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A perfect Trail Therapy day at Comrie Croft

Recently Paul McFarlane, our Trail Therapy Leader, shared with us some details of an awesome day riding with the Comrie Croft Trail Therapy group. Not only did the weather help as it was glorious sunshine which made for some excellent trail conditions, but they also made some amazing memories throughout the day.

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Pauls Trail Therapy Musings

Part of Trail Therapy is very much about others – being able to connect with likeminded people, share experiences, volunteer our time and listen to what other people are experiencing. But ultimately it is about recognising that we are always welcome within the non-judgmental community of mountain biking.

The MTB TT groups don’t care what you ride or how you ride. You can be on a twenty year old mountain bike or a brand spanking new, top of the range e-MTB, when you are sitting at the trail head the person next to you is more than likely going to strike up a conversation with you, not because of your bike or your clothes, but because you are part of the MTB community and are seen as a fellow biker who enjoys being out on a hill, in nature and has a penchant for a wee bit of an adrenaline buzz. You are accepted, not judged and welcomed.

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We also share the mountains and trails with other folk and mutual respect is always the accepted protocol when we come across someone. We were fortunate to come across a forestry worker and his horse hard at work removing logs out of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which limits motorised vehicles – an unusual sight but one which gave us a lot of pleasure when we learned about this kind of work, and how much the horse(s) enjoyed it too.

After some uphill pedalling and many hellos to the many hillwalkers, we were rewarded with a brew and a cake in the middle of a remote glen. The red kites were catching the thermals above us and the tranquillity encouraged a lot of open conversation between the group, bringing us closer together and enforcing the importance of connecting with others at part of the Trail Therapy Programme.

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A plaque on the wall of a house in Comrie telling us nothing happened on September 5th 1782 made us laugh. However, I am pleased to report that plenty happened on out MTB TT ride on May 30th 2023.

....because you are part of the MTB community and are seen as a fellow biker who enjoys being out on a hill, in nature and has a penchant for a wee bit of an adrenaline buzz. You are accepted, not judged and welcomed.

Paul McFarlane

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