South of Scotland MSP Aileen McLeod has welcomed progress with a project which aims to make Whithorn become part of the European Cultural Route network and a site for international pilgrimage.
In a meeting on Friday 6th November at the Whithorn Trust, local and national organisations came together to discuss two plans to promote long-distance walking routes to the Machars town. The Whithorn Way and The St. Ninian Ways will see the Cradle of Christianity in Scotland become a focus for pilgrimage as walkers converge on the town and surrounding relevant sites to trace the history of the progression of Christian faith in Scotland.
The Whithorn Way is the initial aspect of the project, which will see the two projects work in tandem over the next five years to achieve their goal. This phase will see the development of a walking route taking participants from Glasgow Cathedral along the Ayrshire coast and on to Whithorn, visiting Christian sites and places of interest on the way. The Whithorn Way Steering Group is currently fine-tuning the route and seeking funding to achieve their eventual ambition of becoming one of Scotland’s Great Ways.
The Whithorn Way will then become one of The St. Ninian Ways, a network of walking routes which will take in sites recognised as important to St. Ninian, with Whithorn the main destination. It is hoped that it will connect with other sites and routes relevant to St. Ninian throughout Europe, and will in turn promote the history of Whithorn to the world at large. Becoming a European Cultural Route would see the heritage of Whithorn placed on a global stage, and could attract visitors world-wide.
Aileen said:
“I have been proud to support this project since I led a debate on the issue in Parliament in early 2014. It brings a new and unique focus for Dumfries and Galloway. With such a rich cultural and spiritual history to be discovered, this project will bring real diversity of interest to the region.
“Both the Whithorn Way and the St. Ninian Ways are well thought out, long-term plans that will involve and benefit every aspect of the community, not only in Whithorn but also the surrounding areas on the initial route, then the wider area as the routes to Whithorn develop.
“I fully support both the Whithorn Way and St. Ninian Ways as they work together to move forward with this exciting development. The fact that it is an environmentally friendly, low impact way to interact with Scotland’s history makes it very accessible too. I’m glad to see the community working together with national organisations to make this happen, and I’m excited to be part of it.”
Local Councillor for Mid-Galloway Alistair Gedddes was also in attendance at the meeting.
Commenting, Alistair said:
“It’s excellent to see so much support for this proposal to encourage people to enjoy the unique and important history that Whithorn has to offer. I am delighted to see Aileen McLeod MSP continue to pledge her support to the project, and I look forward to working together with her, local Community Councils, existing community organisations and national bodies to ensure the success of the Whithorn Way and the St. Ninian Ways.”
Photograph Copyright R.B Photography
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