There are days when the sun and the sea
work together to turn the sand to silver.
A perfect mirror shine.

There are also days,
when you turn around
and see horses on the beach,
splashing through the breaking waves.

Yesterday at Balmedie,
we we’re lucky enough to get both!

But anyway, we went to Balmedie in Ross’ car, It’s a Rover for anyone that cares. We arrived at the start of a wooden walkway about 10 or 20 minutes away from the city centre (Aberdeen is a coastal city).

We finally got on to the beach/dunes. It’s not quite how I had remembered it, the sand was dull and the dunes looked dead if that’s a good way of describing it. The dunes seem no longer be ‘Sand’ dunes but grassy hills.

 Part of the Beach.

Anyway, we soon moved on to the actual beach by means of jumping of the dune onto the sand. Ross couldn’t do it he said he was “scared” of heights. Once we got on to level ground we headed only the sand until we reached the old Second World War pillboxes, I had never seen them before. I don’t know much other than they were from during the war, there are various rumours about them such as homeless people sleeping in them and that they were not actually there for coastal defence but rather to hide something. We spent a while looking and going inside of them. I took some photos. We even climbed on top of them but as I ran to jump on it I slipped and just about broke a few toes in the process, guess I deserved it.

The pillbox

We then though it was round about time to go home, we were starting to get bored and Ross had prior arrangements. So we headed home but only after we had drawn rude pictures in the sand, skimmed a few rocks and recorded ourselves being prats (arses). I’ve got a stupid picture of Ross.

 Ross

So yeah, that was my day. How was yours? Have you got any dunes near you?

The building of Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire has been controversial, with environmental campaigners opposing the construction of the course on protected sand dunes and Mr Trump himself complaining about a potential offshore wind farm being built near the site.

The course will open to the public on Sunday July 15 with a series of private events being held this week.

The businessman cut a ribbon on the first tee on Tuesday to mark the opening and hit the first balls with former Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie.

More than £100m has been spent on the course and the clubhouse, but further plans for a hotel and homes in the area have been put on hold until a final decision is made on the offshore wind farm proposal.

Trump International said 160 jobs have been created so far with positions in management, catering and course maintenance.

Work on the course began in July 2010 after the tycoon won planning permission to start work on the construction four years after plan were first put forward.

By way of a topical look at the development, take a look at the trailer for the movie “You’ve Been Trumped” released in 2011 (links to the full film are available…).

LOS ANGELES, April 30 – Donald Trump was surely nodding sagely over his scones and tea at breakfast this morning as he read headlines in the papers saying that wind turbines could have adverse environmental effects. A little curd, please.

Researchers who analyzed nine years of satellite readings around four of the world’s biggest wind farms discovered that the facilities slightly increase temperatures near the ground as the turbines’ rotor blades pull down warm air.

In a word, the researchers found for the first time ever that even as wind farms of a certain scale do produce clean, renewable energy, they also have a potentially negative long-term effect on the immediate environment.

“The warming trend corresponds very well with the growth of the wind turbines,” said Somnath Baidya Roy of the University of Illinois, who was part of the research group. “The warming is going to level off when you stop adding more turbines.”

According to the report, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Climate Change, the nighttime air around the wind farms in central Texas became about 0.72 degree Celsius warmer in 2003-11 as farms grew from a few dozen turbines to 2,350.

SMALL TEMPERATURE CHANGE

The scientist who led the study, Liming Zhou of the University of Albany, had to admit that the temperature change is “small” and that the researchers “don’t know whether there is a change in weather due to the temperature change.”

However, Zhou insisted that more research is needed as the popularity and increased numbers of wind farms “might have noticeable impacts on local-to-regional weather and climate.”

That will likely release a new outburst of hot air from Trump who has been at odds with the government of Scotland for months now, recently saying that “wind turbines will destroy one of the great environments of the world.”

In fact, Trump is opposed to a proposed $371 million experimental offshore wind farm in sight of the development he is opening in July at Balmedie, north of Aberdeen. The development is comprised of a golf resort with two courses, a 450-bed five-star hotel, 500 homes and 950 short-term rental apartments.

SNAFU IN THE PLANS

The snafu in Trump’s plans came in August when the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, a venture between Vattenfall, Technip and Aberdeen Renewable Energy, applied for planning permission to construct 11 640-ft-high wind turbines about 1.5 miles offshore in Aberdeen Bay.

That decision surely put the wind up Trump.

As it turns out, though, Trump is in conflict with a key policy of Scotland’s leader Alex Salmond that sees the land of William Wallace as Europe’s windiest and the eventual home to about 25% of Europe’s offshore turbine capacity.

Translated into political terms, Scotland’s government predicts the wind industry could create at least 28,000 new jobs and boost the Scottish economy as much as 5% of current gross domestic product by 2014 – the year that Salmond hopes Scots will vote in a referendum to leave the United Kingdom.

“The demonstrator plant is about consolidating the northeast of Scotland’s position as an energy capital of the world,” said Salmond, underlining the importance of the area to his policy. “Frankly, I don’t think 11 turbines off shore is a difficult proposition for most people to accept,” he said.

“I’m afraid Donald Trump and I are destined to disagree on this matter,” said Salmond, a few weeks back. “It would probably be best to allow energy policy of the country to be determined by the people who are democratically elected to determine it.”

DUFF SHOT

Salmond, of course, is drawing attention to the fact that Trump – an unsuccessful US presidential hopeful – has no elected role in any government on either side of the Atlantic. It is, naturally, a duff shot.

It is especially duff when you consider that Trump can count on the support of the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club and the Scottish Golf Union. It is unclear just how many votes either will be able to muster in the 2014 referendum, but in a democracy all voices must be heard.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that Salmond appears to have public backing for his windy schemes, though Scots may also have some preference for other forms of renewable energy.

Pollster YouGov published two polls on April 23. One of them, commissioned by Scottish Renewables, found that more than 70% of Scots supported the continued development of wind power.

The other poll, on behalf of Friends of the Earth, showed that 32% of Scots favor tidal and wave power as their first choice for future energy, almost twice as many as the 18% that have wind power as their first choice.

That’s not exactly a hole-in-one for Salmond, but it surely trumps Trump. Pass the toast?

© Glamma Productions Inc 2012

Paul Johnston, a well known Aberdeenshire Councillor is seeking election again this May. 

The Independent Aberdeenshire Councillor has interests in planning and waste issues.  He is Chair of a national community recycling network. He is a strong advocate of social enterprise and development trusts.

“I believe I still have a lot to offer all of the Communities that make up the huge expanse of the ward of Mid-Formatiine.  From Oldmeldrum, Methlick, Tarves and Pitmedden all the way to Potterton and Balmedie, I hope I have made a contribution with a record of action. “

Paul has lead the Democratic Independent Councillors, as a group on the Council, providing opposition and scrutiny of the Conservative and Lib Dem Administration.

“I do not belong to any political party.

Paul hit national headlines when he blew the whistle on Aberdeenshire’s property dealings with the Trump Organisation at a public inquiry.  Subsequently he was fully cleared by the standards commission after colleagues complaints were unfounded. 

“Sticking up for what is right and doing the best for my constituents is what I believe in” said Paul.

Paul became an Independent Councillor following his fellow Councillors refusal to acknowledge that they had made false allegations.  Once a Liberal Democrat, he said that he still holds democratic and liberal views but welcomes the wider support for his stance against the imposition of political whips to control Councillors on Aberdeenshire.

“Many people will be thinking about putting trust, openness and fairness ahead of party loyalty in deciding who should be their Councillors.  I hope my independent stance will be backed before party votes when deciding this local election.  I am strongly in support of keeping services and preventing cuts in classroom support  or supporting services for the elderly.  The present Council administration has been too eager to cut services even to the point of significant underspending of their budgets.  I have a record of action and i promise more”

Notes

Cllr Paul Johnston was elected to Aberdeenshire in 1995 for Oldmeldrum, Methlick and Barthol Chapel.  Ward changes included Tarves, Udny and Pitmedden and further changes meant he has recently represented, Udny station, Potterton, Belhelvie and Balmedie.

We started here

and walked until we saw this.

We stepped onto the beach

but the tide was high

so we took a path over the dunes.

The view from the top was glorious

in all directions.

Monumental.

Colourful.

Textured.

Wind carved.

Powerful.

We even saw a rainbow!

As you can see,
the sky turned from blue to grey
during our trip.

Aside from an unexpected splash from a large wave however,
we managed to avoid getting too wet!
My new wellies stood up to their first test as well.

A beautiful beach (Balmedie)

As a society, we worship money. By extension, we worship people who are rich. And we don’t care how they got to be rich, what their values are, or how they contribute to the welfare of the planet. Donald Trump is a wonderful example. His money gives him credibility. Otherwise, he would surely be a laughing-stock, arrogant, self-absorbed, bigoted. Instead, he has an international following, has been awarded honorary doctorates, even proposes a run for the presidency!

At the recent Canadian International Documentary Festival, a new movie showcasing a Trump project in Scotland was featured. In a gargantuan development project, Trump targeted a quiet Scottish seaside village and its neighbouring sand dunes, ecologically vital to the welfare of shorebirds, as the sight for a mega luxury golf course. The movie summary reads:

When the tycoon developer sets out to build the world’s most luxurious golf resort, he naturally picks the bonniest seaside village in Scotland—the birthplace of the sport—as his proposed site. Nestled between ancient sand dunes and rolling greens, the picturesque town of Balmedie seems perfect, aside from a handful of residents who immediately worry over the impact the mammoth project will have on their beloved natural habitat. When farmer Michael Forbes refuses to sell his land to make way for the shovels, Trump’s goodwill publicity appearances turn into all-out declarations of war. As work literally threatens to bulldoze forward, locals dig in and document what they see as strong-arm tactics and a distinctly American bullying campaign.

Of course, Trump is not singularly responsible for this failure of responsible stewardship. There is plenty of blame to go around. The Scottish government that overruled anti-development protesters must surely be held accountable. Ultimately, it is the wealthy patrons who will reward the project developers with their dollars that make it all economically worthwhile.

The saddest part of this story is that Trump’s golf course in Scotland is only remarkable for its scale. Destructive projects move forward every single day, all over the planet. Rarely can any amount of protest overcome the imperative of greed. Just down the road from here, a wetland and forest that supports several known endangered species is being turned into a housing tract. Northwest of Toronto, 2300 acres of prime farmland and the headwaters of three of Ontario’s major river systems are threatened by a huge quarry development. Stone from the quarry will be used in Toronto area construction and urban sprawl.

It’s everywhere, and we can’t blame only the developers. The people who buy Trump’s new super houses and play golf on the new course are ultimately the ones handing over the cold hard cash. The people who move into the houses that replace the wetland are to blame for its destruction. If no one bought those houses, the development wouldn’t happen. It’s not like there aren’t equally good houses elsewhere in the area. It’s all fueled by greed. Greed and colossal ignorance, and in this age of information, the ignorance is willful.

I see that they have some tarot enthusiasts and I hope to meet some new tarot friends when I go along there. Everyone speaks highly of the home-made cakes at the Tarts and Crafts cafe, so I hope to experience it at first hand myself.

It’s always a pleasure to speak to people about their own experience of tarot and look at the Tarot decks that they enjoy reading for themsleves and for others.

I am not very adventuruous with my decks just yet because I am so keen on my Universal Waite deck with its beautiful medieval scenes.

But who knows, I may branch out into another design soon.

Anyone wishing to write will have to explain articulately why they do not believe the plans to be a good idea because ranting and raving about the environment will not win any favours or open ears. The key is to tackle the assumptions of economic success. Here are some suggestions, though I am by no means an expert lobbyist! The fact that Donald Trump has a variable track-record with his business successes should be mentioned. Also, that the huge 1500 property development will cause fluctuations in the property market, strains on local resources (NHS etc) and will threaten local businesses should also be presumed in equal measure to the overly positive image that is being projected by Trump’s team and the SNP. Indeed, such undertakings require careful thought. Too many golf courses in one area causes huge problems – the luxury golf resort of Fairmont near St Andrews appears to be in some financial difficulty at the moment, for example.

Trump’s attitude should also be questioned – if he cares so much about building his resort in Aberdeenshire, why isn’t he appealing the decision and why is he threatening to take the plans elsewhere (of course we know why!)? Furthermore, he has a haphazard approach to his golf resorts. He recently said of a plan in New Jersey to build two golf courses and 2000 residences, “I’d rather do one great championship course than two mediocre or lesser ones.” (New Jersey.com) What does this say about his Aberdeenshire plans? This guy doesn’t care about Aberdeenshire! He just knows how to make a pretty penny – build lots of properties quickly and sell them off equally fast so as not to muddy your hands. Leave the locals to deal with any financial difficulties. The swine.

Some facts and figures:

• Balmedie Beach is the second most-visited tourist attraction in Aberdeenshire (source: Visit Scotland) – attesting to the popularity of Scotland’s untouched “great outdoors”
• Aberdeenshire has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the UK at 0.9% – lower than those of the golf “hotspots” Fife and Perth and Kinross.
• Balmedie Beach is ranked in the Top 5 UK sand dune systems – Trump’s plans to “stabilise” the dunes will permanently affect the coastline detrimentally.
• Sand dunes are vital as sea defences – the 1953 North Sea Flood saw thousands killed when the sea level rose above 5 metres. Rising sea levels due to climate change will only worsen such tragic occurrences and we need to work with nature, rather than against her, or we will have our noses bloodied.
• Part of the Menie Estate is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and harbours an important ecosystem.
• Despite what they say GOLF COURSES ARE NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY! Their upkeep requires vast amounts of pesticide and chemical fertiliser use and the areas of pristine green fairways may as well be deserts.

It is important to ask questions such as:

• How will the project affect local businesses?
• How many jobs in the current tourist industry will be affected?
• How many jobs will there be?
• What proportion of the jobs will go to local people?
• How long-term will the jobs be?
• Will the long term opportunities created by these new jobs improve the long term prospects for local people?

Also, you should question the handling and legitimacy of the case by the Scottish government. For example, Donald Trump had every right to appeal – if he had done so, correct procedure could have been followed; Councillor Martin Ford’s sacking sends out a terrible message to future Chairmen and he was simply doing what any Chairman would have done in his position; the meetings and wining and dining of members of the SNP with Trump stinks of sleaze.

Lastly, the whole case should be analysed by a Public Inquiry and a proper Environmental Impact Assessment should be made before approving any plans. You should also call for positive action – that Scotland would be better served in the future by a programme of Sustainable Development and that Trump’s resort is no solution to the inevitable downfall of Aberdeen’s Oil Industry. We are already at peak oil and the issue in the future will not be about how many jobs and tourist attractions we have in an area, but whether we will be able to feed and support ourselves sustainably. As the situation now stands, we are ill-equipped to deal with any threats to the oil industry.

So, please email your local MSPs and John Swinney.

John.Swinney.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Or write to:
Public Information Service
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Scotland

If you are not from Scotland mention how important Scotland’s natural heritage is for attracting tourists.

But please also spread the word. This is a simple issue that has gone hysterical – the effect on the economy will either be neutral or disastrous. What is really at stake is a unique area that cannot be replaced once tonnes of concrete are poured all over it. But also Scottish pride! We don’t want Trump to make fools of us while he laughs his way to the bank, do we?!

I started this blog as a place to post some poetry. I decided against that for numerous reasons. . . Anyway. I named it “Walking at Balmedie” because I have so many wonderful memories of visits there. I didn’t think that these memories could be threatened, but they are.

Donald Trump has bought the Menie estate just north of the Balmedie sand dune system where he plans to build two (yes TWO) championship golf courses and 1500 (yes 1500!) buildings. 9 of his holes are scheduled to be built on a Site of Special Scientific Interest and he plans to fix or stablise the sand dunes, which will obviously affect the coast line for miles.

Recently his plans were rejected by the Aberdeenshire Infrastructure Committee. This in itself was not particularly surprising because the vote was tied and it was up to the Chairman to cast the decisive vote. In such cases, the protocol is to maintain the status quo so as to allow for further discussion (the candidate can always appeal, after all!). Unfortunately, the councillor in question has been vilified and bullied and has now been sacked from his position as Chairman and, in an unprecedented and highly suspicious move, the plans have been pulled-in by the Scottish government.

Donald Trump has every right to appeal, but he obviously knows how to rally my moronic compatriots and instead has played infantile tactics by threatening to take his plans elsewhere. He has hyped the economic gains to be made and as a result people are going berserk. It’s really quite embarrassing because none of these supporters have any clue what this man is like. All you need to do is read a very scant biography and you will already find out about his worryingly variable degrees of success in business. He has a nasty habit of selling-up when the going gets tough, leaving his investors and the businesses in very difficult circumstances. The fact that he is refusing to appeal because he is so insistent on building his 1500 holiday homes and apartments is because he knows what kind of a profit he can make if he were to build and sell-up. The actual benefit to the local economy will be pretty insignificant because this type of project ensures money only for the developers. In fact, the effect on the economy could be detrimental due to threats to local small businesses and the building of so many properties may rock the property market.

All in all, if Trump is given the go-ahead by the Scottish government, we can kiss yet another invaluable and unique landscape good bye. It breaks my heart.

(The pic above was taken by Jonzie – thanks.)

Bert Jansch was born in Glasgow but spent a lot of time in my town of Edinburgh. He apparently went to my school about 15 years before me in the late 50s/early 60s.

In the early to mid 80s I followed some friends to Aberdeen where they went to University. Edinburgh had a heroin problem and it was good to get away at that point. Unfortunately it began to hit Aberdeen as well.

Balmedie dunes

At 5am after a great party in a cottage outside Aberdeen, I and a few others crashed on the living room floor as the fire went out. In our sleeping bags I found a loose tape with Roy Harper on it who someone had earlier compared my guitar style to. I put it in the machine for a lullaby, “Another Day” and accidentally played the other side which was Bert Jansch’s first album. I had never heard it before but it was soothing. Then I heard this beautiful song. As the lyrics penetrated my sleep descent I realised that this was about losing a friend to drug addiction. I don’t know if it was the beauty of the song and the playing or the lyrics of “Needle of Death” solidifying emotions I was having about kinship and home and the tragic game being played there but I was moved to tears.

Since then Bert Jansch has become part of my musical life. Davy Graham was the visionary but Bert brought accessibility and discipline to the Master’s waywardness as it influenced him and in turn influenced many others. Billy Connolly said that when he saw Bert on the cover of that first album HE wanted to look like that. The pics of Bert and Anne Briggs are also magical as are the Go playing set for his album with John Renbourn.

Youtube has not provided an example of Bert singing “Needle Of Death”. It did throw up a shaky clip of Pete Doherty covering the song live with Bert on guitar.

Here also is a fair cover of the song.

NEW : See my campaign to establish a National Coastal Path here

Walk along the beach until the estuary at Newburgh, then cross the Ythan bridge and then follow the minor road into Cruden Bay

BLOG:

Aberdeen to Inverness Coastal Walk Guide

Today was a bit blustery and the weather left a lot to be desired, as it rained quite heavily especially on the way into Cruden Bay. The first part of the walk followed tne beach northwards until Newburgh was reached. It dtarted raining heavily with hailstones and so a stop was made at the Udny hotel in Newburgh for some hot coffee. I felt a blister coming on just after I started off again, so I stopped just at the bridge over the river Ythan to put on a blister pack. Setting off again, the ruined remains of Forvie church was past on the way to Collieston. The area is a big nature reserve at Forvie, but I decided not to visit the visitor centre but to press on towards Cruden Bay to catch the bus back to Balmedie at 8 o’clock. There was a short climb up the hill to reach the ruins of Slaine castle. This castle was in ruins but was the inspiration behind Bram Stoker when he wrote Dracula. The walk from the castle to Cruden Bay was a bit of a slog along minor roads as I couldn’t see a route along the shoreline. To top it all the rain started to come down and it was a relief when Cruden Bay was eventually reached.

NEW : See my campaign to establish a National Coastal Path here