Gairloch pupil wins film award and a spectacular wildlife event

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🐋 After the sad news about the whale that died after it stranded on Raasay last week, some happier news. There have been hundreds of animals seen together off the coast of Gairloch this week with multiple reports of minke and humpback whales, as well as lots of gannets, porpoises and dolphins. The "spectacular" event was described by Gairloch and District Times wildlife columnist Peter Cunnigham as "the biggest wildlife event I've seen by Gairloch."

Let's hope they are all still here on April 7 when Gairloch Marine Wildlife Centre and Cruises are planning to resume sailing again.

🎬 Congratulations to Lexie Jack who recently won an award for best performance in the FilmG Gaelic short-film competion for her role in a film made with other pupils at Gairloch High School. Lexie along with the rest of the Gairloch High team are pictured at the top of this post at the glittering Glasgow awards event where they picked up the gong.

🏰 And the good news continues –The Torridon Hotel was recently named as the best hotel in Scotland by The Times, in their "100 Best Places to Stay in the UK for 2025," list.

🍽️ The Myrtle Bank is now open again after a winter break too. It's open seven days a week. More details in this social media post.

🍺 And the Badachro Inn is looking for seasonal staff and moving to their summer season opening hours from March 23. More details on their Instagram account.

📽️ The first cinema documentary entirely in Scots Gaelic, Iorram (Boat Song), is being shown at Loch Torridon Community Hall on March 15. More details here.

🛍️ Organisers have also announced that the first Gairloch Thursday Market and pop-up cafe will be on April 17, from 11:00-15:00.

🏫 The Wester Loch Ewe Trust is offering reduced booking fees for the summer in a bid to prove to potential funders that the Old Inverasdale School House is a venue in demand. Details in the flyer below.

🚗 The Gairloch Community Car Scheme has thanked local photographer Mark Littlejohn for donating the proceeds of a 2025 calendar to the lifeline charity. Sales of the calendar at the Farm and Garden shop in Gairloch raised £720. The charity said the effort was "very much appreciated."

🍻 Meanwhile, the Gairloch and Loch Ewe Action Forum (GALE) announced a plan to re-open The Shieling as a "community pub," in early April. In an acrimonious social media discussion that followed, it was also confirmed that Ewe Brew beers will not be sold at the pub. GALE did not respond to a subsequent request for comment and clarification from the G&DT.

🪲 On Saturday March 29, there will be another Beetle Drive, Quiz and dinner night in Kinlochewe Village Hall. Details on social media here.

🥚 There is an Easter Egg hunt planned at Shieldaig Village Hall on April 19, at 1pm. More details here.

👩‍⚕️Speaking of Easter – the Aultbea and Gairloch Medical Practice will be closed on Friday 18 and Monday 21 of April for the Easter Weekend. Call 999 in an emergency and 111 for help with anything else during that time.

🎟️ Tickets have gone on sale for the next West Coast Arts gig - Anna Massie in Gairloch Community Hall on April 25. Buy tickets here.

🎟️ Organisers have revealed the line-up for the 2025 Gairloch Highland Gathering. See the flyer below. Tickets are also on sale now and can be bought here.

🐑 Crofters are being reminded by the Crofting Commission to complete their annual return by April 6.

🎄The Ben Damph Estate are looking to hire people - preferably qualified to work with pesticides - for a few weeks work managing rhododendrons. Details here.

🌲 The Scottish Crofters Federation are hosting an online workshop about Establishing Trees on Crofts on March 26. Details and tickets here.

📱Up-and-coming social media platform BlueSky has just added a Gaelic option. If you are on BlueSky you can follow the G&DT here and a feed of Wester Ross posts here.

📶 Objections have been lodged to two more 25m communication masts, with objectors arguing they could harm the Fisherfield-Letterewe-Fannichs Wild Land Area. Virgin Media O2 say that they would improve 4G coverage. Highland Council officials have recommended approval. Read more on the BBC website.

🪶 Conservation campaigners Wild Justice have revealed that 264 people from the Inverness, Skyes and Ross-shire constituency (that includes Gairloch) have signed their online petition calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting. It has gained more than 75,000 signatures across the UK, meaning it should be debated by MPs at some point.

🐟 Meanwhile Greenpeace have raised concerns over the impact of super-trawlers fishing in Scottish Marine Protected Areas, including around the Hebrides. Read more in The Ferret.

🚢 A 262ft cargo vessel that ran aground off the Isle of Skye has been successfully freed and towed to safety by volunteer lifeboat crews. More on the BBC.

🗳️ Highland Council are backing a campaign that encourages young people to register to vote. If you are 14 or older you can register to vote online here or call the Electoral Registration Officer on 0800 393 783 to get a paper application form. The hope is young people – who can vote from age 16 in Scottish elections – will get registered so they can take part in the Holyrood poll next year.

💼 A survey of Highland businesses reveals that confidence is down. The biggest challenges facing local firms were economic uncertainty, the cost of doing business, legislation and regulation, and access to skilled labour.

🌳 And The Woodland Trust are organising a second community tree planting day at Gleann Shìldeag on March 23. You can sign-up to take part here. The first event saw 1200 trees planted with the help of pupils from five different local schools - including Gairloch High School. You can watch some nice drone footage taken from the first event here.

Quick poll: Should councils be given the power to introduce a cruise ship levy?

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