Michael Russell

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.