A year of Caithness news: October to December
After another busy year, we look back at some of the stories that hit the headlines in the John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier during 2023
October
Around 60 people gathered outside a former Caithness schoolhouse to mark the 100th anniversary of Scotland’s Young Farmers movement. A commemorative stone was unveiled in a doorway at the old Lanergill school, now a private home, where the first Young Farmers club in the country was formed at a meeting in April 1923.
A community councillor raised safety concerns over the continuing absence of white stripes on two zebra crossings in Wick. The crossings, in close proximity near the junction of Thurso Road and Bankhead Road, had been left unmarked since resurfacing work was carried out in June. Community council treasurer Joanna Coghill was losing patience over the delay and was worried that someone could be hurt. “We were told last month that a contract had been assigned but we’re in October now and nothing has happened,” she told fellow members of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council, adding: “If they give me a pot of paint I’ll go and do it myself."
A Caithness businessman at the forefront of the food and drink industry had been recognised for helping others in his sector. Martin Murray of Dunnet Bay Distillers, was chosen by the Gin Cooperative for its inaugural Outstanding Contribution to Scottish Gin award.
A women's healthcare campaigner was to tell a United Nations event about the financial impact felt by people from the far north who need to travel to Inverness for appointments. Kirsteen Campbell, chairperson of North Highland Women’s Wellbeing Hub (NHWWH), had been invited to take part in an online discussion on Eradicating Poverty in Scotland being hosted by Edinburgh-based UN House Scotland. She would speak about healthcare poverty, giving examples of the cost pressures facing those expected to make a round trip of 200 miles or more for appointments that in some cases could be as short as 10 minutes.
Caithness competitor Doug Mackay described the World Porridge Making Championship as “a celebration of culture, creativity and community” after taking part in it for the first time. The prestigious event at Carrbridge was marking its 30th anniversary. "For the traditional category I used the same method and oatmeal mix which my granny showed me in the 1970s," Doug explained. Although he didn’t win, Doug said it had been a great celebration of a humble yet versatile dish.
North MSP Maree Todd was being urged to take the lead in pushing for funds to upgrade sections of the A9 in Caithness and Sutherland. The call came from Highland councillors who feared there was a "real risk" that parts of the trunk road could be lost if the northern counties experienced flooding on the scale seen in some parts of the region recently. They warned of the "immense" implications for facilities such as Dounreay, Vulcan and the Sutherland Spaceport.
The community trust leading a range of sustainable development projects in Thurso was “facing a time of uncertainty” over funding, it had emerged. Board members of Thurso Community Development Trust (TCDT) and its trading organisation, Thurso Community Benefit Society, were due to meet to consider their options and potentially “make some difficult decisions”. The update was given in a newsletter sent out by trust chairperson Helen Allan. TCDT formed in 2018 with the aim of making Thurso “a better place to live, work and visit for all through community-led sustainable development”.
A champion tractor driver from Mey spoke of his pride in representing Scotland at an international ploughing competition. James Tait, a tractor driver with Greenland Mains farm, travelled to Latvia to take part in the World Ploughing Championship. “I was very proud to be representing my country," he said. "Very few folk will ever get the chance at that level."
Some households were cutting their annual bills by thousands of pounds a year as a result of being linked to Wick’s low-carbon district heating scheme, it had emerged. Around 250 properties were already benefiting from their connection to the sustainable energy centre operated by Ignis Wick Ltd, beside Pulteney Distillery – and there was potential for as many as 700 more to follow suit. Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner was working closely with Ignis on the expansion of the system and he said “real progress” was being made in delivering cheaper heating and hot water.
A couple whose home was flooded as Storm Babet battered the region had blamed Highland Council for failing to clear drains on the road. Graham and Sharon Turner, from Shebster, had to call out the Thurso fire service as water poured into their garden and home. “Our home flooded and from what we understand it’s down to the council not emptying the drains further up the road,” Mr Turner said.
A successful test flight of the largest unmanned air vehicle in Europe took place at Wick John O’ Groats Airport. The exercise aimed to deliver the blueprint for net-zero regional aviation across the UK. The project involved Orkney-based Sustainable Aviation Test Environment, along with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and ARC Aerosystems. Representatives of the various organisations gathered at the airport to see the ARC C-600 autonomous aircraft, hear about the tethered trials and watch a video.
November
Efforts were under way to secure funding for urgent repairs to a storm-damaged harbour wall at Wick amid warnings that a collapse would be a “catastrophe” for the town and its economy. A multi-agency emergency meeting was held in the town after the scale of the problem became apparent at the north pier harbour entrance. The harbour had taken a pummelling during Storm Babet in October and conditions had been almost unrelenting since then, with powerful waves driven by easterly gales. Wind speeds exceeding 70 knots and wave heights of more than 10m were observed at the peak of the storm and gale-force winds continued for almost two weeks. Provost Jan McEwan said: “The ramifications if the wall collapses will be devastating to Wick."
Roadworks being carried out at a busy Thurso junction – and set to last for months through Christmas and into the new year – could be devastating for the town”, it was claimed. Concerns were raised over the impact on businesses at an important time of year for local retailers, as well as motorists, with delays of up to 50 minutes reported. The work, undertaken by BEAR Scotland at the Toll junction, was to improve road safety for pedestrians and cyclists on the A9 and the A836 Castletown road, and would result in controlled pedestrian crossings being installed.
Wick residents were being told they would have to play their part in taking care of the refurbished public conveniences in the town centre. Work was progressing well on the £395,000 scheme at Whitechapel Road, although a completion date had yet to be announced. Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner said the new-look facility was “just fantastic”. A contract had been awarded to Norbloc Construction to carry out the full refurbishment of the toilets.
The 2023 Taste North festival held at Wick High School lived up to its billing as more than 1700 people attended. The annual food and drink showcase featured cooking demonstrations, an exhibitor marketplace and family activities.
Jamie Stone warned that maternity provision in Caithness was “a recipe for tragedy” and urged the Scottish Government to recognise the “dangerous realities” facing mothers who had to make the 100-mile journey to Raigmore to give birth. The local MP had written to First Minister Humza Yousaf calling for reform of the current Caithness maternity model, highlighting that the northern A9 has been closed numerous times because of extreme weather – most recently during Storm Babet. Mr Stone also accused the SNP-led government of a “dangerous neglect of the Highlands” through its “obsessions with centralising services and catering for the central belt”. In his letter to Mr Yousaf, Mr Stone said: “One can only imagine the fear and terror that heavily pregnant mums experience having to face this journey while in labour.”
Ambitious plans to create a broch as a new visitor attraction in Caithness had moved a step closer to reality. Residents in the Latheron, Lybster and Clyth community council area were to be asked for their views on a proposal to build a replica Iron Age tower in their district. Local charity Caithness Broch Project was behind the idea. Its chairman, Robin Herrick, said: “After a lengthy search for the perfect site, we are pleased to announce that we have identified an area north of Latheron known as Flygla as our preferred site for the Big Broch Build."
Highland health chiefs had been told there would be an outcry if most mums-to-be from Inverness were forced to travel more than 100 miles to Caithness to give birth. The vast majority of women from the far north now have their babies at Raigmore, but a member of Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) claimed families in the Highland capital would find it unacceptable if the roles were reversed. The point was one of many put across during a face-to-face discussion between CHAT and NHS Highland’s outgoing chief executive, Pam Dudek, accompanied by Sarah Compton-Bishop, chairperson of the NHS Highland board, and Pam Cremin, its chief officer, community.
About 350 past and present Young Farmers got together to celebrate 100 years of the organisation in Caithness. The centenary ball at the Assembly Rooms in Wick was the high point of a busy programme of activities marking the anniversary. A total of 243 sat down for dinner and another 100 attended the dance only. The main speaker was Kevin Sinclair, formerly of Watten Young Farmers, now professor of developmental biology at the University of Nottingham. Avril Henderson, secretary of the 100th anniversary committee, said: “It was great to everybody all there, dressed to the nines and having a great time."
Far north teenager Olivia Mackay said she and her Scotland team-mates were having “an amazing time” in Brazil ahead of the World Junior Surfing Championships. The nine-strong squad had been working hard on a specialised training programme and getting used to the warm-water conditions in South America – which had meant dispensing with the 6mm wetsuits they were accustomed to wearing in Scottish waters. They arrived at Macumba Beach, Rio de Janeiro. Captaining the Scottish squad was British junior surf champion Craig McLachlan, from Murkle. He and Olivia are both members of Thurso-based North Shore Surf Club.
An elderly Castletown man with serious health issues said he was going to make himself homeless and live in his van due to the dampness of his house and the cost of heating it. Charlie McPhee, who had emphysema and was undergoing cancer tests, said his house at Olrig Place was not fit for purpose due to dampness, water leaking through his windows and the high costs of electricity to heat the place.
John O’Groats Mill was on course to become a heritage attraction and community venue by 2025 with work now under way on repairing and extending the category “B” listed complex. The contract worth just under £3.2 million was awarded to O’Brien Construction and the start of work had been hailed as a huge milestone for John O’Groats Mill Trust. It was formed in 2017 and had been raising funds for the design and development of an ambitious project to bring the historic mill back to life.
Concerns had been raised that subsidised flights between Wick and Aberdeen could be under threat in 2024, with the funding to be reviewed. The public service obligation route was secured after campaigning led by Caithness Chamber of Commerce, and funded by Transport Scotland and Highland Council. Several Highland MSPs had now pledged to work together to “save the service” after it emerged that the decision to continue backing the flights would be taken in the context of a Scottish Government budget that was under “significant pressure”.
December
Campaigner Iain Gregory warned that the winter months would be “disastrous” for local roads, arguing that they were deteriorating on a daily basis. He highlighted one rural route in particular – Sibmister Road, Murkle – after being contacted by what he called “outraged and despairing residents”. Mr Gregory, co-founder of Caithness Roads Recovery, declared: “We have featured this location on numerous occasions. The appalling state of what was once a road, but is now simply a medieval cart track, has been reported over and over again, and precisely nothing of any consequence has been done."
Commendations had been awarded to seven members of the Thurso lifeboat team who took part in a dramatic nine-hour rescue two years before. They were handed over by Lord Thurso, the Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness, when he attended Thurso RNLI station to officially open the recently refurbished upstairs area. It had been named in memory of popular lifeboat volunteer Ryan Davidson. Lord Thurso was invited by lifeboat operations manager Scott Youngson to cut the ribbon of “Red’s Room”.
A crowd estimated at more than 1000 turned out to celebrate the switch-on of Wick’s Christmas lights in the town centre. Organisers said they were amazed at the Fun Day attendance, while the 30 market stall holders were reported to be delighted with the support from the public. New lights worth £13,000 were brightening up the town thanks to the volunteers of Wick Christmas Lights Committee, a subgroup of the community council. The switch-on was carried out by gala queen Abby Dunbar, assisted by Santa and Mrs Claus, at the Christmas tree in Market Square. There was also a grotto, along with the children’s umbrella parade from the riverside. Claire Mackenzie, chairperson of the Christmas lights committee, said: “We’re really lucky and I say it every year – we do live in such a generous community."
Top stories
A man with multiple health issues and a learning disability thanked services at the Pulteney Centre in Wick for helping rehome him after a fire in his flat. David Mackinnon had called on neighbours to help after a frying pan caught fire at his Kennedy Terrace home, destroying his kitchen. He was grateful for the support he received and wanted to share how the Homelink service at Pulteneytown People’s Project helped him.
An ultra athlete from Thurso called for better protections for victims of sexual and gender-based violence after completing a gruelling 16 marathons in 16 days. Lorna Stanger told Humza Yousaf that education, awareness and improved legislation could help those affected in the Highlands and across Scotland. She met the First Minister when she visited the Scottish Parliament during her 13th marathon, before completing the 16-day challenge back in Caithness. As well as raising awareness of the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence along with fellow campaigner Myra Ross, who penned a 16-verse poem which was printed on T-shirts for Lorna to wear each day when she ran, Lorna was fundraising for Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland.
The threat of “severe population decline” was looming over Caithness and Sutherland, a Highland Council report warned. It said slight population growth across the region as a whole “masks significant regional disparities”, with the population of Caithness expected to fall by 18 per cent by 2040 and that of Sutherland projected to go down by 15 per cent over the same period. Numbers among younger groups were said to be decreasing Highland-wide, while at the other end of the spectrum there was a rise of more than 60 per cent in those aged 75 and over between 2001 and 2021. “The older population structure of the Highlands and Islands has been linked to its attractiveness as a retirement destination,” the document stated. “Due to the natural ageing of the population and in-migration of people aged 65-plus, numbers in this age group have grown considerably.”
A proposed 100-mile high-voltage power line from Spittal to Beauly should be laid on the seabed rather than above ground, whatever the cost, local MP Jamie Stone declared. Mr Stone was to raise the issue with Claire Coutinho, UK energy security and net-zero secretary, in the new year. SSEN Transmission was facing a massive backlash from members of affected communities over its proposal to run a line of 57m high pylons carrying a 400kV line through Caithness, Sutherland and Ross-shire. SSEN, which had now published reports from its initial consultation exercise, said upgrades to the electricity infrastructure were needed to connect renewable energy projects and support the drive towards net-zero. The company said the project would bring hundreds of jobs to the Highlands, new homes and £32 million in community benefit. Mr Stone spoke at a public meeting in Helmsdale organised by campaign group Pylon Pressure to Stop SSEN. He said later: “My argument will be simple – it is already proposed to lay one subsea cable, so why not put in one or two more and move all the electricity south that way? Yes it would cost more, but this is a strategic decision for the whole of the UK, so why not spend more now and get the best long-term infrastructure for many years to come? After all, they laid telegraph cables across the whole Atlantic in the middle of the 19th century.”
A former soldier from Wick met the Princess Royal – and heard all about her love of the far north – during a Christmas lunch at St James’s Palace. Kev Stewart was invited to the prestigious event after taking part in a six-day fundraising cycle challenge earlier in the year in aid of The Not Forgotten, a charity that supports veterans and wounded serving personnel. Kev attended the reception in London with his partner Annemarie Simpson. “The Princess Royal and myself had a long conversation about Caithness,” Kev said.
Assurances were being sought from Highland Council over the level of gritting in Caithness amid fears that lives could be at risk on untreated roads. Thurso Community Council said it was essential that pre-emptive treatment take place when freezing weather was forecast and that school routes were covered well in advance of times when pupils would be travelling. In a letter to the local authority’s recently appointed chief executive Derek Brown, the community council also emphasised that all gritters should be in “ready to go” condition.