Bowlers roll up in Portsoy for another year
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THEY have been arriving in Portsoy every two years for the past 36 years and staying for a week.
And what a week it is too. It requires real stamina to be a member of the ‘Barnhill Tourists’ bowling outing from the Dundee area.
They play bowls among themselves every morning in Portsoy, followed by friendlies every evening, playing the members of Aberchirder, Cullen, Macduff, Turriff, Banff, Elgin and Portsoy clubs.
Quite a schedule when you consider that the youngest of the 32 Tourists this year was 59 and the oldest 86.
"There is just one rule: you have to be teetotal – well, at least for the first half hour," laughed Tourists’ president Bobby Clark.
"And we have actually got a waiting list to join us, though it helps if you are a good singer or storyteller.
"Our oldest member, Alec Wall, is enjoying his second tour and has already asked for his name to be put down for two years’ time."
The all-male group clearly have a good time, and are full of praise of the fun, laughs and hospitality they enjoy at the various Banffshire and Moray clubs.
They always stay in Portsoy. Originally it was at the town’s Boyne Hotel and then The Station Hotel for the past eight years.
One member, Bert Wilson (81), was on the first tour and has missed only two in 36 years – because of work commitments.
Another keen participant is Donald Stuart, the Tourists’ immediate past president. He told the ‘Banffshire Journal’: "The tour was started in 1975 by a member of Barnhill Bowling Club in Broughty Ferry.
"We really enjoy ourselves, and we have made a lot of friends.
"You have to be fit though!
"To begin with, the tour involved members of Barnhill, but over the years the word has spread around about the good time we have and we now have Tourists from clubs in Dundee, Carnoustie and Arbroath. The average age is in the seventies.
"Because of the age of those involved we can lose 10 to 12 members every two years.
"However, we are not long back down the road before we are recruiting new members and organising the next tour."
Portsoy Bowling Club effectively gives its green over to the Tourists for the visitors’ week, and Portsoy members Margaret Wood and Anne Duncan ensure they have tea and a light lunch to keep them going.
Donald added: "Euan and Susan Cameron, the owners of The Station Hotel, are great hosts and essentially give us the run of the place for the week.
"We are already booked to come back in 2013."
Susan said: "They are a great bunch. People look forward to their visit."
