Ormiston Highlands History

Ruaridh is in the process of writing a book on the History of Ormiston Highlands and it will also have lots of funny stories about people and places associated with Highland Ponies and Cattle and will include:

The history of the Stud back to the Gaick and Glentromie days and old Edward Ormiston

and his ponies from the early 1800's, including pictures where appropriate.

The history of Ewan Ormiston and the venison days before and during the last war

The use of ponies by the deer shooting estates and The Lovat Scouts

The start of pony trekking in Newtonmore from 1952 by Ewan

The export of Croila Ponies all over the world

The story of the Strathmashie Fold of Highland Cattle

The involvement in the Film Industry from the 1950s till today

Some photos for a taste of what is to come:

Ewan Ormiston (pointing) outside the Balavil Arms Hotel in Newtonmore in c. 1955. Cameron is riding the horse on the left. Does anybody recognise any of the other riders in the picture ???? The house in the background, Rannoch Cottage I think, was demolished to build a Shell petrol station which in turn was demolished to build Waltzing Waters. Ewan is pointing in the direction of Croila hill which is at the end of Glentromie. When looking from Newtonmore and Kingussie you can see an outline of a horse galloping in the scree and stones and is the reason my father used Croila as a stud name. In a future update I will try and get a photo of the "Croila Horse" outlined on the hill, but the light and conditions need to be right to reproduce it with a camera. R.

Cameron teaching his Niece and Nephew (Elsie and Mike, now living in Newfoundland, Canada) how to ride at a very early age. This looks like a younger version of the horse above so must be a good few years before 1955. Probably during the late 1940s. I will get more details for my next update. R.

Please find some pictures below to remind people of what Pony Trekking was like "at the Balavil" in Newtonmore. Notice the number of trekkers was a bit higher than nowadays and no hats !!

Trek above Newtonmore village behind Craggan Rock

Looking from Milton, Glen Banchor to the South

Day Trekkers at Ruthven Barracks, Kingussie

Trekkers Ruthven Bridge Kingussie and River Spey