A 78-year-old woman from the west Highlands has died after falling down a ravine while walking her dog.
The woman, named locally as Evelyn Fleming of Shore Street in Ullapool, slipped and fell down the wooded Corrieshalloch Gorge to the south of the village.
A police spokeswoman said that the death is currently being treated as unexplained but confirmed there are “no suspicious circumstances.”
The spokeswoman added: “The next of kin have been informed and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
Sixteen volunteers from Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team (DMRT) were called out to recover the elderly woman’s body on Saturday after police were contacted at 10.30am.
A DMRT spokesman said there was a forestry track which provided access to the site, adding: “A stretcher was lowered into the gorge then hauled back up. The lady’s remains were passed into the custody of the police. The team’s thoughts go out to the lady’s family.”
Ullapool Post Office worker Kyle Mackenzie, 19, said that Mrs Fleming regularly came in to send mail and buy groceries from the shop, and that she had a small Border Collie dog.
He added: “It’s obviously very sad because she is local and no one really expected this to happen. She’s been in Ullapool quite a few years. Everyone liked her.”
Yesterday, DMRT were called into action again after a father and daughter pair of hillwalkers were reported overdue on An Teallach at about 12.40am.
The man in his 60s and his 27-year-old daughter were traced safe and well later that morning.
The Stornoway-based Coastguard search and rescue helicopter were also part of the search and scoured the area for more than three hours.
On Sunday morning the DMRT were also requested for a rescue in the hills near East Rhidorroch Lodge, east of Ullapool.
Two young women had been taking part in a charity event and one was injured and both were wet and cold.
Two male walkers had found them and stayed with them, marking their location by torch, allowing 12 DMRT members to arrive at 3am with a stretcher and other gear.
The two men were safely walked off the hill and a Stornoway coastguard helicopter helped to uplift the casualties.
