The Speyside Way

Grrrrr.....

2011-04-26T13:17:00.004+01:00

If I hear this misquoted again I'll scream!
The correct version is " Ne'er cast a cloot 'til the May be oot" (Yes, you've guessed it, that's a Scots saying!!

It is NOT "Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out!" (This is utterly meaningless - sorry BBC, that is a dig at some of your presenters)

Why? Well, the original means 'never cast off your (winter) clothes until the May blossom (ie the hawthorn blossom) appears on the trees. - a wise and sensible precaution in this fickle climate of ours!

A 'cloot', rhyming with 'loot', in Scots is a cloth (ie clothing) - whereas a 'clout', rhyming with 'out', is commonly perceived as a belt round the ear delivered by an angry parent (when such things were not politically incorrect, of course!) Hence the anglicised version of the saying is rendered utterly meaningless. OK, there is less of a problem with the confusion between the month of May and the May blossom - these tend to be contemporaneous anyway!

Please, please, if non-Scots are to quote Scots sayings, afford us the respect of getting them right! (or has the BBC got rid of its pronunciation unit altogether?)

Went away in winter, came back in summer!!

2011-04-19T14:44:00.002+01:00

Went off to New Zealand a month ago leaving 6" of wet snow on the ground, and came back to 22 degrees and green grass! Watch out, this may be the summer - enjoy it while you can!

Into a new financial year now, and a further year of interim arrangements for the operation of the Speyside Way - come to think of it, we seem to have been running on 'interim arrangements' for as long as I can remember! Unlike New Zealand, where all the great tramping tracks are seen as a national asset and fully funded by the Department of Conservation, the trails here in Scotland have always had to make do with whatever funding could be 'cobbled together' at the time. Are they a valuable asset or not? And now, of course, we are in the crazy situation where new trails are being developed all over the place with capital money from goodness knows where, at a time when we do not have two cents of revenue funding to look after the long established ones! Sorry, I'm ranting again!

The good news for all of you out there, however, is that we WILL be able to operate the Visitor Centre in Aberlour for one more season, but probably ONLY ONE more season. The same applies to the Accommodation Leaflet (now published for 2011) and the website - the likelihood is, though, that 12 months from now we will be looking to the private sector to provide some of these information services. This, of course, almost certainly means that instead of us, the public sector, providing free listings to accommodation providers, for example, some 'readies' may have to be exchanged for future inclusion on websites and leaflets. Ah well, I guess others will have to share our pain!

The first major event of the year kicks off in less than two weeks' time - the Speyside Whisky Festival. Those seeking accommodation in the Aberlour/Craigellachie areas that weekend should look out - it will be at a premium.

Look out too for the Ranger Events that weekend, and hurry up and book, they are always sold out.

See you there!

Long time no see...!

2011-02-15T13:57:00.002Z

How time flies - can't believe my last post was in September! What an early winter we had. Deep snow in late November, coupled with very low temperatures, took us right through into 2011, bringing more damage to property, trees and wildlife. Since then more 'normal' service has been resumed, ie rain, chill, darkness - typical Scottish weather. As we pass Valentine's day, the days are lengthening, the birds have started to sing, (mistle thrush and wood pigeon yesterday, great-tits for a couple of weeks now) and we begin to wonder if winter could really be nearly past?
Here on the Speyside Way we are not immune from cut-backs in Local Authority budgets, and we are trying to work out how best to keep providing a satisfactory service. Disappointingly, the level of demand for information on the route over the winter seems to be at an all time low - also perhaps an indicator of uncertain economic times as well as a reflection of yet another poor summer, weatherwise, in 2010. There is also undoubtedly a 'dilution' factor, as trail users are presented with a rapidly expanding choice of 'long distance routes' - the launch of the 'Scotland's Great Trails' initiative by SNH in the spring will see some 20 routes branded as LDRs, with another 17 waiting in the wings. As custodians of one of only four statutory routes, we confess to having very mixed feelings about where this is going, and the financial implications for Local Authorities across Scotland.
In a different context, attempts by the Cairngorms National Park Authority to complete the route to Newtonmore continue to encounter difficulties. Not unexpectedly, Kinrara Estate is resisting the imposition of a Footpath Creation Order, and the appeal will be determined by a Scottish Government Reporter sometime in the next few months.

Please Note: Tominuird diversion

2010-09-01T14:52:00.002+01:00

An information note from our colleagues from the Cairgorms National Park....

Important Notice

Due to felling operations the section of the Speyside Way through Tom an Uird Wood between Mains of Dalvey and Cromdale will be closed for three weeks from the 3rd of September 2010. Please use the signed alternative along the minor road from Milton via Rynaballoch to meet with the Speyside Way at Cromdale as shown on the map below. This diversion will add approximately 2 miles onto the Ballindalloch to Grantown section of the route and you should add an extra hour onto your route time.

The diversion is all on minor roads, so beware of traffic, but offers some fantastic views of the Hills of Cromdale and if you have time why not explore the ruins of Lethendry Castle and the Haughs of Cromdale where in 1690 Government forces crushed the first Jacobite uprising. Standing by Clach nam Piobair (the Pipers Stone) you hear the mewing of buzzards but listen hard and you could hear the skirl of pipes echoing down the ages.

The summer that never was...

2010-09-01T14:42:00.002+01:00

We are enjoying a dry (ish) week for the first time since the end of June. July and August have been amongst the worst I can remember, not for total quantities of rain but for the fact that it rained at some time nearly every day. Winter forage for sheep and cattle is in short supply - there is no hay in this area because of the continual rain and silage is alo scarce. The cold wet spring followed by a dry June led to grass going to seed rather than bulking up - let's hope we do not get a winter like the last one. The schools have gone back and swallows are starting to assemble on the wires in preparation for departure - a sure and unmistakeable sign that Autumn is upon us - a time of year I personally always find rather sad.

Orchids galore...

2010-07-02T16:15:00.005+01:00

The route between the old railway line south of Ballindalloch and the Garvault plantation is fringed with carpets of moorland flowers. Cotton grass, orchids, ragged robin, even alpine bistort if you keep your eyes open. Best display we've seen in years.

Return of the ghost trees....

2010-06-30T14:13:00.005+01:00

They're at it again! The Bird Cherry ermines! I talked about this on the 4th of June last year, but I think it's worth another comment. The Bird Cherries (prunus padus) on mid Speyside are suffering what appears this time to be an extreme Ermiine Moth infestation. The ‘cobwebs’ you can see on many trees along the Speyside Way are not the work of an invasion of giant spiders, only the result of activity by a relatively common moth, the Bird Cherry Ermine (Yponomeuta evonymella)

On hatching, the caterpillars of this moth can quite quickly spin a silk ‘tent’ over the twigs and branches where they can feed on the leaves in safety, protected from birds and parasitic ichneumon wasps by their surrounding shield.

During a major infestation of ermine moth caterpillars, whole bird cherry trees can be completely enveloped in this silken stocking and become totally defoliated. These outbreaks are sporadic, however, and while the trees may appear leafless and lifeless immediately afterwards, they tend to recover in subsequent years.

This year, however, many trees are also weakened by snow damage with many broken and cracked branches. It remains to be seen what the outcome will be.

Snow for the hinds calving

2010-05-27T15:50:00.003+01:00

What did I tell you? (see 5th May below) OK, it's a week early but we surely now have the 'Snow for the hinds calving' ** - Ben Rinnes was pictured today at lunchtime.

Bad news for birds sitting on eggs, or those that rely on hatches of insects on warm sunny days to feed chicks. Traditionally, though, this is winter's parting shot and hopefully summer may
soon follow.

** The 'snow for the hinds calving' is an expression you are most likely to hear in the West Highlands of Scotland where I worked for a number of years - in Gaelic it's 'Sneachda laogh na fiadh' - thanks to my colleague John Morrison from Harris for the Gaelic version!

Be prepared!

2010-05-11T15:30:00.003+01:00

Should be our motto. I had a sparrowhawk swoop down and settle on my front garden wall last night. I was on the phone and just happened to be looking out of the window when it happened....now descision time, do i hang up on my mum or roam around my house to find the camera whilst trying to sound interested at the same time, as luck would have it (or not ) it shot off before i could do either.

Well i'm hoping that it will visit again as the wrath of one's mother is a thing not to be trifled with.

So be prepared for nature sightings anytime, anyhow and any place. If you do see anything, flying, scurrying, crawling, hopping, hovering etc then somebody needs to know. These chaps especially.....www.nesbrec.org.uk the North East Scotland Biological Recording Centre. Check out their website on how to input sightings yourself on-line, paper or via the phone. Whether its casual sightings as you're on the way to work or an indepth survey for a school or college project, let others share your finds and help us put together a picture of what wildlife and habitats we have in the NE, you never know it may help preserve some of our most threatened habitats.

Spring is here and change is a foot!

2010-05-06T14:24:00.004+01:00

Its been a wee while since i've posted on here....thank the snow and crazy weather for that...pictures of my commute to work will follow (just can't bring myself to look at them now we have sun and green grass).

As Jim has said spring is sort of here....its taken its time thats for sure. We're probably looking a being a month or so behing schedule, but do not frown...things are growing and have truely been reborn.

Not unlike our selves here in Aberlour central. Although still repsonsible for the Speyside Way within Moray we now have a wider county remit. You can watch this space for tales of daring do's, wildlife intrigue and more ranger events. We're still finding our feet with our new role, checking out what the far flung reaches of the county have to offer us rangers, so bare with us and keep tuned for events and works that we will be doing in the future.

Here's a picture of the massed daffodils that can been seen throughout the county....gauranteed to bring a warm spring glow to anyone.

The Gab o' May

2010-05-05T15:52:00.003+01:00

Hold that last post! Spring has disappeared again, temperatures are back into single figures and there's snow on the hills!
But don't worry, it's only the 'Gab o' May', that evocative Scots name for what is often poor weather at the start of May (you know, that bit of poor weather between the 'Teuchat's storm' in early April and the 'Snow for the hinds calving' in early June!) After we've had all these it might just be summer!!

Spring at last.....?

2010-04-26T15:10:00.006+01:00

The swallows arrived on Saturday 24th April, exactly the same date as last year. I hope they have had a better winter than we have! The banks of the Speyside Way are now carpeted with spring flowers, particularly primroses and wood anemones, and particularly striking between Craigellachie and Aberlour.

Take a careful look at the wood anemone flowers - though appearing to be white, they are often streaked with pink or purple, especially on the outside, and are carried on a reddish stem. Like many other spring flowers, they turn to face the sun as it moves across the sky. The plant is said to be named after the Greek legend in which Anemos, the wind, sends his namesakes the anemones as heralds of his coming: hence its other common name of 'windflower'.

The spring is sprung, the grass is riz,

2010-04-16T15:04:00.007+01:00

I wonder where the Speyside Way iz?

"It's fallen in the water!"
Apologies to Ogden Nash and Little Jim (aka Spike Milligan) respectively!!
Anyway, to be serious, the Speyside Way has or is trying to 'fall in the water' in a couple of places. Bank erosion between Spey Bay and Fochabers has resulted in a short diversion, same as two years ago in 2008. The Spey simply wants to go somewhere else......

Elsewhere at Knockando the slippage is a bit more mysterious - or is it? Further slippage has revealed a piece of blue tape sticking out of the bank - a sudden reminder that about 20 years ago a water main was laid along this section of railway - is a leak in the pipe causing a subterranean wash-out? If not, the slip is clearly now threatening the integrity of the pipe. The route is still open for the moment, but Scottish Water is now involved and we will keep you posted as to what will happen next.

The times they are a changin....

2010-03-08T09:45:00.003Z

From 1st April, unitary management of the Speyside Way will cease. That means that the Moray Council, who have to date managed the whole route on behalf of the other authorities (Highland Council and the Cairngorms National Park Authority) will no longer manage the route within the National Park. This role will be taken on by the National Park Authority themselves.
For one further year, however, Moray countryside staff will continue to provide a central information service for the whole route, while an alternative strategy is developed for information provision for the National Park section. For the moment, then, the point of contact for information about the whole route is still the Moray Council Countryside Section in Aberlour:

tel - 01340 881266

email - speyside.way@moray.gov.uk

web - www.speysideway.org

post - Speyside Way Visitor Centre, Broomfield Square, Aberlour AB38 9QP

No news is good news?

2010-03-08T09:34:00.002Z

For those of you waiting on news of the slip at Knockando, well, there's no news really. Since it happened, we have hardly seen the area without snow cover in order to be able to assess the problem. A slow thaw of our second extraordinary dump of snow this winter has now set in - some places had even more than over Christmas and New Year, and very much determined by altitude. Higher parts have had around 3 feet (90 cm) this time, plus drifts to twice that. For the second time this winter I have found my self saying that that I have never in my life seen so much snow!
Anyway, it appears that the slip has not moved much since we saw it originally, so we are now optimistic that a serious collapse may not actually take place. We'll try to keep you posted.

Slip-sliding away.....

2010-02-02T15:17:00.008Z

It's not just the humans who are slip-sliding away (and yes, the snow has returned again after only two days of 'clear ground' last week).

The Speyside Way railway embankment near Knockando has joined in the 'slippery' action with a major and potentially catastrophic landslip developing in the last week. From bitter past experience, we know how much this kind of slip costs to repair and this time the financial cupboard looks particularly bare. A full assessment cannot be carried out until the snow goes away again - for the moment the route is not actually closed, though any further developments on the ground may change this at any time . No obvious alternative route exists here and closure remains a very real possibility. For the moment, approach and cross the area with great caution

Watch this space.

Quick update

2010-01-18T15:54:00.007Z

No, we didn't get flooding (except for briefly on Saturday morning), we got ICE. Night time re-freezes have brought us now into the 'crampons required' phase, and that's just to get in the front door of the offices or walk along the pavements of Aberlour High Street.

The plastic gutters and roan pipes on the Visitor Centre building duly came away with the snow avalanching from the roofs. We have escaped lightly but destruction is all around, especially of farm buildings, where I understand that literally hundreds have collapsed in NE Scotland, many on top of the cattle inside. Many of these buildings, I am told, were not manufactured locally but were brought in as second-hand purchases from south of the border. Scant consolation except perhaps to our local manufacturers whose more substantially built structures have largely survived.

We do winter so badly in this country.

Speyside Way car park in Aberlour (or is it a skating pond!!)

And one more favourite snowy photo -

White Christmas overload.....

2010-01-12T14:47:00.007Z

Too much of a good thing!

It's amazing how the novelty of a white Christmas wears off when you have 26" of snow, temperatures regularly down in the minus teens, one car packed up, visitors from the other side of the world (who have come from summer and are comlaining about having landed in the Arctic) to collect from and return to airports, central heating playing up... need I go on? All I can say is thank goodness for my 4x4 - without it Christmas may have been white, but otherwise would not have happenned at all and I certainly would not be back at work yet after the New Year holiday.

Let's forget 'global warming' shall we and stick with 'climate change' please!

But enough of me. The Speyside Way has been pretty inaccessible (as in pretty, but inaccessible!) for a couple of weeks now unless on cross-country skis, but just today the thaw has set in - I expect flooding will be the next problem, but we'll keep you posted!

The Spey at Craigellachie by Ged Connell - copyright The Moray Council Ranger Service.

My Morning commute hell.....

2009-12-22T10:56:00.004Z

Whilst on my way round Speyside, this is the aweful sight that greets me in the morning at the moment.

Terrible i know....but someone has to do it! It does suprise me that this type of weather does seem to take people by suprise. This may not be a regular sight as it used to be, snow does fall in Scotland an the UK in winter, but it seems that the majority of people do carry on in their normal behaviour. Routines, preparedness etc needs to be changed in accordance with the conditions (not just for the snowy times), slow your driving speed down, give plenty of time to get where you're going, have proper clothes with you, shovel in the car, food and hot drinks etc. Or if you don't have to go out ...then don't....enjoy the snow and be thankful for a white Christmas.

I know someone who is enjoying it.....

2009-11-13T11:54:00.003Z

Look, no leaves!

This November we have enjoyed the unusual sight of rowan trees laden with fruit long after the leaves have fallen. Why? Our rowans are usually snapped up early on by the annual autumn invasion of Scandinavian thrushes - redwings and field fares. Was the invasion late this year? Were there simply too many berries? If the annual influx was indeed late, sheer numbers now seem to be making up for it - there now appear to be tens of thousands of these autumn migrants all across the Speyside area. The abundance of rowans reflects the general abundance of all fruits this autumn - both wild and cultivated. Sign of a hard winter to come? Maybe, but more likely just a reflection of the growing conditions we have had throughout 2009!

Flooding affects Speyside Way...

2009-09-29T10:19:00.005+01:00

As you may have seen from news bulletins over the last few weeks. Moray was hit hard by the 48hrs of rain we had recently. The Speyside Way did not go unscathed either. The route dissappeared along with alot of the road and part of a bridge in fochabers and was turned into a burn round the back of Milnes highschool.

Diversions are inplace and repair work is commencing at a good pace.

Just goes to show the power of two hydrogen and one oxygen molecule.

Cross this bridge when you come to it.....!

2009-09-23T10:52:00.007+01:00

Congratulations to the team for a project well done! This bridge over the the Burn of Coire between Tormore and Cromdale replaces two sets of stepping stones that were proving somewhat hazardous in flood conditions.
The main construction work was carried out by an army training unit and the ancillary works by Speyside Way Ranger staff. Other ground works were done by Tulchan Estate - thank you for your assistance with this project. The bridge had its first test very soon after completion in the flooding of 3rd and 4th September. Ironically, the main threat to the bridge did not come directly from the burn, but from water pouring off the fields above. The test was passed!

The aliens have....not landed!

2009-09-07T11:56:00.003+01:00

At this time of year (especially this year) you will be noticing a bumper early crop of fungi. These much misunderstood and misstrusted of life forms, often go unoticed by the busy throng of folk. Thanks to the recent wet weather they have come out in force.

But cast your eye earthwards and you will start to see that these amazing organisms come in many forms and amazing colours. Out on a walk on the tomintoul spur last week, i came across this specimen:

This is the Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) one of the poisonous fungi that can be found. So called because of its use as an insecticide when mixed with milk and left out on a saucer for the flys to feast on. Many tales are linked to the fly agaric concerning shamanistic uses in many northern tribes of lapland and siberia.

As with any fungi, if you are not sure of its species, then DO NOT PICK IT and more importantly DO NOT EAT IT. Always go with someon ewho knows what they're doing, or like i do just appreciate from afar the lovely colours and formations.

No fairies were found or harmed in taking this photo.

Nature's bounty.

2009-08-12T14:24:00.003+01:00

Wild fruits are especially rich this year. Rowans, blaeberries, wild strawberries, cloudberries (known as 'evrons' in this part of the country) on the higher ground, are all in abundance. Was it the weather in the spring? Did the bees have good weather at pollination time? Is it a sign of a hard winter to come (I hope not!). Whatever the reason, there's no excuse for missing out on rowan jelly with your lamb or venison in the months to come!

Rowan berries (Mountain Ash, Sorbus acuparia)

Recipe for rowan jelly

900g (2lb) Rowan Berries
900g (2lb) Crab Apples
1.8lt (3 pints) Water
Sugar

Pick over the rowan berries, removing any stalks, wash if necessary, drying well.
Wash the whole crab apples, removing any bruised parts.
Place the fruit and just enough water to cover into a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Bring to the boil and simmer, covered for 20 - 25 minutes, until tender.
Strain through a jelly bag or muslin cloth, allow about 4 hours for this, do not squeeze as this will cause the jelly to become cloudy.
Measure the volume of the liquid, add 450g (1lb) of sugar for each pint (600ml) of liquid.
Place the sugar in an ovenproof bowl and put it in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 10 - 15 minutes.
Place the juice back into a heavy bottomed saucepan, add the sugar, stirring until fully dissolved.
Bring to the boil and cook rapidly for 10 - 15 minutes until the setting point is reached.
Skim the surface if necessary, allow to cool slightly then pot.

What not to do on a friday afternoon.....

2009-08-04T10:31:00.006+01:00

So its friday lunchtime and your thoughts are turning to what you've got planned for the weekend ahead, visit family, do that annoying DIY job you've been putting off, sleep for two days.....So you busy yourself finishing up all those little jobs at work, empty your in tray so you can finish with a clear mind.

Thats not what i do....no no no no, i go out onto a deserted moorland and drive into a hole! Yay!

Ta-da!

So now what do i do? Cry, run around screaming, have a good talk to myself about the idea of camping out for the weekend. Well i looks like i'm gonna have to dig. 3 hours later....i sit back and have a virtual hamlet moment.

So i leave it for the weekend and get a lift home with chris. Stressing over the weekend that a pack of teenage grouse are going to find it and i roll up monday morning with it jacked up on bricks etc. But no, its still there and still stuck! Cue another 5 hours of huffing and puffing with chris to dig it out. Having exhausted our list of de-bogging tricks (we were just digging it deeper) we call on ged to come to our rescue. One phone call later here he comes with a tractor from alocal farm. Piff paff poof and i'm out.

The day was not all lost though, it was sunny, we had beautiful views of the cairngorms and ladder hills and we found this little blighter:

An Emperor mouth caterpillar. This will spend its time on the moorland eating heather and eventually turn into this:

Alls well that ends well. Thanks to everyone that saved me and my toyota, thanks paddy for the company (he ran around alot) and Jim.....can we get a four wheel drive tractor next financial year please?

The bear nessecities......

2009-07-29T13:33:00.004+01:00

for any ranger are two fold when out working on the Speyside Way.

They happen to be, exhibit A:

A workmate, or dogs body as i like to call him. This is chris (Australlis Blokus) very handy to have around for the heavy lifting and dirty jobs, whilst i umm and aaarrrgghhh and finger wag. Here we are just fresh back from installing a gate up near garvault wood, i did do my fair share of the work, just to put your mind at rest.

Second is this, exhibit B:

My old mate paddy. (Blackus labus, pinus in bottomus, get in wayus, sit on bit of wood you are trying to cut or hammer) amoungst other names. He's always there with me everyday, sharing the great outdoors, we've had many adventures and here's to many more. He still gets more fanmial and people asking how he is than me....not that i'm jealous.

Oh i do like to be beside the seaside.......

2009-07-22T10:07:00.006+01:00

One would think that when on a seaside safari event, you would be training your eyes seaward for leaping dolphins, diving gannets and majestic ospreys....but no far from it infact.

Armed with sweep net and i.d charts, chris and plus dogs set out with a band of eager folk to see what the delights of the coastal section of the speyside way could reveal. This section takes you along the old portgordon railway line and through the Spey Bay golf course wood. When the sun finally does come out, grassy rides and glades in woodland are a mecca for insect life. Butterflies, moths, dragonflies and damselflies galour were out showing off their beautiful colours and dramatic fly displays.

The catch of the day had to be this little fella, (caught by chris after a manic couple of minutes with the sweep net on the No.9 fairway).

Its a wood wasp Urocerus gigas. Last time i saw one of these i was sitting down for my lunch in a larch plantation during a harvesting contract and this little fella decided to try and bore into my leg. That isn't a sting, it's an "ovipositor"which the female uses to bore into wood and lay her eggs through.

Well done chris!

If you go down to the woods today...........

2009-07-14T15:56:00.005+01:00

..beware of a tiny surprise! Yes with the year forging on regardless the foliage along the Speyside way is teeming with life....some nice and some not so.

My usual daily activity when i get home is for a tick check, first for the dog (because he loves the fuss and a tummy tickle, also as he roams through the undergrowth for most of the day...that's his job),then on myself. These tiny little blighters just sit around waiting for the unwary traveller, dog, deer, ranger to walk by and give them a lift and a feed.

Female deer tick.

The best way to deal with them is to keep arms and legs covered, tuck in trousers to socks, check regularly for them on your clothes, especially after having walked through long grass, braken etc.

When you get home check your skin especially round the groin, armpits, backs of knees anywhere warm with soft skin. For more information about all things ticky check out this website.

http://www.tickalert.org/

Battling on regardless....

2009-07-07T10:38:00.002+01:00

"Whatever the weather, we'll whether the weather, whether we like it or not......or so i think it goes. One day its up in the barmy high 20's and feels like the sub tropics, the next day its monsoon conditions....what do you do. Where the apprpriate clothing and then pack every other type of garment in your bag or van in my case.

Whatever the weather, we'll carry on here at Speyside Way Central. There is always something to be done. Just slap on the factor 40 or put on and extra coat and forge on. We're charging our way through the grass cutting along the Way right now, we've already had a mower breakdown, we blame chris but i think it was just years of hard use and it just happened to break when chris was using it.

Our summer events program has started, i took a wee group up Ben Rinnes last saturday in glorious sunshine and had some very impressive views form the top. Check out the friends of Ben Rinnes website to learn more about Morays big hill.

www.friendsofbenrinnes.org.uk

ATISHOOOOO........

2009-06-24T10:08:00.006+01:00

Two sunny days here have brought the grass pollen levels up dramatically. This morning it seems to be the turn of the cocksfoot grass (dactylis glomerata) to come into flower (yes, grasses DO flower, see below). A puff of wind rippling a hayfield I was passing today showed pollen drifting from the patches of cocksfoot like a light cloud of smoke. Hay fever sufferers beware!

This distinctive, tall grass (one of the easiest of all the grasses to recognise), much more cultivated by farmers previously than now, was introduced to Britain in the late 1700s from North America. It has lost favour recently as a forage crop with the introduction of many species of ryegrass which are considered more suitable for making sileage. Cocksfoot, nevertheless, is a strong, deep rooted grass which does very well in drought prone soils or in low rainfall areas, and produces very rapid re-growth after mowing

Moonshine....

2009-06-23T15:36:00.002+01:00

This week there is a tiny crescent moon in the sky - but can YOU tell, just by looking at it, whether it's a new moon or an old moon, whether it's waxing or waning? And does it matter anyway? According to many cultures, there are many things which should only be done under a certain phase of the moon. Take gardening, for example.
It is said that during a waxing moon you should:

repot your houseplants,
sow seeds and transplant vegetable crops such as peas, beans, lettuce, cabbage (all 'above ground' crops
plant any fruit trees and bushes
fertilise all plants

and under a waning moon you should:

plant bulbs
sow seeds or plant vegetable crops that grow below the ground, such as potatoes, turnips, onions carrots, beetroot etc

Anyway, back to the original problem - how to tell. Well, help is at hand in the form of a poem by Christina Rossetti:

O Lady Moon.
O Lady Moon, your horns point toward the east:
Shine, be increased;
O Lady Moon, your horns point toward the west:
Wane, be at rest.

In other words, (because the moon travels round the southern sky in the northern hemisphere) if the horns on the moon you are looking at point to the left, it's a new moon; to the right, it's an old moon.

So much moonshine? Try it and see.......

Where have all the visitors gone.....

2009-06-18T11:51:00.004+01:00

I am reminded of the old Pete Seeger song "Where have all the flowers gone?" - except in this case it's "Where have all the visitors gone?".

After seeing record numbers through the door of the Visitor Centre in May (up 67% on last year), June numbers have crashed again. June has of course been a bad month weatherwise even for NE Scotland, both cold and wet: could it be, to go back to Pete Seeger (well, nearly!) that the response is "Caught pneumonia, everyone" ?

Our figures for May had, of course, two major boosts. The first was the week-long local Whisky Festival which without doubt attracted large numbers of visitors into the area, and the second was the 'Julia Bradbury effect' following a showing on BBC2 of the episode of "Railway Walks" that was shot on the old railway between Craigellachie and Ballindalloch. (This is available on DVD from the BBC and also from outlets such as Amazon). The night after this was shown there was a spectacular spike of hits on the Speyside Way website, and since then we have had a real influx of visitors asking where the locations were!

Never under-estimate the power of the media!

Life and death on the Speyside Way

2009-06-15T09:41:00.003+01:00

One of the many benefits of working as a ranger are those concerning wildlife sightings. Sometimes it can be a fleeting glimpse of a squirrel scampering through the trees, a flash of a woodpeckers wing or the cry of a buzzard.

Live sightings are a pleasant bonus to my working day, but unfortunitaly more often than not I see quite a few road casualities. The two victims I see the most are badgers and red squirrels, both are seen scampering across the many roads around the county. As sad as it may be even these RTA victims can help in the on going monitoring of these particular two animals.

If you do see any sightings of badgers or squirrels, then log onto these two websites and report your sightings, yes, even road victims. So even in their death they can help towards the continuing monitoring and research of these two very welcomed residents of Speyside.

www.scottishbadgers.org.uk

www.grampiansquirrelgroup.co.uk

Have a browse through these websites to learn more about these creatures and how maybe you can help with the monitoring of them

Silver Linings!

2009-06-10T10:49:00.005+01:00

'Flaming June' ? Pah! Flaming Heck! What happened to June, more like! Relentless arrows of rain have been showering down on Aberlour this morning and the sky still looks moody and sullen - but hey-ho-it's still early-ish -so anything can happen. On the bright side - if you are a duck you are gonna love it today on the Speyside Way.

If you don't wimp out at the thought of a little rain, then there is plenty of good stuff to be enjoyed on the 'Way' at the moment.
Something amazing has happened to the plant life - in amongst the wildly burgeoning hedgerows there are blinks of bruised blue forget-me-nots and purple vetch. April and May brought primrose, bluebells and fragile wood sorrel and sexy wild garlic- both edible!

Now it's June we have the headily exotic scents of Dame's violet, the intensely spicy yellow broom, banks of whins wafting coconut and frothy cream, aniseed scented Sweet Cicely.

Now, surely, with all that laying seige to your nostrils you could use your imagination, forget the Scotch mist and enjoy this feast for the senses.

If in the unlikely event that you need further encouragement to take a trip to Speyside, the forecast is all set for sunny intervals over the weekend. So come and enjoy.

No motor vehicles, please.......

2009-06-08T11:41:00.002+01:00

Driving a motor vehicle on the Speyside Way, except of course where the Way follows a public road or the vehicle has specific permission from the landowner, is an offence under Section 34 of the 1988 Road Traffic Act:

"1) Subject to the provisions of this section, if without lawful authority a person drives a motor vehicle—

(a) on to or upon any common land, moorland or land of any other description, not being land forming part of a road, or

(b) on any road being a footpath or bridleway,

he is guilty of an offence.

(2) It is not an offence under this section to drive a motor vehicle on any land within fifteen yards of a road, being a road on which a motor vehicle may lawfully be driven, for the purpose only of parking the vehicle on that land".

Police will and do prosecute offenders - Aviemore police, for example, are currently investigating an alleged incident between Aviemore and Boat of Garten with the intention of bringing just such a prosecution.

The very cold showery weather persists - day-time temperatures are struggling to get into double figures, and there are reports of night-time frosts. This, we fear, must have taken its toll on ground nesting birds in particular - tiny chicks such as the newly hatched snipe I saw last night really struggle to survive a soaking in cold conditions.

Don't panic!

2009-06-04T13:07:00.008+01:00

Don’t panic! The aliens have not landed (well, not that we know of, anyway)!

The ‘cobwebs’ you can see on many Bird Cherry trees (prunus padus) along the Speyside Way are not the work of an invasion of giant spiders, only the result of activity by a relatively common moth, the Bird Cherry Ermine (Yponomeuta evonymella)

On hatching, the caterpillars of this moth can quite quickly spin a silk ‘tent’ over the twigs and branches where they can feed on the leaves in safety, protected from birds and parasitic ichneumon wasps by their surrounding shield.

During a major infestation of ermine moth caterpillars, whole bird cherry trees can be completely enveloped in this silken stocking and become totally defoliated. These outbreaks are sporadic, however, and while the trees may appear leafless and lifeless immediately afterwards, they tend to recover in subsequent years.

On Speyside, this is the third attack we have had in successive years, and some of our bird cherries are looking a bit sorry for themselves.

We will not, however, be sending out the Rangers to clean the trees, as has been suggested to us!

Out and about....

2009-06-03T10:04:00.003+01:00

Well the weather has drastically changed from the weekend and earlier on in the week. We were down near Tormore distillery doing some fencing repairs in shorts and t-shirts. Now I'm back in trousers and jumper......a better sight some may say if they've ever seen my pasty white legs.

Life as a SW ranger is wide and varied with every day different. The best laid plans and all that. I'm hopefully going down to Nethy Bridge and Boat of Garten today to lop back the broom and gorse from the track down there......nature never rests and its a continual battle to keep the track open. A good session of lopping will be welcomed to keep this cold weather at bay.

Normal service has been resumed!

2009-06-02T12:07:00.006+01:00

Well, summer did not last long - the northern European gloom has re-asserted itself and we're back down to 12 degrees!

Still, the Speyside Way seems busy with back-packers - perhaps more than we've seen for quite a few years, and the Visitor Centre is busy too - though not actually this morning, as it happens. We now have an added attraction next door where the tearoom has re-opened for the summer, in the original part of the Aberlour railway station.

Out on the track the birds are in full song - is it my imagination or are there more sedge warblers around this year than usual? Their raucous chattering song seems to be coming from
every bush. Any thoughts?

If you would like a reminder of what these enthusiastic wee songsters sound like, follow this external link for a couple of snippets of sedge warbler song:

http://www.freesound.org/tagsViewSingle.php?id=2945

Get a grip!

2009-06-01T10:45:00.005+01:00

Well ,this is my very first blog posting but hopefully not my last. Being a Ranger on the Speyside Way I am more at home with taming vegetation, constructing boardwalks, talking to the plants etc. Blogging is a new and interesting world that I will have to get used to, small steps mind!

Whats happening out on the way this week. Well, Chris and I will be continuing to lay down sheets of gripping on the bridges on the B'lloch to Craigellachie stretch. Things were getting a bit slippy on the bridge surfaces for SW users, so hopefully these new no-slip surfacing sheets will help feet, hooves and wheels to travel in peace.

Be on the lookout for us and do stop and say hello, Sam and Paddy the faithful ranger dog side kicks will always appreciate a tummy tickle.

What a difference a day makes.

2009-05-29T15:56:00.003+01:00

Speyside is today sweltering in 31degrees - feels more like the Mediterranean!

With a good forecast for the weekend and Monday, why not enjoy a walk on part of the Speyside Way? The section between Craigellachie and Ballindalloch, on easy old railway line, is both scenic and shady. The countryside is showing forty (at least!)shades of fresh green, and a host of spring flowers adorns the Way.

Wkile you are out and about, don't forget to call in past the Speyside Way Visitor Centre in Aberlour - in the old station building - open 7 days a week, 10 am to 5pm.

See you there!

Ash before oak?

2009-05-28T12:34:00.002+01:00

With summer weather predicted for this weekend and into next week, and a 'barbecue' summer being predicted by the met office, what about the folklore? Does it agree with this prediction?

Does the old saying
"Ash before oak, we’re in for a soak, oak before ash, we'll get by with a splash",
(suggesting that, if the leaves on the ash tree appear first, it will be a wet summer and if the oak comes first, a mainly dry summer) still hold good?

This year it certainly appears that oak leaves are appearing before ash - most of the mature ash trees around here still have their black sooty buds tightly shut while the oaks are bursting into leaf.

There is of course, very conveniently, a contrary version of the old saying in case the first version proves inaccurate!

"If the ash before the oak, choke, choke, choke, (ie choking heat)
If the oak before the ash, splash, splash, splash" (ie a wet summer)

I leave it up to you.........

Dreich again!

2009-05-27T12:43:00.004+01:00

Dreich and wet here again on Speyside today with, I believe, snow on the tops of the Cairngorms. Perhaps it’s the "the snow for the hinds calving" as Willie Elliot in Glencoe used to call a dusting of snow on the tops in late May / early June – can someone remind me of the Gaelic for that expression?

Can I correct a misconception that is going round, perpetrated by a mistake in the Press and Journal on Saturday last?
The Speyside Way extension, recently approved in principle by Roseanna Cunningham, Scottish Environment Minister, is going to Newtonmore not Kingussie as wrongly stated by the P&J. The inter-village rivalry is hot enough on the shinty pitch without a war breaking out over the terminus of the Speyside Way!

2009-05-26T15:30:00.002+01:00

Chilly for May!!
The cold showery weather continues. Warm in the sun, cold in the wind and very wet in the showers.
Ranger Chris is out and about with Llinos Davies today learning about watervoles - you know, 'Ratty' from the Wind in the Willows - and finding out how to trap their main predator. The water vole has declined dramatically in the past few decades, decreasing by more than 96% since 1950. This has been primarily due to predation by the invasive predator, the American mink neovison vison.
Speyside Way Rangers will be participating in the conservation programme.
For more information, and to see how you can help too, see http://www.watervolescotland.org/

Welcome

2009-05-26T15:24:00.001+01:00

Welcome to the Speyside Way blog!

Speyside Way staff will use this blog to try to keep you abreast of what's happening on the Way on a day to day basis - wildlife, maintenance work, weather, route conditions events etc!

We hope you enjoy it - why don't you sign up a s follower?

Jim