Application for starting point of Wolf of Badenoch Trail in Scotland is lodged
The dream of a ‘Wolf of Badenoch Trail’ in Scotland, starting at Kingussie, has moved a step closer.
The Badenoch Community Project has lodged a planning application with the Highland Council aiming to create a sculpture and information board outside Kingussie’s Talla nan Ros in King Street.
The 30-year-old project was the brainchild of the late local entrepreneur Bobby Nield, chairperson of the project in 1996.
As the current team explain in their report to the council planners: “His vision is to have the main information board and sculpture at Talla nan Ros with sign boards at Ardvonie Car Park and Ruthven Barracks, which direct people to Talla nan Ros to read about the Wolf of Badenoch.
“If we achieve that, then the final stage of Bobby’s vision would be to work towards placing information boards at three or four of the other significant locations in the story of the Wolf of Badenoch, such as Dunkeld Cathedral, Loch an Eilein, Lochindorb, and Elgin Cathedral.
“This would effectively create a trail of the Wolf of Badenoch.”
A fine granite stone from Alvie Quarry would serve as a base in the forecourt of Talla nan Ros, with renowned sculptor Helen Denerley creating the artwork which would grace it.
Much of her work is made from reused scrap metal, and is inspired by the animal world. She salvages metals and reconstructs them in to things of beauty.
Her pieces are often life-size. Possibly her best known work is the “Dreaming Spires”, which consists of two Giraffes located at the top of Leith Walk, in Edinburgh.
In 2016 Helen also completed a six-metre high giraffe for a private client in Hong Kong, and there are many other public installations of her work.
The new work would tell the story of Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch being a legendary figure from the late 14th century and the son of King Robert II.
“His story is often a missed opportunity for attacting tourism,” the project leaders say.
