Livingston Curling Club had the opportunity to play outdoors at Ratho thanks to a local farmer whose field regularly floods. Three rinks were eventually cleared and other local clubs were invited to participate in some friendly matches, which were a great success according to Graham Young who has sent this report and photos.Above: Joe Barry is delivering one of the first stones on the first freshly cleared rink on December 22.
Following the very successful 'trial run' of the first rink on the 22nd, calls were made to invite clubs to play. December 23 was a beautiful day and work began in earnest to clear and mark out a second rink, everyone mucking in to clear the remaining snow before play could begin (photo above). Members from Mid Calder, Currie and Balerno and Davidson and Robertson Surveyors answered the challenge to play, and they were not disappointed!
This pic is an overview of play on December 23.Livingston faithful were out for more practice on Christmas Eve but with the thaw over Christmas Day the ice conditions had changed for the worse by the 26th, with cracks having appeared in the ice and the surface becoming much slower than in previous days, not to mention the bitter biting wind which swept through on occasion. None the less the day was well attended by members of the Uphall, Oatridge, Buchan and Midcalder clubs, as well as the Livingston faithful.
Ian Keron of Uphall CC delivers.Thanks to Graham Young for the report and the photos which remain his copyright.