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The frosty mornings and darker nights have rolled in meaning the festive season is officially upon us and we’re bringing in the celebrations with some classic Christmas activities! 

The Chapelton Community Association and local businesses have been hard at work organising an evening of festive enchantment for residents and visitors to enjoy, taking place at 5pm on Friday the 1st of December. 

Set to be a heartwarming event (despite the chilly weather), the public will be able to enjoy music from a local piper as Santa travels from The Hut to Hume Square, before turning on the festive lights to celebrate Christmas at Chapelton 2023. 

With plenty of entertainment on offer throughout the evening including Santa’s Grotto at The Hut and more music from an all female choir, the Sweet Adelines, the festive fun doesn’t stop there…

Trees by Terra Foras

If you still haven’t found the perfect tree to be the centrepiece of your Christmas decor, then be sure to wander the Terra Foras collection which has been hand selected for this Chapelton event. Selling a beautiful selection of 6ft, 7ft and 8ft Premium Nordman Fir Christmas Trees, you’ll be sure to find the perfect shape and style to spruce up your living room. 

And for those who prefer a tree on the smaller side, Terra Foras will also have a fantastic range of reusable, pot grown Christmas trees available, ranging between 125 – 150cm. These can be planted after Christmas in the garden or re-used next year through Terra Foras’ recycling service!

Feeling peckish?

There will be no shortage of delicious food on offer with a range of festive treats provided by Chapelton’s thriving local businesses! 

Open until 7:30pm, family-run cafe and lifestyle store Brae in Hume Square will be serving a mouth-watering selection of non-alcoholic mulled cider, mince pies, stovies, sausage rolls and lots of treats for those with a sweet tooth. 

Experts in providing everything ice cream as well as savoury items, Fit’s the Scoop at The Boxes will also have a range of piping hot festive food on offer, accompanied by the Quayside Fish and Chip van which will be serving the British favourite on Friday 1st of December as normal.

For those who enjoy craft beer or cocktails, Devenick Drinks Co will be open during the night, presenting an impressive selection of mulled cider, hot apple rum, local beers, sprits and cocktails – available to sit in or takeaway.

Gifts galore

Haven’t started your Christmas shopping? No need to worry, local businesses occupying The Boxes at Chapelton will be selling a range of gift vouchers and goodies…

The perfect gift for a loved one in need of some self-care, AB Wellness and Reflexology will be offering bespoke wellness gifts that you can curate to pamper someone special in your life. From 5-8pm you’ll have an exclusive opportunity to enjoy a 10% discount on Fuarain Skincare, where you can also experience the luxurious hydrating facial cream firsthand! Indulge in some relaxed late night shopping and explore brands like Ciora, Hayou, Solasta Skin, and Spacemasks. AB Wellness and Reflexology will also be first stockists of all three Rewild Skincare Oils, created locally by Jo Flett. Don’t forget, you can also purchase gift vouchers at any point during your visit!

For the furrier members of the family, pet product provider Stinky Beasties also has a range of gift vouchers on hand, as well as some festive treats for your four-legged friends including dog stockings, pick and mix gift bags full of toys and treats – perfect for chewing on the big day! 

Providing a stylish selection of eyewear, Very Spexy will be launching its gift vouchers as well as offering exclusive discounts, including 25% off sunglasses, 25% off Jimmy Choo branded eyewear and a huge £250 gift voucher giveaway – ideal for treating yourself or a loved one this Christmas.

Also, you don’t want to miss out on RedRock’s special advent calendar giveaway! Make sure to visit so that you can also browse bespoke bridal accessories, jewellery and other exciting gifts on the night. 

See individual business profiles for more information.

Celebrations at The Lounge

It will also be the official opening of The Lounge Hair and Beauty Salon at Quarryline Street… 

With a growing team and client base, Chapelton’s luxury salon provides a range of hair, beauty and wellness services and has expanded to larger premises to accommodate demands for its high-quality treatments. Clients are invited to come and see the new space where there will be special offers and gift vouchers available to purchase – making the perfect Christmas gift!

If you can’t make it…

Christmas can be a busy time, so don’t worry if you can’t come along to the festive light switch-on. There is lots going on throughout the course of the month, including later opening times for Brae, RedRocks and Fit’s the Scoop – accommodating all last minute Christmas shoppers! 

For those on the lookout for some festive DIY activities, there will be a Christmas dried flower wreath making with Karen at This is 36 on the 5th of December at Brae.

If you’re in need of some relaxation, Brae will be hosting a Festive Calm Workshop on the 30th of November. A three week mindfulness course, this is the perfect opportunity to unwind during the busy holiday season. Brae will also be taking Christmas and New Year pre-orders, from soup and sausage rolls to sumptuous sticky toffee pudding – all available for collection on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. And don’t miss out on Santa and his elves, who will be parked up in his sleigh outside Brae on the 10th of December…

If you enjoy the great outdoors with a side of adventure thrown in, then Geocaching could be a new hobby for you. From simple strolls around your neighbourhood to discovering new places, enjoying scenic walks or even scaling Munro’s, there’s a geocache to be found. 

To find out more about this exciting and adventurous activity, we caught up with Ann Proctor, who has recently created a circuit around the Chapelton Trail for all to enjoy… 

What is geocaching? 

“Think of it like a modern day treasure hunt guided by a GPS enabled device (usually your mobile phone).  Geocaches are waterproof containers hidden in a specific location that you are guided to by means of coordinates, which have been uploaded by the hider to the Geocaching application.  

“Along with coordinates and a map of the area, there will be information provided about the individual cache, a difficulty and terrain rating and a helpful hint to point you in the right direction! Once at the location you undertake a search to find this container, which can vary in size and shape.  

“Inside the container there will be a log book for you to date and sign and usually some treasure in the form of small trinkets left by the cache owner or other geocachers who have visited it too. The general rule of thumb is if you take a trinket, you should leave something of similar or greater value – erasers, badges, bubbles, marbles etc are always nice for kids to find!

“Re-hide the cache as you found it for the next geocacher to come along, there’s lots of us!  The last step, which can be done at home, is to log this find on the Geocaching app.  You will be rewarded with a yellow smiley face on the map and feel a huge sense of achievement.” 

How long has Geocaching been about? 

“This hobby has been enjoyed by many for around 22 years. Its humble beginnings, a solitary cache in Oregon, quickly spread to 75.  Today that figure is closer to 3million worldwide, you can literally enjoy this hobby anywhere you go!  

“I personally started caching six years ago to have a cheap and easy hobby to do with my then young sons. Caching has taken us to many lovely locations and hidden gems over the years that we would otherwise never have known about.  Some abroad on holiday and some right on our doorstep.” 

How do you start? 

“I believe there are a few applications available, but I downloaded the free and official Geocaching app to my mobile phone.  From there, you create an account with an email address and a unique username, this will allow you a basic membership with access to a limited number of nearby caches.  

“If you become slightly obsessed with this new hobby, there is an option to upgrade your membership to premium, which for about £20 per annum, will allow you access to all the various types of caches. For more information, I recommend visiting Geocaching.com.

“Once you are all set up you can create a list of caches you’d like to attempt on your outing.  By downloading the offline data at home, it will be readily available when you are out and about and not reliant on using precious mobile data.  

“Finally, pack a rucksack, you will need a pen, tweezers (some caches are tiny), trinket swaps and I recommend taking hand gel and baby wipes too. Throw in a picnic and you are good to go!”  

Are there caches around Chapelton? 

“To mark my sixth year of Geocaching, I have created a caching circuit around the beautiful Chapelton Trail.  This circuit consists of eight caches of varying sizes, five of which are available to all basic members.  

“This is an ideal trail for families with easily accessible containers and can be completed in one outing, which would take about an hour or in a few shorter walks with little people! 

“So all that is left to do is pack that rucksack and step outside. Happy caching!” 

Lousells, The Mini Edition is one of the most recent local businesses to join The Boxes at Chapelton. With a passion for recycling and reusing clothes, this boutique offers preloved childrenswear and footwear plus a selection of new wooden toys, books and gifts. 

To find out more about the business we caught up with the owner, Louise McIntosh…

Tell us a bit about your background/family and how you started the business?

“I’m Louise, I live in Newtonhill with my husband, three children, our dog Calvin and our bunnies Cheddar & Nibbles. After having my youngest and leaving my job in HR, we desperately needed a clear out of all things that no longer fit or weren’t used any more that the five of us had accumulated. Hating the thought of anything going to landfill that still had life in it but knowing that despite donating lots there were items that I felt were worth selling so our family could get the use of something new to them with the funds raised by selling. 

“After realising that others were in the same position and lots of plotting and planning, the Facebook group was started and shared with close friends. It gave details on how the process would work and the sorts of things we would try to sell on your behalf. We had everything from glassware & golf clubs to jewellery & clothes. For the first year or two we sold locally on Facebook and through eBay and the page grew steadily. The corner in the spare room that I used became the entire spare room and the bed and furniture moved out to create a work and storage space. Towards the end of 2017 I made the decision to focus on fashion.”

How do you relax? What do you do in your spare time?

“Any business owner will appreciate that time to relax is few and far between but luckily I really love what I do so I thrive on the busyness of it. When I do switch off I enjoy hanging out with my family, socialising with friends & family, going for walks and exploring local areas we don’t visit day to day. During lockdown one of my best memories was taking the kids out and playing ‘This way or that way’ and we would let them take turns choosing which way we would go. Made the daily walk much more interesting.”

What do you enjoy most about your job?

“The people! Without a doubt the people that I get to meet daily. Some days in the shop it is like an episode of Loose Women with lots of chatter about life, fashion and issues us women deal with daily. Seeing someone get that perfect outfit for an occasion when they couldn’t find anything on the high street and had exhausted all the online brands they knew of. We stock such a vast array of brands that you get the chance to try on something you likely didn’t know existed and often it was just what you were looking for.”

How did you discover The Boxes at Chapelton?

“We are lucky to live within walking distance and I’ve had a keen eye on Chapelton since planning was put in place. I had been keeping in touch with the team about progress over the years and had hoped one day that a space just right for LouSells would come up. The Boxes are exceptionally deceiving and what looks like a relatively small space can easily be turned to suit a variety of business requirements. When we got the call to say that one was coming available, we jumped at the chance to see how we could make it work.”

What do you like most about Chapelton and why?

“Without sounding like a wannabe twenty something, The Vibe! Chapelton has such a great feel, contemporary but classic. Since joining the boxes it has opened my eyes to just how supportive other businesses are of each other. These last few years have been hard on small businesses so it is great to have that business community behind you as well as customer support. We love being a part of Chapelton Life.”

Find LouSells on Facebook and Instagram or get in touch via email at Lou_sells@outlook.com

Delicious food, live singers and lots of amazing local businesses – what better way to fill your weekend!

The Chapelton Farmers’ Market is fast approaching and we want to showcase some of the wonderful local businesses that will be joining us on Sunday, 24 July. From natural pet products to award-winning hot sauce there is sure to be something for everyone.

Stinky Beasties

Can you tell us a bit about your local business and how you got started?

“My business is Stinky Beasties: Nature’s Pet Products which focuses on making handmade natural, vegan-friendly pet grooming and care products. 

“I got started because of my own dog, Odin, who likes to roll in EVERYTHING! With having to wash him several times a week, the dog shampoo I was using was beginning to destroy his skin and coat, no matter what shampoo I used – nothing seemed to be getting rid of the horrible fox poop smell.

“After a lot of time, research and trial and error, I finally developed a charcoal shampoo made out of activated charcoal that helps to absorb bacteria and unwanted smells. This finally meant that no matter how often I wash him, he now always smells, looks and feels amazing.”

Have you been a part of the Chapelton Farmers’ Market before and what made you decide to sign-up?

“I’ve been taking part in the Chapelton Farmers’ Market since the end of last year – it is definitely one of my favourites. I decided to sign up because it was always a good market to visit as a customer, it has a loyal customer base and of course lots of dogs.”

What will you be selling at the market?

“We have a wide range of products including shampoo bars – perfect for removing any nasty odours. Our tasty pasty toothpaste is great for freshening the breath and removing plaque. It’s also ideal for dogs who don’t like having their teeth brushed as the toothpaste works as soon as it enters the mouth, therefore can be placed on chew toys. 

“Additionally, we have nose balms, for added protection against the heat and paw balms which have a natural antihistamine in them. We have lots more products such as dry shampoos and more, all of which will be available at the market.”

Singularity Sauce

Can you tell us a bit about your local business and how you got started?

“Now in its 3rd year, Singularity Sauce Co. was established to bring modern and flavourful hot sauces from the North East of Scotland to the world. Our country produces some of the best food and drink in the world and our ambition has always been to have the North East of Scotland well represented as a producer of great hot sauce. 

“Choosing to ignore those who matter-of-factly stated that there was no market for it, we pushed on regardless. We now boast a two star great taste award, a top 10 finish in California for ‘the world’s best fruit based hot sauce’ and with two sauces in this year’s national top 100 list, we currently hold the award for best ‘calienté’ hot sauce in the UK. 

“Our national press exposure continues to put the region on the map and we recently smashed our crowdfunder in only 12 days. We’re also currently working on our new sauce lab as we speak.”

Have you been a part of the Chapelton Farmers’ Market before and what made you decide to sign-up?

“We’ve been turning up to Chapelton since 2019. It’s the market we’ve attended longer than any other, and with good reason. The people of Chapelton and round about, always turn up and are keen to have fun and see what’s new. There is a fantastic list of producers at the market with something for everyone. We have lots of friends at Chapelton and look forward to the next market.”

What will you be selling at the market?

“Our range of small batch hot sauces are well known to the Chapelton crowd. This July, they will get to try and test our collection of prototypes. An opportunity to snag all 5 of our new HET SASS range in their prototype states, ahead of a formal launch later this summer. We’ll also bring a couple of BBQ sauces to the party because it’s July and everything is better in July with a great BBQ sauce.”

Barra Blades 

Can you tell us a bit about your local business and how you got started?

“I run Barras Blades which is a professional sharpening service based locally out of Inverbervie. 

“I grew up on the Isle of Cumbrae where I first learnt to sharpen using oil stones from my father who was a trained shop fitter. Through joining the merchant navy and spending many years working on a variety of ships and companies, I learned to fix and maintain just about anything. 

“One of the catalysts to starting Barra Blades was when my wife, Helen decided to treat herself to some lovely new kitchen knives. To help keep her knives in top condition I invested in a Tormek sharpening system which led to me becoming the designated sharpener for friends, neighbours and family.

“After the oil crash and Covid-19, I found myself unemployed with lots of time on my hands and decided that it was time to make sharpening knives into a business, and launched Barra Blades. 

“As the company grew, customers began to ask if I could sharpen other items such as clippers and hairdressing scissors, so I began searching and pricing relevant machinery. After spending the day with another professional sharpener, I decided that I liked what I saw and acquired a bank loan to help fund new machinery and training.”

Have you been a part of the Chapelton Farmers’ Market before and what made you decide to sign-up?

“Yes, we have been at the farmer’s market twice before and we signed up after being told about it by Bannerman Butchers who are also a regular feature at the market.” 

What will you be selling at the market?

“We will not be selling a specific product since we are a sharpening service, however, we will be available to sharpen your kitchen knives, scissors etc.”

“Outside of the farmers’ market, we also appear once a month at ‘The Boxes at Chapelton’ where we run a pop-up sharpening event for other items such as garden tools. We view it as a business and public service as it is much better to get us to sharpen your knives than buy brand new ones.”

Seafood Bothy

Can you tell us a bit about your local business and how you got started?

“We are a local family business with a commercial fishing boat. The catch comes directly to the Seafood Bothy to be made into unique seafood takeaway dishes. We are located on Stonehaven pier on the harbour in an old horsebox which has been converted and also have a second bothy which we take on the road. 

“You cannot get much more fresh, as we really are from sea to table and take pride in sustainable fishing and delicious seafood!”

Have you been a part of the Chapelton Farmers’ Market before and what made you decide to sign-up?

“This will be our first time at Chapelton Farmers’ Market, we love the concept of it and have attended as visitors before.”

What will you be selling at the market?

“We have a range of tasty seafood options to choose from including lobster burritos, crab wraps, lobster and crab pies, cullen skin pies, crab quesadillas, mackerel pate and seafood platters – a true seafood lovers dream.”

Cookie Cult

Can you tell us a bit about your local business and how you got started?

“I started Cookie Cult in December 2020 as an online bakery after getting made redundant from my job in oil and gas.

“I had been put on furlough and to keep myself busy I started making cookies and dropping them off to my friends and family to cheer them up. They started sharing photos of the cookies on social media and before I knew it, I had people messaging me directly to buy some.

“I’ve always loved baking, my first ever job was in a bakery so when I got made redundant it felt like the right path to go down. Initially, I worked from my small flat and from the offset I was baking hundreds of cookies a week so quickly outgrew my kitchen and had to relocate to larger premises. Now that life is going back to normal after covid I’m excited to take Cookie Cult to the next level.”

Have you been a part of the Chapelton Farmers’ Market before and what made you decide to sign-up?

“No, this will be our first ever time attending a Chapelton Farmers’ Market. Since this is one of our first ever markets we are slightly nervous but also very excited to attend. It looks like a great market with lots of amazing fellow local businesses!”

What will you be selling at the market?

“Thick NYC stuffed cookies and brookies.”

Keep an eye on social media as we announce more local businesses joining us this weekend!

Come along to take a closer look at these fantastic local businesses alongside a whole host of others at the Chapelton Farmers’ Market. For more information, see the details below:

Chapelton Farmers’ Market

Sunday 24th July 2022 11am- 2:30pm

Burgess Park, AB39 8AE