Pauline meets “Auld Craobhie,” the ancient oak from Stanley Robertson’s story
The Grampian Association of Storytellers held their first Satellite Meeting of 2008 on the 23rd February at Archaeolink Prehistory Park. It was a great success and further Satellite Storytelling sessions in Aberdeenshire will be held for children in the future. For further details, see the GAS website or please feel free to contact me. (See “contacts” page). In the photo, Anna gets everyone dancing to the Frog Song!
In June, Stanley Robertson took a group of us out to the Old Road at Lumphanan to meet Auld Craobhie, the ancient oak tree from the story in his book “Exodus to Alford.” We heard a lot of the history of the area, with special relevance to the Scottish Traveller folk who regularly used to camp up the old road. We had a right fine picnic in the shade of Auld Craobhie and sang some of the ancient scots ballads we have been learning from Stanley.
Whilst visiting relatives across the pond in August, I was very pleased to meet up with some members of the Montreal Storyteller’s Guild. We swapped a few stories and it was lovely to see the similarities between the Montreal Guild and our own group of storytellers, GAS. I really enjoyed myself and look forward to hopefully meeting up again some time in the future!
In September, Maggie and I told stories at “Bodgefest” in Dunnottar Quarry. What an amazing setting for storytelling. Hopefully they’ll do it again next year – if so, I’m camping over!
Aberdeen University Storytelling Society which was great fun as always! They’re going to be guest starting at March 2009’s GAS FFF!
My second last event of the year was a Hallowe’en storytelling session at the Burn O’Vat Visitors Centre. Hallowe’en really is my favourite time of year for storytelling – and dressing up! There are so many ghost stories associated with the North East of Scotland. Here’s a link to the event – snh.org.uk and also to the poem I wrote after a childhood experience at the Vat! – Witches At The Burn O Vat
The year’s grand finale was, once again, Wickerman at Archaeolink and the storytelling challenge that is the Haunted Caves! This year we covered the tale of an Aberdeenshire graverobber, The Big Gray Man of Ben MacDhui, Osbarn the Smith and the Aberdeen witch trials – noting specifically the wicked deeds of one Jonet Wishart who was eventually burned for her sins on heading hill. I’ve already got a few plans for 2009, but I’m keeping them to myself for now!
These were just a few of my favourite events from 2008. Throughout the year, I was busy with GAS events (see the GAS web page, link below) and various events at Archaeolink.
2007s Glastonbury Festival of Performing Arts was my first time in the Green Futures Earth House – it was a wonderful experience, despite all the rain and that mud! 
Then more stories were to be had on the 30th June up on the Kincorth Hill (aka the Gramps!) as part of Aberdeen’s Treefest. Thankfully the sun came out and we had a good audience (both human and canine!) for our tree stories.
On Sunday 12th August 2007 GAS Storytellers coudl be found telling stories at the MRI 2007 Harbour Festival in Stonehaven. 
My next event was on the 16th October where I told fireside tales out on the shores of Loch Kinord at the Muir of Dinnet Nature Reserve. An audience of adults and children were made comfortable on waterproof beanbags and were warmed by a campfire while they heard tales of Battles, Beasts, Myths and Legends of the area. See the 
On the 28th October, I could be found guiding a terrified public through the haunted caves at Archaeolink’s Wickerman event while other GAS storytellers were performing up at the round house.
Pauline Cordiner - Scottish Storyteller 