Michael Russell

United Kingdom

Journalist and Writer at West Highland Free Press

Author of 'Lie of the Land' (short-listed for Saltire Society First Book Award) and part-owner of the West Highland Free Press based on the Isle of Skye.

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Articles

DR CALUM MACLEOD: Scrap the two-child benefit cap

3 weeks ago | whfp.com | Michael Russell

In the middle of Mental Health Awareness Week, Dr Calum MacLeod of the Mental Health Foundation stresses the importance of preventative spending and changes to the benefit system…This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week celebrates the pivotal roles that our communities of place and of interest play in protecting peoples’ mental health.
Donnie Martin Stand fundraiser

1 month ago | whfp.com | Michael Russell

Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association held a charity walk from Kilmarie to Sligachan last Saturday in memory of Donnie Martin and to raise money for the new Skye Camanachd stand that has been named after him. A spokesman for the housing association told the Free Press: “We had 20 walkers for the sponsored walk in very mixed weather conditions in memory of Donnie who worked for us for many years.
Playing their cards right helps with Broadford decorations

Dec 30, 2024 | whfp.com | Michael Russell

Broadford’s annual Christmas tree and light display celebrated its third decade of donations from a local club this year. The tree and accompanying lighting and festive decorations are each year selected, decorated and erected by the Broadford and Strath Community Council alongside a team of volunteers aiming to bring the Christmas spirit to the village – and it is in large part thanks to donations received from the local ‘Whist Drive’ group that this has happened.
BALMACARA BOOST: Land fund cash means local trust can buy campsite

Dec 11, 2024 | whfp.com | Michael Russell

A wood and former campsite in Lochalsh will be bought for the local community thanks to an award of £162,130 from the Scottish Land Fund. The cash boost means Balmacara Community Trust can now progress its long-held plans to acquire the 16-acre site from Forestry and Land Scotland. The site was at one time used as a camping site and the trust believes this activity could potentially be revived to provide an income for the community, while preserving the much-loved recreational aspect of the land.
DUNVEGAN DIARY: Orbost crofts progress as housing survey deadline looms

Dec 3, 2024 | whfp.com | Michael Russell

With moves to create new crofts in north Skye progressing to the next stage, residents in the Dunvegan area are also being urged to fill in a housing needs survey before the deadline tomorrow (Friday). Last month at the Dunvegan Community Trust’s AGM, there was unanimous support among the 20 resident members present, in addition to the board, to press ahead with the creation of two woodland crofts in Orbost, at Cruachan Wood (8.7 hectares) and Cnoc nan Craobh (0.6 hectares).
PORTREE DEVELOPMENT: Bracken Hide owners set to expand

Nov 20, 2024 | whfp.com | Michael Russell

Perle Hotels are in the process of installing 18 new luxury cabins further up the hill at its Bracken Hide business in Portree. Speaking to the Free Press, managing director Beth Rehman said the new ‘hides’ will be open by early April, with the groundworks already completed. Four cabins have recently been delivered, with another four due by next week at the site, off Struan Road. Because they sit higher up the hill – between 50 and 20 metres higher – they have a more remote feeling, she said.
PATH PROBLEMS: Sheikh’s new build is on right of way

Nov 18, 2024 | whfp.com | Michael Russell

The billionaire owner of Inverinate Estate in Wester Ross is seeking planning consent to build a new dwelling within the estate. But the latest development by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum is more modest than the previous mansion-sized properties he has developed at Inverinate (pictured). It is for a three-bedroom shepherd’s cottage, south west of Leinassie on the 63,000-acre estate.
SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING: National award for Skye store

Nov 13, 2024 | whfp.com | Michael Russell

Armadale Stores in Sleat was crowned Sustainability Champion at the Scottish Grocers awards ceremony in Glasgow last week. After being anonymously entered for the award back in the spring, a judging panel visited the shop in July, and they were clearly impressed by what they saw. Award judges said the community-owned shop had carefully considered “every aspect of sustainability”.
GOING NATIVE: New woodland starts on Skye

Oct 30, 2024 | whfp.com | Michael Russell

The first 45 of 112,000 trees have been planted as part of a new native woodland being established by Mowi Scotland at Maol Ban in Skye. Over 2024-2025, 112,000 native broadleaved trees will be planted across 102 hectares of land near to Mowi Scotland’s Caol Mor seawater farm on the north side of Loch Ainort. A ceremony took place on 21st October, with Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland, planting the first tree.
Skye harpist relishing Celtic Connections

Oct 23, 2024 | whfp.com | Michael Russell

Skye-born and Glasgow-based young harpist Ciorstaidh Beaton helped launch the next Celtic Connections last week. Each year the festival’s ‘New Voices’ strand commissions groundbreaking new bodies of work from three emerging Scottish artists. Ciorstaidh, from Kilmuir, is delighted to be one of the recipients alongside banjo player Ciaran Ryan and pianist Michael Biggins who are pictured with her on the new Govan-Partick footbridge.