As many of you will know I moved to Scotland some years ago to ‘live a life fantastic’. Don’t get me wrong life was already pretty good but I realised that living in London no longer gave me the satisfaction it once had and so as I looked down the glen at Alva I proposed a move to Scotland for my family.
Alva Glen has been so intrinsically linked to my time in Scotland – it was where we decided that Scotland was for us, it was where we hike in the Ochils, it’s where we go canyoning and most recently it was where we finally got married.
Alva is a special place and so a couple of Sundays ago I finally got round to doing something to give a bit back – I went out to help clean up and manage the Glen I love so dearly. It was through the Alva Heritage Trust, a group of wonderful and dedicated volunteers, that I found this opportunity to help. We’d met them the day we had our wedding photographs done and I’d said that day that we would love to help and so on a cool but wonderful November morning we met up with the group and offered our support.
It was a wonderful experience with volunteers old and new and everybody was made to feel incredibly welcome. I didn’t think I was going to be much use given that I need shoulder surgery but I figured I could mostly cheer from the sidelines and offer my support to the GingaNinja and ASK as I’d convinced them to join me too.
The team were very well organised and the more experienced volunteers paired up with the new people and once tasks were assigned we set off to work in the glen, sweeping, planting, moving, clearing and all manner of other tasks that would help to keep the Glen clean and clear.
It really was a magical experience to be able to start giving a little something back and the volunteers were all brilliant and incredibly welcoming.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time sweeping the steps and the area around the final waterfall, as well as a bit of clearing up debris from the closer to the car park, the sense of achievement was very tangible and seeing my daughter get stuck in really made me proud. As parents we’ve worked really hard to give ASK an understanding of the value of nature by taking her to it at every opportunity but this was different, working with the heritage trust allowed her to understand that we have to work to keep these places in good condition.
Volunteering and giving something back is something we should all do I feel and I haven’t done it enough in recent years and so I’ll be going back to Alva to help out again (hopefully in December). What I’d say is that if you’ve got a chance to help out somewhere and make a difference, then do it, it doesn’t have to be at Alva Glen, it could be a little closer to home – but supporting your community or a place you love will provide a deep sense of satisfaction. Of course if you are local to Alva then I’m sure the heritage trust would welcome you with open arms and you can find out more about their work here.
If the pandemic taught us anything it is that there is a need for community and that we are stronger by pulling together than we ever will be by pulling ourselves apart. The Alva Glen Heritage Trust epitomises that sense of community that I’m talking about. So what are you waiting for? Go find your bit of community and enjoy!
All photographs taken by the Alva Glen Heritage Trust
Long time readers of this blog might recall that about two years ago as the GingaNinja finished the outstanding Durty Events Craggy Island Triathlon I got down on one knee in front of assembled triathletes and asked her to marry me. Some of you may recall this was as a result of something I’d said years earlier to her, ‘if you ever complete a 100 mile walk, an any distance ultra marathon or an any distance triathlon I will ask you to marry me – she did, so I did.
At no point did I say we would take it any further…
The GingaNinja and I at that point had been together more than a decade and it seemed to me that perhaps we were beyond the point of marriage – we had already moved to other countries together, bought houses together, had a child together and even run races together (the ultimate test of a relationships ability to survive I’ve found). I say this because as we moved further and further away from the triathlon engagement the importance of the wedding slipped further into the background.
However, fast forward to February this year and I was in the middle of a short hike through Alva Glen – the place were we decided to move to Scotland – and I had a eureka moment where I said to myself with a sly grin creeping across my lips, ‘if we are getting married, we are getting married here‘.
14 days later I had my plan and I had outlined the idea to the GingaNinja and I had made contact with those that could possibly make it happen. What was the plan? a canyoning wedding of course, and as far as we can tell, the first time it’s been done (if you know of other people who have done this then I’d love to hear from from them or about it). My idea was that we would go to the top of the inescapable slot canyon at Alva Glen, canyon through it together unmarried – abseil down a waterfall into a lovely deep pool, get married, pick up the child and then canyon through the rest of Alva Glen as a married couple.
So with the family on board for an adventure filled wedding it was full steam ahead but there was one thing missing and that was the getting dressed up in your finery. It may come as little surprise that you can’t really have a canyoning wedding in a wedding dress. And to be fair I wanted to use the wedding as the opportunity to get the kilt I’ve always wanted and so I said to the GingaNinja, ‘we can have a dress up day a few days before in the Ochils’.
And thus it was set – from a standing start in February we had about 6 months to get all the bits together that we wanted to happen and then it would be split across two days – one dressed to impress and one dressed to adventure.
Day One This should have been the easy day as no wedding was happening, this was basically ‘wedding cosplay’ in our favourite hills. We arrived early so we could transport a rope and telescopic ladder up into the hills to make getting the bride and bridesmaid up into difficult to access places a bit easier. We did some litter picking too because I’m sad to say that we get litter here too, thankfully there wasn’t too much but I’d rather it was gone, as much for the environment as for the state of my photographs.
Then it was time to get changed, me in to my newly made Ochil Flora tartan kilt, with material woven by the amazing Taffled Threads and hand made by the truly exceptional Crimson Kilts and the GingaNinja in a simple and elegant wedding dress with some wonderful dried flowers from Willow Dried and all of us in our hiking boots. There was of course ASK too who delighted in telling all who would listen about ‘her wedding day and wedding dress’.
It was quite the experience, bounding through Alva Glen and the Ochils in a wedding dress and kilt and despite not being the wedding day itself it was a hugely emotional day. Stood atop the hills overlooking the glen was a reminder to me of how far we had come together and why we had come this far together. As the wind whipped through our hair, destroying headbands of dried flowers and blowing dresses high above heads I took in the sight of my bride and bridesmaid and was happy.
And without the stress of the ceremony we had all the time we needed to enjoy ourselves and not worry about what came next…
Day Two The actual ceremony happened a few days after the photographs were taken and was a truly magnificent but slightly odd occasion. Once more we arrived early and took a telescopic ladder and a rope up to the ceremony location for anyone that might need it and then headed back down to the starting point to meet Ruaridah and Diana who would be leading the canyoning part of the wedding. We got into our neoprene and made our way slowly through the mists of Alva Glen on another glorious day. The benefit of doing something mildly dangerous for your wedding is that you don’t give much thought to the nuptials because you are concentrating on surviving. So when we arrived at the foot of the water we said goodbye to Diana and to ASK (they’d be joining us in the water at the ceremony point) and off we went making our way to our waterfall venue to be married.
And what an adventure it was…
And to conclude I can really only write for myself but I got the kind of wedding (and life) that I wanted.
The wedding had in attendance only my now wife and daughter because it was about those people and I considered it a private matter between us – so yes you can blame me for the lack of invites and forewarning. However, it was a couple of days filled with adventure, tributes and nods to both our past and future, what more could I, and hopefully what more could we, have asked for?
In my vows I quoted one of my favourite writers – Dr Suess who said, ‘We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love‘. I think he got it about right because we are both a bit odd, we have had good times and bad and yet despite, or possibly because of, all the weirdness we find ourselves here and I’m very happy about that. I hope the GingaNinja is too.
And some thanks
Scotland’s Canyons The wedding, in the form we did it, was only made possible because Ruaridh and Diana (two of the best human beings ever to walk the earth) said yes to helping us with a plan, that on paper, looked ridiculous and in practice should have been ridiculous. Here’s the thing though, they took my ridiculous plan and they made it work, on the day that made it all look simple and I know it’s not simple. Occasionally I’d catch glances between them as they silently co-ordinated things so that we could have the best possible day. Scotland’s Canyons are an absolute gem of an adventure company and absolute stars as people. I should point out that they don’t specialise in weddings they specialise in canyoning and adventuring and trust me they are truly superb for canyoning and adventuring but they do a hell of a wedding too (and they make delicious cookies and cakes too).
Matt Hall Photography In my day to day life I’m a graphic designer and have a very specific view on photographs and I knew that I wanted the pictures from the wedding to be timeless, simple and classical. The trouble was I also needed a photographer who was willing to do a bit of adventuring too and even possibly get very wet. Matt was all of the above and more, he simply blended in with everything that was going on but he was also a part of the proceedings as he jumped in and out of the water. You’ll see from the pictures that he did a truly fabulous job capturing the beauty of the Ochils, the power of the water and the fun of the day. Matt did everything he said he would and more and he is a fabulous person to be around – all the right ingredients for your wedding day elopement and your photographer.
Kendal the Celebrant Neither the short gingery one or I are religious and therefore we knew that a humanist celebrant would be required to help us make things legal – but as with our photographer we knew that we were going to need someone who could get on board with the madness. Thankfully the Humanist Society has a excellent search facility and we spent a very productive evening drawing up a list of just one that we thought would be silly enough to agree to marry us – her name was Kendal. Now while Kendal was incredibly professional and made sure that everything was above board – she is also the most fantastic fun to be around and got stuck in and went over and above. If you were looking for a celebrant I can highly recommend her!
WillowDried (Willow Houseplants) Now for those of you that follow either of my Instagram accounts you’ll know how much I love a houseplant – with the majority coming from Willow Houseplants in Callander – but did you know that the owner of the business, Janine, is also something of a dried flower expert who beautifully crafts dried flowers for all occasions? Well she does! and I was delighted that she was happy to do the small amount we required and I was doubly delighted that what she produced was incredibly beautiful. The sight of these beautiful creations really elevated the dresses and gave the whole natural vibe we were aiming for a massive lift, it was also perfectly matched to my beloved tartan! I should also say that Janine (and Neil – mwah!) sourced one of my wedding gifts to the short rouge one – a Florida Ghost Philodendron – hard to come by I might add. But not only did they find one, they found a decently sized one at a great price. The best plant and dried flower emporium in the world, well worth a visit!
Taffled Threads My family tartan isn’t very nice, I mean it’s okay but you wouldn’t want to get married in it. So off I ambled to the Tartan Register of Scotland to explore the more generic options and also the MacDonald colours to which my family name is associated, none of these were floating my boat and then I had an idea! What if there was an Ochils tartan? A quick search and an email later to the Ochil Flora tartan creator and suddenly I found myself having the fabric for a kilt made by Claire at Taffled Threads. Oh my word… how brilliant! how beautiful! how wonderful! In addition to the stunning fabric I also had blankets/shawls made for the bride and bridesmaid as connective tissue between our outfits and these were as fabulous as the fabric for my kilt. I almost found myself crying when I picked it all up because such care had gone into something that was being made for such a special day to me. Taffled Threads are truly exceptional and Claire is awesome and having my fabric made just a couple of miles from where I would be getting married was doubly special.
Crimson Kilts I didn’t have anyone to make my kilt when I spoke to Claire at Taffled Threads but she said she knew a lady that made them locally in Tillicoultry, right next to the Ochils – where you are getting married – how fortunate! I immediately headed over, almost unannounced, and from there I found a lady, Lesley, who would craft, with love, a kilt that I couldn’t adore any more than I do. Lesley showed that deep passion for her art that has come out, so deeply, in the making of my kilt and that passion translated over to both the GingNinja and I and made us even more enthusiastic for it. I will add that the finishing touch was, that Lesley and her wonderful husband Jim came up to the Ochils on the day of the wedding photoshoot to say ‘hello‘ – a really classy touch. I love wearing my kilt, and do so at every available opportunity, and know that if you choose Lesley and a Crimson Kilt then you’ll be very, very happy too.
Skive Sporrans I didn’t have anyone to make my sporran when I spoke to Lesley at Crimson Kilts but on the wall of her studio were some simple and simply beautiful sporrans that I instantly knew were what I needed. Some sporrans I’d seen elsewhere felt a little fake but there was no such problem with the beautifully hand crafted sporrans from Skive Sporrans. Every single person we asked to make things for the wedding were absolute artists and this was no exception but it is exceptional. My sporran is the perfect size and the perfect smell and the perfect… well you get the idea. It wasn’t just the making of the sporran that was special though it was also the maker himself – Jim was just a passionate and dedicated crafter and that really translated into what he was making for me. For a sporran that feels like it was really made for you and your kilt then I can highly recommend Skive Sporrans.
Sally Grant It was quite a long time ago that the GingaNinja and I approached Sally Grant to make the engagement and weddings rings for us. We looked long and hard for someone that could capture our distinctiveness within their own creativity. Sally did this through the engagement ring by helping us tell the story of the people we love, those missed and our love of Scotland. The wedding bands are simpler but have a little peak on them which reminds me of the mountains, hills and outdoors that I look to and engage with each and every day. Sally, in her crafting, delivered rings that are a constant reminder not only of the love we share between us but also are a reminder of the love of the life the GingaNinja and I share.
Faodail Because everything had been so local, from the rings to the tartan to the people bringing to life the actual ceremony I wanted a gift for the GingaNinja that represented that and I stumbled, about a month before the wedding, upon Faodail who was sourcing agates from the Ochils and surrounds and turning them into beautiful jewellery that I’d never seen anything like before. Obviously I contacted him immediately given the shortness of the timeframe I was working with and within just a few weeks we had the perfect piece for the GingaNinja (and ssshh I got one for the child too but for later in her life). It was the greatest pleasure to work with someone local who was using his passion for the outdoors and craft to make something so beautiful and who, like us, was at the start of a new part of their journey. I have no doubt that these beautiful pieces will become very popular indeed.
So after I went canyoning with the GingaNinja last month (read about that here) I decided it would be fitting that we take the child to have a go and because we had such a tremendous time with Scotland’s Canyons there was only going to be one company that we were going to do it with.
And so on a beautifully crisp September morning the day after ASK has completed her first triathlon (read about that here) we rolled up once more to Dollar Glen – all super keen to get some thick neoprene on and get cracking through some of Scotland’s beautiful landscape.
We were greeted once more by the seemingly ever cheerful Ruaridh, which I felt was impressive for a Sunday morning, and he made ASK feel very welcome, so welcome infact that her usual ‘new person’ shyness which usually takes 10 minutes or so to disappear was gone in seconds.
We suited up in slightly warmer gear than last time as September had started to chill the air and by the time we all had neoprene on we were suitably toasty and warm. Ruaridh offered us two options for our adventure – the first was a replica of our first trip but with the most challenging bit removed or we could start a touch lower down the glen and then head further towards the bottom. We decided the latter would be better as it gave the adults something new and the ASK wouldn’t wonder what she was missing out on.
Five minutes later our merry band of thrill seekers were heading to the start of our journey and ASK was showing zero nerves – which was mildly worrying – so I asked her, ‘what’s the most important thing to do today?’ And without missing a beat she said, ‘to listen’ – which is the right answer but I also wanted her to have fun so we ramped up the fun aspect a bit as we headed to do a bit of training.
Excitement was building.
ASK had indicated that the thing she was most interested in and excited about was the abseiling and this therefore was were the training began.
Ruaridh took her through it all, carefully explaining things until she understood and then got the GingaNinja and I involved so that we could help ensure she was going to be safe and secure during some epic fun. Now with training and team briefing over we headed straight to the water and within a minute of travelling down the glen we came to our first challenge – a bit of abseiling next to fast flowing water, to give ASK a taste for it.
I made the jump down into the deep pool so I could monitor from below and then she just slowly bounced her way down on the rope. Absolutely awesome! I was so proud of her and more importantly she didn’t moan about a single second of it, infact upon reuniting with me at the bottom she started calling out, ‘More! More! what’s next?!’
Clearly canyoning was going to be a major hit and next was a jump.
ASK had asked for goggles to do the jumps, now despite being an open water swimmer, surfer triathlete, kayaker and paddleboarder she’s not keen on getting water in her eyes – so the goggles came and were put on before the first jump.
What followed next was a big leap into a deep cold pool of water and when she came up out of the splash brilliantly she couldn’t see anything and began to panic for a second until she removed the goggles…
‘Didn’t need the goggles did you?’ I asked semi-mockingly.
She snorted a response through a massive grin and then left her goggles inside my wetsuit for the rest of the trip – happy to have her head and eyes splashed by the water.
From here it was bum scooching, cannonballing, leaps, jumps, slides and battering around the glen like nobody’s business and ASK grew in confidence with every step – so much so I had to remind her of the importance of not getting too over confident. I could tell she feeling confident too by the level of her chat, for which the whole of the glen could probably hear, so my apologies to any other visitors to Dollar Glen on Sunday morning.
Ruaridh really made her experience phenomenal and she grasped every opportunity that came her way and as we waited to descend one of the bigger waterfalls my little 8 year old called out, ‘this is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life’ and I’ll be honest that’s high praise indeed because she’s done some pretty exciting things. Moments after her exclamation she was descending the bigger waterfall on a rope and although assisted here she delighted in the experience and was desperate for more! All I could hear as she went down the rope were screams of joy. ‘What’s next dad?’
The answer to that was simple – more of the same exhilarating adventure.
More jumps followed and more beautiful scenery and this time around on our canyoning adventure I felt fortunate to have the time to stop and watch things happening and absorb my surrounds. Last time I had been focused on the fun but this time having ASK with us meant everything was a bit slower and so I enjoyed this differently.
Eventually we reached what would be the final major jump of the morning and Ruaridh explained it’s a bum scooch to the edge and then a leap.
The GingaNinja dutifully did the leap into the water and then ASK went. There was much hilarity from us as parents as she belly flopped into the water and we were reminded that we need to work on her diving. But as with all the other jumps and leaps she simply popped her head out of the water and gave a massive cry of joy!
There was of course one final challenge and this was getting out the water and back up the top of the hill. Despite ASK being desperate to continue canyoning I could see in her face that she was exhausted and while she managed the rope climb out of the water and up the side of the glen she needed to be dragged back up the hill to the car. I had one exhausted but truly happy little girl on my hands and I had Ruaridh and Scotland’s Canyons to thank for that.
Conclusions There are not enough adjectives to describe how outstanding this adventure was.
ASK is still super buzzing about the whole thing and will remember this for such a long time (I’m also aware that another canyoning trip has been added to her Christmas list). We were fortunate that water levels were just about perfect for adventuring and the weather was kind but I feel that whatever kind of day you get the guys at Scotland’s Canyons really will make the most perfect adventure for you.
Once again I’ll say a massive thank you to Ruaridh for his guidance and planning but more this time because he made my daughter feel like the most important part of our adventure. It was no surprise to me that she was much happier chatting to him than either of her parents that she was leaving behind. Blooming kids!
Good for kids? Is it good for kids? Well if you watch the video (either above or on YouTube) you’ll see how much enjoyment my little one got – but she’s quite a specific case who has been doing all sorts of adventures since the day she was born. However, what child do you know that doesn’t love adventure? doesn’t love getting muddy? doesn’t love doing the unusual or the thing that under conventional circumstances you don’t get to do?
I feel like every child given the opportunity would absolutely love this and the great thing is that Scotland’s Canyons really work with the people they have in front of them so that everyone is getting an experience they are comfortable with and excited by.
Baked goods Last time we were presented, post event, with delicious, moist and homemade courgette cake, I drool thinking about it (I don’t even like vegetables but I did love the cake). This time it was peanut butter cookies and dear me it was like Ambrosia – the food of the gods. ASK, not a massive fan of peanut butter, left half of hers to me and there were no complaints as I scoffed them down – I’d like the recipe for those please!
Again? Scotlands Canyons offer tours of Bruar and Alva as well as Dollar Glen (though Dollar Glen I believe is the most suitable for young adventurers) and I’m keen to do both Alva and Bruar, ASK is simply very keen to return for another crack – so will we be booking again?
Yes we will.
And in answer to the question, ‘would we return to Dollar Glen for a third time?’ The answer to that is yes too. Both of our trips were very different and the glen moves as much as the water does and so each time you do something like this the experience is new and fresh! I can’t wait to go back.
Finally As ever it is worth mentioning that this is an independent and impartial review and I paid for my canyoning – turns out that I’m once more super happy with my adventure and ASK wanted to share it with you. Basically – as stated last time, if you’re considering your own canyoning adventure make sure to look up Scotland’s Canyons.
Find out more You can find out more about them at their website scotlandscanyons.com. Enjoy!
The Ochils are full of little surprises – it might be a little shy on Munro’s but it is full of brilliant hiking that go from a couple of hours to a whole day – more if you really wanted to. It is a place that I can see from my house and it is place that at the weekends my family and I call, ‘the playground’.
Innerdownie is an absolute favourite and can be done in a number of ways but in my opinion there are two really wonderful ways to see it with your little adventurer in tow. If you’re super fit and your little one is super keen then you can traverse the width of the Ochils and cross the hills with either an ascent or descent of Innerdownie, this is a good solid days hiking as a point to point (or a circular route could be figured out).
The alternative is you travel to Glen Sherup (Glen Devon Woodlands) and blast your way up to the top and back down again in a lovely 90 minute leg stretcher. I tend to prefer the blast up and down – it’s enough for the family to feel like they’ve earned a hit chocolate and on a good day gives great views of the Ochils.
Glen Sherup (Glen Devon Woodlands) is a great starting point for many great walks in the Ochils, especially for a northern start or hiking that heads up into the less well travelled sections near Ben Thrush or Steele’s Knowe.
For me it’s a beautiful spot to start a hike or run up Innerdownie – the car park is large enough for 20 cars at least – though the little stream crossing and the path to car park has seen better days and would benefit from repair.
When hiking it rather than running it we usually get into our hiking kit at the car and start by making our way up the short ascent alongside the fast flowing stream. We’ll always stop to let the dog do a dump here (so we can clear it up and leave it at the car for disposal later on, no point carrying a shit with you if you don’t need to). Post dump we’ll hurl the hound into the water whatever the weather and this gets him ready for adventure.
The climb moves swiftly through a lovely evergreen woodland and the sides are littered with mushrooms in the autumn and the path here is excellent and wends it’s way around the landscape. After a few minutes you’re presented with the option of either heading down towards the reservoir and a hike up and over Ben Shee or to continue upwards to Innerdownie. Both routes are lovely but for me the Innerdownie route is a great one to get the heart pumping.
If you choose Innerdownie then the ascent gets a little steeper for a while but the path remains well made and infinitely hike-able. The path is clearly designed for use by the timber trade or large vehicles and the Ochils but in all the time I’ve hiked there I’ve never come across any traffic.
Not long into the hike you’ll leave the protective cover of the forest and into the open air. Despite leaving the protection of the forest though you’re still well guarded by the rising landscape of Innerdownie and this is part of the reason this hike is an excellent choice for hiking with younger adventurers. Even as the route slopes round ever upward you wouldn’t be enormously concerned that you’re going to take a soaking.
However, as the route winds and wends its way round you feel like it’s taking you on a bit of mystery tour as you know you’re heading away from the summit and it isn’t until you reach the little secret turning on the path that you realise you’re being redirected back to the summit climb.
The secret tunnel of trees to the summit climb is spongy and steep and can be boggy if it’s been raining heavily but it’s a relatively short blast upwards and my favourite bit of the route. Everything about this little bit from the occasional howling wind to the tree needles on the floor make me feel most at home, it’s also where little adventurers can do a bit of adventuring amongst the trees either side, playing hide and seek, leaping into the mud or jumping from fallen tree trunks
You pass through the secret tunnel to a gate and into the wide open space of the Ochils once more and from here you can see the finally ascent up to the peak of Innerdownie. We tend to take the path nearest the fenced wall as ASK and I enjoy the adventure of the undergrowth but there is a more defined path a hundred metres away. Regardless the paths meet at a viewpoint over the northern Ochils and you are rewarded with nothing but beautiful Scotland.
We often find that being able to see the summit is the worst thing possible because you know how far away you are and Innerdownie always seems so near and always so far. If the wind is whipping around at this point or the rain has come over then you’ll want to be suitably dressed for it because it can be very exposed and despite being a relatively small climb (611 metres) once you are at the top it can be as dangerous as any thousand metre plus hill.
The peak has a small stone cairn to mark the occasion of you having arrived and in the distance you can see the ridge line that, if you were to travel it, would bring you down on the south side of the Ochils. However, if like us you’ve got lunch waiting in the car then you’ll want to head back down the way you came and the good news is that the downhill is fast. Innerdownie is blessed with the kind of downhill that won’t ruin your feet and hips if you go that little bit quicker and within a few minutes you’ll find yourself hammering down towards the secret tunnel and the winding path back towards Glen Sherup.
It’s fast, furious and fun but importantly it’s good at any time of year – the photographs from this blog post were taken on Boxing Day 2019 and we had a cool, crisp day for it mostly. This route as far as we are aware is pretty dog friendly, whereas the Pentlands have lots of free roaming livestock the Ochils, although not without livestock, is less inhabited by sheep and cows and therefore a great place for your four legged friend.
The Ochils are an absolute gem and I believe much missed by visitors to Scotland who travel further north for spectacular views. In my opinion the Ochils are a pretty spectacular place too. Innerdownie though is family favourite and ASK and the GingaNinja love the pace of this hike along with the clear views and the challenge.
Having moved to Scotland. Having finally bought and moved into our new house I can now focus on running and getting outdoors again and I’m loving it. Having moved to a small semi rural location just outside Falkirk I find myself in the enviable position of having trail runs and walks on my doorstep and dozens of public rights of way that lead to all sorts of exciting trails.
Every night for the last three weeks I’ve set off with the task of finding a new trail or finding new ways around a trail I’ve been around previously. I have no preconceptions about areas because I’m new here and so I park up (usually after work) and chuck on my shoes and see where I end up.
Fitness being what it is at the moment and my back injury still plaguing me (probably even more than ever), I’ve been keeping it fairly sensible. What this means in practice is 30 to 40 minutes and usually a couple of hundred feet of steep elevation and I’ve found something wonderful – joy. Then there’s the added bonus of the hiking that I’ve very much taken to!
Running and exploring in and around London had become a chore rather than something I enjoyed (not helped by having a Vitality plan that needs servicing). I was running because I had to rather than because I wanted to and this meant I simply fell out of love with the sport that has given me so much.
I’d always said that the move to Scotland was as much about getting outdoors more as it was about the stupidity of the English in their ‘leave the EU’ voting and now I’m finally making that happen. I’ve spent most of my time exploring the locations around work and home, which has included Westquarter Glen, Callendar Woods, Polmont Woods, Dechmont Law, California, the Union Canal, Roughcastle and the Falkirk Wheel, Blackness, the Lomond Hills and more. But I’m fortunate enough to have travelled a bit around Scotland and run much of the West Highland Way, parts of Arran, Skye, Loch Ness, the Tweed Valley, Fox Lake, the Cairngorms, Jedburgh and of course my favourite place – the Ochils.
It is the Ochils that I see when I leave for work in a morning and it is the Ochils that remind me why I brought my family here.
Each weekend I now take the GingaNinja and ASK up to the Ochils to hike one of the hills. I tend to downplay the steepness and the challenge that each climb presents just to add a bit of shits and giggles to a family outing. However, these activities are helping me to prepare me for greater hiking and running challenges down the line. They’re also very much central to my belief that our quality of life here can be so much better than more suffocating one in the south east of England.
I realise that I’m fortunate to have a family that are interested in bounding around Scotland with me and in the six months that we have lived here, all of us have grown to love our surroundings.
But it’s more than the family benefits it’s very much the trail benefits. Scotland’s running trails have absolutely everything you could want and I’ve been testing that as much as I can. There’s much joy to be found as I go running around Scotland and the abundance of oozy mud, bloody hills, tricky ascents and blistering descents make me want to take early retirement and feast on the great Scottish outdoors.
So there you have it, one mans love of the great outdoors but there are some practical tips that I’d offer to make your own adventuring all the more pleasurable and sustainable.
Get everyone involved
Hiking up a hill on your own is a lovely thing, the peace that this can provide is immeasurable in my opinion. However, some of the best hikes I’ve been involved in have included friends and family.
Red Screes, Catbells and Skiddaw in the Lake District will live long in my memory and the ultra marathons and racing around Skye (as an example) was a truly unforgettable experience with people I really loved meeting – some of whom helped inspire my move northwards.
Basically, people and company can make a hard hike easier, they can be enthusiastic and supportive when your legs feel like jelly and they can offer advice when your brain is frazzled. So why wouldn’t you invite friends old and new along.
There’s also the opportunity to join local and national groups – the ramblers are probably the best known but there are others. With the advent of social meetings through the likes of Facebook and Meetup you can hopefully find a group (or start one). The opportunities are open ended and just waiting to be explored.
Get exploring local maps
Scotland has so many amazing trails but the famoud ones, such as the West Highland Way, as with anywhere, can be reasonably busy. Therefore I’ve found it wonderful looking for trails that are less well used. I did two things that have helped, the first was to buy an annual subscription to OS Maps and the second was to invest in a series of paper maps. Since getting hold of maps I’ve been exploring my local and not so local trails looking to find places where I can very much ‘get lost’ on hidden trails. Obviously there is some hit and miss in this approach but broadly I’ve been lucky to find exciting new routes. More importantly by going into the undergrowth and wending my way through the path less travelled I’ve caught sight of all manner of wildlife and beautiful scenes. By getting lost, by following my nose (and the maps) I’ve been discovering a Scotland that others might simply pass by.
Develop outdoor skills
Map reading is a key outdoor skill to have, GPS isn’t always accurate and an accident or battery fail is often only a minor incident away. Therefore I would advocate for the value of map and compass skills. Sensible first aid knowledge is also useful as is kit knowledge and basic survival skills in what kind of water you can drink and when you shouldn’t.
As you go further afield, as you go further into nature there is an increased responsibility on you to ensure you are safe and that you know how to get off a mountain yourself. The ability to navigate, strap yourself up and basically survive is essential.
I came to the idea of being sensible a little late but for my Scottish adventures I’m very pleased that I’ve developed a bit of common sense.
Be prepared to take shelter or abandon a hike
There’s a moment, regardless of your preparation, when the weather comes in or the conditions turn to shit and you have to decide what to do. When I’m running then I’ll generally keep going regardless of the conditions
However, when hiking I take a different approach, especially when my four year old daughter is alongside and will take a sensible more cautionary approach. I suppose that running and hiking are slightly different mindsets for me because I’ll happily run up a hill with no more than shorts and a mars bar but I wouldn’t dream of hiking without at a decent waterproof jacket and a stout pair of shoes.
Regularly check the weather
As we all know Scotland can be a little unpredictable with the weather, one minute sunshine, next minute rain and the next – snow! In the hills and mountains this unpredictability is multiplied many times, cloud cover coming in and thick, horizontal rain followed by blazing sunshine in a matter of minutes is not uncommon. So check the weather and pack your kit for all eventualities.
Beware ticks and insect bites
Little bleeders! Post hike, post run, post wiping your own bum, make sure you check for ticks – the consequences of not dealing with ticks properly is devastating. A simple tick check as part of your post hike/run cuppa is a worthwhile investment of time. And on the investment front – make sure you buy a tick remover!
Despite my warnings I want you all to get out in your local surroundings and have fun. For me that means hurling myself around the hills and mud of Scotland but for you it could be somewhere else, somewhere old or even somewhere new. I suppose the message I want to send about our great outdoors is
UltraBoyRuns 