Dingwall GlenWyvis distillery founder set to trailblaze whisky-themed attraction
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A DINGWALL distillery founder who quit its management board three years ago has secured permission to create a whisky-themed attraction along its boundary.
Farmer and helicopter pilot John McKenzie was the brains behind the innovative GlenWyvis distillery project, the world’s first 100 per cent community-owned whisky distillery, and saw his dream come to fruition in 2016.
In December last year, GlenWyvis produced its first dram - the first whisky produced in the Ross-shire town for almost a century.
Differences of opinion on the project’s future led to Mr McKenzie resigning his position in 2019, but he remains a shareholder and is the distillery’s landlord.
We revealed earlier this month that the Scroggie Farm owner, renowned for helicoptering the rich and famous around Scotland, wanted to create a ramblers’ path taking walkers safely to viewpoints above his property at Upper Dochcarty.
He has now revealed plans for guided walks immersing visitors in whisky heritage.
An increase in main road traffic and pedestrians seeking access to the distillery, which is barred under planning conditions from accepting visitors, has been raising road safety concerns.
The path proposal, complete with a wild camping site, has now been rubber-stamped by Highland Council planners who deemed it a permitted development, one not requiring planning permission subject to conditions.
Having been given the green light, Mr McKenzie revealed further detail on the project, which will be completely independent of the distillery, for the first time.
The free to use grassy, fenced route up the hill will feature attractive information boards, illuminating walkers step-by step on the whisky production process and its rich heritage in the Dingwall area.
Mr McKenzie, known as the Flying Farmer, said: “Under the terms of permitted development, the path is only to be used for 28 days a year.
“If we were to use it more than that we would have to do some construction work, with toilets and path surfacing, and go through the full planning process.
“Users will still not be allowed to access the distillery from the pathway, but on certain days of the year they will be able to walk up the brae safely, pausing for breath at information boards in set areas as they ascend the steep hill.
“These will display the whisky production process and, then, as they reach the top, the distillery will be there before them to see.”
Work on the path could be completed by as early as May, with a view to starting walks just as wildflowers blossom on the hillside.
Information on when the route will be open to walkers will be posted on the website of the Dingwall Whisky Distillery Trust, an organisation Mr McKenzie founded last year.
Mr McKenzie also has planning permission for a farm shop premises that would, if completed, be skirted by the new pathway.
He added: “Obviously, 28 days is not that much, so the focus will be on the summer period and weekends.
“Road safety is central to this. The distillery has over 1000 followers on social media and the traffic coming up the road has been increasing. Tragically, there was also a fatality in early 2020.
“We want everyone to be able to see the distillery, but in a safe way. Not everyone can walk, so I’m also looking at possibilities for transport.”
Inverness-based Horner and Maclennan chartered landscape architects have been commissioned to complete information board design and other features.
Related: GlenWyvis dram makes history
