Eilean Donan Castle

So...this is my favourite castle! If you haven't visited yet, put it on your list of things to do, you won't regret it.

I first became interested in it when researching my family tree - my granny was a McRae and her father was born in Glenshiel. Granny didn't talk much about her family but she was the only one of 7 children to survive past the age of 27.

William T McRae Gordon Highlander 202367

Two of her brothers, Ewan and William were killed in action within 2 weeks of each other in April 1917 - Ewan died in Mesopotamia, William in France.

Her twin brothers Forbes and John were born in in 1904, Forbes died in 1905 and John in 1908. Her sisters Elizabeth died when she was 27 in 1919 and Jessie when she was 15 in 1910.
I just can't begin to imagine how my great grandparents must have felt, losing their children.

Memorial at Eilean Donan Castle

When I found out that William is remembered on the MacRae War Memorial at Eilean Donan Castle, I knew that I had to go and see it. I had expected to find Ewan's name there too but for some reason lost in time he had served in the war under an alias and is not remembered there.

Room with a view

 My sister and I paid our first visit in June 2010. We booked into the B & B across from the Castle for a few days and what a joy it was to open the curtains in the morning and look out the window. I didn't want to waste a minute so was up and out really early which is not typical for me - I'm not really a morning person! A stroll along to the castle was so calming, hardly anyone about, I could just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet. I did the same at night - the castle gate is left open once the tours and visitor's centre finish for the day and you can stroll around the grounds to your hearts content. It's a truly magical place, especially when
it's all lit up after dark.

Ewen MacRae & Jessie MacRae

    
I'd found out through the Ross and Cromarty Roots website that my 2 x great grandparents were buried in Clachan Duich the ancient MacRae burial ground so we paid a visit. What an absolutely beautiful setting! Beside it on a small hill is the MacRae War Memorial and a walk up to it revealed the most stunning view that I've ever seen. I could have stood there all day.

Clachan Duich Old

Don't dream it's over

Well, THEY did it, CGP won the referendum...by a 2% majority which, by the way, is less than the majority in the original consultation two years ago which those of us who wanted to save the Gardens won by 5% and were ignored. For info on the previous consultation see here
Back then, the local paper reports "You say No to Union Terrace plans but only just"

Seems that money DOES talk...


Here's the stats:
Online votes: Retain UTG 12,274, City Garden Project 16,428;  
Telephone votes: Retain UTG: 4081, City Garden Project: 5073
Postal ballot result: Retain UTG 24,820, City Garden Project 23,800 

From the start, the CWP had the unfair advantage of being able to spend endless money  because they are a private concern and were not included in the £8,000 ceiling like the campaign groups were!!! This included non-stop radio advertising on local radio, double page adverts in local papers (papers btw which peddled out totally biased opinions and reporting in favour of the CWG), their Granite Web video in prominence in the Art Gallery during a high profile exhibition (disgusting - Council buildings should not have been allowed to be used for this and should have remained neutral), free pizzas to RGU and Aberdeen University students who came along to their presentations for a chat. How could the opposing campaign groups compete with that sort of bombardment?

I'm gutted and so very disappointed that many citizens of Aberdeen who voted for the CWG didn't take the time to find out what the "Retain" groups had to offer as an alternative to the proposed vandalism before putting their cross on the paper for the CWG. So many of them have now said that they thought it was time for a change and that the only way to improve and change the area was to vote for the Web.

I heard a DJ on the radio today comment that perhaps it was time that we left our stamp on the city for future generations just like the Victorians did. Well I agree with him to a certain extent, maybe we do want to leave our mark like they did but surely we don't have to destroy their gift to the us, the people of Aberdeen, to do it! There is an ugly building in Broad Street which is crying out to be knocked down and redeveloped...why not do it there!

So...in the words of Neil Finn - Don't dream it's over!
The battle might be won... and all that!

P.S. The majestic elm trees in Union Terrace Gardens are some of the last to be found in Northern Europe, are home to scores of crows and keep pollution from car fumes down in the city centre. They will be chopped down to be used in the pathways and roof in the Granite Web design. Please sign the petition if you care at all.

Thank you

http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/save-the-200-year-old-elms-in-union-terrace-gardens-aberdeen/4168

Voting Closed - Union Terrace Gardens

Trainey Park

 That's it, no more voting...we'll find out tomorrow what the fate of the Union Terrace Gardens is going to be. Over a 50% turnout for the referendum is amazing when the usual for elections is only 23%. Here's hoping that most people of Aberdeen have seen through the PR and voted to retain and improve!
Aberdeen has been enjoying unusually warm weather for this time of year and for the 3rd time in a week, I spent my lunch hour in the Gardens. It was so nice just to sit there basking in the sun and chilling out. There were loads of other people there today - schoolkids, grannies, students, workers, babies, parents -  doing the same. It was hard to remember that it's only the 1st of March and that this time last year, we were knee deep in snow!