The sight of a static caravan sent cascading down a roaring River Dee was one of the most iconic images of the floods which hit the north-east following Storm Frank.
Now, four months on from the deluge which brought communities across Aberdeenshire to its knees, the Ballater Caravan Park is on the brink of reopening.
The site was described as like a “war zone” after the flood bank at neighbouring Ballater Golf Club burst on December 30, sending 4ft of water through the village.
Some 600 homes and 100 businesses are estimated to have flooded across Aberdeenshire in the days following Storm Frank – 307 and 60 of which were in Ballater.
The Deeside caravan park – which has been at the location for 50 years – was one of the biggest tourist draws in the village.
Now, after a clear-up estimated at £100,000 and months of work, the site is in line to open on May 13 or 14.
The touring section of the park will open its doors to 40 caravans and almost 30 tent pitches.
In total, 102 statics were housed at the site when the floods swept in, 40 of which ended up missing.
Many others on the site were left beyond repair and were demolished.
One of the park’s directors, Ian Wisely, said: “We have upgraded all our stances to comply with the current legislation at the caravan sites. It is absolutely back up to date.
“We are hoping if the weather permits and there is no hold ups we can actually open the touring site I think on May 13 or 14.
“It is going to look pretty special because it is substantially renovated. I think it is going to look great.
“It does bring in a lot of visitors who come and stay for a short and for longer periods. I think the village is trying hard, it is beginning to look better.”
Mr Wisely added the focus would next be on the future of static caravans at the site and would depend on future Ballater flood defences.
He said: “We are really like everyone else in Ballater waiting on positive news about flood defences.
“Hopefully it will be a scheme where the village can feel confident about going back to their homes and not being hit by such devastation again.”
Vice-chairman of the Ballater and Crathie Community Council, Jim Anderson, said: “It was a big loss to the village, we are definitely needing it.”
Fresh positivity
A Ballater businessman said there is fresh “positivity” within the village now as the caravan park takes steps towards reopening.
On the village’s Bridge Street businesses were filled with some 3ft of water during the floods, ruining thousands of pounds worth of stock.
As the clear up began in early January, piles of bin bags full of soaking books and other items collected on the main thoroughfare through Ballater.
However in recent weeks HM Sheridan butchers and Brakeley Gift Room have both started trading once again, whilst in neighbouring Aboyne flood-hit Footprint shoe shop has reopened.
Ballater Golf Club is also open once again and Deeside Books is on track to do so this summer, but is already trading online.
Alistair Cassie runs Cassie’s on the top half of the street and has – along with other businesses which survived the floods – reported a downturn in custom since the floods.
However he said many who own mobile homes and not static caravans may not be put off the caravan park following the floods.
Mr Cassie said: “Ballater needs tourists and caravaning is getting popular. I don’t think the flood worry affects caravaners that much. Caravan sites are generally on flood plains so it is just one of those things. The statics are a bit different.
“That was a freak flood, it might been another 70-80 years we see one like that again, it could be tomorrow. You can’t look at life like that. you can’t go through life thinking ‘this is it’, you have got to be positive and think to the future.
“There are people wanting to come and support Ballater and the caravan site. We are all thinking positively.”
