Gaelic Language Plan - progress report - Feb 2025 to Feb 2026
Implementation report on the progress that Cairngorms National Park Authority has made with the delivery of the commitments contained in the Gaelic Language Plan between 28 February 2025 and 28 February 2026
Summary
2025 – 26 was our first year implementing the third edition of the Cairngorms National Park’s Gaelic Language Plan. More ambitious and multi-faceted than previous versions, it has been encouraging to see the breadth and depth of activity being delivered by both the Park Authority and its partners.
Particular highlights include inspiring the creation of a new Gaelic Breakfast Club at Glenmore Visitor Centre, by prioritising networking at our cultural heritage networking event in March; our work with schools as part of the Cairngorms 2030 programme; and the real success of Gaelic-specific social media content (including a well-received piece by local craftsperson and Gaelic learner Innes McKendrick).
Inevitably a few areas of the plan have been harder to deliver than others this year, including where we have devolved decision-making power to the communities we serve. In these cases — such as the cultural heritage network or our Cairngorms 2030 Communities Fund — the Park Authority has made a conscious effort to hand power to others, meaning that we can only recommend (but crucially not demand) that Gaelic is included in their thinking. Effort is also needed to ensure Gaelic activity / delivery is spread more evenly across the organisation, with tools like the Cleachdi initiative a potential starting point.
Looking ahead, major events such as the UK National Parks Conference in September, National Park Partnership Plan consultation in the autumn, cultural heritage event in October and Your Future Here careers fair in March offer a real opportunity to celebrate Gaelic language and culture. The launch of our new Gaelic website will also be a significant milestone, giving us a much more effective platform to showcase our work and partner activity, coming together to deliver our Gaelic Language Plan commitments.
Objective 1 – increasing the use of Gaelic
Annual action: Actions to complete this reporting period
| Objectives | Action | Progress 28 Feb 2025 — 28 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| a) Work in partnership with local authorities and other organisations in the National Park area to provide more opportunities for young people to use Gaelic. | One resource created each year of this plan, responding to specific needs identified by partners and / or the Park Authority | As part of the Cairngorms 2030 climate learning project, Gaelic and Doric have been introduced and discussed in school activities. Gaelic featured in Alford Academy’s new Community Garden Wall Mural, subtitled ‘We’re all from somewhere’. We delivered a riverside walk as part of Speyside’s interdisciplinary learning week, during which we used a Gaelic place names dictionary to give pupils an insight into the historical / socio-economic background of places along the River Spey. Elsewhere conversations are ongoing with Glenmore Visitor Centre to create engaging resources for visitors (including families) introducing them to Gaelic. |
| b) Encourage use of the Cleachdi initiative by staff and visitors. | Specific promotion of the initiative tied to Gaelic Week each year | The Cleachdi initiative has been shared organically with staff at various points during the year but we did not share it as part of Gaelic Week during this reporting period — this will be rectified in 2027. |
| c) Ensure that any Park Authority responses or evidence provided in land reform consultations include references to using Gaelic. | Park Authority response to include references to using Gaelic when New Land Reform Bill is open for consultation, and in all further relevant consultations post-2025 | Gaelic featured in discussions surrounding the new Land Reform Bill but the Park Authority’s written response to the consultation was issued in May 2024, prior to this Gaelic Language Plan target being set. We will weave in references to Gaelic in future, relevant consultations. |
| d) Work with Highlands and Islands Enterprise to promote a suite of case studies and resources for partner organisations, local businesses and educational bodies to use and benefit from. | Link to assets incorporated into new National Park website in 2024; promotion on an annual basis and as and when new assets created | A link to Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s Gaelic case studies and resources for business has been added to the business page of our new website (https://cairngorms.co.uk/living-and-working/business). |
| e) Provide, through interaction with the Cairngorms Trust, funding for projects that support Gaelic cultural heritage and/or educate or build skills towards preserving and enhancing Gaelic heritage. | Regular funding rounds throughout the five years of the plan | The Park Authority worked with the Cairngorms Trust to deliver a new £60,000 Communities and Cultural Heritage Fund this year. Two Gaelic projects were awarded funding. Fèis Spè received £6,900 towards Fèis October week, the purchase of a sound desk for use by Fèis Spè bands and events, and to fund tutors for Fèis days. Badenoch Waulking Group / Còmhlan Luaidh Bhàideanach received £3,375 towards the production of a booklet marking 30 years of the group, a short documentary about the group and its practices, and a day of waulking at the Highland Folk Museum. See https://cairngormstrust.org.uk/new-grants-celebrate-cairngorm-culture/ for more information. |
| f) Incorporate Gaelic into the funding considerations for the community-managed climate grant scheme as part of Cairngorms 2030. | Exact amounts will vary as this is a co-designed scheme, but Gaelic will be included as a desirable criteria in the final scheme. Funding due to come on stream from late 2024 / early 2025 | An 18-person panel — drawn from communities across the National Park and beyond — was recruited in March 2026. Over a series of eight meetings they will shape the exact structure of the new £1m Cairngorms 2030 Communities Fund, which is due to launch in summer 2026. Whilst the panel have yet to finalise the criteria for the final scheme, Gaelic has been included as a point to consider in their deliberations. |
Objective 2 – increasing the learning of Gaelic
Annual action: Actions to complete this reporting period
| Objectives | Action | Progress 28 Feb 2025 — 28 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| a) Increase existing Gaelic educational resources. Create all new Park Authority educational resources in both Gaelic and English. | Review of existing resources complete by end 2024, programme of updates / new material creation from 2025 (three created over the plan period) | The Literary Landscapes resource is well used by schools for creative writing sessions. Materials for our new Dùthchas Award — an outdoor learning scheme inspiring people to love, learn about and look after the National Park — are currently in the works and will be translated into Gaelic before the end of the year. |
| b) Create Gaelic resources, based on the National Park’s natural and cultural heritage, aimed at different levels of Gaelic proficiencies, in the wider community. | Three Gaelic resources created over the plan period | Work is ongoing to rebrand and update the current Gaelic Place Names leaflet, making it look more appealing/contemporary and improving legibility to ensure it is accessible to a wider audience. A new raptor spotter sheet has been created and used as an engagement tool by Park Authority Rangers; this includes each species name in Gaelic. Conversations are ongoing with Glenmore Visitor Centre about the creation of practical Gaelic resources to introduce visitors to the language. |
| c) Provide Gaelic language and culture training for community representatives within the National Park. | Language and cultural heritage training offered on a biannual basis as part of the new cultural heritage network from 2025 | The Park Authority brought together a short-term working group of nine cultural heritage practitioners to develop an interactive, face-to-face event in support of a new Cultural Heritage Network for the Cairngorms. The event took took place on 9 October 2025 at Boat of Garten Community Hall and brought together 65 people, all involved in or passionate about cultural heritage in the National Park. Whilst the working group did not specifically offer Gaelic language training on the day, Gaelic language and culture was an underpinning theme to proceedings. One outcome was a new Gaelic Breakfast Club at Glenmore Visitor Centre. Each month the community-owned café is filled with Gaelic voices, building a relaxed and encouraging space for people to use the language at whatever level they have. See https://cairngorms.co.uk/views/finding-community-through-gaelic for more. |
| d) Weave Gaelic language elements into promotion of major National Park events and activities. | Gaelic incorporated in programme of community roadshow events delivered through Cairngorms 2030 between 10 and 15 per annum | Our Cairngorms 2030 programme was inspired by the concept of Dùthchas, in particular the indelible connection between people and nature. To help tell the story of the programme and how it is developing powerful connections between community members and the natural world, we deliver a series of community engagement events throughout the year across the National Park. This year, 12 events took place and Gaelic elements were woven into display materials and conversations wherever possible. More work is planned to share Gaelic at events going forward. |
| e) Incorporate Gaelic into resources that help explain the nature and climate crisis as part of our Cairngorms 2030 climate learning and education project. | Dedicated resource created incorporating Gaelic by the end of 2025 | Gaelic and Doric have been introduced and discussed in school activities as part of the Cairngorms 2030 climate learning project. Gaelic also featured in Alford Academy’s new Community Garden Wall Mural. We delivered a riverside walk as part of Speyside’s interdisciplinary learning week, during which we used a Gaelic place names dictionary to give pupils an insight into the historical /socio-economic background of places along the River Spey. We have also incorporated Ogham, the ancient tree alphabet, into outdoor learning sessions. |
| f) Work in partnership with the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority education team to continue to promote the Literary Landscapes resource online. | Asset to be transferred to new National Park website and updated in 2025 – 26 | The new Cairngorms National Park Gaelic language website is currently being finalised. The Literary Landscapes resource will be brought over and promoted as part of this development. |
| g) Work collaboratively with Scottish Government Outdoor Learning Group (SGOLG) to create Gaelic-specific outputs. | One Gaelic-specific output during five years of the plan | A short dictionary of c. 20 Gaelic place names was created and used for river walks as part of Speyside’s interdisciplinary learning week. |
| h) Engage with Gaelic speaking education groups operating in the National Park and support a wider network of practitioners through our new cultural heritage network. | Initial contact made within year one of this plan, cultural heritage network to be developed in 2025 – 26 | The Park Authority supported Badenoch Waulking Group / Còmhlan Luaidh Bhàideanach with their 30th anniversary celebrations, specifically providing funding towards a film documenting the waulking process. As part of our cultural heritage networking gathering in March, a local community-owned café / development trust met a local Gaelic speakers’ group. Together they came up with the concept of hosting Gaelic breakfasts for Gaelic speakers of all levels. See https://cairngorms.co.uk/views/finding-community-through-gaelic for more information. |
| i) Promote our Gaelic John Muir Award resources via Newtonmore Primary School and other interested schools. | Redesigned Gaelic John Muir Award due to launch in 2025 | The John Muir Award has been replaced in the Cairngorms by the new Dùthchas Award — an outdoor learning scheme inspiring people to love, learn about and look after the National Park. Award materials are currently in the works and will be translated into Gaelic before the end of the year. These will be made available to Newtonmore Primary School and other interested schools. |
Objective 3 – promoting a positive image of Gaelic
Annual action: Actions to complete this reporting period
| Objectives | Action | Progress 28 Feb 2025 — 28 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| a) Use partnership agreements and other grant mechanisms with key partners to ensure Gaelic is reflected in work to promote business collaboration and in the development of green and rural skills. | Partnership agreements and grant awards updated on an annual / bi-annual basis, aligned to partner reporting; Gaelic to be added as a standard item within grant templates, with clear requirements established based on level of funding, aims and outcomes | The Park Authority has been working over the past 12 months to standardise processes and wording for grant awards across the organisation. Wording has been drafted as a standard item in grant templates to ensure Gaelic is recognised. This will be rolled out over the course of 2026 – 27. |
| b) Conserve, enhance and promote the Gaelic language and cultural heritage of the National Park for the benefit of residents and visitors. | Annual programme of communications and engagement activity, progress reported to Bòrd na Gàidhlig each year. Specific focus on cultural heritage in materials, including the creation of a new Gaelic place names trail / itinerary by 2025 and a project to capture the lived experience of longstanding community members | The Park Authority supported Badenoch Waulking Group / Còmhlan Luaidh Bhàideanach with their 30th anniversary celebrations, specifically providing funding towards a film documenting the waulking process. Work is ongoing to rebrand and update the current Gaelic Place Names leaflet, making it look more appealing / contemporary and improving legibility to ensure it is accessible to a wider audience. Gaelic was included in our new Strathdon paths leaflet and accompanying interpretation panel. More detail on digital outputs can be found under section 6 (information). |
| c) Work with Bòrd na Gàidhlig and other relevant partners (eg Creative Scotland) to embed Gaelic arts and culture within the community arts and culture project as part of Cairngorms 2030. | Project will be led by the artists themselves but we will engage Gaelic creatives in this process and explore a Gaelic community arts brief as part of the project. Produce at least one new Gaelic resource over the five-year programme | As part of our Cairngorms 2030 artist residency at Glenesk Museum, we are providing 20 hours of dedicated Gaelic language and culture support for the successful artist, centred on the concept of Dùthchas. The brief for this work was sent to Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Creative Scotland and a number of other partners. Three tenders were received. |
| d) Ensure our partnership projects continue to celebrate Gaelic language and culture within a Cairngorms context, eg Badenoch: The Storylands, Cairngorms 2030 etc. | Annual programme of communications and engagement activity, progress reported to Bòrd na Gàidhlig each year. Produce at least one new Gaelic resource over the five-year programme | Cairngorms 2030 funding support was provided to the Building Sustainability on a Foundation of Care research project, led by the University of Edinburgh. The project data has inspired the creation of traditional Scottish music by local musician Mhairi Hall. This music has now been composed and the team having been working with young musicians from Gaelic arts organisation Fèis Spè and the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music / Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd on performing it live. See https://accessnetwork.uk/building-sustainability-on-a-foundation-of-care/ for more information. |
| e) Work with VisitScotland and partners to deliver the new Gaelic Tourism Strategy, specifically ensuring that Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland’s tourism offer. | New Gaelic Tourism Strategy published in February 2024. Gaelic deliverables included in grant agreement with destination marketing partner the Cairngorms Business Partnership. Gaelic incorporated into all partnership marketing campaigns | We are currently finalising a grant agreement with the Cairngorms Business Partnership, but Gaelic promotion will be included in the list of deliverables (including weaving these into the ‘Where winter comes to life’ marketing campaign). |
| f) The Park Authority uses and shares relevant market research data to increase recognition of the value that visitors place on Gaelic language and heritage within the National Park, eg through our network of 200+ brand charter holders. | Six-monthly newsletters to brand charter holders: new research findings shared as and when they are available, including from partners like Historic Environment Scotland and VisitScotland | Gaelic was included as part of a careers development question in our biennial residents’ survey, the results of which were published and promoted in April 2025. See https://cairngorms.co.uk/uploads/documents/Resident-survey-report-Summary-report-v7.pdf for more information. We are currently reviewing our brand charter holder email (alongside a suite of other e‑newsletters) but will explore Gaelic as part of any new offering. |
Objective 4 – status
Annual action: Actions to complete this reporting period
| Objectives | Action | Progress 28 Feb 2025 — 28 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| a) Render the corporate logo and branding in both Gaelic and English at the first opportunity and as part of any renewal process. The logo should demonstrate equal prominence for both languages. | Logo demonstrates equal prominence for both languages and all new brand identities created by or for the Park Authority will do the same — see process outlined in our new brand guidelines, including advice for partners and brand charter holders | The National Park and Park Authority brand guidelines have clear instructions around equal prominence for Gaelic and English (both for existing brands and new ones we create). Recent examples of this being put into action include the Dùthchas Award and the Cairngorms Art Project. Across Cairngorms 2030 programme resources, the dual language versions of both the National Park and National Lottery Heritage Fund are being used. |
| b) Signage and interpretation will include Gaelic and English as part of any renewal process. | Standard practice for all Park Authority materials, plus advice offered to partners and other stakeholders, eg community groups. Gaelic content to be included in signage in addition to the use of the bilingual logo | A new interpretation panel in Strathdon has incorporated Gaelic as a prominent element of the design. Park Authority staff have also been working with Glenmore Visitor Centre to ensure new interpretation at the centre included Gaelic. Multiple projects are currently in development (including the Charter Chest Path and Balmoral Cairns in Royal Deeside) incorporating Gaelic. |
| c) Website — Gaelic content available on the National Park website, with emphasis given to the pages with the highest potential reach; working towards fully bilingual website. In those geographical locations in which the percentages or numbers of Gaelic speakers is greater in the community, this will be expected as standard. | Key pages of the existing National Park website translated into Gaelic; further work to be progressed in 2024 – 25 as part of our website redevelopment project | The dedicated Cairngorms National Park Gaelic website is due to launch later this summer. Translation of key areas of the site are now complete, including sections ‘about the National Park’, ‘What we do’, ‘Living and working’, ‘Visiting’ and ‘Taking part’. Final translations for home page content are also underway. |
Objective 5 – communicating with the public
Annual action: Actions to complete this reporting period
| Objectives | Action | Progress 28 Feb 2025 — 28 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| a) Promotion – positive messages that communication from the public in Gaelic is always welcome are regularly repeated. | Processes in place to support Gaelic language enquiries via letter, email, phone or face-to-face. A dedicated Gaelic homepage to be created as part of new website redevelopment process alongside translation of key sections, with a minimum of two pages per year translated into Gaelic over the five years of this plan | A process is in place to support Gaelic language enquiries via letter, email, phone or face-to-face. The dedicated Cairngorms National Park Gaelic website is due to launch later this summer. Translation of key areas of the site are now complete, including sections ‘about the National Park’, ‘What we do’, ‘Living and working’, ‘Visiting’ and ‘Taking part’. Final translations for home page content are also underway. |
| b) Written communication — written communication in Gaelic is always accepted (post, email and social media) and replies will be provided in Gaelic in accordance with the general policy. | Processes in place to support Gaelic language enquiries via letter, email, phone or face-to-face. A dedicated Gaelic homepage to be created as part of new website redevelopment process alongside translation of key sections, with a minimum of two pages per year translated into Gaelic over the five years of this plan | A process is in place to support Gaelic language enquiries via letter, email, phone or face-to-face. See above for website updates. |
| c) Reception and phone — where Gaelic speaking staff are capable of providing this service, they are supported to do so and the service is promoted to the public. If there are not staff available to deliver this service, capacity will be built through training and recruitment. | As above. Few Gaelic speaking staff at present but processes exist (through reputable translation services) and Gaelic language training provided on an ongoing basis | Gaelic awareness training was held for staff in April 2025 and for members of the Park Authority board in May 2025. Training for staff will continue to be monitored and delivered as identified through annual job plans. We continue to use reputable translation services and highlight the availability of these services to staff across the organisation (as well as to key partners eg the Cairngorms Business Partnership). |
| d) Public meetings — opportunities to hold public meetings bilingually or in Gaelic are regularly explored and promoted. In those geographical locations in which the percentages or numbers of Gaelic speakers is greater, working towards this will be expected as standard. | Gaelic welcome included in major public events, with option of Gaelic translation provided for board and planning meetings | A process is in place to support Gaelic language enquiries for meetings. No requests were received during the reporting period. Roadshow events taking place as part of our Cairngorms 2030 programme include raising awareness of the concept of Dùthchas. |
Objective 6 – information
Annual action: Actions to complete this reporting period
| Objectives | Action | Progress 28 Feb 2025 — 28 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| a) News releases – high-profile news releases and all news releases related to Gaelic are circulated in both Gaelic and English. | All news releases relating to Gaelic issued in both Gaelic and English, as with high profile news releases with relevance to Gaelic. Two general (not Gaelic-specific) news releases per annum to be translated into Gaelic | The launch of our new Gaelic Language Plan and the Cairngorms 2030 artist residency brief were issued in both English and Gaelic. High-profile news releases on the launch of a new fire byelaw, the £1m Communities Fund, the Communities and Cultural Heritage Fund and Nature Recovery Fund have also been translated into Gaelic and will appear on the new Gaelic website when it launches this summer. |
| b) Social media – Gaelic content distributed regularly through social media, working towards fully bilingual social media. | Gaelic incorporated in social media content on a regular (at least monthly) basis | Throughout the year we have worked to interweave Gaelic in our social media copy, publishing 21 posts, including an incredibly popular post about adders in the National Park in August which was liked over 1,000 times (https://www.instagram.com/reels/DNQ6cHxSM1M/). As part of Seachdain na Gàidhlig 2026, we shared a post about Gaelic place names in the Cairngorms and worked with a local school in Newtonmore to showcase their celebrations. What was particularly exciting about the latter was the responses in the comments were entirely in Gaelic, evidence of our increased connection to the Gaelic community in Scotland. We worked with local craftperson and Gaelic learner Innes McKendrick to publish a Gaelic-first blog on our website — sharing on social media — about his own journey to Gaelic, demonstrating the connection between the language and the land and showing it is possible to pick up and learn Gaelic as an adult. In total, content celebrating Gaelic on our social media garnered 46,917 engagements and 279,546 video views, with more than 615,552 impressions. |
| c) Website — Gaelic content available on the National Park website, with emphasis given to the pages with the highest potential reach; working towards fully bilingual website. In those geographical locations in which the percentages or numbers of Gaelic speakers is greater in the community, this will be expected as standard. | Key pages of the existing National Park website translated into Gaelic; further work to be progressed in 2024 – 25 as part of our website redevelopment project | The dedicated Cairngorms National Park Gaelic website is due to launch later this summer. Translation of key areas of the site are now complete, including sections ‘about the National Park’, ‘What we do’, ‘Living and working’, ‘Visiting’ and ‘Taking part’. Final translations for home page content are also underway. |
| d) Corporate publications – produced in Gaelic and English, with priority given to those with the highest potential reach and impact. | Forewords to all corporate publications translated into Gaelic, with full translation available for all publications on request. Third edition of the Gaelic Language Plan provided in both English and Gaelic | The third edition of our Gaelic Language Plan (2025−29) was published fully in both Gaelic and English. No other corporate publications were published during the period, but next year the forewords to our National Park Partnership Plan and Local Development Plan will be translated into Gaelic. |
| e) Language – a process is in place to ensure that the quality and accessibility of Gaelic language in all corporate information is high. | Clear process in place via the Park Authority’s Communications team, utilising the services of reputable Gaelic translation services | This year’s Cairngorms 2030 artist residency brief was issued in Gaelic in late 2025. The Park Authority’s Communications team regularly use Gaelic translation services to ensure all Gaelic content is reputable and correct, sharing details with staff across the organisation and targeted partners (eg Cairngorms Business Partnership). |
| f) Exhibitions – opportunities to deliver public exhibitions bilingually or in Gaelic should be explored on a regular basis, with priority given to those with the highest potential impact. | The Park Authority does not directly organise many public exhibitions; however, where we do so we commit to exploring the appropriate use of Gaelic | Roadshow events taking place as part of our Cairngorms 2030 programme include raising awareness of the concept of Dùthchas. We also incorporate elements of Gaelic in interpretation. |
Objective 7 – staff
Annual action: Actions to complete this reporting period
| Objectives | Action | Progress 28 Feb 2025 — 28 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| a) Internal audit – conduct an internal audit of Gaelic skills and training needs through the life of each edition of the plan. | Audit conducted annually and reported as part of our Gaelic Language Plan progress reports. Future audits will also gather information on staff demand for Gaelic language skills training | This has been done through the carrying out of an annual (2025 and 2026) Gaelic survey for both staff and Board Members. |
| b) Induction — knowledge of the third edition of the Park Authority’s Gaelic Language Plan and training opportunities are embedded in new staff inductions. | Gaelic awareness forms part of the staff induction process | Ongoing — the induction checklist continues to include a section covering the Gaelic Language Plan and a link to the staff guidelines for handling enquiries received in Gaelic. It also references that training / awareness opportunities will be circulated to staff as appropriate. |
| c) Language training – Gaelic language skills training and development are delivered to staff, particularly in relation to implementing the third edition of the Park Authority’s Gaelic Language Plan. | Biennial Gaelic language and cultural heritage training provided to staff – most recently completed by 40 colleagues in Q4 of 2023. Training designed to build on learnings from previous sessions | Gaelic awareness training was held for staff in April 2025 and for members of the Park Authority board in May 2025. Training for staff will continue to be monitored and delivered as identified through annual job plans. |
| d) Awareness training – Gaelic awareness training is delivered, with priority given to senior staff, other key decision-makers and staff dealing directly with the public. | As above — cultural heritage and language elements covered within the same training package | As above |
| e) Using Gaelic – staff are encouraged to use Gaelic in their work wherever possible. | Support offered via the Communications team to access professional Gaelic translation services, plus simple guides available eg to the ranger team including key words and phrases. Gaelic training to include pronunciation as well as cultural and natural significance of the language | The Park Authority’s Communications team regularly use Gaelic translation services to ensure all Gaelic content is reputable and correct, sharing details with staff across the organisation and targeted partners (eg Cairngorms Business Partnership). |
| f) Recruitment – Gaelic language skills are recognised and respected within the recruitment process throughout the Park Authority. Gaelic named as an essential and / or desirable skill in job descriptions in order to deliver the Gaelic Language Plan and in accordance with the B |