Eating humble pie

“It was interesting to see the winter scenes in the Traces Through Time feature recently,” writes a Fife reader.

“Six decades ago when I was a 14-yearold, a psychic told me that a road bridge would span the Firth of Tay and her second prediction was that there would be a change in the climate and that the country would turn much warmer.

“On her first prediction, it passed through my mind that it was possible, though highly unlikely. As for the latter, I said to myself: ‘Aye, that’ll be right!’ I have been eating humble pie ever since.

“Until 20 years ago, it was more or less expected that the Sidlaws would have a coating of snow during the months of winter and it would often lie for days at a time.

“Nowadays, during the rare period when there is a covering, it is pretty much here today and gone tomorrow.

“Another regular winter occurrence was that the school bus, bringing kids to Newport Secondary School from the Gauldry area, was unable to get through because of blocked roads – much to the envy of local children.

“The pond in Tayfield would freeze thickly enough to bear the weight of skaters and it was a regular sight to see Newport Curling Club playing matches on the curling pond which had the luxury of electric lighting.

“It was powered by a generator which was housed in a shed over from the mill dam.

“As children, we used to sledge in Lawson’s Field which was adjacent to the curling pond, or down Kilnburn where there was the added thrill of skilfully avoiding hurtling down the steps at the foot of the hill.

“It was not unusual for ice floes to float down the upper reaches of the Tay and for them to gather in the estuary.

“On a dark winter’s night it was eerie to hear the ice creaking and groaning in the ebb and flow of the tide.”