Posted by Frank Donelly on Friday 3 September 2010

In my previous Blog, I reported the results of our initial recce in advance of our proposed tour on August 28, when we were intending to take a party for a walk through Hazlehead Park, on around the Golf Course, and finally down to Maidencraig Nature Reserve.

Since then, we have had another walk around the area - not without its moments of drama - and have done some research into certain items on our route. As usual, we dug up much more information than we had time to use, but it was all fascinating stuff and can be filed away for future use.

At last we were ready (or as ready as we thought we could be) and the big day finally arrived. On my way from Torry to Hazlehead, there was a sudden rain shower that was quite frightening in its intensity, and did not bode well for the afternoon. If fact, it caused me to break my journey in town, to buy one of those fold-up brollies that springs into action at the touch of a button - and shows a great reluctance to go back to its former shape afterwards! I had evidently watched the wrong weather forecast the evening before!

Reaching Hazlehead's former Tramway Shelter in fine time (early, as usual) and completely dry, I settled down to wait for my colleagues and the 25 people who were coming with us. I was armed with a list so that I could welcome and tick off our "guests" as they arrived, and as I waited, I could hear the tannoyed commentary from the Hazlehead Flower Show - some sort of competition here I thought, could be interesting.

Staff duly assembled and in their walking boots, it was not long until our "guests" had arrived and were hanging around, looking expectantly at me. Rob, at last, welcomed everyone and introduced the rest of us in his own inimitable way, and we were off - or rather we weren't off as the first speaker, Stewart, was talking about Aberdeen's Trams and their relationship with Hazlehead Park at the very spot we were assembled!

We eventually moved off into the park itself, bravely avoiding the ice-cream shoppie and the café, until Chris halted us to talk about the Hazlehead Policies and Hazlehead House - which was demolished so that they could build the ice-cream shoppie and the café, prize winning architecture of the day! By now, the sun was shining and jackets were being discarded by the ton!

Then it was my turn - I talked about Alexander Cooper, Fruiterer, and the fountain which he had donated to the City, traffic congestion necessitating its move from the Castlegate to its present position, just west of the café in 1947, at a cost of £120. A fascinating character and, as suspected, totally unknown to the group! Moving on, it was my turn again in the Piper Alpha Memorial Garden. I think we were all moved by the memorial with its superb figures. But did you know that the unidentifiable remains from this tragedy are encased within the memorial, behind the cross on the south elevation? Very moving.

On now to a spot overlooking the Maze (closed, as usual) where Stewart took over, with a highly entertaining description of mazes in general and their history - a-maze-ing! Sorry Stewart, it had to be said - again!

On to "Hazlehenge", a group of three large granite boulders arranged in a small circle. Me again, my last contribution to the proceedings. These boulders were originally a group of four, and were intended to be carved as heraldic lions, to be placed at each corner of the new King George VI Bridge in 1938, but were scrapped at the outset of World War II, and while three of them ended up in Hazlehead Park, the fourth was used as a memorial to the great Aberdeen architect, Archibald Simpson, and it can be seen in Bon-Accord Square.

The Queen's Cross bollard/lamp standard adjacent to "Hazlehenge" allowed Stewart to talk about tramcars again, then we moved briskly on to Hazlehead Woods, where we had a look at the remains of Hazlehead House Walled Garden - and where the heavens opened! Luckily we were amongst a fairly thick group of trees at that time and so avoided a real soaking, and Judith gamely carried on with her description of walled gardens in general, in spite of the frantic donning of jackets and the clicking of brollies going up, mine included! Beryl, the Jack Russell brought along for our amusement, decided to set up in opposition to Judith, and when she'd finished barking (Beryl, not Judith) decided that she would play hunt the stick (again Beryl, not Judith) and quite happily entertained herself during the rest of our time in the woods.

As soon as we set off again, the rain stopped and the sun returned - just in time for the next segment of the walk around the edge of the Golf Course. Beryl left us at this point, feeling very tired and having run out of sticks, and we started getting some lovely views. Chris talked to us about the Golf Course as we admired the view south towards the Club House over the greens. Rob then told us all about squirrels, both grey and red, but we did not see any. He also told us about the lovely avenue of trees leading up to the site of the crematorium at Jessiefield, and then the lichens on the stones on our way down to the Skene Road. Meanwhile, the views east towards the city were quite pleasing, and the farmland to the west had some surprises - not least a red Routemaster Bus, tucked into a group of farm buildings!

At the Skene Road, Chris talked to us about its history (as it happened, on a quiet, bypassed section of the original road), where the rest of the speakers did an impressive quick-change into our High-Viz Jackets, and after a further safety talk on the hazards of crossing a very busy road, we safely shepherded our group over the road and into the depths of Maidencraig Local Nature Reserve, with deer very much on our minds, after seeing about a dozen of them on our original visit.

Rob and Chris did an excellent job as "safety persons" on a tricky section of the path and saw us safely down to where we had an excellent view of the remains of Maidencraig Mill. Chris told us the history of this little-known building, and then Stewart told us about the Maidencraig Coin Hoard.

This was the official end of the tour, and after a few words from Rob we received a very welcome round of applause from our audience. Shortly afterwards, some of us did see a deer, but nothing like the herd we were expecting. Up onto the Skene Road again - with a pavement this time - and back to Hazlehead via Groat's Road, where we renewed our friendship with Beryl, now quite recovered but stickless, and said our farewells until the next time!

Some of us went on to the Nargile Turkish Restaurant, where we compared notes and had some lovely food! We agreed that we must do this again, and looked forward to the next season, with the burning question…when should we have our planning lunch, and where?