It has been a busy and exciting summer! 

The cabins are open - we had a great Community Open Day - and we have lots of news regarding local land, heritage, and community projects.

Read on to hear about The Black Bridge, Glengarry Community Gardens, Greenfield and Ardochy projects.

We have ungraded timber for sale, perfect for sheds and raised beds.

We are happy to say the cabins are open. After years of work, which took much longer than any of us originally anticipated, we have crossed the finish line. Again we have to say how grateful we are to the community for your patience, encouragement, and support throughout the whole process. 

A big thanks to everyone involved at every stage of the build, it has taken a lot of effort from many people over the years. The current team on site have been working hard and are now perfecting their hosting skills!

Special thanks to our new accommodation staff who have come on board to keep the cabins spotless. 

We know it is a challenge to recruit locally. We aim to provide year round flexible employment for the right candidates and we welcome enquiries for this and next season. Just get in touch for an informal chat - and remember, if you work here you don’t have to walk up the hill!

Before opening to the public, we invited a group of friendly 'early bird' visitors to test out the accommodation. 

They put the showers, stoves, and off-grid facilities through their paces and left us with useful feedback so we could fine-tune the guest experience. In fact, they endured some cold showers during their stay! This highlighted an unforeseen snag with the new heating system as it was fired up for multiple guests for the first time.  

Apologies and huge thanks to our early birds for helping us. And well done to the team for sorting out the problem- no issues since!

Now we have opened to paying guests, who have discovered us via Airbnb and by Google searches. We are really pleased as we have had a super response, with guests having a great experience here. 

We have received five-star reviews across both Airbnb and Google, which is a great start and very important for building our brand and credibility online.

As you know our site is a bit different, especially with the walk uphill and being off grid. So far we are finding guests are drawn to the woodland setting, the views across to Ben Tee, and the chance to unplug in comfort. The walk to the cabins is clear before they book so guests expect it. In fact we have even spotted a guest jogging up the track!

This week we have had 'workies' staying here. Ecologists and arborists visiting in the area have been delighted to find they can stay in an off-grid cabin, but also use wi-fi in Am Fasgadh!

5*****

We were among the first people to stay in the cabins, and it was a pleasure. The cabin is beautiful and has a toilet and a large power bank with mains sockets. It also has a comfortable bed and a very nice view.

The shared kitchen and shower area also contains all the amenities you’d expect. The cabin is not far away from the parking lot at all, it was closer than expected.

5*****

We spent two nights in the cabin and honestly didn’t want to leave. It’s gorgeous - and the setting is something else. We had stags wandering through the trees just beyond the window, evenings by the fire, and hot showers waiting after a day outdoors. The beds are the kind you sink into, the views are incredible, and the kitchen and bathroom were both spotless and well equipped. The hosts were warm and answered everything within minutes. One of those places that makes you slow right down. We’ll absolutely be back.

On 30th July, we held our Community Open Day, and thank you to everyone who came along. It really was a fantastic day for the team as we all enjoyed seeing visitors exploring the site. It was super to chat in person, show people around Am Fasgadh and the cabins, and read the notes left in the feedback box. Thank you so much from all of us here, the support on the day - and throughout - has been amazing and given everyone a real boost.

'Design was most impressive. Very secluded with outstanding views of the woodlands'

'The space and consideration of wildlife is well thought out'

'The large windows in the main room. Very peaceful feel to the whole area'

We also received the following comment, which I think every visitor as well as staff, will wholeheartedly agree on;

Many thanks indeed to Elizabeth Whyte who provided the wonderful baking on the day. 

(Special thanks from the team here - who are very lucky to enjoy treats on regular days of the year too!)

Many in the community were understandably concerned and disrupted by the sudden closure of the Black Bridge by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) in June. It took everyone, us included, by surprise.

Built by the Ellice family in the 1890s, the footbridge holds deep historical value for the Glen. It links Mandally to Invergarry, serving generations of local residents, school children (by offering a safe route away from the busy main road), and walkers on the Great Glen Way.

Following community representations, FLS has offered to transfer ownership of the bridge to GCDT for 1p. 

However, taking on an aging, historic structure carries significant legal and financial responsibilities. Because it is a Category B listed structure, if an owner cannot maintain it, they could ultimately be required to dismantle and store the bridge in perpetuity at enormous cost. This in particular is a risk that the Trust must approach responsibly, if we are to take ownership.

What are our next steps?

To make an informed decision, GCDT is officially issuing an Invitation to Tender for an independent engineering and condition survey. This survey will examine:

● Immediate Repairs: The exact scope and cost of repairs needed to safely reopen the bridge to the public.

● Long-Term Viability: Whether an ongoing schedule of regular maintenance is practical for the Trust without becoming a financial burden.

We are working constructively alongside Glengarry Community Council,  FLS, SSER, Highland Council, and local funding partners. 

We know how vital this footbridge is to local daily life and we are keen to accept ownership of the Bridge when we can confidently commit to its maintenance and upkeep. We will keep you updated on our progress. 

Following the announcement from Forestry and Land Scotland of their intention to sell some of the buildings at Greenfield, we have been working with a team of community development consultants to assess options regarding community land ownership at Greenfield, and we are now ready to take the next step.

We will be holding a Community Consultation on Thursday, 17th September at The Glengarry Community Hall, time tbc.

Bringing parts of Greenfield under active community management offers a wonderful opportunity to help repopulate and shape the future of Glengarry. We will be presenting a range of potential options and are keen to hear your views, ideas, and feedback. Please keep an eye on our social media channels and noticeboards for confirmed details.

We know the community has waited patiently for news on Ardochy. We are pleased to share that the planning application is now under its final assessment with the head planner in Fort William.

The layout was reconfigured multiple times to address SEPA's flood risk requirements, and SEPA is now satisfied. We are working through the final details around site planting and hope to have a formal decision soon.

Navigating this lengthy process has provided valuable lessons on all sides. We will carry these insights forward into future community projects, such as Greenfield, to make future planning applications smoother.

Next Steps: 

Once final planning approval is granted, responsibility moves to the Community Housing Trust to secure build funding and building warrants. 

Please note that capital works timescales remain linked to SSEN's wider Skye reinforcement project.

If you have any home building projects on the horizon, such as sheds, raised beds, or lean-tos, we currently have a selection of local timber available to purchase directly from the woodland.

All of our timber is harvested right here at the Woodlands, milled on site, and air dried. It is ungraded Scots Pine timber, mostly in lengths of around 3m to 3.7m.

Because we need to clear space in the yard for upcoming construction projects, we are very keen to see it go to good local homes and are happy to offer attractive prices.

If you have specific requirements, we can also mill Pine to order provided there is a suitable lead time. In addition, we have Norway Spruce logs (4.8m) coming available for custom milling from mid-September onwards, once our moving machinery is in place. We are happy to take advance orders now.

We do not have fixed price lists, so if you are interested, please pop down to see us at the Depot or get in touch to make an offer.

Here at the Old Forestry Depot we have been enjoying watching - and being very impressed by - the progress of the Glengarry Community Gardens group.

You will remember the group have an area here at the woodlands, which is over to the right of the office buildings and sawmill area. They also have garden space at Glengarry Community Hall. 

It really is wonderful what they have created over the summer in both locations. Here they have built a polytunnel and a deer proof fenced area, with raised beds and a lovely gate. It feels very much like a walled garden!

The gardeners tell us that much of this first year has been focused on getting the garden laid out and built. A few crops have been planted, and everyone is excited to see the very first small harvest coming through. Thoughts are already turning to the full planting schedule for next year.

The gardening group is very friendly and welcoming to everyone, whether you are a seasoned gardener or completely new to growing.

You can join in at their regular sessions:

If you would like to join or find out more, please get in touch with the group via email at glengarry.community.gardens@gmail.com or visit their Glengarry Community Gardens Facebook Page 

You can follow the new social media pages and website for Glengarry Forest Cabins.

Please do ‘follow us’!