Doors Open Days 2008
Members of the public are being invited to take part in Doors Open Days 2008 which takes place over four weekends in September. All participants can gain free access to wide range of buildings, both old and modern in the Highlands.
Doors Open Days 2008 in Highland is taking place in Inverness on 6 September, in Caithness on 13 September, and in Dingwall, Tain, Easter Ross and the Black Isle on 20 September and Lochalsh on 27 September.
Doors Open Days is Scotland’s contribution to European Heritage Days and is a joint initiative between the Council of Europe and the European Union. It aims to give people the opportunity to explore some of the country’s most interesting buildings, many of which are not normally accessible to the public.
The event is nationally co-ordinated by the Scottish Civic Trust, and is supported by Historic Scotland. Within Highland, Doors Open Days 2008 is locally co-ordinated by The Highland Council and Inverness City Heritage Trust.
In the Inverness area, there are seven new participants. The refurbishment and extension of Eden Court Theatre is providing guided tours but it is essential to pre-book by contacting 01463239841. The new observatory at Culloden will be open for visitors between 7pm and 11pm when there will be guided tours and a display of telescopes.
The new Inverness Forest District Office at Smithton will open their doors and visitors will be able to look around a building which has been designed to be environmentally friendly and highly energy efficient. Also in Doors Open Day for the first time is Trinity Church on Huntly Place, Inverness. In Caithness, the Dunbeath Heritage Centre is participating and in Dingwall, there will be an opportunity to see panoramic views from the top of the Hector Macdonald Monument on Mitchell Hill. The Old Town Hall in Tain will include a display of work by Andrew Maitland and Sons, a local architectural practice in the area in the late nineteenth century. On the Rosehaugh Estate, Avoch there are three wonderfully restored and converted buildings, while in Lochalsh, the owners of Duncraig Castle are pleased to open their doors again.
Admission to all participating buildings is free on the day. For further information about Doors Open Days 2008 in Highland http://www.highland.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/what-to-see/heritage/ or www.heritage-inverness.org/ For national events visit http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/