Online archive of stories from across the Highlands and Islands

A new website from Spirit of the Highlands and Islands, filled with stories from across the region, is now available to visit.

Spirit: Stories is an online archive of tales submitted to the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project from people who live, work and travel in the region.

It is part of a project, which includes the transformation of Inverness Castle into a tourist destination, aiming to create innovative and interactive digital content showcasing people’s accounts of the region.

Director of the project Fiona Hampton said: “Many people have spoken about their community, Highland and Islands heritage and culture, and the epic landscape which forms the backdrop to their daily life.

“Our new Spirit: Stories website captures the spirit of the region’s past, present and future and I hope visitors will enjoy the many stories of heritage, culture and contemporary life on offer.

“The archive gives a unique perspective on what it means to be part of the Highlands and Islands - the places they live, and the cultures and events which shape their communities.

“The archive will have the facility to search stories, for people to submit their own and to learn about the wider project.”

Spirit: Stories will support VisitScotland’s theme for 2022 - Scotland’s Year of Stories, celebrating local tales which have shaped the land, the people and the culture of the Highlands and Islands.

The archive will continue to grow as a living collection and will feature more information on storytelling projects and opportunities to be involved in the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project in the coming weeks.

The website is the first in a series of new digital tools created by the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project which will showcase the natural and cultural heritage of the region through pictures, film, and interactive elements.

It is supported by a grant from the Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund (NCHF) led by NatureScot and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The Inverness Castle project will benefit from £30m investment to support its re-development from the Scottish and UK Governments, The Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a range of other partners.

The Inverness Castle project is part of the Inverness and Highland City Region deal, which is a joint initiative supported by up to £315m investment from the UK and Scottish governments, The Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and University of the Highlands and Islands, aimed at stimulating sustainable regional economic growth.

You can access the archive by visiting discoverhighlandsandislands.scot/archive