long enough for them to be given
Wester Dunandhu, hurting no-one. chapattis to take away with them!
Local kids searched the craters for
shrapnel. Nobody could understand We will endure and this crisis will
why Corgarff had been targeted! A end. However, none of us will be
local theory held that the real target victors, rather survivors, and our
was Balmoral and that the bomber lives will again be changed forever.
crew had followed the Don rather
than the Dee from Aberdeen. Jock Edwards

On 9 February 1943, RAF Z9156, a Acknowledgement: Wartime in the
twin-engine Whitby bomber out of Glen by K C McHardy

15

The view from the farm This year the snow was so deep that
the meltwater didn’t drain away;
Conversation after the snow with that volume of snow you want a
slow thaw, but that’s not what
I got coronavirus. It started with a happened … we had a mild week and
sore head, then chestiness and no wind that stripped the snow like a
energy. It drains the life out of you. hairdryer!
Even with a small farm, I only just
managed the essential work. My We lamb mid-April to avoid the
wife nursed me, but then she caught worst spring snows. I have
it too. We worried about long COVID Lleyn × Texels. We buy new tups in
but things improved after a few September or October every year.
weeks. We told everyone we’d been Avoiding interbreeding is crucial. My
in contact with and thankfully no- sheep are scanned late in the year to
one else got it. We managed with identify pregnancies and numbers of
deliveries from friends and singletons, twins and triplets. This
supermarkets. helps with planning protein feeds.
Triplets can be tricky as ewes have
We have a small farm, mainly sheep only two feeding teats and you
and a few cows. We grow one or two sometimes have to share out the
fields of barley and are pretty self- lambs. In the autumn I put the
sufficient, though we do buy in some smaller Lleyn tup in with the year-old
straw. In winter we feed the sheep gimmers and the others go to the
silage and ewe rolls (a protein feed). Texel, which produces a more
This winter I had to clear ‘pathies’ substantial lamb.
for the sheep with the tractor
because they had nowhere to go. In August you ‘spend’ the lambs
There was that much snow there away from their mothers and put the
was nowhere to put it. withers (boys) away. You pick out
the best ewe lambs to keep and put
The main issue this year was the the others to the prime sheep sale at
weight of snow on buildings. Home, Thainstone Mart. During lockdown
Ledmacoy and Lost Farms had many people have bought and sold
problems with roof damage and a in online sales. It’s a shame because
lambing tunnel at Newe was ruined. the mart is a chance to catch up with
news and older farmers are really
After the cold spell, wind and drifting missing seeing their friends. Farming
snow meant that a few folk lost can be lonely work. Here’s to looking
sheep buried behind dykes. Sheep forward to a social life!
can survive under snow with air
pockets, but wind that keeps Colin Morrison
changing direction is real trouble. Belniden, Corgarff

16

The fine art of timing Traditionally, Blackface sheep were
farmed here as they are incredibly
We have been farming in Deskryside hardy and have no issues lambing in
for generations, always as a small snow; the downside of Blackface is
family farm. Farming has changed that they generally have single lambs
significantly over the years. Mainly it and don’t have a great store lamb
is increasingly difficult for small price. We farm Suffolk sheep and
farms to make money and most while they can have problems
farmers, like myself, require a lambing in bad weather, and we may
supplementary income. To make need to bring more lambs inside,
farming profitable, you need more they work better for us because they
land and livestock, which means you give more twins, are good to fatten
never get time off. A generation ago and have a good store price.
farmers would have taken Sundays
off, at least in the quieter months, In lambing, you interfere as little as
but now there is just way too much possible as any intervention can
to be done!! Extra fields tend to be break the bond between mother and
further away from the core farm, lamb, which means the mum won’t
though this is only really a major let the lamb suckle. We have 300
factor in bad weather. sheep to lamb this year and I have to
ensure I’m not working away.
A major drawback of farming in the
glen is the length of growing season: It is always tricky discussing the life
it is incredibly short even compared of lambs as they enter the food
to the lower ground in Towie, only chain while still very young.
four miles away, never mind closer However, the joy of small farms like
to Aberdeen or further south. I have ours is that livestock breeding is not
planted barley at the same time as a factory operation: all the sheep are
the Strachans in Towie and seen given as good a life as possible. It is
their barley taken in two weeks about ethical farming.
before mine was ready to harvest.
The short growing season for grass Post-Brexit lamb prices are good and
and supplementary crops makes demand is high, especially in France.
keeping livestock more challenging It seems that COVID has had a
and less profitable as the animals positive impact on smaller farms as it
need more feed. The other challenge is making people think about where
is the weather: on a small farm there their food comes from, which can
is never enough space to store hay only be a good thing. We hope this
or for indoor lambing. We try to time will continue!
the lambing to suit the weather, but
you can be caught out by snow! Ashley Anderson
Ardgeith Farm, Deskryside

17

Lily’s bakes In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar
and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture
Cinnamon rolls over the buttered dough and rub the
mixture into the butter. Roll the
Dough: 2¼ tsp yeast dough up tightly, starting from the 9-
200 ml warm milk inch side and place seam side down,
1 egg, 1 egg yolk sealing the edges of the dough. Cut
50 g granulated sugar into 1-inch sections. You should get
57 g butter nine good-sized pieces and a couple
375 g bread flour of end bits (for testing!).
¾ tsp salt
Place the cinnamon rolls in a greased
Filling: 145 g dark brown sugar 9 x 12-inch baking pan (or line with
1½ tbsp cinnamon greaseproof paper). Cover with
57 g softened butter plastic wrap and a warm towel and
let rise again for 30–45 min. Preheat
Topping: 115 g cream cheese oven to 175° C and bake cinnamon
3 tbsp butter rolls for 18–22 min or until slightly
90 g icing sugar golden-brown on the edges. You
½ tsp vanilla extract want to underbake them a little.
Allow to cool for 5–10 mins before
Warm the milk in a microwave for frosting. Makes nine cinnamon rolls
45–60 sec and sprinkle the yeast on (plus a couple of testing ones!).
top. Add the sugar, egg, egg yolk and
melted butter. Mix until well Combine cream cheese, butter, icing
combined. Next, stir in flour and salt sugar and vanilla extract. Beat in an
with a wooden spoon until a dough electric mixer until smooth and
begins to form. Knead the dough for fluffy, spread over cinnamon rolls
8–10 min on a well-floured surface. and serve immediately. Enjoy!
(Add more flour if it’s very sticky.)
Lily’s bakes are available on
Transfer dough ball to a well-oiled Wednesdays from 10 am to 4 pm at
bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a the Umbrella, Waterside
warm towel. Let dough rise for 1– Donations/ingredients are welcome
1½ h or until doubled in size. Then,
transfer the dough to a well-floured
surface and roll out into a 14 x 9-inch
rectangle. Spread butter over the
dough, leaving a ¼-inch margin at
the far side of the dough (short side).

18

Steve’s garden matters successful growth in their new home
will be reduced. They do look
Finish all winter pruning, cutting out magnificent lighting up the
all dead and diseased wood. Remove gloomiest corners, gleaming under
any branches ring-barked by rabbits. the dark, glossy foliage of holly.
After all the snow, there may be a
chance of saving any trees from Sow early salads under cover as a
which not quite all the bark has been cut-and-come-again mix. Plant your
removed. Give them a chance to re- onion sets, preferably under cover.
establish to see if they survive.
Be vigilant for pests in greenhouses
Think about scarifying your lawn to and polytunnels, where they can
remove the moss either manually multiply rapidly and destroy fresh
with a rake, or, by getting together young growth.
with a few friends, hiring a scarifier.
It’s hard work clearing out all the Lastly, cheat a little and buy fragrant
moss, but so much easier than trying herb plants from the veg department
to plough your mower through a at the supermarket. Release them
mossy lawn for the rest of the year from their cramped conditions and
repot to enjoy some instant lush
Protect all young shoots from slugs greenery to welcome in spring.
and late frosts and start building
supports for tall plants to inhabit. Steve Campbell
Those early gales can catch the
young and stretching stems and set __________________________________________________________________
the plant back. Perhaps employ
some prunings to make early growth Stephen Beaton
supports before proper staking. Driving instructor

Divide perennials: a general rule is 07555 091061
that plants that flower in spring to 019756 41712
the middle of June should be divided [email protected]
in autumn and those that flower
after mid-June should be divided in __________________________________________________________________
spring. Peonies are an exception and
should always be divided in autumn. Lesley McLean
Mobile hairdresser in Upper
If you are going to divide snowdrops
this year, be mindful of their tender Donside
root systems. If these are exposed to 07919 898428
the air for too long or if they have [email protected]
been damaged, their chances of
__________________________________________________________________

RS Window Cleaning
Exterior windows, sills and frames,
interior windows, conservatories and

gutter clearing.
07821 030658
[email protected]

__________________________________________________________________

19

Glenkindie Central Garage & Shop

Vehicle servicing, MOTs, grocery store, PO inc road tax, fuel (019756 41230)

Mon–Fri: 8 am to 5 pm; Sat: 8 am to 2 pm; Sun: 10 am to 12.30 pm

DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Goodbrand & Ross, Corgarff, tearoom, gift shop, outdoor seating, daily 10 am

to 4 pm. (019756 51433, www.goodbrandandross.co.uk)

Takeaways will be available from 2 April.
The shop and tearoom aim to open on 26 April

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Spar Bellabeg Licensed grocery and post office (019756 51211)

Mon–Sat: 8 am to 6 pm; Sun: 10 am to 2 pm

DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Strathdon Medical Centre Surgery opening hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 9 am to

6 pm, Tues and Thurs 9 am to 1 pm. (019756 51209)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fish'n' Chips 2 Go 4–6.30 pm on third Monday of the month at Bellabeg

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

George’s Fresh Fish Wednesdays at 2–2.45 pm at Glenkindie and 3–3.30 pm
at Bellabeg. (07732 118885, [email protected])