Northallerton pilot honoured 60 years after crash on Scottish hillside
John Brian Lightfoot was 22 when he died when his Gloster Meteor Jet came down in a blizzard in the Bennachie Hills in east Aberdeenshire in February 1952. The crash was the second to happen on the mountainside - which is often described as bearing a remarkable similarity to Roseberry Topping. Ellard Cummings, 23, a Canadian pilot with the RAF, and his gunner, Ronald Stewart, 24, became the first official military casualties of the Second World War when their Westland Wallace biplane crashed into the mist-shrouded hill on the first day of the war on September 3, 1939. Read more
One of the north-east's most beloved beauty spots is to be the subject of a study by Aberdeen University. An appeal has been made for memories and stories relating to Bennachie, located outside Inverurie, which is the region's most-walked hill range. Researcher Jennifer Fagen, who is conducting the research, described the area as a "gem in the crown of the Aberdeenshire landscape".
According to Tacitus, Calgacus (sometimes Calgacos or Galgacus) was a chieftain of the Caledonian Confederacy who fought the Roman army of Gnaeus Julius Agricola at the Battle of Mons Graupius in northern Scotland in AD 83 or 84. His name can be as interpreted as Celtic *calg-ac-os, "possessing a blade" or "possessing a penis".
Archaeologists have uncovered ancient traces, from tiny bead ornaments to massive walls, of a forgotten princes palace on the slopes of Bennachie in Aberdeenshire. Only yards from a busy car park used by walkers visiting the landmark hill, a 15-strong team rediscovered remains of Maiden Castle just below the surface of a wooded hillside mound. A stones throw from the Rowantree car park, near Pitcaple, and also close to one of the most important Pictish carved monuments in the country, the two-week dig confirmed the importance of the 2,000-year-old fort area.
Bennachie, The Aberdeenshire hill that attracts 125,000 visitors each year, will this weekend host events mapping out the local and natural history of the area. on Saturday, free orienteering events will be organised by the Forestry Commission Scotland, and take place in the forest surrounding the Bennachie Centre, near Chapel of Garioch.
"Our forests are regularly used by orienteering enthusiasts and we have fantastic facilities at Bennachie. Training events are designed to encourage beginners and novices to learn about the sport in a relaxed fun environment with others of the same experience level" - Mark Reeve, Recreation forester .
Saturday's event, from 11am to 1.30pm, will be suitable for all ages and family groups. Booking is not required but suitable outdoor clothing is advised. More details are available from the centre on 01467 681470.