John Gow Heritage Trail
A Pirates Life – The John Gow Heritage Trail
In the past few years, the UHI Institute for Northern Studies has developed a portfolio of commercial clients who have benefitted from the world-leading research conducted at our Perth, Orkney, and Shetland campuses.
One of the deeply rooted Orcadian businesses that has reached out to us is J. Gow Distillery. The company seeks to enhance its relationship with the Orkney community by collaborating with Andrew Lind and Lynn Campbell from the Institute for Northern Studies at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Together, they aim to develop a resource that will benefit the growing heritage-based tourism sector in the islands.
J. Gow Distillery
One of the deeply rooted Orcadian businesses that has reached out to us is J. Gow Distillery. The company seeks to enhance its relationship with the Orkney community by collaborating with Andrew Lind and Lynn Campbell from the Institute for Northern Studies at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Together, they aim to develop a resource that will benefit the growing heritage-based tourism sector in the islands.
J. Gow Rum is named after the infamous Orcadian pirate, John Gow, who terrorised the waters around Orkney in the 18th Century. The J. Gow Rum Distillery itself is situated on Lamb Holm, a small island connected to the Orkney mainland by the Churchill Barriers and it may be one of the smallest rum-producing islands in the world.
The John Gow Trail
To commemorate the 300th anniversary of John Gow’s execution, the project team will launch a new heritage trail in Orkney that highlights the region’s piratical past. This trail will not only help diversify local tourism offerings, which currently focus heavily on Viking and Neolithic sites, but will also highlight a key element of local heritage. It is hoped that this will foster long-term collaborations between the distillery, other local businesses, and the Institute for Northern Studies.
Once the project is complete, the primary output will be a sustainable service known as the John Gow Heritage Trail.
Physical copies of the trail pamphlet will be available at the distillery and various other locations throughout Orkney, while an online version will be accessible through both the distillery’s website and the INS webpage. Consequently, the heritage trail will serve as a lasting resource for many years to come. In fact, the impact is expected to grow over time as the trail and new partnerships become more established.