Discovering the COAST that Shaped the World

COAST is a gathering of stories, histories, and people

The project aims to share those elements through a website, app, and series of exhibitions to encourage visitors and locals alike to explore and understand the coastline, landscape, heritage, and culture of the west coast of Scotland.

Over 300 stories gathered during lockdown by 32 story gatherers from the west coast of Scotland will be presented in a series of exhibitions throughout this summer as part of Scotland’s Year of Stories.

Left: Photo of Peggy and Angus Clark from the story 'Hen Night', available here; Right: Photo of five salmon fisherman at work in Skye and Raasay from the story 'Salmon Fisheries in Skye and Raasay', available here.

The Coast that Shaped the World, or ‘COAST’ as it has come to be known, is a community-led project coordinated by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), with project partners NatureScot, Centre for Recreation and Tourism Research based at UHI West Highland, CalMac Ferries, Lateral North, ruralDimensions and Whereverly. The project is part of a £5 million investment in a Scottish programme of projects to promote and develop the outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the Highlands and Islands in a way that conserves and protects them. The Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund is led by NatureScot and is part funded through the European Development Fund (ERDF).

Eileen Stuart, Deputy Director Nature and Climate Change at NatureScot, said:

“We are delighted to support the ‘COAST’ project, through funding from the Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund, which has brought together wonderful stories from the west coast to share with visitors. These stories save and share the history of this unique area, bringing this remote and rural part of Scotland to life for us all.

“Working with communities across the west coast during lockdown, the project gathered stories of community, heritage, myths, legends, architecture, culture and migrations. It provided an outlet for people to tell the stories less told and highlight gems that are often missed by visitors to communities throughout Scotland and locals alike.”

Unique to this project was the aspect of involving 32 local story gatherers from across the west coast to gather stories from within their communities, with the team having to adapt to the challenges faced by the pandemic and varying lockdown restrictions.

Image provided by COAST

The COAST team.

Camille Dressler, COAST story gatherer for the Small Isles and Road to the Isles commented:

“I really enjoyed researching new stories about the area I live in and discovering real gems to share with the wider public! Some of the stories might never have been captured if it had not been for this project, which reconnected me with my early love for oral tradition.”

Through digital workshops, on-the-ground interviews, and online submissions, over 1,400 stories were gathered at the peak of the pandemic and provided an opportunity for people to reflect on and learn about their local environment, the people who have influenced it, and how their community has ‘shaped the world’ as well.

These 1,400 stories have been curated to highlight 350 stories and all are being preserved and safeguarded by UHI as a resource, with the possibly of use in future research opportunities.

Many of these 350 stories are part of the four exhibitions on display in Argyll at the Egg Shed, in Oban at the CalMac ferry terminal, the GALE Centre in Gairloch and Comunn Eachdraidh Nis on the Isle of Lewis. The project's website and app allow users to delve further into these stories.

Left: COAST's 'Our Changing Environment' exhibition, CalMac Ferry Terminal, Oban; Right: 'Our Communities' as displayed at The Egg Shed, Ardrishaig.

The stories can be explored in several ways, including through the eight themes:

• Architecture and Built Environment

• Histories and Eras

• Communities

• Productive Landscapes and Seascapes

• Migrations

• Art and Culture

• Folklore and Myths

• Changing Environment

There are also 20 cross-cutting tags in the Map view, from Vikings and Jacobites, to Gaelic Culture and Hiding Places… or of course you can search by area. The interactive map is a useful tool to navigate the regions and explore the stories in a variety of ways.  The app also lets you explore ‘nearby stories’ when you are out and about on the west coast, and you can also listen to a selection of stories as told by storytellers across the eight themes.

Two of the exhibitions will be travelling throughout this year, and updated venues will be posted on the website and on social media.  There is also a chance to view the exhibits virtually, an option available on the ‘Exhibitions’ drop-down tab on the website, giving an immersive online experience and showcasing the Coast video, and 360-degree views of a few west coast beauty spots.

Image provided by COAST

Community stories from the West Coast as explored through COAST's striking interactive story map.

Our thanks go to the COAST project team once more for telling us more about their fascinating project in this week's Spotlight. Tune in next Friday for our next Spotlight, where we dive into stories of the Outer and Inner Hebrides with story submitter and author Marg Greenwood.