On Saturday 12th October, a group of 8 of us set out from Glasgow to explore The Hermitage Woodlands in Perthshire. The weather forecast was looking bleak, and though 12 people cancelled, the rest of us braved the weather and were rewarded with a glorious sunny autumn day!
The group were previous participants of Tripod’s Organising for Power programme, which is coming to an end this year. This programme has been vital for forming strong links across activists and organisers in the migrant justice movement in Scotland, as well as providing political education to 3 cohorts of participants. This woodland walk was an opportunity for reunions, for new connections, and for everyone to spend valuable time connecting with nature.
Tripod joined up with the incredible Black Scottish Adventurers for their day out at The Hermitage. Black Scottish Adventurers (BSA) have been doing brilliant work over the last few years to encourage, inspire, and enable more people of colour to access the outdoors in Scotland. Their monthly hikes sell out quickly and attract over 100 participants. The hiking is followed by a party with tasty food and great games to bring people together. Follow them on Instagram to see their amazing work in action.
During our day out, we explored the stunning waterfalls and gorges of the River Braan, with pools of water tempting us to return for a swim! We walked under a canopy of golden, red, green, and yellow leaves. The woodlands were bursting with colour at the change of the season, and provided a perfect soft mossy exploration ground for our youngest member, baby Ashri. One member of our group who lives in Glasgow said she had not seen woods and rivers like this since she left home in Nigeria many years ago. The whole group were touched by the peacefulness of the forest, and the epic scale of the waterfalls and gorges.
“I’m so glad I braved the rain this morning, this place is so beautiful. I can feel my breathing is much better out here than in Glasgow, it feels like my stress has been washed away down the river. I feel so peaceful and happy.”
B
After our woodland walk, we joined BSA at a village hall nearby. When we arrived, a young black teenager from our group said “I’ve never seen so many black people in Scotland!”, she said she would like to come to more events like this because she isn’t used to seeing people who look like her in the outdoors.
At the hall we were treated to delicious Jollof Rice and a barbecue! There was dancing, games, and networking opportunities. A really fun end to a brilliant day out.