Issue 20 - Country Lifestyle Scotland

Transcription

LIFEstyyle
C O U N T R Y
Scotland ’s rural lifes tyle mag azine
This year’s
Christmas dilemma:
Turkey
or beef?
SCOTLAND
Winter 2015
WIN £500
worth of
wedding
stationery
See page 24
Scotland’s fruit Stunning art in its Fish, golf, or stay at
wine specialists most simple form Forbes of Kingennie
LIFEstyle
For your FREE e-edition subscription to Country Lifestyle Scotland, register at www.countrylifestylescotland.co.uk
Scotland ’s rural lifes tyle mag azine
SCOTLAND
Welcome
drink:
sports:
Sampling Scotland’s very
own fruit wines and ciders
from Cairn O’Mohr
pages 4 to 6
Rod-bending trout to
battle at Lomond
Hills Fishery
pages 5 to 8
art:
craft:
Perfection with a pencil from Extreme craft! Hand sewn
leather bags from Kath
artist, Maggie E Simpson
pages 14 to 15
pages 10 to 12 Greaves
to the winter issue
of Country Lifestyle Scotland.
So much for our mild winter – the night’s
are fair drawing in, as they say.
However, on a more sunny note, we
have been to see Cairn O Mohr winery
in Perthshire, which seems to be able to
bottle a touch of summer in their fruit wines
and ciders - and very nice they are too.
It may look planned (it wasn’t) but we have
two articles that have a fishing connection.
One from Lomond Hills Fishery offering
a snapshot of their day to day routine,
and one from Forbes of Kingennie resort
in Broughty Ferry. It specialises in luxury
lodges, surrounded by fishing pools full
of trout and has golfing facilities as well.
Something for the whole family to enjoy.
On a visit to see a young artist in Biggar it
was endearing to find someone not quite
sure of her artistic abilities yet, which are
clearly excellent. Watch out for Maggie E
Smith’s work, it’s detailed, but simple.
In the craft pages, we have a lady who
produces hand-sewn, high quality leather
bags. Yes, hand sewn. What patience!
And if you are undecided whether turkey or
beef will grace your Christmas dinner table,
see page 26 for advice on how to cook
both.
Karen
karen carruth,editor
[email protected]
Contact:
food:
Beef or turkey? What will be
on your Christmas dinner
table?
pages 10 to 12
travel:
Luxury accommodation with
some country sport thrown in
at Forbes of Kingennie
pages 14 to 15
WIN £500 worth of wedding stationery
in our free competition.
See page 24
Editor: Karen Carruth
[email protected]
Sales executive: Paul Johnstone
[email protected]
Sales executive: Karen MacKenzie
[email protected]
Marketing: David Boyle
[email protected]
Advertising production: Joyce Brady
[email protected]
PA to publisher: Mandy McHarg
[email protected]
Country
Lifestyle
Scotland
Tel. 0141 302 7750
Tel. 0141 302 7368
Tel. 0141 302 7756
Tel. 0141 302 7719
Tel. 0141 302 7747
Tel. 0141 302 7722
@countrylifescot
www.countrylifestylescotland.co.uk
Published by Newsquest Herald and Times Group Magazines, Glasgow
COUNTRYlifestyle / 3
food and drink
Strange wi
By Gordon Davidson
Jude and Ron Gillies enjoying a selection of their wines out on the decking at the Cairn O’Mohr Winery.
Picture above: cider made exclusively from Scottish apples
4 / COUNTRYlifestyle
IT IS never a good thing to
become too set in one’s ways
In fact, some might say that a
key facet of a happy life is the
willingness to try something
different now and again, given
that the only dog that can
truly be called ‘old’ is the one
that won’t even contemplate
attempting a new trick.
Visiting the fantastically different
Cairn O’Mohr winery, nestling in
the gooey sump of Scotland’s
Carse of Gowrie fruit basket, I
suddenly realised what an aged
mutt I had become with regard to
wine.
Now I love wine, and I drink
it all the time, with occasional
breaks for work and driving, but
a glance round the cellar at Cairn
O’Mohr made me realise that I’ve
been trudging down a deeply
rutted road signposted ‘Cabernet
Sauvignon’ for the best part of
a decade, letting those dark-red
blinkers blind me to a whole wide
world of colour and taste.
‘Proper’ wine must be made
from grapes, right? Says who?
Well, that’s certainly the view
propagated by the owners of
all those French, Australian
and South American vinyards,
and who can blame them for
protecting their pensions? After
all, when was the last time Esso
suggested that folk might find
cycling a nice change?
The sorely unappreciated
truth is that grapes, conveniently
equipped with the right sugar
and acidity for wine manufacture
though they may be, are far from
the only fruit fit for fermenting,
and as we can’t really grow them
terribly well in Scotland, simply
shouldn’t be so important to
satisfying our national wine habit
when we’ve plenty native fruit of
our own.
Ronald Gillies, mein host at
Cairn O’Mohr, hasn’t much
time for ‘grape wine’. Note the
wonderful way that appending the
word ‘grape’ in front of the word
‘wine’ instantly diminishes the vast
mainstream wine industry to a
subset of something bigger, and
reveals how differently Ron sees
the world. Grape wine is ‘boring’.
Back in the 80s, in common
with many of that era, Ron
and his wife Judith dabbled in
home-brewing, making wine from
locally grown fruit like raspberries
and brambles – but unlike many
ngee wines here we come
of their demi-john bubbling
contemporaries, the wine they
made was actually quite good,
and much sought after among
their neighbours.
As a self-described ‘surplus
son’ of a farming family, his two
eldest brothers having taken
up the arable venture at East
Inchmichael Farm, Ron and fellow
spare sibling, Grant, had already
used their woodworking skills
to start up a prosperous wee
operation making garden sheds,
which taught them a whole lot
about business and dealing with
the public.
Noting the enthusiasm with
which those amateur batches
of local fruit wine were being
received, albeit as gifts or
swaps for other kitchen-table
concoctions, Ron decided to
up the ante a bit and produce
a batch big enough to be
worth bottling and labelling
commercially.
In that first year, his and Judith’s
labours yielded 4000 bottles,
using locally grown strawberries
and raspberries, wild brambles,
wild elderberries and oak leaves,
and the whole enterprise “just
about” covered its costs.
Thirty years, and several million
bottles of wine later, their Cairn
O’Mohr winery has miraculously
retained that “just for the hell of it”
homespun spirit, and is still using
local ingredients to make fresh
high-quality wines with no other
agenda beyond that people will
enjoy them. Now, however, the
annual output is around 250,000
bottles, distributed nationally
via ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and
ScotMid, as well as through the
Dobbies garden centre chain and
the hundreds of smart wee high
street delicatessens that have
sprung up all over the country in
the last decade. “Cornershops to
castles,” smiles Ron.
But the best place to buy
Cairn O’Mohr wine is, without
doubt, from source. The steading
at East Inchmichael has slowly
transformed over the years
Laying down
liquid history
in the Cairn
O’Mohr
cellar, where
one bottle
from each
batch is
retained
food and drink
Strange wines here we come
into a visitor centre of some
note, a somewhat otherworldy
smorgasbord of Easter Island
heads carved from tree trunks,
winery tours, tasting sessions in
the colourful shop, an excellent
wee cafe and a general air of selfdeprecating humour.
“Over the years we discovered
that people are just interested in
the place so we started showing
them around, and adding wee
features here and there. It’s good
to meet people, and tell them
about the wine, and share a bit
with them.
“We’re TripAdvisor’s top-rated
attraction in this area,” notes the
internet savvy Ron, who adds on
his latest flyer “New Attraction: I’ve
just washed the van (quick)”.
I ask him what his favourite
variety is, but he artfully dodges
the question, pointing out that
he tends to drink “half bottles left
over from the tastings”, so gets
whatever he is given.
As things stand this year, that
could be the usual raspberry,
strawberry, bramble and
elderberry wines, or a medium
sweet gooseberry, a choice
of Spring or Autumn oak leaf
wines, a sparkling Oak and Elder,
or a celebrational strawbubbly
strawberry-elderflower sparkling
blend.
I recall that strawbubbly, a case
of which appeared at a friend’s
wedding, held in an organic
restaurant in Glasgow... too sweet
for my tastes, but the ladies loved
it. I distinctly remember having to
carry one of them home, giggling.
There’s also a slate of
‘experimentals’, ‘occasionals’ and
‘seasonals’, including rhubarb,
beetroot and meadowsweet, and
once there was even a banana
wine. Locally grown bananas
Ron? “Well, they were from
Fyffes,” he smiles, airing a clearly
well-worn joke.
When I popped in to see him,
November had dawned, and the
autumnal atmosphere hanging
over the place was enhanced by
vast piles of apples stacked in the
yard, undergoing a period of extra
ripening to get their sweetness
up before pressing for cider, a
relatively new product added to
the range four years ago.
With Cairn O’Mohr’s increased
market, its demand for appropriate
raw materials has grown way
beyond the hedgerow missions
upon which Ron and Judith
founded the business, and the
road end at the winery bears the
hopeful sign “We buy apples!”
The hunt for cider fuel recently
paid off in the creation of a special
single orchard batch, when Cairn
O’Mohr’s pickers were allowed
access to Moncrieff Island, in the
Tay, where the King James VI golf
club has five old but productive
apple trees, and the annual heavy
fall of fruit was simply getting in
the way of the golf. Taken off the
island by the boatload, courtesy
of the local Sea Scouts, the two
tonnes of apples were enough
to make a separate 1000 bottle
batch of specially labelled ‘King
Jimmy’s’ cider.
Similarly in demand are the
elderflowers and elderberries
that provide seasonal favourites
at either end of Cairn O’Mohr’s
taste spectrum, the light aromatic
flowers populating a vastly popular
white, the rich sweet berries
powering a flavoursome red.
“Fifteen years ago, no-one
knew what an elderflower was, let
alone what it tasted of, but people
are now rediscovering the wild
resources that are out there, and
that’s great,” said Ron, who also
runs the Scottish Wild Harvest
facebook page.
“We still pick from elders in the
wild, but we need quite a lot, so
we started experimenting with
growing cuttings in a field, and
we’ve got a plantation now. They
work best with a good hard prune
now and then, but the downside
is you get no fruit the next year, so
we prune half one year, half the
next.”
Judith picking wild elderflowers
Apples from Moncrieff Island, in the River Tay, coming ashore for cider
production courtesy of Sea Cadet ‘skipper’ Doug Ferguson
Alongside this, possibly the
only commercial elderflower crop
in Scotland, Ron and his team
are habitual ‘plunkers’, sticking
cuttings into wild ground wherever
they see a likely space, restocking
the countryside with young
elderflower.
In the cellar at Cairn O’Mohr,
there is a liquid archive of one
bottle from each 1000 litre batch
produced: “Dusty relics of family
history, fun and work,” mused
Ron, poking about amongst the
bottles. It is an impressive record
of the family’s achievement, all
the same, and surely no ‘grape
wine’ connoisseur would dare
suggest any less worthy a cache
than those under the chateaus of
Europe?
When I got home, I realised that
there had actually been a bottle
of Cairn O’Mhor raspberry wine
lurking in my house for a couple
of years, and that it must therefore
have survived more than a few
desperate searches for after-hours
alcoholic sustenance, invisible to
me behind my Cab Sav blinkers.
It isn’t there anymore. But
another like it, and some of its
friends, will be paying me a visit
very soon, I can assure you.
■ Check out the full range,
plus seasonal specials – awardwinning Mulled Cider; Mulled
Elderberry, Berry Christmas, and
that Sparkling Strawberry – at
www.cairnomohr.com/shop
A visitor centre littered with amusing arts and crafts
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sport
Rod-bending
trout to battle
at Lomond Hills Fishery
By Linda Mellor
CATCHING FISH in a fishery is
an affordable option for many
anglers with a daily or hourly
fee usually allowing for a fixed
number of fish to be caught and
killed and some to be released.
The Lomond hill fishery charges
a day rate and there is also free
rod and boat hire. You can spin,
bait or fly fish from bank or boat.
The Lomond Hills Fishery,
managed by Alexander Wyness,
is situated between the east and
west Lomond hills within the Fife
Regional Park. It is a short drive
from Leslie and just over a mile up
Strathenry Avenue from the A911.
Running a fishery was always a
lifelong dream for Alexander. He
had spent years looking up estate
agents searching for suitable
business leases. Finally, in 2013
his dream came true when he
found the Lomond Hills Fishery.
He put together a business plan
and, after a number of meetings,
was successful in wining the
fishery lease.
Fishing and the outdoors have
always played a major part in
Alexander’s life. As a youngster,
he joined the Scouts and used
to go fishing with his mum; they
would spend their time on local
rivers and on the Clyde fishing
for brown trout and grayling. For
many years, he and his friends
have enjoyed long weekends
fishing on Loch Awe.
It has taken a lot of hard work
and countless hours to get the
fishery up and running as it had
been closed for two to three years
previously.
Before Alexander officially
opened the doors, he spent six
months applying for planning
permission, clearing up litter
and making sure there were no
poachers.
The fishery opened on March
15, 2014, this coincided with
Alexander’s birthday and the
opening of the Trout season.
Alexander said: “All the publicity
about the opening was done
by word of mouth so we were
delighted to see how much
support it received. Customer
service is very important to me, I
want people to enjoy themselves,
catch fish and come back.”
Alexander is keen to promote
it as a family friendly fishery with
children under nine fishing for free.
He said: “It is fantastic to see so
many families having a day out
fishing. So far, the biggest catches
we have seen have come from
women and children. We had one
family here for the day during the
summer and the little girl caught a
14lb blue trout on her first cast.
“She was so happy and at the
Above:
Alexander, the
fishery manager,
and his partner
Fiona take
advantage of
the facilities for
a spot of fishing
themselves
Top right: A
freshly caught
Rainbow Trout
Right: You can
have as much
success fishing
from the bank
as from a boat
end of the day she did not want
to leave and got upset when her
parents said it was getting late
and they had to go back home.
“We have seen other children
catch big fish; another little girl
caught a 13lb Rainbow Trout. She
was so small and the fish was so
big she could not hold it up for the
photograph.”
Stocking the fishery once a
week, and more during the busy
months, is a priority. Alexander
uses Cloan Hatcheries at Westmill
fish farm in Blairgowrie. Westmill’s
juvenile trout spend their first
few months in a flow-through
system, sometimes called a
raceway, before being transferred
to the earth ponds which run the
length of the farm. The fish have
maximum space, oxygen and
water flow which results in fully
finned hard fighting fish, and great
sport for the angler.
There has already been one
marriage proposal in a boat on
the reservoir. An angler took his
girlfriend out in the boat to fish,
he pretended he had snagged
his line. He tied the engagement
ring onto the line and asked her to
untangle it for him.
To her surprise she found the
ring, he proposed and she said
yes. Fiona, Alexander’s partner,
said: “He had told us he was
going to propose, so we rushed
out to buy a bottle of champagne
and a card then sat back and
watched. We were delighted
to congratulate them but also
relieved she said yes!”
Regulars are fishing a few times
each week, local fishing clubs,
work’s outings and birthday
groups are also frequent visitors
to the fishery which is open all
year round including Christmas
and New Year’s day. Alexander
laughed and said: “If there’s a
world war three we will still be
open!”
In addition to running the
fishery, Alexander also runs the
‘Good Life Fishing Club’. He
started it six years ago when he
and a group of his friends went
fishing on Loch Awe and used
to say to one another ‘this is the
good life’.
A couple of the group members
suffered from mental health issues
like depression. They found the
time spent fishing to be very
therapeutic. They spoke openly
about their problems because
they knew people in the group
would understand and there was
no fear of being judged.
Next year, Alexander wants
to build up the club and raise
money to buy a minibus so local
youngsters with mental health
issues can travel to the fishery to
enjoy a day out and learn new
sport
Rod-bending
trout to battle
skills.
“I know first hand what it is like
to deal with mental health issues,
how frustrating, stressful and
depressing life can be. Spending
time outdoors has been proven
to be hugely beneficial to all of us
and helps you to think and get
inspired. I am living proof,” said
Alexander.
Next year looks as though it is
going to be an even bigger year
for the fishery. Alexander has
plans to open an onsite tackle
shop, and an online shop and is
keen to promote the fishery to get
even more people outdoors to
enjoy fishing.
The relaxing location offers up
massive views over Fife out to
the North Sea, there is plenty of
parking and an endless supply of
‘rod snapping’ fish which will give
you a good fight.
An aerial view gives an idea of the
size of the fishery
Right: Westmills Fish Farm which is
where the fishery gets its stock
The fishery is made up of three
reservoirs: Holl (42 acres),
Harperleas (39 acres) and
Drumain (6.5 acres).
Contact:
www.lomondhillsfishery.com or
tel. mobile: 07930037642
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art
Simpleart
Biggar-based artist Maggie only needs a
pencil and some paper to create her artwork
By Karen Carruth
GRAB A pencil and a piece
of paper and enter the world
of Maggie E Simpson. That’s
all she needs to create these
stunning life-like drawings.
I speak to Maggie, 25, and her
mum, Shona, at their family home,
Hillridge Farm, in Biggar, while
dad Jim, and brother James, are
out working on their mixed farm.
We talk about her recent decision
to commit full-time to producing
artwork. Maggie has been
working in various jobs over the
years, but after being paid off, she
felt it was time to make a decision
on whether she would take the
leap into her art full-time, and so
far, it looks like she made the right
decision.
“I’m finally doing what I always
wanted to do. It’s early days, but
to do something that I love is a
great feeling, I’m doing my hobby
as my job.”
Working from the farmhouse,
but with plans to convert one
of the farm buildings into a
studio, Maggie already has 16
commissions lined up, ready to
take their place on her easel.
Most of her work at the
moment is commissions, and
now that she is taking stands at
a few fairs and recently at the tup
sales, her name is filtering through
via word of mouth.
I ask her to describe her style.
“Simple. But detailed,” she says,
“I like life-like detail, and I like the
subject to be the one thing that
stands out, that’s why I don’t
have backgrounds.” Maggie
is very modest, and her proud
mum Shona is quick to add that
she feels that Maggie captures
something special of the character
of whatever she is drawing, which
makes her artwork more realistic.
Maggie adds: “I didn’t formally
study art, apart from at school,
but I did go to The Tramway Art
Studio and what was clear from
the work that I did there, is that
I am fascinated by eyes, I drew
them all the time, and I think that
has proved really important in my
work now. When I get the eyes of
the animal right, it really makes the
image work.
“I’ve experimented with paint
and also with sculpture, and
though I did well at both, it’s my
pencil that I always come back
to.”
Maggie is secretary at Biggar
Young Farmers, and if you have a
talent in YF’s, it won’t stay hidden
for long. She has been roped
into creating backdrops for the
concerts, illustrations for cook
books, and also did enormous
paintings for the Biggar Gala Day,
Her drawing
of Highland
cattle is a family
favourite
Maggie works from her
family farm in Biggar
so large scale is not a problem
for her. “All of these projects have
taken me out of my comfort zone,
but I’ve really enjoyed them.”
In the beginning Maggie’s main
customers were friends and
family.Her mum however, has a
tight hold of a stunning line-up
of Highland cattle that she won’t
allow Maggie to sell, as she knows
exactly which wall it is going up on!
Her recent commissions have
been mostly of animals, a recordbreaking Blackface ram, dogs
and Highland cattle. She also has
a commission which will feature
seven German Shepherds and a
terrier – that will be a challenge.
Initially intimidated by tackling a
few tractor prints she was sent,
Maggie has also found she really
enjoyed the process of getting all
the details correct.
Does she have a favourite
subject? “Even though I’m not
a horse lover, I do love to draw
them. I think it is the smooth
coat, and all those muscles, very
different from livestock.”
She has worked on a few
personal pieces in the past. A tug
of war drawing for her brother’s
friend is quite stunning, and
another of her brother on the
quad bike with his dog, is a family
favourite.
What she does have to work on
is her confidence. “There was a
local fund raiser and I had offered
a drawing for the raffle, but mum
thought it was too good to raffle
and she suggested they auction
it. When it made £400 I was
Just a clear photograph is needed for commissions
art
Simpleart
delighted.
“When I sold my first drawing
I was so excited, and recently
I have had commissions from
America which really boosted
my confidence.”
With Christmas approaching
she has transferred some of her
work onto mugs and coasters.
She sells a set for just £12, one
coaster, one mug, gift wrapped
(see photo). She has thoughts
of keyrings and cards as well in
the future.
As yet, she is only doing
originals, but thinks that all
going well, she will either find
somewhere that can make
prints of her work, or she will
invest in the machinery herself,
which would allow her to make
prints for other artists in the area
too.
Naturally, being interested
in light and form, she is
drawn to photography. “I love
taking photos, and for my
commissions if the client can’t
get a clear photo, I am happy
to go out and take photos,
providing they aren’t too far
away,” she says.
All she needs is a clear photo
of the subject that she has to
draw. And along the way she
will email updates to the client to
let them know how it is coming
along. She will then mount the
finished work, package and
post it off.
The all important question.
How much does it cost? For
an A3 drawing she is charging
£100. As the image gets larger
the prices go up a little too.
I’ve already told her it is too
cheap, here is a word to the
wise – when she realises how
good she is, she will have the
confidence to put her prices up,
so get in quick.
Her website is under
construction, but to look at
more of Maggie’s work, she has
a facebook page, search for
Maggie E Simpson (don’t forget
the E, or you will get a yellow,
spike haired cartoon character).
Or you can contact her on
[email protected]
Above: Maggie
is selling a range
of mugs and
coasters as a set
which feature her
drawings, at only
£12
Her commissions
are mounted before
being posted out
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craft
Kath in her work room hand sewing a new design
KLGDeehide – taking hand m
By Karen Carruth
KATH GREAVES had thoughts of
retiring, but to do what? Having
worked in the medical profession
her whole life, formerly as a GP
and latterly in the teaching side
of things, there was little chance
that you were going to find her
watching Diagnosis Murder on
daytime television.
And now she finds herself three
years into a new venture making
hand-sewn leather bags which
keeps her occupied more hours
than the day has to offer.
“It started by accident, I read
an article about bag making and
as you do, I googled it with the
notion of finding a course. The
only one that I could find was in
London and because we are up
near Aberdeen, I could only attend
at weekends. That course gave
me the understanding of bag
structure, but what I needed was
to learn how to work with cow
hide, so the next course was a
saddlery course to teach me the
nitty gritty of working with heavy
leather. I should stress I’m not a
saddler! But I do use saddlery
skills in my work,” says Kath.
With the basic skill set in place,
Kath spent a year perfecting
her craft and in 2012 she was
confident that she was producing
work to the standard that she
strived for, and KLG Deehide was
launched.
I assumed when I looked at
Kath’s hand-sewn leather bags are
Kath’s bags that when she said
hand-made, it was with the help
of a sewing machine, but no, she
is sewing by hand. Two needles,
one on either end of the waxed
linen thread along with lots of
time and patience produces a
very high level of finish. The bags
are made from vegetable tanned
leather sourced from Europe,
usually Italy and Spain. Each of
her bags are unique and made to
Kath’s own designs.
The bags can safely be
described as country classics,
featuring bold colours, injected, as
Kath says, with a contemporary
twist.
The range includes hand
and shoulder bags, clutches,
messenger bags and totes.
And she offers a commission
service. That can take the shape
of creating your own design from
scratch and having the fun of
picking exactly what you want in
your perfect bag, or you could
pick one of Kath’s bag as a basic
template and tinker with the
design to have it suit your needs.
Now, as a retirement project,
you would expect that Kath has
more time to herself, but she
admits that she spends most
of her time in her converted
outbuilding at their Victorian
fishing lodge either working on her
designs or researching new ideas.
“Every day I look online, study
shapes, sizes, trends, and when
I digest all that information, I
find that there are elements of
them come out in my designs
somewhere down the line,” says
Kath.
“I am in my workshop at 9am
every day, I do pop back into the
house for meals, and out again
for a quick run, then I can often
be found sewing til midnight. It’s
only when I begin to get tired, and
worry that the finish may slip that I
call it a day and go to bed.”
As all the seams are on the
a la
There are many different styles in Kath’s repetoire of bags, check out the website for the full range
nd made to a new level
are
a labour of love
outside of Kath’s bags it is really
important that her work has
that perfect finish, and this is
the process she really enjoys,
perfecting the design and the
process of taking the leather
from a hide into something that
she has designed and created
using her own two hands. It’s an
outstanding amount of patience
that she is demonstrating.
“It can take me up to three
days to make some of the larger
bags, I use a clicker knife to cut
the pattern, a pricking iron to
punch the holes for the thread
to go through, and sad though I
am, I have worked out that I can
sew one inch in one minute,”
she laughs. “So if a bag required
around 20ft of stitches, you can
imagine how long it can take
to complete some of the more
complicated bags.”
Most crafters will agree that
using social media is invaluable
these days. Kath has discovered
that Facebook offers a more
informal place to showcase her
work. “My web page has to
show photographs that have a
consistent background, but with
facebook I can take photos of
the bags during the process of
making them, and when they
are finished, and it also offers
an immediate reaction from my
followers, which is nice.”
Apart from buying direct
from Kath’s website, you can
also purchase them from the
gallery, Touched by Scotland,
in Oyne, Aberdeenshire; also at
Whigmaleerie, another gallery in
Banchory. Kath also attends craft
fairs and is involved in 3D2D and
Exclusively Highlands which are
collaborations of crafters that
exhibit at larger fairs showing
under the one marquee, or in
historic Scottish venues. She
can be found at Eden Court at
Bishop’s Palace, in Inverness, on
Dec 4-6th.
Do her customers have a
favourite style of bag? “Actually
no, the saddle-type bags are
popular and some like the larger
tote style, but picking a bag is
such a personal thing.
“What I do know is that there
is a hardcore group of ladies who
just really love bags. I see them at
the craft fairs I go to. They come
along, tell me how much they like
my bags, take a leaflet and are
gone. Then presumably, having
convinced themselves that they
must have one of the bags,they
return and treat themselves.”
If you are buying a bag as a gift,
Kath does say that she worries
they may be well received, but not
always used by their new owner,
as it is difficult to pick for someone
else’s taste. She suggests that
you contact her, decide how
much you would like to pay and
Kath and the person getting the
gift, have a consultation and Kath
will make them their perfect bag.
Kath says that if you take care
of her bags, they can last a very
long time. It’s an investment, and
they are very reasonable for the
amount of work that goes into
them.
Kath concludes: “I love what
I do. It’s an obsession. Having
this opportunity to work from my
workshop at home, looking out on
the countryside and the wildlife is
a pleasure, every day.”
To see the full range, go to
www.klgdeehide.com, or look
for klgDhide on facebook for the
very latest that Kath is working on,
which changes all the time. Tel.
01330 811208
‘I have
worked out
that I can sew
one inch in
one minute’
The classic
tall curved
laptop tote.
Cream, tan
and black
veg tanned
leather
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fashion
Be a boutique belle
The High Street shops are full of sparkly party outfits for the Christmas season, but so are the little
boutiques that we hold dear in our villages around Scotland. CLS has been looking through the rails of
our finest boutiques to find the perfect outfit for this season’s round of parties.
Above: Frox of Falkirk introduces this
gorgeous floor-length Frank Lyman dress
with a swoop neck, bursting with sparkles
from your neck down to your toes. This
is the party dress perfect for the holiday
season – £198.00. www.froxoffalkirk.com
Above right: A fabulous short black dress
from Frank Lyman with a diamond neckline
is available at Frox of Falkirk at £250.00.
This dress is perfect for a woman with
modern sophistication going for that ‘Little
Black Dress’ look with a touch of glamour
www.froxoffalkirk.com
Right: Frank Lyman black duster coat £110,
black trousers £127, black cami £70 and
belts from £43. Available from September
Skies
Far right: Silver and gold duster coat £159,
trousers etc as above, available from
September Skies
fashion
This stunning rose and animal print dress is perfect for any event
over the festive season and sleek and sexy – £240. The designer
of both dresses is Joseph Ribkoff, Sheila Conn stock a huge range
of styles in a selection of sizes from 8-22
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This fabulous
Ribkoff dress
will surely make
heads turn
with stunning
silver and white
detail on side
panel of the
dress creating
a fabulous look
for Christmas –
£210 available
from Sheila
Conn of Biggar
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fashion
Above and above right: 101 Boutique
have a huge range of party dresses
ideal for this season’s shindigs.
Make a fashion statement with
the fabulous fringed top from
September Skies, £133
"'!#&$!%
There is no such
thing as too much
bling, as this little
diamante bag
proves. Just £35
from September
Skies
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Frox of Falkirk, 16-18 Newmarket St,
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September Skies, A34 Church St, Troon, Ayrshire
KA10 6AU Tel. 01292 315040
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Dumfriesshire DG3 5LY
Tel. 01848 330740 www.101boutique.com
Sheila Conn, 118 High St, Biggar ML12 6DH
Tel. 01899 220884
www.sheilaconnladiesfashions.co.uk
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competition
Bespoke stationery
designed with you in mind
By Karen Carruth
IF PLANNING a wedding
is on your mind, then you
need to know that whatever
visions you have been
vi
storing in the recesses of
st
your mind are going to
yo
appear exactly as you had
ap
imagined.
When it comes to
wedding stationery, Kirsty
we
of Three Tiny Words, is well
versed in converting your
ve
dreams into a paper based
dr
reality.
Kirsty has been in the stationery
business for eight years, but just this
year has decided to re-launch Three Tiny
Words with a completely new range of
stationery, and with the addition of a home
studio to work from, her classic designs
are beginning to be noticed.
Kirsty says: “I specialise in simple,
elegant designs. My customers have
remarked that they love the timeless
quality of my work, it’s not fussy, and I
do my best to use as many traditional
methods as possible when I’m printing.”
In order to achieve the traditional look,
Kirsty has a 1960
Heidelberg Press
in her home studio,
and she is working
on her latest designs
which will combine
letterpress with foil
C=@: B9B:> E<A:E=@:;;
printing.
“Generally,
my clients see
)#*'' )!&$ "%*+(
something on the website
that they like, and contact me
to tweak the card colour, the
font, the design, whatever they
wish, so that 99% of my work
ends up being bespoke.”
Next on the list is Kirsty’s
idea of producing foil prints.
She has a few ideas already in
the pipeline. Prints for special
occasions, like the birth of a
baby or an anniversary, which
can be supplied either framed
or not.
Apart from the wedding
business, the other string to
side of the bu
her bow is the personalised stationery.
Kirsty is working on personalised thank
you cards, notelets and writing stationery.
She has a quirky range featuring Scottish
phrases that she is excited to launch.
Timeframes for providing bespoke
wedding stationery is around six weeks,
to ensure that the entire range is just right.
You can see Kirsty at The Luxury Wedding
Show at The Balmoral Hotel on January
17, and also at The Scottish Wedding
Show on February 20-21, 2016 at the
SECC.
Kirsty concludes: My love affair with
designing and creating has continued and
the end result is my company Three Tiny
Words. I love the thrill of receiving a card
or letter through the post - opening the
envelope and discovering what’s inside and I hope my customers get the same
thrill as me when that envelope drops
through their door.
www.threetinywords.co.uk
WIN £500
worth of WEDDING STATIONERY
from Three Tiny Words
Country Lifestyle Scotland have secured £500 worth of wedding
stationery from Three Tiny Words. All you have to do to win this
amazing prize is answer the following question.
Q. What type of printing machine does Three Tiny Words use?
How to enter:
?. F1- '0 $G.F'. ".F,'1+,4H .4.2F7'H '1-.4.## #'F'107.G%
(71#5.) '0 '5. 5125.#' #'F7)FG)3
***3'5G..'17%*0G)#3$03,8
I.4J /L&!/ KK666L
:-F14J 5.440D'5G..'17%*0G)#3$03,8
By phone: Simply call 09013600993 and leave your answer and
details when prompted.
By text: Send your text to 80360 starting with THREETINYWORDS
leave a space, followed by your answer, name and contact details.
By email: Send your answer along with your name and contact
details to [email protected] stating Three
Tiny Words Competition in the subject line
Terms and conditions: The competition begins 27/11/2015 and closes 14/02/2016. Calls cost £1.02 per
minute plus your phone company’s access charge. Texts £1.00 plus your normal operator text charge.
Telephone and text lines open 27/11/2015 and close 14/02/2016 at 23:59PM. Call 0207 998 0549 for
help and advice on phone and mobile services. For full terms visit http://www.newsquest.co.uk/terms
Service Provided by Newsquest Media Group. Please note: your details will be passed on to Three Tiny
Words.
No cash or prize alternative. Prize is strictly not for resale. £500 can be redeemed against a wedding
stationery order including Save the Dates, Invitations, Orders of Service, Placecards and Thank You Cards
Prize to be redeemed by 31st December 2016
%%%(%&!$"(')("#
Christmas food
By Ken Fletcher
EVER SINCE Scrooge was a boy,
it’s been turkey that’s graced the
Christmas dining tables across
the UK – but it could be that
the big white meat producer is
in for a bit of a roasting due to
competition from a good bit of
Scotch beef.
There’s a growing band of those
who think that the use of turkey in
our Christmas menus is yet another
‘Americanism’ come to annoy us
and that beef is a more traditional
British choice for the biggest dinner
of the year.
Me, I’m piggie in the middle – if
you pardon the pun – but there’s
no doubt that, for me, turkey can
be variable in taste if not cooked
properly, whereas beef on the bone
with a bit of fat cover is pretty hard
to get wrong.
But what about the fact that we
usually only get turkey as a treat
at Christmas, and beef is available
to us all year round, I hear some
of you cry? Well, we now have
something in Scotland to take beef
out of the ordinary and create some
very special Christmas fare.
It is, of course, Wagyu and
Wagyu cross beef which promises
and delivers a unique eating
experience for discerning Scots.
And, Scotland is home to the
biggest herd of Wagyu cattle in the
UK and will soon be the biggest
in Europe. Add to that the fact
that the herd’s owners, husband
and wife team, Mohsin Altajir and
Martine Chapman, have the drive
and ambition to make eating
Wagyu beef not just a once a year
experience for those in the UK and
The big decision
‘Wagyu and Wagyu cross
beef promises and delivers a
unique eating experience for
discerning Scots’
Chefs, Ronnie
McAdam and
Jason Andrews
outside the iconic
and soon to reopen pub, The
Fox and Hounds,
in Houston
Ref:RH121115001
abroad, and the niche market that
it currently fills can only get bigger
... much bigger.
Leading fine dining chefs – many
of the Michelin starred – in the UK
already agree and their feedback
from happy diners means that they
are happy to pay the equivalent of
up to £8000 for a full-blood Wagyu
carcase on the hook – about five
times that of a commercial animal –
but by marketing cuts and making
the most of off-cuts, Martine can
push this up to double that.
But now, as the Mohsin and
Martine’s Highland Wagyu herd
expands – a herd of 5000 head
has been mentioned – the pleasure
of eating this specialist beef is being
expanded to a wider audience.
Enter chef Jason Andrews,
proprietor/chef at the River Inn, in
Crosslee, in Renfrewshire, who was
there when we visited the Highland
Wagyu herd.
He’d heard about the reputation
that the specialist beef is gaining
in the fine dining tables of London,
Edinburgh and Paris. And, as he’s
re-opening the famous Fox and
Hounds pub and restaurant in
Houston, Renfrewshire, it’s there
that he wants to offer ‘something
different’ to a wide catchment of
affluent West of Scotland diners.
“Re-inventing the Fox and
Hounds – it was a famous ‘farmers’
pub’ for many years – is going to be
a big challenge for me and because
it’s not that far from our already
established business, we need
to give our customers something
different,” he tells us.
“Wagyu beef has a reputation for
being high end quality eating and
it’s going to be one of the headline
acts on our menu, which will feature
Jason’s tips for cooking turkey:
Mohsin’s tips for rib-eye roast:
Gently massage
under the turkey
skin with a sage
and apricot butter
and fill the body
cavity with orange
lemons and thyme.
Place on
roasting tray over
honey roasted root
veggies and cover
with two pints
of good chicken
stock. Then cover
with tin foil and
slow roast the bird to perfection. Use the weight from the packaging to
determine how long to cook the bird – it’s about 15 mins per pound for
smaller birds and 20 mins per pound for larger ones at about 180°C.
Remember that stuffed birds will take half an hour longer.
Use tinfoil loosely over the top of the bird to stop it burning, but
remove for the last half hour and turn up the heat to 220°C to crisp up
the skin. Rest the bird after cooking for at least half and hour before
serving to let the juices flow back through the meat.
Number one, ensure
the meat is taken out of
the fridge and brought
up to room temperature
over a number of hours.
Over-cold beef distorts the
cooking process.
I never season before
cooking as the addition
of salt can dry the meat
out. Always season after,
or shortly before the beef
comes out of the oven.
Wagyu doesn’t
suit being ultra rare, so I would aim for medium rare to medium. An
instant-read thermometer is useful. Don’t poke the roast too soon, or
you’ll lose precious juices and flavour, do your first check when 80%
of the estimated cooking time has elapsed and adjust final timing as
necessary. Roughly, it’s 15-20 minutes per pound at 180°C.
Remove it from the oven when the internal temperature reaches within
5°C of the desired ‘doneness’. For medium-rare, or medium that’s about
65-70°C. The internal temperature will continue to increase during the
rest period by about 5°C (tent the roast with foil to keep it warm.)
Top tip:
Top tip:
Start the roasting with the bird up side down and turn right way up half
way through cooking, this lets the juices to flow through the bird evenly
and enhance the flavour and texture.
As with most meats, rest the joint for at least half an hour after cooking
so that the meat relaxes and allows the juices to ooze back through the
body of the beef.
– turkey or beef?
Wagyu gurus, Mohsin Altajir and Martine Chapman, with some of their growing
on Wagyu cattle
beef and seafood.”
Wagyu beef, he finds out from
Martine and Mohsin, is not just
a commodity, it’s also more of a
philosophy of beef production.
The cattle are deliberately kept in
quiet surroundings on the couple’s
25,000-acre estate and are fed
a special diet which adds to the
breed’s ability to lay down fat, but
not just any fat ... the kind that
marbles the meat in such a way to
impart a distinct butteryness to the
texture and a taste to die for.
So, when they reach the
end of their eating feeding and
sleeping cycle (at least if they are
not in the breeding herd) in the
specially designed buildings on the
Perthshire estate, there is an air of
quiet bovine reflectiveness about
these cattle. They are happy and
they know it ...
It is typically at three years or
even older that Wagyu reach their
peak for slaughter – about double
that of normal commercial cattle.
By then they are big cattle, but not
huge in the rump department and
their length of rib suggests that the
sirloins, rib eyes and fillet will be
pretty huge.
Of course, marbling is the main
effect of the genetics, the feeding
and the ageing process on the
hoof, and the Highland Wagyu
bloodline have been selected to
deliver that to the max.
It’s also a surprise that, once
slaughtered, there is no real
need for the carcase to ‘hang’ to
add more flavour. “Pure Wagyu
carcases are hung for about 10
days and we hang the crosses for
21 days. There’s no real need to
do so, but it’s just our preference,”
said Martine.
Mohsin added: “It just doesn’t
need to sit in a chill for many days,
as the flavour is already bred into
the animal and is there in the form
Christmas food
of heavily marbled meat.”
“And, it also requires a different
approach from chefs who are used
to cooking rare steaks. With Wagyu
beef, it has to be what most would
describe at least medium rare. It
needs that little bit extra cooking to
ensure that the marbling soaks into
the meat to bring out that unique
flavour.”
A rare Wagyu steak is not a
particularly nice thing to eat, he
pointed out, but once cooked
properly and the juices created from
the marbling come into play, the
effect is startling. There is no doubt
that eating Wagyu is a unique
experience and Highland Wagyu
is putting a monumental effort into
ensuring that it stays that way.
It sells directly to chefs and only
to the public via its own deli shop in
Bridge of Allan, No 16 Deli, which
offers everything from traditional
steaks and roasts, to charcuterie
products from a specialist curer
based in London.
This highlights the fact that even
some of the cheaper cuts of meat,
like the flank and the brisket should
still have the capacity to produce
that special flavour, even when
cured or smoked, or put into pies.
Of course, most of us will all have
a turkey at Christmas ... but why
not do as I do and have both it and
a big roast of beef.
Continued on next page
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Christmas food
The big decision – turkey or beef?
Fact file: Highland Wagyu
Highland Wagyu is a pedigree beef
company, breeding fullblood Wagyu,
plus Wagyu crosses from AberdeenAngus, Beef Shorthorn, Highland
and Dexter females with a mission to
produce the best beef in the world
from its 25,000-acre estate farm in
Perthshire, Scotland.
Established by Mohsin and Martine
in 2011, it is the largest producer of
Wagyu cattle in the UK and on course
to the biggest in Europe. It started as
a personal venture after they tasted a
mind-blowing Wagyu steak in Australia.
That started a passion for Wagyu beef
and they moved to Mohsin’s family
farm in Perthshire, buying seven Wagyu
heifers and two bulls to breed its own
beef. It snowballed from there.
In August, 2013, they bought the
entire herd of 300 head of Wagyu cattle
from fellow Perthshire farmer, David
Ismail, making it the largest Wagyu
herd in the UK. Within five years they
are on target to hit 5000 head, to make
Scotland the Wagyu centre of Europe.
Genetics play a huge part in
producing quality beef and the aim is to
produce the best, luxury Wagyu beef
in the world, with a consistent marbling
score of 9+, the highest rating outside
Japan.
“We show respect for each animal
from nose to tail right through the
life cycle. We pamper our Wagyu
cattle and that ethos continues with
our luxury Wagyu beef. I inspect
each carcase to ensure the Wagyu
ALMOST THERE a Wagyu cross Angus steer just about ready to be
beef’s premium quality and to keep
slaughtered. The meat from such crosses is be hung for about 21 days,
improving,” said Martine.
although there is not much need to do so, pointed out Mohsin
Fact file: The Fox and Hounds and The River Inn
The Fox and Hounds is a famous pub in the heart of the village of Houston
and has been a favourite for many generations of Renfrewshire people. It
has been a coaching inn since 1779.
Jason Andrews, the proprietor/chef, has worked in many top
establishments for other people over the years and when he took over the
River Inn, in Crosslee, 10 years ago, it proved the catalyst for a successful
career as a chef/owner.
Life as a chef started for Jason at the Country Club, in Strathblane,
where he was a kitchen porter. One day a chef didn’t turn up, he was
‘promoted’ and has been tied to a kitchen stove ever since. He went on to
be chef de partie at the Country Club, before moving to Gleddoch House
Hotel, where he became executive chef.
A stint with the Big Beat Group as its executive chef ended when he
became the chef/proprietor at The River Inn and his latest venture at
The Fox and Hounds begins in the first week of December, when the
popular venue opens for the first time in more than a year.
The Fox and Hounds has been bought by local couple, Graham and
Karen Finnie, with Jason taking on the lease of it. There will be three
sides to the re-design – the Stables Seafood and Grill restaurant; the
Hunters’ Bar, where bar lunches will be available and the Stables Bar.
Jason and his newly promoted managing director, Angela Orobine,
will oversee the running of both establishments, with chefs Ronnie
McAdam and Steven Murray in the kitchens at The Fox and River Inn,
respectively, while Alan Morton will manage the new venture.
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gift guide
Christmas
gift ideas
Farmers’ wives never complain but
we do wine mug, £7.61, available
from www.supermug.co.uk
Gillian Kyle’s tartan stag
apron £18, available from
www.gilliankyle.com
Tel. 0141 248 8702
Gillian Kyle’s tartan coo apron £18, available
from www.gilliankyle.com Tel. 0141 248 8702
Gillian Kyle’s tartan coo set of two place mats £16, available from
www.gilliankyle.com Tel. 0141 248 8702
This girl loves tractors mug £7.61
available from www.supermug.co.uk
Complete horseshoe necklace
and bracelet available from
Hiho Silver
combining solid, hand cast,
perfectly formed sterling silver
horseshoes that are linked
together.
Necklace is £385, and the
bracelet is £180.
Available from www.hihosilver.
co.uk or call 01460 221006
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Christmas G
ANGELA DAVIDSON ART
For Christmas, Angela Davidson always has something to offer when it
comes to buying for Him. This relatively new creation is titled Challenger. The original painting was a huge acrylic on canvas, but prints are
available in three sizes from £55:00. Challenger is also available as a
canvas print.
Telephone: 01464 821 351 for details
Visit Angela’s website to see her range of over 120 prints.
www.angeladavidsonart.co.uk
Pre Christmas orders come with a free double mount
(UK mainland addresses only)
SEPTEMBER SKIES
Think Style. Think Affordable. Think Different!
Treat yourself or a special someone this Christmas to a
beautiful genuine leather handbag
Choose from our lovely range from Peach RRP £82.00
Also stockists of Joseph Ribkoff, Frank Lyman, Libra, Robell,
Steilmann, Yest, Signature, Harvey, Frandsen and Jorli. Don’t
forget we have lovely co-ordinating jewellery and accessories to
match your outfits.
Christmas is all wrapped up with September Skies.
.
September Skies,
34 Church Street, Troon, Ayrshire.
Telephone 01292 315040
CONTACT THE ELDERLY
organises monthly Sunday
afternoon tea parties for
small groups of older people, aged 75 and over, who
live alone, offering a regular
and vital friendship link every
month. Volunteer drivers use
their own car to collect one
or two older people once a
month, and take them to a
hosts’ home for afternoon
tea, joining in with the conversation and returning them home safely afterwards. Volunteer hosts welcome eight to 10 people once or
twice a year, providing a warm welcome, sandwiches, cakes, tea
and coffee. Hosts homes must have no more than a few steps and
a downstairs toilet.The group is warmly welcomed by a different
host each month, but the drivers remain the same so that over the
months and years, acquaintances turn into friends and loneliness
is replaced by companionship. Demand for our services in Scotland
have hit a record high and we urgently need volunteer drivers, hosts
and group co-ordinators.
For more information contact Caroline on 0141 812 1555 or email
[email protected]
www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk
THE IDEAL GIFT ISN’T
JUST FOR CHRISTMAS!
A subscription to “Working Shepherd” lasts for a whole
year! Working Shepherd - written by
shepherds about shepherds,
their flocks and their dogs.
Top quality photos and
articles just for people like
you. Buy a year’s worth
of pleasure (4 issues) for
yourself or a shepherding
friend for just £22 from
workingshepherd.co.uk or
send a cheque for £22 to
Andrew Hall, 5 Vale Crescent,
Bishop Wilton, York YO42 1SU.
Sample copy £5.95.
All prices FIRST CLASS POST
FREE!
s Gift Guide
PERILLA
Treat your feet to gorgeous alpaca
walking socks (shown here) are ideal
their all round terry looped thickness.
than any other fibre, repels odour and
feet remain at a perfect temperature.
before needing to wash! Perilla produce
baby alpaca bed socks in four sizes.
field sports enthusiasts and wearing with
The vast palette of colours includes natural
tones of raspberry and purple. All socks
welcomed present for any age, any time.
socks from online alpaca specialist Perilla. Thermal
for hiking, climbing and winter sports with
Alpaca fibre has higher insulating properties
bacteria but gently wicks away moisture so
Alpaca socks can be worn for over a week
seven ranges of alpaca socks to include 90%
There are long up to the knee socks suitable for
Wellingtons and perfect socks for everyday use.
colours of sage green and mulberry to vibrant
can be beautifully gift boxed and make a most
Perilla.co.uk
01886 853 615
LIFE CHANGING CHRISTMAS
FROM SCIAF
ng
SCIAF Real Gifts are life changing
ly
Christmas presents that are really
ng
two great gifts in one – something
meaningful for you to give to a
loved one and a Real Gift which
brings a better future to someone
e
living in poverty.
Just £30 will provide a goat
that will give a family living in
poverty as much as 12 pints of
fresh milk a week and they can sell
ell any extra
milk to buy other food and essentials.
tials. By breeding them
with other goats, families can make some money selling
their kid goats.
To order please call 0141 354 5555 or visit www.sciaf.org.uk/realgifts
FARMING IS A
FAR
FUNNY BUSINESS
FUN
compiled by John & Andrew Arbuckle
compil
collection of Jokes, Stories and Anecdotes
A coll
that sshow he lighter, humourous side of
working
in Rural Scotland.
work
Support
RSABI,
Supp
price
pric £10 (£12 inc. P&P)
Call 0300 111 4166
Ca
or visit www.rsabi.org.uk
NEW HOPETOUN
GARDENS
New Hopetoun Gardens is the Scottish
Home of Miniature Gardens! You will be
enchanted by our Fairy Glade, already
planted up miniature gardens and
the most tempting collection of Fairy
Houses, Miniature Houses, bridges, lamp
posts, veg patches, planters, stepping
stones with which to furnish your own
miniature garden. Find us in West
Lothian on the A904 three miles west of
the Forth Road Bridge or visit today at
www.newhopetoungardens.co.uk
Fairy Houses start from £14.95 for a
very desirable residence ‘Pine Cone
Fairy Home’
gift guide
Christmas
gift ideas
Stylish handmade tweed bags from Scotsburn Croft at Invergordon. From left, Harris
Tweed tote bag £95; Tartan tote bag weekend, £89; Tartan tote bag for everyday £75.
Available from www.scotsburn-croft.co.uk or tel. 01349 852 104
Stunning handcrafted Quaintrelle necklace from ‘Inner Island’,
available in 18kt gold, silver plated, or black rhodium plated silver
and sterling silver. 55cm length. 129 euro (£91).
Availalbe from www.innerisland.ie or tel. +353 87 6488 475
Adorn your
Christmas tree
with these bird
baubles in two
coordinating
designs, each
with a pretty
satin ribbon tie.
Presented in a
handy storage
box. £14.99 for 14.
Available from
www.rspb.org.uk
or tel. 0845 1 200
501
Sterling Silver Bobbly Necklace
Gillian Kyle’s tartan westie mug £10,
available from www.gilliankyle.com Tel.0141 248 8702
This Hiho favourite features solid
sterling silver links interspersed
with nests of silver beads,
finished with a T bar to make it
easy to put on and take off. The
fully soldered piece sits well with
any outfit.
Matching bracelet also available.
£325 for necklace.
Available from www.hihosilver.
co.uk or call 01460 221006
Hiho’s exclusive sterling silver
pheasant brooch captures
all the detail of a pheasant in
flight in sterling silver. It’s 6cm
long and 5cm wide and has a
sturdy pin at the back to stop
it ‘flying’ away. It makes a
stunning addition to any lapel.
Matching earrings also
available
£55 www.hihosilver.co.uk
or call 01460 221006
Hydrating Cream formerly called OrlDen Cream Plus.
This is a fragrance free moisturiser blended from 11 nut
oils, butters and extracts. It is used as a facial moisturiser,
aftershave balm and suitable for small children with dry
skin / eczema. The 75g is £12.00, and the 250g is £30.00.
Available from www.olisskincare.com or tel. 028 41753157
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gift guide
Christmas
gift ideas
The RSPB’s bestselling, birdsong
clock. An image of
a British bird marks
each hour and on that
hour its song or call is
played. A light sensor
prevents them from
disturbing you after
dark. Hang on the wall
or use the integral
stand. Illustrations by
artist Mike Langham.
£19.99
Available from
www.rspb.org.uk or
tel. 0845 1 200 501
Hand-crafted, folding boot jack, designed by Watts Country Living for
ease of use out in the field. Made from solid wood, each boot jack has
contrasting wood feet and brass hinges and comes in a choice of oak,
walnut or wenge.
Cost £38 and can be purchased online from www.wattsdesign.co.uk/
buy_now.html or tel. 01598 710215
Snapdragon’s
personalised travel
mug £15.00 www.
snapdragononline.co.uk
or tel. 01360 660 903
Snapdragon’s bottle opener,
personalised with your own
photograph. £6.00
www.snapdragononline.co.uk or
tel. 01360 660 903
Berkeley oak
frame wooden dog
bed – large (110 x
75 cm) – £325.00
with waterproof
orthopaedic mattress
– £168.00 and
optional luxury cover
in red tartan – £68.00
Beds are available in
three sizes.
www.
berkeleydogbeds.
co.uk, or
tel. 01264 861143
Don’t forget your faithful
friend this Christmas
Berkeley raised dog bed –
large (110 x 75 cm) – £60.00.
Fitted with optional polar fleece
non-slip pad – £35.00 in navy
www.berkeleydogbeds.co.uk
Tel. 01264 861143
gift guide
Education is important
but tractors are
importanter mug, £7.61
Available from
www.supermug.co.uk
Black USB wireless touchscreen weather centre.
Gives the following information at your fingertips:
indoor/outdoor temperature (°C or °F); wind speed
and direction (mph or kmh); self emptying rain gauge
(mm or inches); indoor/outdoor humidity; barometer
pressure with trends; ‘’easyweather’’ software included
to link to PC via USB; historic data storage and display
(stores data on PC only); LCD panel wall mounts or desk
mounts; wireless range up to 60m (clear line of sight).
Interfaces with your computer for full weather analysis.
Battery operated, betteries last more than 12 months.
£49.99, available from Maplin. www.maplin.co.uk Tel.
0333 400 9500
Sterling silver shotgun cufflinks
featuring a sterling silver
shotgun on each one, with a
sturdy push through back to
keep them secure all day long.
Complete with Hiho’s careful
design twists.
Keep calm and
farm on mug £7.61,
available from
www.supermug.co.uk
Orlden’s best selling product,
the Orlden herbal cream. Ideal
barrier and healing cream
for hard working hands, skin
conditions and can be used
for many skin conditions in
livestock also.
£9.00 for 100mls, available from
www.ordlenlivestockproducts.
com. Tel. 028 41753157
£45 available from
www.hihosilver.co.uk or
call 01460 221006
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gift guide
Christmas
gift ideas
Junior carpenter tool set for the little helper at home,
packed in a wooden storage cabinet, £19.99 –
Children’s personalised horse hoodie,
suitable for aged eight upwards. Available from www.
various colours available, £12.75 – from ages brightminds.co.uk or tel. 0844 41 22 49
1-12. Available from www.amazon.co.uk
Snapdragon’s personalised unicorn cushion
(comes in four colours) £35.00
www.snapdragononline.co.uk or
tel. 01360 660 903
Archery game, including target, bow and four arrows,
£24.99. Available from www.yellowmoon.org.uk or
tel. 0333 202 6377
Abair gun
do ghabh Montaidh
iongnadh!
Or Monty’s Big Surprise! for non-gaelic
speakers.
A lovely story from the children’s author
Gayle Clark of Bearsden in Glasgow,
about Dalmation dog Monty, and his
latest adventure – translated into gaelic
for the first time.
Available from www.gaelicbooks.org
or tel. 141 337 6211. Price £6.50
More books in the Monty series are
available from:
www.weemackaypublishing.co.uk
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travel
Pier Cottage,
Castleton
Pets welcome
An idyllic, secluded
shoreline location in
Argyll and a newly
renovated traditional
cottage makes Pier
Cottage on Loch Fyne
a treasure. This newly
rebuilt self-catering
holiday cottage sits just
along the shore from
Shore Cottage on the
Castleton Estate, but
has its own garden and
privacy. The cottage is
literally a few steps from
the sea and you can sit
on the patio and watch
the tides change or even
paddle across to one of
the islands. With three
bedrooms, it sleeps six.
From £475 per week
The trend for taking your pets on holiday is here to stay and
Cottages and Castles now have a portfolio of properties
where the welcome mat is out for both people and their
furry friends.
By Karen Carruth
TAKING YOUR best friend on holiday
these days appears to be the option of
choice. Your dog – not your other half,
you understand.
And it hasn’t taken long for cottage
and lodge owners to realise they would
be missing a trick if they didn’t allow
well-behaved dogs into their properties.
Particularly if the cottage is marketed as a
get away from it all destination. We don’t
need the stress, or cost, of organising
kennels before we head off, and I know
that the last time I picked up our highly
strung terrier from the kennels, he was so
stressed, we had to add the cost of a visit
to the vet to have him checked out.
Forget all that hassle, and next time you
fancy a staycation, shove Rover in the car
with you.
Sue Bourne, manager of Cottages and
Castles, an online cottage rental site, said:
“Cottages and Castles have witnessed
a real trend in ‘dog-friendly’ holiday
bookings recently and we understand
that most pet owners would prefer to take
their well-behaved pooch with them on
holiday. Choosing Scotland as your holiday
destination is a good decision. This country
is splitting at the seams with culture,
scenery, wilderness, wildlife, local business
and produce, character and fun.
“Obviously a major part of your holiday
is what you plan to do when not in
your holiday home, and a lot of people
we speak to come to Scotland for the
magnificent scenery. The best way to get
out and see the sights for yourself is to go
by foot and explore. You want to stay in an
area where there are great walks for the
family and the dog to enjoy, coastal or hilly,
we have plenty!
“And of course the joy of self-catering is
that you can choose when you come and
go, you can treat the house like your own
home, and you are in low risk of disturbing
anyone else. So if your fluff ball wants to
run around barking, there’s an abundance
of space and remote locations.”
Here are a few cottages that will
welcome your pet as much as they
welcome you.
Dalriada Lodge, Ardbrecknish, Dalmally
Set within a large, peaceful wooded garden overlooking
the shores of beautiful Loch Awe, Dalriada Lodge is a
wonderful base for the outdoor enthusiast or a perfect
place to just relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
With three bedrooms, this lodge comfortably sleeps
seven
From £440 per week
Laggwood Cottage, Kilmory,
Arran
Located in the secluded and pretty
hamlet of Lagg, this delightful, historic
mill worker’s cottage exudes character
and charm. With three bedrooms,
sleeping six people, the area is
surrounded by quiet, rural farmland and
close to the sea shore where there is a
large sandy beach, wonderful views and
great rock pools. From £580 per week
Tirriemore, Grantown on Spey
If you crave complete isolation, peace and tranquility,
while being surrounded by beautiful moorland and
Highland lochs, then Tirriemore is the place for you. With
three bedrooms, it sleeps six people. From £750 per week
travel
Fishing to the fore!
An unusual mix of fishing, golf and quality lodge
accommodation makes Forbes of Kingennie a perfect retreat
By Karen Carruth
Duck if you hear a swishing sound
over your head... you have been
warned
A FISHERMAN, a golfer and the
mother of the bride walk into a
bar… sounds like a joke, but this
is what I see as I peek into the
bar at Forbes of Kingennie resort
at Broughty Ferry, as I wait in
reception for my key.
Fishing, golf and weddings
don’t, on the surface, seem like
a match made in heaven, but
surprisingly it doesn’t seem to
clash here.
The reason there are groups of
people in camouflage gear, some
in pringle jumpers and quite a lot
in kilts and swanky dresses, is that
the resort caters for them all, but
more of that later.
My little family have arrived for
a weekend in unseasonably nice
weather, and we are feeling quite
smug to have bagged one of the
three waterside lodges which
overlook the fishing pools. The
term fishing pools doesn’t really
do them justice, they look like mini
lochs, with tidy pathways weaving
between them. The one in front
of the restaurant complex has a
rather smart fountain that comes
on as the sun goes down, with
clever lighting that changes on a
rotation.
Anyway, we are delighted
with our lodge as we look out
over the pools from our upstairs
balcony, feeling rather regal up
above everyone else. We are in a
three bedroom lodge, which has
all the bedrooms and bathrooms
downstairs, with the whole top
floor being an open plan living and
dining area with the ‘all mod cons’
kitchen up there too. A balcony
at each end of the room allows
you to throw open the doors and
sit outside enjoying a glass of
something fizzy.
About the resort, I have to
admit I had never heard of it,
tucked up behind Broughty Ferry
as it is, just west of Dundee. It is
the brainchild of the Forbes family
of Omachie Farm, a well known
farming family in the area, and
today I am speaking to Libby, the
marketing manager, and daughter
of Mike, who started the resort
some 20 years ago.
Mike, even though he worked
on the farm, was a keen angler,
actually, he was more than
keen, he was Scottish National
Fly Fishing champion in 1991,
and won the Phoenix Salver for
the best international Scottish
rod, and with his well developed
business sense, he could see
the gap in the market. He started
with three lodges and turned an
overgrown corner of the farm
into a fishery. The success has
seen Mike, and his wife Gail,
continuously invest in the resort,
expanding and improving as the
years pass.
Now it has 14, four star
lodges, some sleeping up to 10.
Three overlook the pools, the
travel
Fishing to
the fore!
The view from the balcony
of the waterside lodge,
overlooking the fishing pools
Far right: The waterside lodges,
and the resort’s restaurant, bar
and function rooms are just a
short stroll apart
others are in the woodland. All
of them a short stroll from the
complex, which consists of a bar,
restaurant, and the various event
suites to cater for weddings and
corporate events.
When we arrive I take the two
kids out for a wander around.
There is a play area for kids, the
usual swings and slide, and there
is also a huge treelined maze, this
year in the shape of a thistle, that
you could lose an hour or two in.
They have a nine-hole golf course
and an 18-hole putting green,
which is very well maintained, like
all the grounds in fact.
I suppose it depends which
world you come from, if you
are an angler you will know
Kingennie for its four large fishing
pools covering 12.5 acres,
which cater for all anglers tastes.
The Bankside, Burnside and
Boathouse pools offer good
quality fly fishing are ideal for clubs
and competitions.
Whereas the Woodside pool is
more suitable for kids, beginners
and those who don’t only fly
fish. I don’t know anything about
fishing, so on a stroll around the
pools with the kids I picked the
fisherman who looked like he
would be least annoyed with
some random stranger quizzing
him as to why he was here.
“Why do you come here, rather
than somewhere else?” I ask
him. He looks at me as if I have
a mental disorder, and waves his
hand around. “Look at the place,
it’s perfect for us (I assume he
means anglers), it’s handy for me,
they have all the facilities, and look
at the kids,” he nods to where a
group of little boys, aged around
10, are casting into the water
like professionals, “and it is really
reasonable. I’ve caught four trout.
It’s just £8 for two fish, and when
it goes to four it is £12.50, that’s
good value – and (he winks) I can
go to the bar for a pint before I
head home.”
I have to take his word that it’s
good value, but he seems really
pleased with his shiny trout that
are in a shopping bag next to him,
which he proudly shows my kids.
They instantly freak out as the fish
have blood on them from when
Lots of space for family time in the sitting room which stretches across to the
kitchen with balconies at both ends of the room
they got chapped on the head –
so that’s our chances of getting
them to try fishing out the window.
We dodge a few golf buggies
which are bringing the golfers
back to the bar, and wander
into the woods which house the
stunning boathouse lodge.
Formerly a delapidated ruin,
the family had the good sense
to see the potential and have
refurbished the boathouse into a
stunning secluded lodge which is
used mostly by newlyweds as a
honeymoon lodge. It has a deck
and an upstairs balcony which
overlooks a quiet corner of the
boathouse pool. It is in a stunning
spot, with a wooded walkway
hidden in the woods taking you to
the door.
Speaking of weddings, the
resort staff are experts in this
field. Currently hosting around
100 each year, it proves to be a
popular place with the number of
weddings increasing annually.
They have an ethereal building
called the Buddon Burn ceremony
suite, named after the burn that
Mike caught his first fish in, which
is where the couples can be
married. It has a high peaked
ceiling, with white washed beams
giving it a church like quality,
but with floor to ceiling windows
overlooking the water. Two event
suites cater for either the small
or large weddings, up to 200 in
the evening comfortably, and
they have a newly refurbished
events and marketing suite where
couples can meet the events
team and organise all the intricate
details that every wedding needs.
Libby takes me a drive around
Omachie Farm, which her
grandfather, Graham and his
American bride Cindy took over
back in 1966. Graham is the man
behind East Coast Viners, so the
business gene didn’t fall far from
the tree when son Mike came
along with his resort idea. The
family still farm on a large scale,
consisting of a pig enterprise,
strawberries, and the arable farm.
They have also just invested
in an anaerobic digester which
is so large it looks like a space
ship which has just landed in the
middle of the poly tunnels. It is fed
The bedrooms are spacious, bright and tastefully decorated
Forbes of Kingennie sponsor the Scottish Fly Fishing outh team and also
sponsor ‘Casting for Recorvery’ which holds retreats around the UK for
women who have suffered with breast cancer, giving them the opportuntiy
to learn fly fishing which is considered very therapeutic
The secluded boathouse
used regularly by newly
weds as their honeymoon
hideaway
travel
Fishing to
the fore!
on the maize that is grown on the
farm, Libby tells me, but makes
it clear that this is her dad’s side
of things, she sticks to the resort
along with her mum, Gail.
What does strike me is that
even though it is marketed as a
resort, it feels like somewhere that
I’m sure that locals would happily
come up to just to enjoy the
walks, and Libby tells me that they
have regular couples who come
along weekly. He goes off golfing
or fishing, she happily heads to
the restaurant for tea and cakes
and they both meet up for lunch.
The restaurant has a varied menu,
plenty for the kids, and again it
has lovely views over the water.
The family do their best to use
as much of their own produce in
the restaurant, as well as locally
sourced ingredients, as the east
coast has a plethora of quality
food producers.
We take advantage of the
supper club menu, which is
along the lines of £11.95 for two
courses. Lots of choice, good
food and a relaxed atmosphere,
which is a bonus when you have
kids with you.
A round of putting follows and
then it’s back to the lodge to
take advantage of the whirlpool
bathtubs – it’s got to happen. Top
tip, go easy on the bubble bath,
or the suds will be over your head
in around a minute of turning the
air jets on. The bedrooms are
comfy with large solid wood beds
and furniture, en suites, and a
large family bathroom with double
shower.
The resort has a relaxed feel to
it, it doesn’t lean too heavily on any
of its attractions, it has struck a
happy medium. A perfect place for
‘ladies what lunch’ too.
With this being the 20th
anniversary of the resort, the family
are hosting celebration events,
the latest raising £8015, with all
profits going to TCCL, which is
Tayside Children with Cancer and
Leukemia. Encouraging children
into fishing is very close to Mike’s
heart, and they sponsor the
Scottish Fly Fishing youth team
and also sponsor ‘Casting for
Recovery’ which holds retreats
around the UK for women who
have suffered with breast cancer,
giving them the opportunity to
learn fly fishing which is considered
very therapeutic. Check out their
website for dates.
As for the future, Libby says:
“Having just been in the business
myself for a year, the highlight
for me is having the opportunity
Whether you fish or not, the resort is still a lovely destination for families, couples and groups
An aerial view of the site, with the maze in the foreground
The restaurant in the resort has a wide range of food available
to work closely with my whole
family and I think that is something
that makes Forbes of Kingennie
Country Resort somewhat unique.
The ‘Forbes’ in the name can be
seen everywhere from the food
that is in the restaurant, supplied
from our family farm, to the flowers
on every table, crafted by my
granny Cindy, and the smiling
faces of mum, dad, my brothers
and myself who are always around
the resort.
“We all muck in and help
to push the resort forward
so that we can offer the best
possible authentic experience
to our customers. As for the
future, there are lots of exciting
plans on the horizon, from the
renovations to our Cairn O’Mount
bar starting in January, which
aims to add a country feel with
leather Chesterfield style seating
and a warm central fire, to the
development of a new play park
and reception area which we hope
to do next year.”
As for the immediate future, they
have a busy season of Christmas
party nights, and Christmas meals
to get through first. It’s the perfect
place for a company to come
along, have their Christmas party
and then stay over in the lodges.
I might shout that louder in the
hope that my company is listening
– might need a loud speaker!
There is a winter special offer on at
the moment – check out the panel
for the details.
I think as a family we would be
happy to come back. The lodges
are lovely, the food was great, the
location is stunning, and there is
lots to do in the area. Broughty
Ferry is a five minute drive away,
and Dundee and all its attractions
is about 10 minutes away by car.
Look them up, there are good
deals to be had at the moment.
www.forbesofkingennie.co.uk
or tel. 01382 350213
Special offer on now
■ Three night stay in the
woodland lodges (sleeps up
to four) £195
■ Three night stay in the
waterside lodges (sleeps up
to six) £255
Both offers feature a bottle of
complimentary prosecco.
Offers runs between November to
February excluding Dec 23 to Jan
2, and Feb 12-15.
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Issue 20 - Country Lifestyle Scotland

Transcription

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