Boleskine House: Permission sought to restore Crowley's former home

Highland councillors look set to approve plans for the restoration of the ruined former home of notorious occultist Aleister Crowley.

Boleskine House, overlooking Loch Ness, was badly damaged by a blaze in 2015 before another fire ripped through the site in July last year.

Crowley was said to have performed occultist rituals at the property when he lived there between 1899 and 1913.

The property was later owned by musician Jimmy Page, of Led Zeppelin.

The Boleskine House Foundation has sought planning permission for the rebuilding work, along with the reinstatement of its category B listing and for the construction of 10 holiday units.

The timber clad, grass roof units would be a mix of one and two-bedroom accommodation.

Highland Council planning officials have recommended that next week's south planning applications committee approves the plans.

Crowley, who died in 1947, was infamous in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century for his promotion of the occult.

During World War One, he wrote anti-British propaganda.

He was also an experienced climber and was part of an ill-fated attempt to scale K2, in modern day Pakistan, in 1902.

Page bought Boleskine House in the 1970s because of the Crowley connection, before later selling it.