Gairloch hydro put on hold and NC500 impact report

If it's Thursday, then it must be time for another Wester Ross Round-up. This week 1210 of you are on the list. We're glad you are here! If you come across anything you'd like us to include in the next one - news, photos, jobs, gossip - please do share it with us here.

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🟡 A hydro scheme on Gairloch Estate land has been been put on hold because the firm developing it can't get a connection to the national grid. A set of 2025 accounts associated with the development suggest investors may have spent up to £2.7m in "assets under construction," on the project so far. More: BBC News.

🟡 Don't eat bivalves from Loch Broom. Raised levels of naturally occurring biotoxins in bivalve shellfish have been detected during routine monitoring at Loch Broom. Eating shellfish such as cockles, mussels, oysters, or razor fish from this area may pose a health risk due to these toxins. Unfortunately, cooking does not remove these toxins or make shellfish safe to eat. More: Facebook

🟡 Some noteworthy figures from a new NC500 report:

• 69% of businesses say the initiative has helped them grow.
• 85% of local residents say they see litter or waste "often" or "daily" on the NC500 route. Over half say they see human waste just as frequently.
• 61% of locals say that the North Coast 500 Ltd, the firm that promotes the route, does not "act in the best interests of the local area."

You can download the whole report by tapping the box below.

🟡 Given the litter figures above, it's probably good news that the Highland Council Seasonal Access Rangers team are back. More: Highland Council

🟡 A generous mystery donor has put £1000 into the Poolewe Village Hall crowdfunder that we shared last week. Smaller donations are undoubtedly also still welcome. More: Just Giving

🟡 Folk at The Old Inn are "absolutely blown away" after a fundraising event at the venue in support of a project in Senegal, that is led by their their Senegalese Chef de Partie, Demba, raised £269.20. More: Facebook

🟡 Members of Gairloch Coastal Rowing Club successfully rowed 24km from one end of Loch Maree to the other on May 30. All the facts, figures and cheery photos are on their Facebook page. If this inspires you to join up, the club is also hosting an open day with the boat club on Saturday June 6. More: Facebook

Events

Check out our new online event calendar here. You can add events to the calendar using this form. It's the best way to get your events featured in this newsletter and the Gairloch and District Times. Here's a selection of new and noteworthy events:

🟡 MAERL - Seabed Superhome
Join us at Inverewe Garden's Sawyer Gallery for the launch of MAERL - Seabed Superhome, an immersive multimedia installation by artist Julia Barton.
Sat 06 Jun | 1.00pm | Inverewe Garden (National Trust for Scotland), IV22 2LG | More info

🟡 Volunteer Taster Day
Join GALE during Volunteers' Week as we celebrate the people who support our community and explore new ways to connect, contribute, and get involved. Take a closer look behind the scenes and try a volunteer taster session.
Sat 06 Jun | 3.00pm | The Shieling Community Pub, IV21 2BH | More info

🟡 Film | Song Sung Blue
This film stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as Mike and Claire Sardina, a Milwaukee husband and wife Neil Diamond Tribute Act. They experience soaring success and devastating heartbreak in their musical journey together. Doors open at 6.45pm
Sat 06 Jun | 7.00pm | Aultbea Community Hub, IV22 2HU | More info

🟡 SSEN A832 Roadworks community drop-in meeting
SSEN plan road works that will include full night-time closures of the A832 from August. This meeting aims to keep residents and stakeholders fully informed about the upcoming works and the anticipated effects on road users.
Mon 08 Jun | 4.00pm | Aultbea Hall, IV22 2JA | More info

🟡 Parkinson's Information and Engagement Session
A free event for people with Parkinson's and their family members who live in the wider Gairloch area. Enjoy tea, coffee, and a cake. Meet with your Parkinson's local adviser and Area Development Manager. Call Lyndsay on 07815 610 129 for more info.
Thu 11 Jun | 1.30pm | The Shieling Community Pub, IV21 2BH | More info

🟡 West Coast Arts - The Luke Daniels Trio
The Luke Daniels Trio fuses English, Irish, and Scottish traditional tunes with global influences to create something vibrant, vital, and utterly unique.
Sat 13 Jun | 7.30pm | Poolewe Village Hall, IV22 2LD | More info

🟡 Golf | Gairloch Seniors Open
The Gairloch Seniors Open is on the 19th of June. It's an individual stableford open to both gents and ladies. There is an entry fee of £10 to members and £15 to non members.
Fri 19 Jun | 10.00am | Gairloch Golf Club, IV21 2BD | More info

🟡 Make Do And Mend
Come along to our drop-in Make Do & Mend Session where we will help you find the time (and a bit of support!) to tackle those mending projects that you might have been putting off. Whether it's a favourite shirt, a pair of jeans or a knitted jumper, mending your textiles is a great way to extend the life of your beloved garments and reduce waste.
Fri 19 & 20 Jun | Gairloch Museum, IV21 2BH | More info

🟡 Re-Love Clothing Fair
The Ullapool Re-love Clothing Fairs aim to provide a platform for buying and selling good quality second hand clothing, bring people together and promote sustainable fashion and habits.
From Fri 19 Jun | 1.00pm | Ullapool Village Hall, IV26 2XE | More info

🟡 Gairloch Community Car Scheme AGM
You are invited to the Gairloch Community Car Scheme Annual General Meeting.
Wed 24 Jun | 2.00pm | Poolewe Village Hall, IV22 2LD | More info

🟡 Consultation on plans to buy community land in Poolewe
Wester Loch Ewe Trust are holding a second public consultation event on their plans to acquire community land at Poolewe. Please come along and make your opinion heard.
Mon 29 Jun | 7.00pm | Poolewe Village Hall, IV22 2LD | More info

🟡 Coigach Gathering 2026
The big annual gathering. Music, food, games, stalls and dancing. Coigach Hall and the school field.
Sat 04 Jul | 12.30pm | Coigach Community Hall, IV26 2YG | More info

Jobs

A new issue of the Gairloch and District Times comes out on Friday with even more jobs in it. You can buy from these great shops.

🟡 The Am Bàrd Café in Gairloch Museum is looking for a flexible Café Assistant to join their team. More: Facebook

🟡 Highland Council are looking for an Early Years Practitioner to work at Shieldaig Primary School. More: Hi-Jobs

🟡 The Wester Loch Ewe Trust seek a Public Toilet Attendant to look after the Poolewe Loos. More: Wester Loch Ewe Trust

🟡 NHS Highland Care at Home team are recruiting for Health and Social Care Support Worker roles throughout the Wester Ross area, based in Ullapool Health Centre. More: NHS Scotland

🟡 There is also another job going at Ullapool Health Centre, this time for a Community Early Years Practitioner. More: Hi-jobs

🟡 The Seafood Shack in Ullapool is looking for a full-time seasonal worker to join their team. More: Facebook

🟡 More jobs in Ullapool! High Life Highland are looking for a part-time Operations Manager to work at the Lochbroom Leisure Centre, and Customer Services Assistants to work at the MacPhail Centre. More: High Life Highland

🟡 Highland Council are looking to hire a Community Works Operative, based in Gairloch. More: Hi-Jobs

More News

🟡 Gairloch and Lochewe Action Forum (GALE) have been awarded a £77,850 grant from SSE Renewables from the SSE Renewables’ Highland Sustainable Development Fund. It will be paid out over two years and is to "support the growth of GALE, increasing its self-financing capability."

🟡 The National Trust for Scotland want to put up new signage on the A896 to tell people when they enter their Torridon property. More: Highland Council Planning Portal

🟡 New local constituency MSP David Green reveals to Holyrood Magazine that he likes a Scotch Pie. More: Holyrood Magazine

🟡 To celebrate Volunteer Week, NatureScot have published a blog from a volunteer who has undertaken a placement at Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve. More: NatureScot

🟡 Highland Council has proposed using powers in the new Scottish Languages Act to designate the entire region an "area of linguistic significance," in a bid to provide better support for Gaelic. More: BBC

🟡 Do you fancy running the bar at Gairloch Community Hall? Training paid for, if you fancy it. More: Facebook

🟡 NHS Highland has missed 15 of 23 key performance targets including A&E and cancer treatment. More: Scott Maclennan | Inverness Courier

🟡 Media regulator Ofcom have given permission to STV to cut its dedicated news coverage of the north of Scotland. The National Union of Journalists have criticised the decision, pointing out that the STV proposal was opposed across the board. More: National Union of Journalists

🟡 Thanks to Mick Hunter for our cover photo this week. Here's some more Wester Ross Reader photos that people shared on our Facebook Page.

• Bluebells at Inverbroom estate | Tracy McLachlan
• Surprise deer visitors | Catherine McCubbin
• Coast Guard ship in Loch Ewe | Diane Langdon
• Glen Docherty Sunset | Carolyn Macdonald
• The Sorries at Aultbea Hall | Fiona Tulloch