Community walking leader and heritage ambassador

The Community walking leader and heritage ambassador project is implemented through The Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership Scheme. The LPS is part of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s programme to conserve and enhance some of the region’s most treasured landscapes. The LPS runs from September 2015 until August 2018.

The total budget for this project is £15,800

The aim of this project is to create a pool of people able to lead groups of walkers around the LP area. It also aims to increase the knowledge base for current and future tour guides, accommodation providers and tour operators in order for these groups to be able to promote the LP area to its full potential. This project will deliver on these aims by:
1. Hosting Walking in your Community Training
2. Hosting training for Heritage Ambassadors.

Project Updates

Ambassadors 2018

Update published on: May 31, 2018

We are proud to announce we have another 12 qualified Ring of Gullion Ambassadors, who have recently completed their training in various aspects of the history and heritage of the Ring of Gullion as well as completing an OCN NI Level 2 award in Tour Guiding.

We look forward to working with them over the coming months.

Ambassadors 2017

Update published on: October 9, 2017

We look forward to working with them over the coming months.

Our final Ambassador programme will be running January to March 2018. If you’d like to get involved keep an eye on our Jobs & Training page for updates.

World Host training

Update published on: October 17, 2015

World host training was provided on the 17th and 24th October 2015. This was offered to all the Ring of Gullion Ambassadors before being offered to the wider public.

Follow up on training

Update published on: June 9, 2015

Here is some useful information from Thorsten Ludwig’s ‘The Interpretive Guide Sharing Heritage with People’.

HeriQ is an EU Leonardo project for the transfer of innovation. It is rooted in the earlier Leonardo project TOPAS (Training of Protected Area Staff) which aimed to define qualities and standards for heritage interpretation in Europe. Within TOPAS, in 2003, a pilot course ‘Basic Interpretive Skills’ was developed, and several courses to train and to certify heritage interpreters were run during the following years.

HeriQ focuses on two aims: to inspire interpreters to act as interpretive agents, setting up supportive networks for heritage interpretation for sustainability to train and to certify interpretive guides who intend to share their heritage with participants.

This manual is intended to support the second aim. Click here to Download.

2015 Ambassador training near completion

Update published on: April 23, 2015

The 2015 Ambassador training is nearing completion. Here are some of this years ambassadors on their last workshop with Kieran Swail from the SRC. The 15 Ambassadors have been studying hard over the past few weeks. On Friday 1st May, Des Murphy will take them on their last tour before they make their virtual presentation. The ambassadors have covered everything from archaeology, geology, biodiversity, literature and tourism in Ireland.

Train to be a Ring of Gullion Ambassador

Update published on: March 23, 2015

The Ring of Gullion needs more Ambassadors and now you can get free training and lots of support to share your interest in our natural, built and cultural heritage and perhaps set up a part-time business.

Check out the latest news story here.