Nether Lochaber to be put On the Map

A collaboration between Nether Lochaber Community Association (NLCA) and the Centre for Recreation and Tourism Research (CRTR), On the Map will go live in July and will use tools such as Google’s My Maps and the Geotourist website to digitally showcase Nether Lochaber’s scenery, heritage, and community.

Local businesses and locations of interest will also be included within the project, which is being funded by Interface as part of efforts to better connect Scotland’s business, third, and public sectors with academic innovation and expertise.

In preparation for the summer launch, On the Map is currently inviting residents, organisations, and businesses within Nether Lochaber to help shape the project.

Narrating audio, sharing stories, mapping trails, and capturing images are amongst the ways locals can be involved, while businesses interested in embedding the map or promoting the project are also being sought.

Lucy Cooke, Project Officer at NCLA, said the project would work alongside the Inchree Barn Project in creating a Nether Lochaber cultural space, and would benefit tourists and the community alike.

“Yes, it’s trying to get people that are coming to stay longer, and to promote slow tourism and enjoy the place,” she said.

"But the other side of it is cultural identity. We are exploring what it is to be from Nether Lochaber. We are
wanting to showcase what we can do and bring the businesses and the community together.”

Part of the University of the Highlands and Islands: North, West, and Hebrides, CRTR has previously collaborated on several Lochaber projects, including audio tours of Ardgour and Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, as well as its headline Coast project that collected and presented stories from the length of Scotland’s west coast.

However, the desire to combine audio, mapping, and 360° films and images into a single project makes On the Map one of CRTR’s most ambitious endeavours to date.