A historic house that has welcomed thousands of folk for outdoor courses, is reopening its doors after a four-year delay caused by a major fire.
It is the second time that Raasay House has risen from the ashes, and local MP, former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, will finally officially reopen it on Thursday.
A blaze in 2009 left the Grade A listed mansion house a smoking ruin, after it had been taken over by the local community in 2007. It was in the final stages of £4.5 million upgrade and had been due to re-open, providing upgraded facilities for its tenant Raasay Outdoor Centre and as a key community asset.
Just as the process was nearing completion, a fire gutted most of the building.
The Raasay House Community Company Ltd (RHCC), with the support of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), The Big Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland, started again on the £4.5m redevelopment.
David Westgarth, chairman of RHCC, said: "Well-wishers on Raasay and far beyond are eager to celebrate the completion of a project which has delivered a magnificent building with a stunning new interior, but looking as it always did from the outside, a landmark for the Highlands and Islands.
"The community has worked so hard on this project for such a long time and to see the finished result makes every minute worth it."
The original Raasay House, which was home to the Macleod chiefs of Raasay, was burned to the ground by Hanoverian troops in 1746 after the Battle of Culloden, along with islanders' homes. This was retribution for coming out for Bonnie Prince Charlie, who crossed briefly to Raasay while he was on the run. It was rebuilt in time to receive diarist James Boswell and essayist Samuel Johnson during their celebrated Tour of the Hebrides in 1773.
Mr Kennedy said: "All involved deserve immense gratitude and congratulations for not once but twice delivering the restoration of Raasay House. It now stands and will serve the community in its magnificent renewed condition.
"This is a truly inspirational development."
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