Overside guisers, keen soup ladies and indoor fireworks

Hello and welcome to this week's Wester Ross Round-up. There's a lot to squeeze in, but hopefully it will still only take you a few minutes to get through.

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🎃 Did you survive Halloween ok? Here's some pics from the Gairloch Museum of Overside guisers from between 1981 and 1991.

✨ Now Halloween is done, it will soon be time to get your sparklers out. There's going to be an indoor firework display at the Aultbea Community Hub Saturday Nov 2nd at 6pm. Burgers and hot dogs for sale, entry by donation.

🎖️ A remarkable Remembrance Day commeration is now on public display at Poolewe War Memorial. It reportedly involves more than 3000 hand-made poppies that have been sown together. See Photos on Facebook. There will be a remembrance service at the war memorial at 11am at Poolewe followed by a short service at Rubha Nan Sasan in Cove on Saturday November 9.

Also, The Ross and Cromarty Heritage Society are looking for "Eyes on Hands on" volunteers to look after several local war memorials, including Poolewe, Mellon Charles, Laide and Dundonnell. They've made a map of all the memorials that need volunteers. If interested you can get in touch for more info via their website.

🍲 The Soup Ladies are ready! Warm Mondays begin again at Gairloch Community Hall from November 4.

📽️ The Screen Machine are fundraising for a new mobile cinema machine, and there are just a few days before their crowdfunder ends. Local usher and artist Viveca Port is backing the campaign by offering portraits of people for a minimum donation of £40. There's a nice interview with Viveca you can listen to on Radio Wester Ross.

📷 Local Photographer, Mark Littlejohn, has produced 50 copies of a calendar for 2025 that features his stunning local landscape photography. Get one at Gairloch Farm and Garden for £20 each. All profits are earmarked for the Gairloch Community Car Scheme and Hospital Car.

🚐 Tourists on the NC500 are being encouraged to sign-up to a voluntary "visitor pledge," on the NC500 website. Introduced in response to concerns about "over tourism" along the route, those taking the pledge must commit to respect, support and engage with the local community. Do you think it will make a difference? Paying supporters can let us know in the comments!

🎞️ Speaking of tourism... There's a new 20 minute YouTube video featuring Gairloch Harbour, the Sitooterie and Sands campsite. It has had more than 10,000 views in just 12 days and lots of nice comments.

🏠 The Ross-Shire Journal reports that Highland Council have pencilled in annual 5% council tax rises for each of the next three years (£), as it struggles to balance the books. But... watch this space. Holyrood politicians are still to confirm their Scottish Government budget plans for future years, and they may - or may not - find ways to persuade Highland Council not to hike council tax quite so much.

⚡ A Highland-wide initiative that could help more communities benefit from renewable energy investments in the area is launching in Inverness on November 5th. Backers of Highland People's Power say they are seeking involvement from people all over the Highlands.

💰 Applications are open for small grants from the Loch Broom and Ullapool Communtiy Trust. Grants from £250 to £4,000 are on offer and the deadline is November 18.

🧑‍🏫 Could you be the next Gairloch High School head teacher? Do you know someone who could be? Send them the job ad.

🗓️ Various local businesses have winter trading updates.

The Midgie Bite Cafe at Achnasheen is closing completely, but says mysteriously that "hopefully there will be more interesting news soon."

The Myrtle is closing for one week from Sunday November 3rd. Don't worry - it is re-opening after that.

The Highland Woodturner at Aultbea says he's staying open over the winter.

The Wee Whistle Stop at Torridon is holding a Curry Sunday event on Nov 17 from 10am-5pm. Great for both those inclined toward curry for breakfast and those that prefer it later in the day.

The Angry Sea Gull mobile chippy will next be in Gairloch on Nov 14. You can pre-order if you're keen.

Kenneth Morrisons are taking orders for Christmas Trees.

The Farm and Garden shop say they've got some Gairloch Estate local venison in.

🐋 And finally, here's a nice video of a Humpback Whale near Plockton.

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