George Allan
Alex (1949-2017) was the joint Mountain Bothies Association representative on NEMT's Council.
Alex
had a life-long love of the outdoors in general and the Scottish hills in particular;
he was also endowed with considerable practical skills. Having completed all
the Munros and Corbetts, he began to focus on other outdoor interests and retirement
from his job as a planner with Aberdeen City Council gave him the time to pursue
these more fully.
Over the last ten years he became a very active member of that group of characters who make up the North East contingent of the Mountain Bothies Association. The roll call of projects he worked on in the Grampian area includes almost all its bothies: the Hutcheson Hut, Sheilin of Mark, Gelder Sheil, Callater Stables and Faindouran amongst others. He was taking a keen interest in the possibility of resurrecting the Red House when he died. His commitment to the cause took him further afield and he worked on both Shenavall and Guirdil on Rum. Alex could be quite reticent but involvement with the like-minded brought him out of himself. Attending one work party, his wife, Eleanor, was amazed to discover that her husband had a fine singing voice!
Alex also put his practical know how to good use as a volunteer with the Alford Transport Museum. He was a keen amateur forester too, helping out at Murray Park in Alford, of which he was a trustee. A huge wood shed and neatly constructed piles of fire wood adorned the bottom of his garden. He generously supplied this to friends and was known to carry logs in for the bothy stove.
Retirement suited Alex, allowing him to do things he really wanted to do. Although he had been unwell, his death was unexpected- he had much more to give.
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