Latest news with #Highlands
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Japanese investor completes takeover of Port of Nigg
A Japanese investor has completed its takeover of a port in the Energy has sold the Port of Nigg and its fabrication arm to minority investor Mitsui for an undisclosed site, in Easter Ross on the Cromarty Firth, is seen as vital to the expansion of offshore wind and is a leading part of one of Scotland's two green port has received about £120m of investment, including some public funding, in the past 14 years to upgrade its facilities. Mitsui took a 25.5% stake in Global Energy, owned by businessman Roy MacGregor, in Tokyo-based firm brings specialism in engineering, energy, shipping and port company said it hoped to further expand manufacturing capacity and infrastructure for both the on and offshore markets after completing the deal. Highlands and Islands Enterprise announced a £10m investment in the port in March to create a new heavy-duty the time, the deputy first minister, Kate Forbes, described it as a "catalyst for further investment".Nigg received its green freeport status in January 2023, alongside Forth freeports are able to offer tax incentives and lower tariffs within the zones they they have commitments to meeting net zero targets and supporting fair work February, HMRC gave it permission to have some of its own customs arrangements, meaning taxes and certain duties on goods arriving do not have to be paid.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Belladrum: When is it? Where is it? And who's on the line up?
The 21st anniversary Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival takes place in the Highlands this the years, it has grown from a small one-day event with tickets for just 2,000 people to three days of music and crowds of more than 20, including Paul Heaton, CMAT and Texas are among the acts lined up to perform at this year's festival, which runs from Thursday to Saturday. What is Belladrum and where is it? The event was set up in 2004 by music fan Joe Gibbs, owner of the festival's venue - the 1,150-acre (465ha) Belladrum estate, which is about 12 miles west of Inverness, near the villages of Beauly and Kiltarlity, has been in Mr Gibbs' family since 1857. In 2018 music promoter Kilimanjaro Live acquired the festival but it continues to be run by a Highlands-based team. Since its inception, Lewis Capaldi, Frightened Rabbit, Bastille, Twin Atlantic, Paloma Faith, Callum Beattie and Sir Tom Jones have performed at the event promotes itself as family-friendly, and every year it has a theme and festival-goers are invited to dress up accordingly. In 2023, there was a hugely popular theme of cartoons. This year's is film. Affectionately known as Bella, the festival has a number of stages, with the main stage in a natural bowl close to the general camping is also a small chapel on the estate where couples have tied the knot during the festival. Who is playing at Belladrum 2025? It is a long list, with more than 40 acts on Saturday alone and a mix of chart-topping household names, established Scottish acts and new Beautiful South frontman Paul Heaton, pop singer Natasha Bedingfield and singer-songwriter Tom Walker are on the bill across the Wan - maybe best known for the TV show How To Look Good Naked - will perform a late-night DJ whose hits in the 1990s and 2000s include Caught by the Fuzz, will be performing while Texas will close the festival. Other Scottish acts include Tide Lines, Torridon, Beluga Lagoon, Nati, and The Dazed Digital one of the most highly anticipated acts is Irish singer-songwriter CMAT, following a show-stopping performance at Doctor Who Peter Capaldi will also to make an appearance after returning to music after a break of 40 years. What is the best way to travel to Belladrum? This has been a contentious issue in the past with long queues affecting some 2023, when a record 25,000 tickets were sold, some people reported delays of five hours or more to get in. Organisers and entry arrangements were changed for last year's Bella and travel in and out of the site ran buses will run between the festival and Inverness bus station, Drumnadrochit, Dingwall, Beauly and Tore. Timetables can be viewed and tickets booked here. Car parking passes need to be booked in advance and organisers are encouraging festival-goers to car-share where possible. A one-way system and a 5mph speed limit will be in operation throughout the Council has published details on temporary traffic restrictions, including temporary 30 and 20mph speed the Belladrum website has more information on travel, shuttle buses parking and the festival's campsites. What's the weather forecast for Belladrum? The festival has frequently been blessed with fine weather - even to the extent it is an in-joke within Bella's management there was wet weather and muddy conditions under foot in 2017, and Feeder's frontman Grant Nicholas, pictured, turned up for an interview with BBC Scotland News in a sensible pair of are currently predicting some drizzle on Friday but Saturday will be a dry day with bright spells and temperatures of up to latest forecasts can be found on BBC Weather. Is Belladrum on the TV? BBC Alba will be providing live coverage and iPlayer broadcasts across the shows can be watched live or on demand from Thursday on Belladrum on BBC Alba.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Telegraph
Gordonstoun pupils recreate teenage King's 28-mile Cairngorms hike
Gordonstoun pupils have recreated the King's 28-mile Caingorms hike 60 years later. The teenage Prince of Wales went on a three-day hike through 'rain and stormy wind' in October 1965 for his silver Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) award. This year students from the King's old school tracked down the archived records of his route before setting out to recreate the challenge, following the King's footsteps across the Highlands in their hike from June 19 to 21. While handwritten notes detail how Charles ascended 2,788ft peaks to find a view shrouded in mist, the students chose a warmer time of year for their hike. Temperatures reached as high as 27C (80F). They followed Charles's route from Balachroich, through Kingussie, to Rothiemurchus Lodge in Aviemore, taking in Glenfeshie Forest and passing by Ben Macdui on the way up Glen Dee. Another group followed the same course in reverse. With the help of the handwritten notes and accompanying map, a team of seven – five girls and two boys – retraced Charles's route to obtain their own silver awards. Hiker William Griffin, 16, said: 'The most standout thing for me on the expedition was how diverse all the landscape was. 'We started off in dense woodland, going along the banks of a dried-up river that led out into a wide valley with thick heather. 'We then went through the mountains into a massive open plain with the river meandering through it. It was so impressive.' The records reveal Charles was a member of group two, under its pupil leader Michael Fabianski. The group was found in good spirits when a 'Mr Varney' checked in with them on the Saturday, according to the notes. Mr Fabianski said: 'My memory from the expedition was camping for the first night on the banks of the River Feshie and wading across the River Dee, while walking up Glen Dee to the Corrour bothy, where we camped for the second night. ' It's very atmospheric walking up Glen Dee, with Cairn Toul on one side and Ben Macdui on the other. I appreciated the steepness of the valley later, when we scrambled up its side to Càrn a' Mhàim during the gold expedition in which I took part the following July.' Mr Varney's written account talks of 'overcast skies' and 'stormy wind' but suggests the Sunday was 'a fine day' and the prince's group reached their final destination just after group one at 3.20pm. India Lewis, 16, one of the pupils who went on the expedition, said it was cool to follow in the King's footsteps and she really enjoyed the challenge. Miss Lewis said: 'In the back of everyone's mind we remembered our motto, 'Plus Est En Vous', and we remembered that you have more in you. 'We do have more in us because even at times when we thought we couldn't do it we were still able to keep going and we all got there in the end. Mindset does really matter.' The DofE award has its roots at Gordonstoun, where it was known as the Moray Badge until Prince Philip championed the experience. It evolved to become a national programme in 1956. In the 12 months to March a record 572,802 pupils participated in the scheme at bronze, silver and gold levels. Peter Green, the Gordonstoun principal, said: 'In the spirit of our founder Kurt Hahn, I firmly believe that students must be regularly challenged to grow, both inside and outside the classroom. 'The recent expedition through the Cairngorms, retracing the footsteps of the King, was a powerful illustration of that philosophy in action. 'Spending four days camping in one of the most remote regions of the UK presented a genuine test of the students' resilience and teamwork, and they responded with remarkable perseverance and strength of character.'
Times
3 days ago
- Times
Gordonstoun pupils recreate King Charles' DofE trek, 60 years on
At the age of 16 the future King Charles set off on a three-day character-building hike across the Highlands in 'rain and stormy wind', according to logbooks unearthed at his Scottish boarding school. In pursuit of his silver Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) award, the young heir to the throne trekked almost 29 miles in winter weather, including 'eight miles up Glen Feshie'. Over the course of three days, the prince ascended 850m peaks to find, the records reveal, a view cloaked in mist. He is listed as a member of group two, under its pupil leader Michael Fabianski, who were found in good spirits when 'Mr Varney' checked in with them on Saturday October 2, 1965. It was Gordonstoun students preparing to undertake their own DofE expeditions this year who tracked down the records of that adventure in the school archives. With the help of the handwritten notes and accompanying map, a team of seven retraced Charles's route 60 years on to obtain their own silver awards. Fabianski, who successfully completed the walk alongside Charles, said: 'My memory from the expedition was camping for the first night on the banks of the River Feshie and wading across the River Dee, whilst walking up Glen Dee to the Corrour bothy, where we camped for the second night. 'It's very atmospheric walking up Glen Dee, with Cairn Toul on one side and Ben Macdui on the other. I appreciated the steepness of the valley later, when we scrambled up its side to Càrn a' Mhàim during the gold expedition in which I took part the following July.' Despite the 'overcast' skies and 'showers' that overshadowed their journey, Varney's written account suggests the Sunday was 'a fine day' and the prince's group reached their final destination just after group one at 3.20pm. The 2025 team completed the same route from June 19 to 21 in heat and sunshine, temperatures reaching as high as 27C. India Lewis, 16, one of the pupils who went on the expedition, said it was 'cool' to follow in the King's footsteps, adding that she really enjoyed the challenge. She said: 'In the back of everyone's mind we remembered our motto, 'Plus Est En Vous', and we remembered that you have more in you. We do have more in us, because even at times when we thought we couldn't do it, we were still able to do keep going and we all got there in the end. Mindset does really matter.' A fellow hiker, William Griffin, 16, said: 'The most standout thing for me on the expedition was how diverse all the landscape was. We started off in dense woodland, going along the banks of a dried-up river that led out into a wide valley with thick heather. We then went through the mountains, into a massive open plain with the river meandering through it. It was so impressive.' The DofE award has its roots at Gordonstoun, where it was known as the Moray Badge until Prince Philip championed the experience and it evolved to become a national programme in 1956. In the 12 months to March a record 572,802 pupils participated in the scheme at bronze, silver and gold levels. Peter Green, the Gordonstoun principal, said: 'In the spirit of our founder Kurt Hahn, I firmly believe that students must be regularly challenged to grow, both inside and outside the classroom. The recent expedition through the Cairngorms, retracing the footsteps of the King, was a powerful illustration of that philosophy in action. 'Spending four days camping in one of the most remote regions of the UK presented a genuine test of the students' resilience and teamwork, and they responded with remarkable perseverance and strength of character.' The route took Charles and today's adventurers from Balachroich, Kingussie, to Rothiemurchus Lodge in Aviemore, taking in Glenfeshie Forest and passing by Ben Macdui on the way up Glen Dee. Another group followed the same course in reverse.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Police appeal over hillwalker Richard Dawson missing in Highlands
A 61-year-old hillwalker has gone missing in the Glen Shiel area of the Dawson failed to return from a planned walk of the Five Sisters of Kintail on Saturday. His car has been found in Glen Dawson, who had been in the area since Friday 11 July, had hotel accommodation booked but did not use is described as 6ft 1in tall, of athletic build, with short brown hair, a grey goatee beard and wearing glasses. Police have launched a search for him and have appealed for assistance from the force said Mr Dawson had a dark-coloured rucksack and usually wears a baseball cap or a straw Graham Brown said: "Concerns are growing for his welfare and extensive inquiries are ongoing to trace him, including assistance from mountain rescue."We are asking anyone who may have seen Richard to get in touch. Also, if anyone spoke to him and he mentioned his plans then let us know."
