Magazine

If you’re thinking about having a more active holiday this year and getting out and exploring by bike sounds ideal, why not stay a little closer to home and check out the huge variety of cycling routes Scotland has to offer. From bikepacking to exploring family friendly trails, whether you are road cycling or mountain biking there’s something for everyone.

Joseph Thomson was born on the 14th of February 1858 in a small Scottish village called Penpont in Dumfries & Galloway. He played a very important role in opening knowledge to the west of the last uncharted section of Africa. At the time, it was still listed on all maps as “Terra Incognita.” The term was used in cartography for regions that had yet to be explored, mapped and documented. The literal translation from Latin is ‘unknown land’.

Katie-Jane L’Herpiniere is proof that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. She is a former successful British model, working for Alexander McQueen and M&S, and often took on opportunities presented to her. She also worked in the film world, acting as Cameron Diaz’s body double in ‘The Holiday’. However, when Katie met renowned explorer Tarka L’Herpiniere things began to change. She transformed her modelling career to become a leading endurance athlete, adventurer, expedition leader, blogger and motivational speaker, and has completed over 28,000km of unsupported human-powered expeditions, some of which were world-firsts. 

Originally from Liverpool, Graham is an adventurer, film-maker, travel blogger and TV presenter who we had the pleasure of interviewing. In 2009 Graham embarked on The Odyssey Expedition: The first official Guinness World Record attempt of visiting every country in the world without setting foot on a plane. That’s an incredible total of 193 UN member states, plus Taiwan, Palestine, Vatican City, Western Sahara and the four home nations of the UK. It took him four-years to complete his journey, all whilst raising funds and awareness for the charity WaterAid. Graham also filmed and hosted an eight-part TV series for Lonely Planet, National Geographic & The BBC, covering the first 133 countries of The Odyssey Expedition. 

The next instalment of our forgotten adventurers follows the story of Isobel Wylie Hutchison. Born on the 30th of May 1889, Hutchison is arguably Scotlands most famous female explorer. 

I first met Rebecca in our new London store at 7 Dials and was immediately taken with her enthusiasm, passion for the outdoors and general zest for life. Rebecca very casually mentioned that she’d recently completed the Cape Wrath challenge. She would have happily left it at that, but her husband Nick gave us the complete picture, that the Cape Wrath trail is gruelling 250 miles that most people take weeks to finish, and Rebecca had not just completed it, but ran in just over 5 days and set the Fastest Known Time for a woman while doing so!

Scotland has some fantastic areas of dark skies perfect for stargazing and even spotting the Northern Lights. We’ve compiled a list of 6 cosy cabins and treehouses around Scotland where you can spend a few days enjoying amazing views day and night.

When it comes to British explorers, there is no shortage of famous names steeped in history. Beyond these names, many have somewhat been left in the shadows. Once talked about all over the world and held in the highest regard, we hope to bring these back to the forefront and credit their achievements. Born on the 24th of January 1825, MacGregor was the son of Duncan MacGregor who fought Napoleon. 

In Scotland we are so lucky to have an amazing list of wildlife to spot, but there's a few that can only be spotted at certain times of year. So if you're planning a year of wildlife watching this list of what to see, where and when is for you!

I think it’s fair to say that once again, 2022 has been a rollercoaster of a ride with plenty of highs and lows along the way. Running a startup brand isn’t easy (no-one said it would be) but we’re enjoying the ride! We have so much that we’re looking forward to in 2023, but for now, here is a look back to some of the highlights from the last 12 months.

Sean is an author and adventurer that I’ve been hoping to interview for the magazine since reading his books and hearing him at a talk in Edinburgh a few years ago. Sean’s gained a reputation as one of the most unique endurance athletes in the world and has set multiple world records, world firsts and attempted so many amazing challenges, that it would be impossible to cover them all here. Sean has cycled round the world, holds the record for cycling the length of Europe, completed a 4,200 mile triathlon around the coast of Great Britain and swam the length of Britain, a world first that he struggled to get sponsorship for because everyone thought that it was impossible and that he might die trying.

As the year comes to a close and we enter 2023, many of us will be thinking about our new years resolutions. For many of us, this may include spending more time outdoors, doing more exercise, and taking on some adventures. Adventures can often seem daunting and unattainable for the everyday person, however this doesn’t have to be the case! Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or someone who wants to step up your adventure game, we’ve rounded up the wonderful advice given to us throughout the year by adventurers who we had the pleasure of interviewing. Whether your adventure aspirations are big or small, we hope to inspire your 2023 adventure endeavours!