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June update from The Applecross Trust

12 June 2024

Rodger Harvey Jamieson stood down as Chairman of the Applecross Trust earlier this year due to ill health but takes on a role as Honorary Vice-President. Rodger’s long involvement with the Trust, as a Trustee and Chair, and with extensive knowledge of Applecross as well as the Trust’s charitable purposes and activities, makes this a valuable additional role where he can be called upon for guidance.

As previously reported, Kenneth McDiarmid, the longest standing Trustee, has taken on the role of Chairman. Other changes to the board include the appointment of Malcolm Taylor as new Trustee. Malcolm is senior partner with Bell Ingram and has a wealth of land management experience as land agent throughout Scotland.

Led by the estate’s Ian MacFadyen, recent works to the historic steading at Applecross Mains involved the removal of the steel framed cover which occupied the steading square. Applecross Restoration Advisory Group (ARAG), comprising a mix of community and Trust representatives has been involved in developing a strategy for the steading in conjunction with public consultation. It is planned to have a further public meeting on site in early October.

Grieve’s cottage, which formed the domestic element of the steading, is under complete renovation and should be available for occupation during Spring 2025.

The farm fields and the Crowlin Islands now have new local lease holders with both areas of land to be used predominantly for sheep grazing.

During the Wildlife Estates Scotland accreditation, secured in 2023, it was recommended that the Trust carry out a survey to establish greater awareness of the range of habitat and species types on the estate. Subsequently, an ecological baseline appraisal was commissioned and undertaken by Edinburgh based ITPEnergised during Spring 2024.

This comprises a desk top survey of published information and data and the report should be available on the Trust’s website shortly. This report, along with the Long-Term Forest Plan which is awaiting approval by Forestry Scotland, will influence the Trust’s land management strategy over the next 10 years.

Kishorn continues to prove its commercial value with on-going commitment being made by both Kishorn Port Ltd and Bakkafrost (Scotland) Ltd through significant on-going investment in the site. The development of a Private Wire initiative is due to see works start in early July on an 18-month construction phase of linking the Bakkafrost site with a cable from the Allt na Moine hydro scheme at Callakille on the north Applecross coast.

ENDS