Latest news with #LesleyRiddoch
The National
2 days ago
- The National
Historic schoolhouse in Scotland's Unesco Flow Country for sale for £120k
Found in the northeastern tip of Scotland, the home is now part of the Caithness village of Altnabreac, whose name derives from Allt nam Breac or 'stream of the trout' in Gaelic. The village sits within the Flow County, which was awarded World Heritage status by Unesco in 2024 for its 9000-year-old blanket bog landscape. Home to a distinctive mix of bird species, the Flow Country is considered a key example of a blanket bog in the world. READ MORE: Plans submitted to remove 34 turbines from Highland wind farm Altnabreac's schoolhouse closed in 1986 and has been used as a private home ever since. The two-floor residence is built from stone, with a red brick extension that sits under a slate roof. It features two bedrooms, a family room, kitchen, bathroom, storage space, a rear hall and a versatile former schoolroom, and is located within 0.62 acres of grounds that benefit from stores including a generator. The village is served by Altnabreac railway station on the Far North Line which reopened in April. Altnabreac Station first opened in 1874 and the reason for the station's construction is a mystery with it then being around 10 miles from the nearest road. Caithness more broadly is known for its long, sandy beaches and steep cliffs, and is well-loved by birdwatchers and hikers alike. READ MORE: Lesley Riddoch: Highlanders are rallying against Scotland's energy land grab The property is located just 23 miles south of Thurso, mainland Britain's northernmost town. A few miles east of Thurso is the Castle of Mey, the former royal residence of The Queen Mother and is open to visitors.
The National
10-06-2025
- General
- The National
Warning issued after boats filmed getting too close to orcas in Moray
However, they added they were 'disappointed' that footage also emerged of boats getting too close, staying too long, and not allowing the orcas to travel freely back out to open water. The charity reportedly said it believes the animals may have been hunting for seals as they travelled east. READ MORE: Lesley Riddoch explores need to upgrade grid network in rural Scotland in new film Conservationists added that it is a criminal offence to disturb whales and dolphins. Scots have been asked to follow the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code, by staying 100 meters away, not overstaying their welcome as 15 minutes is enough time to watch, and have been urged not to chase them. Alison Rose, manager of the Scottish Dolphin Centre, which WDC runs, said the footage of the boats that allegedly got too close to the orcas has been shared with police. She said: 'Staff and volunteers based at the Scottish Dolphin Centre were delighted to see the orca along the Moray coast on Friday evening. 'Many people were thrilled to watch this amazing group of individuals who may well have been hunting for seals as they travelled east.
The National
10-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Lesley Riddoch explores need to upgrade rural grid network in new film
The National columnist and filmmaker released her latest documentary, Applecross - Energy Rich, Power Poor: Why Scotland's green revolution isn't working for local people, where she visited the north west peninsula in Wester Ross to highlight the energy struggles the rural community in Applecross is facing. Applecross is famous for its spectacular views as it overlooks Skye and is the highest mountain pass in Britain, separating it from the rest of the Highlands, and is home to 250 residents. Despite being surrounded by energy-rich sources, seven in 10 of its residents live in fuel poverty, Applecross lacks amenities like public electric charging points, and even the only inn doesn't have capabilities to run electric showers, due to an inadequate grid connection. READ MORE: Palestine Comedy Club to be brought to Edinburgh Festival Fringe One of the main points Riddoch makes is the community has had to become self-sustaining with its own energy, which includes its community hydro project, Apple Juice, due to the 'feeble piece of grid' which services the area. However, the community hydro project is unable to export any of the surplus energy it generates – meaning it is also losing out on vital income for community projects. 'It's [Applecross] the highest mountain pass in Britain, it's obviously got huge drops for hydro-energy, and it's a natural for lots of hydro-energy, and wind, the whole of the north of Scotland is windy too,' Riddoch explained. 'Anywhere else in the countries that I've been making films about for some time, that amount of natural resource, you would be laughing, because you would have a local, truly local council, and they would own the energy resource and be supplying it to their people for pretty much next to nothing. 'Whereas these folk are just at the other end of everything, having to wait for SSE to decide whether or not they're important enough to put in the grid improvement that was promised to be in place and operating in 2019.' Riddoch explains in the film that the Apple Juice hydroelectric project, which has been running for around a decade, should have 'transformed the lives' of the local community, but simply hasn't due to the grid. It's not just the local community that has faced problems with the grid, with a nearby commercial hydro project having to wait five years before it saw the upgrades needed to export electricity into the grid properly, with around 60% of its output wasted, Riddoch explained. New businesses are also unable to start up properly due to the lack of access to phase three energy, which they would require but is unavailable to them – the Applecross brewery is used as an example as it is based 10 miles south east of the village. (Image: Lesley Riddoch) The 30-minute film was released last Wednesday and has since been viewed thousands of times online. On Monday, the Scottish Government approved the planning application for the replacement of the existing overhead line between Fort Augustus and Skye. SSEN's 'Skye reinforcement' project will aim to replace the existing, single circuit overhead line, which is reaching the end of its operational life, according to the energy firm. SSEN added that the line needs to be strengthened to maintain electricity to homes and businesses in Skye and the Western Isles, as well as renewable energy developments which are set to rely on the new line to carry electricity into the national grid. A spokesperson for SSEN Transmission and SSEN Distribution confirmed that Applecross will benefit from the 'Skye reinforcement' project. They said: 'Additional capacity for Applecross will come onstream on completion of SSEN Transmission's proposed Fort Augustus to Skye reinforcement project. 'This has just been granted planning consent from the Scottish Government following the submission of a Section 37 planning application in 2022.' Megan MacInnes, the development manager with the Applecross Community Company who stars in Riddoch's film, said the delays in the upgrading of the grid has resulted in decades of lost income, but believes the film has helped to raise awareness on the issue. (Image: free) 'We are relieved to hear that planning permission has been granted for this upgrade to the national grid,' she said. 'It is probably just a coincidence, but maybe the film we recently made with Lesley Riddoch 'Applecross – Energy Rich Power Poor' – has raised awareness of the challenges we face? The delays so far with this grid upgrade have meant a decade of lost income from our community-owned hydro project, AppleJuice – money which could have been reinvested locally. 'We just hope this means the export cap will soon be lifted so that community energy projects, like ours, can reach their full potential.' Ariane Burgess, the SNP MSP for Highlands and Islands, added it was a relief that the network upgrade has been approved but warned it is still years away from completion. She said: 'The community should be supported to make more use of the clean, green energy it generates locally via battery storage and EV chargers, for example. 'Across Scotland, we must update our grid to unlock the full potential of our community-owned renewables - both to provide energy security in an uncertain world and boost the resilience of rural communities.' Riddoch concludes in her film that Scotland is surrounded by many great examples from other countries on how it can thrive with renewable energy infrastructure and highlights the admirable self-reliance of the Applecross community. 'The community company is amazing,' Riddoch said. 'We've seen all these things that are taken for granted everywhere else, which are provided by that little development trust and if income comes to it, it stays here. 'It creates infrastructure, it makes up for all the state, the council and everybody else is not providing here and it can't even get a second turbine into a tiny project. 'It can't even export all the energy from its tiny hydro because of that constrained, inadequate grid.'
The National
03-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Pro-indy figures write to Keir Starmer over referendum 'snub'
The Prime Minister dismissed the idea of an independence vote if the SNP get a majority at next year's Holyrood elections when he spoke to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme earlier this week. He claimed there was a need for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom in order to remain safe, as he released his defence review in a visit to Govan. READ MORE: Douglas Ross slapped down by Holyrood Presiding Officer after FMQs ejection Despite how John Swinney has established his strategy as building "demonstrable support" for independence through Government, Starmer said no one had raised the subject with him 'as their first priority'. His comments came after a Norstat poll suggested that support for independence was at 54%, but would rise to almost 60% if Reform UK leader Nigel Farage took power at Westminster. Now, a group of leading figures in the independence movement have accused Starmer of "snubbing" democracy and devolution. Among those to have signed the letter include journalist and National columnist Lesley Riddoch, Believe in Scotland (BiS) founder Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp, and Common Weal's head of policy and research, Dr Craig Dalzell. Lesley Riddoch (Image: Gordon Terris) The letter states that the Prime Minister's "offhand dismissal" of a second referendum has led the group to restate their commitment to campaigning for independence. It reads: "Sir Keir Starmer's offhand dismissal of Scotland's right to choose its own constitutional future is predictable yet hugely disappointing. "So this is a statement of our intent to keep campaigning for independence, an option currently favoured by more than half the Scottish population in recent opinion polls, and for the democratic right to choose – something embedded in legislation for Northern Ireland but repeatedly denied to Scotland." The group continued: "The Labour leader may think he is simply challenging the SNP before a critical by-election this week and Scottish elections next year. But Scotland's future is not an electoral game. READ MORE: Nigel Farage's Scottish conspiracy theories fit Reform's agenda. Don't fall for it "By denying a second referendum regardless of the 2026 election outcome, the Prime Minister is snubbing democracy, devolution and the many Scots who once viewed his party as the best democratic option to the Conservatives at Westminster." The group said that Labour, the Conservatives and Reform UK "clearly offer no democratic resolution to Scotland's constitutional impasse". The letter adds that this is "precisely why we restate our determination to keep working towards independence". The following individuals signed the letter: Lesley Riddoch, journalist Dr Craig Dalzell, head of policy and research, Common Weal Ian Grant, Independence Forum Scotland Dr Tim Rideout, convener, Scottish Currency Group Elise Tallaron, convener,Yes for EU Mary Sinclair, Yes Caithness Fraser Thompson, Time for Scotland Gordon Macintyre-Kemp, Business for Scotland Robert Furness, Yes Greater Glasgow Adrian Doherty, Yes Linwood Andrew Wilson, Scottish Independence Foundation Stuart Kerr Brown, Yes West Lothian Roza Salih, convener, Scottish Independence Convention Jacqui Jensen, Yes Perth Ken MacDonald. former BBC Scotland presenter Lloyd Quinan, Yes Craigmillar and Niddrie Mary McCabe, Pensioners for Indy Fatima Joji, Women for Indy Stephen Shilton, Christians for Indy Cameron McNeish, mountaineer and author The letter was also signed by the following regional campaign groups from Believe in Scotland: Aberdeen and Grampian, Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire, Central Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee and Angus, Edinburgh and Lothians, Fife, Inverclyde, Highlands and Moray, Mid Scotland, Orkney Islands, Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire. It comes after Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said that it was "a bit rich" for Starmer to make such comments on Scotland's constitutional future. When asked by The National if it was a political tactic from Starmer to suggest that Swinney was not focused on independence, she said: "It's hardly a surprise that Keir Starmer is repeating what we've heard from Tory prime ministers for years, the day after we saw an increase in support for independence if Nigel Farage becomes prime minister. "It seems a bit rich to be telling the people of Scotland what they are saying when their greatest concern is that the change that was promised by Labour hasn't happened at all, opening the door to Nigel Farage."
The National
15-05-2025
- Climate
- The National
Warning issued amid 'extreme' Scottish wildfire alert
A very high to extreme risk of wildfires was initially in place over the weekend and on Monday. However, an extreme warning has now been issued across the whole of Scotland from Thursday until Monday. READ MORE: Lesley Riddoch: What Scotland needs is real action on land reform It comes after the driest start to the year in 60 years, which lead Scottish Water to urge customers to use supplies sparingly. The SFRS have warned people against using naked flames outdoors "at all costs", adding that the vast majority of wildfires are caused by human behaviour. Area commander Michael Humphreys, the SFRS wildfire lead, said: "Responsible human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting. "That's why we're urging people to absolutely avoid the use of naked flames, including barbecues, at this time. "It only takes one spark to start a wildfire and things can get out of hand very, very quickly. "Discarded cigarettes and unsupervised campfires pose a significant threat, so it's vital to follow all safety advice when outdoors and to make sure you are familiar with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code at all times." Remote and rural communities are most impacted by wildfires, which have the potential to burn for days and devastate vast areas of land. READ MORE: I asked Aberdeen residents about GB Energy – and one thing was clear Humphreys continued: "Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage. "Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires – as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities. "These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment and the release of air polluting gases into the atmosphere."
