1+ hour, 33+ min ago (309+ words) The Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) has announced the appointment of Graham Moss as its new co-ordinator. Mr Moss takes over from Mark Diggins, of Aviemore, who is stepping down from the role after 16 years of leading the team. The Scottish Avalanche Information Service, funded and operated by sportscotland, provides free daily avalanche hazard forecasts throughout the winter season for six key mountain areas. It is relied on by climbers, skiers, and mountaineers across Scotland for essential avalanche and mountain condition reports, to help inform decision making. The appointment of Mr Moss recognises his wealth of experience. He has served as a senior forecaster with SAIS for the past 35 winters, predominantly in the Lochaber area including Ben Neivs, Scotland's highest and busiest mountain. Mr Moss becomes the third person to hold this position, following in the footsteps of Mr Diggins…...

2+ hour, 48+ min ago (735+ words) HIGHLAND Council's former education boss received a "62,885 pay out after her departure from the "105,487 a year job last year. The local authority's audited accounts show that Nicky Grant received the sum after being on "approved leave" for about two months from February to April 2024. Of that sum, "52,742 is compensation for loss of employment and she received "10,143 in salary, fees and allowances. A further breakdown of the payment reveals "6500 was paid in lieu of holiday and "26,371 in lieu of notice. However, the remaining "19,871 remains unaccounted for in the books. Across the council as a whole a total of 12 exit packages worth "486,844 were agreed in the last two years including one compulsory redundancy in 2024/25 and three in 2023/24. In 2023/24, seven exit packages saw benefits to the employee hit "122,896 and the next year it was "248,028 " the remainder was from Strain on the Pension Fund....

19+ hour ago (793+ words) A "mini festival" celebrating Palestinian culture through film, stories, food, arts and crafts is being held in Kingussie this weekend. It is being organised by new community group The Olive and the Pine which was established in the summer to raise concerns about the ongoing emergency in Palestine. Their latest fundraiser is being held at the Iona Gallery in Kingussie this Friday (November 28) and Saturday. Friday night is film night, showcasing award-winning Palestinian film culture, with fresh mint tea on arrival. On Saturday there will be lots of family friendly crafts in the morning including kite making and Lego printing, storytelling, Palestinian food for lunch, followed by an afternoon talks session. There will also be plenty of Palestinian produce on sale - dates, olive oil, soap, cards and much more just in time to fill some of those Christmas stockings. Arts…...

19+ hour, 31+ min ago (379+ words) The first specific, national park-wide survey of peregrine falcons in 20 years has revealed a continuing downward trend in numbers. In Badenoch and Strathspey, peregrine pairs have dropped by two-thirds since the early 1980s and a similar picture has been observed in other areas of the park. The last UK-wide survey of peregrines took place in 2014 and covered Scotland as a whole, showing a 9% decline in numbers across the country. The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme also found some evidence of a decline from 2009-18; however, no survey was undertaken to assess peregrine populations specifically within the park during that time. In 2024 the Cairngorms National Park Authority collaborated with three of the regional branches of the Scottish Raptor Study Group: Highland, North East of Scotland and Tayside and Fife, to carry out a survey to establish how many peregrine sites within the National Park…...

20+ hour, 49+ min ago (130+ words) No action was required overnight on Badenoch and Strathspey roads, says Highland Council. Today's roads report issued at 7.30am confirmed: "Positive temperatures and wet roads throughout the area. "No winter action needed and no known overnight issues." The ice and snow which formed before the weekend is now virtually melted away at street level across the strath. All local schools remain open today. Motorists can keep up to date with the council's social media channels -X @HighlandCouncil, Facebook and Bluesky. For information on Trunk Roads follow @trafficscotland; Bear (North West); and Amey NE. A Yellow Weather Warning for ice is currently in place for much of the Highland region. Information on weather warnings is available on the Met Office website. For information on power cuts, visit SSEN website....

1+ day, 4+ min ago (614+ words) Two Highland Councillors have issued a joint statement raising serious concerns about Highland Council's ability to cope with a surge in large and increasingly complex renewables planning applications. Cllr Helen Crawford (Aird and Loch Ness) and Cllr Matthew Reiss (Thurso and Northwest Caithness) representing both the north and south planning areas warn the planning system is under "unsustainable pressure." Until recently, Cllr Reiss sat on the council's north planning applications committee (NPAC) but resigned after officials called for "a pause in major renewables whilst the grid's inability to carry the power south was considered" had ramifications in planning law. Now the two members have highlighted this week's meeting of the same committee as an example of the strain with an exceptionally long and detailed agenda that may need a further meeting to conclude business. Their concerns come as NPAC prepares…...

1+ day, 1+ hour ago (467+ words) After Highland MSP Edward Mountain's challenge to the First Minister over the "swamping' of the region with new energy projects' planning applications, two Highland councillors have raised urgent questions over renewables planning pressures. The new questions cover both north and south of the region, coming from Helen Crawford (Aird and Loch Ness) and Matthew Reiss (Thurso and Northwest Caithness). Like Mr Mountain, they raise serious concerns about Highland Council's ability to cope with a surge in large and increasingly complex renewables plans. They are warning that the local system is undergoing'unsustainable pressure, with shortened consultation periods, overloaded agendas and no site visits taking place -despite proposals of unprecedented scale here. They highlight this week's meeting of the North Planning Applications Committee (NPAC) as an example of the strain, claiming: 'An exceptionally long agenda and the need for a continuation meeting…...

1+ day, 13+ hour ago (274+ words) TWI-LIGHTS has made a magical return to Carrbridge's Landmark Adventure Theme Park with thousands of lights illuminating the snow-covered pinewood forest at the weekend. The spectacular laser show is back as is the vibrant UV light tunnel to bring the forest to life in spectacular fashion. And there are a number of new additions this year to Twi-LIGHTS which incorporates the Red Squirrel Trail taking visitors eight metres into the treeline. These include an illuminated playpark, brand-new food stop and extra fire pits for roasting marshmallows or s'mores which were a big hit with the first visitors. Brogan Thomson, who hails from Kingussie, was there with his family and told the Strathy at the end of his visit: "It was amazing. The lights are incredible. "I would thoroughly recommend people to come along." Also leaving with a big smile on…...

2+ day, 1+ hour ago (329+ words) A Highland MSP has called for community councils to have longer to consider plans around new renewable energy developments. Edward Mountain challenged the First Minister during Thursday's FMQs asking if he agreed that the time period during which the local watchdog groups may submit their views on proposals should be extended. Currently, they have just 30 days to respond to an application. He maintained that 30 days was insufficient to properly evaluate proposals, which tended to be long and complex, and that communities "therefore begin the process of considering these developments on the back foot.' The First Minister said he hoped communities would be able to consider proposals within the time period, but that he would look into the process and write to Mr Mountain. Mr Mountain has previously spoken out on energy infrastructure projects in the Highlands, and has stressed that…...

3+ day, 50+ min ago (246+ words) Former Glenmore Lodge deputy principal Martin Burrows-Smith will be giving an illustrated talk about his pioneering steep skiing adventures in the Highlands during the 1980s. He was at the forefront of developing what was possible to ski on the steep slopes and gullies of the Scottish winter mountains. Mr Burrows-Smith notched up notable first descents in the Cairngorms, on An Teallach, Creag Meagaidh and Ben Nevis. His passion originated from family holidays as a child to rock and Alpine climbing that then spilled into the world of steep skiing in Scotland. Mr Burrows-Smith said: "My talk will be focusing on what climbing was like in the 1960s on rock, snow and ice and Cairngorm skiing in the 1970s. "My passion then developed into ski mountaineering and steep skiing all over the Highlands in the 1980s and gradual decline into Alpine skiing over the past…...