Glenbuchat Heritage

90 The Wind that shakes the Rowan Tree

The Wind that shakes the Rowan Tree

This poem by Bob Murdoch is about the changing seasons and their effect on the Rowan Tree at Belnaboth. Belnaboth was one of the Clachans of Glenbuchat, originally housing twelve families, now there are only two houses.

An original of the poem written by Bob Murdoch hangs in Craig Cottage Belnacraig. This version was the property of Jessie Ritchie nee Henderson who was born at Belnaboth and would have known Bob Murdoch. I am grateful to Fiona Haggart for supplying the copy of the poem.

Bob Murdoch the writer of the poem, was born and brought up in Belnaboth. He spent his adult life in Bolton as a postman, hence the address at the end of the poem. The poem was written in the middle of the Second World War

On retirement Bob and his wife Nan, who was born at Broombrae Belnacraig, retired to a cottage, Bowiebank, also on the Belnacraig hill.

Bob wrote a lot of poetry and a selection can be seen in the poetry section on this site