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Snowdrop Developments Joins Chapelton

Chapelton is continuing to grow as Aberdeenshire housebuilder Snowdrop Developments joins the community, offering a range of new homes for prospective buyers.

An award-winning local housebuilder based in St Cyrus, Snowdrop Developments joins AJC, Brio Retirement Living, Stephen and ZeroC in shaping the expanding community.

snowdrop-1024x442 Snowdrop Developments Joins Chapelton

Almost 400 people already call Chapelton home and the introduction of Snowdrop properties will provide new opportunities for those keen to settle in the community which now boasts local amenities including a popular restaurant, visitor centre, hair and beauty salon and nursery school.

A range of Snowdrop house types including five-bedroom homes will be available adding to the housebuilder’s existing developments in Royal Deeside, St Cyrus and Stonehaven. To find out more about Snowdrop Developments, visit www.snowdropdevelopments.co.uk

What Children Want From Their Home

Finding the perfect home is stressful as an adult. Looking for a property in a good location with the right amount of space and close access to local amenities can seem difficult with so many different aspects to consider.

But what if you’re a child? For our little ones, we sometimes forget the nerves or excitement they might feel when leaving the place they have lived to move somewhere new.

To find out what kids want from their dream home, we asked the children of Chapelton to tell us what they look for in a new house.

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Exploring the Outdoors  

Having space to explore outdoors is something the children frequently value. They love having the chance to play in the garden among plants and nature, so having a place they can do this is important to them.

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Twins Daksh and Dhruv aged four agree:

“We love to go to the playground in Chapelton, it’s got lots of different things and it’s next to our house. We go exploring to where the woods and trees are and we take a ball down with us. We like to play in the garden!”

Luckily for children like Daksh and Dhruv, the homes in Chapelton are all finished with sizable gardens, giving little ones plenty of space to enjoy being out in the sunshine and exploring the great outdoors.

Things to do

Children love to keep busy, so the more activities on offer the better. Whether that’s a play park to meet friends or great local events where they can try something new.

Alex and Lily, both aged seven, tell us:

Alex
“I like nature and parks. Chapelton has a park to run about and I feel safe there. And I like events in Chapelton!”

Lily

“My favourite thing about Chapelton is the parks because it’s fun to go there with my friends.”

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Three year old Penny agrees:

“My favourite thing about Chapelton is going on my scooter to my nursery and playing with my friends at the sandpit and park.”

The play park in Chapelton has been a great addition to the town this year, giving children a safe space to run around and play. As well as the park, Chapelton’s calendar of family friendly events such as fun runs and farmers markets mean that children will never be bored.

Making Friends

Moving house can often be a daunting time for little ones, especially when they are leaving behind friends from nursery and school, so having a place where they can easily meet lots of new people to play with is something they value.

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Emma age 8 says:
“My favourite thing about Chapelton is that it’s a nice place to explore and make some friends!”

With so many exciting opportunities to make friends in the town and an award-winning nursery school located in the heart of the community, Chapelton is the perfect place for youngest residents to socialise.

Nursery

Lastly, having a place to learn, make friends and have fun is important to the children of Chapelton.  

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Olivia, age 5 said:

I like everything about Chapelton! I like the shops and how close nursery is to my house and I love our park and my allotment!”

Eliana, age 8 said:
“I love living in Chapelton because we can see the sea from our house, we have a brilliant café with yummy cakes and my little brother loves his nursery.”

The nursery in Chapelton is a fantastic environment for children, with plenty of educational activities to allow them to learn and be creative, all within walking distance from the homes.

Chapelton 10k Raises £4,000 for Local Charities

More than 400 runners joined the Chapelton of Elsick 10K helping to raise £4,000 for local North East charities.

The event saw people of all ages go head-to-head in a 10K race and shorter kids fun run before enjoying an afternoon of entertainment and much needed food and drink from local outlets.

Sponsored by Hall Morrice, WM Donald and Brio Retirement Living, the day raised funds for causes such as Muchalls and Newtonhill Scout Group, Chapelton Baby and Toddler Group, Friends of Newtonhill School, Newtonhill Pipe Band, Pillar Kincardineshire, Police Scotland Youth Volunteers and Portlethen and Districe Voluntary Community Ambulance Association.

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The Chapelton Farmers Market

This Sunday, Chapelton will host its very first farmers market bringing a wide variety of Scottish producers to the town to showcase their offerings.

From delicious food to bespoke Scottish gifts and skincare products, there will be something for everyone at Sunday’s market. To give you an idea of what you can expect to see on the day we’ve provided a rundown of each of the stalls attending and what they will have on offer.

The Principled Pig

Serving up mouth-wateringly delicious pork, the Principled Pig a small-scale, family run smallholding will be catering to the needs of hungry passers-by. Only producing low-volumes of meat from a small number of animals, the Principled Pig ensure they deliver the highest standard of animal welfare which they believe contributes to the incredible flavour and tenderness of the pork.

After working up an appetite wandering round the many stalls you can rest assured your savoury cravings will be sorted out by the Principled Pig.

The Bread Guy Bakery

Offering freshly baked breads made from only the finest ingredients, The Bread Guy Bakery will be on hand to provide a wide selection of breads, pastries and Paninis.

Sourcing all ingredients locally in the North East of Scotland, the talented master baker behind The Bread Guy Bakery puts techniques long forgotten in the current bakery market to good use, mixing ancient techniques with modern flair to produce expertly hand crafted, mouth-watering breads.

Devenick Dairy

Cheese lovers take note, the Devenick Dairy stall will host a flavoursome array of homemade cheeses from the family farm just south of Aberdeen.

The Groat family who run the Devenick Dairy have always been cheese lovers, with a history of cheesemaking in the family. When they decided to take on a new adventure, cheesemaking seemed like the obvious choice for them so in 20016 the Devenick Dairy was born.

As well as their unique collection of cheeses, they will also be bringing cheesecake, oatcakes, pork and veal.

Haydn’s Woodfired Pizza

With over 15 years’ experience of catering and the pizza industry, Haydn’s Woodfired Pizza will be coming along to grab a slice of the action on Sunday.

The family run mobile pizza kitchen with free standing pizza oven will be serving up exceptional, hand crafted woodfired pizzas in a range of different styles.

Head along and choose your toppings for the ultimate comfort treat!

Bannerman Butcher

No stranger to the Chapelton website is Bannerman Butcher, who have worked with us to provide a number of different recipes including Haggis Lasagne and perfect Barbequed Steaks.

Local butcher Bannerman Butcher from Inverbervie is home to some of the finest steaks, sausages and pies as well as a whole range of locally sourced produce which they will be bringing along with them on Sunday.

Head along to their stall to sample some of their delicious offerings or pick up something for your Sunday dinner.

Cove Honey Bees

For something a little sweeter, look out for Cove Honey Bees’ stall, a small family run business from Cove that produce a range of products using honey from their family-run bee colonies.

Set up in 2013 with just one mini hive, the team at Cove Honey Bees have now expanded to 18 strong working colonies spread through Cove, Banchory Devonick, Drumoak, Kirkton of Skene and as far north as Ellon.

Follow the buzz to their stall where you can buy a whole host of exciting products including honey, honey breads, chutneys and sauces.

All about Lemons

If zest is what you’re after, All About Lemons, lemon curd is guaranteed to satisfy any cravings you might have.

The Aberdeen-based family business run by Joyce Scott produces delicious and fresh artisan food produce and gifts using 100% fresh ingredients with no additives or preservatives.

They will be selling their popular lemon curd alongside lemon fudge and a selection of cakes and biscuits including their coveted lemon Empire biscuits.

From Bakery Lane

If the above wasn’t enough to please even the sweetest tooth, small catering company From Bakery Lane will be there on Sunday with a selection of gluten free and regular granola, jams, chutneys and marmalades all using local ingredients.

Baked by Alice whose love for baking inspired her to move back to Scotland from London to open her own bakery, the offerings From Bakery Lane use fresh local eggs to make amazing bakes that support local producers.  

Sillyflatt Fare, Flowers and Gatherings

Once you’ve had your fill from the many delicious snacks available at the farmers market, take a wander to Sillyflatt Fare, Flowers and Gatherings’

stall where you can pick up some beautiful flowers.

Perfect as a centrepiece in your living room or gift for a loved one, the flowers grown by Sillyflatt Fair are both traditional and unusual, grown on a family farm in the coastal North East of Scotland.

Sealscrook Farmcrafted Skin Care

Selling their amazing and luxurious artisan scrubs, lip balms and goat’s milk soaps, Sealscrook Farmcrafted Skin Care’s stall will be packed full of lovely gifts for friends or treats for yourself.

Produced out on their farm in Turriff, all of the products from Sealscrook Farmcrafted Skin Care are completely natural and will leave your skin looking and feeling amazing.

Wrapr

If you’re looking to be a little more eco-friendly this summer, Wrapr have a fantastic solution for all of your wrapping needs.

Helping you to ditch plastic in the form of things like carrier bags and cling film, these eco-friendly cloth clings are perfect for wrapping up sandwiches, fruit and other lunchbox items. They come in a range of beautiful colours and patterns too so make sure you look out for them.

Solstice Nurseries

If you’re looking for something decorative on Sunday, Solstice Nurseries will be bringing along a selection of locally grown ornamental plants.

Based in Banchory Devenick, Solstice is a ‘not for profit’ social firm that provides work experience, training and qualifications for people recovering from mental health issues.

Teacake

With all of the new producers coming to the town, our faithful Teacake will be on site too delivering the caffeine hit needed for a full day of exploring the many exciting stalls.

Foodie Quine’s Banana Strawberry and Honey Muffins

Leading food and drink blogger Foodie Quine shares another of her favourite recipes for the muffins she provided at the refreshment table of this year’s Chapelton 10K.

One of my favourite things about the Chapelton 10k in 2018 (apart from the fab medal) was the fantastic selection of homebakes available after the race for the runners. Having signed up to take part again in 2019 (I’d clearly forgotten about THE HILL) I wanted to contribute something for the refreshment table so whipped up a couple of batches of Banana, Strawberry and Honey Muffins the night before the race.

Alas by the time I’d plodded my way around the course they were all gone! I’m going to have to run faster next year. (To put it into perspective Robbie Simpson won in 32:25. I reached 5k at 33.20)

Love Food Hate Waste – This recipe is ideal for using up bananas – the blacker the better. Did you know that you can freeze over ripe bananas to use in baking (or smoothies) at a later date?

Banana, Strawberry and Honey Muffins

Ingredients for 10 muffins

280g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 large well ripened bananas

75g honey

1 free range egg, beaten

60ml milk

90ml sunflower oil

150g strawberries, finely chopped

Method

  1. Prepare muffin tins with 10 paper cases and preheat oven to 200c
    In a large bowl sieve together the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt
  2. In a separate bowl mash the bananas, add the honey, egg, milk, oil and mix well. 
  3. Pour all wet ingredients into dry and stir until combined.
  4. Gently fold in three quarters of the finely chopped strawberries.
  5. Spoon into 10 muffin cases.
  6. Top with the remaining strawberries and bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are lightly browned and springy.

Gardening Tips from the Allotment Group

Having a garden in full bloom with beautiful plants and flowers is something we all would love, however for many it can seem like a whole lot of effort. Knowing which plants to grow, what soil is best and when to sow seeds can be confusing, putting people off.

To help those who’d like to get more green fingered this summer, we spoke to the Cairnhill Allotment Group in Chapelton to provide some gardening tips to help get your garden in shape this summer.

Consider Your Source of Sunlight

For any plants to flourish, sunlight is essential and should be considered before you think about planting anything.

First of all, think about your garden and how much sunlight it gets. Look at the direction the sun comes from and what parts of your garden get sunlight at what times.

Once you have thought about this, you can then choose the right types of plants to put in the right spots in your garden, depending on how much sunlight they need.

Research which plants enjoy shade, partial shade or full sun and then position accordingly.

Check Soil Type

If you want to get the most out of your garden, it’s a good idea to check the soil type as different types of soil provide different nutrients and minerals.

There are six different types of soil- clay, sandy, silty, peaty, chalky and loamy. Each is made up of different minerals and organic matter and will have different effects on your plants. It’s important to know the type of soil you are working with so you can make the right choices when it comes to plants.

To test your soil, have a look and feel of it in your hands and compare it to the six different types of soil. Once you know the type of soil that you have you can then research the best types of plants to grow in this kind of soil.  

Plan plants for the whole year round

To give structure to your flower beds, choose a few shrubs and space them out around your garden leaving space for them to grow. Opting for some evergreens will give your garden a year round structure, meaning that when certain plants are no longer in season, your garden won’t be sparse.

Look out for bargains

When heading out to buy plants and shrubs why not rescue some from the sale section of the garden centres. They will grow if given care and attention and will save you a penny or two.

Research when to sow and plant

Finally, by looking online and in gardening books, you can find out the best times to sow your seeds and plant your bulbs. However, it is recommended to add a month on to this time for gardens in Scotland.

How to Live Life More Outdoors

As a Nation we are certainly guilty of spending too much time indoors. Whether it’s working all day in a stuffy office that we commute to by car, spending evenings catching up on our favourite Netflix show or inviting friends round at the weekend for a dinner party, it’s so easy for us to spend all of our time indoors, especially in bad weather.

Although we can struggle to spend time at one with nature, spending time outdoors is incredibly beneficial for our mental and physical well-being.

To help give you some inspiration on how you can incorporate the great outdoors into your life, we’ve pulled together some top tips below. 

Go for a Walk

A great way to incorporate some outdoor activity into your day is to make the effort to go for a walk in the evenings. With the lighter nights now here, venturing outside will get your step count up and can help you de-stress after a long day at work.

So whether you take a stroll round your neighbourhood, enjoy a country walk or follow a local nature trail, spending just half an hour in the evenings will have an incredible impact on your mind and body.

Outdoor markets

At the weekend it can be tempting to snuggle up indoors with the latest iPlayer box set, however discovering local markets will allow you to wander outside and let you try something new. Look up some markets in your area and take your family or friends to wander round the stalls. Markets are a fantastic way to sample local produce and creates the feeling of being on holiday without leaving the country.

We will be hosting our very own farmers market on Sunday the 21st of July with some fantastic producers from around Aberdeenshire. You can see more information here.

Get Green Fingered

Giving your garden some TLC is another fantastic way to spend time outdoors. Take a trip to your local garden store and pick up some bulbs and seeds, then spend the afternoon planting and sewing them. You’ll be amazed at how relaxed you will feel and the sense of achievement when they start to bloom will be great- not to mention your garden will look so bright and colourful.

Sports

A lot of people like to exercise in the gym, making the most of specific equipment to complete a workout programme, however taking your workout outside can help you burn more calories and give you an extra dose of vitamin D.

Exercising outdoors helps you work harder as the terrain and environment are constantly changing, meaning you’ll burn more calories than you would on a treadmill or elliptical with the added bonus of fresh air. So why not take some of your workouts out into the open where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while getting in shape?

If you are looking for some fun sporting activities to take part in this summer, why not sign up for the Chapelton 10K or the Chapelton Bike Ride and walk.

Community Street BBQ

Take a leaf out of Chapelton’s book where residents are taking to the streets to make friends with neighbours by hosting community BBQs.

Invite the people living around you and make a plan for music and entertainment, then get everyone to bring a dish along and set out a big table in the street where food can be laid out and shared. This is a fantastic way of getting to know your neighbours while tucking in to some delicious BBQ food.

Canadian Family Make Chapelton Home

When Chantelle and Rodrigo Micheli relocated their family from Houston Texas to Aberdeen they were delighted with the sense of community they found in Chapelton.

With Rodrigo’s job in oil and gas moving the Canadian family to the United States, before bringing them to Scotland, the couple and their two young sons Lucio and Teo, aged five and three, were excited to start the next chapter of their life in Aberdeen.

The criteria for the family was to find a new-build home in a great location that would mean Rodrigo wouldn’t have a long commute, but that they’d still be in an established community to bring up their sons. Chantelle browsed the internet looking at new developments in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire when she came across the Chapelton website.

After researching Chapelton further, the family took their first trip to Scotland to visit the town and instantly fell in love with its scenic views and picturesque setting.

Chantelle said: “As soon as we drove into Chapelton I was amazed by how scenic it is – it’s absolutely stunning! You have the wide open fields with sheep on one side, incredible views out over the North Sea on the other, and then when you get to the town you just get this really nice, warm feeling as soon as you arrive. All of the homes are so new and quaint it’s a new age town with all of the heritage and character that you would want.

“Although we went to a few different areas, the other towns and developments we saw didn’t speak to us as much as Chapelton. It’s in the perfect location as it’s so close to Aberdeen and Stonehaven as well as being so well connected to the motorway – it has great access to everywhere. The house was perfect too and both my husband and I, and our sons, fell in love with the property and the town instantly.”

Recognising that the homes in America tend to generally be much larger and more open than in the UK, the Micheli’s were thrilled at the Dunvegan three bedroom detached villa from Stephen thanks to its open plan format and generous size. They loved the layout and brightness of the rooms as well as the immaculate finish of the home. 

Having spent two months living in Chapelton, Chantelle is happy that they chose to move to the town. The wealth of facilities on offer at such a close distance means she can easily take her kids to the park, go for lunch at the town’s tearoom, Teacake, or relax at the local hair and beauty spa, The Lounge, all within walking distance. The quiet and safe community streets in Chapelton also mean she can enjoy playing in the fresh air with Lucio and Teo without having to worry about busy main roads.

Chantelle added: “Chapelton feels so safe and friendly which is great when you have young children. There’s so much to explore too, like the allotments, nature trails and fields full of wildlife. Everyone in the town is so welcoming and will always stop to say hello to you which feels so nice. I absolutely love it here and look forward to my family’s future in the town.” 

The homes available from Stephen can be viewed here: www.stephen.co.uk/developments/chapelton-development

The Downsizer’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Smaller Home

Deciding to make the move into a smaller property can be a big step. Although a smaller home has its many benefits such as minimised stress and being more economical, finding the right property to downsize into can be daunting.

As the housing market’s selling season starts this spring, and many begin to think about moving from a family sized property into a new smaller home better suited to a new stage of life, Brio Retirement Living has provided handy steps to follow when downsizing.

Think long term

The idea of downsizing is straightforward enough but when considering a long term plan there’s much more to think about.

Planning for the future, depending on the stage of life, can pose plenty of questions. Would you prefer to be city based or rural? Do you want to be part of a community? What additional support is required? Thinking about these wider factors can make a big difference when considering where to move to and why, often narrowing the list of opportunities to better help with finding the perfect home. 

At developments such as Brio’s Landale Court in Chapelton, supporting facilities and amenities such as 24-hour on-site staff presence, assisted bathroom, a homeowners’ club lounge and the bustling community have proven particularly popular with downsizers keen to settle in the town.

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Declutter

Over the years it’s very easy to gather an abundance of possessions. Often, many of these are treasured items which will be kept forever but every house has several unwanted pieces which take up space.

Before the move, spend time deciding what you do and don’t need. It’s the best opportunity to start fresh, clearing out items that haven’t be used or looked at for years. To take the strain out of decluttering follow these tips and tricks:

  • If you don’t use it lose it – broken objects gathering dust or clothes that no longer fit
  • Map out your new space – take a closer look at your new home and storage space available
  • Make the most of it – use online auction sites or gift unwanted items to local charity shops
  • Leave yourself plenty of time – decluttering takes time and sorting through box after box can be a tiring process so pull in friends and family to help
  • Keep the things you really love – part of the joy of decluttering is that forgotten items are often rediscovered

Reap the benefits

You can be forgiven for thinking that ‘downsizing’ or ‘resizing’ can mean compromising on space and lifestyle but the reality is that it opens the door to a realm of new possibilities and opportunities.

The benefits of a smaller home can mean less outgoings so that you can enjoy those experiences you’ve always wanted to, whether it be taking up a new regular hobby or booking a dream holiday, whilst fewer chores mean that you can make the most of every day, leaving plenty of time to spend with friends and loved ones.

To find out more about Brio Retirement Living’s properties in Chapelton, visit www.brioretirement.co.uk 

Recipe: Teacake’s Spring Starter

Spring is most definitely in the air and with that comes the opportunity to experience seasonal produce.

Here, Teacake owner Bob Miller shares his recipe for the perfect spring starter – lamb shank bonbon with garlic and baby gem puree, peas and samphire reduction. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party al fresco or celebrating a family occasion with a BBQ, this is the perfect way to begin a spring meal.

Ingredients and Method

To make the shank bonbon

  • 1 x lamb shank
  • 1 x carrot chopped
  • 1 x stick of celery chopped
  • 1 x garlic clove chopped
  • Sprig of rosemary
  • Sprig of thyme
  • Pink of lamb or chicken stock
  • 2 x eggs
  • 1 x cup of plain flour
  • 2 x cup of breadcrumbs
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning

In a hot pan, sear the lamb shank and season well. Remove from the heat and fry the vegetables and herbs in the same pan, using the stock to deglaze.

Add the meat and vegetable mixture to a slow cooker and cook for six to eight hours until the meat comes away from the bone. Alternatively, you can braise the meat in an oven, 180C, for two to three hours.

Remove the meat from the liquid (set aside to be used as a gravy) and once cooled pull the meat away from the bone using a fork. Season with salt and pepper and roll into small balls. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, arrange three bowls – one with beaten egg, one with plain flour and one with breadcrumbs. Remove the lamb balls from the fridge and roll in the flour, then egg and then breadcrumbs. Once covered, shallow fry in a pan with a little olive oil.

To make the baby gem and wild garlic puree

  • 2 x baby gem lettuce
  • 200g wild garlic 
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 200ml double cream
  • 2 x banana shallots (diced)

Blanch the wild garlic and baby gem for 40 – 50 seconds and then refresh in cold or iced water.

In a hot pan, sauté the shallots before deglazing with stock and then cream. Reduce for a few minutes then blitz in a food processor with the gem and garlic before seasoning to taste.

To prepare the greens

  • 100g frozen peas 
  • 100g samphire
  • 100g shelled green beans 
  • 3 x white asparagus stalks
  • 6 x green asparagus stalks

Blanch all greens then toss in hot butter in a pan and lightly season with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon the puree onto a dish before topping with a shank bon bon and accompanying greens.