A new drive is being launched to revive ancient Gaelic healing properties in the heartland of Dal Riata – the historic kingdom of the Gaels.

Dal Riata, which is also known as Argyll and the Isles on the Scottish coast, has been a hotspot of healing powers for centuries in the past and recorded through the Gaelic language and place names.

A huge part of the belief is connecting with nature and the outdoors while a study in 2021 saw 70% of people learning Gaelic believe it contributes to their wellbeing. Now, the Argyll and Isles Tourism Cooperative is looking to bring it to the wider population and revive the ancient traditions to a bigger profile.  

The bid hopes to bring ancient Gaelic heritage back to the mainstream and involves open water swimming in the lochs and streams of the area as well as the Atlantic Ocean and it’s not just for locals either.

READ MORE: Return of Gaelic showpiece event 'great news' for Glasgow

They want to ensure visitors also experience the ancient and unique restorative properties for themselves.

The CEO of the Argyll and Isles Tourism Cooperative is Cathy Craig and she said: “With our breath-taking natural environment, exceptional fresh air, rich flora and fauna, and outstanding array of water sources - from the Atlantic Ocean and lochs to rivers and waterfalls - it is easy to see why the Gaels would make our destination the capital of their ancient Dál Riata heartland. We’ve joined forces with our members in a bid to put these ancient restorative properties and our important Gaelic heritage back on the map.

“We would encourage visitors to follow in the footsteps of the ancient Gaels to really discover the wellbeing benefits that connecting with nature and Gaelic culture can bring. And with a wealth of truly blissful wellbeing experiences for visitors still to experience in Argyll and the Isles to this day, there are so many ways to do this. Argyll and the Isles is truly Scotland’s Wellbeing Coast.”

Emma MacDonald is an open water swimming coach and calls the Isle of Mull her home, and along with her husband John – who is from the island – launched Wild Hebridean Swimming which provides retreats to Mull and Iona, which is where Saint Columba formed a monastery.

During those retreats, the swimmers visit Ardalanish Weavers to see a traditional working loom and they have also added in a visit from a waulking group called Cuigeal.

Guests are treated to a reenactment of waulking which is the process of tweed being shrunk to make it waterproof which was a long and tiring job. To keep spirits up, those involved would sing traditional songs.

And Emma said: “I am delighted to be part of an initiative that raises the awareness of the Gaelic language and culture. As well as enjoying the landscape, people really appreciate seeing how people used to live and of course still do.”

READ MORE: Gaelic learning facing ‘existential threat’ with teacher and qualifications shortages

Adhamh Ó Broin, Gaelic Culture Officer for the Culture, Heritage & Arts Assembly, Argyll and the Isles (CHARTS) added: “In a world where people find themselves cut off from the rhythms of the natural world, it is increasingly important to return to the practices of our ancestors and to the land in which we experience symbiosis with nature. Argyll is choc-full of opportunity for this. Whether people have Gaelic roots or not, exposure to Gaelic language and culture allows people to think about and explore their own cultural legacy.

“Drawing from the ancestral well can bring enormous health benefits as we channel thousands of years of wisdom which has often become lost in the modern, western world. There is nothing quite like the feeling of bare feet on the living earth and Gaelic language in Argyll has been a descriptive tool of this relationship for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Come and visit, take off your socks and shoes, walk in sacred places that have held spiritual resonance for centuries, invest your energy here and drink from the Gaelic cultural well."