Councillor Devine with the walking trail leaflet in front of the mural of Balmashanner on West High St.
Angus residents and visitors have a new way to learn about Forfar’s heritage and nature – with a walking trail of its street murals.
The 12 murals have been created over the last few years in an initiative to beautify the town’s walls involving Forfar in Flower, Forfar Community Council, Forfar Action Network, Angus Youth Expressive Arts, the NHS Innovation Fund, the Scottish Government Town Centre Regeneration scheme and EventScotland co-ordinated by Councillor Lynne Devine.
As well as making the town more attractive and illustrating some of its heritage and natural highlights, Councillor Devine had the idea earlier this year that they would also make a good new heritage and nature walking trail for locals and visitors. To that end, she commissioned a leaflet designed by Irene Golden detailing them, with photos by Ian Bain whose photo Haybales at Sunset on the wall of the Thistle Bar comprises one of the murals.
The walking trail leaflet.
Coincidence
By coincidence, not long afterwards, local communications professional Alan Morrison also spotted the potential for the murals as a walking trail for locals and visitors and planned to add a list of them to Google Maps, for which he is a volunteer Local Guide – adding information useful to users.
When Alan started to collate information about the murals in October, he spotted that Councillor Devine was at the centre of the community project and contacted her. They soon agreed to work together to compile the information and pictures necessary for Visit Angus to add the murals as a new heritage walking trail to those already on its website and add the murals and a map showing them all to Google Maps.
Web page
With the help of Visit Angus, the web page went live recently with information, photos and links to a PDF of the trail leaflet and the Google Map. You can view it at visitangus.com/forfarmuralstrail
The Google Map of the trail.
It’s now hoped that come the start of the new tourist season next year the 2.2-mile trail will help draw visitors to Forfar and encourage them to stay longer, supporting the local economy more, while also providing an interesting and educational route for locals keen to stay healthy through walks.
Speaking about the new trail, Councillor Devine said: ”I am so grateful to everyone involved in this huge collaborative effort to make Forfar that bit brighter and more attractive. Without Alan’s generous help it would have remained a leaflet. Now it’s digital as well as in print – there are leaflets around the town.
“When you go to the Visit Angus website, you’ll also see a Forfar Heritage Trail which shows even more of the town’s history, so have a look at that too. I hope you enjoy the walk!”
Alan Morrison added: “It’s been a pleasure to work with Lynne on this project and use my skills for the benefit of the community I’ve been part of for 22 years.”