The 2019 Geoheritage Festival is now drawing to a close after a long and busy season with the final three scheduled events being held this week. All welcome. Please click on the links for more details.
However, the Geopark year is not over yet as we are working to bring additional events over the coming month and some of our festival partners such as the Highlife Highland Ranger Service have their own events continuing to the end of the year.
Following a very encouraging and supportive revalidation mission, we now await the result from UNESCO.
The revalidation team will submit a report to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council who make a formal presentation and recommendation to the UNESCO Executive Board. The ultimate decision (Red, Yellow or Green card) lies with the Executive Board and they will announce the result in April 2020.
We have taken a large step in the right direction with our business transformation project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Heritage Naturally, a consultancy partnership with experience of working with protected landscapes, Global Geoparks and public/private sector partnerships, have been chosen to provide expert advice and mentoring skills to the Geopark management team over the next six months. With their help, we are planning workshops in October to explore what we need to achieve to reach our goals.
Heritage Naturally are passionate about making our Geopark successful and have committed to delivering a relevant, targeted business plan which will help transform our governance structure and utilise our core skills to best serve the North West Highlands UNESCO Global Geopark.
It has been another busy season for the Geopark with an ever growing number of visitors participating in guided walks, talks and Geotours.
The introduction of guided tours for Cruise Ship visitors at Knockan Crag and the Bones Caves has been a great success.
Keep up to date with events on the Geopark website.
There are limited places available for week commencing 27th May - 2nd June and some bookings have already been taken for 16th - 22nd September 2020.
The cost of the Geotour is £260 with a 10% early bird discount available.
A brand new Geotour is being planned for 2020. The tour will run between 15th - 18th May (Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime) at a cost of £140. A 10% early bird discount also available.
Further information can be obtained by clicking on the link below and bookings can be arranged by contacting Pete Harrison by email at pete@nwhgeopark.com
The Geopark is hosting the launch of two new geology books associated with the North West Highlands.
Hutton's Arse is a revised second edition co authored by Malcolm Rider and Pete Harrison, the Northwest Highland Geopark Geologist. It explores three billion years of the extraordinary geology in the North West Highlands. The book was launched at Achin's bookshop, Inverkirkaig in August.
On 17th September Alan McKirdy’s new book The Northern Highlands (Landscapes In Stone) will be officially launched at the Macphail Centre, Ullapool in an event hosted by Pete Harrison. Come and meet Alan and find out more about the storyline of our world class landscape.
Both books are now available in all good bookshops.
The Rock Stop visitor centre at Unapool continues to be open throughout September (10:00hrs - 16:30hrs). In 2018 we welcomed over 7000 visitors and this year we have already seen an increase in that number.
Come along and discover the history and geology of the Geopark in the free exhibition area. Take time to enjoy the Rock Stop cafe which serves coffees & light lunches and also includes a gift shop.
We plan to remain open well into October but opening times may change. Keep an eye on the website for more details.
Why not become a Friend of the Geopark and help support the work of the North West Highlands Geopark?
