Humans love to tell stories. It’s how we make sense of a place and forge a deeper connection with it.
The area of Badenoch in the Cairngorms National Park, in particular, is steeped in stories. For example, there’s tales of bygone battles, artists who’ve been inspired by its stunning scenery and colourful characters that have lived in its communities – all these influences have shaped the landscape over the years.
In a bid to bring this land of stories to life for visitors, a group of local historians, heritage enthusiasts, musicians and voice actors have got together to share these stories with you via a new app.
By downloading the ‘Badenoch The Storylands’ app, you have all these stories at your fingertips, told in a variety of ways including audio, augmented reality re-creations, music, maps and walks.
Through the app you’ll understand, for example, why and how Shinty plays such a central role in Badenoch’s culture. You’ll also be able to spot the present-day scars of previous warring armies and cattle raiders. You’ll tread the same paths that previous poets and Kings did, learning about their journeys as you take your own, often off the well-beaten tourist tracks. And you can do this by foot, bike or car (full route instructions given for all three).
As you walk, or drive, you can listen to especially-commissioned music that captivates the spirit of Badenoch, or you can delve into the local folklore. For instance, Badenoch is associated with a man who thought he was a hen, a witch who turned into a hare before meeting her sticky end in a local church and an evil stepmother who turned children into swans on Loch Insh to get them out the way!
Let award-winning Scotland travel blogger Kathi Kamleitner (Watch Me See) take you to Badenoch, a hidden gem in the heart of the Scottish Highlands and a cultural cradle of Scotland that is full of fascinating stories, folk tales and legends.
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