Picture of the day

Startrail Chestnut Tree by Anthony Whitbourn, which was highly commended in the Living Dark Skies category of the South Downs National Park’s astrophotography competition. More than 150 entries were received for the National Park’s first cosmic photography contest.

“Angus Reid’s recent memories of old Newtyle shops and businesses prompted me to recollect how things were in my native area of Strathardle in the 1950s,” emails John Milne.

“Starting at the top of the glen, Enochdhu had Arthur and Mrs Parkes’ shop/post office and Willie Dolby’s Hill Drainage Company, then Kirkmichael had Halley’s Stores which also ran a mobile shop, Mcdonald’s Stores, Jessie Keiro’s newsagents/post office, Harry Mcpherson’s Kirkmichael Hotel and Kirkmichael Garage, the Melville family’s Aldchlappie Hotel and glen bus service, Chick Cameron’s garage at Redhu and the long-established D S Menzies Bannerfield joinery business.

“Moving down the glen, Ballintuim had Mr and Mrs Smith’s shop, Peg Webster’s post office, Jock Webster’s general and livestock haulage lorries, Dan Webster’s building business, Frank Fender’s sawmill and joinery and Jack Petrie’s sawmill at Ardlebank, then Bridge of Cally had Ruth Walker’s shop/post office and the Mclauchlans’ hotel which also ran the bus service from Blacklunans to Blairgowrie.

“Petrol was available at all three hotels and at Redhu and there were six shops and four post offices in the 12 miles of the glen.

“Strathardle now has a community shop in Kirkmichael and Bob and Helen Brawn’s shop in Bridge of Cally which includes the only post office, no fuel at all, and apart from the hotels, all the businesses mentioned have gone. However, new businesses have been set up including a gin distillery, a mead brewery, a classic car restoration workshop,

a honey farm, a 4x4 workshop and two holiday parks, so life in the glen, although different, still carries on.”

Looking forward to better days ahead, Ruth Walker of St Andrews has sent in this photograph of the bowling green at Kemback. “The ruin in the distance is the old church at Kemback,” she says. “It is surrounded by the graveyard.”