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Lonach Highlanders To Make Mark With Tattoo Debut

May 122017

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

Aberdeenshire’s Lonach Highlanders are set to make a mark as they debut at this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Seventy-five of Strathdon’s kilted clansmen will travel to the capital in August to be part of the iconic annual spectacle as it celebrates Scotland’s clans.

The men have been invited to be part of the performance on Monday, 14 August by Lord Forbes, chief of the Forbes clan.

In front of an audience of around 8,500 people, including many international visitors, the highlanders will parade onto Edinburgh Castle’s Esplanade to herald the start of the evening’s performance. Dressed in full highland regalia and armed with their traditional eight-foot long pikes, the men will create an imposing sight for the gathered crowd.

With a history stretching back to 1823 when the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society was formed, the Lonach Highlanders are believed to be the largest body of non-military men to carry ceremonial weapons in Britain. Membership is drawn from residents of the local area who descend from the Forbes, Wallace and Gordon clans. Society membership currently stands at 227 men, under the patronage of Sir James Forbes, 8th Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie.

The theme of this year’s Tattoo is a Splash of Tartan, something that the Lonach Highlanders will admirably provide. To mark Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, Tattoo organisers have teamed up with The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs to celebrate the country’s clan heritage and national fabric, and their influence around the world.

Two or three clans will be represented at each performance during the Tattoo’s three-week run. On the night of the Lonach Highlander’s attendance, both the Forbes and Wallace clans will muster on the castle esplanade and their Scottish ancestry celebrated.

This is a fantastic opportunity for the society and the highlanders to help promote our history and heritage

The highlanders’ trip to Edinburgh comes just 12 days before their own annual gathering takes place in Bellabeg, Aberdeenshire.

Attracting crowds of up to 10,000 people, the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games is one of north-east Scotland’s leading traditional highland games.

This year’s event on Saturday, 26 August marks the 176th time the gathering has been held. It will once again commence with the Lonach Highlanders embarking on six-mile march round the local area, following in the footsteps of their forefathers and continuing a near two-hundred year-old tradition.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary and chief executive of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“The Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is honoured to have been invited to participate in this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. This is the first time that the Lonach Highlanders have been present at the event and there is huge excitement amongst those taking part.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the society and the highlanders to help promote our history and heritage, the Lonach Gathering, Aberdeenshire and highland games in general. Television recording will be taking place on the night that we are parading. If we make the director’s cut then there is potential for millions of people around the world to learn about Lonach.

“Attending the Tattoo will be a great warm up for the 176th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games just 12 days later on Saturday, 26 August. If you think the sight of 75 Lonach Highlanders marching is special, the sight and sound of 200 of them, pikes aloft, marching through picturesque Strathdon is one to behold, and not to be missed.”

Ringside seat tickets for the 176th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games are on sale now, priced from £12 for adults and £7 for children. Visit www.lonach.org for full details.

The main attraction at the gathering is the march of the Lonach Highlanders, a unique body of non-military men. Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

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Lonach Society Hopes To Land Story Behind Picture

Aberdeenshire, Featured, History No Responses »

Dec 162016

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

The Bell Type 47G helicopter apparently being jump started by a car in Bellabeg, Strathdon, Aberdeenshire

The organisers of the annual Lonach Highland Gathering and Games are asking for the help of the north-east public to unearth the story behind a mysterious photograph.
Earlier this year, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society asked for people to send in copies of old photographs of the event for a display to mark the 175th Lonach Highland Gathering.

Amongst a bundle of old slides were a number taken in Strathdon in the 1960s and 70s, which illustrate how the community has changed.

One image stood out due to its intriguing subject. It features a small helicopter which appears to have landed on the A944, the main road through the village of Bellabeg where the gathering is held, and looks like it is being jumped started by a car.

The car is believed to be a Rover 2000 P6 Series 1, which was produced between 1963 and 1970 and trailing from its open bonnet are what look like jump leads. From the registration mark on its tail, the helicopter has been identified as a 1966 Bell 47G-5, which was owned by a Humberside company involved in aerial spraying.

In a second slide the car is gone and helicopter’s rotors are turning and it looks set for take-off.

The Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is now asking for anyone who can shed light on the picture to get in touch with them.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary and chief executive of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“We had a great response to our appeal for old pictures, which turned up some fantastic images. Some were more curious than others and left us scratching our heads and asking a number of questions. The visitor response to the display at this year’s gathering provided information about some of those pictures.

“The picture in question was in a box of slides marked Strathdon and Lonach that was donated to us. The person who took the slides died a few years ago and their family had never seen the slides before so couldn’t shed any light on the image. It had us stumped.

“Did a car really jump start a helicopter on the main road in Bellabeg? It’s all very peculiar, but there must be an intriguing story behind it. These types of unusual events play an important part in the history of our local communities.

“Why did a helicopter apparently land on the main road in Bellabeg? Was it really jump started by a car? Does anyone remember it happening, if so when was it? Somebody is bound to be able to fill in all the details, and it would be great to hear from them.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society via its Facebook or Twitter pages, or by e-mailing info@lonach.org.

Held annually on the fourth Saturday in August, the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games is one of the oldest and most iconic traditional events in north-east Scotland. Alongside a full programme of traditional highland events, the event features the unique march of the Lonach Highlanders, who are believed to be the largest body of non-military men to carry ceremonial weapons in Britain.

In 2017, the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games will take place on Saturday, 26 August.

Established in 1823, by Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is a charitable organisation based in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire. The society organises the annual Lonach Gathering at Bellabeg Park, Strathdon, which is held on the fourth Saturday of August. The main attraction at the gathering is the march of the Lonach Highlanders, a unique body of non-military men.

Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

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History And Heritage Celebrated At 175th Lonach Gathering

Aberdeenshire, Featured No Responses »

Sep 012016

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

The Lonach Highlanders set out following in the footsteps of their forefathers on their traditional six-mile march round local six properties.

The history and heritage of one of Scotland oldest and most iconic highland games was celebrated on Saturday (27 Aug) in the Aberdeenshire village of Bellabeg.

Thousands of visitors from across Scotland and further afield attended the 175th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games and witness the unique and emotive march of the Lonach Highlanders.

An estimated crowd of around 9,000 packed into Bellabeg Park in Strathdon to watch the day’s proceedings, which enjoyed warm dry conditions with long spells of bright sunshine.

Organised by the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games has been held annually since 1832 except during the years of the first and second world wars.

To mark the 175th anniversary games, the Lonach Highlanders, believed to be the largest body of non-military men to carry ceremonial weapons in Britain, were joined on their marches by Europe’s only private army, the Atholl Highlanders.

In total, 210 individuals dressed in full highland regalia, which included members of both highlanders’ pipe bands, took part in the day’s marches. There were 170 members of the Lonach Highlanders armed eight-foot long pikes and Lochaber axes, and 40 Atholl Highlanders carrying Lee-Metford rifles.

The day’s proceedings in Strathdon began at 8am as the Lonach Highlanders set out following in the footsteps of their forefathers on their traditional six-mile march round local six properties. The glen came to life as the still morning air was broken by the strains of the pipes and drums of the bands, the footsteps of marching highlanders and sound of the following horse and cart.

At each of the six stops the highlanders received a dram from the properties owners, continuing a tradition begun by their predecessors. The highlanders toasted the health of their hosts, the society and the local area, with the cry ‘Ho Ho Lonach’ resounding through the strath.

Five new Lonach Highlanders took part in the march for the first time. Membership of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society currently stands at over 230. The oldest Lonach Highlander marching was 76-year-old marshalling sergeant George Thomson from Strathdon, while the youngest was 16-year-old Bradley Joss from Kintore, who was among three generations of his family marching.

The 175th anniversary of the gathering was also marked with a display of old photographs, which charted the evolution of the gathering and the changing fashions of its visitors. Some of the photographs dated back to the 1890s. Many had been donated by society members and regulars to the Lonach Gathering who were keen to share their memories of the event.

March of the Lonach Highlanders 2016 (2) Crowds packed the grandstands and stood up to six deep in places around the main arena to watch proceedings, with the heavy events, the hill race and highland dancing receiving enthusiastic support.

The Lonach Highlanders, the Atholl Highlanders and the massed pipe bands received rousing welcomes as they circled the arena.

However, the loudest cheers were reserved for Socks, the Lonach horse, who made his second appearance at the games pulling the traditional ‘cairt’. Owned by Derek Gray of Kildrummy, Socks is a seven-year-old Irish Heavy Cob.

Six pipe bands from across Scotland performed at the gathering. Lonach Pipe Band was joined by the Pipe Band of the Atholl Highlanders, Ballater and District, Huntly and District, Towie and District and the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Guard from 2 SCOTS – the Royal Highland Fusiliers.

The gathering featured a full programme of traditional highland events, including solo and massed piping, highland dancing, children’s races, and light and heavy athletics, with some of the country’s leading athletes competing.

Once again, the heavy events drew a strong field of entrants. Current Scottish Highland Games Association World Heavyweight Champion, Scott Rider from London, competed and continued his exceptional performance this season by finishing first overall in the heavy events.

A field of over 90 lined up to tackle the four-mile hill race. The men’s race was won once again by James Espie of Dinnet, while the first lady home was Aboyne’s Stephanie Provan and the first Lonach Society member to finish was Neil Gauld of Midmar.

A keenly fought contest took place in the ladies tug o’ war, with the Glenbuchat Ladies proving victorious over Lonach Ladies and the team made up of ladies from the Rest of the World.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary and chief executive of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“It was a fantastic day from start to finish, with a brilliant atmosphere. The Lonach and Atholl Highlanders created a real spectacle and their combined numbers made it one of the largest marches we have seen. The reaction from those watching was quite something and generated a few tears amongst the crowd.

“Our 175th gathering is a hugely important milestone for the society and it was wonderful to see so many people here to help us celebrate it. The gathering has been a constant in a changing world and this was beautifully documented in our display of old photographs which received a lot of attention from visitors, and generated much laughter at some of the fashions.

“The gathering has always given the local area a huge boost, both socially and economically, and it is important that we maintain that. Our heritage is vitally important to preserve and with a number of young new members joining the society in the past year the future of Lonach looks bright.”

Established in 1823, by Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is a charitable organisation based in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire.

The society organises the annual Lonach Gathering at Bellabeg Park, Strathdon, which is held on the fourth Saturday of August. The main attraction at the gathering is the march of the Lonach Highlanders, a unique body of non-military men. Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

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Atholl Highlanders March On Lonach For Anniversary Games

Aberdeenshire, Articles No Responses »

Aug 262016

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

Stars of the show – The Lonach Highlanders are one of the main attractions at the Lonach Gathering (picture credit Ian Halliday)

Europe’s only private army is heading to Aberdeenshire this Saturday to help celebrate the 175th anniversary of one of Scotland’s oldest and most iconic highland games.

The Atholl Highlanders have been invited to attend this year’s Lonach Highland Gathering and Games as the event takes place for the 175th time.

They will join the local Lonach Highlanders on their three annual games day marches, creating one of the largest marches of highlanders in the event’s long history.

Organised by the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Gathering is one of Scotland’s best known traditional events, attracting up to 10,000 visitors to the Aberdeenshire village of Bellabeg. Held in village’s Bellabeg Park, this year’s gathering takes place on Saturday, 27 August.

The annual event features the unique march of the Lonach Highlanders, who are believed to be the largest body of non-military men to carry ceremonial weapons in Britain. Membership of the Lonach Highlanders currently stands at around 230 men and is drawn from residents of the local area who descend from the Forbes, Wallace and Gordon clans.

Commencing at 8am on the morning of the games, the march of the Lonach Highlanders winds its way through Strathdon in Aberdeenshire, stopping at six local properties. At each stop on the six-mile route the highlanders receive a dram to toast the health of the society and the area.

Dressed in full highland regalia and armed with eight-foot long pikes and Lochaber axes, the Lonach Highlanders bring traffic on the A944 through Strathdon to a standstill. With the similarly attired Atholl Highlanders, who carry Lee-Metford rifles, the spectacle will be even greater for visitors.

This year, with the Atholl Highlanders in attendance, the march is expected to be one of the largest in history, numbering around 220 individuals, which includes members of both highlanders’ pipe bands. Both bodies of men will again march together during the afternoon marches on the games field at 1pm and 3pm, with the 3pm march being led by the massed pipes and drums of a number of pipe bands.

Featuring a full programme of traditional highland events, including individual and massed piping, highland dancing and light and heavy athletics, the Lonach Gathering attracts some of the country’s leading pipers, dancers and athletes. With a children’s race, a hill race, tug o’war, around 50 trade stands and a family funfair, there are many attractions to keep everyone entertained.

Activities on the games field commence at 10:30am with the piping competitions, before the full programme of traditional events commences at noon.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary and chief executive of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“The 175th Lonach Gathering is shaping up to be a real showstopper and the presence of Europe’s only private army will only add to that. This anniversary is a milestone for the society and the gathering, and we hope to welcome visitors from near and far to help us celebrate it.

“We are really looking forward to the Atholl Highlanders joining the Lonach Highlanders on their marches, which are always a fantastic spectacle. In the crisp morning air, the sight and sound of the 8am march winding its way through the valley is magnificent. We don’t think that anywhere else in the world you can witness hundreds of kilted highlanders marching along a main road and bringing the traffic to a halt.

“Also to mark the anniversary, we are charting the history of the Lonach Gathering with a display of fascinating old photographs. It includes some from when the Atholl Highlanders have previously marched here at Lonach.”

The 175th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games takes place on Saturday, 27 August in Bellabeg, Strathdon, Aberdeenshire. Tickets are priced from £8 for adults, £4 for children aged between 5 and 15, while entry for children under 4 is free. Car parking is also free.

Established in 1823, by Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is a charitable organisation based in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire.

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Lonach Gathering Old Pictures To Mark Milestone Games

Aberdeenshire, Featured No Responses »

Jul 292016

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

Lonach Highlanders (L to R) George Thomson and Willie Coutts with a poster promoting the 1958 Lonach Highland Gathering and Games

One of the oldest traditional events in north-east Scotland is calling on the public to help celebrate a milestone anniversary next month.

On Saturday, 27 August, the 175th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games will be held in Strathdon and the event’s organisers are asking the public to contribute old pictures and videos of the event to help mark the occasion. The Lonach Highland and Friendly Society was founded in 1823 to preserve highland culture and promote community cohesion and charitable giving.

To help achieve this, it staged its first highland games in 1832, an event that has become an annual fixture.

During the first and second world wars the gathering was put in abeyance.

Over the past two centuries the Lonach Gathering has grown to become a popular annual event that attracts up to 10,000 visitors each year. A large number of photographs documenting the evolution of the gathering and the local area are held by the society, but it knows thousands more images exist.

In order to stage a display of old photographs at this year’s gathering, organisers are keen to hear from locals and visitors who have attended the event over the decades and captured still images or video footage of the annual spectacle. The society would also be eager to see old photographs of the Lonach Highland Ball, which it also organises and is held in the Lonach Hall on the Friday following the gathering.

Held in the small, picturesque Aberdeenshire village of Bellabeg, the Lonach Highland Gathering features the unique march of the Lonach Highlanders. With around 220 men, the Lonach Highlanders are believed to be the largest body of non-military men to carry ceremonial weapons in Britain. Membership of the Lonach Highlanders is drawn from residents of the local area who are descended from the Forbes, Wallace and Gordon clans.

Featuring a full programme of traditional highland events, including solo and massed piping, highland dancing and light and heavy athletics, the gathering attracts some of the country’s leading pipers, dancers and athletes. Having already completed a march round the local area in the morning, the arrival onto the games field at 1pm of the Lonach Highlanders, armed with traditional Loachaber axes and pikes, is a highlight of the day.

This year, to help mark the 175th gathering the Lonach Highlanders will be joined on their marches by the Atholl Highlanders, Europe’s only private army. The Atholl Highlanders last marched at the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games in 2000.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary and chief executive of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“The 175th Lonach Gathering is a major milestone for the society and the event itself. It remains an important community event and the many thousands of visitors we welcome to the gathering each year gives the local area a major boost.

“This year’s event is shaping up to a great occasion and will feature the traditional mix of dancing, piping and light and heavy athletics. We are keen for locals and visitors to really get involved by sharing their memories of past gatherings and also help us to document the event’s evolution.

“Whether the pictures or videos were taken in recent years or decades ago, it would be fantastic to see them all. If any company can help us to display these pictures at the gathering, or is interested in sponsoring part of the event, we’d be interested to hear from them.

“One constant at each games has been the Lonach Highlanders. They create a stirring sight and sound as they depart Bellabeg at 8am to begin their march around the local area and always receive a rousing welcome as they enter the games arena at 1pm. We are honoured that the Atholl Highlanders will be marching with the Lonach men this year to help us mark our 175th gathering.”

1. Looking through some of the Lonach archive (L to R) George Thomson, Jennifer Stewart, Willie Coutts and Scott Anderson

Jennifer Stewart, secretary and chief executive of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, looks through some of the society’s archive, which includes photographs, programmes and posters, with Lonach Highlanders (L to R) George Thomson, Willie Coutts and Scott Anderson

Anyone with old photographs or videos of the Lonach Gathering should e-mail them to info@lonach.org. Where possible, old photographs should be scanned to 300dpi and any video footage should be provided as a WMV file.

Established in 1823, by Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is a charitable organisation based in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire.

Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

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Lonach Fundraising For Lifesaving Equipment

Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Jul 212016

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

Lonach Hall defibrillator - Jennifer Stewart, Lonach Society, and Paul Hicks, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Jennifer Stewart with Paul Hicks of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and members of the Lonach Highlanders and local firefighters.

The organisers of the annual Lonach Highland Gathering and Games, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, have launched a fundraising campaign to install lifesaving equipment in upper Strathdon.

The society has launched an appeal to raise nearly £7,000 to fund the purchase of four public access defibrillators that will be installed at venues in the Aberdeenshire valley.

It follows the installation of a defibrillator, funded by the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, at the Lonach Hall.

Defibrillators give someone suffering a cardiac arrest more time while ambulances get to a patient’s location. It is estimated that every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces a person’s chance of survival by 10 per cent. In remote, rural locations such as Strathdon, where the nearest major hospital is over 40 miles away in Aberdeen, access to defibrillation could prove vital.

Retained firefighters from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Strathdon fire station, which is made up mainly of Lonach Highland and Friendly Society members, were on hand at the unveiling of the Lonach Hall defibrillator.

The Strathdon fire station, like Scotland’s other 355 fire stations, acts as a base for local people to learn vital CPR skills that can potentially save someone’s life. The training is provided in partnership with British Heart Foundation Scotland, which has donated Call Push Rescue training kits to the stations. Anyone interested in this free CPR training should contact their local fire station.

To provide the rural community with the potentially lifesaving defibrillators, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is seeking support from local businesses, organisations and local benefactors to help fund the purchase. The four bright green ‘shock boxes’ will be placed in prominent public locations throughout the rural Aberdeenshire community.

Public access defibrillators are designed for anyone to use on someone in cardiac arrest. The devices talk users through the steps required, including CPR and patient analysis, and will only deliver a shock to the patient if it detects that one is required. This means that there is no chance of malicious or accidental usage.

The sites earmarked to host one of the devices are Glenbuchat Hall, Corgarff Hall and locations in Glenkindie and Kildrummy.

Lonach Hall was chosen to host Strathdon’s first defibrillator due to its role as an important community facility. The well-used venue has been a fixture of the Bellabeg area since 1845 and hosts a range of functions, including weddings, concerts, meetings, dances and corporate events. It is also the venue for the annual Lonach Highland Ball which is organised by the society and is held the week following the annual Lonach Highland Gathering.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary and chief executive of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“The society was founded to preserve highland culture and promote community cohesion and charitable giving, all of which still run through its core today. Supporting the local community is imperative to the society and our annual gathering continues to make a significant contribution to the local economy. We always strive to increase the scope of that contribution and this fundraising initiative is part of that.

“Strathdon is a beautiful, rural location, but one that can take some time for emergency services to get to. Defibrillators can prove crucial to increasing the chances of a patient’s survival in the minutes before an ambulance arrives. With a predominately older population, installing these pieces of lifesaving kit in the local area makes a lot of sense, particularly as no such provision currently exists.

“Applications for grant funding have been made, but any contribution from businesses, organisations or individuals would be warmly received. Our aim is to raise enough funding to have the additional four defibrillators installed by the end of 2016.”

This year sees the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society’s showpiece event reach a major milestone. The 175th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games will take place in Bellabeg on Saturday, 27 August. To mark the anniversary, the Lonach Highlanders will be joined at the games and on their march round the local area prior to the games commencing by the Atholl Highlanders, Europe’s only private army.

Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

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The Saga Of Cove Harbour Continues

Aberdeenshire, Environment 21 Responses »

Sep 252015

By Jim Adam, Cove Fishermen’s Association.

On 25th April 2014, the fishermen of Cove were issued with an ultimatum by Mr Pahled Kolhe via his solicitors, McKinnons, to remove their vessels and all associated equipment from the harbour within 14 days.

Otherwise, as then stated, Mr Kolhe “may then be forced to take legal steps for its removal.”

Needless to say no boats or equipment were removed from the harbour in the intervening period, neither did any court proceedings commence.

In the interim Mr Kolhe changed his solicitors from McKinnons to Stronachs and subsequently contracted two separate site surveys of the harbour area to be carried out, firstly by DM Hall ( their report was never completed) and subsequently by CKD Galbraith. The report from the latter indicated the majority of vessels and equipment supposedly within Kolhe’s property.

On the 26th August 2015, a second ultimatum was issued via Kolhe’s solicitors, Stronachs, stating that the fishermen:

“have no rights or title to store fishing vessels or equipment” on their clients property and

“if these fishing vessels, equipment and winch huts are not removed within 14 days of this date (26th August, 2015) our client will commence court proceedings against your clients to enable him to obtain vacant possession of his land”

In addition to this demand, Kolhe insists in the same letter that there shall be no parking of vehicles in the harbour area otherwise he:

“will have no alternative but to raise proceedings to prevent this.”

To support this view, Kolhe has had a metal sign erected at the entrance to the harbour area, with the wording – “Cove Harbour Private Property”.

Generations of fishermen have worked out of Cove harbour for the best part of 4 hundred years. The harbour was a natural inlet which provided a safe haven for the men to beach their vessels and to land catches as well as provide areas to store, dry and maintain their fishing gear. These activities have been pursued continuously, without hinder, ‘til present,

Within the last 150 years, the harbour has undergone upgrade in the form of two piers being constructed as well as a metalled access road, the latter being funded via donations from the local community and by Kincardineshire council.

The harbour has always been a great attraction for visitors, either simply to take in the fantastic scenery or to pursue recreational activities such as kayaking, scuba diving, photography, rock climbing, fishing, rock pooling, boating, picnics, swimming, to name but a few.

It is therefore somewhat concerning to think that there is an individual attempting to gain “vacant possession” of the majority of the land and shingle beach at the harbour and who seems hell-bent on preventing people from accessing the harbour by car or other vehicle either to carry out their business or simply for recreational purposes.

Who knows what the final outcome will be – but for the time being no boats or equipment are being removed and fishermen will continue to go about their business as usual.

Note: the majority of the boats at the harbour are registered and licenced fishing vessels and people do actually derive a living from their fishing activities, which is now under threat.

To demonstrate your support for the fishermen and for your rights to continue to use Cove harbour, you can post your views and sign the petition on Facebook page ‘Save the fishing boats of Cove harbour‘.

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Crowds Flock To Lonach For 174th Gathering

Aberdeenshire, History No Responses »

Aug 252015

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

Crowds from across the north-east – and some from as far afield as America, Slovenia and Australia – flocked to the Aberdeenshire village of Bellabeg to attend one of Scotland’s best-known and most popular highland
games.

Known as the friendly games, an estimated 8,500 people travelled to the event, which enjoyed warm, dry conditions.

Events got underway at 8am as the Lonach Highlanders, believed to the largest body of non-military men to carry ceremonial weapons in Britain, commenced their six-mile march round the local area. The 164-strong body of men, dressed in full highland attire and armed with eight-foot long pikes and Lochaber axes that glinted in the morning sunshine, were an impressive sight as they made their way through Strathdon.

Their historic route saw them visit a number of local properties, receiving a dram at each stop.

Organised by the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the gathering featured a full programme of traditional highland events, including individual and massed piping, highland dancing and light and heavy athletics, with some of the country’s leading pipers, dancers and athletes competing.

Crowds standing up to five deep thronged the main arena to watch proceedings, with highlights being the massed pipe bands, the heavy events – particularly tossing the caber – and the afternoon marches of the Lonach Highlanders.

Five pipe bands from across Scotland competed at the gathering. Joining the Lonach Pipe Band were Towie and District, Huntly and District, Ballater and District, and the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Guard from 2 Scots – The Royal Highland Fusiliers.

The heavy events drew a strong field of entrants and included current Scottish Highland Games Association World Heavyweight Champion Scott Rider of Kent. A new Lonach record for throwing the 42lb weight over the bar in Grampian Games Qualifying Championship was set by Kyle Randalls of Grangemouth.

The ever popular four-mile hill race attracted 105 entries, one of the largest fields in recent years. Winning the men’s race was James Espie of Dinnet, while the ladies’ race was won by Ruth MacKenzie of Tarland.

This year’s gathering also saw the debut of a new horse to support the Lonach Highlanders on their marches. A horse and cart has traditionally followed the highlanders in order to convey their weapons when they became too difficult for the men to carry on long marches, particularly over uneven hill roads.

Socks, a six-year-old Irish Heavy Cob, had been training with the Lonach Pipe Band for three months to acclimatise him to the skirl of the pipes and beat of the drums. The black gelding received a rousing welcome from the crowd as he followed the highlanders into the arena.

The 300th anniversary of the 1715 Jacobite uprising, which was planned at nearby Kildrummy Castle, was marked at the gathering with a number of actors dressed in period costume mixing with the crowd.

It was also announced recently that the gathering has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Best Cultural Event or Festival category in this year’s Aberdeen City & Shire Tourism Awards.

Jennifer Stewart (pictured), secretary of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“There has been an incredible atmosphere here at Lonach once again this year. The day was been dry, except for the odd light shower, creating good conditions in which to enjoy our friendly games.

“There were around 8,500 people through the gates, which is brilliant and it gives the local area a massive boost. This year we’ve encouraged people to explore some of the local sights while they’ve been here, including 300-year-old Poldullie Bridge – the anniversary of which was marked earlier this week. We’ve also been told that there has been a steady stream of people posing for selfies at the Lost sign, which is great to hear.

“Socks, our new horse, was given a wonderful reception when he made his entrance onto the games field this afternoon. He also received a lot of attention from visitors, which he took in his stride. I’m sure we have a real star in the making.

“As ever, the Lonach Highlanders stole the show, and the hearts of many of those attending. They are such a unique aspect of the Lonach Gathering and it is brilliant that the values with which they and the society were founded are still being upheld today. I know that the sight of the highlanders, combined with the sound of the massed pipe bands, brought many locals and international visitors alike to tears.”

Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

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Community Marks Jacobite Bridge Tercentenary

Aberdeenshire, History No Responses »

Aug 212015

Poldullie Bridge: Tercentenary of Strathdon landmark celebrated

With thanks to Ian McLaren, Innes Associates.

An Aberdeenshire community has come together to mark the 300th anniversary of a local landmark as it prepares for its biggest day of the year.
Members of the Lonach Highlanders joined schoolchildren and residents of Strathdon yesterday to celebrate the tercentenary of Poldullie Bridge in Strathdon.

Built in 1715 by John Forbes of Inverernan and spanning the River Don, the bridge significantly improved safety and communications in the area when it opened.

The celebrations, organised by Strathdon Primary School (whose logo features the bridge), took place two days ahead of the annual Lonach Highland Gathering and Games. A commemorative cast-iron plaque has been unveiled on the bridge to mark the milestone.

Assisted by pupils from the school, the plaque was unveiled by Sir James Forbes of Newe, patron of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society. Members of Lonach Pipe Band joined the highlanders on the march, with the highlanders being supported by their new horse, Socks, who will make his official debut at Saturday’s gathering.

Poldullie Bridge is one of the best surviving examples of an 18th century single semi-circular arch stone bridge. Unlike many of its neighbours, the bridge survived the catastrophic flooding of August 1829, known as the Muckle Spate. The bridge is maintained by Aberdeenshire Council and the local authority area has the highest number of listed bridges in Scotland.

The man behind Poldullie, John Forbes, also known as ‘Black Jock’, was the bailie of Kildrummy and a close associate of John Erskine, the Earl of Mar. Erskine led the Jacobites against the British Government forces at Sherriffmuir in November 1715, having planned the campaign at Kildrummy Castle and raised the Jacobite standard at Braemar Castle.

Pupils at Strathdon Primary School have been learning about the construction of different types of bridge, as well as the history of the local area and Poldullie Bridge itself. They will be showcasing their work at an open-day event at the school on the same day.

Saturday sees the 174th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games take place in nearby Bellabeg, with events getting underway from noon. Organised by the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the annual event attracts up to 10,000 visitors, including many from overseas. This year’s event will also commemorate the 300th anniversaries the Poldullie Bridge and the Jacobite uprising, with a number of Jacobean reenactors attending.

Strathdon School head teacher, Lilian Field, said:

“We feel very privileged to be able to commemorate the construction of a local bridge which has provided a route for travellers and local people for the past three hundred years.”

Jennifer Stewart, secretary of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“Poldullie Bridge is an elegant local landmark. Its importance as a transport route may have been bypassed by more modern roads and bridges, but its historic contribution to the local area shouldn’t be overlooked.

“The Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is honoured to have been asked to be involved in today’s ceremony and thanks must go to Strathdon School and its pupils for their research and organisation. It is wonderful to see such enthusiasm in the local community to mark this milestone.

“Along with enjoying the packed programme at Saturday’s gathering, we are encouraging visitors to explore the local area, and pay a visit to our local landmarks, including Poldullie Bridge, the Doune of Invernochty and the Lost sign.”

Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Marr Area Committee, Moira Ingleby, said:

“The north-east played a significant role in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. The Earl of Mar, who led the uprising, called on men from Donside to support the Stuart cause.

“That Poldullie Bridge is still standing strong, weathering tumultuous times better than its architect, is certainly something that should be celebrated.

“What’s more, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society was founded during the difficult post-Culloden years, on a will to preserve the memory of the past but embrace the future. It’s very fitting that the Lonach men should be involved in the commemorative celebrations.”

Organisers of the gathering are encouraging visitors to explore the local area and visit some of its attractions and landmarks, including Poldullie Bridge. They have also unveiled the ideal selfie spot in Bellabeg for the weekend – beside the iconic road sign that points to Lost.

Established in 1823, by Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is a charitable organisation based in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire. The society organises the annual Lonach Gathering at Bellabeg Park, Strathdon, which is held on the fourth Saturday of August – this year’s event takes place on Saturday, 22 August. The main attraction at the gathering is the march of the Lonach Highlanders, a unique body of non-military men.

Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

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Lonach Visitors Encouraged To Explore Bellabeg And ‘Get’ Lost

Aberdeenshire, Featured 2 Responses »

Aug 212015

Organisers of next week’s Lonach Highland Gathering and Games are encouraging visitors to ‘get’ Lost when they attend the annual event by recommending the ideal selfie spot in the village of Bellabeg where the event is held. With thanks to Ian McLaren, Innes Associates.

Iconic sign: The road sign pointing to Lost at Bellabeg, Strathdon

The Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, which organises the annual event in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, isn’t discouraging visitors from attending the popular event, instead it is looking to inspire those that do to explore Bellabeg and visit local businesses and landmarks.

That includes one of Scotland’s most iconic road signs, the one pointing to Lost.

The small directional flag style road sign has gained legendary status and is among some of the most photographed road signs in Scotland for the confusing message it conjures up.

With the current craze for taking selfies, organisers of the Lonach Gathering hope it will be a fun way to get people to discover more about Bellabeg and Strathdon.

Taking place on Saturday, 22 August, the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games is one of north-east Scotland’s best-known and most popular traditional summer events. It attracts up to 10,000 visitors each year, including many from overseas. Keen to boost the benefit that the games provides to the local economy, organisers have launched an initiative to highlight to visitors some of Strathdon’s other sights and attractions.

Within Bellabeg is the Doune of Invernochty, an impressive 12-metre high motte which is all that the remains of a 12th century Norman castle. While a short walk away is the 18th century Poldullie Bridge. When it was built it significantly improved safety and communications in the area and is one of the best surviving examples of an 18th century single semi-circular arch stone bridge.

For those adventurous enough to wonder where they might end up if they followed the sign to Lost, the answer is not far – the road now leads only to a farm. At one time it would have led travellers to the Bridge of Nochty and the Glenbuchat road, from which today they can access the Lost Gallery. Run by Peter and Jean Goodfellow it features paintings and sculpture.

In addition, there is the nearby Goodbrand and Ross tearoom and gift shop at Corgarff, Kildrummy Castle, where the 1715 Jacobite rising was planned, and the Grampian Transport Museum at Alford.

The initiative is in keeping with the aims of Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, which was established in 1823 to maintain traditional highland culture and promote social benevolence. Meanwhile, the gathering has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Best Cultural Event or Festival category in this year’s Aberdeen City & Shire Tourism Awards.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“The society’s ethos has evolved over recent years, meaning the support we provide to the local economy through the gathering and events at the Lonach Hall has grown substantially. Around 10% of the local Bellabeg shop’s takings occur in games’ week.

“We’re always keen for visitors to the gathering to explore Bellabeg and the selfie spot is a fun way for them to do that. The sign to Lost has gained legendary status, but many people don’t realise that it is in Bellabeg. In Strathdon we’re really proud of this very simple, but quirky landmark. Over a decade ago we fought a campaign for the sign to be reinstated unchanged after it was stolen.

“With the current craze for selfies we thought we’d take the opportunity to highlight the location of the Lost road sign as a perfect selfie spot.”

The 174th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games takes place on Saturday, 22 August at Bellabeg Park, Strathdon. It features a full programme of traditional highland events, including individual and massed piping, highland dancing and light and heavy athletics, with some of the country’s leading pipers, dancers and athletes competing. The games commence at 12 noon, but events get underway at 8am as the Lonach Highlanders start their six-mile march around the local area.

Established in 1823, by Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is a charitable organisation based in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire. The society organises the annual Lonach Gathering at Bellabeg Park, Strathdon, which is held on the fourth Saturday of August – this year’s event takes place on Saturday, 22 August.

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