A favourite fishing hut of the Queen Mother hosted the beginning of the 2022 quest for the king of fish on the River South Esk in Angus.
The wooden bothy sits on the Kinnaird beat just east of Brechin. And it was there that anglers gathered to mark the new salmon season on the North and South Esks.
It’s one brimming with optimism – and not just over the prospect of landing a ‘bar of silver’. There are also high hopes over the post-pandemic economic and wellbeing boost the sport will bring.
The river was graced with fine conditions ahead of Storm Dudley’s anticipated arrival. Ghillie Donald Webster cast a quaich of Glencadam whisky from the Brechin distillery onto the water in the traditional blessing. Anglers made the short walk to the river from the hut on Southesk estate built for the late Queen Mum in 1934.