Revenge is a dish best served cold, and wet!

A view of the Ythan reed-beds a few miles upstream from the river mouth. The photograph was taken from Logie Buchan Bridge, the subject of today's "extra". The Bridge was built in the early 1930s as a memorial to the men of Logie Buchan Parish who had perished in the First World War. Prior to that crossing the river involved using a rowing boat, the remains of the jetty are still to be seen in the foreground.

Once this area was the haunt of a local hero called Jamie Fleeman (1713-1778) who was the the Laird of Udny's Feel, or Jester. Jamie lived with the Laird and his family at nearby Knockhall Castle.

Many stories are told of Jamie; one of the best took place on the banks of the River Ythan here at Logie Buchan. It goes as follows - 

A young upstart among the local minor aristocracy had, in the past, upset Jamie in some way. Jamie never forgot the incident and bided his time for his revenge. The opportunity came one day when the young Laird was on his way to visit the Laird of Waterton and needed to get across the River Ythan. Seeing Jamie sitting on the opposite bank he shouted across and asked where the best place to cross might be. Jamie cunningly directed him to the place where the river was at its very deepest. The young Laird plunged in on his horse and emerged, of course, thoroughly soaked and cursing Jamie. Jamie simply retorted that he had seen ducks and geese crossing at that point hundreds of times and that he was sure that the Laird's horse had much longer legs than theirs!