Skyecomuseum

STAFFIN Community Trust (SCT) has awarded a key contract which will assess the potential purchase and improvements of local authority-owned land at the Old Man of Storr.
SCT has appointed an experienced project team to investigate the Highland Council site at the hugely popular island landmark which attracts visitors from all over the world.
A consortium team led by Dingwall-based Athena Solutions, and partners Richard Heggie of Urban Animation and Sam Foster Architects, were successful in the tendering process and have ...

A PEDIGREE cow owned by a Kilmaluag crofter has been crowned champion female at Scotland’s biggest and most prestigious agricultural show.
Donald Rankin’s two-year-old Aberdeen Angus, called Retties Lady Ruth N228, won and beat almost 80 other rivals in the process. The judge Russel Taylor said she was an “excellent example of her breed” and “moved well” in the show ring.  Cattle at shows are judged on their individual traits, for example, whether they have a good back end, her topline and length, and if ...

BOOKINGS for a popular outdoor Gaelic course in Staffin, which was shortlisted for a national award last year, are now being taken


Urras an Taobh Sear (Staffin Community Trust) hosts the first part of Gaelic broadcaster Roddy MacLean’s course Àrainneachd, Cànan is Dualchas next month. 
The 10-day Gaelic in the environment course is aimed at fluent Gaelic speakers and advanced learners. It is supported by Bòrd na Gàidhlig.  This year it is offered in two five-day blocks and is suitable for ...

STAFFIN could host a flood of Indian Bollywood fans this summer after one of the country’s most famous voices sung the praises of the Kilt Rock to her millions of fans.
The Taobh Sear received a very welcome promotional boost this week from Shreya Ghoshal, a hugely popular star in India.
The Bollywood singer visited the Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls on Monday and took to social media to post a picture of the famous cliff tops in Staffin to her 4.3 million followers on Twitter. She hailed the Jurassic ...

A VIEWING platform at a Staffin waterfall is among the plans for a proposed major enhancement of the Skye Ecomuseum.
Staffin Community Trust (SCT) has now submitted funding and planning applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Highland Council, respectively, following a two-year development and consultation process which has involved the local community and several public agencies along the way. 
SCT wants to construct a viewing platform at Lealt Gorge, similar to a structure built by the National Trust for Scotland at ...

A WELSH teenager who had a memorable holiday at a Staffin youth hostel in the early 1960s has uncovered images of Staffin’s crofting past.
Fifty four years later and David Evans is now able to share the pictures with the local community he took when he was only 17 in September 1962. 
It was the month that Ford launched the Cortina, the Glasgow Tramways ran its last normal service and Rangers had started their successful 1961/62 league campaign which would see them pip ...

AS VISITOR, and vehicle, numbers have noticeably soared in the last few days of sunshine at the Storr, the Staffin Community Trust (SCT) has secured the funding required for an Options Appraisal of the roadside site owned by the local authority.
And three excellent bids have now been lodged by tenderers looking to carry out the hugely important contract which will review all the options at the location, the estimated costs and community and economic benefit for each one investigated.
SCT is currently assessing ...

A SCOTTISH indie band who used Staffin as the setting for their song’s video are to play Portree later this month.
Ayrshire three-piece Fatherson will perform at the Portree Community Centre on Thursday, May 26 during their national tour in support of their new album “Open Book” which is released in June.
Earlier this year the group filmed a video for the song “Lost Little Boys” which used Staffin Beach, Staffin and Flodigarry islands, Rigg, Culnacnoc, the Storr and Quiraing as the wintry backdrop to the story of betrayal. ...

A REVAMPED croft house scheme and new loan fund can now be accessed by Staffin residents looking to build a home or carry out major renovations. 
The Scottish Government is now welcoming applications to the new Croft House Grant Scheme after the amount of grant available were increased after reaming static for a decade. That meant a significant cut in cash terms as building costs increased significantly during the same period. In Skye, crofters can apply for up to £38,000 towards the construction of a new house or £28,000 if you are trying to renovate a dilapidated or inhabitable croft house.
Previously, the scheme used to have ...

AS STAFFIN’S urgent need for new affordable houses becomes more pressing with a rapidly declining population, local residents have the chance to make their voices heard on a crucial planning blueprint next week.
Highland Council is currently seeking comments on its draft West Highland and Islands Local Development Plan, which will shape the construction pattern in Staffin for the next decade. It is holding a drop-in session at Staffin Hall on Thursday, May 12 between 2pm and 5pm and the planning service is also ...

 A SENIOR BT official has pledged to keep the Staffin community fully informed as the company sets about the “challenging” installation of superfast broadband to the district.
It comes after the community company, North Skye Broadband, announced earlier this month, it had removed all the Staffin postcodes from its target area after BT confirmed it was aiming to reach the whole district with the service. http://staffin-trust.co.uk/audience-told-of-superfast-broadband-developments-for-staffin
Robert Thorburn, who is the BT manager in charge of the work, told the Staffin Community Trust (SCT) that the contract to deliver superfast involved ...

BILL Hayward, a popular former Staffin resident, has sadly passed away. 
Bill, who lived happily in Garafad for more than 30 years with his late wife Bunty, died on Tuesday morning (12.4) in hospital, following a short illness.
Bill was a gentleman. He and Bunty were very well thought of in their adopted community after the couple moved to Staffin in 1982. He delivered milk for the Stafainn Co-Chomunn and worked at Unipart in Portree. The couple were always together ...

A COMMUNITY company set up to try and deliver superfast broadband for Skye communities has removed Staffin from its target area, it has emerged.
BT has a major contract to deliver superfast internet speeds in Skye in 2016 but will be unable to cover the whole island. That led to the formation of the North Skye Broadband (NSB) company last year http://www.northskyebroadband.com/ which aims to provide the service to the communities that will not benefit from the BT roll out. The ...

VISITORS – and locals – in Staffin are urged to keep their dogs under control as we approach a crucial time for the district’s crofters.
Lambing is about to commence for most of the Taobh Sear and it is undoubtedly the most vital period in the crofting calendar. Walkers looking to enjoy the spectacular scenery and fresh air are warmly welcomed to Staffin but please use your common sense and respect the livestock you will encounter on foot.
People walking in Staffin’s 23 ...

STAFFIN Campsite is seeking to recruit staff for the coming visitor season. 
The popular campsite, which is the only one in the district, is looking to employ wardens, preferably a couple, to run the site. As the wardens would really need to be based at the busy campsite a small two-bedroom holiday cottage can be provided as free accommodation or a free pitch for a motorhome, caravan etc. The warden(s) would be required to carry out the usual duties and tasks.
It comes as the campsite ...