A tragic love story from Wester Ross is inspiring a new musical work being premiered at this year’s Blas Festival.
The Legend of Loch Maree has been composed by Inverness musician Graham Mackenzie, and will be performed three times across the Highlands in September.
The story tells of a local princess who falls in love with Norwegian prince Olaf, before a tragic misunderstanding leads to both their deaths.
Mackenzie first encountered the legend through a painting by late Highland artist Margaret Robertson, which hung in his childhood home.
He has drawn on Gaelic, Irish and Scandinavian traditions for the new work.
The new Inverness Castle Experience is expected to make a loss of almost one-point-four million pounds this year, after attracting around half the number of visitors forecast.
The Highland Council-owned attraction has had just over 80,000 paying visitors since opening in February — about 55 per cent of the projected figure.
Operator Highlife Highland says staffing and opening hours have been reduced, while a new five-year strategy is being developed, which includes targeting visitors arriving in Inverness on tour buses.
The attraction may not break even until 2029-30, councillors have heard.
Highland Council will share in 15 million pounds to expand and improve breakfast clubs for primary school children.
The Scottish Government says the funding will help councils provide free breakfast clubs from August 2027, giving children a healthy start to the school day and helping families with household costs.
The programme is part of a wider commitment to tackle child poverty.
The Government says breakfast clubs will also allow parents and carers to drop children at school earlier, while helping make sure pupils are ready to learn when classes begin.
