Latest news with #FortWilliam
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Browsing Rightmove for a rural bolthole? Get ‘the best of the Highlands' for £9m
If you're spending a drizzly weekend indoors scrolling for the one-day countryside bolthole you'll probably never buy, something in the Highlands of Scotland might catch your eye in the Rightmove listings. Just north of Fort William, where the average property price is a shade over £200,000, is a sale listing for £9m – but this is no lochside bothy ripe for renovation. Instead, the Glen Buck estate includes a four-bed farmhouse, two-bed holiday cottage, hydroelectric scheme, 3,600 hectares (8,900 acres) of land and part of the nearby loch. There are possibilities to make more money from its rolling hills in the shadow of the Grampian mountains too, the consistent wind speeds of the area known as the 'electric glen' making it prime for wind turbines. The listing comes amid unhappiness from Highlanders who believe large swathes of land being bought by wealthy individuals inflates property prices and excludes local people from buying where they grew up. According to government statistics, the rise in house prices in the Highlands is among the highest in Scotland, with a 7% increase between July 2023 and July 2024. In 2022 the Scottish Land Commission warned the country's land market is at risk of 'overheating', with the demand from corporations, charities and the privately wealthy for prime Highland estates outstripping supply. Rod Christie, who is handling the sale on behalf of Galbraith estate agents, said: 'At the heart of the Great Glen, Glen Buck estate offers buyers enormous diversity through a wealth of residential, sporting, natural capital and renewable interests. 'It will likely appeal to buyers from across the globe, with private buyers, institutions and investors all able to find a specific point of interest.' The estate in Aberchalder is rich in history too, closely associated with Scotland's bloody clan past and the Jacobite rebellion. The nearby village of Invergarry was once home to a branch of Clan Donald. Approaching Glen Buck along the A82 before Invergarry, drivers come across a macabre monument dedicated to a series of 17th-century reprisal killings among the clans. The obelisk next to Loch Oich is initially unassuming. However, closer scrutiny reveals it is crowned with a carving of a hand holding a dagger, and seven severed heads. Called the Well of the Seven Heads, the name refers to revenge killings after two members of Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, a branch of Clan Donald, were murdered by their cousins. The seven killers were tracked down two years later and themselves killed. They were decapitated, with their heads washed in a well underneath where the obelisk now stands. Their heads were then presented as proof of their deaths. The well can still be seen. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The area has strong links, too, to the Jacobite rebellion. Regiments from the area joined the Jacobite army that attempted to restore the House of Stuart to the British throne. The nearby village of Fort Augustus was the scene of a siege during the uprising of 1745, and again a year later, as the area was contested between Jacobite forces and those loyal to the British crown. Luckily, it has been far more peaceful since then. Glen Buck fronts on to the Caledonian canal, which connects the east and west Scottish coasts. It covers low-lying ground, upland terrain and hill grazing to more than 800 metres at Carn Dearg, and includes native woodland as well as buildings including a farmhouse, bothies and a cottage used for holiday lets. The leased Glen Buck Hydro Scheme is an electricity generation facility on the estate that will provide rental income until 2065. The sellers also pointed to 'natural capital opportunities' on the estate in the form of peatland restoration potential, and woodland creation supported by 'compensatory planting arrangements'. Meanwhile its 'sporting appeal' is represented by well-established deer stalking across open country and areas of woodland, the sellers saying this could be further developed. Christie said: 'With high hills, ancient woodland, open moorland and good-quality farmland, Glen Buck represents the best of the Highlands and enjoys access to, and a spectacular outlook over, Loch Oich.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Kinlochshiel end Kingussie's 52-game unbeaten run
Kinlochshiel ended Kingussie's 52-game unbeaten run across almost two years with a 2-1 Mowi Premiership victory at dropped Kingussie to fourth and allowed newly-promoted Fort William to hit top spot with a 5-0 eclipse of Lovat at An Aird. Shiel's success, combined with Beauly's 10-1 defeat by Oban Camanachd, also confirmed Beauly's came from behind to defeat visitors Kyles 6-1 and extend their winning run to 12 edged Caberfeidh 2-1 in the other Premiership Borthwick got an early opener for Kingussie but Archie MacRae levelled before half-time and young Jay MacRae hit the winner with 11 minutes left. This was Kingussie's first defeat in all competitions since they lost 1-0 to Caberfeidh at Strathpeffer on 23 September, 2023.A Lachie Shaw hat-trick, including a penalty, and goals from Ewan Campbell and Archie MacKinnon took Fort to the summit of the top division after several seasons in the lower Mossfield, Daniel MacVicar opened Oban's goal rush in the first minute and ended it in the 84th. In between, Daniel MacCuish got a treble, Malcolm Clark a double and there were singles from Ross Campbell, Lorn Dickie and Ross MacMillan. Louie MacLellan replied for Beauly at Pringle scored for Kyles after just four minutes at The Eilan and they held on for most of the first half before crumbling. Joe Coyle equalised, Iain Robinson spread a hat-trick across the interval and Euan Dingwall and Conor Jones completed the MacDonald and Ruaraidh MacLeod gave visitors Skye a 2-0 half-time lead and, despite Blair Morrison narrowing the gap in the penultimate minute, Skye held on to break the mid-table William, with an extra game played, are a point clear of Newtonmore, who head Oban Camanachd on goal difference, with Kingussie a further point strengthened their grip at the top of the National Division with a 2-0 victory at home over Bute while Col Glen in second boosted their chances of a first ever season in the Premiership when they defeated visitors Glenurquhart Celtic won the Chieftain's Cup for single team clubs, 4-2 against Ballachulish in the final at Cannich.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Plan launched to tackle Fort William congestion problems
Consultants have been appointed to come up with a plan to ease congestion on Fort William's have been long-running complaints about gridlock, particularly on the A82, which runs through the town and is a major link connecting Inverness with engineering firms are expected to spend 18 months developing a package of priorities and potential funding sources for transport improvements.A previous study suggested emergency services staff faced delays getting to work and some teachers and pupils were late for school due to congested traffic. AECOM and Stantec have been tasked by Highland Council and regional transport body Hitrans to produce the integrated transport is part of a wider vision for Fort William and Lochaber area called Council's economy and infrastructure committee chairman Ken Gowans said the appointment of the consultants was a significant but long overdue said: "The appointment of AECOM and Stantec to take forward the integrated transport plan brings renewed momentum and a real opportunity to tackle the long-standing issues of congestion and connectivity that affect residents, businesses and emergency services alike."Mr Gowans added: "This plan is a key step in shaping a better future for Fort William and the wider Lochaber area."Transport Scotland the plan would explore measures to improve local connections, and journey times on the A82 through Fort William. 'Magic wand' Frazer Coupland, of West Highland Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the development describing it as a "lifetime opportunity" for Fort William and the wider Lochaber told BBC Scotland News: "We are a town of low resilience when it comes to our transport infrastructure."It only takes a small mistake to really congest the place up and gridlock us on occasions."A four to five-mile journey can take up to an hour if you go at the wrong times of day."Mr Coupland said everyone wished for a magic wand to sort out the traffic problems but added that it would take time to come up with solutions. In September, businesses warned that traffic congestion in and around Fort William was preventing them from Chamber of Commerce said getting through the town had been a problem for years but it was now at "crisis point".BSW Timber and fish farm company Mowi were among businesses which expressed frustration at delays at getting raw materials in and products Scottish government said at the time it had plans for improving travel through the town. Fort William is a popular Highland tourist destination as well as a base for industry, including an aluminium town has road and rail links to Inverness, Glasgow and Mallaig.A previous report, the Fort William Strategic Transport Study in 2018, set out some of the challenges to these reported congestion could get so bad through the town that emergency services staff and teachers could be prevented from getting to their work on firms said they had to put on extra vehicles at congested times to catch up with their timetable, while some residents avoided shopping in the town flow was highly seasonal with busiest months being May to August, according to the also told of their being only one way in or out of the town, which could present study said if there was an accident on the A82 just north or south of Fort William, motorists were faced with a 162-mile (261km) diversion via report also said improvements were constrained by the geography of the William has high mountains on one side, including Ben Nevis - the UK's highest mountain - and Loch Linnhe sea loch on the other.
Telegraph
04-07-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
Meteor pieces may have landed in Scotland
The remnants of a meteor that lit up British skies on Thursday may have landed in Scotland. The orange glowing rock streaked across the sky north of the border shortly after midnight. Experts said pieces of the small meteor, which originated from between Mars and Jupiter, could have landed between two Highland lochs. UK Meteor Network (UKMON) said it may have scattered debris between the lochs Treig and Etricht, to the east of Fort William. The group added that it was descending when it was sighted at a speed of approximately 12,427mph. It may also have landed near Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the country. The last meteorite found on British soil was in Winchcombe, Devon, in February 2021, which was the first in 30 years. The first piece of that meteor was discovered on a driveway and later found to contain extra-terrestrial water that closely resembled Earth's oceans. Shocked onlookers were so surprised by the meteor sighting over Scotland that they called the emergency services. The Coastguard said one caller had alerted them to 'unidentified lights' over the Tay Road Bridge in Dundee shortly after 1am. 'Broughty Ferry lifeboat was called to investigate alongside Dundee Coastguard Rescue Team and with nothing untoward found, the search was stood down,' a spokesman said. 'The sighting was believed to have been related to a meteorite shower reported across parts of the UK.' Mistaken for a missile Andy McNeill, who saw the meteor overhead in Appin, Argyll and Bute, told BBC News: 'There was a bright flash over the house which also caused the Wi-Fi to reset, and then maybe 20 to 30 seconds later an explosive bang. 'There was also contrail in the sky, striking broadly east to west.' Ringold Abolins, a lorry driver from Merseyside, said he thought the meteor was a 'missile' when he saw it while driving on the M74 to Glasgow. 'It burned out in two to four seconds. It was so quick and [there] was [a] small green line behind,' he said. 'I thought in [the] first moment it was a kind of rocket or missile.'
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Newtonmore win as four sides vie for Premiership title
Newtonmore thrust themselves into what's now a four-horse Mowi Premiership title race with a last minute 3-2 win at Fort result also dislodged Fort from top spot, where they are replaced by a Kingussie side that defeated Kinlochshiel 3-0 at The Dell. Oban Camanachd remain in contention with a 5-2 success against Kyles at Shaw gave Fort a precious early breakthrough, which was cancelled out by Drew MacDonald. Victor Smith restored Fort's lead only for Iain Robinson to grab Newtonmore's second equaliser just on half-time in advance of Joe Coyle's very late Borthwick opened for Kingussie early in the second half and Ruaridh Anderson followed up with a quickfire double in the final MacVicar, Matt Rippon and Daniel MacVicar put Oban Camanachd well in front at half-time and Daniel MacCuish scored their fourth soon after the break. Dunkie Kerr pulled one back for Kyles on the hour, Scott Campbell scored a late fifth for Camanachd and Ross MacRae got Kyles' second with an even later now have a goal difference lead over Fort, who have played an extra game. Camanachd are a point behind and Newtonmore, who have a game in hand, are a further point adrift, with the top four teams now six clear of the game between Lovat and Caberfeidh was abandoned following a head injury to a Lovat player. The player was left on the field as a precaution following the incident just after 15:00 BST. The delayed arrival of an ambulance meant that the field had not been cleared by the 17:00 deadline for resuming the National Division, Finlay MacDonald gave leaders Lochaber a 1-0 win away to Glenurquhart, extending the Spean Bridge club's unbeaten run to nine league games. Inveraray and Bute drew 2-2 and Strathglass still seek their first point following their 3-0 loss to Glasgow Mid Argyll.
