Visitors urged to step off the beaten track

Anorth community is aiming to divert visitors off the NC500 route and experience “slow tourism”. Businesses and community representatives attended the official launch of Easter Ross Peninsula, which will promote the area as a “unique tourist destination”.

It proposes a lasting legacy by increasing visitor numbers, training and jobs.

The promotion stems from a 2018 community consultation which showed residents and businesses wanted to enhance tourism to boost social, economic and environmental growth.

The peninsula has been bypassed by the famous NC500 route which follows the A9 north of Inverness.

However the Tain and District Development Trust (TDDT) wants tourists to enjoy the area’s “hidden gem” attractions and promote the concept of conscious travel.

The area includes Tain, Scotland’s oldest royal burgh; Nigg; Hill of Fearn; Inver; Rockfield; Milton; Kildary; and the seaboard villages of Hilton, Balintore and Shandwick.

Among the local attractions are the Pictish Trail, the Seaboard Sculpture Trail, which includes the Mermaid of the North in Balintore, the Glenmorangie distillery, beaches and golf courses.

TDDT marketing officer Rachel Cunningham said the peninsula deserves to be explored and enjoyed at a slower pace.

She said: “We want to promote the getting offthe-beaten-track, slowing down message while encouraging responsible visitors.

“Whether it’s digging into the area’s rich past, walking along miles of sandy beaches, enjoying a meal or meandering through historic towns and villages, our communities want to share where they live: their history, heritage, hospitality and culture, creating sustainable tourism for the area for years to come.”

The initiative is supported by VisitScotland, Highland Tourism CIC, local community councils and Highland Council.

A website and social media platforms were created last year.

There is also an Easter Ross Peninsula app.

“This slow release of the new destination was primarily aimed to introduce the Easter Ross Peninsula brand to both our communities and visitors,” said Ms Cunningham.

“But also we were in the middle of a pandemic, we knew visitors were already here or had plans to come.

“We wanted them to make the most of their time here, but we also needed a way to communicate about being responsible too.”

TDDT director Sarah Mackenzie said the trust’s vision was about maximising local assets.

“The people, places, services and businesses – bringing them together to boost the local economy, encouraging local investment, developing training and youth employment opportunities and creating a long-lasting legacy for this area.”

Caitlin McLeod, VisitScotland regional development executive (north), said the launch is a huge opportunity to promote all that there is to see and do in a unique part of the Highlands.

She said: “The new brand will help encourage visitors to slow down and take their time to explore the region more widely.”

TAKE IT EASY: Easter Ross suggests a leisurely pace away from the NC500 route.