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Black Mount Bugle August 2016 Issue 109
In this Edition Note from our Councillor Dolphinton Flower Show
New WI Season Elsrickle Wreath Laying Ceremony Elsrickle Open
Flower Show Neidpath Castle hosts Wayside Market Dolphinton &
Blackmount Bulk Oil Buying Group BMCC Membership List Dates for
your Diary Puzzle Corner
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Note from the Editor Thank you to all the people who have
contributed to this edition. We would love to hear from you and
welcome new contributors as well as regulars. If you have any
articles, events, photographs, puzzles, recipes etc. please send
them to the Bugle email address provided below. The deadline for
contributions to the November edition of the Bugle is 14th October
2016.
Planning If you wish to discuss any local planning applications
or are proposing to submit a local planning application please do
not hesitate to contact your community council who may be able to
help you with any concerns or ideas you may have or may pursue. The
BMCC
Black Mount Community Online Visit the Black Mount Community
website: www.blackmount.org
www.facebook.com/bmccouncil
Contact the Bugle
Please send any articles, events, photographs, puzzles to:
[email protected] 07739715014
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Note from our Councillor – Hamish Stewart
Council Budgets It seems that one Council budget is no sooner
set than discussions begin on the next one. Discussions and
predictions began at the July meeting of the Executive Committee.
Many of the predictions involve the use of a crystal ball at this
stage as the level of the Government grant is still unknown as are
items such as the fact that, although Councils are now allowed to
increase Council Tax by up to 3% there has been no indication from
Government about whether money raised from any such increase is
ring fenced for use on specific projects. The indicative figures
indicate that the Council budget will require to be cut by
£34million in 2017 -2018. A good portion of this, £14million can
potentially be saved by reducing payments to the new Health and
Social Care Partnership, increased Council Tax from new housing,
predominantly in East Kilbride, increasing Council Tax (I suspect
very controversial and consequently may not happen), and other
savings identified in Service Reviews. This would still leave
£20million of actual cuts and savings to be made in services. It is
hoped that far more information will be available by the Autumn to
permit more meaningful discussions to take place. Walston School
Consent was granted at the June meeting of the Executive Committee
for consultations on re-siting Walston School to Elsrickle to
begin. If the consultations result in agreement for the move there
would be a requirement for a formal Planning Application to be made
before any construction could start.
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Note from our Councillor – Hamish Stewart
Contacting your Councillor The Council summer recess starts a
couple of days after I am writing this article but I will not be
going out of the country over the summer so I will be available as
normal to help with any problems or queries.
Councillor Hamish Stewart
Contact Details Phone: 07748 114 582 Email:
[email protected] Post: South Lanarkshire
Council, Almada St, Hamilton ML3 0AA
Social Group Sponsored Walk Sponsored Walk – Sunday 4th
September. Time and location to be confirmed. For details please
contact a member of the social group (contact details on page
6).
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Dolphinton Flower Show
Dolphinton Flower Show Dolphinton Village Hall Saturday 20th
August
Dolphinton Flower Show will take place on Saturday August 20th
in the Village Hall. A copy of the schedule is available on the
website www.blackmount.org/events.html or by phoning Anne or Pam on
01968 682256 or 682203. Children’s potatoes will be weighed and
judged on Thursday 18th at 7pm at the hall, when entry labels for
your exhibits on Saturday can be obtained. The hall is open on
Saturday morning at 8am and all entries must be in by 9.30 for
judging to take place. Doors open at 2pm when all will be
revealed!! And teas will be served, and there will be a raffle and
tombola. Hope to see you there. Anne Hutchison
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New WI Season The first meeting of next session will be entitled
“Fun with Flowers”, a hands-on demonstration by Irene Birse and
will take place on September 21st. Other subjects on our syllabus
are: Local food…Whitmuir, Water Colour for beginners, Beauty
treatments, Garvald and Local History - hopefully something for
everyone. We would be delighted to welcome new members to ensure
the continuation of Dolphinton SWI into the 100th year of “The
Rural”. All meetings take place at Dolphinton Village Hall at
7.30pm. Anne Hutchison
BLACKMOUNT SOCIAL GROUP
Our members are:- Anne Hutchison Chair 01968 682256 Suzanne
Dunne Treasurer 01968 682379 Sheena Edwards Secretary 01968 682615
Brian Curle Bonfire co-ordinator 01968 682294 David Darling
Community Council rep. 01968 682387 Duncan Veitch Entertainment
co-ordinator 079888 94727 Mara Orr Sports convener 01899 810219
New members are always wanted. If you are interested please get
in touch!
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Elsrickle Wreath Laying Ceremony On the 11 day (FRIDAY) at
11.00am, of the 11 month (November) the annual Wreath-laying
ceremony will be held at the SMALL war memorial at the top of the
village (Townhead).
There will be a very special welcome to all who wish to attend
this simple but very meaningful service of remembrance.
Those attending should gather outside Townhead Cottage by 10.55
am.
After the formal ceremonies are completed refreshments will be
served.
Police Scotland have been requested to attend to facilitate
safety from traffic as in previous years.
David Taylor
Sunday Worship
Church of Scotland, Dolphinton Morning Service – Sundays 9.45
am
St Isidore's Roman Catholic Church, Biggar Holy Mass – Sundays
12 noon
Weekdays (Mon, Tues-Thurs, Fri) 9.30 am St Mungo's Scottish
Episcopal Church, West Linton
Sung Communion – Sundays 10.00 am
Said Communion – Wednesdays 10.30 am
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Elsrickle Open Flower Show
Elsrickle Open Flower Show
Elsrickle Village Hall Saturday 27th August
This year's show will take place in the Village Hall on Saturday
27th August. Entries will be accepted up till 10 am on the morning,
ready for judging in a closed hall thereafter. The hall will reopen
at 2pm with the official opening and prize presentations following
at 2.30pm After the presentation, teas and delicious home baking
will be available throughout the afternoon. Flowers and vegetables
will be accepted from anyone within or out with the Black Mount
area and it is hoped there will be many entries this year. As ever
it is a great place to meet up with friends and exchange tips with
acquaintances old and new.
Norma Love
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Neidpath Castle Hosts Wayside Market On Saturday, August 20th
the annual Wayside Market, for Lyne & Manor Church, takes place
in the grounds of Neidpath Castle, by invitation of David and Lady
Benson. Neidpath Castle has not been open to the public for some
years but anyone attending the Wayside Market, will have the
opportunity to go round the castle. The Market will be opened at
2.00 p.m. A Wayside Market is a very traditional community event
with stalls offering the famed baking by the ladies of the Manor
and fresh produce and plants from the Manor gardens as well as
bric-a-brac, books, and toys. Literally hundreds of scones will be
baked, together with pots of homemade jam for the cream teas -
always the great attraction. There are games and competitions, too
which will make a good day out for the family. There are plenty of
activities for children including a puppet show and pony rides.
Entertainment includes live music, always guaranteed to provide a
cheerful party atmosphere. Organisers hope for a lovely sunny day,
so visitors can enjoy the fine surroundings but, ‘just in case’,
most of the attractions will be tented, so protected from the
elements. There is a small car park at the castle but plenty of
parking in the main car park in Neidpath Road.
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Neidpath Castle Hosts Wayside Market A History of Neidpath
Castle Sir William Hay (d.c.1390) probably built Neidpath Castle in
the late 14th century. It was visited by Mary, Queen of Scots in
1563, and by her son James VI in 1587. During Oliver Cromwell's
invasion of Scotland in 1650, Neidpath was attacked and suffered
damage to the 13th-century tower on the riverside. Some sources say
that the castle was surrendered without a fight, although others
suggest that it required the longest assault on any stronghold
south of the River Forth to force it to surrender. During the
1660s, the Second Earl of Tweeddale, an agricultural "improver",
remodelled the castle, constructed outbuildings and planted an
avenue of yews, of which one side remains. However, he was declared
bankrupt, and sold Neidpath to William Douglas, First Duke of
Queensberry in 1686, whose grand-daughter, Jean Douglas, is said to
haunt the castle - the sorrowful “Maid of Neidpath“, about whom,
both Sir Walter Scott and Thomas Campbell wrote verse. The castle
is said to be haunted by the ghost of Jean Douglas. Forbidden to
marry her lover, the son of the laird of Tushielaw, who was
considered below her station, she dwined while her lover was sent
away. When he returned she was so wasted that he did not recognise
her, causing her to die of a broken heart. She is reputed to appear
clad in a full-length brown dress with a large white collar. The
Fourth Duke, William Douglas became one of the wealthiest landlords
in the kingdom, but cared nothing for his lands and in 1795,
ruthlessly cut down all the trees and demolished the beautiful
hanging gardens that sloped down the castle banks to the Tweed. He
was famously pilloried for this act by William Wordsworth in a
sonnet written after his visit in 1803.
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Neidpath Castle Hosts Wayside Market In 1810, the castle was
inherited by Francis Charteris, Sixth Earl of Wemyss. The Wemyss
family do not reside in the castle, but have maintained it and
improved it where possible to this day and we are most grateful for
their offer to host the Wayside Market. Visitors to Neidpath for
the Wayside Market on Saturday 20th August are unlikely to meet the
ghost but will be able to see the magnificent vaulted basement and
hall, hung with the spectacular Neidpath batiques. From the gloomy
pit prison to the airy battlements, the castle itself tells a story
of seven centuries and while the castle is not open to the public,
this is a rare opportunity to explore the building and its
history.
Robert Barr
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Dolphinton & Blackmount Bulk Oil Buying Groups
Our two local Bulk Oil ordering groups (Dolphinton and
Blackmount) got together again at the end of May to place oil
orders on the same day. The best price quoted was from Rix. This is
the first time the bulk buy groups have used Rix and the price was
28.95ppl. The Dolphinton group order was 20,200 litres over 26
drops. The Blackmount group order was 18,500 litres over 22 drops.
Tricia (Dolphinton) and Catriona (Blackmount) will continue to work
together going forward to negotiate the best possible oil price for
all members. Our sincere thanks to everyone who has placed an order
with the groups to date and we welcome all new members. If you’d
like to join us or to discuss how the scheme works, then please
contact:-
Catriona [email protected] Tel: 01555 841107 Tricia
[email protected] Tel: 01968 682319 Our next order
is planned for end August / early September, depending on demand,
and we will contact group members mid to late August. Tricia and
Catriona
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CLYDESDALE RURAL COMMUNITY
TRANSPORT SERVICE
Do you need help with
Hospital visits, Doctor Appointments, getting to Clinic,
Dentist, and Optician or visiting Family in Care Homes?
We cover Biggar, Symington, Carnwath, Walston, LIbberton etc…etc
A small mileage charge is made for each journey.
If you require more information please contact: 01555 895491
REST EASY GAS & OIL
HEATING & PLUMBING ENGINEERS Breakdowns, Servicing,
Installations & Repairs for Nat gas LPG & Oil heating
systems
Installation of all types of gas/oil appliances All types of
plumbing works undertaken
Maintenance packages available Fully Qualified Engineer &
time served Plumber with 30 yrs experience
References available
01501 785427 or 07766 020349 Kirkgreen Smiddy
Email:[email protected] By Carnwath ML11 8LJ
www.resteasygas.co.uk
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ORTHOPAEDIC AND SPORTS INJURY CLINIC
SHEENA LIVINGSTONE BSc, DARM, DipST Diploma in Manipulative
Therapy........ Diploma in Advanced Remedial Massage........
Diploma in Sports Therapy..... Diploma in Remedial and Sports
Massage..... Diploma in Swedish Massage.... Diploma in Indian head
Massage....
TEL : 01968 661282
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Quercus Garden Plants Nursery and gardens
A range of hardy and unusual plants for Scottish gardens The nursery is situated at Whitmuir Farm on the A701 just south of Leadburn. We are one of an exciting group of business here, including the award‐winning organic farm shop and restaurant, Dancing Light Art Gallery and The
Wood Shack.
Spend an afternoon wandering around the nursery and gardens, see the animals and wildlife ponds on one of the farm trails, shop in the art gallery and The Wood Shack and enjoy good food in the organic restaurant and farm shop.
Open 10am ‐ 5pm Wednesday ‐ Sunday
Quercus Garden Plants, Whitmuir Farm, Lamancha, EH46 7BB
01968 660708 [email protected] www.quercusgardenplants.co.uk
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Black Mount Community Council Membership List
Chairman: Sam Cassels (elected) Kirkhouse Farm Dolphinton West
Linton EH46 7AB
[email protected]
Secretary: Jane Brookes (elected) Walston
[email protected]
Treasurer: Michelle Walters (elected) Elsrickle
[email protected]
Minute secretary Pauline Irwin (elected) Greenshields
[email protected]
Member John Hoskins (elected) Elsrickle
01899 810733 [email protected]
Website David Darling (associated member) Dolphinton
[email protected]
Bugle Editor Nicola Levy (associated member) Dolphinton
[email protected]
Councillors: Hamish Stewart
[email protected]
Rev Bev Gauld 01555 665765 bev
[email protected]
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Dates for Your Diary
Date Event Location Time 20th Aug Dolphinton Flower and
Vegetable Show Dolphinton Hall TBC
27th Aug Elsrickle Open Flower and Vegetable Show
Elsrickle Village Hall
Entries by 10am Open to public 2pm
4th Sep Sponsored Walk TBC TBC 5th Sep BMCC Meeting Dolphinton
Hall 7.30pm 3rd Oct BMCC Meeting Dolphinton Hall 7.30pm 7th Nov
BMCC Meeting Dolphinton Hall 7.30pm
Do you need crockery and glasses for a large function or family
event?
The social group have cutlery, plates and wine glasses available
to lend for any local events or members of the community. Please
contact Anne Hutchison for more details on: 01968 682256
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Puzzle Corner Answers in the next issue May 2016 Edition
answers: Mind gym – 26 Word - adventure
Mind Gym Exercise
Can you make a word using all the letters
Can you complete this maths chain in under a minute: 24 multiply
by 4 subtract 5 multiply by 2 add 8 subtract 4 divide by 2 subtract
33 multiply by 2 divide by 3
H L O
O A C
E C T
Joke
Q: What kind of dog tells time?
A: A watch dog!
The Bugle is published by the Black Mount Community Council but
views expressed therein are not necessarily those of the
committee.
The Community Council cannot accept responsibility for any
errors printed in the Bugle
