Saint Nathalan.

A good walk in the countryside around Ballater today to help celebrate a friend’s 73rd birthday. We managed over 20,000 steps. On the route we passed Saint Nathalan’s Masonic lodge With this impressive light over the entrance gate.

Nathalan a  Roman Catholic Saint was born in Aberdeenshire and died in 678. According to legend one very rainy summer the great saint, in a moment's weakness, cursed the rain which was hindering the harvest. In penitence for his great sin in cursing God's creation, Nathalan padlocked his right arm to his right leg, tossed the key into the River Dee and set off to walk to Rome to seek forgiveness. Upon reaching Rome he sat down to supper. However, when he cut open the fish laid before him he found the very key that he had thrown into the Dee many months previously. A pool in the river nearby is still known as "the key pool" for this reason.