“I’m calling myself a river bagger rather than a Munro bagger.”
Recently retired head ghillie Ian Tennant is describing his next venture after he finally hung up his Gordon Castle estate tweeds in September 2021 after a 41-year career.
“I’m going to try and fish all the mainland rivers in Scotland,” he says. “There’s about 96 of them, and it’ll take three to four years to do for charities like the Atlantic Salmon Trust and prostate cancer.”
With so many years spent on the water – including guiding members of the Royal Family – Ian was unlikely to stray far from the riverbanks of his salmon beats in retirement.
Destined to be a ghillie
Born and raised in Fochabers, he had bagged his first nine-pound fish at the age of eight and followed his father – a ghillie at Orton estate – into the trade, after an apprenticeship as a ship’s joiner in Buckie.
But as soon as a ghillie job became available at Gordon Castle, “I just jumped right back into the river, and have loved every minute of it,” he says.
The 66-year-old self-described “spring chicken” opened this year’s salmon season as guest of honour, and is a well-known and much-loved figure on the rivers.
He has spent his career guiding and encouraging others to appreciate the beauty of the Scottish countryside, its wildlife and it waters.
Ian is keen to see as many people as possible on the rivers, and believes everyone can enjoy the calm that fishing brings.
“It’s a very relaxing hobby,” he says. “You drift into your own wee world. Two thirds of the fun is throwing out that bonny line into the river.
“That’s why you get a lot of businessmen, they’re totally chilled out when they’re fishing. All your work worries are forgotten about.
“And when the salmon takes a hold of the line, it’s like a bolt of electricity going through that rod and line to you. And you’re shoving your heart down your throat again because your heart’s pumping.
“The fish is the bonus and the tug is the drug. You canna beat it. It’s an awesome, awesome feeling.”
Certain qualities required
It takes a special kind of person to be a ghillie, says Ian. In addition to the upkeep of the beats, building and repair work, and river bank maintenance, you need the personality to match.
“Yes, you need knowledge of the countryside but you need to be a bubbly person, too. I absolutely am,” he laughs. “I fished all beats in different areas, and most ghillies are the same kind of breed.
“You’ve got to be enthusiastic, even if you know the conditions of the river aren’t good at the time. You’ve got to be an eternal optimist and say, ‘You’re still in with a chance’.”
With his predecessors, Ian Stronach and Colin Reid, the combined ghillie experience of the three men totalled over 100 years – a level of expertise that Ian has been fortunate enough to share with members of the Royal Family, including the future king, HRH Prince Charles.
“I had him when I first started,” says Ian. “I’ve looked after him a lot. He’s fished our estate for something like 50, 55 years, since he was at Gordonstoun.
“He is a very knowledgeable fisherman. You get some fisherman just throwing a fly into the river and hoping. Then you get the other experienced guys; they’re looking at the river and trying to read the river, read the pool, seeing ripples where there could be boulders… He was one of those kinds of guys. Great knowledge.”
It’s a knowledge that extends beyond the rivers, says Ian, pointing out the passion the Royal Family has for Scotland.
“The royals love Scotland. I think it’s the peace and quiet, the rural settings. And the Prince is a great guy, he kent everything about the countryside. Very thoughtful, very passionate about it and an absolutely lovely man. A country gentleman at heart.”
And Prince Charles is a fan of Doric, it seems, with a perfect ear for the dialect, says Ian.
“He loves to hear the Doric,” he laughs. “Just as I’m blethering awa’ to you just now. And he understood it. He says to keep the Doric tongue going.”
A royal tribute
In fact, Prince Charles paid tribute to Ian in his role as ghillie in a Country Life magazine article written for his 70th birthday in 2018, called “The Prince of Wales rural heroes”. Ian was one such hero and he has treasured the magazine article ever since.
Ian’s final day as head ghillie on the Gordon Estate was at the end of September 2021.
“Normally I’m looking after five rods but I just had the one rod that day,” he recalls. “The Prince came over from Balmoral to fish with me on the last day of the season.
“It was just him and me the whole day. There were very few fish caught in the river that day but the Prince, he was fortunate enough to catch an 18-pound salmon.
“He knew it was my last day. He gave me a lovely leather-bound signed photograph as a memento.”
So what was his career highlight?
Ian laughs again. “Every day is a happy day. As long as you’re waking up in the morning, it should be a happy day. Some days you maybe don’t feel great but it’s still a happy day.
“There’s just too many happy memories on the river to pick one.”
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