Thursday 16 October - ABO Wind UK and Eurowind withdraw wind farm proposals

Good news. Eurowind UK has withdrawn its application for the 17-turbine Nathro Hill wind farm on the Carseton Estate. The company did say however that "the decision will "allow more time to deepen and strengthen ongoing discussions over the community ownership element of the development" and it "fully expects to take the project forward at a later date". I'm skeptical about that.

In a second piece of good news, ABO Wind UK has withdrawn its application to erect five turbines
near Cnoc a' Bhreacaich near Ben Wyvis.

I'm not known for my optimism when it comes to opposing wind farm developments in Scotland but could the tide be turning? Maybe.

...the Hielan' Hills o' Mar

DOLOMITES by J C Milne

                           O I gaed furth and far awa to see what I cou'd see,

                           And loshtie! siccan heichts o' Hills I nivver thocht cou'd be!

                           I lookit lang and lookit at yon grander Hills afar

                          Till I fairly taint a notion o' the Hielan Hills o' Mar.

                          'Twis here I cam' and hame again fae yonner faur I'd been, 

                          And day and nicht yon fremmit hills were aye afore ma een!

                          Till "Dyod!" thinks I, "I doot my lad, ye mebbe micht dae waur

                          Than tak' a dauner westward to the Hielan' Hills o' Mar".

                          Ay, there they were, like brithers, Ben Macdhui, Carn Toul,

                          Braeriach, Cairngorm - man, a sicht to sair the sowl!

                          And braid Ben A'an and Beinn a' Bhuird, and yonner Lochnagar,

                          A' noddin-aul' and neibourlike, the Hielan' Hills o' Mar!

                         And govie dick! at gloamin-time, maist Hielan' time o' a'!

                         The young and lordly Dolomites gaed worth and clean awa!

                         And left a leear thinkin, "Though ye've traivelled furth and far,

                         Ye hinna traivelled far'er than the Hielan Hills o' Mar".