The Assynt Foundation

In June 2005, the community of Assynt successfully purchased the £44,400 acre Glencanisp and Drumrunie estates, in a community land buy-out made possible through the Scottish Land Reform Act. The Assynt Foundation was set up as a community body to manage the estates, which are a beautiful area of hills, mountains and lochs, in the parish of Assynt. They include the iconic mountains Suilven, Canisp, Cul Mor and Cul Beag. There is also a beautiful old hunting lodge, Glencanip Lodge, which the Assynt Foundation are renting out for group self-catering holidays.
They are:
Claire Belshaw, Robbie MacKenzie, Agnes Dickson, Ailsa Spindler, Davy Robb, Claire Ford, Don Campbell, Marianne Hutchison, Peter Hardwick, Ted Matheson, Patricia Filmer-Sankey, Mick Blunt.

Key Aims of Assynt Foundation

Create opportunities for local people to live and work on the land.
Encourage and support the entrepreneurial ambitions of local people.
Get people back on the land by creating crofts/smallholdings at Ledbeg, Crocaneach and Drumrunie Junction.
Create employment around innovative approaches to deer stalking.
Create employment around the development of Glencanisp Lodge as a self-catering facility.
Create employment around the upgrading and maintenance of the network of footpaths.
Create employment around the monitoring and enhancement of the natural heritage features.
Create employment round the protection and modest expansion of the ancient semi-natural woodlands at Drumrunie and on the south shore of Loch Assynt.
Provide the opportunity for local people to become involved in eco tourism.
Safeguard and enhance the natural heritage and landscape on behalf of the nation.

Assynt Foundation is an open, democratic organisation with membership, £1, open to everyone who lives in Assynt, Drumrunie and Inverpolly and is on the electoral roll.

Application forms for membership are available from Assynt Foundation, Glencanisp, Lochinver, Sutherland, IV27 4LW. Phone: 01571 844100, email assyntfoundation@btconnect.com , web site www.assyntfoundation.org

Non-residents of Assynt can also apply to become friends of Assynt Foundation, for as little as £20 a year, and receive regular newsletters about the work of the foundation.

New Glencanisp Lodge Bookings