1881

28^th December 1881

The Nairnshire Telegraph reported: "The people of Forres have been deprived of a great privilege which they have enjoyed for many year, namely that of skating on Blairs Loch. The reason, it appears, for this is that some skaters had trespassed on that part of the loch reserved for curling and refused to leave when ordered to do so. The loch is a very fine sheet of water, on the Altyre property about three miles from Forres. We understand a compromise will be made, allowing part of the loch to be used by skaters".

Sir Alasdair Gordon-Cumming of Altyre was an aristocratic patron of curling, but he felt he had to accomodate local skaters. In the issue of Dec.6^th 1882, the dispute was reported resolved by drawing up rules for skaters.