Yesterday I had a number of choices of places I could visit while heading north to Banchory. But decided not to dally on the way and headed straight for Cruden Bay which was where my great great grandmother Jane Sangster was born in 1835. The memorial stone for her parents and grandparents is in the Cruden Churchyard. But, records I’ve tracked have my g g g g g g g grandfather William Sangster being born there in 1690.

Cruden is on a wide sweeping sandy bay and has a famous golf course. Of course that is not to be confused with the golf course that has been opened up down the road by a famous orange hued American. Did drive in the gates but decided to drive no further. The man sitting in the car by the gates didn’t look welcoming really.

Anyway, also near Cruden is Slain castle which is a ruin despite various plans to restore it. Supposedly it helped inspire Bram Stoker in writing Dracula.

Had a nosey around wondering if any of the old cottages had been family homes. Possibly not. On a couple of earlier trips had tracked down a couple of farmhouses/crofts that family had lived in.

Driving over to Banchory was a little like driving through the family tree with various place names popping up from the records. Need to come her in summer again and spend a week traipsing around churches and graveyards with my camera.

Staying here in Banchory with Dad’s cousin Fred and his wife Bunty. My grandfather James (born 1888) and Fred’s father Frederick (born 1897) were two of the nine children of Charles Davidson and Jane Clark. Today’s plan is to do a roam around the locality and revisit the family spots! Its dawned a bright sunny day – perfect for granny hunting.