We are nestled into our bivvy bags, the crackling of the last flames of fire burning out as our final night comes to a close. The moon is bright and stars twinkle between the silhouettes of trees we will later be sleeping amongst. It’s amazing how quickly the rain and cold and hills of the day are forgotten as clothes are changed, hot drinks brewed and curious conversation fuels the connection that has started to build within this group throughout the week.
“Is it strange for you to be spending time with teenagers, like as an adult?”
The question from one of the group pops through the darkness and my mind wanders…
I can remember being 14 and finding freedom on my bike. Messing about on jumps in the woods after school or cycling out to Loch Ness with friends to dive into the cool clear waters. I remember waking up early, mind full of the chaos of being a teenager, creeping out the door and letting the turning wheels whoosh it all away as the sun rose over the moors and the rest of the world slept. Occasionally a small group of us would set off to find somewhere to camp, some on the “country bus” and on foot, others on bikes. Rucksacks and plastic carrier bags full of kit we’d scrounged from parents or friends swung from handlebars, the ghetto blaster playing mix tapes recorded off the radio offering the soundtrack to our adventures. The objective, never discussed but so clear now, was simple - find freedom somewhere beautiful. It would be another 15 years until I heard the word “bikepacking”.
The fire crackles on. “No”, I say. “It’s fab. I love your curiosity and how interested you are in each other.”
Rewind four days and six nervous-excited faces sit in a community hall in Inverness, cautiously introducing ourselves and where we’ve travelled from. The week is a collaboration between the Adventure Syndicate and new social enterprise Aban (About | Àban Outdoor | Adventure After School Camping Skills (aban.scot). This group of teenagers will be learning together and getting what they need from the first few days so that we can journey together on bikes on an overnight expedition on the Thursday/Friday.
As we begin ideas emerge. Some people have never ridden off road so practicing navigating roots and trails, as well as mastering gears and braking sounds essential. There’s a keenness to understand some basic repairs; what to do if we get a puncture? We’ll be riding from our base each day so knowing how to find the way using maps and apps feels important. The group would like to go to rural places, open spaces with water and trees, local history sites and also to find some fun downhill trails for those more experienced. A visit to Loch Ness is on the list. Worries and concerns are also shared, there is anxiety about the unknown, losing things and questions of how we’ll stick together with all our varying abilities.
Where shall we explore today?
The morning question. There is uncertainty at first as we practice braking safely, get to know gearing systems and consider riding position in rougher terrain. Each group member takes the lead and finds a place for us to put each skill into practice. Some honed skills and a couple of crashes later, we’re ready for a journey together. Loch Ness beckons and soon we’re pedalling through glorious pine forests, stopping occasionally to sit beneath the trees and snack, gradually finding out more about each other. Choices are made along the way, which route to go, who will lead, how long should we spend picnicking by the loch bearing in mind we want to be back in time for the lovely soup and cake provided as part of each day! I am struck by the group’s immediate kindness, smiles and questions about each other’s experiences of life, as well as their ability to make decisions together. It seems the group notice too,
“Its kinda interesting hearing different view points and things. It makes the world less monotone.”
As the week progresses the group are able to make more choices, opening up possibilities to visit the places of most interest. I love how this group member describes it,
“Like we’re going to go down this trail bit, and then like that’s the trail that goes to Culloden Battlefield… like we could go there… I was like I wanna go there but we gotta see if everyone’s chill with that… and then everyone was and so we went there.”
Finding our way
One of the aims of the week was that the group would feel more able to explore independently on bikes, so the experience wasn’t stand alone, rather a spark that would ignite further adventures. We used a mix of traditional map reading skills and apps to navigate on the go.
“I now know how to navigate using Komoot. It was great, cos a lot of the time you don’t want to go places in case you get lost, in case you get hurt and then you’re sorta phoning your mum like I have no clue where I am but you know it gives you a wee destination, you can change the route and stuff and be like actually I wanna go more road biking rather than mountain biking so yeah its nice.”
Learning to ride as “a pod” to get out of the city on the best cycleways was an essential starting point. Taking turns meant some of the group could relax and chat, while a few were on it with the directions leading the way to whatever off-road exploring we were doing that day. Once at the woods or hillside paper maps appeared, knowledge was shared and techniques for relocating and navigating to the next point emerged, as new people stepped up to lead the way.
The only certainty in life is change
Each day involved making plans, and also adaptability. It felt possible that we would get to where we wanted to go but that didn’t always happen. Unfortunately, in the middle of the week one of the group went over on her ankle spraining it on a climb. Thankfully not too badly injured, group shelter whipped out and the questions began. What would we actually do if we were in the middle of nowhere? A perfect teachable moment, and one of the things I am really enjoying about this week is how the learning is being driven by the groups interests and the situations we find ourselves in.
It also stands out that what is hard and appears show stopping in one moment can transform, lighting up of someone’s strengths. Reflecting back the injured member shares,
“Mmm yeah… more determined. Dunno… I’m proud that I sort of kept going, like with everything that happened. So you know although I couldn’t really cycle, I still came along for the bivvy bags and all that. Like a lot of folk wouldn’t do that.”
Putting it all into practice
Thursday arrives, the wettest day of the week! The group have decided we want to find a nice view, be away from lights and traffic noise, maximum 30km each day, some downhill trails, and definitely have ice-cream at the end. We settle upon Abriachan as the bivvy spot to aim for as there is some shelter there amidst the trees, the ability to have a fire safely and we can re-meet our injured group member.
The only way is up to begin with and the group find their way with setting the pace, planning rests, learning to communicate what is to come and sharing local knowledge.
As we arrive at the start of the Great Glen way, so does the rain. Undeterred the group switch up their order and ride sociably along the silver birch lined single track. The smells of wet moss, and damp forest punctuate the misty air as the wheels turn splashing the muddy puddles across the track. Tasting blaeberries becomes a welcome snack during the occasional pauses to catch our breath. Autumn unfolds in front of us.
“Darlings, come in!” Soon we stumble across the most wonderfully unique little nook of joy nestled in the forest. Lemon cake quarters and steaming tankards of hot chocolate and coffee appear. Transported from the soggy, cold but beautiful trail into the relative shelter and hospitality of the Eco Cafe is like finding ourselves in another world. Smiles and laughter recharged as the kindness, cheer and cake fuel us on for our final leg to camp.
Tarp up. Wet clothes hung up and dry ones pulled on to shivering bodies. I wonder how the team will respond to being here for the rest of the evening and overnight. There is nothing but excitement, curiosity and connection. Will we light a fire? How do we cook? Can I dry my socks? Practical questions amidst the more burning interest in each others lives and experiences of being a teenager. The conversation flows as wood is collected, the fire becomes a warming centre piece and food is hungrily enjoyed.
Appreciation and connection
Waking to the cold morning air, everyone is quick to organise themselves and get breakfast on as we decide what we want from the day. The first snow glistens on the highest tops, ice cream suddenly seeming like a less appealing idea! There is a consensus that we should head back the way we have come, taking in a new view and visiting some of the steeper trails for those who want them on the way home. There is more ownership now than earlier in the week, and it is encouraging to see the group lead each other using all the skills they’ve practiced together.
“It was quite fun to have you two (group members) cos they have much more experience than say me and (others) so it was quite fun that they were like maybe on this trail its quite steep so like you might want to maybe like get off for a wee second, before you go down, or like make sure you’re going to fall this way rather than that way. I appreciate that, I preferred when you said that than just left and left me to my own devices.”
The group ride independently now, checking in often with how people are doing. Choosing known points to aim for, switching up the order so different people ride at the front depending on the terrain. I love how grateful they are of each others inputs and the wonderful variety that everybody brings.
“You learn a lot from like the other people as well, not just like from Kate. But I was also not meaning about just the biking, just like in general, you know. We had very like deep conversations last night. Um like, we kinda went into a lot of detail about like peoples lives and like different experiences. Yeah, you don’t normally get to do that at like school.”
I recall the second part of the fireside question.
“But I mean, what’s it like hearing the conversations, is it similar to when you do it with your friends?”
I pause for a moment. Journeys on bikes through beautiful places, with a bit of challenge and uncertainty. Supporting each other to get to the destination, making decisions, changing the plan. The time and space to have conversations about meaningful things, the stuff of life that matters. A different stage of life perhaps, but fundamentally exactly the same.
Aban is a not-for-profit enterprise founded in 2020 in Inverness that focuses on simple, local outdoor adventures and shows adults and children ways to get outdoors themselves.