A Magical Hillgrimage in Pitlochry

29th December 2023

Training Course for Educators

Photos by Andrzej Szypulski & Bryan Richart

Earlier this month, LEAP Sports delivered our last ever training course funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union on the topic of outdoor learning methods and their use with young people. Held in Pitlochry, 35 participants from 11 countries had a magical week of learning in the outdoors (and a little indoors). The project starts from the point that it is no longer simply good enough to do activity and learning in the outdoors, but we must improve the way we teach young people the skills to be able to 'be' outdoors, as an accessible strategy to social and developmental benefits such as to improve their own coping, increase their emotional resilience and to reduce the need to be consumerist. 

Organising outdoor learning that is inclusive of marginalised groups was a key focus; activities like these can be highly impactful on young people who are excluded or who are at risk of social exclusion. 

Climbing Ben Vrackie 

Preparing to go walking

According to one participant, Alina from Lithuania, "The mountains, rivers and forests of Scotland have become daily learning camps for the participants of the Youth Work Hillgrimage project. For lovers of natural beauty and adventure seekers, Scotland is a wonderland. Project participants are taught to read maps, analyze weather forecasts from specific websites for climbers. During the hikes, interactive games and learning activities were held to develop skills".

After some xmas dinner at The Bridge restaurant in Pitlochry