Wester Ross wasteland-turned-oasis attraction weathers Storm Ashley and wins praise of politicians
THE resilience of a Wester Ross volunteer group who have created a five-star visitor attraction from a wasteland coastal strip has been hailed.
Gairloch Sitooterie felt the full force of Storm Ashley last week as coastal areas of Wester Ross bore the brunt of tidal surges and strong gusts.
But thanks to in-built resilience and lessons learned from previous weather incidents, the damage wasn’t as bad as it might have been.
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Maree Todd MSP and local councillor Liz Kraft popped by earlier this week for a visit and to meet with the team of volunteers.
Maree Todd MSP said: "It was such a pleasure to visit Gairloch Sitooterie with Cllr Liz Kraft.
“What was once gorse scrubland has been transformed into a vibrant, colourful garden with a welcoming seating area for locals and visitors to enjoy. The space is completely community-run, funded through donations, and maintained by a team of volunteers.
“Despite its exposed location on the shore, it came through Storm Ashley without significant damage, which is a relief.
“Gairloch Sitooterie is a fantastic asset to the local area and community and it really is ‘gardening on the edge’ - a huge well done to everyone involved in creating and maintaining this wonderful space!"
