Highland games postponed until bicentenary

The organisers of the annual Inverness Highland Games confirmed today that they have decided to cancel the event in 2021 – but aim to return for its bicentenary next year. The Inverness Highland Games committee said that the ongoing uncertainty around what COVID restrictions might be in place by the date of the event left…

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European Pipe Band Championships cancelled

The organisers of Piping Inverness, which incorporates the European Pipe Band Championships, has cancelled this year’s event. The competition was scheduled to take place on Saturday 26 June, but with uncertainty around COVID-19 restrictions and following the latest Scottish Government guidance, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA), in partnership with event organiser, LCC Live,…

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Historic farm gets new lease of life

A TECHNOLOGY entrepreneur has unveiled plans to turn a historic farm in East Lothian into a museum. George Mackintosh bought Papple Steading in 2017 before adding the farmhouse and adjoining Papple and Papana Woods. Papple Steading was part of the Whittingehame Estate – owned by Arthur Balfour, who served as prime minister between 1902 and…

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Inverness hotels share positive figures

RESIDENTS in the North of Scotland are being encouraged to discover “what’s on their doorstep” as Inverness’s hotels report brighter figures amid the covid gloom. Chris Taylor, regional leadership director at national tourism marketing agency VisitScotland, said: “Right now, we are encouraging local people in the Highlands to discover what’s on their doorstep, in line…

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Highland food producers gather for online discussion

A SECOND online panel discussion organised by the newly-launched Highland Food & Drink Club (HFDC) is due to take place on Thursday at 2pm on Zoom. John Murray, who launched the HFDC in April, said this week’s session for Highland food producers will include a look at new markets, shopping trends and recovery planning. This…

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Spacious grade B-listed mansion in the Highlands

A most impressive B-listed Baronial Victorian mansion has been brought to the property market. Set amidst grounds extending to approximately 6.4 acres and located on the eastern outskirts of Forres in Moray is Newbold House. Believed to date from the turn of the last century, Newbold was built by Colonel John Woodcock who inherited the…

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Deer group cancel AGM over Corona virus threat

The Association of Deer Management Groups annual general meeting, which was due to take place next week, has been postponed due to the Corona virus threat. The annual gathering of around 200 of Scotland’s upland deer managers was due to take place at the Drumossie Hotel, Inverness on Wednesday 18 March. It will be rescheduled…

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When a couple’s lives go their Separate Ways

Inverness-shire-based author Ryan Coull takes us on a long, emotional journey along with Dottie Hawthorn, a popular schoolteacher  whose marriage is on the brink of collapse. With her irresponsible husband Billy intimidating her and causing her pain, she only has one option – leave him and move on. However, Billy is determined to make her…

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A look at the natural year in the Highlands

‘Nature writers are supposed to be able to summon from the literary ether the precise words to describe their subjects or the feelings they evince,’ writes John Lister-Kaye in Gods of the Morning. ‘Sometimes the Muse attends, but by no means on demand.’ Well, for Gods of the Morning: A Bird’s Eye View of a…

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Second home buyers boost Scots property market

The Highlands property market has witnessed an extremely active period in terms of property sales, boosted by second-home buyers. That’s according to new quarterly figures released by Galbraith covering 1 April – 30 June. Property sales handled by the team in Inverness increased almost twofold over this period in comparison to the previous quarter, with…

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