A FASCINATING tale has emerged about a recently unearthed university "mystery medal", presented to a young Highland medical student almost a century ago.

"TWO bent mudguards, and a single broken spoke in one of the wire wheels, were the only damage done to Britain's smallest car which had just made the ascent of Britain's highest mountain."

IT was formally opened 125 years ago in October 1883. It closed, unceremoniously, on October 8, 1904 – for the want of parliamentary will to fund it.

RESIDENTS – young and old – at Strontian, on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, are preparing to celebrate their village's claim to fame.

IDYLLIC Arisaig was just one of the villages on the famed "Road to the Isles" to play its part in Britain's wartime masterplan to form the Special Operations Executive.

EXPERTS who delved into Fort William's past have published their findings after a ground-breaking archaeological project, which it is hoped can be continued in the future.

IT was the end of an era in Inverlochy this week with the demolition of the iconic and cherished Braxy Hall.

A NUMBER of historic artefacts have gone full circle following the closure of a Fort William church.

SOME of the most spectacular photographs ever taken in Lochaber are the subject of a new book which is launched this weekend.

A TV boffin will lead excavations at three historic sites in Fort William later this year.

HERE’S a tale for those with a thirst for local history!

A NEW website containing one of Scotland’s most important historical records of Highland life has received nearly 32,000 hits from across the world since going live at the beginning of May.

A NEW archive centre for Lochaber should be fully up and running by October this year, long-term campaigner Michael Foxley has revealed.

LAST week a knees-up saw past and present residents of a Fort William housing estate also enjoying swapping memories and 60s photos.

WHILE treasure hunters dug for Prince Charlie’s Spanish gold in Arisaig during the week, a villager unearthed a Spanish silver coin in her garden.