Our first full day in Ballater started with a beautiful ecumenical service at the Church of Scotland (brilliant talk to children on Holy Spirit) followed by a performance by the local pipe band afterwards. This was also the opening of a festival, at which Dot bought a necklace. There were showers all day, but also quite a bit of sun.

After lunch we drove down to Loch Muick and walked to the boat shed, where we sheltered. While there I walked out on the stones as usual but overbalanced and put my foot in some water about 18 inches deep. Unfortunately Dot was too worried to get a picture, but I amused three very nice Germans who were standing there.

On the way back to the car we encountered a herd of deer crossing the path – something similar happened once when the Murrays were with us. Later we had fish and chips: very nice but far too much as usual. I fell asleep afterwards, then we got the wood burner going. It’s warm now.