School pupils on the Isle of Skye have rolled up their sleeves to start work on a heritage project which aims to celebrate the achievements of John Mackenzie and Professor Norman Collie, two men who pioneered climbing on Skye’s Black Cuillin.
Pupils from Portree High School are building walls and paths at the site, which involves learning traditional skills like dry stone walling and path building.
The work forms part of the pupil’s John Muir Award, a nationally recognised environmental award scheme which encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to connect, enjoy and care for wild places.
The Collie Mackenzie Heritage Project was launched in 2004. It will form a new gateway for visitors at Sligachan, which offers stunning views of the island’s iconic mountains. The centrepiece will be a bronze statue of the two climbers.
200 children from the island’s primary schools will also help create six interpretation panels which will be placed at the site, covering Gaelic language and culture, the story of Collie and Mackenzie, local wildlife, the geology of the Cuillin, flora and fauna, and the Telford Bridges on Skye
Kenny Macdonald, Depute head at Portree High School said, “We at PHS are delighted to be involved in this project in partnership with the John Muir Trust and the Collie Mackenzie Sculpture Group. This is just one of many exciting projects that our pupils are engaged in at Portree high School and it will empower our young people and give them the opportunity to learn specialist rural skills that can be used to improve their environment and used in their own communities.”
The John Muir Award is the educational initiative of the John Muir Trust, Participants complete four challenges: discover a wild place, actively explore it, do something to conserve it and share their experiences.
Stuart Brooks, chief executive of the John Muir Trust said, “Collie and Mackenzie are inspiring figures who were pioneers in the exploration of the wild landscapes of Skye. It’s fitting that these two men should be immortalised in bronze at Slighachan, in sight of the Cuillin.
“I’m delighted that local schoolchildren have had the chance to get involved with the project through their John Muir Awards.”
Hector Macleod, chairman of the Collie Mackenzie sculpture group said, “This project has attracted interest from all around the world. It has taken much planning and consultation over the last few years to get to this stage. It has been a long wait but the group are delighted that work is finally underway.
“It is especially pleasing that our young people from the island are getting the opportunity to learn new skills and our group have always striven to make this a community driven project.”
The project will benefit locals and visitors to the island and increase access for disabled visitors. Work to date has seen the undergrounding of a power line which blighted the world famous view of the Cuillin from the old Telford Bridge.
The land on which the sculpture will be situated has been donated by the John Muir Trust. A grant of £10,000 from the Robert O Curle Charitable Trust has enabled the work to begin. Fundraising towards the building of the sculpture is on-going through a unique bronze donation scheme, and further details can be viewed atwww.skyesculpture.com.
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