UHI NWH Centre for Recreation and Tourism Research

21/09/2026

For anybody based in or around Inverness and interested in Highland history and culture, we hope to see you here on Thursday,

Two events will be held over the next week to conclude a community heritage project led by UHI Inverness that celebrated an influential 19th century Highland figure.
The Invernessiana multi-partner project was launched earlier this year to honour the life and work of Charles Fraser-Mackintosh by digitising and conserving 100 items from his large archive collection at Inverness Library. He was a lawyer, parliamentarian and property developer who was responsible for building Union Street in Inverness.
The project brought together school pupils, families and community partners to learn about the Fraser-Mackintosh collection through visits, workshops and activities. A volunteer group was also set up at the library to look after the collection.
Two free events in Inverness will offer the opportunity to explore the archive, listen to short talks and take part in book-making and activities.
➕Inverness Library on Thursday 24 September from 3pm to 5pm
➕Cultarlann Inbhir Nis, the Gaelic Cultural Centre, on 29 September from 6.30pm-8.30pm – in Gaelic and English
Project lead Mel Manwaring-McKay, a research development facilitator at UHI Inverness, said: “We wanted to make the collection more visible and accessible, and I’m delighted the project has been so successful and gratified by the enthusiasm of our volunteers, participants and partners.”
To book a place at the events, search Eventbrite, Invernessiana Project.

19/08/2026

This was a great project to work on and we think the results are fabulous 👇

📍 Discover Corpach – your local interactive map! 🗺️

We’re delighted to share a new Corpach Map, specially created to help visitors discover the fantastic places, facilities and points of interest right here in our local area. 🌊⛵️🚶‍♀️

The map has been developed with the fantastic support of UHI, who:

✨ Created a really useful stylised map of Corpach
✨ Trained us in how to create bespoke interactive maps
✨ Helped us build something that can be updated and developed to better support our local community and visitors

The result is a handy resource that can be used by local people, businesses and visitors alike.

🏡 Local businesses: Feel free to share the map with your customers and visitors, and use or print the stylised version if it’s useful for your business.

📍 Local residents: We hope you’ll find it useful too, whether you’re showing friends and family around the area or discovering something new on your own doorstep!

📲 Want to explore the maps?
To view the full version, you’ll find links to both the interactive map and stylised map in the comments below. 👇

A huge thank you to UHI for their support, expertise and training in helping us create this resource. It’s a brilliant example of how local knowledge, community organisations and education can work together to showcase our area. 💙

Please feel free to share! 🗺️📍
UHI NWH Fort William UHI North, West and Hebrides

21/05/2026

On International Tea Day, we are highlighting our current project researching the links between the Scottish Highlands and Sri Lanka tea plantations. The legacy of Scottish tea planters extends to art, publications, personal names, placenames, and farming practices.

We are still looking for individuals with a connection to the Sri Lankan tea industry who would like to be interviewed as part of the project. If you are interested please get in touch with Dr Katie Murray ([email protected]) or Dr Lalith Welamedage ([email protected]).

UHI North, West and Hebrides

British Council Sri Lanka Arts – British Council

UHI North, West and Hebrides makes ‘time for tea’ as it receives British Council funding for a Tea Heritage Project in Sri Lanka

26/03/2026

It's great to see our 'Connections through tea' project getting coverage in The Herald. Supported by the British Council 'Connections through Culture' program, Knowledge Exchange Associate Dr Katie Murray and Associate Researcher Dr Lalith Welamedage will be researching the historic involvement of Scots in the Sri Lankan tea industry ahead of an exhibition to be held in Sri Lanka this summer.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25964730.new-exhibition-explore-scottish-roots-sri-lankas-tea-industry/

UHI North, West and Hebrides
UHI
British Council Sri Lanka
Arts – British Council
Highland Archive Centre

A new exhibition is to explore Scotland’s vital role in shaping Sri Lanka’s world-famous tea industry - a partnership dating back to the 19th…

19/02/2026

We are working on this project which celebrates the achievements of the 19th century figure Charles Fraser Mackintosh. Our work will build on a pilot project we were involved in that can be found at www,charlesfrasermackintosh.com. Looking forward to learning much more in the coming months.

https://www.nwh.uhi.ac.uk/en/news/major-community-archive-project-to-celebrate-influential-figure-who-shaped-inverness.html

The largely unrecognised achievements of a 19th-century property developer and prolific collector who shaped the modern townscape of Inverness will be celebrated in a major project led by UHI Inverness.

19/02/2026

A few years ago we co-created the 'A Walk in Ardgour' audio trail. It encompassed local heritage tales written and recorded by the local community. Now they have revisited the tour and redone it in Gaelic to further reflect the local culture.

On Saturday 21st February CRTR will be attending a 'Gaelic Geotour & Community Afternoon/ Geocuairt Ghàidhlig & Feasgar Coimhearsnachd' to hear the new Gaelic version. If you are in the area and have an interest in local culture it would be great if you could come along.

At the event there will also be Teallach - live forging with Niall Turnbull, who will create a new Gaelic horseshoe sign for the hall. Those attending will be invited to help shape a letter of “Talla Bhaile Àird Ghobhar” at his mobile forge.

A feasgar de Ghàidhlig, cultar is coimhearsnachd / an afternoon of language, craftsmanship and community spirit.
All welcome!

UHI North, West and Hebrides UHI NWH Fort William Ardgour Glensanda Development Trust
Bòrd na Gàidhlig

09/02/2026

Dr Katie Murray, Knowledge Exchange Associate, and Kelly Morrison, Associate Researcher, are delighted to be presenting on 'Living Maps, Living Communities' at the UHI Institute for Northern Studies 'Mapping Identities' conference tomorrow. Programme and registration link below.

UHI NWH Fort William
UHI North, West and Hebrides

20/01/2026

Knowledge Exchange Associate Kendra Turnbull travelled to Ireland last week to take part in the RETURN project partner meeting. The project is an Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic co-funded project that examines how revenue transfer models in tourist destinations can fund solutions that support local communities, environmental conservation and long-term resilience in the Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) Region.

Thank you to MTU and Leave no Trace Ireland for hosting such an informative trip.

05/12/2025

We were delighted when Centre Director, Dr Steve Taylor, was given this 'Shaping Sustainable Tourism' award by the Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme at their 25th anniversary conference in October. Steve picked it up on behalf of collaborators we have worked with across the region on responsible tourism projects.

UHI NWH Fort William UHI North, West and Hebrides

Dr Steve Taylor, Director of the Centre for Recreation and Tourism Research at UHI North, West and Hebrides has accepted the “Shaping Sustainable Tourism” award on behalf of the Sustainable Arctic and Peripheral Cycling Tourism project (SUB).

22/11/2025

Knowledge Exchange Associate Katie Murray is at Roam West this evening, at an event hosted by the Nether Lochaber Community Association. She's showcasing an interactive map and self-guided audio trail we created with local walks, cycle routes, photographs, videos and stories, to encourage visitors to spend longer exploring the area. Hope to see any locals here, or to find out more contact Katie at [email protected]

UHI North, West and Hebrides
UHI NWH Fort William