As we celebrate Community Tourism Day, I am delighted to highlight the vital role local communities have played in raising the profile and creating new assets on the Antonine Wall through the award‑winning Rediscovering the Antonine Wall project and the UNESCO UK Local to Global programme. Together, these initiatives show how community-led activity can shape meaningful tourism experiences that benefit both residents and visitors, offering a strong example of community tourism in practice.

Stephen Balfour, Antonine Wall Project Manager (2022-25)

Community Tourism and the Antonine Wall

Local communities have played a central role in recent initiatives to develop the Antonine Wall as a sustainable tourism asset. This was highlighted in December 2023 when the £2.2 million Rediscovering the Antonine Wall project won the national Celebrating Thriving Communities award at the Scottish Thistle Awards.

Building on the success of the Rediscovering project, the Antonine Wall World Heritage Site was subsequently selected as one of three participants in the UNESCO UK Local to Global initiative. It was the only Scottish site and the only heritage site included in the programme. The initiative aimed to create a UK-wide network of UNESCO sites that shared best practice in developing skills, confidence, and capacity within local communities.

As part of this programme, a West Dunbartonshire Antonine Wall Community Map was created in collaboration with residents aged over 60 who lived near the Wall. Participants took part in a series of workshops where they learned more about the Wall’s history, shared personal memories, and engaged in creative activities. They also joined two guided short walks along nearby sections of the Wall, which helped shape the final design of the map which was produced in partnership with artist Neil Thomson.

Feedback from community consultation showed that while the map was well received, there was a strong desire to improve access to the site. Participants also noted that the Antonine Wall could be better used as a resource to support health and wellbeing.

In response, the Antonine Wall Trail was developed in 2025 to improve accessibility. This digital trail became the first official guide of its kind, allowing users to walk the full length of the Wall as a multi-day route or to explore shorter sections of their choosing. While it offers a valuable tool for visitors, it also meets the needs of local people eager to explore the rich heritage right on their doorstep. You can view the trail here.

In addition, officers worked closely with health walk coordinators to design and deliver a programme for volunteer health walk leaders. The programme was designed to help improve the knowledge and confidence of the volunteer leaders to enable them to lead walks along sections of the Antonine Wall both locally and further afield.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate how community-led activity can shape meaningful tourism experiences that benefit both residents and visitors, offering a strong example of community tourism in practice.

For more info on the Antonine Wall please visit https://www.antoninewall.org/

Stephen Balfour, Antonine Wall Project Manager (2022-25)

Development Officer | External Relations and Partnerships Historic Environment Scotland