The Project

The purpose of the project is to collect as much knowledge of old paths in Scotland as possible and to promote the existence and the heritage of these paths. It is hoped that by providing this information it will give an added dimension to your walks when you discover these lost pathways for yourself. Also if you are able to help by sharing your own knowledge which we can add to the database you will be contributing towards future generations’ enjoyment of our vast number of old paths.

Heritage Paths - The Next Stage

In 2010, Heritage Paths finished its first three year project to identify historic paths, research them and promote them - this website is the principal fruit of that project.  The project continues, predominantly run by volunteers with support from the ScotWays office. From 2010 to 2013, the project received funding to concentrate its activity to an area in and around the Campsie Fells.  This website and the book we are writing will continue to have a remit of the entire country. What is next? Heritage Paths is currently working in partnership with the Fife Coast & Countryside Trust, Fife Council and the Pilgrimage Routes Forum to rediscover and develop an ancient pilgrimage route between Dunfermline and St Andrews.

Website

This website is a central bank containing information on all of the usable paths that we have found out about so far and is continually being added to. As much as possible we would like to know about the paths that you know about and have walked and we would like you to add your knowledge of these paths to our database.

Book
The project will also produce a hardback book that will contain a selection of our favourite heritage paths and will include more information about the main types of path found in Scotland written by guest writers. This book will be available in bookshops around the country and through our office at ScotWays, 24 Annandale Street, Edinburgh, EH7 4AN.

Learning Resource
A paper based learning resource is being created to help teachers meet the learning outcomes contained in the Curriculum for Excellence. The first learning resource will be tailored to different partscof Fife and will provide teachers with activities to encourage pupils to fulfil the criteria required for the Curriculum for Excellence. It is hoped that the success of this first learning resource will allow us to secure funding for learning resources in other parts of Scotland. The website will also contain a gallery where artwork created by students through this project can be uploaded and viewed.

Signposts
As a result of the first phase of the project we have now installed 180 small interpretive signs all around Scotland at the ends of historic paths.  These are aimed to give people who are on the paths an idea as to the history of the path that they are using.  We are now looking to install further interpretive signs in the Campsie Fells area.

Strategic Map
We have been working for some time to create a map showing some of the long distance historic routes throughout Scotland and it is available below as either a jpeg or as a better quality pdf file.  This map shows many of the long distance old routes and route descriptions and information about their history can also be found on this site.

                        PDF Format               JPEG Format