West Highland Free Press

BY JACKIE MACKENZIE Almost 3,000 sheep and lambs went under the hammer at Portree Mart this week, when a young auctioneer with Skye roots made his rostrum debut. Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd sold 2,949 store lambs and feeding sheep on Monday. "It was an excellent sale," said marts managing director Grant Macpherson. "Prices were very good - better than last year." Lambs (2,586) averaged £81.97 and sold to £126.00 gross for a pair of Beltex crosses from 2B Penifiler, Portree.

BY DANIEL CULLEN Portree RNLI's annual open day raised more than £25,000 last Saturday, as hundreds of people gathered at the pier for one of the highlights in the community calendar. A total of £25,733.50 had been raised during and in support of the event, with that figure expected to increase further as additional donations come in.

BY JACKIE MACKENZIE The community of Dunvegan is sending a clear message to Highland Council over its plans for motorhome services in the village - right project, wrong place. Highland Council has put in a planning application to install a black water and fresh water service area for motorhomes and campervans on land within the only public car park in the village.

A new waterfront sauna in Portree is seeking to establish itself as more than another visitor attraction, with its founders setting out plans for the business to support community organisations, promote water safety and make sauna use more accessible to local residents. Portree Sauna has recently opened beside the Skye Sailing Club boathouse at Scorrybreac, offering wood-fired sauna sessions overlooking Portree Bay.

The recent games day held at Camuscross in south Skye raised more than £700 for the Stòras Shlèite oral history project, which is run by library staff at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. The generous donation from local games-goers will help support the ongoing collection, preservation and sharing of the rich Gaelic heritage of south Skye. The project is dedicated to recording new material with local people while also preserving and making accessible valuable archival recordings and historical material.

BY JACKIE MACKENZIE There was a good turnout at a public meeting in Portree on Monday evening when the community was given a chance to voice views over the future of closure-threatened Home Farm care home. The NHS Highland-run elderly people's home is currently being overseen by the Care Inspectorate after major weaknesses were found in its operation, potentially putting residents at risk.

BY DANIEL CULLEN Two enterprising young Skye residents have turned their passion into a successful business after launching Skye Auto Detail, a new car valeting and detailing service in Portree. Founded earlier this year by recent Portree High School leavers Theo Scott and Finlay Wilson, the business has already proved popular with customers across the island, with demand keeping the pair fully booked since opening.

BY DANIEL CULLEN The 75th Dunvegan Show proved a memorable success, with big crowds, high-quality competitions and some welcome afternoon sunshine helping to create a great atmosphere. Show chairperson Iain Beaton told the Free Press it felt like one of the event's busiest years. "The show was a huge success. It was fantastic to see so many people come along and enjoy the 75th Dunvegan Show," Iain said. "We don't have an exact gate figure yet, but it certainly felt like one of our busiest shows.

The Lochcarron Highland Games took place in warm and dry conditions last week, and the crowds turned out to witness some great entertainment. There were performances by the Isle of Skye Pipe Band, the Skye Highland Dancers and Gaelic singers from Lochcarron Primary School; the most heavy competitors ever, with six guys battling it out, and Jamie Gunn coming out on top, setting a new ground record in the weight for distance.

BY JACKIE MACKENZIE Barra's most famous landmark, Kisimul Castle, is once more welcoming visitors after the completion of a programme of essential conservation works. The official reopening of the former stronghold of the MacNeils of Barra was held last Thursday afternoon when, under a cloudless sky, the 27th Chief of the Clan, Rory MacNeil, performed the ribbon cutting ceremony at the slipway in Castlebay, joined by locals and representatives from castle custodians Historic Environment Scotland.