From Paul Castle

My first meeting with Dieter in 2008 was on a hill walk at Braemore with Mary Legg and Kirsty Rosie. We talked as we walked and it soon became clear he had a real passion for the outdoors and a real appreciation of the special qualities of Caithness. When I think of Dieter he is always outdoors and always smiling.
As my ranger colleague he was extremely helpful and I am always in his debt for the help he gave me when Mary Legg retired and my work area increased in size. From 2009 onwards we began working much closer and we became good friends as well as successful work colleagues. Dieter and I shared a similar sense of humour and we both loved discussing subjects such as comedy and films, often when we should have been discussing other things.
I really enjoyed our fishing trips and it was a pleasure to help Dieter learn how to fish, which he enjoyed immensely. I particularly remember him hooking his first large Pollack at Strathy Point using my fishing rod on one of our very first trips. I had previously told him how strong they were and how he needed to really hang on and bully the fish up through the water before it tangled in the seaweed. His face was an absolute picture when the fish once hooked immediately dived like a submarine and nearly pulled the rod and him in the sea. Shocked, excited, stuck in the seaweed and a lesson learned.
It has been a great pleasure to have Dieter as a work colleague and an absolute honour to be able to call him my friend. I will always miss my friend but every Caithness smile I see will remind me of Dieter.
Paul