The COAST Project
COAST is a gathering of stories from Scotland’s west coast. Stories that reflect on the culture and heritage of our coastal communities and how they have helped shape the world. COAST is a community-led project managed by the Centre for Recreation and Tourism Research (CRTR) at UHI West Highland, and co-ordinated by ruralDimensions and Lateral North, working together with 32 local Story Gatherers covering the west coast of Scotland from Wester Ross and Lewis in the north to Arran and Kintyre in the south. Lateral North has also created the series of exhibitions, with Whereverly developing the website and app.
Find out more about the people behind COAST.
The project aims to help in sustaining local communities, supporting them to protect and share the rich natural and cultural heritage through high-quality experiences – for both visitors and locals alike. Match funding for the project has also come from Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) and UHI West Highland, giving the project a value of over £500,000.
COAST is part of a £5 million Scottish programme of projects to invest in the Highlands and Islands to provide more and better-quality opportunities for visitors to enjoy natural and cultural heritage assets. The Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund is led by NatureScot and is part funded through the European Development Fund (ERDF). The Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund will encourage people to visit some of the more remote and rural areas and create and sustain jobs, businesses, and services in local communities. The purpose of the fund is to promote and develop the outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the Highlands and islands in a way that conserves and protects them.
The COAST project ethos is all about visiting respectfully and responsibly – please visit the Scottish Outdoor Access code for guidance – NatureScot
Contact Us
If you want to get in touch with the team regarding the project or the use of data on the website and app, please email research.whc@uhi.ac.uk
If you think that anything published on COAST infringes your rights or that you think is incorrect, you may report this to us at research.whc@uhi.ac.uk as soon as possible.
