Stage 5 -

Between site visits, chatting with the John Muir Trust, Ailsa’s Ultra-marathon, and all coming down with the flu, Fort William turned out to be one of the most chaotic weeks of the expedition. Among other things, it taught us that there’s only so much we can plan for, and that our biggest strength is often adaptability!

Firstly we joined the John Muir trust on a hike up Ben Nevis with a team of volunteers to remove litter from the mountain. We then visited Steall Gorge, where we spoke to some employees of the John Muir Trust about Ben Nevis and it’s beautiful surroundings. It was interesting to hear about conservation efforts in such a touristic area of the country, and how different aspects of society and behaviours affect this environment. In the week following the series of Salomon Skyline races, we headed out to see what effects the increase in footfall had had on peatland and path-work - a 52km trail running race that Ailsa went on to complete. Watch how she got on with this amazing challenge here.