The road along the coast: infrastructure, nature tourism and cultural heritage on the White Sea

Abstract

Two research trips took us to the Kola Peninsula in northern European Russia, where we visited the Terskii Coast of the White Sea. There, we observed the development of nature tourism in this previously undervalued Subarctic destination. A network of local roads and trails has shaped the tourist development process. They not only serve as a key part of its mobility infrastructure, but also as a core element of local heritage that links otherwise scattered and isolated tourist sites. These sites vary from prehistoric petroglyphs and ancient cemeteries to salmon fishing camps and long stretches of natural shoreline. By exploring the long-term development and conceptualisation of the coastal road, we demonstrate the cultural and historical background and significance of these landscapes. Thus, we highlight the central position of roads and trails in the interactions of various groups of actors involved in tourism.