Bound to the sea

As its name suggests, the history of Portaferry is bound to the sea. Our interpretation draws attention to the stories of this maritime community which includes Vikings, Anglo-Normans,19th-century shipbuilders and possibly the world’s longest continuous ferry crossing.

Tandem carried out an audit of the existing walking trails in Portaferry to advise on how these could be consolidated and enhanced. This led to a selective audio heritage trail that connected points of interest around the town, through character-led stories which brought different periods of Portaferry’s history to life. These stories were made accessible through a website and Acoustiguide’s handheld audio devices.

Tandem updated existing bronze panels around the town with a 'colour-pop' graphic sleeve. This sleeve included bespoke QR codes for each spot on the new audio tour, and rubbings that linked to a newly developed Kid's Explorer Pack.

Tandem designed this interactive Kid’s Explorer Pack, featuring key buildings, puzzles, activities, and a locally-commissioned illustrated map of Portaferry that the town's youngest explorers could colour in.

Lastly, this was accompanied by an updated interpretive guide, which explored various sites and stories around the town.

Together, these interventions celebrated the history and natural heritage of Portaferry and reaffirmed the town’s heritage status, encouraging visitors and locals to discover what it has to offer.