Doors Open Days Highland 2006
An opportunity to see a unique snapshot in history will be included in Doors Open Days Highland event this September.
Members of the public will have a once-only chance to see behind the construction scenes at Eden Court Theatre to view developments in progress. Also included in the Doors Open Days programmes are a range of buildings in the Highlands which the public would not usually have the chance to explore like Highland Council’s ‘secret’ Emergency Centre, and Robertson’s Masonic Lodge in Cromarty.
The event starts in Inverness on Saturday 2nd September and will be followed by Caithness (9th), Tain, Easter Ross and The Black Isle (16th) and Lochaber (23rd).
In addition to Eden Court, in Inverness another 10 buildings are listed in the programme including: Old High, Free North, St. Mary's and Ness Bank Churches, Inverness City Partnership Office, Highland Council’s Town House and Emergency Centre, Sheriff Court, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, and Maggie's Highlands at Raigmore Hospital.
In Caithness, thirteen building will have their doors open on 9th September including: Dounreay Visitor Centre; Castlehill Interpretive Centre; Mary Ann’s Cottage, Dunnet;
Dunnet Head Heritage Centre, Brough; Castle of Mey Gardens, near Thurso; Sinclair Girnigoe Castle, and Clan Sinclair Centre at Noss Head; Couthy Bothy, Pulteneytown, and Wick Heritage Museum at Wick; Shelligoe Archery and Waterlines Visitor Centre at Lybster; Clan Gunn Heritage Centre, Latheron; and Dunbeath Heritage Centre.
Tain, Easter Ross and Black Isle Events on the 16th September include: Edderton Old Church;
Red House Studios, Tain; Ballone Castle, Portmahomack; Log Building & Log Barn, Milton Community Woods; Foulis Castle, Evanton; St. Clement’s Parish Church, Dingwall; Upper Pump Room, Strathpeffer; Glachbeg Croft Education Centre, North Kessock; Lodge Seaforth, Fortrose; and 4 venues in Cromarty at Robertson’s Masonic Lodge, Cromarty Courthouse Museum, East Church, 13. Cromarty House, and The Stables.
The final Doors Open Day will take place in Lochaber on 23rd September at the Ice Factor,
in Kinlochleven.
Highland Doors Open Days event is co-ordinated by The Highland Council, Inverness City Heritage Trust and Caithness Archaeological Trust. Admission to all of the buildings or events is free and will include buildings that are not normally open to the public or buildings which usually charge a fee for entry.
Now in its 16th year, Doors Open Days Highland hopes to build on the success of previous years and attract new visitors to the event. Doors Open Days is very much an event for everyone and aims to encourage locals and visitors alike to explore and enjoy a wide range of buildings and sites, to understand the local architectural environment and to develop a better awareness of the rich built heritage and conservation issues in the Highlands.
Event co-ordinator for Inverness Alison Tanner said: “Doors Open Days are a great way to get out and about to explore the area that you live in or to visit places near by that you’ve always wondered about. The event relies on the goodwill of building owners and staff who open their properties without a charge and often give their time for free and we are extremely grateful to them all. Each year, we try and attract new buildings to the event and are always looking for suggestions of new or interesting things to open – if anyone would like to open their own building or to suggest buildings they would like to see inside, please get in touch and we will try our best to make this happen in 2007.”
To see the full programme for Doors Open Days Highland visit The Highland Council’s website or pick up a leaflet listing all the participating buildings from tourist information centres, Highland Council Service Points, Planning and Development Service offices and libraries. To find out about Doors Open Days events in other parts of Scotland, call the Doors Open Days hotline on 0141 248 1188 or see: www.doorsopendays.org.uk