Plans for a new Buddhist peace and healing centre on the shores of Loch Ness are close to fruition.
Last year Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, who fled Tibet with the Dalai Lama in 1959, revealed his plans for the centre during a five-day visit to the Highland capital.
He is the master of the Kagyu Samye Dzong Highlands group in Inverness and has several peace and health centres across the world, including the famous Samye Ling Monastery in Dumfries-shire.
He said he wanted to open a new centre on the famous loch because of his love of its monster but also because there is “something missing” in the area.
He added there were not enough services in the area to help people with mental health and inner enjoyment.
The centre would be open to everyone and aims to build inter-faith relations in Scotland. It would offer courses in yoga, tai chi as well as teachings on Buddhism.
Lama Yeshe Losal’s secretary, Ani Lhamo, a Buddhist nun originally from Fort William, said the group were still yet to find a suitable building.
She said yesterday: “They have looked at a couple of buildings and now there is one in particular.
“There are all sorts of considerations – location, price, negotiating with the current owners – but now they have found a potential property that looks like it is in the right place, it’s the right size, hopefully the right price, so if negotiations continue then we hope we will be able to get that one.
“We’ll see what happens, I would be very happy if it went ahead.”
When the plans were announced last year many businesses in the local area gave their support.
Graham Ambrose, of marketing group Destination Loch Ness, said: “If it brings more people from around the world to Loch Ness, from different countries that we don’t usually get, that can only be a good thing.
“And if people stayed on in the local B&Bs, that would benefit everyone. It would be good particularly in the winter months when the area is at its most peaceful.”
And businessman Willie Cameron, who owns Loch Ness Marketing, said he would welcome the Tibetan group with “open arms”.
He added: “I know in other parts of the country this group has blended in very well in the community and have done a lot of good work.”
See today’s YL magazine inside your Press and Journal for a full interview with Ani Lhamo about her life as a Buddhist.