Oe'r the Watter; Anna and Whitelinks Bay

Grey Granite had never been beyond the school, hall and kirk in Inverallochy so a circular walk from the harbour at the west end of adjoining Cairnbulg  along Shore Street and then over Whitelinks Bay returning along the line of the disused railway was something of an adventure. This was a very pleasant walk, marred only by a slight haar which reduced the possibilities for photographs.

Cairnbulg harbour was built from concrete blocks which had been used as coastal defence during  WW2. An earlier attempt at building a harbour had run out of money. The harbour now functions as a marina. On  a clear day there must be a terrific view over Fraserburgh Bay.

Cairnbulg Briggs and the wreck not of Anna but of a fishing vessel which went down towards the end of the last century and provides a useful indicator of the state of the tide for Grey Granite and Rufus as they walk down to Fraserburgh beach.

A single boat drawn up on Whitelinks Bay close to the remains of the concrete enclosure which gave protection to boats.



We left the beach by a track leading up from the shore by the 'harbour' which can just be seen in the background behind the old containers and corrugated iron shed. The murals on the containers are beautifully painted Grey Granite wonders if this was a community project at some time. The track led across the golf course and on to join  a tarred road along the line of the old St. Combs Light Railway.

The painting on the container depicts the wreck of Anna which went down on 9th December 1959. All the crew were saved from the Finnish vessel but the cargo of wooden spars was strewn along the shore. M remembers his one and only journey on the 'Belger Trainie' along with his friend Ricky whose Dad was the 'Ferret' for the Fraserburgh Herald. The Ferret had gone to report on the shipwreck for the Herald and found that locals were 'rescuing' the timber cargo.  By burying their bounty in the sand they were able to avoid having to give it up to the policemen guarding the wreck. Many new wooden sheds are said appeared in the villages soon after the incident.



The Pinkie Shore

Another glorious day, almost windless and with a totally cloudless sky. We had  a short walk  on account of the heat (18.5c) and went down the braes from Braco Park to the Pouk and over to the Pinkie Shore. We had been told that the cliffs at Crovie are currently carpeted with primroses and mindful of the pinkie buds Dr. Anne found at Portsoy in January, expected the Pinkie shore to be a mass of pale yellow.

There were superb views from the cliff top above the Pinkie Shore, here looking towards Rosehearty. The grass is not yet greening up and we found only  a few patches of scurvy grass and very few primroses in bloom. By the style at the Pouk we saw red beads of buds appearing on a cushion of thrift. This suntrap is always where the first thrift flowers appear.There are fulmars and gulls starting to nest on the cliffs.



The Pouk has shifted course slightly over the winter and has spread over the old delta.. There were already some marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) in flower and the first of the mare's tails emerging from the mud of the delta.

One of the few patches of primrose (Primula vulgaris) in flower on the Pinkie Braes

Scurvy grass is just starting to flower.

Rufus is having winter coat removed later this week and is feeling the heat. He fell into the Pouk but scrambled out happily, no doubt feeling cooler, and lay down in the sun to dry off.

Cherry blossom at Rathen

A delicate lacy froth of pale pink cherry blossom beyond the kirkyard dyke at Rathen brought into early  bloom by the record breaking temperatures of recent days.

Cortes House in record breaking temperatures

Cortes House was open to the public today for what was probably the first time in the house's 200 year history. Although primarily an event to promote the house as a luxurious venue for weddings and corporate events, the afternoon provided a fascinating opportunity to admire this elegant 19th century mansion. Looking round the tastefully restored interior with 12 individually designed bedrooms  it is hard to credit that for a time the house was divided into flats, some of which were DHHS lets. The bedrooms, public rooms and kitchen are all tastefully decorated, and largely furnished in a range of modern styles. The bathrooms, several of which had fireplaces and were probably originally dressing rooms were particularly varied and impressive.

Visitors on the lawn enjoying temperatures well above the seasonal norm, reaching 22.8c at Fyvie, the highest ever recorded March temperature for Scotland.

Originally known as Mormond House, the house was built for Gordon of Cairnbulg who inherited the property from Lord Aberdeen in 1801. The property is now a grade B listed building.

The central atrium and simply decorated classical stairwell, surmounted by a conical lantern create an impression of air and light which emanates throughout the house.

The conical lantern above the atrium, this can just be glimpsed between the chimneys in the rear view of the house below.

The basement rooms have been converted in to a home cinema and games rooms. These partially subterranean rooms are bright and airy  due to these interesting bays which admit light.



Blackthorn at Philorth

An unusually mild morning with bright sunshine interspersed with brief showers. Philorth Woods are greening up with buds starting to open on the elders, sycamores and  horse chestnuts, and the  fresh green fuzz of new needles appearing on the larches.  



The beautiful blackthorn tree growing between Black Folds and Hippy Hillock, the leaves and flowers are just starting to open.




Delicate blackthorn blossom (Prunus spinosa), one of Grey Granite's favourite spring flowers.



By Mains of Philorth Cottage there are cheerful daffodils at the roadside and the trees have a greenish tinge as buds start to open..

The snowdrops in the wood have almost all gone over and are being replaced by the yellow stars of celandines and a few tentative wood garlic flowers. The wood seemed full of bird activity, we heard woodpeckers drumming, blackbirds, pheasants and pigeons calling. At the edge of the wood near Kempen Hillock there were rooks raucously cawing to each other as they wheeled overhead and fussed about their nests high in the pine trees. Small birds, finches and tits were busy throughout the wood. 

Cairnhill in Spring

A perfect morning on which bird activity, rooks renovating their nests tin the wood by Pitsligo Castle, flocking starlings and geese, yellow hammers on the dyke over the Drybrigs and the sudden vigour of new plant growth, confirmed that Spring is well established. Cheerful splashes of yellow from tiny celandines to bold clumps of daffodils and great seas of gorse spatter the Spring countryside. 

The massive bulk of the 1424 great keep of Pitsligo castle seen behind the trees above which 'speculative rooks' cawed raucously.



Blotched leaves of arum lily, also known as Lords and Ladies or Jack in the pulpit (Arum maculatum) growing on the bank by Barnyards. It is likely that the these plants, highly unusual in this area, arrived as seeds washed out from a cattle float.

Daffodils on the Cairnhill, the War Memorial visible in the background.

Fragrant, coconut scented flowers of gorse (Ulex europaeus)

Spring morning

A mild spring morning with sudden signs of growth and reawakening at the dykesides and hedgerows. The hawthorn hedges along the road from Bridgefoot of Phingask to Merryhillock have suddenly started to burst their buds, snowdrops are being replaced by daffodils, there is fresh green growth showing on campions, alkanet and comfery. There are celandines, coltsfoot,strong bold daisies (certainly enough to make a spring) and wavy bitter cress in the roadside grass and as we walked we were again accompanied by lark song and a small cloud of midges.

Fresh young leaves on the hawthorn hedge near Merry Hillock

Red dead nettle (Lamium purpureum), always one of the first roadside flowers

Gorse half a hedge half lining the banks of a tributary of College Burn at Merryhillock 

Monthooly to New Aberdour Shore

The old road from Peathill to New Aberdour roller coasts along parallel to the coast, at times between banks and gorse covered dykes, at others open and giving spectacular views down to the shore and out towards Troup Head to the west and Rosehearty to the east.  Grey Granite has known and loved this quiet back road for well over half a century. Our walk was accompanied by lark song until we left the road for the shore when oyster catchers took over. There were snowdrops in places at the roadside, almost going over now to be replaced by occasional daffodils, red dead nettle, chickweed and wavy bitter cress.  



A fine day for ploughing.

Dundarg Castle, a Gothic gatehouse, built in 1935, largely  with stones from the Free Church of New Aberdour. The ruins of an Iron Age promontory fort and later small Celtic monastery which eventually became a Comyn Castle are just visible on the headland between the 'castle' and the tractor. The most conspicuous being the remains of a 16th century gatehouse. The Edward Bonaventure, carrying the Russian Ambassador and assorted treasures, is supposed to have sunk in the vicinity of Dundarg in 1556.





Today the Broad Shore was completely deserted. we reached it by cutting down an almost forgotten path and climbing over a broken style to the cliffs above the Boat Shore. There were starry celandines fully open in the sunshine at the top of the cliff, closed up in the shade lower down.

St Drostan's Well, currently slightly squalid the well was built in 1884 and is said to be on the spot where St Drostan landed around 575. Later strangers arriving on the shore included German spies who were put ashore here from a submarine in  a rubber dinghy in 1942. Subsequently they were arrested whilst cycling along the Banff road on conspicuously shiny red bicycles. The William hope from Dundee was shipwrecked here in October 1884, the crew was rescued due to the heroic efforts of Jane Whyte. A  memorial to Jane is at the west end of the shore, fixed to thre ruins of the old walkmill beyond  burn.

St Drostan's Kirk. The oldest part of the kirk, dates from the early 16th century and was in use until 1818.The south aisle is still roofed, on the right (east) is the burial aisle of the Lesleys of Coburty

The nave has been used for burials despite the edict of the Reformation forbidding burials in church buildings.

The chancel is now the burial aisle of the Bairds of Auchmedden. William Baird, laird of Auchmedden was an officer in the Prince's bodyguard at Culloden, his forfeited estate passed to Lord Huntly. A prophecy of Thomas the Rhymer predicted that 'Whilst are eagles on the crag there will be Bairds at Auchmedden'. The eagles which had nested on the cliffs at Pennan for centuries are said to have disappeared when  the estate passed out of Baird ownership. The Baird motto, 'Dominus Fecit' (The Lord Made) appears at the top of the plaque. The Bairds are one of several clans who claim to have saved their monarch, in this case William the Lion, from a rampaging beast.

Now resting on a ledge on the east wall of the church, this octagonal stone font is thought to have been brought from Chapelden to have once contained the relics of St Drostan. The bones had magical powers and by touching the urn it was thought that the afflicted faithful would be miraculously cured.

The old manse, for many years The Beach House Hotel with the kirk beyond, seen from the old Penny Schoolie.

Pitsligo Castle:The Turkey House

Behind the round bedroom tower and palace block of Pitsligo Castle is a small bothy like building thought to date from the late 19th century. This was re roofed and made technically habitable by Malcolm Forbes, of Forbes Magazine fame, in the 1980's as part of his restoration of the  castle ruins in order to gain the title 'Baron Forbes'.The building, currently used as a lambing shed, has several curious features which point to it having been used for turkey rearing, hence 'The Turkey House'.

The palace block from the inner courtyard.

The round bedroom tower from the castle garden, the back wall turkey house can just be seen sticking out from behind the tower.

The stone work and architectural features of the turkey house are of a high standard. The stone probably came from the castle. There is an external fireplace at the opposite end to chimney stack, a metal pipe heating originally  ran the length of the building from the fire place to below the chimney stack. Note the wide stone window ledge and the stone finial.(Pictured below)

Pittulie Castle can be seen in the distance behind the telegraph pole. Imagine Lady Pitsligo waving to her neighbour Mrs Cumine of Pittulie at  a time when both had menfolk involved in the '45 and its aftermath.

The remains of the heating pipe in the internal wall under the chimney.

Ladybird, ladybird fly away home

A seven spot ladybird tempted out by the mild weather explores an elder (bourtree) twig at Pitsligo castle