The old ferry slipway in a Black Isle village has transferred ownership of to a local-based charity.
The redundant ferry slipway at North Kessock has been given to the North Kessock Community Pier group by the local authority.
The slipway at North Kessock was used by the Kessock Ferry to provide a vital link between Inverness and the Black Isle before the Kessock Bridge opened in 1982.
A ferry is believed to have taken travellers across the firth since the 15th century.
The slipway is thought to have last been repaired in the 1950s and has fallen into disrepair in recent years.
Highland Council announced plans in September 2012 to transfer the slipway into community ownership.
This was done after the council’s harbour’s fishery management board gave the go-ahead for £15,000 to be spent on urgent remedial works to the North Kessock pier.
The local charity was founded in 2011 with the aim of repairing and upgrading the slipway, to provide a sustainable community run leisure facility for use by members and the public.
The main goal of the group, which now has 50 members, is to secure capital funding to allow them to fully repair and upgrade the facility.
They have contacted a local marine engineering firm to produce a detailed plan to upgrade the pier, and have since broken this down into several phases which can be completed as funds become available.
The grand opening day for the pier is expected to be in early summer next year.
The group’s third AGM will be held at North Kessock Hall on Wednesday, November 26 at 8pm. Anyone interested in joining should contact the group’s chairman, Jim Prentice, by email at jim.prentice@bt.com or by mobile telephone on 07802 815741.