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Whoo!
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00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,240
Whoo! Whoo-hoo!
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Whoo! Whoo!
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00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,520
That OK, Gill?
Absolutely fine, yeah.
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00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,800
As soon as the board leaves
the water, everything becomes
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00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,680
incredibly smooth
and very, very quiet.
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The only thing you really hear
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00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:46,920
is just the water dripping
off your wet suit.
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00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,760
Hello, and a very warm welcome
to a bumper edition of
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The Adventure Show.
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00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,120
Now, we are living in strange times
but, thankfully,
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00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,680
professional film-making is
something we're still allowed to do.
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00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:00,240
Over the next couple of hours
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00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,200
we've got some inspirational
people and fantastic action.
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00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,120
And we're certainly not elitist -
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00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:06,920
there's something for everyone,
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00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,360
whatever level of adventure
turns you on,
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00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,680
from extreme skiing
to taking a local family walk.
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00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,840
And, like everyone else, we've
had to play within the rules
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00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,120
and regulations of Covid-19,
which is why I'm keeping
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a good distance away
from The Adventure Show's
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00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,160
favourite presenter,
Mr Dougie Vipond.
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00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,280
Staying apart for me
is always a good idea.
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00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:31,920
SHE LAUGHS
They're your words, not mine.
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00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:36,400
So in this programme, we're seeing
exactly what winter has to offer,
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winter turning into spring,
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and within the current restrictions,
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what's possible to get out
and explore wherever you are.
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And what a line-up we have.
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There's plenty of the white stuff,
and much more besides.
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00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,840
Dean Dunbar is registered blind,
but you would never know it.
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I think, in a certain way, I can get
more out of an extreme sport
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than some other people because,
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I mean, even crossing the road
for me is quite an extreme sport.
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00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,080
I get to the edge of the
road, I'll listen.
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I don't bother looking because
I can't trust my eyes any more
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00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,560
and what I see. I've waited too many
times for parked cars to go past.
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00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:13,640
Also coming up, we celebrate one
of the best winters for years.
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00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:16,920
Now, sadly, the ski resorts were
closed, but that didn't stop
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00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:20,360
Duncan McCallum meeting up with
top snowboarder Hannah Bailey
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00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,680
high up in the Cairngorms
for some superb powder.
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Now, they had to travel up
the old-fashioned way -
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with skins on the bottom
of their boards.
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But just look what they found
when they got there.
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00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,320
We live such busy lives,
our phones are going off nonstop,
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but as soon as you're out there
in nature, your mind is just there.
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00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,800
I mean, it's done
the world of good for me.
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00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,720
And so I've committed a lot
of my work to trying to increase
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accessibility and increase
awareness of this sport.
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Particularly around groups
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that are not shown so much
in the media.
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And, just to be clear, Duncan
and Hannah are hugely experienced
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00:02:58,320 --> 00:02:59,480
in the mountains.
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00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,960
But, nonetheless, we filmed this
with a specialist safety team
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00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,760
and within the Government's
Covid regulations.
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00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:08,880
Whoa. In terms of snowboarding days,
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I think that's the best
you're going to get.
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I headed to the lift -
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00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,160
before they sadly had to close -
with Patrick Winterton,
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who hadn't been on a board
for...35 years.
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Oh! That was the one
they were after.
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So that's just a taste
of what's to come.
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But now we're going to join
somebody who definitely knows
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what they're doing.
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You're absolutely right about that.
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In the last couple of years,
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there's been a real explosion
of back-country skiing
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in Scotland. And not just touring -
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00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,440
freestyle and free riding, as well.
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00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,680
Now, if you're not familiar
with those terms, fear not,
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00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:50,360
cos all will be revealed,
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because we met up with top
young free rider Finbar Doig.
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I started skiing at three,
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was sort of just dragged
along with the family,
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never really enjoyed it.
It was just cold and...
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..in the mountains, you know?
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Rather than nice and warm at home.
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But then I think there was a time -
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I must've been about
seven or eight -
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I could ski,
and I started to enjoy it.
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00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,760
And they had this little jump
at the Cairngorms.
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I remember getting some air
and, you know,
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maybe half a foot of air,
nothing much.
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But just that feeling, I was like,
"Whoa, that was so cool."
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Because I had to clear a gap
in order to make the jump.
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00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,680
And I remember just the whole
way home in the car,
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instead of sleeping,
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I just spent whole time looking
at this photo and being like,
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"Yeah, look at that. I got
some air. How cool was that?
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Whoo! Whoo!
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That sort of continued,
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and I joined the ski club -
Cairngorms Ski Club -
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and they had a freestyle programme,
so rather than racing in gates
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and training and being serious,
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it's just like
build a jump, have fun.
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Whoo!
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00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,760
And then there was this event
called the Junior Co-cup.
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It's a senior freeride event.
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It's held in the Flypaper, which is
Scotland's deepest run, in Glencoe.
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And people jump off these
big cliffs. And I'd seen it,
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00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,160
and it was this awesome, you know,
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00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,560
like the pinnacle
of Scottish skiing.
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00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,880
In 2015 they held
the first junior one.
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00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:17,600
And it was just going
to run on the Sunday.
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It was just one day. We were like,
"This is going to be great."
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And it was probably one
of the best days of skiing
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I've ever had in my life.
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It was like it is today -
you couldn't see anything,
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the snow was icy.
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There wasn't that much of it,
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but everyone there was, like, just
so excited about going skiing,
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and doing this new freeride thing.
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Ho-ho!
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00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:47,200
That was probably the biggest
moment in my skiing.
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00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:48,960
I was like,
"This is what I want to do.
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00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:52,160
"I want to be around people like
this, and just having fun."
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00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:59,080
From an early age, Finbar fell in
love with skiing jumps and tricks,
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00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,840
and it's a passion that today
drives him deep into the
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00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:05,400
Scottish mountains, seeking out
an adrenaline rush that began
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00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,400
with the more formal freestyle...
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00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,080
..but has developed into freeriding.
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00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,640
Freestyle is where all
the jumps and stuff come from,
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00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:17,120
it's usually done on
perfectly shaped park jumps,
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00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:18,600
and they're all the same.
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00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,640
And the competition format
for that's all very similar.
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00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:24,920
You've got your rails and
then you've got your jumps
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00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:26,920
and you do two runs, three runs.
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00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,040
But the freeride is, you get a face.
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00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,440
So it's a lot better for what
we've got in Scotland because
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00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,320
we don't always have the conditions
to build perfect jumps and stuff.
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So we just have a face
the way it is naturally.
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And you get to look at it,
and then you can ski it.
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And that's how the competitions run,
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00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,560
and that's how skiing
normally happens.
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00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,720
You look at something
and you go and ski it.
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00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,760
Three, two, one. Drop in.
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00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:57,920
And if there's a natural jump,
you might try and integrate some
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00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:00,120
freestyle tricks and stuff.
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Oh! That was scary.
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00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:05,720
It's the way it works
best in Scotland,
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with the terrain we've got
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and with the people now
that are getting into it,
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and you can all go up
and do the same thing,
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but do it a little bit differently.
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And that's just why
it's so much fun.
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Today, Finbar spends much of
the winter working in the Alps,
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00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:24,400
but for him, Scottish skiing
still takes a lot of beating.
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Some of the best skiing
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00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,680
is some of the stuff
that's harder to get to.
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00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:32,080
And maybe it's not even better
skiing, but it just feels a lot...
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00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:33,280
You get a lot more from it
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00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,640
if you've actually climbed
all the way up the gully
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and you've spent a whole day getting
to it and a whole week planning it,
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and it makes it feel way,
way better.
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Some of the best runs
I've ever skied in my life
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have been probably on Ben Nevis,
and there's no lifts up Ben Nevis.
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It's quite an operation
when you've got skis and stuff.
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OK. Drop in.
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00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:03,000
But, yeah, once you get skiing
something that you've earned,
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it's always better.
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Oh, my God!
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Oh! Oh-oh. Whoo!
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When you're around people
who do what you love,
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it just amplifies the fun
and the passion for the skiing.
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00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:23,480
And just going skiing every day
is... It's a dream come true.
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00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:27,600
Oh, my God!
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Oh! That is, like, the best thing
I've ever skied in my life!
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Ah!
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Just to be clear -
don't try that at home.
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My legs have gone to jelly
just watching Finbar.
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00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,560
Now, I've been known
to go off-piste before.
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That was many years ago in the Alps.
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00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:52,360
To say I didn't find it easy
is a huge understatement.
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00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:53,640
Oh, Blimey O'Reilly.
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00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,800
HE LAUGHS
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Right, come on, ski.
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00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:02,480
Remember how to do that?
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00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:08,600
Ah, hey-hey!
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00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,360
That's called a faceplant.
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00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:12,440
Oh, jeez.
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00:09:13,560 --> 00:09:16,760
Well, that was then,
and this is now.
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00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,840
A bit of an unsatisfactory ending
to my ski touring in the Alps,
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00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,760
but the weather's been so good
this year, I thought I'd give it
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00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,080
a go here in Scotland - in the
Cairngorms, more specifically.
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00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:29,360
I'm not the only one who
wants to conquer my fear
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00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:30,720
of going off-piste.
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00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:35,000
Like many skiers, Cairngorm-based
Zoe Laird finds no problems
188
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:36,480
on the groomed runs.
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00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,440
But it's another thing
when she leaves them behind.
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00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,760
So on the basis that a problem
shared is a problem halved
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00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,560
I've invited her to join me to get
some tips from one of Scotland's
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00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:49,200
top ski instructors -
Alison Thacker.
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00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,920
And I'm wondering if Zoe
is as apprehensive as me.
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00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,720
I'm pretty scared, actually.
I've never done this before.
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00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:58,400
So it's a new experience.
196
00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,600
And I've heard lots of scary stories
about things that can go wrong.
197
00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,360
So I'm nervous. Nervous. Yeah.
198
00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:06,920
I'm a wee bit nervous. In fact,
a big bit nervous, as well.
199
00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,000
So, Alison, what can
we expect today?
200
00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,800
We're going to head up the hill
and try and find an ideal location.
201
00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,640
We're going to look for somewhere
that's a bit like a piste -
202
00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,680
not too steep to start with,
and reasonably firm snow
203
00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:19,600
so we're not sinking in too deep.
204
00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:21,920
But first of all, let's go
and check the kit. OK.
205
00:10:23,680 --> 00:10:27,800
In my rucksack today,
I've got ice axe. As I.
206
00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,320
Got my crampons.
Yes. There you go.
207
00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,920
I take a helmet.
OK, I've got one of those.
208
00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,240
I've got my sunglasses
for skinning uphill.
209
00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,800
I've got ski goggles for
coming down in bad visibility.
210
00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,000
I've got some food for the day.
Food is in there.
211
00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:42,800
My food is slightly
bigger than your food.
212
00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,320
I'm carrying quite a lot.
You're bigger than me.
213
00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,840
Well, yes, I... I'm going to burn
a lot of calories today.
214
00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,320
Spare clothes and
a warm jacket. Yeah.
215
00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,640
All of that stuff is actually
still in there in a poly bag.
216
00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,520
Yep. Honest. And I've got my shovel.
Shovel's there.
217
00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,760
In bits, at the moment.
218
00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:01,960
And my probe. Probe, yep.
219
00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:03,280
And it'd be better if you take
220
00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:05,440
the probe out of the bag,
we'll get rid of the bag,
221
00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,120
and that'll save you time if we
were to need it on the hill.
222
00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,240
No, of course. Yes, of course.
223
00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:13,360
OK, so that's the rucksacks checked.
What's the next thing we have to do?
224
00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,000
We just need to make sure we're
happy with how to use our shovel,
225
00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,200
transceiver and probe.
Okey-dokey. So I've got my shovel.
226
00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,240
That goes together nice
and easily with the press studs.
227
00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,520
And my probe, so I'm right handed,
228
00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,160
so I take the majority of it
in my right hand,
229
00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,360
left hand on the end,
and throw it away from me,
230
00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:32,640
and then pull the cord
for it all to go together.
231
00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,120
I'm just checking your transceiver,
Dougie, is working.
232
00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,200
BEEPING
233
00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,720
Which it is. And I'll just check
yours, as well, Zoe.
234
00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:45,880
BEEPING
235
00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:48,240
And that's yours working. All set.
236
00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,560
So far, so good. Fingers crossed
237
00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:55,400
we'll not need to use the avalanche
transceivers for real today,
238
00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,960
but they are a vital piece
of safety kit.
239
00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,200
And later in the programme,
Alison will demonstrate what to do
240
00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,560
if the worst should happen.
241
00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:07,440
Right now, though, we can't head up
on the hill without putting skins
242
00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,720
on the bottom of our skis to stop us
from sliding backwards.
243
00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,360
Make sure you brush all
the snow off your skis,
244
00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,400
so there's no snow on them at all.
245
00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,920
And then checking which end
of your skin goes on first.
246
00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,240
Some are the back,
some are the front.
247
00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,000
You want the stretchy end
to go on last.
248
00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,480
So you do it flat out? Yeah. OK.
249
00:12:28,680 --> 00:12:32,240
And just gently pressing
it down as you go.
250
00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:39,040
That's it. Just making sure
it's nice and smooth.
251
00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,320
There's no wrinkles in it.
252
00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:43,360
The joy of skins.
And how do you know?
253
00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:47,240
Do you rub your face against it to
see which way is the pelt going?
254
00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,720
And then the last thing you do...
Oh, I've done that.
255
00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:51,280
..you switch the back bit over.
256
00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:54,720
That's it. Yeah.
257
00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,360
And just pull.
258
00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:58,800
And then we're going to skin
to the chair lift, are we?
259
00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:00,480
THEY LAUGH
260
00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:03,840
I should be so lucky!
261
00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:05,880
From here in Glenmore Forest,
262
00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,320
it's uphill towards
Meall a' Buachaille, in search
263
00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,920
of some beautiful - but
hopefully easy - downhill runs.
264
00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,080
So, Alison, let's talk about
off-piste skiing,
265
00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:20,480
and how easy is it for people to
move from the pisted sort of snow
266
00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,960
to something like we're
going to be doing today?
267
00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,680
Well, I suppose, practically,
it's very, very easy,
268
00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:28,040
because we just step the other
side of the markers.
269
00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,720
But that's where the real challenge
is, and that's where it becomes
270
00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,960
difficult to ensure that we've
got the right skills to be able
271
00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,000
to do that safely.
272
00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:37,360
I've no idea what I'm doing.
273
00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,960
Lifting - what I shouldn't be doing.
274
00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,840
Just keep weight pressed down
through your heels. That's right.
275
00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,720
It's having the right skiing skills,
but it's also having the wider
276
00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:53,160
mountain knowledge, being able to
navigate in winter conditions.
277
00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:56,240
It's easy, but it's difficult
to have all the relevant skills.
278
00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,360
We've got great things today
cos, although it's clear,
279
00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,400
it's quite flat light, and that's
quite common in Scotland.
280
00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,560
Currently the sky and the snow
are the same colour,
281
00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:08,280
so it's going to be interesting
282
00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,280
if you try to look for holes
in the snow. If you go flying.
283
00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,720
Yeah, exactly.
THEY LAUGH
284
00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,000
Ski by feel. Exactly.
285
00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:20,520
So, Zoe, you mentioned that
you find off-piste skiing
286
00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:22,760
slightly intimidating.
287
00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,520
What is it about the off-piste
skiing that you find intimidating?
288
00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:31,120
I've heard lots of scary stories
about people crashing in different
289
00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,840
conditions, and I'm particularly
worried about crashing into rocks
290
00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:38,520
and trees and off cliffs,
and all of those kind of things.
291
00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,760
Getting bundled down the hill
in an avalanche, maybe.
292
00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,200
So, for me, it's a
kind of dangerous place,
293
00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:45,800
so I don't go there.
294
00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,120
And, Dougie, what about you?
295
00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,480
Are there things that you find
apprehensive about this?
296
00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:51,520
Sorry for not taking part
in the conversation.
297
00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,280
I'm just actually trying to breathe!
298
00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,000
It's quite a steep
wee hill, isn't it?
299
00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,280
I don't want to be the one
at the back that's going,
300
00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:04,640
"How do I do this again?"
301
00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:06,840
It would be really tedious.
302
00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,160
Zoe, tell me, you've got
your own sort of off-piste skis,
303
00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:10,480
cross-country skis.
304
00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,800
I know, and might sound a bit silly
to have bought them
305
00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,240
before I knew what I was doing,
but I figure in Scotland,
306
00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,120
if you don't grab and go
the day the weather's good,
307
00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:19,520
you're not going to get out.
308
00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:25,120
And I like a journey, rather than an
up and down, and being able to go
309
00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,720
to places that are near home
that are different,
310
00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,560
maybe smaller hills than
some of the big mountains,
311
00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,360
and just a bit
of exploring, as well.
312
00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,760
So we're getting to our
high point for the moment,
313
00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,280
and then we can put in some turns.
314
00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:46,800
So what we'll need to do
is transition to downhill mode.
315
00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:51,280
Remember to take
your uphill ski off first.
316
00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:53,200
And just pop that off.
317
00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:55,760
OK. And then pop the lower one on.
318
00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:00,560
You're better to stand beneath
your skis on the downhill side.
319
00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:02,800
OK. And we can sit down,
320
00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,800
so we've got, like, our work bench,
again for taking our skins off.
321
00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,120
OK, so I've got two jobs to do.
322
00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:16,560
I've got to change my bindings
back into downhill mode,
323
00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,240
and I've got to get my skins off.
324
00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,560
And, again, we're really lucky
today, it's really calm.
325
00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:23,840
But, actually,
I want to have good practice
326
00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:25,200
for if it was a really windy day.
327
00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,960
So when I take my skin off,
I just take a little bit
328
00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,240
of it off, and then I just
roll it up.
329
00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,080
So I roll it up as I go,
330
00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,320
and then it's not going
to blow away anywhere.
331
00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,360
One down, one to go.
332
00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,800
Better not to rush it, and just
do it little bit at a time,
333
00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,600
Pull a bit off, roll it up.
Pull a bit off, roll it up.
334
00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:46,880
Ooh!
335
00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,200
Ready! So just a couple of things
to think about before we set off.
336
00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,280
Just do a double check that
we're definitely in ski mode
337
00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,240
on our boots. That's quite
a common thing to miss.
338
00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,840
And then I just take a moment to
think about sort of warming up
339
00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,040
mentally and physically
for going down the hill.
340
00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:08,960
OK, feel that you can bend
your ankles,
341
00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:10,600
that you can bend your knees,
342
00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:13,200
and you can bend a little bit
from the hips, as well.
343
00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:14,760
And, Zoe, just watch,
just look ahead.
344
00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:16,200
Look ahead, don't look at my feet.
345
00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:17,880
Yeah, that's right. Exactly.
346
00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:19,800
Keep your head up. There we go.
347
00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:21,400
Suddenly my heart is racing.
348
00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,960
It's suddenly really scary with all
these people watching! OK, Zoe.
349
00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,480
Oh. See, that looks nice.
350
00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,280
That's fine.
351
00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:31,280
Oh! Ah!
352
00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,760
Oh, good to have a helmet on.
353
00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,800
You all right, Zoe?
I'm fine, thank you.
354
00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:39,720
VOICEOVER: Oh, no. This is beginning
355
00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:41,560
to feel a bit like
my Alps experience.
356
00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:43,480
I'm definitely a bit wobbly.
357
00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:49,440
There you go.
That's that inside edge.
358
00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:51,560
Let's have a chat through
what happened there
359
00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:54,000
and how we can make it a bit better,
a bit easier for you. OK.
360
00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,960
So, first thing, if we just think
back to when you learned to ski
361
00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,880
and snowplough, it is
absolutely essential
362
00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,280
right through the whole
of off-piste skiing, OK?
363
00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,320
And don't be afraid
to use it, OK?
364
00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,440
If we can get that ski on its edge,
365
00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,960
then we can plough that snow out
the way as we come round the corner.
366
00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:14,280
And that will make a huge
difference for both of you.
367
00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,240
One other thing I'll mention
at this stage,
368
00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:17,720
is when we come around the corner,
369
00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:21,560
what we don't want to do is get
caught leaning into the mountain.
370
00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,400
OK? And a really simple
thing you can do to help
371
00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,080
you when the snow is difficult
372
00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:30,200
is just think about your lower
hand being towards your knee.
373
00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,920
OK? So snowplough to start.
374
00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:34,360
Hand to knee.
375
00:18:34,360 --> 00:18:38,760
Snowplough to start. Hand to knee.
376
00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:42,440
Snowplough to start. Knee...
377
00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,160
Snowplough to start...
Oh, dear. Hand to knee.
378
00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:49,160
Whoo! Icy bit.
379
00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,480
Well, that was better than
last time. That's better.
380
00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:56,360
So, little secret - you might
think when you've watched
381
00:18:56,360 --> 00:18:57,880
really, really good skiers
382
00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,360
that they're always in balance.
They're not.
383
00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:03,640
What they're good at is
constantly regaining balance,
384
00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:05,800
and they know where
that balance point is.
385
00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,440
Yeah. All right!
386
00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,680
Oh, my God. Smooth!
387
00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:12,880
OK.
388
00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,960
Good. So that was more
stable than the first time.
389
00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:17,680
Excellent. Good.
390
00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:24,960
Completely different from being on
the piste. Completely different.
391
00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:26,960
Oh, my God.
392
00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:28,000
Ah!
393
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,000
Whoo! Woohoo!
394
00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,680
SHE LAUGHS
395
00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:36,480
Yeah!
396
00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:38,040
I'm trying to step round,
397
00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,160
instead of letting
the snowplough happen.
398
00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:46,480
Whoo! Nice.
399
00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,160
Well done.
400
00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:50,720
That felt like skiing,
it was really exciting.
401
00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:52,320
I really liked it.
402
00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,680
I nearly stopped to have a "whee!"
403
00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:56,880
and I thought,
"That's too dangerous."
404
00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,040
People often talk about
being centred on their skis.
405
00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:03,120
But you think, well,
what do they actually mean?
406
00:20:03,120 --> 00:20:06,240
It's that you want your shins
touching the front of your boots,
407
00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,000
but not necessarily pressing -
touching -
408
00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,760
and then your heel,
the sole of your heel,
409
00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:13,880
you want that pressing down
in your boot.
410
00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:15,840
And if you've got shin and heel,
411
00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:19,800
that means that you're bang
in the centre of the boot.
412
00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,680
I almost find the more
you use the snowplough,
413
00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:24,520
the less it's actually there.
414
00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,480
Whereas if you try not to use it,
you'll end up with lots of it.
415
00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:31,480
So actively use it at the start,
and then it's not there.
416
00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:37,040
So here we are,
back at our starting point.
417
00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:38,400
Well done.
418
00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:42,360
So have you each got one sort of
key point that you can take away
419
00:20:42,360 --> 00:20:45,960
from the day, that you can take
forward to next time you go skiing,
420
00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:49,320
off-piste skiing, and you know
that if you do that one thing,
421
00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,680
you'll ski much better
than if you didn't do it?
422
00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,240
For me, it was the hand
to the downhill knee,
423
00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:57,480
which kept my balance a lot better
424
00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,560
than, obviously,
it was when I started.
425
00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,200
Well, for me, it is all about
embracing the snowplough.
426
00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:04,920
It worked when I was younger,
and it still works.
427
00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:06,880
It's a great thing.
Don't be afraid of it.
428
00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:09,360
Use it, and stay safe.
429
00:21:09,360 --> 00:21:12,240
My experience 12 years ago
back in the Alps,
430
00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,400
it wasn't a good experience,
and it finished -
431
00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,600
I was exhausted and felt
really uncomfortable,
432
00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,400
and I lost my confidence and all
that. So what a world of difference.
433
00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,320
It was amazing.
Yeah, it was really good.
434
00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,520
And right here in
our own back yard.
435
00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:27,920
Where I live, there's a few
small hills that I could probably
436
00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:29,760
comfortably go there now.
437
00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:30,760
I loved it.
438
00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:36,240
Well, that truly was a fantastic
experience, and I'm really looking
439
00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,320
forward to exploring
our back country on skis.
440
00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:44,000
And although we've had some of the
best snow for years this winter,
441
00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,600
not everyone is attracted to skiing.
442
00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,400
Take blind adventurer
Dean Dunbar,
443
00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,840
who's experienced a whole variety
of adventure sports,
444
00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:57,080
in spite of losing his sight
as a youngster.
445
00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,280
We've been following his exploits
for a number of years,
446
00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:02,960
and they never fail to amaze.
447
00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:05,840
I think, in a certain way,
448
00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:07,640
I can get more out of an
extreme sport than some
449
00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:09,000
other people because, I mean,
450
00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,240
even crossing the road for me
is quite an extreme sport.
451
00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:12,920
I get to the edge of the road,
I listen.
452
00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,360
I don't bother looking because
I can't trust my eyes any more,
453
00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:18,160
and what I see. I've waited too many
times for parked cars to go past.
454
00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,640
So now I stand, I listen. If it
sounds clear, then I go for it.
455
00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:23,600
So the heart starts pumping
just crossing the road.
456
00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:28,040
So it's even more remarkable that
in the 25 years since he started
457
00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:33,000
to lose his sight, Dean has set
an equal number of world firsts.
458
00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,080
And here's just one example.
459
00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:37,920
He was the first person -
blind or otherwise -
460
00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,360
to paddleboard the 40 miles
to St Kilda in 2017.
461
00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:45,440
It's an incredibly dangerous
and committing journey
462
00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:50,840
out into the Atlantic, where any
rescue would be a major undertaking.
463
00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:55,120
Back then, our own Patrick Winterton
accompanied him in a kayak,
464
00:22:55,120 --> 00:22:59,000
and he's caught up with Dean
to reflect on that epic achievement.
465
00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:02,320
They met on a beach near Oban.
466
00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,120
That was some trip to St Kilda.
Good memories or nightmares?
467
00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:06,800
I think there's
a combination of both.
468
00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:08,920
But, you know, the thing
with these adventures
469
00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,280
is the bad memories soon fade,
but the good memories,
470
00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:12,720
they just last forever.
471
00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,920
OK, well, let's dig into
the bad memories, if we can.
472
00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,000
What about that trip put you
out of your comfort zone?
473
00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,560
The hardest part for me was most
definitely when we got to Haskeir,
474
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,160
and you told me to stay where
I was on my board on the water,
475
00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,520
and you were going to head off
and look for somewhere for us
476
00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:28,160
to land, a safe spot to land.
477
00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,720
And at that point I'd been
comfortable because you weren't that
478
00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,480
far away from me. Well, I thought
you weren't that far away from me.
479
00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:35,720
But now, all of a sudden,
I felt I was on my own.
480
00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:38,000
And with the noise of the waves
crashing off of Haskeir,
481
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,440
off the rocks around her, then
the sound of the birds flying
482
00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:43,800
above my head and diving
into the water, it was...
483
00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,160
All of that just added up to
not seeing, not really hearing,
484
00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:49,800
and, I'll be honest, that really
kind of freaked me out.
485
00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:55,600
So, Dean, St Kilda is an amazing
place, but you don't see much,
486
00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:57,720
so what do you get out of it?
487
00:23:57,720 --> 00:23:59,360
I do see some things.
488
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:01,960
I don't see the clarity that
you see of the cliffs and that.
489
00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,000
But I get to see the big lumps.
I get the sounds.
490
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,480
I mean, the sounds are amazing,
with the birds and the waves,
491
00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,440
and just the feeling of knowing that
you're out in the middle of nowhere.
492
00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:11,560
That's just amazing on its own.
493
00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:15,040
Now, every couple of years -
or sometimes every year - I get
494
00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:16,840
a phone call from you, with
495
00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,240
another daft idea of an adventure
496
00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:22,200
you want to do, a race you want
to get involved in or a sport
497
00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:23,760
that you've just discovered.
498
00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:26,120
And I'm sitting on a board
that I've never seen before.
499
00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:27,560
So what's the latest?
500
00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:28,800
So this is prone boarding.
501
00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,040
This is my latest passion that I've
got into over the last year or so.
502
00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,520
Prone boarding is, for me,
it's lying down in the water,
503
00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:36,480
front crawling,
powering through the water.
504
00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,000
If you're on the sea, you get
waves thrashing over your head.
505
00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,120
If you're on the lochs, it's just
being that close to the water.
506
00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:44,560
It's an amazing sport.
We're going to find out.
507
00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:46,440
Let's have a go. OK, let's do it.
508
00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:51,880
It's very straightforward.
Most people, if you can swim,
509
00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:55,200
you can prone board. The basic
idea is lying on the board,
510
00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:56,640
get yourself central.
511
00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,400
For me, I lie on my front
and I'm doing front crawl.
512
00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,280
I also do butterfly.
513
00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,040
And many people will actually kneel,
rather than lying down,
514
00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:07,320
and just butterfly almost kneeling
down. It's so straightforward -
515
00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:10,680
like I say, you'll pick
this up in ten seconds.
516
00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:13,680
What is it about this
that appeals to you?
517
00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:15,360
For me, I can do it on my own.
518
00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:17,560
I don't necessarily
need a guide for it.
519
00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:20,280
I can go out on lochs that I know,
such as Tummel, Tay,
520
00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:21,840
my local one, Cluanie.
521
00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,240
I can go out there on my own
and just go out and have fun.
522
00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,720
It's just having that independence,
which I can't do
523
00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,360
if I'm biking or I'm doing
many of the other sports I do,
524
00:25:30,360 --> 00:25:32,800
I need to have someone with me -
this I do on my own.
525
00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:37,360
Saying that, I still
occasionally get lost,
526
00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:38,720
even on places that I know.
527
00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:42,080
Cluanie Loch, I've been paddling,
swimming, kayaking on there for
528
00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,680
ten-plus years and now
I'm lying on these boards,
529
00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:46,520
you're much lower to the water,
530
00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:48,920
so I'm seeing much less
of what's around me.
531
00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:52,080
And even recently I've been
getting lost on Cluanie Loch.
532
00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:58,280
But your vision, you can sometimes
distinguish between dark and light,
533
00:25:58,280 --> 00:25:59,600
the horizon and the sky.
534
00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:01,240
Not today.
535
00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,240
You can sometimes see movement
if it's brightly coloured.
536
00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,920
How on earth are you
navigating when you're out
537
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,520
in the middle of Loch Tay?
538
00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:09,880
That's a big stretch of water,
539
00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:12,080
and that is perfect
for me to get lost on.
540
00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:14,280
So what I have is I have a piece
of kit called Endomondo,
541
00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,240
and it talks to me and tells me
every kilometre,
542
00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:17,520
and how fast I've done.
543
00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:21,560
So if I'm going out, I'll make sure
that, say I'm doing a 10K trip,
544
00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:23,880
I'll do 5K up, five back.
545
00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,000
So when it says my 9th K out of ten,
546
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,200
I know I'm a K within
my end - hopefully I am.
547
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,280
And from that point on,
I count my strokes.
548
00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,480
When I'm lying down, I'm front
crawling, I know it takes me
549
00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,840
500 strokes to cover 1km.
550
00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:41,480
So I'm constantly counting.
551
00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:43,880
So, again, I know when I'm getting
close to that kilometre,
552
00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,160
and I'm normally within
40 strokes of that.
553
00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:48,800
And hopefully when I get
to my tenth kilometre,
554
00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:50,920
if I have gone past
where I'm supposed to finish,
555
00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:53,480
I'm only going to be 20 or 30
metres, maybe 50 metres from it.
556
00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,360
There's always a chance, certainly
in Scotland, that the weather
557
00:26:56,360 --> 00:26:58,280
conditions are going to change.
558
00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,480
Usually it's for the worse. Yes.
559
00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:03,320
If you're then lost,
the weather's changed,
560
00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,040
it's started snowing.
561
00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,560
I know you dress light,
cos I've seen you in action!
562
00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:09,120
Yes.
563
00:27:09,120 --> 00:27:13,120
Have you ever been in a position
where you think, "I've had it"?
564
00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:15,080
I have - fairly recently, in fact,
565
00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,400
whilst prone boarding
on Loch Tummel.
566
00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:19,000
I'd read the forecast,
567
00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,320
everything looked fine
for my abilities.
568
00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,360
When I started off, it actually
was supposed to be 15mph winds,
569
00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:27,320
but it must have been all of five.
Everything was great.
570
00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:31,160
I got halfway up the loch, the rain
came in, a storm whipped up.
571
00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,080
I couldn't see past my deck bag,
which is a foot and a half
572
00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:36,480
from my face, so I couldn't
see the end of my board.
573
00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,600
That started getting scary.
574
00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,960
I knew because the wind was picking
up, the waves were then picking up.
575
00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:44,480
I had to try and straighten myself,
so I was going straight in.
576
00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,040
Any angle against the waves
would have rolled me, so I had to go
577
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:48,560
straight. When the rain stopped,
578
00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:50,240
I found myself in
the middle of the loch
579
00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,040
instead of at the side of it.
580
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:53,360
That was scare number one.
581
00:27:53,360 --> 00:27:56,440
Scare number two was when I had to
then try and turn around
582
00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,040
between the waves
without getting rolled.
583
00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:02,480
Whoa! Ah!
584
00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:05,560
I managed to do that, very luckily.
585
00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:07,720
Then I had scare number three.
586
00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:09,400
The waves were picking up behind me,
587
00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:11,440
and I was just getting
launched down them.
588
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:13,600
Every time I looked over
my left-hand shoulder,
589
00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,680
there were bigger waves
and bigger waves.
590
00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,120
And, yes, on at least two
occasions at that point,
591
00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:20,000
I thought I'd maybe not get home.
592
00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,000
And you keep coming back for more.
I do.
593
00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:23,440
HE LAUGHS
594
00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:24,520
I certainly do.
595
00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:29,920
Well, that was actually a lot
more fun than I thought.
596
00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,800
But I'm going to wait till the
summer before I give it a go again.
597
00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:36,200
I want now to introduce Dean to
a really challenging sport.
598
00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,440
It's brand-new, it's very
exciting, it's very fast,
599
00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:41,480
it requires a lot of balance.
600
00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,520
And it's so new it's got
about five different names.
601
00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:47,000
We're going to call it wing foiling.
602
00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:48,920
And we'll show you that
later in the programme.
603
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:55,320
And while Patrick's perhaps happier
on water, it's time now to join
604
00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:58,120
experienced snowboarder
Duncan McCallum.
605
00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,160
Now, Duncan's been doing
that sport for more years
606
00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:01,760
than he cares to remember.
607
00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:06,000
And back in 2006, between editions
of The Adventure Show, he went
608
00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,920
on one of the first snowboarding
trips to Kashmir -
609
00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:11,680
an exploratory and amazing journey.
610
00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,280
What we're doing here is we're
skinning up from 3,500 metres
611
00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:30,440
to just over four, and I've got
a snowboard that splits in half
612
00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:34,040
that you can put sealskins on,
so you can walk uphill.
613
00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:37,400
And behind us is the whole
of the Indian Himalaya.
614
00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:41,000
It's absolutely extraordinary.
But it is a hot one today.
615
00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:46,320
Top of the world,
about to go down.
616
00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,520
It's really hard to believe that
that trip was almost 15 years ago,
617
00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,760
and my passion for snowboarding
still continues.
618
00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,840
Now Duncan is sharing that passion
with one of Scotland's
619
00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:11,960
top snowboarders, Hannah Bailey,
whose interest in the sport goes way
620
00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,520
beyond simply getting down
a hill quickly.
621
00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:16,000
And, as a photographer,
622
00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:20,400
she also often points her lens
at other related sports.
623
00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,440
I actually took up snowboarding
about 14 years ago,
624
00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:25,360
so when you were over in Kashmir.
625
00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:26,920
And I didn't grow up
in the mountains,
626
00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:28,480
I grew up in Edinburgh,
627
00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,200
and I wasn't aware of
snowboarding when I was younger.
628
00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:34,240
I didn't partake in any
winter sports, actually,
629
00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:36,720
but I was very passionate
about sport and I was also
630
00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:38,880
very passionate about nature.
631
00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:40,280
It wasn't until I left school
632
00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,760
and, you know when you have
that moment, you're thinking,
633
00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:44,240
"What am I going to do
with my life?"
634
00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:47,560
And I decided that I wanted to go
out and just do some travelling
635
00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:50,240
and meet some people and see
some things with my own eyes.
636
00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,400
And that introduced
snowboarding to me.
637
00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,080
And it took me a long time
to properly learn,
638
00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,800
where I felt like I was experienced
and confident to then go into
639
00:30:57,800 --> 00:30:59,400
the back country.
640
00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,160
And from there, I've taken up
splitboarding, which ultimately
641
00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:07,000
is going to more of a ski place,
with the two skis into a board.
642
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,560
Hannah, 15 or 20 years ago, when I
took up snowboarding, I remember
643
00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:13,040
going to resorts
and being told I couldn't go there
644
00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:14,760
because I was a snowboarder.
645
00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:17,360
So it did seem to have
a much wider demographic.
646
00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:20,400
It was everybody from
a housing estate to a lord,
647
00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,560
whereas skiing seemed to be
quite a narrow thing.
648
00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:24,880
Was that part of the community
thing that you liked?
649
00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:26,120
I think it is, yeah.
650
00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:29,600
I felt like it was a very accessible
place and a very welcoming place.
651
00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:31,160
And I felt like, "This is great."
652
00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:35,480
It's a good thing for the world
because everyone is invited.
653
00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,240
This is where it will get
a little bit tricky.
654
00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:43,040
Choose your steps wisely.
655
00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:48,760
But I think, especially through
splitboarding, I'd love to help
656
00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:51,800
more people get into it,
get the access to splitboards,
657
00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:54,080
and the confidence to get out there.
658
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,600
And you don't have to go
to the highest peak
659
00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,320
or you don't have to go
down the steepest gully.
660
00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:02,080
But you can just enjoy a nice,
slow uphill,
661
00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,480
and a nice cruisy downhill.
662
00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:10,520
This is going to stretch
the early morning technique, eh?
663
00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:14,360
Yeah, I know. We're breaking
trail over the burn here.
664
00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,600
Let's hope this goes smoothly.
665
00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,080
Oh, man, I've got to manage
to do that, as well.
666
00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,080
Well, you've got a bigger board
to have to account for, so...
667
00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:29,600
That was...
668
00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,680
All that yoga paying off!
669
00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:33,520
HE LAUGHS
670
00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,040
Those big trees are fab,
aren't they? Out in the left.
671
00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,000
Absolutely beautiful.
I wonder how old they are.
672
00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:46,240
Think of all of the tours
they've seen, and the hikers
673
00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:47,320
over the years. Yeah.
674
00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:52,280
So when you're trying to work out
how many metres or kilometres
675
00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,840
you're doing per hour,
676
00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,440
do you have a calculation you use?
677
00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:01,800
Not so much. I mean, I might
do these walks during the summer,
678
00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,360
and knowing how long it takes then.
679
00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:06,040
And also speaking to people
who've done the route before.
680
00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:08,880
But you have a calculation, don't
you? I'm a wee bit more nerdy.
681
00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:11,120
You're a bit more
mathematical than me.
682
00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:13,680
Yeah, I kind of reckon
if it's really deep snow
683
00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:16,000
and you're going slowish,
684
00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:20,000
maybe 2.5K and 350 metres,
if it's really deep,
685
00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:24,440
or 400 metres of ascent in an hour.
686
00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:30,640
So I think,
looking at the paper map,
687
00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,560
I think we're just below
the C on corrie.
688
00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,360
Do you want to have a look
on your phone and give us
689
00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:37,680
an exact spot?
690
00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:40,560
We've got the route, the GPX
that you sent me before
691
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:44,720
on the route that we're aiming
to do. Really handy here.
692
00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:49,280
Zooming in, though, I see that we're
just after the first burn crossing.
693
00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,800
So we're not quite at where
you're saying - the second burn.
694
00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:55,480
So I'm 500 metres
too optimistic up the hill.
695
00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,160
500 more to go.
696
00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:00,000
But, yeah, no, it's great having it
on this app, and I actually brought
697
00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,400
the paper map, of course, as well.
698
00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:04,680
The phone doesn't last all day,
so it's great to have it
699
00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:06,760
in the traditional sense on a map.
700
00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:08,920
And it looks pretty safe
to get up there.
701
00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:12,320
So we've checked all the reports
and feeling confident about it.
702
00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:16,680
I don't think I've ever
been in the Cairngorms
703
00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:19,920
and it's been like this.
This is like Icelandic beauty.
704
00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:21,920
It's fantastic. It's incredible.
705
00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:23,520
And now we're breaking trail.
706
00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:26,400
This is really what
splitboarding is all about.
707
00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,840
You look down and just see
your splitboard
708
00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:30,840
making the first tracks.
709
00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:35,080
It's really therapy
to get out onto the hill,
710
00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:37,680
slow down, and just be
taking each stride.
711
00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:41,840
And I think that is so,
so valuable about it.
712
00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:46,000
It is a shame that
the barrier to entry -
713
00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,360
the financial barrier -
is quite high.
714
00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:52,120
I wonder how we can try
and solve that.
715
00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:55,720
Well, it's difficult if you've
not tried the activity,
716
00:34:55,720 --> 00:34:57,360
to then go out and buy all the gear.
717
00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:00,120
Yeah. It's hard to find
and it's expensive.
718
00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:05,000
So, yeah, one idea I had recently
was building up a stock
719
00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:09,200
of splitboard set-ups,
just to allow people to be able
720
00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:12,720
to borrow them and kind of
give it a try,
721
00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:16,200
and just giving people
the opportunity to get out there,
722
00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:19,080
see if they like it,
see if they want to invest.
723
00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:23,760
One of the things
that you're a great advocate of
724
00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,520
is increasing the diversity
within mountain sports.
725
00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:32,160
You know, I believe that everyone
should have the right to access
726
00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:35,520
this, and to have this feeling
that we get from snowboarding.
727
00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:37,720
I mean, it's done
the world of good for me.
728
00:35:37,720 --> 00:35:41,640
And so I've committed a lot
of my work to trying to increase
729
00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:47,000
accessibility and increase awareness
of this sport, particularly around
730
00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:49,520
groups that are not shown so much
in the media, because I think
731
00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:52,920
it is very channelled to show
only a certain type of maybe
732
00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:54,800
Alpinist or adventurer,
733
00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:57,320
and there's so many people
that can get out there.
734
00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:01,240
So you just managed to secure
a grant to do a whole project
735
00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:02,960
on female skateboarders.
736
00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:05,520
Of course, the Olympics next year
will include skateboarding
737
00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:08,240
for the first time, and
for me and my work, and with
738
00:36:08,240 --> 00:36:09,480
my photography as well,
739
00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,440
it's very much about using these
opportunities,
740
00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,320
that the spotlight
is on these sports,
741
00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:15,760
whether that's skateboarding,
742
00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:17,920
whether it's splitboarding or
snowboarding,
743
00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,360
to use that spotlight
to show these other people
744
00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:23,240
that are doing it, to show these
other faces, and whether that's
745
00:36:23,240 --> 00:36:27,360
in a way of diversity, gender,
shapes, eyes, hair colour,
746
00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,080
whatever it may be,
747
00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:30,880
that's really, like,
the aim of my work.
748
00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:33,360
And there's all these stories
that are out there already.
749
00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:36,640
And for the past ten years,
I've met these women that snowboard
750
00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:40,240
and skateboard in quite difficult
countries and difficult places.
751
00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:43,440
So, really, my camera is my way
to spread their story.
752
00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,000
And I'm kind of like
the middle human in this
753
00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:47,680
to get it out there for them.
754
00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:52,640
Look at that.
755
00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:58,200
It's definitely living up
to its hill name
756
00:36:58,200 --> 00:36:59,760
of the Windy Hill, isn't it?
757
00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:01,320
Yeah, the Windy Peak. Exactly.
758
00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,640
Oh, it's so spectacular.
759
00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:08,680
Not such a big cornice yet,
but it's building up, isn't it?
760
00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:10,720
Yeah, you definitely have
to be wary.
761
00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:13,920
It's suddenly when you're kind of
on a nice rounded slope and you come
762
00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:18,280
up here and you get that enormous
feeling of space and vertigo.
763
00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:23,320
It's amazing. The sheer drop.
It's huge. absolutely huge.
764
00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:26,240
Is this what skiers call
the splitboard faff?
765
00:37:26,240 --> 00:37:28,800
I'm trying not to make it a faff!
766
00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:31,000
We're trying to make it
look easy, Duncan.
767
00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:32,600
Yeah, with the wind as well,
768
00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:34,640
it's like I don't want
to lose any of this.
769
00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:36,720
Look at you, speeding ahead.
770
00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:43,760
I've just got that, like, thing
of having done this so many times
771
00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,920
with skiers, and you're
always the last one.
772
00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:48,560
They're all eating their sandwiches,
773
00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:52,440
we're just trying to basically
build a board.
774
00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:55,440
But isn't it fascinating that
we're building snowboards
775
00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:58,680
on top of Sgor Gaoith?
I love it. It's so cool.
776
00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:00,640
Do you want to go first? Happy to.
777
00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:03,200
Scoot out, and then straight down.
Scoot out and scoot down.
778
00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:05,360
Woohoo. Here we go.
779
00:38:06,640 --> 00:38:09,160
One of the things for me
that's really important
780
00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:12,920
about being in the mountains,
that you need to be very present.
781
00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:15,200
You need to be in the now.
Definitely.
782
00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:18,040
One of the big factors
is being in the moment
783
00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:19,600
when you're in these sports.
784
00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,280
And it's very addictive
in that sense,
785
00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:22,880
because we live such busy lives,
786
00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:24,920
our phones are going off nonstop.
787
00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:27,520
But as soon as you're out there
in nature, your mind
788
00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:29,520
is just there.
789
00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:31,360
Whoo! Beautiful.
790
00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:35,800
And I think it's also about
being aware of your surroundings,
791
00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:40,520
obviously for your safety, but also
just the beauty of it, as well.
792
00:38:41,720 --> 00:38:44,560
It just grounds you
because we're in the Cairngorms.
793
00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:47,000
It's such a massive landscape
and environment.
794
00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:48,600
We are so tiny within it.
795
00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:50,680
And I think that just brings you
back down to Earth.
796
00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:54,320
Great day. Great day.
Really amazing.
797
00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:56,840
Scotland delivered,
lucky to live here.
798
00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:58,560
Look at those views.
799
00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,480
And there's at least another
400 metres of boarding to do,
800
00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:03,400
that should be quite good.
801
00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:06,600
Do you think you've got it left
in you, though? Och, aye.
802
00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:07,960
THEY LAUGH
803
00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:10,440
"Do you think you've got it
left in you?"
804
00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:14,000
Happy to report that, despite
his advancing years,
805
00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:15,640
Duncan made it back safe.
806
00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:18,480
And I guess, when there's so much
snow around, and we're in the middle
807
00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:22,040
of a pandemic, "safe"
is a pretty important word.
808
00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:24,680
And I have to tell you,
I'm pretty worried and scared
809
00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:26,880
about being caught in an avalanche.
810
00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:30,520
Now, of course, we have the Scottish
Avalanche Information Service,
811
00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:34,240
who provide regular updates on
the internet, and also recently
812
00:39:34,240 --> 00:39:36,160
on a phone-based app.
813
00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:39,000
But what happens if one
of your friends gets avalanched?
814
00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:42,680
Well, Zoe Laird and I were taught
by Alison Thacker how to use
815
00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:44,120
the vital equipment.
816
00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:50,400
If you unzip your jacket,
so you can see your transceiver,
817
00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:53,600
and if you undo that orange clip
on the front and take the unit
818
00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:57,480
out of its carrier, we're going to,
first of all, learn how to put
819
00:39:57,480 --> 00:39:59,120
it into search mode.
820
00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:02,200
You've got to press down
the button on the left
821
00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:06,800
and then move the right-hand button
right across to the right-hand side,
822
00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:09,840
so it's in line
with the word "search".
823
00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:10,960
Got that.
824
00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:13,000
BEEPING
Ooh. And it should start beeping.
825
00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:16,000
I've got numbers and arrows now.
And giving you number and arrows!
826
00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:18,040
So what you're going to do
is you're going to follow
827
00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:19,320
the arrow. OK.
828
00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:22,280
Ensure that the numbers
are going down. Yes.
829
00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:24,320
And the beeping should increase.
830
00:40:24,320 --> 00:40:27,000
Numbers going down.
Oh, beeping increasing.
831
00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:28,240
So that's an indication
832
00:40:28,240 --> 00:40:30,360
you're getting much closer
to the device.
833
00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:32,240
BEEPING INCREASES
834
00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:35,920
And I've got, like, a...
Almost like a cross. Great.
835
00:40:35,920 --> 00:40:38,240
So when you get that cross,
you're going to get
836
00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:40,840
down at surface level. OK.
837
00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:45,680
And you now want to ensure you keep
your transceiver orientated
838
00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:48,560
in the same direction...
OK. ..the whole time.
839
00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:50,160
So I've got here,
840
00:40:50,160 --> 00:40:52,760
and then the next step is to
841
00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:54,800
bring out the shovel and the probe?
842
00:40:54,800 --> 00:40:57,680
Not yet. What we do is
we do a fine search,
843
00:40:57,680 --> 00:40:59,600
so that we've actually pinpointed
844
00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:02,560
exactly where we want to put
our probe to start with.
845
00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:04,440
What we're trying to do
is create a box.
846
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:09,320
So there's a line there...
And then what I can do
847
00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:11,040
is I can draw a cross.
848
00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:15,400
And I know that my closest signal
849
00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:17,560
is right in that central point,
850
00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:19,160
and that's where my first
851
00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:20,960
probe strike is going to go.
852
00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:22,840
And then I can probe out
853
00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:25,840
in a spiral motion until I'm certain
854
00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:27,280
that I've probed something
855
00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:28,480
that's a body.
856
00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:31,160
So if there's a group of people
there, when someone, Zoe is doing
857
00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:34,040
this, would someone else be putting
the probe and the shovel together?
858
00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:35,240
Exactly.
859
00:41:35,240 --> 00:41:38,640
Your chance of survival decreases
significantly if you've been buried
860
00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:40,400
for more than 15 minutes
under the snow.
861
00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:43,440
So if you're going to spend another
five minutes putting your shovel
862
00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:46,800
and probe together, then you've lost
a significant amount of time.
863
00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:49,320
So the quicker you can get that
equipment together, the better.
864
00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:50,640
Wow. So I see,
865
00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:53,680
that's why it's really important
to practise, because doing
866
00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:57,680
it quickly is... It's got to be,
like, automatic, like putting
867
00:41:57,680 --> 00:41:59,720
on a seat belt or something.
Exactly.
868
00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:03,480
And if the worst should happen,
869
00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:06,680
we have an amazing
system of mountain rescue,
870
00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:09,920
with teams made up entirely
of volunteers.
871
00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:12,560
There are 24 teams in Scotland,
872
00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:16,280
and we joined the Cairngorm Mountain
Rescue team on a winter training
873
00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:19,520
exercise to see exactly
how they work.
874
00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:23,760
And just to be clear, this item
was filmed before the post-Christmas
875
00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:25,640
restrictions were put in place.
876
00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:28,600
We're going to just go through some
avalanche transceiver stuff here,
877
00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:30,920
sort out some kit
and head up the hill.
878
00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:32,880
We're going to work in
two separate groups,
879
00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:34,920
with the stuff we built on
on Thursday night,
880
00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:37,520
for those that were here, we're
going to look at that in context.
881
00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:40,080
And if time allows, we might come
together and look at a slightly
882
00:42:40,080 --> 00:42:41,840
bigger scenario, but we'll maybe
883
00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:43,960
just see what time
is like by that point.
884
00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:47,920
Today, they're heading out
onto the Cairngorms Plateau.
885
00:42:47,920 --> 00:42:52,920
Covid-19 has had a massive impact
on their day-to-day operations.
886
00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:54,680
For team leader Iain Cornfoot,
887
00:42:54,680 --> 00:42:56,440
it's been a year like no other.
888
00:42:56,440 --> 00:43:00,920
2020 has been very different
to a normal year for us
889
00:43:00,920 --> 00:43:03,600
as a mountain rescue team.
To start with,
890
00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:06,960
we didn't know if we're going
to be going out on call-outs
891
00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:11,160
after the whole Covid thing
really kicked off.
892
00:43:11,160 --> 00:43:13,920
There's a lot of risks involved in
being in a mountain rescue team,
893
00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:15,400
and dangers in the mountains.
894
00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:19,440
But I think Covid just added
an extra bit of complexity
895
00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:22,320
to all those risks.
896
00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:27,040
Call-outs used to involve everyone
piling into the base together,
897
00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:30,400
lots of people,
everyone in the equipment store,
898
00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:33,440
lots of people everywhere,
people in the kitchen grabbing
899
00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:35,640
themselves cups of tea
before they move out.
900
00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:37,680
So that's actually
all had to change.
901
00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:43,200
And the general idea is we call out
within our little groups,
902
00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:45,200
and then when we arrive at base
903
00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:47,440
we stay outside,
rather than going inside.
904
00:43:47,440 --> 00:43:49,280
One or two people who need to will
905
00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:52,320
go will go in and get the equipment,
try and limit the number of people
906
00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:55,640
per vehicle,
wearing masks in vehicles,
907
00:43:55,640 --> 00:43:58,720
just everything takes a bit longer.
908
00:43:58,720 --> 00:44:00,440
Everything, you just have to think
909
00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:02,320
a wee bit more about
what you're doing.
910
00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:06,120
Gill is one of the team doctors,
and therefore very aware
911
00:44:06,120 --> 00:44:10,000
of the importance of these training
exercises, as the team continually
912
00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:12,840
adapt to our Covid-19 world.
913
00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:15,360
Today, they're
working on core skills
914
00:44:15,360 --> 00:44:18,400
for getting people off
the hills safely.
915
00:44:18,400 --> 00:44:23,920
The idea is that you're setting up
belays with ropes to lower somebody
916
00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:26,760
down to a casualty, to collect
the casualty and bring them back
917
00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:28,440
up again, or lower the casualty
918
00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:31,640
right the way down back down
to the ground again.
919
00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:34,640
To actually make it realistic,
to know what you'd actually do
920
00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:37,080
in a situation in a real rescue,
you actually do need
921
00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:40,120
to be in the hills
in a realistic situation,
922
00:44:40,120 --> 00:44:43,120
practising where can you put
your belays, rather than saying,
923
00:44:43,120 --> 00:44:45,440
"Oh, we'd just put it
as a few big blocks,"
924
00:44:45,440 --> 00:44:46,760
you can set up a proper belay.
925
00:44:46,760 --> 00:44:49,360
You have to dig it out the snow
cos it's a snowy day today.
926
00:44:49,360 --> 00:44:52,440
You do put things down and they
disappear into the snow.
927
00:44:52,440 --> 00:44:56,320
So just all those things, just to
make it a bit more realistic.
928
00:44:56,320 --> 00:44:59,800
The rough scenario would be build an
anchor at an appropriate place
929
00:44:59,800 --> 00:45:02,600
back from the edge, and then one
person on the end of the rope is
930
00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:07,080
going down, body weight, and you're
basically doing a crag snatch
931
00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:10,120
to recover someone
who's stuck on the slope.
932
00:45:10,120 --> 00:45:13,360
This is going to be probably
the types of conditions
933
00:45:13,360 --> 00:45:15,840
that we're mostly out rescuing in.
934
00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:18,920
And even just getting up the hill
today was a bit of a challenge,
935
00:45:18,920 --> 00:45:22,120
with the depth of snow
through some of the rocky areas.
936
00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:26,480
So as part of our training process,
on Thursday night, before today,
937
00:45:26,480 --> 00:45:30,240
we've gone and done all
the rigging practice
938
00:45:30,240 --> 00:45:33,800
that we're doing today, to be able
to just work through some issues,
939
00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:37,760
and the people who haven't seen the
systems can get involved in that.
940
00:45:37,760 --> 00:45:40,520
That's not going to move, is it?
941
00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:43,800
Right. Is everyone happy
with what I've done here?
942
00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:49,200
So if any of those fail,
these are all independent,
943
00:45:49,200 --> 00:45:51,440
cos they all go
through the big knot.
944
00:45:51,440 --> 00:45:55,720
Every member of the team
gives up their time to prepare,
945
00:45:55,720 --> 00:45:57,200
train and rescue
946
00:45:57,200 --> 00:46:00,080
those in difficulty
or danger on the hill.
947
00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:01,520
It's a huge commitment.
948
00:46:01,520 --> 00:46:03,720
I think, for most of the team,
949
00:46:03,720 --> 00:46:06,320
it's being able to help people
in the mountains who may
950
00:46:06,320 --> 00:46:07,640
be in difficulty.
951
00:46:07,640 --> 00:46:10,240
And that's kind of what they
would like to happen to them
952
00:46:10,240 --> 00:46:13,880
if they were mountaineering
and they became injured
953
00:46:13,880 --> 00:46:15,280
or lost themselves.
954
00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:18,200
People are so grateful.
955
00:46:18,200 --> 00:46:20,320
They might have been a bit silly,
and they know that,
956
00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:22,520
but always so grateful,
delighted to see you.
957
00:46:22,520 --> 00:46:23,960
You get a huge buzz out of that.
958
00:46:23,960 --> 00:46:26,040
People say, "Oh, thank goodness
you're here."
959
00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:29,320
"Oh, wow." What seems
to us as nothing huge,
960
00:46:29,320 --> 00:46:31,560
it can be folk lost on the plateau,
961
00:46:31,560 --> 00:46:34,400
which we still get, and,
you know, inadequately equipped,
962
00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:36,600
or they're just a bit cold
and miserable.
963
00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:39,400
And to them, suddenly,
the cavalry has come.
964
00:46:40,640 --> 00:46:43,640
A lot of people probably you would
put in the tourist bracket,
965
00:46:43,640 --> 00:46:44,920
that we rescue
966
00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:48,440
probably think that we are
a paid service.
967
00:46:48,440 --> 00:46:51,080
So they... You know, they ask
how long are we on shift for,
968
00:46:51,080 --> 00:46:54,360
or something like that, or do we
like doing our job, sort of thing.
969
00:46:54,360 --> 00:46:55,600
So they don't understand
970
00:46:55,600 --> 00:46:58,640
that, you know, when we're out
rescuing them, that's purely
971
00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:00,000
as a volunteer role.
972
00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:02,680
Whereas I think the more experienced
sort of hill-goers
973
00:47:02,680 --> 00:47:05,680
are quite aware of that
and very supportive of what we do.
974
00:47:07,560 --> 00:47:11,480
And we've probably seen that a
little bit more this year, maybe, as
well.
975
00:47:11,480 --> 00:47:14,240
Just after lockdown,
as there were more people that
976
00:47:14,240 --> 00:47:18,000
maybe didn't go into the mountains
and hills in Scotland before
977
00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:22,640
have started travelling up to
the Highlands in particular
and getting out,
978
00:47:22,640 --> 00:47:28,040
which is great, but it just comes
with a few added challenges
for the rescue team.
979
00:47:28,040 --> 00:47:31,120
Is that OK, Jill?
Absolutely fine, yeah. Steady.
980
00:47:31,120 --> 00:47:33,880
Try and keep it like that
all the way.
981
00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:37,600
These volunteers come from
a wide variety of backgrounds.
982
00:47:37,600 --> 00:47:40,040
However, what unites them all
983
00:47:40,040 --> 00:47:44,080
is a shared love of our mountains
and wild places.
984
00:47:44,080 --> 00:47:46,000
You all right with that, Jill? OK?
985
00:47:46,000 --> 00:47:48,960
Fine, yeah. Shall we stop there?
Yeah.
986
00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:53,400
The Scottish mountains are always
about a challenge in some form.
987
00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:55,200
OK, off the rope.
988
00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:59,120
The weather we get is very
changeable. It can be very extreme.
989
00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:02,400
And it's just absolutely stunning
to be out when it's...
990
00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:04,480
..when there's snow cover.
991
00:48:04,480 --> 00:48:08,680
This is a benign day today,
but it's unlikely to be like this
992
00:48:08,680 --> 00:48:10,320
most days during the winter.
993
00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:13,640
It's going to be a major challenge
to be able to get around
994
00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:17,280
and to function and to be able
to achieve your goals,
995
00:48:17,280 --> 00:48:20,440
so some people really like
that challenge.
996
00:48:22,760 --> 00:48:25,560
You don't really get anywhere
quite like this anywhere else.
997
00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:29,440
Up on the Cairngorm plateau,
miles of snow and things.
998
00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:31,400
And if it is a good day, great.
999
00:48:31,400 --> 00:48:34,280
If it's not, it's a challenge.
1000
00:48:34,280 --> 00:48:36,520
And obviously, you can climb,
you can ski,
1001
00:48:36,520 --> 00:48:40,160
all the other things that you can do
in snow that you can't do otherwise.
1002
00:48:40,160 --> 00:48:42,400
The Scottish hills in winter
are pretty special.
1003
00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:48,640
And that's exactly why we're
staying with the white stuff.
1004
00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:50,400
Earlier in the programme,
1005
00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:53,400
we saw the outstanding skiing
of Finbar Doig.
1006
00:48:53,400 --> 00:48:56,400
Another backcountry star
is Amy Marwick.
1007
00:48:56,400 --> 00:49:00,280
In recent years, she's been at
the forefront of Scottish skiing -
1008
00:49:00,280 --> 00:49:02,320
and here's why.
1009
00:49:02,320 --> 00:49:06,160
I do really enjoy
skiing deeper terrain.
1010
00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:08,160
I love to kind of find myself
1011
00:49:08,160 --> 00:49:10,920
in a kind of more technical descent,
1012
00:49:10,920 --> 00:49:15,000
where you're kind of having
to really think about each turn
1013
00:49:15,000 --> 00:49:18,880
and you're sort of really in
the moment of what you're doing.
1014
00:49:22,200 --> 00:49:23,720
Woohoo!
1015
00:49:23,720 --> 00:49:26,280
I do it for the fun and the,
1016
00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:30,360
sort of, the thrill of enjoying the
motion
1017
00:49:30,360 --> 00:49:32,560
and the feeling of skiing down.
1018
00:49:32,560 --> 00:49:35,640
For me, there's not something
mystical about it,
1019
00:49:35,640 --> 00:49:38,120
it's more just...
It's just good fun.
1020
00:49:38,120 --> 00:49:40,880
And, like, the feeling of getting
to the bottom and looking up
1021
00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:43,120
and seeing your friend coming down
after you,
1022
00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:45,320
or getting to the bottom
and getting a high-five
1023
00:49:45,320 --> 00:49:49,480
and just feeling really accomplished
that you've skied a section
1024
00:49:49,480 --> 00:49:53,480
that, like...that, like, looks
really intimidating, potentially,
1025
00:49:53,480 --> 00:49:57,960
or it might just have been
really nice turns, but...
1026
00:49:57,960 --> 00:50:01,200
Yeah, it just feels really good fun.
1027
00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:06,560
But Amy is not an adrenaline
junkie - far from it.
1028
00:50:06,560 --> 00:50:10,960
For me, like, the actual just ski
touring and just getting out there
1029
00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:14,240
is what it's really all about.
1030
00:50:14,240 --> 00:50:18,160
More and more, I'm realising
that my enjoyment
1031
00:50:18,160 --> 00:50:21,360
comes out of just being outside
and being in the mountains,
1032
00:50:21,360 --> 00:50:24,760
and it doesn't actually
matter what terrain I'm on
1033
00:50:24,760 --> 00:50:26,200
or what the weather's doing.
1034
00:50:28,320 --> 00:50:32,880
I mean, I feel like I've barely
scratched the surface of the terrain
1035
00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:37,280
that is possible to ski in Scotland
on a good snow year
1036
00:50:37,280 --> 00:50:42,680
and there are just an array
of options to get out and explore.
1037
00:50:43,840 --> 00:50:48,680
Amy's love of backcountry skiing
has now developed into a career.
1038
00:50:48,680 --> 00:50:51,560
As a ski instructor,
she shares her passion
1039
00:50:51,560 --> 00:50:53,800
for the mountains and wild places.
1040
00:50:53,800 --> 00:50:56,240
It was never, like,
a conscious decision,
1041
00:50:56,240 --> 00:51:00,280
it just snowballed and I just got
more and more involved in skiing.
1042
00:51:02,200 --> 00:51:04,240
The ski industry is one
of those industries
1043
00:51:04,240 --> 00:51:08,040
that, if you want to work
and live that experience,
1044
00:51:08,040 --> 00:51:11,680
then you have to really kind of
carve out a living for yourself
1045
00:51:11,680 --> 00:51:16,040
and just keep going in all
the possibilities that you can.
1046
00:51:16,040 --> 00:51:19,400
So, obviously, my bread and butter
is teaching skiing
1047
00:51:19,400 --> 00:51:23,320
and that's just instructing
mostly in France,
1048
00:51:23,320 --> 00:51:26,720
and that's probably the way
I earn my living.
1049
00:51:26,720 --> 00:51:28,160
But, in addition to that,
1050
00:51:28,160 --> 00:51:30,800
I work writing articles
and bits and pieces,
1051
00:51:30,800 --> 00:51:33,960
doing some ski-touring guiding
in Scotland, obviously,
1052
00:51:33,960 --> 00:51:38,320
and just kind of being open
to whatever possibilities come up.
1053
00:51:38,320 --> 00:51:41,680
And, in the summertime,
1054
00:51:41,680 --> 00:51:44,320
yeah, I've done all sorts
of different jobs
1055
00:51:44,320 --> 00:51:47,160
to kind of allow myself to ski
through the winter.
1056
00:51:50,680 --> 00:51:53,960
Sometimes, when I'm at home
and I've got my cup of tea,
1057
00:51:53,960 --> 00:51:57,520
I do have to force myself to sort of
get going on a rainy day,
1058
00:51:57,520 --> 00:52:00,040
or if I know it's going to be
really windy and cold.
1059
00:52:00,040 --> 00:52:03,000
But, actually, once you get walking
1060
00:52:03,000 --> 00:52:05,560
and you're out in the environment
1061
00:52:05,560 --> 00:52:08,400
and the terrain kind of unfolds
before you,
1062
00:52:08,400 --> 00:52:12,320
and you sort of see
all the possibilities of where
you can go that day,
1063
00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:15,520
the actual weather sort
of stops bothering you
1064
00:52:15,520 --> 00:52:18,200
and you just enjoy being outside.
1065
00:52:18,200 --> 00:52:22,400
Amy Marwick putting a capital A
into adventure.
1066
00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:26,400
That was truly inspirational.
1067
00:52:26,400 --> 00:52:28,080
Lots more to come
on The Adventure Show.
1068
00:52:28,080 --> 00:52:31,520
We'll be returning to the
backcountry later in the programme.
1069
00:52:33,960 --> 00:52:35,920
Whoo!
1070
00:52:35,920 --> 00:52:38,600
But, before that, we'll go in search
of the most remote place
1071
00:52:38,600 --> 00:52:40,840
on the Scottish mainland.
1072
00:52:40,840 --> 00:52:44,320
This snow is so thick,
1073
00:52:44,320 --> 00:52:46,640
it's really slowing us down.
1074
00:52:48,600 --> 00:52:51,680
And we'll do a bit of scrambling
in Glencoe.
1075
00:52:51,680 --> 00:52:55,680
I really enjoy scrambling - it just
adds a wee bit more interest to the
day.
1076
00:52:55,680 --> 00:52:58,120
It's a bit more of a challenge.
1077
00:52:58,120 --> 00:53:01,360
When I'm scrambling, I don't really
think about the uphill.
1078
00:53:01,360 --> 00:53:02,800
You're so focused on other stuff,
1079
00:53:02,800 --> 00:53:05,240
it's kind of a bit more of
a surprise when you get to the top.
1080
00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:10,680
Now, meet Jenny Graham -
1081
00:53:10,680 --> 00:53:13,520
somebody who only got into
adventure sports
1082
00:53:13,520 --> 00:53:16,520
when she found an access course
at her local college.
1083
00:53:16,520 --> 00:53:19,800
Who would have thought she'd
have been the fastest woman EVER
1084
00:53:19,800 --> 00:53:21,680
to cycle right around the world?
1085
00:53:21,680 --> 00:53:24,480
And get this -
she did it without any support.
1086
00:53:24,480 --> 00:53:26,280
Now, THAT is impressive!
1087
00:53:28,160 --> 00:53:30,400
Opportunities happen all the time,
1088
00:53:30,400 --> 00:53:33,080
and sometimes we're just not ready
to take them on board
1089
00:53:33,080 --> 00:53:34,640
and then they pass us by
1090
00:53:34,640 --> 00:53:37,200
and someone else takes them on
and then runs with them.
1091
00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:40,360
So it's that thing - I was ready.
I was ready for it
1092
00:53:40,360 --> 00:53:42,360
and then these opportunities
came my way.
1093
00:53:42,360 --> 00:53:45,280
But it was big chat.
It was really big chat!
1094
00:53:45,280 --> 00:53:47,680
Saying that I was going to
ride around the world
1095
00:53:47,680 --> 00:53:50,360
and break the Guinness World Record
and put myself up there
1096
00:53:50,360 --> 00:53:52,640
with all these, you know, people
that I admired
1097
00:53:52,640 --> 00:53:55,880
and would go and see at talks
and would watch their films
1098
00:53:55,880 --> 00:54:00,280
and be like, "Whoa! I could actually
be, you know, an adventurer."
1099
00:54:00,280 --> 00:54:02,320
That was...that was a big deal.
1100
00:54:02,320 --> 00:54:03,960
Oh!
1101
00:54:03,960 --> 00:54:08,920
Jenny's world record attempt spanned
four continents, took 124 days
1102
00:54:08,920 --> 00:54:12,280
and covered nearly 18,500 miles.
1103
00:54:12,280 --> 00:54:14,920
And she chose to begin and end
in Berlin,
1104
00:54:14,920 --> 00:54:18,360
rather than her home city
of Inverness.
1105
00:54:18,360 --> 00:54:22,640
In comparison, today's bike ride
is infinitely more accessible.
1106
00:54:22,640 --> 00:54:24,760
It's a ten-and-a-half-mile
roundtrip,
1107
00:54:24,760 --> 00:54:28,280
setting off from Achnashellach
station in Wester Ross.
1108
00:54:28,280 --> 00:54:32,440
But getting out on a bike
in winter is still a challenge.
1109
00:54:32,440 --> 00:54:35,280
We've come up to Achnashellach
this morning
1110
00:54:35,280 --> 00:54:37,840
and we're going to go round
one of the most classic
1111
00:54:37,840 --> 00:54:41,120
mountain-biking routes in Scotland,
Achnashellach Loop.
1112
00:54:41,120 --> 00:54:44,360
But it's going to have
a little bit of a twist today
1113
00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:46,320
cos, instead of coming down
the gorge,
1114
00:54:46,320 --> 00:54:48,720
we're going to be hiking up it.
1115
00:54:48,720 --> 00:54:52,520
So I can imagine every mountain
biker in the country
1116
00:54:52,520 --> 00:54:55,040
is going to be screaming
at the telly right now, saying,
1117
00:54:55,040 --> 00:54:56,760
"What are you doing?!
1118
00:54:56,760 --> 00:55:00,120
"That is the classic mountain-biking
route in Scotland
1119
00:55:00,120 --> 00:55:02,240
"and you're walking up it
with a bike."
1120
00:55:02,240 --> 00:55:05,200
But do you know what? I've never
walked up it with my bike before,
1121
00:55:05,200 --> 00:55:08,640
so it's good to try new things,
isn't it?
1122
00:55:08,640 --> 00:55:11,760
Oh! Wow! So pretty!
1123
00:55:15,120 --> 00:55:17,160
My route this morning takes me up
1124
00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:22,320
in-between two Munros -
Sgorr Ruadh and Beinn Liath Mhor.
1125
00:55:22,320 --> 00:55:25,360
And, oh, boy, it's my first view!
1126
00:55:27,920 --> 00:55:29,560
Ha-ha-ha!
1127
00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:31,080
It's looking good!
1128
00:55:38,360 --> 00:55:43,280
The route's just starting to climb
up now and it is just gorgeous!
1129
00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:47,120
It's one of those days where you're
getting your head into the climb
1130
00:55:47,120 --> 00:55:49,640
and then you lift up
and you're like, "Wow!"
1131
00:55:52,080 --> 00:55:55,080
The rest of our lives are so busy,
1132
00:55:55,080 --> 00:55:58,280
not only practically,
but also digitally now, as well.
1133
00:55:58,280 --> 00:56:01,720
You know, like, life is full-on,
people are asking a lot of us
1134
00:56:01,720 --> 00:56:04,320
and our minds are constantly going.
1135
00:56:04,320 --> 00:56:06,000
But when I've got a day on the hill,
1136
00:56:06,000 --> 00:56:09,920
I've got a day on the hill and that
is all that is going on in my head.
1137
00:56:11,960 --> 00:56:15,840
I'm not thinking about
my to-do list, my emails,
what bills I've got to pay,
1138
00:56:15,840 --> 00:56:18,120
the fact that my car's just failed
its MOT!
1139
00:56:18,120 --> 00:56:20,840
You know, it gives you perspective,
doesn't it?
1140
00:56:24,600 --> 00:56:26,600
I work a lot with young girls
and women,
1141
00:56:26,600 --> 00:56:29,400
and I think it's so important
that they see it,
1142
00:56:29,400 --> 00:56:32,680
like, we show our young girls
that being feminine
1143
00:56:32,680 --> 00:56:35,000
can also mean being muddy,
being sweaty,
1144
00:56:35,000 --> 00:56:37,280
being dirty, going hard on the hill.
1145
00:56:37,280 --> 00:56:38,960
You know, you can do all that stuff.
1146
00:56:40,240 --> 00:56:44,200
Do you know what? It'd probably be
a bit slidey to ride down, anyway,
today.
1147
00:56:45,920 --> 00:56:49,440
And it's also important that
they see another woman doing it
1148
00:56:49,440 --> 00:56:53,760
because I think, if it's male
predominant, white-male predominant,
1149
00:56:53,760 --> 00:56:55,960
then young people looking up
are, like,
1150
00:56:55,960 --> 00:56:57,600
"Well, maybe that's not for me".
1151
00:56:59,720 --> 00:57:01,640
These places are for everybody.
1152
00:57:03,160 --> 00:57:05,440
Oh, there's the little deer!
1153
00:57:05,440 --> 00:57:08,800
They're very chilled, aren't they?
1154
00:57:08,800 --> 00:57:10,800
Must be hungry, huh?
1155
00:57:13,040 --> 00:57:16,840
So that's me, made my way up the
toughest bit off the gorge there
1156
00:57:16,840 --> 00:57:20,560
and most of the climbing's
out of the way,
and the hiking with the bike,
1157
00:57:20,560 --> 00:57:23,160
and I've just got these
little sections that lure you in
1158
00:57:23,160 --> 00:57:25,840
and make you believe that you can
ride your bike a little bit.
1159
00:57:26,960 --> 00:57:29,760
It'll be a bit stoppy-starty,
but I'm just going to see
what I can get in.
1160
00:57:31,120 --> 00:57:32,600
SHE CHUCKLES
1161
00:57:34,920 --> 00:57:38,000
Do you know, around the world,
when I look at it, it's, like,
1162
00:57:38,000 --> 00:57:40,680
that's huge. You know, that's
massive. It was a massive trip,
1163
00:57:40,680 --> 00:57:43,920
but it actually felt like
a really natural progression.
1164
00:57:43,920 --> 00:57:45,840
You know, I was doing
these adventures,
1165
00:57:45,840 --> 00:57:47,560
I was going away and living on
my bike,
1166
00:57:47,560 --> 00:57:51,480
I was travelling to foreign places,
going on my own.
1167
00:57:51,480 --> 00:57:54,200
I was, you know, building up
my endurance
1168
00:57:54,200 --> 00:57:59,080
and my sort of love for that kind
of adventure over years and years.
1169
00:58:03,000 --> 00:58:05,400
I was trying to ride
for 15 hours a day.
1170
00:58:05,400 --> 00:58:07,280
I was completely self-supported,
1171
00:58:07,280 --> 00:58:11,160
so I just carried on my bike what I
needed to sleep and to stay warm
1172
00:58:11,160 --> 00:58:14,400
and to fix myself or my bike
if either of us broke.
1173
00:58:14,400 --> 00:58:17,240
And carry enough food, you know,
for a couple of days,
1174
00:58:17,240 --> 00:58:19,880
sometimes in sort of remote places.
1175
00:58:19,880 --> 00:58:23,440
So it was a very... It was
a very simplistic way of living.
1176
00:58:23,440 --> 00:58:26,120
I basically had to stay on
that saddle
1177
00:58:26,120 --> 00:58:28,880
for as long as I could
every single day
1178
00:58:28,880 --> 00:58:32,080
and then sleep for as little
as possible.
1179
00:58:32,080 --> 00:58:34,920
But, you know, it's a fine balance,
isn't it? Get enough sleep
1180
00:58:34,920 --> 00:58:37,360
that I've got enough energy
to ride the next day.
1181
00:58:37,360 --> 00:58:40,000
But equally, there was no, like,
ten-hour lie-ins there.
1182
00:58:40,000 --> 00:58:44,280
And cafe stops, just making sure
you're not staring at your feet
for too long,
1183
00:58:44,280 --> 00:58:47,720
you're actually getting back out
the door and getting on your bike!
1184
00:58:47,720 --> 00:58:51,760
So that was, you know, the whole way
around, 18,000 miles,
1185
00:58:51,760 --> 00:58:53,760
just getting into
that sort of rhythm.
1186
00:58:55,960 --> 00:58:59,280
Everybody wants to know
about the rubbish places I slept.
1187
00:58:59,280 --> 00:59:01,520
You know, that was the thing
that I would tell,
1188
00:59:01,520 --> 00:59:04,720
that I would post on social
media about the most, I think.
1189
00:59:04,720 --> 00:59:06,320
Whoo!
1190
00:59:06,320 --> 00:59:08,800
It was important that I found
somewhere safe to sleep,
1191
00:59:08,800 --> 00:59:11,160
but I was never looking for
a good view.
1192
00:59:11,160 --> 00:59:13,800
You know, it wasn't like if you
go out camping and you're touring,
1193
00:59:13,800 --> 00:59:16,400
you're looking for all these,
"Oh, where's the sun coming up?"
1194
00:59:16,400 --> 00:59:18,360
God, I didn't care about
the sun coming up,
1195
00:59:18,360 --> 00:59:20,720
I cared where the next coffee stop
was!
1196
00:59:20,720 --> 00:59:23,960
I wanted coffee in the morning
as soon as I woke up.
1197
00:59:25,400 --> 00:59:27,120
Whoo!
1198
00:59:27,120 --> 00:59:29,120
When I was out in Australia
1199
00:59:29,120 --> 00:59:32,320
and it was extremely bad weather
out there,
1200
00:59:32,320 --> 00:59:35,760
there was toilet stops, like,
truck or toilet stops, and stuff,
1201
00:59:35,760 --> 00:59:37,960
or bus shelters
that I could get into
1202
00:59:37,960 --> 00:59:40,320
and just get
that little bit of shelter.
1203
00:59:42,360 --> 00:59:44,560
And then, out in Alaska and Canada,
1204
00:59:44,560 --> 00:59:47,000
I mean, I was terrified of
the bears.
1205
00:59:47,000 --> 00:59:50,480
As soon as it got dark, I was
imagining them coming up behind me,
1206
00:59:50,480 --> 00:59:53,480
like, tiptoeing up behind me
and tapping me on the shoulder,
1207
00:59:53,480 --> 00:59:55,480
you know, eating me on the spot.
1208
00:59:55,480 --> 00:59:59,320
So I had to do what I could
just to keep going when it got dark.
1209
00:59:59,320 --> 01:00:02,680
And I'd look for, again,
any sort of toilet stops,
1210
01:00:02,680 --> 01:00:06,080
any sort of sheds that I could find,
just so I could lock the door.
1211
01:00:06,080 --> 01:00:08,320
Like, that would never have kept
a bear out,
1212
01:00:08,320 --> 01:00:12,320
but, in my mind, I just needed
to get out of the way of them.
1213
01:00:15,160 --> 01:00:19,720
I just believe that everybody
has got their own round-the-world.
1214
01:00:19,720 --> 01:00:23,400
You know, not everybody wants
to ride around it, like I did,
1215
01:00:23,400 --> 01:00:27,120
but we've all got that thing
that absolutely terrifies us
1216
01:00:27,120 --> 01:00:30,520
when we think about, you know,
that we might want to do it.
1217
01:00:30,520 --> 01:00:35,960
That barrier for me, now, like,
something's opened in my mind,
1218
01:00:35,960 --> 01:00:37,800
you know, and I can see, I just know
1219
01:00:37,800 --> 01:00:41,880
that if I can get to the
start line - not the finish line!
1220
01:00:41,880 --> 01:00:45,680
You know, so much of that was
chance, to get to the finish line.
1221
01:00:45,680 --> 01:00:48,160
If I can get to the start line
of a trip like that,
1222
01:00:48,160 --> 01:00:50,720
then we are all capable!
1223
01:00:50,720 --> 01:00:52,000
Whoa!
1224
01:00:52,000 --> 01:00:53,360
Ha!
1225
01:00:56,240 --> 01:00:58,680
You know, riding from the top
of the gorge
1226
01:00:58,680 --> 01:01:01,920
and that beautiful,
flowy single track
1227
01:01:01,920 --> 01:01:05,440
just goes to show that you should
never write a route off
1228
01:01:05,440 --> 01:01:07,280
as only being one way round
1229
01:01:07,280 --> 01:01:10,320
because I was a bit dubious
about carrying my bike up
1230
01:01:10,320 --> 01:01:12,880
what I knew was going to be
a really nice descent.
1231
01:01:12,880 --> 01:01:16,120
But, actually, I just got
the most incredible riding,
1232
01:01:16,120 --> 01:01:19,680
and I've not ridden that before,
and it flows really well,
1233
01:01:19,680 --> 01:01:23,080
with a different set of views,
as well, that I wouldn't normally
be looking at
1234
01:01:23,080 --> 01:01:25,120
because I'd normally have my back
to them.
1235
01:01:26,320 --> 01:01:29,000
And now I've got these Land Rover
tracks coming down the path
1236
01:01:29,000 --> 01:01:32,120
and taking me back down to
the train station,
1237
01:01:32,120 --> 01:01:33,680
where I started this morning.
1238
01:01:36,720 --> 01:01:40,440
This has been quite a big adventure
for midwinter in the Highlands.
1239
01:01:40,440 --> 01:01:43,480
The days are short
and the weather is often bad.
1240
01:01:43,480 --> 01:01:46,120
It did get quite cold there.
We were up at 400 metres
1241
01:01:46,120 --> 01:01:48,480
and I could definitely feel it
at the snowline.
1242
01:01:48,480 --> 01:01:50,120
But I think I've lucked out today.
1243
01:01:50,120 --> 01:01:52,840
I'm not going to be arriving back
in the dark.
1244
01:01:52,840 --> 01:01:55,800
I have definitely arrived home
in the dark unplanned
1245
01:01:55,800 --> 01:01:57,840
on many an occasion.
1246
01:02:00,160 --> 01:02:03,160
Well, do you know, I think that was
just a perfect day.
1247
01:02:03,160 --> 01:02:05,760
It was only ten-and-a-half miles
round there,
1248
01:02:05,760 --> 01:02:08,200
but there was such a variety
of terrain.
1249
01:02:08,200 --> 01:02:10,920
Yesterday, it was absolutely
pouring down with rain.
1250
01:02:10,920 --> 01:02:14,000
Tomorrow, it's going to be
absolutely pouring down with rain.
1251
01:02:14,000 --> 01:02:16,080
And when you manage to squeeze in
a day
1252
01:02:16,080 --> 01:02:18,960
where you've got a blue sky
and sunshine
1253
01:02:18,960 --> 01:02:21,200
and these gorgeous mountain tracks,
1254
01:02:21,200 --> 01:02:23,160
then it feels even more special.
1255
01:02:26,680 --> 01:02:28,320
That was Jenny Graham there,
1256
01:02:28,320 --> 01:02:31,200
showing us literally just how far
you can go on a bike.
1257
01:02:31,200 --> 01:02:35,240
And equally as important,
that anyone can push those pedals.
1258
01:02:35,240 --> 01:02:39,160
And I tell you what, some
of those single-track sections
looked amazing.
1259
01:02:39,160 --> 01:02:41,040
I'd love to have the chance
to go out with Jenny.
1260
01:02:41,040 --> 01:02:42,960
Absolutely. Better you than me.
1261
01:02:42,960 --> 01:02:45,680
But the way I'd describe Jenny
is that she's like a...
1262
01:02:45,680 --> 01:02:49,760
You know, she's a bundle of energy
wrapped up with massive enthusiasm
1263
01:02:49,760 --> 01:02:52,520
and I guess we can all learn
from her. Oh, totally!
1264
01:02:52,520 --> 01:02:55,760
And, you know, it gives me
such inspiration cos, at the moment,
1265
01:02:55,760 --> 01:03:00,160
me and my friends are kind
of planning where we want to go,
and, you know,
1266
01:03:00,160 --> 01:03:03,440
once the restrictions lift,
you know, all those amazing trips
1267
01:03:03,440 --> 01:03:05,080
we're going to be able
to go on again.
1268
01:03:05,080 --> 01:03:06,800
Such an inspiration.
She certainly is.
1269
01:03:06,800 --> 01:03:09,840
And another person who's ahead of
the curve is adventurer James Cave,
1270
01:03:09,840 --> 01:03:13,040
who's built up a huge following
for his quirky, different way
1271
01:03:13,040 --> 01:03:15,160
of looking at the outdoors.
1272
01:03:15,160 --> 01:03:19,480
The adventure is real, but that
doesn't mean you can't have fun.
1273
01:03:19,480 --> 01:03:21,520
And, to put you in the right mood,
1274
01:03:21,520 --> 01:03:23,920
here's a short extract
from one of his films,
1275
01:03:23,920 --> 01:03:26,120
The After Work Adventure.
1276
01:03:26,120 --> 01:03:27,840
It was shot almost three years ago
1277
01:03:27,840 --> 01:03:30,680
during one of our wonderful
Scottish summers.
1278
01:03:32,080 --> 01:03:36,000
I'd packed the essentials, called on
a friend and we were ready!
1279
01:03:36,000 --> 01:03:39,200
My first after-work adventure,
easy as that.
1280
01:03:47,320 --> 01:03:50,640
The goal for the evening was the
Munro summit of Meall nan Tarmachan,
1281
01:03:50,640 --> 01:03:53,240
excuse the Gaelic,
just north of Loch Tay.
1282
01:03:53,240 --> 01:03:57,080
But, like this guy, I didn't just
want to climb it and tick a box,
1283
01:03:57,080 --> 01:04:00,360
I wanted to do the mountain,
and the evening, justice.
1284
01:04:00,360 --> 01:04:02,000
I wanted to sleep on the summit,
1285
01:04:02,000 --> 01:04:05,200
watch the sun ebb away and break
bread beneath the stars...
1286
01:04:05,200 --> 01:04:07,080
RECORD SCRATCHES
Who's written this?!
1287
01:04:09,960 --> 01:04:12,320
Anyway, what a relief.
1288
01:04:12,320 --> 01:04:14,520
A few hours of peace and quiet,
1289
01:04:14,520 --> 01:04:18,240
a place with no texts or emails,
or nagging social media,
1290
01:04:18,240 --> 01:04:20,640
just some quality time
with an old mate.
1291
01:04:20,640 --> 01:04:22,720
But seriously, in the modern world,
1292
01:04:22,720 --> 01:04:24,880
when do you ever get chance
to escape like this?
1293
01:04:27,800 --> 01:04:32,760
For his latest film, James wanted
to settle the age-old pub argument -
1294
01:04:32,760 --> 01:04:35,280
where is the most remote place
on the Scottish mainland?
1295
01:04:35,280 --> 01:04:37,360
But he wanted to do it in winter.
1296
01:04:37,360 --> 01:04:39,560
A quick note, he made this film
1297
01:04:39,560 --> 01:04:42,920
before the latest restrictions
came in in early January
1298
01:04:42,920 --> 01:04:46,520
and he did it within a bubble,
with two brothers who live together.
1299
01:04:46,520 --> 01:04:48,440
Finally, professional film-making
1300
01:04:48,440 --> 01:04:50,800
has been permitted throughout
the pandemic
1301
01:04:50,800 --> 01:04:53,960
and, although they are
all experienced outdoorsmen,
1302
01:04:53,960 --> 01:04:56,400
we had The Adventure Show's
safety team on standby.
1303
01:05:00,440 --> 01:05:05,360
I've had this idea to travel
to the most remote location
1304
01:05:05,360 --> 01:05:08,760
in the Scottish mainland
on the shortest day of the year
1305
01:05:08,760 --> 01:05:14,000
and the rationale behind it is
that this year, with the pandemic,
1306
01:05:14,000 --> 01:05:17,480
it's all been about getting away
from each other, isolating,
1307
01:05:17,480 --> 01:05:19,360
so I've taken it one step too far.
1308
01:05:19,360 --> 01:05:22,000
I'm not quite sure
where this location is,
1309
01:05:22,000 --> 01:05:24,840
so I've called a few adventurers.
1310
01:05:24,840 --> 01:05:28,120
The famous photographer Colin Prior,
unbelievably, responded to me.
1311
01:05:28,120 --> 01:05:31,000
Hopefully, Colin would shed
some light on the challenge ahead.
1312
01:05:31,000 --> 01:05:33,440
James. Hiya, Colin. How are you?
1313
01:05:33,440 --> 01:05:35,600
The most remote spot
I can think of
1314
01:05:35,600 --> 01:05:38,240
is A' Mhaighdean
in the Fisherfield Forest.
1315
01:05:38,240 --> 01:05:41,800
Any sort of top tips for getting out
into that wilderness, then?
1316
01:05:41,800 --> 01:05:43,720
The biggest challenge, as you know,
1317
01:05:43,720 --> 01:05:46,240
of getting on to these remote
locations
1318
01:05:46,240 --> 01:05:48,680
is always weight...
1319
01:05:48,680 --> 01:05:52,320
..particularly if you're going
to shoot...a film.
1320
01:05:52,320 --> 01:05:56,440
After speaking to Colin, I contacted
mountain legend Cameron McNeish
1321
01:05:56,440 --> 01:05:58,320
for some winter survival tips.
1322
01:05:58,320 --> 01:06:02,600
I also asked him whether this plan
was really such a good idea.
1323
01:06:02,600 --> 01:06:04,280
Of course it's a daft thing to do!
1324
01:06:04,280 --> 01:06:06,720
It's completely and utterly loopy!
1325
01:06:06,720 --> 01:06:10,120
But what a delectable form
of loopiness it is!
1326
01:06:10,120 --> 01:06:14,960
For me, winter camping is normally
a glorious experience,
1327
01:06:14,960 --> 01:06:16,680
but only if you're comfortable.
1328
01:06:16,680 --> 01:06:22,360
A sleeping bag is simply a flimsy
nylon sack with some fluff in it.
1329
01:06:22,360 --> 01:06:25,560
In itself, it's incapable
of producing warmth,
1330
01:06:25,560 --> 01:06:27,880
so you have to make sure your body
is producing heat
1331
01:06:27,880 --> 01:06:30,160
before you get into the bag.
1332
01:06:30,160 --> 01:06:33,640
Now, that might mean jogging
on the spot for five minutes or so
1333
01:06:33,640 --> 01:06:35,800
before getting into the tent.
1334
01:06:35,800 --> 01:06:39,000
The next job was to contact
the Ordnance Survey.
1335
01:06:39,000 --> 01:06:42,400
By enlisting the help of one of
my favourite X-Men, Cyclops,
1336
01:06:42,400 --> 01:06:45,040
the OS agreed to query
their supercomputers
1337
01:06:45,040 --> 01:06:47,160
to locate the exact grid reference
1338
01:06:47,160 --> 01:06:50,080
of the most remote point
on the Scottish mainland.
1339
01:06:50,080 --> 01:06:52,120
An email was due any minute.
1340
01:06:52,120 --> 01:06:55,880
READS: If you imagine a map
of Britain showing every single road
and nothing else,
1341
01:06:55,880 --> 01:06:58,680
then we treated all the gaps between
the roads as different shapes.
1342
01:06:58,680 --> 01:07:01,080
We then looked for the shape
which could fit
1343
01:07:01,080 --> 01:07:02,720
the biggest circle inside it
1344
01:07:02,720 --> 01:07:05,760
and the most remote point
was in the centre of that circle.
1345
01:07:05,760 --> 01:07:09,560
And it looks like we are heading
to the Fisherfield Forest.
1346
01:07:09,560 --> 01:07:12,400
We're kind of between Loch Maree
to the south
1347
01:07:12,400 --> 01:07:14,400
and then Dundonnell to the north,
1348
01:07:14,400 --> 01:07:17,880
so it's that wilderness area there,
which is pretty cool.
1349
01:07:17,880 --> 01:07:21,800
"We've answered similar questions,"
the OS say, "from other expeditions
1350
01:07:21,800 --> 01:07:23,960
"who have attempted routes
in these regions
1351
01:07:23,960 --> 01:07:27,600
"and, even in better conditions
and at better times of the year,
1352
01:07:27,600 --> 01:07:29,720
"they were all unsuccessful."
1353
01:07:29,720 --> 01:07:31,200
That bodes well.
1354
01:07:31,200 --> 01:07:33,800
With my hair shortened,
but the days even shorter,
1355
01:07:33,800 --> 01:07:35,640
it was finally time for off.
1356
01:07:35,640 --> 01:07:38,720
So, here we are, heading north
towards the Northwest Highlands.
1357
01:07:38,720 --> 01:07:41,440
Snow on the ground everywhere,
really cold.
1358
01:07:41,440 --> 01:07:44,160
But it's the best weather
that seemed to suit our window,
1359
01:07:44,160 --> 01:07:45,280
so we're just going for it.
1360
01:07:45,280 --> 01:07:47,160
But I wasn't travelling alone.
1361
01:07:47,160 --> 01:07:50,640
I'd persuaded long-time adventure
companions, the bubbled brothers,
1362
01:07:50,640 --> 01:07:53,960
Robert and Patrick Barbour,
to indulge in the madness, too.
1363
01:07:53,960 --> 01:07:56,160
Is this one of your
madder trips with James?
1364
01:07:56,160 --> 01:08:00,040
It's all on a spectrum of insanity.
1365
01:08:01,720 --> 01:08:03,720
Not insanity. Um...but...
1366
01:08:03,720 --> 01:08:05,880
That sounded like a yes.
1367
01:08:05,880 --> 01:08:07,440
Yes, probably.
PATRICK LAUGHS
1368
01:08:11,520 --> 01:08:14,240
After crossing middle Earth
towards Mordor,
1369
01:08:14,240 --> 01:08:16,840
we completed a disorganised scramble
through the kit,
1370
01:08:16,840 --> 01:08:19,800
before stumbling, quite literally,
into bed.
1371
01:08:22,160 --> 01:08:24,320
LAUGHTER
1372
01:08:24,320 --> 01:08:26,520
Though groggy, we rose early
next morning
1373
01:08:26,520 --> 01:08:30,240
to make the final preparations
for the wilderness up ahead.
1374
01:08:30,240 --> 01:08:34,280
We are about to follow the river up
along this track here.
1375
01:08:34,280 --> 01:08:36,240
We're going to be cycling.
1376
01:08:36,240 --> 01:08:39,240
Leaves the river and continues
around the loch.
1377
01:08:39,240 --> 01:08:41,000
We're going to the side
of Loch Kernsary,
1378
01:08:41,000 --> 01:08:44,520
through the forest here,
and then out on to the moor.
1379
01:08:44,520 --> 01:08:46,680
And then it takes us on to
the next map.
1380
01:08:46,680 --> 01:08:48,120
So, three maps, is it?
1381
01:08:48,120 --> 01:08:49,880
It's a three-map job, unfortunately,
1382
01:08:49,880 --> 01:08:52,360
cos it's, er...it's right
on the seam.
1383
01:08:52,360 --> 01:08:56,680
So, tonight, we are staying
just up here, and it is...
1384
01:08:56,680 --> 01:08:58,400
..Carnmore bothy.
1385
01:08:58,400 --> 01:09:00,240
So, off we went.
1386
01:09:23,520 --> 01:09:26,200
With a few calories burned
and the weather closing in,
1387
01:09:26,200 --> 01:09:27,760
it was time for some lunch.
1388
01:09:27,760 --> 01:09:30,280
But we'd made a fatal error.
1389
01:09:30,280 --> 01:09:32,240
We forgot to put the bread rolls in,
so...
1390
01:09:32,240 --> 01:09:36,240
it's an animal-heavy lunch today,
1391
01:09:36,240 --> 01:09:39,560
consisting of ham and cheese and
probably a bit shortbread, as well,
1392
01:09:39,560 --> 01:09:41,520
to substitute for the bread.
1393
01:09:41,520 --> 01:09:44,840
Undernourished, but undeterred,
we cracked on,
1394
01:09:44,840 --> 01:09:48,320
dropping the bikes and striking out
towards the high mountains.
1395
01:09:58,480 --> 01:10:02,880
There's a bit of a yellow sky
behind us, but...
1396
01:10:02,880 --> 01:10:05,880
..up ahead, it's all grey.
It's all grey.
1397
01:10:12,880 --> 01:10:16,040
After crossing the causeway,
the light finally dissipated,
1398
01:10:16,040 --> 01:10:19,200
before we reached our accommodation
for the evening.
1399
01:10:19,200 --> 01:10:23,200
Though one review had described
this bothy as "pretty Spartan",
1400
01:10:23,200 --> 01:10:27,480
this emergency shelter
was our sanctuary in the snow.
1401
01:10:27,480 --> 01:10:29,640
Time to pop the kettle on.
1402
01:10:29,640 --> 01:10:33,520
Just tucking into a Moroccan
main meal.
1403
01:10:33,520 --> 01:10:35,720
We're a little bit anxious
about the night coming up
1404
01:10:35,720 --> 01:10:37,760
and how cold it's going to be.
1405
01:10:37,760 --> 01:10:41,640
Rob's sleeping bag
has gotten completely soaked.
1406
01:10:41,640 --> 01:10:44,680
I spilt a whole litre of water
into my rucksack.
1407
01:10:44,680 --> 01:10:46,720
We've all got plastic bags
in our boots.
1408
01:10:46,720 --> 01:10:49,640
It's a bit grim, but this is
the best part of the day.
1409
01:10:49,640 --> 01:10:51,960
We've got some hot water on,
tea's coming up.
1410
01:10:51,960 --> 01:10:54,560
I've brought my own little
sort of home-made spice mix,
1411
01:10:54,560 --> 01:10:57,520
just to add some seasoning
to these bad boys.
1412
01:10:57,520 --> 01:11:00,840
Bit of Moroccan couscous,
it's a real taste of the Highlands!
1413
01:11:00,840 --> 01:11:04,120
But as the effects of our spicy
gruel began to wear off,
1414
01:11:04,120 --> 01:11:06,640
the gritty reality of the situation,
1415
01:11:06,640 --> 01:11:09,920
and the sub-zero temperatures,
started to sink in.
1416
01:11:19,880 --> 01:11:25,160
Oh! So it's very cold just now.
1417
01:11:25,160 --> 01:11:28,560
Brrr! The sort of...
1418
01:11:28,560 --> 01:11:31,960
..warmth has gradually seeped away
during the night
1419
01:11:31,960 --> 01:11:36,520
and...not really slept at all.
Um...
1420
01:11:37,960 --> 01:11:41,080
Yeah, been quite, quite,
quite brutal.
1421
01:11:44,360 --> 01:11:48,160
The next morning was like waking up
on the barren surface of Pluto.
1422
01:11:48,160 --> 01:11:51,080
Alone and miles from the nearest
road,
1423
01:11:51,080 --> 01:11:53,600
we really were on the edge of
nowhere.
1424
01:11:54,880 --> 01:11:56,880
But we had a mission to complete,
1425
01:11:56,880 --> 01:11:59,400
a pass to climb and a long day
ahead,
1426
01:11:59,400 --> 01:12:01,920
and so we punched out bravely
into the snow.
1427
01:12:04,320 --> 01:12:07,200
However, as we moved further
into the wilderness,
1428
01:12:07,200 --> 01:12:11,160
the feeling of isolation really
started to become a reality.
1429
01:12:11,160 --> 01:12:13,040
This was no picnic.
1430
01:12:24,600 --> 01:12:26,640
We also began to realise why no-one
1431
01:12:26,640 --> 01:12:29,400
had completed this winter challenge
before us -
1432
01:12:29,400 --> 01:12:32,760
and then the mountains
threw yet another curve ball.
1433
01:12:35,280 --> 01:12:38,160
But Rob there, behind us, he's got
a fairly bad bout of cramp,
1434
01:12:38,160 --> 01:12:41,080
so I've taken his rucksack,
1435
01:12:41,080 --> 01:12:46,160
we've got some rehydration solution
down his...down his gizzard.
1436
01:12:46,160 --> 01:12:50,040
This snow is so thick.
1437
01:12:50,040 --> 01:12:52,720
It's really slowing us down.
1438
01:12:52,720 --> 01:12:55,920
But we can sort of see...
1439
01:12:57,800 --> 01:13:01,280
..the edge of, er...where
we need to be.
1440
01:13:01,280 --> 01:13:03,680
And, at that point,
we'll see the loch
1441
01:13:03,680 --> 01:13:07,520
and we'll be at the most
remote point in Scotland!
1442
01:13:13,520 --> 01:13:16,680
After some salts, Rob was
thankfully back to map-reading.
1443
01:13:16,680 --> 01:13:20,640
Right, OK, good.
We're almost there - close.
1444
01:13:20,640 --> 01:13:23,200
We could almost taste success.
1445
01:13:23,200 --> 01:13:26,240
Just beyond the frozen lochs,
we would be there.
1446
01:13:26,240 --> 01:13:28,920
But it was turning into a race
against the light.
1447
01:13:31,400 --> 01:13:33,760
However, after some scrabbling
through the mist,
1448
01:13:33,760 --> 01:13:37,240
we eventually settled on
a somewhat uninspiring point,
1449
01:13:37,240 --> 01:13:39,400
lost within the cloud.
1450
01:13:39,400 --> 01:13:41,240
We've not got a GPS with us,
1451
01:13:41,240 --> 01:13:44,160
so we're within a few hundreds
metres for sure.
1452
01:13:44,160 --> 01:13:46,760
We've got A' Chailleach
just over there.
1453
01:13:46,760 --> 01:13:49,600
Er...A' Mhaighdean
and Ruadh Stac Mor.
1454
01:13:49,600 --> 01:13:52,240
Good pronunciation? Getting there.
1455
01:13:52,240 --> 01:13:55,680
A' Mhaighdean
and Ruadh Stac Mor that way. Um...
1456
01:13:55,680 --> 01:14:00,880
So, yeah, within a few hundred
metres, for sure, of...
1457
01:14:00,880 --> 01:14:03,680
..the most remote point in Scotland.
1458
01:14:03,680 --> 01:14:08,560
We can't see a lot cos
it's pretty much a white out. Er...
1459
01:14:08,560 --> 01:14:12,560
But, yeah, I think that was one
of the toughest 5ks of my life.
1460
01:14:12,560 --> 01:14:14,960
With just enough time for
a frozen snack
1461
01:14:14,960 --> 01:14:17,400
and a quick burst
of jubilant celebration,
1462
01:14:17,400 --> 01:14:20,160
we began the trudge
back to the bothy.
1463
01:14:20,160 --> 01:14:23,760
But the mountains
had one final surprise for us.
1464
01:14:23,760 --> 01:14:25,760
This is why we do it!
1465
01:14:25,760 --> 01:14:27,520
Look at that view!
1466
01:14:27,520 --> 01:14:30,240
Just unbelievably beautiful
1467
01:14:30,240 --> 01:14:32,400
and a real just reward
1468
01:14:32,400 --> 01:14:35,880
after a couple of days
of really brutal climbing.
1469
01:14:35,880 --> 01:14:38,360
So what a reward!
1470
01:14:38,360 --> 01:14:41,600
A bit of colour in the sky.
It's absolutely stunning!
1471
01:14:41,600 --> 01:14:43,640
Wow! What a place!
1472
01:14:43,640 --> 01:14:46,520
Fisherfield Forest, here it is!
1473
01:14:48,080 --> 01:14:50,120
Stunning was an understatement.
1474
01:14:50,120 --> 01:14:52,840
Scotland had finally opened up
for us.
1475
01:14:55,760 --> 01:14:58,040
As we embarked on the long journey
back,
1476
01:14:58,040 --> 01:15:00,800
I had time to reflect on what
we had managed to pull off.
1477
01:15:03,600 --> 01:15:05,680
At times, the adventure had been
tough.
1478
01:15:05,680 --> 01:15:09,280
Navigating in the dark, trying to
sleep in sub-zero temperatures,
1479
01:15:09,280 --> 01:15:12,120
surviving on ham alone.
1480
01:15:12,120 --> 01:15:14,320
But, in the end, adventure is not
just about
1481
01:15:14,320 --> 01:15:16,200
reaching a specific point on a map.
1482
01:15:16,200 --> 01:15:18,480
For me, it's all about the journey,
1483
01:15:18,480 --> 01:15:22,520
the challenge, the camaraderie, the
unrelenting connection to nature
1484
01:15:22,520 --> 01:15:24,920
and, of course, the cake.
1485
01:15:24,920 --> 01:15:27,080
Honestly, I never thought
we'd make it,
1486
01:15:27,080 --> 01:15:31,360
but the mountains welcomed us in
for four days of perfect escapism.
1487
01:15:31,360 --> 01:15:34,280
A quarantine in the hills
I'll never forget.
1488
01:15:34,280 --> 01:15:35,800
PHONE RINGS OUT
1489
01:15:35,800 --> 01:15:39,400
Hiya, Mum! Yeah, I'm...
No, I'm still alive. Don't panic.
1490
01:15:42,560 --> 01:15:45,720
James Cave and friends solving
at last the mystery
1491
01:15:45,720 --> 01:15:48,440
of the most remote point
on the Scottish mainland.
1492
01:15:50,840 --> 01:15:55,480
But you can still have a great
adventure even closer to home.
1493
01:15:55,480 --> 01:15:59,080
Many years ago, Bhola Khanal
and his family left Nepal
1494
01:15:59,080 --> 01:16:00,720
to settle in Scotland.
1495
01:16:00,720 --> 01:16:03,880
He now lives in Perth
and manages a restaurant.
1496
01:16:03,880 --> 01:16:06,880
His daughter Sabina works in IT.
1497
01:16:06,880 --> 01:16:09,080
Both are keen walkers
1498
01:16:09,080 --> 01:16:11,440
and even if, during the Covid
pandemic,
1499
01:16:11,440 --> 01:16:13,720
that means getting out
for an hour or two.
1500
01:16:16,080 --> 01:16:19,960
I was born in Kathmandu,
outside Nepali.
1501
01:16:19,960 --> 01:16:24,680
That's a village, maybe
eight...seven, eight kilometre
1502
01:16:24,680 --> 01:16:26,720
from Kathmandu centre.
1503
01:16:26,720 --> 01:16:29,440
And many mountains surrounding.
1504
01:16:29,440 --> 01:16:32,200
Is not big mountain, the hills.
1505
01:16:32,200 --> 01:16:36,280
And, er...always,
even in normal life,
1506
01:16:36,280 --> 01:16:40,960
we walk up and down behind
our village, in the hill there.
1507
01:16:42,880 --> 01:16:45,000
I was 15 when I came here
1508
01:16:45,000 --> 01:16:48,600
and I didn't do much walking
before I came up here
1509
01:16:48,600 --> 01:16:51,200
cos I guess I was just too busy
with school
1510
01:16:51,200 --> 01:16:52,840
and then getting your homework done.
1511
01:16:52,840 --> 01:16:54,880
I was just a good kid. Huh!
1512
01:16:54,880 --> 01:16:57,680
So, yeah, not done much walking
before at all.
1513
01:16:59,400 --> 01:17:03,200
When I came over to Scotland,
we used to love driving,
1514
01:17:03,200 --> 01:17:06,400
so Dad used to take us, as a family,
1515
01:17:06,400 --> 01:17:09,280
and then we used to do
a little walk.
1516
01:17:09,280 --> 01:17:12,000
I remember when we first walked
1517
01:17:12,000 --> 01:17:16,360
and we were all dressed up
in nice dress and things
1518
01:17:16,360 --> 01:17:17,800
cos is was nice and dry.
1519
01:17:17,800 --> 01:17:20,480
And then, everyone there were, like,
in their walking gear
1520
01:17:20,480 --> 01:17:22,960
and, you know, with walking boots
and stuff.
1521
01:17:22,960 --> 01:17:26,040
And everyone was just looking at us,
and we were like,
1522
01:17:26,040 --> 01:17:27,520
"Why are you looking at us?"
1523
01:17:27,520 --> 01:17:29,400
Because we were not prepared
for walking.
1524
01:17:29,400 --> 01:17:31,080
We just went for a day out.
1525
01:17:32,640 --> 01:17:34,080
That's how we were kind of
introduced
1526
01:17:34,080 --> 01:17:36,680
and we realised we can do outdoors.
1527
01:17:36,680 --> 01:17:39,800
We should probably do more walking,
rather than just sightseeing.
1528
01:17:41,160 --> 01:17:44,000
Today, Sabina and Bhola
have chosen a walk
1529
01:17:44,000 --> 01:17:47,040
that starts from The Hermitage,
north of Perth.
1530
01:17:47,040 --> 01:17:49,960
Their route follows
the dramatic River Braan,
1531
01:17:49,960 --> 01:17:53,600
before they head up to the great
viewpoint on Birnam Hill.
1532
01:17:53,600 --> 01:17:55,800
In total, it's around six miles.
1533
01:17:56,800 --> 01:17:58,360
It's one of my favourite places.
1534
01:17:58,360 --> 01:18:01,680
I've been here many, many times
that I've lost count of it.
1535
01:18:01,680 --> 01:18:04,360
So, whenever we've got friends
or something,
1536
01:18:04,360 --> 01:18:07,880
or it's a nice day out, or even
it's an all-right-sort-of-day out,
1537
01:18:07,880 --> 01:18:10,120
we just come here
with a packed lunch.
1538
01:18:13,120 --> 01:18:16,080
Whenever I talk to people,
most of my friends,
1539
01:18:16,080 --> 01:18:18,200
we are always complaining about
weather.
1540
01:18:19,520 --> 01:18:21,760
But, for me, I actually enjoy
all the weather.
1541
01:18:22,880 --> 01:18:26,360
Like they say, it's not the weather,
you're just not properly dressed up
for it.
1542
01:18:27,480 --> 01:18:29,040
Wow!
1543
01:18:29,040 --> 01:18:32,000
In Nepal, there is a fixed season.
1544
01:18:32,000 --> 01:18:35,920
Sometimes two, three months, three,
four months, there is no rain.
1545
01:18:35,920 --> 01:18:39,360
Sometimes three months
continue rained.
1546
01:18:39,360 --> 01:18:43,720
And, in the winter, sometimes
two, three months, no sun.
1547
01:18:46,520 --> 01:18:48,800
Scotland weather, we prefer that.
1548
01:18:48,800 --> 01:18:50,720
You can see all weather in a day.
1549
01:18:50,720 --> 01:18:52,280
HE LAUGHS
1550
01:18:56,720 --> 01:19:00,280
The problem in the winter is
it's getting darker earlier.
1551
01:19:00,280 --> 01:19:03,880
So, by the time I finish my work,
around 5:00 or 5:30,
1552
01:19:03,880 --> 01:19:08,680
it's already dark and you're not
as much motivated to get out.
1553
01:19:08,680 --> 01:19:14,280
So I've kind of blocked myself a
half-an-hour sort of time on the day
1554
01:19:14,280 --> 01:19:16,920
to make sure I go out
and get some fresh air.
1555
01:19:18,240 --> 01:19:20,560
And I always find myself
thinking better.
1556
01:19:20,560 --> 01:19:23,480
Or, you know, if there was some
problems before at work,
1557
01:19:23,480 --> 01:19:26,600
I could come back with a different
idea or view to that,
1558
01:19:26,600 --> 01:19:28,440
so I think it does really help.
1559
01:19:30,280 --> 01:19:33,520
Especially for us,
we are working in hospitality,
1560
01:19:33,520 --> 01:19:36,400
it's quite stressful sometime.
1561
01:19:36,400 --> 01:19:38,480
After I finish at weekends,
1562
01:19:38,480 --> 01:19:42,960
Sunday, Monday, it's go out walking.
1563
01:19:44,440 --> 01:19:48,120
In my experience, Nepalese people,
1564
01:19:48,120 --> 01:19:51,240
they like to walk wherever they are.
1565
01:19:51,240 --> 01:19:54,440
When I went to stay in England
sometime,
1566
01:19:54,440 --> 01:19:56,840
I looked at walking areas.
1567
01:19:56,840 --> 01:19:59,080
I went to Kent
1568
01:19:59,080 --> 01:20:02,480
and, er...I asked,
"Where is the walking place here?
1569
01:20:02,480 --> 01:20:04,400
"Where is the hill?"
1570
01:20:04,400 --> 01:20:08,000
We are few people,
but we like to do walk.
1571
01:20:10,440 --> 01:20:13,960
I've been to just a few other
countries walking
1572
01:20:13,960 --> 01:20:18,080
and this, Scotland,
is best in world.
1573
01:20:21,240 --> 01:20:23,680
People like me, mostly,
they are immigrants.
1574
01:20:23,680 --> 01:20:25,440
I don't know if I should use
this word!
1575
01:20:25,440 --> 01:20:28,600
But, yeah, they're mostly
here for a purpose.
1576
01:20:28,600 --> 01:20:31,080
Like, they are a student studying,
1577
01:20:31,080 --> 01:20:35,160
or they are a businessman
working too hard, you know?
1578
01:20:35,160 --> 01:20:37,760
So they probably don't find
enough time
1579
01:20:37,760 --> 01:20:40,960
to maybe get out and look around.
1580
01:20:40,960 --> 01:20:43,800
And I think, you know, there
are different walking groups
1581
01:20:43,800 --> 01:20:48,640
that's been set up specific
for a minority group.
1582
01:20:48,640 --> 01:20:50,160
So that culture is developing
1583
01:20:50,160 --> 01:20:53,560
because I think there are more
younger families now settling here
1584
01:20:53,560 --> 01:20:56,040
rather than just working
or studying people.
1585
01:20:59,040 --> 01:21:02,560
Sometimes I just feel like,
"Oh, I probably am too tired
1586
01:21:02,560 --> 01:21:06,560
"and I don't think I want to get up
to the hill," or something.
1587
01:21:06,560 --> 01:21:09,160
But once I get to the hill,
I love the view.
1588
01:21:09,160 --> 01:21:11,840
I love to just take my time,
1589
01:21:11,840 --> 01:21:14,840
make sure I just look around
and take that all in.
1590
01:21:14,840 --> 01:21:16,480
It just refreshes me.
1591
01:21:20,720 --> 01:21:22,560
You get everything here.
1592
01:21:22,560 --> 01:21:24,800
There's a freshness and nice here
1593
01:21:24,800 --> 01:21:27,680
and you see there a good view.
1594
01:21:27,680 --> 01:21:30,840
A good mood.
You can make your fresh mood.
1595
01:21:30,840 --> 01:21:33,880
And all positive.
You're thinking positive, all are.
1596
01:21:33,880 --> 01:21:36,600
No, no problem.
1597
01:21:36,600 --> 01:21:40,840
If I get this opportunity,
I'd do this every day.
1598
01:21:41,880 --> 01:21:44,600
Mm! Wow! Looks great!
1599
01:21:46,120 --> 01:21:49,600
And the weather, it's fantastic
weather. Clean, bright.
1600
01:21:49,600 --> 01:21:51,840
HE INHALES DEEPLY
Ah!
1601
01:21:51,840 --> 01:21:54,240
It's beautiful. Magnificent view.
1602
01:21:54,240 --> 01:21:59,160
And I think we're just lucky with
the sunset, as well, just in time.
1603
01:21:59,160 --> 01:22:01,040
Yeah, brilliant.
1604
01:22:01,040 --> 01:22:04,000
It just refreshes
from everyday life.
1605
01:22:04,000 --> 01:22:06,720
Yeah, it just energises.
1606
01:22:06,720 --> 01:22:09,680
HE BREATHES DEEPLY
1607
01:22:09,680 --> 01:22:11,920
Ah, it's fantastic! Great!
1608
01:22:11,920 --> 01:22:14,320
SHE CHUCKLES
It's nice. I like it!
1609
01:22:14,320 --> 01:22:15,800
I like it! Love it!
1610
01:22:16,960 --> 01:22:19,640
Bhola and Sabina proving
that it's always possible
1611
01:22:19,640 --> 01:22:23,320
to make your own adventure
and get outdoors in winter.
1612
01:22:23,320 --> 01:22:25,760
And even if you're not a skier
or snowboarder,
1613
01:22:25,760 --> 01:22:28,600
we're still spoilt for choice
here in Scotland -
1614
01:22:28,600 --> 01:22:31,720
just ask blind adventurer
Dean Dunbar.
1615
01:22:31,720 --> 01:22:34,440
He's never afraid to step out
of his comfort zone.
1616
01:22:34,440 --> 01:22:36,560
So, back on the beach near Oban,
1617
01:22:36,560 --> 01:22:38,760
Patrick Winterton's
about to introduce him
1618
01:22:38,760 --> 01:22:41,480
to Scotland's most exciting
new sport.
1619
01:22:41,480 --> 01:22:45,480
Wing foiling's the latest water
sport to hit the British shores
1620
01:22:45,480 --> 01:22:48,720
and, judging by how hard it is
to get hold of kit,
1621
01:22:48,720 --> 01:22:51,000
its popularity
is going through the roof.
1622
01:22:51,000 --> 01:22:53,800
And before we take Dean out
on the water to see how he gets on,
1623
01:22:53,800 --> 01:22:58,240
we need to meet Andy Corbe,
who's the local king of the wing.
1624
01:22:58,240 --> 01:23:02,080
I did it for an afternoon, actually,
when I was in Key West in Florida.
1625
01:23:02,080 --> 01:23:04,560
I was kitesurfing and I decided
to try
1626
01:23:04,560 --> 01:23:07,040
the kite foiling for the first time.
1627
01:23:07,040 --> 01:23:09,200
I got home that night
and I couldn't sleep that night.
1628
01:23:09,200 --> 01:23:10,760
I couldn't stop thinking about it.
1629
01:23:10,760 --> 01:23:14,840
I literally rang up the guy the next
morning, I said, "OK, how much?"
1630
01:23:14,840 --> 01:23:17,240
Ha-ha-ha! "How much for a board
and foil?
1631
01:23:17,240 --> 01:23:20,480
"Cos I need to get one of these.
This is just so incredible."
1632
01:23:20,480 --> 01:23:24,560
Do you think we've got a chance
of getting Dean up with the wing,
or on the foil?
1633
01:23:24,560 --> 01:23:27,280
Dean's a very talented man,
so we'll see how we go.
1634
01:23:27,280 --> 01:23:29,520
I think he'll definitely get up
on the board.
1635
01:23:29,520 --> 01:23:31,560
If he gets up on the foil,
it'll be amazing.
1636
01:23:31,560 --> 01:23:33,280
Shall we have a quick go
before it...?
1637
01:23:33,280 --> 01:23:35,000
Absolutely! Let's get out there.
1638
01:23:35,000 --> 01:23:36,840
Is it waterborne or airborne?
1639
01:23:36,840 --> 01:23:38,600
A bit of both.
A bit of water, a bit of air.
1640
01:23:38,600 --> 01:23:40,560
Good. Let's do it!
1641
01:23:42,520 --> 01:23:45,720
It's a very steep learning curve.
It's a very easy learning curve.
1642
01:23:45,720 --> 01:23:48,720
Anyone who comes from
a kitesurfing background
1643
01:23:48,720 --> 01:23:52,320
who's done some foiling
will pick it up very quickly.
1644
01:23:52,320 --> 01:23:56,400
The advantages over kitesurfing
is that it's much safer
1645
01:23:56,400 --> 01:23:59,320
because the wing is really easy
to handle. It's got 100% power.
1646
01:23:59,320 --> 01:24:01,040
So you're never going to get
overpowered,
1647
01:24:01,040 --> 01:24:03,360
you're never going to get
dragged around on the beach.
1648
01:24:03,360 --> 01:24:05,880
You can just let the thing go
and it'll just float in the sky.
1649
01:24:07,240 --> 01:24:09,080
Because you've actually got
two wings.
1650
01:24:09,080 --> 01:24:11,240
You've got the wing that you hold
in your hands,
1651
01:24:11,240 --> 01:24:13,480
and that's a true sense of a wing.
1652
01:24:13,480 --> 01:24:15,920
It's shaped like an airplane wing.
1653
01:24:15,920 --> 01:24:18,800
The foil that we ride is also
a wing,
1654
01:24:18,800 --> 01:24:21,200
so it has the same sort of profile
as an airplane wing
1655
01:24:21,200 --> 01:24:25,480
and it's attached to a mast.
And the mast is below the board,
1656
01:24:25,480 --> 01:24:27,920
so the mast is actually bolted on to
the bottom of the board,
1657
01:24:27,920 --> 01:24:30,440
and then the whole thing
sits down there. And this is the...
1658
01:24:30,440 --> 01:24:34,560
The weird thing is that
you're essentially flying
the wing underwater.
1659
01:24:34,560 --> 01:24:37,160
So you're surfing on a magic carpet,
essentially.
1660
01:24:39,640 --> 01:24:45,040
The beautiful sensation is that, as
soon as the board leaves the water,
1661
01:24:45,040 --> 01:24:49,160
everything becomes incredibly smooth
and very, very quiet.
1662
01:24:49,160 --> 01:24:52,200
The only thing you really hear is
water dripping off your wet suit.
1663
01:24:54,880 --> 01:24:57,080
The first time that I got
up on a foil,
1664
01:24:57,080 --> 01:25:00,200
I just couldn't believe
the sensation. It's this...
1665
01:25:00,200 --> 01:25:02,520
You could compare it to snowboarding
in the cleanest,
1666
01:25:02,520 --> 01:25:06,040
smoothest powder snow, you know,
where there's just no resistance
1667
01:25:06,040 --> 01:25:08,480
and you're just kind of
cutting through.
1668
01:25:08,480 --> 01:25:11,240
A little bit like that,
but different.
1669
01:25:11,240 --> 01:25:13,320
HE LAUGHS
1670
01:25:13,320 --> 01:25:16,480
Dean's itching to get back
on the water, but, before that,
1671
01:25:16,480 --> 01:25:20,320
we've got a couple of essential
pre-flight details to sort out.
1672
01:25:20,320 --> 01:25:24,280
OK, Deano. Right. So you're going
to throw the kite to your left.
1673
01:25:24,280 --> 01:25:26,440
My left. Flip it over. Cool.
1674
01:25:28,320 --> 01:25:31,000
Push it over. Flip it over. There.
1675
01:25:31,000 --> 01:25:33,880
OK. So your right hand,
cos you're going to the right,
1676
01:25:33,880 --> 01:25:36,880
at the top end of the tube...
This end? You've got it.
1677
01:25:36,880 --> 01:25:39,840
And then slide the left hand
as far down as you can.
1678
01:25:39,840 --> 01:25:41,960
Slide it down...? That's it.
That'll do there.
1679
01:25:41,960 --> 01:25:44,240
OK. OK. So to power up... Yeah.
1680
01:25:44,240 --> 01:25:46,680
..keep your right hand
nice and high. Hand. Yep.
1681
01:25:46,680 --> 01:25:50,160
And you just pull your left in, left
hand in towards you a bit. Right.
1682
01:25:50,160 --> 01:25:53,840
OK. And as you do that, drop your
right hand down in front of you,
1683
01:25:53,840 --> 01:25:56,400
but keep... You mean...?
Keep the arm straight-ish
1684
01:25:56,400 --> 01:25:58,640
and move it forward.
Got you. OK, yes.
1685
01:25:58,640 --> 01:26:01,240
Forward with the other. That's it,
there. All right, OK. There.
1686
01:26:01,240 --> 01:26:03,640
And then you feel the power
in the wave.
1687
01:26:03,640 --> 01:26:06,760
If you get into trouble, release
the left hand, the lower hand.
1688
01:26:06,760 --> 01:26:09,080
Bang! All the power's gone.
All the power's gone, yeah.
1689
01:26:09,080 --> 01:26:12,200
OK, we're in business.
Right. So, what's next?
1690
01:26:13,440 --> 01:26:15,080
It's time to hit the water.
1691
01:26:15,080 --> 01:26:18,480
Now, it may seem simple,
trying this out on the beach,
1692
01:26:18,480 --> 01:26:20,280
but we're heading out to sea.
1693
01:26:20,280 --> 01:26:23,760
And don't forget,
Dean has virtually no vision.
1694
01:26:23,760 --> 01:26:26,120
So, how's he feeling right now?
1695
01:26:26,120 --> 01:26:28,240
Are you filming? Yeah.
1696
01:26:28,240 --> 01:26:30,960
I'd better not say, then!
THEY LAUGH
1697
01:26:30,960 --> 01:26:33,360
Right! Your board is here.
Where? Are you sat on it?
1698
01:26:33,360 --> 01:26:35,120
I'm sitting on it. Right, OK.
1699
01:26:35,120 --> 01:26:37,320
There's only room for one.
LAUGHTER
1700
01:26:37,320 --> 01:26:39,680
Going down. Wahey! I'm down on it.
1701
01:26:39,680 --> 01:26:42,080
And then you can paddle away
from the boat. Righto!
1702
01:26:42,080 --> 01:26:44,600
Don't worry about the sail too much.
Right.
1703
01:26:49,600 --> 01:26:52,080
OK, let's try it to the right.
So, that way, yeah?
1704
01:26:52,080 --> 01:26:55,080
Yeah. Right. One, two...
1705
01:26:55,080 --> 01:26:58,200
Got it? Have you got it? Got it.
Well done. OK.
1706
01:26:58,200 --> 01:27:00,400
That's it. So keep that right hand
high.
1707
01:27:01,680 --> 01:27:03,440
One more...
1708
01:27:03,440 --> 01:27:04,840
Whoop!
1709
01:27:06,120 --> 01:27:08,200
You never said I was going
to get wet!
1710
01:27:08,200 --> 01:27:11,040
I'd better lean back the other way!
Oh!
1711
01:27:13,200 --> 01:27:16,240
When I first went out,
I really wasn't sure if I was going
to be able to...
1712
01:27:16,240 --> 01:27:19,880
..certainly not stand up,
but kneeling, I was not sure
if that was going to happen.
1713
01:27:19,880 --> 01:27:23,160
So, when I got on my knees, that was
one step and that was fantastic,
1714
01:27:23,160 --> 01:27:26,720
but to stand up and then move,
and it wasn't just standing still!
1715
01:27:26,720 --> 01:27:28,760
I didn't know at the time
that I was moving,
1716
01:27:28,760 --> 01:27:30,440
I was concentrating on the wing,
1717
01:27:30,440 --> 01:27:32,280
I was concentrating on
just standing up.
1718
01:27:32,280 --> 01:27:35,120
And it was only when I heard
Patrick's voice disappear backwards
1719
01:27:35,120 --> 01:27:38,320
I realised I'd either moved forward
or he'd swam very fast backwards.
1720
01:27:38,320 --> 01:27:40,280
LAUGHTER AND WHOOPING
1721
01:27:46,640 --> 01:27:48,160
Whoo!
1722
01:27:48,160 --> 01:27:49,920
JUBILANT WHOOPING
1723
01:27:53,800 --> 01:27:56,040
It's one of these things
I don't think I'll do on my own.
1724
01:27:56,040 --> 01:27:58,440
I'll need to have a guide with me,
I'll need to have help.
1725
01:27:58,440 --> 01:28:00,520
There's no way, I don't think,
with my sight issues,
1726
01:28:00,520 --> 01:28:03,160
I don't think I could do that on
my own. I'd need a lot of help.
1727
01:28:03,160 --> 01:28:05,040
So that would be one thing,
if I'm doing it,
1728
01:28:05,040 --> 01:28:08,080
it would be doing it with friends,
or hopefully with Patrick again
1729
01:28:08,080 --> 01:28:09,840
or with Andy or whoever,
but not on my own.
1730
01:28:09,840 --> 01:28:11,800
And go.
1731
01:28:13,160 --> 01:28:14,560
You're away.
1732
01:28:20,600 --> 01:28:22,960
Whaa!
1733
01:28:22,960 --> 01:28:25,760
Dean's doing amazingly
for his first time out,
1734
01:28:25,760 --> 01:28:28,000
but it's going to take
a couple more sessions
1735
01:28:28,000 --> 01:28:30,920
before he actually gets the board
up and off the water.
1736
01:28:30,920 --> 01:28:34,280
Right, and again. And again.
1737
01:28:35,440 --> 01:28:36,880
Got it! Thank you.
1738
01:28:36,880 --> 01:28:40,320
But we should be able to speed up
the process by using the safety boat
1739
01:28:40,320 --> 01:28:43,960
and giving him that sensation
of actually flying the foil.
1740
01:28:52,560 --> 01:28:54,120
That's a winner!
1741
01:29:11,400 --> 01:29:13,640
DEAN SHRIEKS WITH DELIGHT
1742
01:29:13,640 --> 01:29:17,000
Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
THEY LAUGH
1743
01:29:17,000 --> 01:29:19,680
Amazing! Amazing!
1744
01:29:19,680 --> 01:29:22,280
Yeah, man, that's the way it is.
THEY LAUGH
1745
01:29:22,280 --> 01:29:24,000
He was flying! He was flying!
1746
01:29:24,000 --> 01:29:26,640
Yeah, that was pretty crazy!
THEY LAUGH
1747
01:29:26,640 --> 01:29:28,320
Yeah. I mean, I...
1748
01:29:28,320 --> 01:29:30,920
Yeah, when we were going to
the sun, I couldn't see anything,
1749
01:29:30,920 --> 01:29:34,400
so I just was... It was all how you
feel, rather than what you're doing.
1750
01:29:34,400 --> 01:29:37,120
It all just went from bumpy to flat,
and then nosedive.
1751
01:29:37,120 --> 01:29:39,040
THEY LAUGH
1752
01:29:39,040 --> 01:29:40,720
Oh! I think that was amazing!
1753
01:29:41,760 --> 01:29:45,120
With the wing, he did more than most
people on their first effort.
1754
01:29:45,120 --> 01:29:48,960
And then, on the foil, most of us
would dive off in a second,
1755
01:29:48,960 --> 01:29:51,800
but to hang on in there
on that last run was amazing.
1756
01:29:51,800 --> 01:29:55,280
Absolutely fantastic!
That was just unbelievable!
1757
01:29:55,280 --> 01:29:57,640
The whole thing was just...!
Just doing it with the wing
1758
01:29:57,640 --> 01:30:00,480
and then getting towed behind
the boat was just...that was crazy!
1759
01:30:00,480 --> 01:30:03,120
Oh, look, I couldn't tell the
difference when I was up or down,
1760
01:30:03,120 --> 01:30:06,120
I just... Then I dived. Honestly, on
the wing, you did better
1761
01:30:06,120 --> 01:30:08,880
than Andy and I did on
our first session... Thank you.
1762
01:30:08,880 --> 01:30:11,440
..and on the boat you did better
than either of us.
1763
01:30:11,440 --> 01:30:14,160
That's a fantastic achievement.
Maybe not being able to see
1764
01:30:14,160 --> 01:30:16,400
what I can do is a bonus.
Are you coming back for more?
1765
01:30:16,400 --> 01:30:19,440
Definitely. When can I come back?
1766
01:30:19,440 --> 01:30:21,480
What an epic day.
1767
01:30:21,480 --> 01:30:24,560
Introducing Dean to another
crazy new sport.
1768
01:30:24,560 --> 01:30:26,520
Wing foiling is infectious,
1769
01:30:26,520 --> 01:30:27,840
it's almost addictive,
1770
01:30:27,840 --> 01:30:31,200
and Dean can't wait to get back out.
1771
01:30:31,200 --> 01:30:34,320
Later in the programme, there'll
be a complete role reversal,
1772
01:30:34,320 --> 01:30:37,440
as I go from being supposed
instructor to total novice,
1773
01:30:37,440 --> 01:30:41,200
trying something that I last tried
35 years ago.
1774
01:30:41,200 --> 01:30:43,640
Whoa!
1775
01:30:43,640 --> 01:30:46,640
That was the one they were after.
HE CHUCKLES
1776
01:30:46,640 --> 01:30:49,520
There could be some poetic
justice here.
1777
01:30:49,520 --> 01:30:50,800
I just can't wait to see if
1778
01:30:50,800 --> 01:30:53,080
Patrick manages better than I did
on the snow.
1779
01:30:55,200 --> 01:30:58,720
But, before that, we're heading
into the hills above Glencoe
1780
01:30:58,720 --> 01:31:01,800
on a scramble with Kirsty Pallas.
1781
01:31:01,800 --> 01:31:04,800
She's not only passionate
about the Scottish mountains,
1782
01:31:04,800 --> 01:31:07,560
but also wants to open them
up to everyone,
1783
01:31:07,560 --> 01:31:09,920
regardless of their background.
1784
01:31:09,920 --> 01:31:12,360
In winter, an early start is
essential,
1785
01:31:12,360 --> 01:31:16,840
and that doesn't get any easier -
no matter how experienced you are.
1786
01:31:16,840 --> 01:31:18,480
SHE CHUCKLES
1787
01:31:18,480 --> 01:31:20,040
I'm not a great early morning
person.
1788
01:31:20,040 --> 01:31:22,040
I don't like it particularly,
1789
01:31:22,040 --> 01:31:26,280
but you get into the swing of
things and it becomes the norm.
1790
01:31:26,280 --> 01:31:29,520
And, once you're actually out of the
house, it's really nice,
1791
01:31:29,520 --> 01:31:31,960
and, if you're on the hill
before the sun's up,
1792
01:31:31,960 --> 01:31:35,000
just being there during the dawn
is amazing.
1793
01:31:36,240 --> 01:31:38,440
Even when it's bad in winter,
I still think it's good.
1794
01:31:38,440 --> 01:31:39,960
SHE CHUCKLES
1795
01:31:39,960 --> 01:31:42,120
I like suffering a little bit.
1796
01:31:44,000 --> 01:31:48,000
Erm, so the plan is to head
up a wee scramble called Pink Rib,
1797
01:31:48,000 --> 01:31:50,440
which is on Beinn a' Chrulaiste.
1798
01:31:50,440 --> 01:31:53,280
So, we're just on the other side
of the A82 from the Buachaille,
1799
01:31:53,280 --> 01:31:57,880
and, hopefully, if the drizzle
stops, and the cloud clears,
1800
01:31:57,880 --> 01:32:00,640
we'll get really lovely views
over the Buachaille and Rannoch Moor
1801
01:32:00,640 --> 01:32:03,440
and right down Glencoe, as well.
1802
01:32:06,720 --> 01:32:09,600
I really enjoy scrambling, and it
just adds a wee bit more interest
1803
01:32:09,600 --> 01:32:11,200
to the day.
1804
01:32:11,200 --> 01:32:13,400
It's a bit more of a challenge,
1805
01:32:13,400 --> 01:32:15,360
just thinking about route choice.
1806
01:32:15,360 --> 01:32:18,520
It's not always obvious where you
need to go. You can do a little bit
1807
01:32:18,520 --> 01:32:22,720
of exploring, seeing which the best
route is.
1808
01:32:22,720 --> 01:32:25,880
When I'm scrambling, I don't really
think about the uphill.
1809
01:32:25,880 --> 01:32:28,800
You know, it's not really a slog.
You're so focused on other stuff,
1810
01:32:28,800 --> 01:32:31,600
and it's kind of a bit more of a
surprise when you get to the top.
1811
01:32:31,600 --> 01:32:34,680
I think it just takes your mind
off the...the uphill bit.
1812
01:32:34,680 --> 01:32:37,480
SHE CHUCKLES
1813
01:32:37,480 --> 01:32:39,600
So, the weather's not quite as bad
as forecast,
1814
01:32:39,600 --> 01:32:41,320
we've got a wee bit of visibility.
1815
01:32:41,320 --> 01:32:44,760
You can see the Buachaille just
appearing out of the dark.
1816
01:32:44,760 --> 01:32:46,560
There's a wee bit of snow on top.
1817
01:32:46,560 --> 01:32:49,200
Hopefully, we'll get good views
from the, er, from the top,
1818
01:32:49,200 --> 01:32:51,160
if the clouds stay lifted.
1819
01:32:54,120 --> 01:32:58,320
So, I did my school work experience
at a local outdoor centre,
1820
01:32:58,320 --> 01:33:00,400
and I thought it'd just be a bit
of a jolly for a week
1821
01:33:00,400 --> 01:33:02,320
and just really, really enjoyed it.
1822
01:33:02,320 --> 01:33:04,480
Did a few more weeks through
the summer holidays
1823
01:33:04,480 --> 01:33:07,040
and then kind of decided that,
actually, it was...
1824
01:33:07,040 --> 01:33:09,880
..it was well worth having a go
at as a full-on career.
1825
01:33:12,520 --> 01:33:16,200
So, you can just see the scramble
we're about to do,
1826
01:33:16,200 --> 01:33:20,280
just a lighter covered...coloured
bit of rock.
1827
01:33:20,280 --> 01:33:23,680
Today, Kirstie not only earns a
living in the outdoors,
1828
01:33:23,680 --> 01:33:27,720
but, for the last seven years,
she's also been an active member
1829
01:33:27,720 --> 01:33:30,000
of the Oban Mountain Rescue team.
1830
01:33:30,000 --> 01:33:33,280
At first, she was worried
if she had the right skills,
1831
01:33:33,280 --> 01:33:37,200
especially as there are fewer
women on the teams.
1832
01:33:37,200 --> 01:33:41,040
So, I'd say mountain rescue
as a whole is male-dominated.
1833
01:33:42,920 --> 01:33:44,320
We're lucky in Oban.
1834
01:33:44,320 --> 01:33:48,360
We've got a really good
representation from women.
1835
01:33:48,360 --> 01:33:50,840
We're about between a quarter
and a third women,
1836
01:33:50,840 --> 01:33:53,240
which is really good for a team.
1837
01:33:54,680 --> 01:33:59,640
There's also, certainly in Scotland,
next to none from black
1838
01:33:59,640 --> 01:34:01,240
and Asian communities.
1839
01:34:03,320 --> 01:34:07,880
I'm mixed race, my mum's
Indian and my dad is British.
1840
01:34:09,200 --> 01:34:12,360
I could count on one hand the people
I met that weren't white
1841
01:34:12,360 --> 01:34:15,880
through, like, maybe two or three
years of training.
1842
01:34:15,880 --> 01:34:18,320
I could probably still count on one
hand up to five years...
1843
01:34:18,320 --> 01:34:19,920
SHE CHUCKLES
1844
01:34:19,920 --> 01:34:21,720
..of people I met that weren't
white.
1845
01:34:23,640 --> 01:34:27,800
Everything in the outdoor
space and outdoor industry
1846
01:34:27,800 --> 01:34:31,760
has been designed with generally
white men in mind
1847
01:34:31,760 --> 01:34:34,760
because they have been
the primary hill-goers.
1848
01:34:38,480 --> 01:34:42,360
Historically, they've had
the privileges to be able
1849
01:34:42,360 --> 01:34:44,480
to access those spaces.
1850
01:34:47,480 --> 01:34:50,800
They've had maybe jobs where they
have weekends off,
1851
01:34:50,800 --> 01:34:53,320
or they've been able to have
vehicles.
1852
01:34:58,640 --> 01:35:03,480
I think the thinking needs to change
to tackle the problem as a whole.
1853
01:35:05,280 --> 01:35:07,520
The mountains aren't saying,
"Oh, you can't be here."
1854
01:35:07,520 --> 01:35:10,120
There's so much more to it
than that.
1855
01:35:13,680 --> 01:35:18,440
There's the Windrush generation,
India was a British colony,
1856
01:35:18,440 --> 01:35:22,160
folk were given the opportunity to
come over to the UK
1857
01:35:22,160 --> 01:35:26,360
and become a British citizen and get
a British passport, and stuff.
1858
01:35:28,280 --> 01:35:31,320
They were coming into a new country,
they were trying to integrate
1859
01:35:31,320 --> 01:35:36,720
into a new community, and a new
culture, quite often having to work
1860
01:35:36,720 --> 01:35:39,960
several jobs to keep
their families going.
1861
01:35:39,960 --> 01:35:41,480
They maybe didn't have vehicles.
1862
01:35:41,480 --> 01:35:45,440
They didn't have expendable cash,
where they could get something
1863
01:35:45,440 --> 01:35:48,640
like a waterproof jacket
to head into the hills.
1864
01:35:51,520 --> 01:35:56,320
So, I work for a charitable
organisation, and we raise funds
1865
01:35:56,320 --> 01:35:59,040
to subsidise outdoor
activity courses.
1866
01:36:00,920 --> 01:36:03,400
We subsidise the courses
for young people
1867
01:36:03,400 --> 01:36:06,880
coming from slightly more
vulnerable or more disadvantaged
1868
01:36:06,880 --> 01:36:10,880
backgrounds, so we work a lot with
young carers,
1869
01:36:10,880 --> 01:36:15,800
LGBT Youth Scotland and young people
coming from lower income areas,
1870
01:36:15,800 --> 01:36:21,680
or maybe young people who are
disengaged with school...
1871
01:36:21,680 --> 01:36:25,800
..people who are maybe finding it a
wee bit difficult
1872
01:36:25,800 --> 01:36:29,200
and getting a way into the outdoors,
maybe picking up some new skills,
1873
01:36:29,200 --> 01:36:34,280
learning new activities is a bit of
a welcome relief, a bit of a change.
1874
01:36:34,280 --> 01:36:38,400
You know, it might spark a real
interest in something new.
1875
01:36:44,160 --> 01:36:46,880
I really love working with
these groups.
1876
01:36:46,880 --> 01:36:48,880
I've been able to show people
something new,
1877
01:36:48,880 --> 01:36:51,440
something that they've never done,
or never seen,
1878
01:36:51,440 --> 01:36:55,520
and just seeing their reactions
from that and knowing that,
1879
01:36:55,520 --> 01:36:58,600
you know, for a lot of the young
people that we work with,
1880
01:36:58,600 --> 01:37:02,440
they might not have had the
opportunity to do that otherwise.
1881
01:37:02,440 --> 01:37:04,880
It's really special to see...see
that happening
1882
01:37:04,880 --> 01:37:06,640
with those young people.
1883
01:37:11,960 --> 01:37:15,880
Folk who are, like, new to the
outdoors and maybe, you know,
1884
01:37:15,880 --> 01:37:19,720
learning about certain aspects of
the outdoors, you know,
1885
01:37:19,720 --> 01:37:23,280
aren't, like, logoed up in outdoor
gear, maybe wearing what they would
1886
01:37:23,280 --> 01:37:26,560
around town, can get judged by
people who've been in the outdoors
1887
01:37:26,560 --> 01:37:29,440
for a long time, which, again,
makes it feel unwelcoming.
1888
01:37:30,920 --> 01:37:34,360
It takes a long time for
those things to change.
1889
01:37:36,360 --> 01:37:39,200
Uh! Made it to the top!
1890
01:37:39,200 --> 01:37:43,160
Even though we had a bit of an
unusual and damp forecast,
1891
01:37:43,160 --> 01:37:46,360
we've still managed to get
an atmospheric view.
1892
01:37:46,360 --> 01:37:51,640
So, sometimes it's just as nice
to come out when it's a bit wet.
1893
01:37:51,640 --> 01:37:56,200
It's such an incredible experience
that it just doesn't make sense
1894
01:37:56,200 --> 01:37:58,520
that people don't have those
opportunities, like,
1895
01:37:58,520 --> 01:38:02,320
why wouldn't we want to share
these spaces?
1896
01:38:02,320 --> 01:38:05,800
It has such an impact on everybody
who spends time in the outdoors.
1897
01:38:05,800 --> 01:38:08,880
So, it should be as accessible
for everyone.
1898
01:38:12,520 --> 01:38:13,800
So, that was Kirsty,
1899
01:38:13,800 --> 01:38:16,960
just one of us opening up the
outdoors for everyone.
1900
01:38:16,960 --> 01:38:20,440
Look at those outdoors behind us.
Absolutely fantastic, isn't it?
1901
01:38:20,440 --> 01:38:22,320
It's just breathtaking.
1902
01:38:22,320 --> 01:38:23,800
It's absolutely amazing.
1903
01:38:23,800 --> 01:38:26,080
And that's why people are saying
this is one of the best
1904
01:38:26,080 --> 01:38:28,040
winters for years.
1905
01:38:28,040 --> 01:38:30,240
So, let's get back to the white
stuff, shall we?
1906
01:38:30,240 --> 01:38:33,200
Earlier in the programme, I was put
through my paces trying to ski
1907
01:38:33,200 --> 01:38:35,360
in some ungroomed pistes.
1908
01:38:35,360 --> 01:38:37,280
Now it's Patrick's turn.
1909
01:38:37,280 --> 01:38:40,320
And, Lauren, you were his teacher!
SHE CHUCKLES
1910
01:38:40,320 --> 01:38:44,040
Yes, I was, and, you know, like,
snowboarding is...was my kind of
1911
01:38:44,040 --> 01:38:46,800
gateway sport, and I love it, but
Patrick wasn't too sure because
1912
01:38:46,800 --> 01:38:48,680
he hadn't been on a snowboard
for 35 years,
1913
01:38:48,680 --> 01:38:50,920
and, to be honest, both of us
were a bit nervous because
1914
01:38:50,920 --> 01:38:53,520
I hadn't taught a snowboard lesson
in about six or seven years,
1915
01:38:53,520 --> 01:38:55,200
and it was my first day on snow.
1916
01:38:55,200 --> 01:38:57,440
But we thought, "You know what?
Let's just go for it!"
1917
01:38:57,440 --> 01:38:59,120
A couple of mates,
get out there and do it,
1918
01:38:59,120 --> 01:39:00,760
because that's what it's all about.
1919
01:39:00,760 --> 01:39:03,000
I can't wait to see it, and
little point of order,
1920
01:39:03,000 --> 01:39:07,000
this was filmed while the lift
was still open for business.
1921
01:39:07,000 --> 01:39:08,560
Yeah, that's right, Dougie.
1922
01:39:08,560 --> 01:39:11,280
I'm at the Lecht Ski Centre,
which is currently open.
1923
01:39:11,280 --> 01:39:13,760
Beautiful conditions,
but I'm a bit apprehensive.
1924
01:39:13,760 --> 01:39:16,640
I'm about to take on something
I haven't done for many, many years.
1925
01:39:16,640 --> 01:39:18,960
I have no gear, I have no idea,
1926
01:39:18,960 --> 01:39:22,560
so the first thing
to do is go and get kitted out.
1927
01:39:26,600 --> 01:39:31,280
So, that's me, kitted out, boots,
board and the all-important lid.
1928
01:39:31,280 --> 01:39:33,760
Now, I did one day of this
35 years ago.
1929
01:39:33,760 --> 01:39:35,840
I can still remember the laughter
1930
01:39:35,840 --> 01:39:37,640
and I can definitely remember
the bruises.
1931
01:39:37,640 --> 01:39:39,800
But, luckily, Lauren's on-hand.
1932
01:39:39,800 --> 01:39:42,720
She's a bit of a snowboard expert
and she's going to put me
1933
01:39:42,720 --> 01:39:45,960
through my paces, and hopefully
keep me in one piece.
1934
01:39:45,960 --> 01:39:48,400
Patrick, good to see you again.
1935
01:39:48,400 --> 01:39:49,840
How are you? It's so good.
1936
01:39:49,840 --> 01:39:51,360
You...you nervous?
1937
01:39:51,360 --> 01:39:54,720
I'm really nervous, but I always get
nervous with new things.
1938
01:39:54,720 --> 01:39:57,560
Yeah. I'm trying to get my head
around this business
1939
01:39:57,560 --> 01:40:00,080
of going sideways,
not going forwards. Yeah.
1940
01:40:00,080 --> 01:40:03,040
And you're going to have to teach me
from scratch.
1941
01:40:03,040 --> 01:40:04,840
It's going to be fine.
The snow is great.
1942
01:40:04,840 --> 01:40:08,000
There was a snow fall last night.
It's about minus two, minus three,
1943
01:40:08,000 --> 01:40:11,360
so it's given us that nice grippy
snow, which is great for beginners,
1944
01:40:11,360 --> 01:40:13,160
and we're going to have a pretty
good day.
1945
01:40:13,160 --> 01:40:15,320
Off-piste videos by the end
of the day? Well...
1946
01:40:15,320 --> 01:40:18,240
HE CHUCKLES
..you called it. We'll see.
1947
01:40:18,240 --> 01:40:19,280
BOTH: Let's go.
1948
01:40:21,120 --> 01:40:24,040
The trick is to not start too big.
Yeah. I can go with that.
1949
01:40:24,040 --> 01:40:26,640
And then we're going to do something
what you call falling leaf.
1950
01:40:26,640 --> 01:40:29,160
So, if you go for a snowboard
lesson, it's probably one of the
1951
01:40:29,160 --> 01:40:30,960
first things that
the instructor will do.
1952
01:40:30,960 --> 01:40:33,920
OK. So, we're going to turn our
board around,
1953
01:40:33,920 --> 01:40:36,520
and I tend to just dig...dig it in
a little bit,
1954
01:40:36,520 --> 01:40:38,960
just to kind of give me
something to rest on.
1955
01:40:38,960 --> 01:40:41,520
Yeah. And it's probably actually
easier if we sit down
1956
01:40:41,520 --> 01:40:43,720
and get your back foot binded in.
1957
01:40:43,720 --> 01:40:46,640
We'll start with our two feet,
and just...
1958
01:40:46,640 --> 01:40:48,800
Woo! We're there. We're there!
1959
01:40:48,800 --> 01:40:51,040
Oh, Jesus. You'll be fine.
We've got this. Right, OK.
1960
01:40:51,040 --> 01:40:53,040
We're going to start really,
really slow. Yeah.
1961
01:40:53,040 --> 01:40:56,240
So, we're going to work on our heel
side, and we're going to shift
1962
01:40:56,240 --> 01:40:59,040
our weight from out front
to our back foot.
1963
01:40:59,040 --> 01:41:02,440
Come on, come on, come on.
1964
01:41:02,440 --> 01:41:04,560
First...
1965
01:41:04,560 --> 01:41:06,400
That's it!
1966
01:41:06,400 --> 01:41:09,480
Oh! If I want to go right, I'm going
to look and lean, put my weight
1967
01:41:09,480 --> 01:41:11,880
over my right foot. Yeah. If I want
to go left, I want to look
1968
01:41:11,880 --> 01:41:14,320
and put weight over my left foot.
OK.
1969
01:41:14,320 --> 01:41:16,080
Not sure I'd be where you guys are.
1970
01:41:17,360 --> 01:41:20,720
OK, this is actually a bit mellow.
1971
01:41:20,720 --> 01:41:22,480
It's actually quite hard.
1972
01:41:22,480 --> 01:41:25,200
So, I need a slightly steeper...
Yeah.
1973
01:41:25,200 --> 01:41:27,880
Like, on the snow, on your heel
edge... Yes.
1974
01:41:27,880 --> 01:41:31,080
..you want to be kind of, like,
going from left to right,
1975
01:41:31,080 --> 01:41:33,640
but on your heel edge. So, you don't
want your board pointing
1976
01:41:33,640 --> 01:41:35,880
down the hill. You want your board
to kind of be, like,
1977
01:41:35,880 --> 01:41:38,240
90 degrees at all times.
Yeah. OK. Yeah.
1978
01:41:38,240 --> 01:41:39,960
How did that feel, Patrick?
1979
01:41:39,960 --> 01:41:42,880
It works one way, but not the other.
THEY CHUCKLE
1980
01:41:42,880 --> 01:41:45,640
So, I'm OK if we just go round
and round the same hill.
1981
01:41:45,640 --> 01:41:49,200
Yeah. We've kind of got to feel our
board a bit.
1982
01:41:49,200 --> 01:41:52,080
I think we should head over to
the poma and try and tackle that.
1983
01:41:52,080 --> 01:41:53,240
Suits me.
1984
01:41:56,240 --> 01:41:58,520
Whoa!
1985
01:41:58,520 --> 01:42:00,240
We're on!
1986
01:42:03,840 --> 01:42:06,360
We've done our falling leaf,
now we're going to turn
1987
01:42:06,360 --> 01:42:08,320
that into linking the turns
together.
1988
01:42:08,320 --> 01:42:11,440
And then we've just got
to remember, when we're going across
1989
01:42:11,440 --> 01:42:13,040
the fall line, nice, bent knees
1990
01:42:13,040 --> 01:42:14,800
and then we're coming up to turn,
1991
01:42:14,800 --> 01:42:17,520
we're taking the pressure off,
standing up.
1992
01:42:17,520 --> 01:42:20,120
And then it's head,
shoulders, knees, toes.
1993
01:42:20,120 --> 01:42:21,960
And it will all come round.
1994
01:42:21,960 --> 01:42:24,000
And just don't freak out,
cos it will come round.
1995
01:42:24,000 --> 01:42:25,560
It sounds so easy. OK.
1996
01:42:25,560 --> 01:42:27,040
Down the fall line.
1997
01:42:27,040 --> 01:42:28,520
Squish, squish, squish.
1998
01:42:28,520 --> 01:42:29,680
Up.
1999
01:42:31,200 --> 01:42:32,520
Nice, bent knees.
2000
01:42:36,760 --> 01:42:38,120
Whoo!
2001
01:42:38,120 --> 01:42:40,760
That's it, slow it down
a little bit.
2002
01:42:43,480 --> 01:42:45,320
That was the one they were after!
2003
01:42:46,960 --> 01:42:48,240
Right, you're fine.
2004
01:42:48,240 --> 01:42:51,000
So, let's just slow it
down slightly.
2005
01:42:51,000 --> 01:42:53,280
A little bit more controlled...
Yeah.
2006
01:42:53,280 --> 01:42:56,160
..because it gets a bit rushed and
a bit all over the place.
2007
01:42:56,160 --> 01:42:57,920
Squish it down.
2008
01:42:57,920 --> 01:42:58,960
Up.
2009
01:42:59,960 --> 01:43:02,360
That's it. Now, sit back down.
2010
01:43:02,360 --> 01:43:04,040
Yes!
2011
01:43:04,040 --> 01:43:05,440
Whoo-hoo!
2012
01:43:12,640 --> 01:43:15,400
You're doing amazing, well done.
We're getting there.
2013
01:43:16,520 --> 01:43:20,200
That's it, really squish those
knees to stop.
2014
01:43:20,200 --> 01:43:21,680
Five turns.
2015
01:43:21,680 --> 01:43:23,200
Well, I'm in one piece.
2016
01:43:23,200 --> 01:43:25,880
I've got a river of sweat running
down between my shoulder blades,
2017
01:43:25,880 --> 01:43:29,200
so I'm probably needing a break,
but it's good.
2018
01:43:29,200 --> 01:43:32,040
Let's go get a coffee and save our
energy for the afternoon.
2019
01:43:32,040 --> 01:43:34,640
Yeah, look forward to it.
2020
01:43:34,640 --> 01:43:37,720
So, Lauren, what got you into
snowboarding as opposed to skiing
2021
01:43:37,720 --> 01:43:39,840
or any other sort of snow sport?
2022
01:43:39,840 --> 01:43:43,480
So, I didn't actually start
snowboarding till I was around
2023
01:43:43,480 --> 01:43:46,520
19 or 20, but it was actually
a bunch of guys,
2024
01:43:46,520 --> 01:43:49,480
I used to work at the climbing wall
and skate park in Aberdeen
2025
01:43:49,480 --> 01:43:51,000
and they said, "Come along with us."
2026
01:43:51,000 --> 01:43:52,920
And I think that's how most
people start,
2027
01:43:52,920 --> 01:43:54,640
you just kind of get dragged along.
2028
01:43:54,640 --> 01:43:57,720
And I just picked up just
second-hand bits of kit
2029
01:43:57,720 --> 01:43:59,680
here and there,
you're not having to go out
2030
01:43:59,680 --> 01:44:02,320
and buy the best of the kit
all the time.
2031
01:44:02,320 --> 01:44:06,160
Free sports had always
captured my imagination -
2032
01:44:06,160 --> 01:44:09,480
surfing, skateboarding,
snowboarding.
2033
01:44:09,480 --> 01:44:11,520
And I just always watched,
2034
01:44:11,520 --> 01:44:14,760
especially the women's
snowboard films,
2035
01:44:14,760 --> 01:44:17,480
how they just looked
like they were having so much fun.
2036
01:44:17,480 --> 01:44:19,880
And I just thought, you know,
"I'm going to have to get a piece
2037
01:44:19,880 --> 01:44:22,400
"of that, I think." Yeah, you watch
enough of those videos
2038
01:44:22,400 --> 01:44:24,600
and you start to think you can
do it yourself.
2039
01:44:24,600 --> 01:44:28,560
After this morning, I realise it's
quite a long way off.
2040
01:44:28,560 --> 01:44:31,520
Now, I have to admit that, decades
ago, I raced at the Olympics,
2041
01:44:31,520 --> 01:44:33,560
but that was on cross-country skis.
2042
01:44:33,560 --> 01:44:36,240
Most of the training was done in
the Scandinavian mountains,
2043
01:44:36,240 --> 01:44:39,120
a million miles from lifts
and queues.
2044
01:44:39,120 --> 01:44:41,320
To be honest,
that's where my heart is
2045
01:44:41,320 --> 01:44:44,280
and Lauren's promised to give me
a taste of what can be done
2046
01:44:44,280 --> 01:44:45,800
on a splitboard.
2047
01:44:45,800 --> 01:44:47,200
Here we go.
2048
01:44:47,200 --> 01:44:50,080
So, the first thing I do is
I take my bindings off,
2049
01:44:50,080 --> 01:44:52,280
so I pull up forward
2050
01:44:52,280 --> 01:44:55,320
and it should just slide off.
2051
01:44:55,320 --> 01:44:57,360
We start with what you call
your nose clip...
2052
01:44:58,720 --> 01:45:01,200
..and then tail clip.
2053
01:45:01,200 --> 01:45:02,680
Hold that.
2054
01:45:02,680 --> 01:45:04,480
Then just flick that out of the way.
2055
01:45:05,480 --> 01:45:08,440
And then... OK, so when you're
putting your skins on,
2056
01:45:08,440 --> 01:45:11,600
your board actually
goes on the opposite foot.
2057
01:45:11,600 --> 01:45:14,240
So what I usually do is I just flip
them over,
2058
01:45:14,240 --> 01:45:15,720
like this,
2059
01:45:15,720 --> 01:45:17,080
and then I get my skins out.
2060
01:45:18,640 --> 01:45:21,240
What's the most common mistake,
putting these things on?
2061
01:45:21,240 --> 01:45:24,160
If you can imagine, if you're on top
of a mountain, it's really windy,
2062
01:45:24,160 --> 01:45:26,480
people are rushing to get them on.
2063
01:45:26,480 --> 01:45:30,120
And the most common mistake
is people put them on the wrong way
2064
01:45:30,120 --> 01:45:32,320
cos there's one direction
to these skins, you see?
2065
01:45:32,320 --> 01:45:35,440
Now for the bindings. Yeah.
2066
01:45:35,440 --> 01:45:37,320
Is there a right and left?
2067
01:45:37,320 --> 01:45:40,200
Yes. Yeah. So, you want your buckles
to be on the outside.
2068
01:45:40,200 --> 01:45:42,600
That's it. That's done.
2069
01:45:42,600 --> 01:45:46,240
I think I'll ski down with them
like this as well.
2070
01:45:46,240 --> 01:45:48,440
Might be better.
2071
01:45:48,440 --> 01:45:51,360
All right. You know how to tour.
We should be OK with this.
2072
01:45:51,360 --> 01:45:52,800
So you should be OK with this.
2073
01:45:57,240 --> 01:46:00,600
Now, Lauren, it doesn't matter
where you are in the world, the snow
2074
01:46:00,600 --> 01:46:06,120
looks the same, beautifully white,
but every country has its own
2075
01:46:06,120 --> 01:46:09,280
nature and Scotland's very specific
in the hills.
2076
01:46:09,280 --> 01:46:10,760
The hills are so accessible,
2077
01:46:10,760 --> 01:46:13,480
but they're no less dangerous than
anywhere else.
2078
01:46:13,480 --> 01:46:15,680
Yeah, I mean, you've got
the Alps, you get that
2079
01:46:15,680 --> 01:46:18,560
more traditional pointy peak,
2080
01:46:18,560 --> 01:46:20,840
but the Scottish hills are not
to be underestimated.
2081
01:46:20,840 --> 01:46:23,640
You can get in a lot of trouble
very quickly
2082
01:46:23,640 --> 01:46:25,720
and it's also the changing
variations.
2083
01:46:25,720 --> 01:46:27,920
You know, this is an Arctic
landscape,
2084
01:46:27,920 --> 01:46:32,240
so you get sheet ice, you get poor
visibility, buffeting wind,
2085
01:46:32,240 --> 01:46:34,240
and it can change very quickly.
2086
01:46:34,240 --> 01:46:35,880
So, you might leave the car park,
2087
01:46:35,880 --> 01:46:38,560
it might be a beautiful day,
and then it'll just change
2088
01:46:38,560 --> 01:46:40,000
and it can catch you out.
2089
01:46:40,000 --> 01:46:43,200
And if you don't have the skill
set, that mountaineering skill set,
2090
01:46:43,200 --> 01:46:47,400
you're in risk of putting yourself
and your friends in a lot of danger.
2091
01:46:49,880 --> 01:46:51,520
Amazing.
2092
01:46:51,520 --> 01:46:52,920
We've got to the top and then
2093
01:46:52,920 --> 01:46:54,880
I guess we'll just put our
board together.
2094
01:46:54,880 --> 01:46:55,960
Bindings off.
2095
01:46:57,160 --> 01:46:58,480
Peel it off.
2096
01:47:00,160 --> 01:47:03,920
And stick your skin saver on
2097
01:47:03,920 --> 01:47:05,320
as you're going.
2098
01:47:07,040 --> 01:47:08,440
OK, you ready?
2099
01:47:10,040 --> 01:47:11,960
Ready?
2100
01:47:11,960 --> 01:47:14,080
You away? I'm away.
2101
01:47:15,400 --> 01:47:17,120
SHE LAUGHS
2102
01:47:18,320 --> 01:47:19,840
Oh, yeah.
2103
01:47:19,840 --> 01:47:22,880
When you're going well,
when everything seems easy,
2104
01:47:22,880 --> 01:47:25,160
I was just wondering what you
actually feel when
2105
01:47:25,160 --> 01:47:27,640
you're flowing nicely on the board.
2106
01:47:27,640 --> 01:47:31,240
For me, that feeling of
locking in a turn,
2107
01:47:31,240 --> 01:47:34,440
and it's just that amazing
feeling of just fun.
2108
01:47:36,320 --> 01:47:38,080
You're floating and you're carving.
2109
01:47:38,080 --> 01:47:41,080
And I think, you know, that's
when I know it's going well
2110
01:47:41,080 --> 01:47:43,280
because it's just kind of effortless
2111
01:47:43,280 --> 01:47:46,160
and it's almost
like you're not even trying.
2112
01:47:47,200 --> 01:47:49,160
Yeah, Patrick!
2113
01:47:49,160 --> 01:47:51,440
If you're relaxed, one,
it feels good,
2114
01:47:51,440 --> 01:47:52,720
and, two, it looks good.
2115
01:47:52,720 --> 01:47:54,600
But when you're learning
a new sport,
2116
01:47:54,600 --> 01:47:56,880
the first thing you do is tense up.
2117
01:47:56,880 --> 01:47:59,760
Maybe it's just hours and hours
and hours. It's just practise.
2118
01:47:59,760 --> 01:48:02,960
And I think the other thing is
not being too hard on yourself.
2119
01:48:02,960 --> 01:48:06,120
We have this expectation in society
2120
01:48:06,120 --> 01:48:08,680
that we have to be amazing
at it straight away and it's not
2121
01:48:08,680 --> 01:48:09,960
going to happen overnight.
2122
01:48:09,960 --> 01:48:11,800
But that's what makes it rewarding
2123
01:48:11,800 --> 01:48:13,760
and that makes it fun, that journey.
2124
01:48:13,760 --> 01:48:17,840
And the learning process
is so rewarding.
2125
01:48:17,840 --> 01:48:20,080
It doesn't have to be a sport,
it can be anything.
2126
01:48:20,080 --> 01:48:23,680
But when you start, every ten
minutes, you notice the difference.
2127
01:48:23,680 --> 01:48:25,120
This is such fun.
2128
01:48:26,280 --> 01:48:27,800
We got carried away.
2129
01:48:29,320 --> 01:48:30,640
That was perfect.
2130
01:48:32,480 --> 01:48:34,120
I really like the splitboard idea.
2131
01:48:34,120 --> 01:48:39,040
I'm not one for the pistes
but I love getting out the back
2132
01:48:39,040 --> 01:48:42,440
and, even if it's a small hill
round the back of the house,
2133
01:48:42,440 --> 01:48:45,480
it's just a fantastic way
to spend the day.
2134
01:48:45,480 --> 01:48:47,040
Ooh, la-la-la.
2135
01:48:48,440 --> 01:48:49,720
Woohoo!
2136
01:48:51,000 --> 01:48:55,040
Everything that I did for
cross-country I tend to apply
2137
01:48:55,040 --> 01:48:58,680
to every sport, which is ridiculous,
but you still want to get better
2138
01:48:58,680 --> 01:49:01,080
and you want to be faster and
you want to go higher.
2139
01:49:03,720 --> 01:49:08,040
It's crazy but, you know,
that's what motivates us.
2140
01:49:08,040 --> 01:49:09,440
Good old...
2141
01:49:10,960 --> 01:49:13,360
Wouldn't be a day without some ice.
2142
01:49:13,360 --> 01:49:15,440
Whoa! Yes, Patrick! Well done.
2143
01:49:17,400 --> 01:49:21,000
Had I seen how steep it was,
I wouldn't have come it.
2144
01:49:21,000 --> 01:49:24,880
Your first day on a snowboard in
30, 35 years?
2145
01:49:24,880 --> 01:49:26,760
Will you be back for more?
I think so.
2146
01:49:26,760 --> 01:49:29,120
I'm slightly surprised
I've still got all my limbs
2147
01:49:29,120 --> 01:49:30,680
and my shoulders aren't hurting
2148
01:49:30,680 --> 01:49:33,480
because I do remember, from last
time, I was sore for a week.
2149
01:49:33,480 --> 01:49:34,800
You did really well
2150
01:49:34,800 --> 01:49:37,440
because there were some really icy
patches in there.
2151
01:49:37,440 --> 01:49:40,720
Hopefully, we'll have another
day together soon.
2152
01:49:40,720 --> 01:49:43,280
DOUGIE: Well, what a winter
it's been.
2153
01:49:43,280 --> 01:49:46,600
Scotland's never looked better,
but don't forget to follow
2154
01:49:46,600 --> 01:49:50,800
all the regulations before you head
out to the hills.
2155
01:49:50,800 --> 01:49:54,200
The latest information can be found
at the Scottish Government website
2156
01:49:54,200 --> 01:49:56,760
and, as it specifically relates
to outdoor activity,
2157
01:49:56,760 --> 01:49:59,760
at Mountaineering Scotland.
2158
01:49:59,760 --> 01:50:02,440
And although this winter
has been quite exceptional,
2159
01:50:02,440 --> 01:50:06,520
there's good backcountry skiing to
be found almost every year.
2160
01:50:06,520 --> 01:50:10,680
And to prove that point, here's our
final foray into the mountains,
2161
01:50:10,680 --> 01:50:14,520
with two of our backcountry experts,
off-piste guidebook writer
2162
01:50:14,520 --> 01:50:17,880
Kenny Biggin, from Spean Bridge,
just outside Fort William,
2163
01:50:17,880 --> 01:50:20,960
and ski coach Rob Kingsland,
from Glencoe.
2164
01:50:20,960 --> 01:50:22,440
Prepare to be amazed.
2165
01:50:27,240 --> 01:50:30,760
And once you've made the effort,
Scottish backcountry skiing
2166
01:50:30,760 --> 01:50:33,600
delivers a special experience.
2167
01:50:33,600 --> 01:50:36,640
I always think of Scotland
as having, in many ways,
2168
01:50:36,640 --> 01:50:40,640
a lot more character than the Alps,
in terms of the culture
2169
01:50:40,640 --> 01:50:44,080
and the environment,
the geology of the mountains.
2170
01:50:44,080 --> 01:50:46,560
It's so variable,
from the west coast,
2171
01:50:46,560 --> 01:50:49,000
we're here, below Ben Nevis
right now,
2172
01:50:49,000 --> 01:50:52,000
with these steep, towering peaks
going down to the sea.
2173
01:50:52,000 --> 01:50:55,520
Whereas, if we drive an hour, an
hour and a half, you're into these
2174
01:50:55,520 --> 01:51:00,160
rolling plateau mountains,
with these deep corries.
2175
01:51:00,160 --> 01:51:02,480
I think the nature of skiing in
Scotland
2176
01:51:02,480 --> 01:51:07,720
does lead to a stronger community
2177
01:51:07,720 --> 01:51:10,120
of backcountry skiers.
2178
01:51:10,120 --> 01:51:14,040
I think perhaps, because of
the difficult conditions
2179
01:51:14,040 --> 01:51:19,400
in Scotland, it almost distils the
essence of skiing,
2180
01:51:19,400 --> 01:51:22,880
so that, when people do get
a good day, it's more special.
2181
01:51:26,760 --> 01:51:30,880
Growing up, it was all about
the skiing. All you wanted to do
2182
01:51:30,880 --> 01:51:34,240
was hit the lift, ski from start
to finish of the day,
2183
01:51:34,240 --> 01:51:37,240
ski as much as possible,
find all the biggest jumps
2184
01:51:37,240 --> 01:51:39,440
and all the fun features
on the hill.
2185
01:51:39,440 --> 01:51:42,800
I guess, once you've started to
explore beyond that
2186
01:51:42,800 --> 01:51:47,120
and you realise that what you
really want to do is ski
2187
01:51:47,120 --> 01:51:49,480
maybe one really good run.
2188
01:51:49,480 --> 01:51:52,360
And sometimes you're waiting
a whole year for that,
2189
01:51:52,360 --> 01:51:54,760
sometimes you'll never even
get in the winter.
2190
01:51:54,760 --> 01:51:57,960
So, you're really looking at
some of the best runs
2191
01:51:57,960 --> 01:52:00,280
that you're ever doing
might be almost
2192
01:52:00,280 --> 01:52:02,720
a once-in-a-lifetime
run that you're doing,
2193
01:52:02,720 --> 01:52:05,960
which really is quite exciting.
2194
01:52:05,960 --> 01:52:09,880
Scottish backcountry skiing is
more popular than ever,
2195
01:52:09,880 --> 01:52:11,640
but it isn't new.
2196
01:52:11,640 --> 01:52:15,080
It goes right back to the start
of the sport.
2197
01:52:15,080 --> 01:52:19,040
The roots of backcountry skiing go
way back to before there were
2198
01:52:19,040 --> 01:52:24,000
any lifts in Scotland, when people
first got their hands on skis
2199
01:52:24,000 --> 01:52:26,760
and basically went hill walking with
them up
2200
01:52:26,760 --> 01:52:28,840
to the top of the hill, skied down.
2201
01:52:28,840 --> 01:52:31,560
And then, when the lifts got built,
2202
01:52:31,560 --> 01:52:36,160
I think certainly a lot of skiers
basically just stuck to the lifts
2203
01:52:36,160 --> 01:52:39,320
and almost stopped going
up hills with skis.
2204
01:52:40,800 --> 01:52:45,360
But then, I think more recently,
there's been a real resurgence,
2205
01:52:45,360 --> 01:52:50,520
partly fuelled by social media,
partly fuelled by improvements
2206
01:52:50,520 --> 01:52:52,920
in ski touring equipment -
light skis,
2207
01:52:52,920 --> 01:52:56,240
light touring bindings, light boots.
2208
01:52:56,240 --> 01:52:59,960
And I think these things have all
contributed to a real growth
2209
01:52:59,960 --> 01:53:01,680
in backcountry skiing.
2210
01:53:04,280 --> 01:53:08,680
I think, all through the period
where people were skiing
2211
01:53:08,680 --> 01:53:10,560
on the lifts more and more and more,
2212
01:53:10,560 --> 01:53:14,200
there were still the enthusiasts and
the guides and the instructors
2213
01:53:14,200 --> 01:53:18,520
who were still going out there
and just hiking up beyond the lifts.
2214
01:53:18,520 --> 01:53:20,800
So, I don't think it's anything new.
2215
01:53:20,800 --> 01:53:24,880
And certainly skiing steeper
gullies and the more consequential
2216
01:53:24,880 --> 01:53:27,560
lines or the more exciting lines
isn't anything new,
2217
01:53:27,560 --> 01:53:30,680
that's been happening since day one,
really,
2218
01:53:30,680 --> 01:53:34,160
it's just a different
sliding scale of how someone
2219
01:53:34,160 --> 01:53:37,560
perceives it as being steep or
challenging or extreme.
2220
01:53:37,560 --> 01:53:40,200
So, there's not really anything
new there, I'd say,
2221
01:53:40,200 --> 01:53:44,640
but the prevalence has
now shot up through the roof.
2222
01:53:44,640 --> 01:53:48,120
There's more backcountry skiing
than you might think, with many
2223
01:53:48,120 --> 01:53:50,520
new lines still to be discovered.
2224
01:53:50,520 --> 01:53:54,320
And for the Scottish backcountry
community, finding, planning
2225
01:53:54,320 --> 01:53:58,280
and attempting these lines
is a major part of the attraction.
2226
01:53:58,280 --> 01:54:01,680
I think, if there's a particular
objective,
2227
01:54:01,680 --> 01:54:05,840
a gully or a couloir that we've
wanted to ski for a long time,
2228
01:54:05,840 --> 01:54:09,040
it can be a real art, getting the
right conditions for that.
2229
01:54:09,040 --> 01:54:11,120
You've got to have exactly
the right weather,
2230
01:54:11,120 --> 01:54:13,280
you've got to have the
right snow there,
2231
01:54:13,280 --> 01:54:16,400
you've got to have
safe avalanche conditions.
2232
01:54:16,400 --> 01:54:19,640
So, getting all these things
to line up perfectly
2233
01:54:19,640 --> 01:54:21,040
can be really challenging
2234
01:54:21,040 --> 01:54:24,800
and it's exactly why some
of the harder ski routes,
2235
01:54:24,800 --> 01:54:29,560
some of the steeper couloirs,
may have only been skied
2236
01:54:29,560 --> 01:54:33,640
a small handful of times,
only once or twice, in some cases.
2237
01:54:36,960 --> 01:54:38,880
CHUCKLING: Skiing in Scotland!
2238
01:54:41,560 --> 01:54:45,320
The process of choosing where to go,
I really enjoy it,
2239
01:54:45,320 --> 01:54:48,920
it's a very creative process
and it really consumes me
2240
01:54:48,920 --> 01:54:50,960
when I get an idea into my head.
2241
01:54:50,960 --> 01:54:54,760
I'm looking through maps and looking
through pictures, blogs.
2242
01:54:54,760 --> 01:54:56,600
I'm always looking
for an aesthetic line,
2243
01:54:56,600 --> 01:54:58,680
so I don't really mind
how steep it is.
2244
01:54:58,680 --> 01:55:00,920
I'm not looking for the steepest
or the longest
2245
01:55:00,920 --> 01:55:04,520
or anything like that, I'm looking
for something that's fun to ski,
2246
01:55:04,520 --> 01:55:07,560
so maybe something that comes right
from the summit
2247
01:55:07,560 --> 01:55:10,880
all the way down into the corrie
is a really nice line to ski,
2248
01:55:10,880 --> 01:55:13,720
or something that's bordered with
big granite walls
2249
01:55:13,720 --> 01:55:18,120
or big stone walls, where you're
really tucked inside the mountain.
2250
01:55:18,120 --> 01:55:21,120
Sometimes you might figure out that
if you hop on a bike,
2251
01:55:21,120 --> 01:55:22,800
you can do it in a day.
2252
01:55:22,800 --> 01:55:25,840
Other times, you might be looking
for this sense
2253
01:55:25,840 --> 01:55:27,240
of expedition and excitement.
2254
01:55:27,240 --> 01:55:29,480
So you're like, right,
let's take a tent,
2255
01:55:29,480 --> 01:55:32,360
let's get all our food
together, get the supplies,
2256
01:55:32,360 --> 01:55:35,840
get the friends together,
head up there, set up camp,
2257
01:55:35,840 --> 01:55:39,640
get a really good atmosphere,
little homely feel in your tent.
2258
01:55:39,640 --> 01:55:42,080
And then you can go off there
and you can ski the line
2259
01:55:42,080 --> 01:55:45,320
that you wanted to ski and then
you can have a nice evening,
2260
01:55:45,320 --> 01:55:48,760
have a nice meal, and then the next
day, you can go and ski
2261
01:55:48,760 --> 01:55:50,440
two or three more lines.
2262
01:55:54,080 --> 01:55:58,320
When you do finally get that perfect
day, that perfect moment at the top
2263
01:55:58,320 --> 01:56:02,240
of a line you've maybe wanted
to ski for a long time,
2264
01:56:02,240 --> 01:56:06,920
yeah, hopping off a cornice
into a gully, turning your way
2265
01:56:06,920 --> 01:56:10,360
down it, hiding under a rocky
buttress and waiting
2266
01:56:10,360 --> 01:56:12,960
for your friend to join you,
2267
01:56:12,960 --> 01:56:14,840
I think that's hard to beat.
2268
01:56:17,840 --> 01:56:20,400
That was truly inspirational.
2269
01:56:20,400 --> 01:56:22,840
I really wish I could ski half
as well as that,
2270
01:56:22,840 --> 01:56:24,880
but I guess that's not
really the point.
2271
01:56:24,880 --> 01:56:27,800
It doesn't matter what age you are,
where you live,
2272
01:56:27,800 --> 01:56:31,320
what your ability is, you can still
have a fantastic adventure.
2273
01:56:31,320 --> 01:56:34,680
Thanks for watching. Please do stay
safe and we'll leave you
2274
01:56:34,680 --> 01:56:37,800
with some highlights,
both on and off the snow.
2275
01:56:37,800 --> 01:56:38,800
Bye for now.
2276
01:56:41,560 --> 01:56:43,080
Beautiful!
2277
01:56:43,080 --> 01:56:44,840
Really, really, really good.
2278
01:56:55,400 --> 01:56:57,200
Whoa!
2279
01:56:57,200 --> 01:56:58,280
Ha!
2280
01:56:59,800 --> 01:57:01,840
Snowplough to stop.
2281
01:57:01,840 --> 01:57:03,000
Whoa...
2282
01:57:03,000 --> 01:57:04,760
Snowplough to stop. Ooh, dear!
2283
01:57:06,840 --> 01:57:09,800
You don't really get anywhere quite
like this anywhere else.
2284
01:57:09,800 --> 01:57:14,000
up on the Cairngorm plateau, miles
of snow and things.
2285
01:57:14,000 --> 01:57:16,520
Scottish hills in winter are
pretty special.
2286
01:57:16,520 --> 01:57:20,120
Whoa! Yes, Patrick! Well done.
2287
01:57:20,120 --> 01:57:23,760
Had I seen how steep it was,
I wouldn't have come down it.
2288
01:57:27,840 --> 01:57:31,440
That is like the best thing
I've ever skied in my life!
195450
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