For all the latest news and updates from Bespoke:
- Back on the Radar…really this time! – Jan 2015
Bespoke has been seriously busy over the last year, hence the reason the website hasn’t been updated. We have been active on the Facebook front and one of our most recent and popular posts has been the Falkirk 100.
Here’s the story:
Earlier in January a couple of our members scoped out a 100km mountain bike route round the paths and trails of Falkirk. The route which is largely off road takes in the Callendar Estate Cycle Trails, The Falkirk Wheel, Callendar House, the Kelpies and the Tappoch Broch in Torwood. The map shows the route taken which covers 101km, 908 of climbing and just over 7 hours of riding. The red sections are off road and the blue sections on road.
We are now thinking of organizing a more formal Falkirk100 later in the year alongside a shorter Falkirk50. We might refine the route a bit to cut out some of the on road sections. Watch this space for further details.
We have also been busy continuing our partnership with Falkirk Councils Employment and Training Unit which has seen us provide training and work experience to a number of participants and even led to employment opportunities for many. Some of the training which has arisen has been particularly useful of late in dealing with both the aftermath of the recent storms and our conservation of Howierigg Moss (SSSI) as both have required extensive use of chainsaws and a host of other skills.
Here are some pictures:
Wind blown tree caught in phone line
Inserting plastic piling dams to raise the water level in Howierigg moss
- Back on the Radar – Apr 2014
Its been a while since we last updated the news section and thats mainly down to fact that there has been so much going on recently including dealing with lots of wind blown trees over trails. Since our last update, we now have a full time trail crew which started in March and includes our three trainees who come to us via Falkirk Councils Employment Training Unit. Working with us over 13 weeks our trainees are learning all about what it take to keep the trails in tip top condition which involves everything from tractor driving to chainsaw operation. Speaking of which, we have also taken a big leap forwards with our inventory of tools and equipment which now includes an alpine tractor with a 3.5ton winch and trailer! Having this new equipment is already making life a lot easier and allows us to respond much more quickly to things like trees coming down over the trails.
Our New Equipment in Action on the Blue Trail
- And then the Storms Came! – Dec 2013
December has been a particularly busy month for Bespoke due to the stormy weather we have been encountering. This has lead to many trees falling over the trails or being hung up and precariously suspended over the trails. Further damage has been caused by trees which have been blown over causing their root ball to lift the edges of the trail. Thanks to the volunteers of the trail crew we have managed to clear the trails and remove any dangerous trees in record time with only one or two small sections needing some attention.
One down, lots more to go…
- The last few weeks have been so busy this is the third update! – Nov 2013
Dont forget to check out our photo competition which could be your chance to win £25 of vouchers for the Milk Barn ice cream parlor! There will be lots of chances to enter over the next 12 months as we aim to capture the changing seasons with a winner being chosen every month. For details click the link above…
Bespoke is also happy to announce that we have partnered up with the Community Learning and Development (C.L.D.) team for the second year running and have in the last couple of weeks started delivering this program which delivers a valuable service to both partners. This program engages pupils from various schools across the Falkirk Council area and sees Callendar Estate benefit from having a few extra hands to complete maintenance tasks and the pupils on the C.L.D. program benefit from gaining real life work experience as part of a team in an outdoor environment, learning about health and safety, problem solving, tool handling and a host of other useful skills which can go straight on their CV’s and towards various other awards such as the John Muir Award.
In other news…
Patrick McGlinchey of Backwoods Survival School has returned to the estate to deliver a day of bushcraft and survival skills to pupils from Graeme High School in Falkirk. The day saw the pupils learn a range of skills from building a shelter from natural materials found in the forest to lighting fire by friction. It was a slight change of setting for the group but enjoyed by all.
Shelter Building Antics!
Meet The Survivors
- Its Been a Busy Month! – Nov 2013
There has been so much going on over the last few weeks that updating the website has been put on the back burner. Here is the latest…
Update: Check out our photo competition!!!
Trail Tuesdays have become a permanent feature on the Bespoke calender and a real asset to the maintenance of the trails with the trail crew putting in some very much appreciated hard graft!
A new drain being cut by the Trail Crew to fix some drainage problems on the Green Trail
The Trail Crew extracting some timber using some specialist small scale logging equipment for our Biochar project in partnership with the Helix
Our new Biochar kiln which we aim to have up and running soon!
We have held two events over the last couple of weeks. One which has returned for its second year and one which is a step in a new direction for us.
Firstly we had outdoor survival guru of Backwoods Survival School, Patrick McGlinchey talk about his travels which have seen him encounter native tribes in all corners of the globe from which he has learned his survival and wilderness living skills. A big thanks to both Patrick and the Milk Barn for making this event possible. It was an enjoyable evening and got us all looking at the forests in an entirely different light!
Patrick teaching us about natural cordage
Our event on the 3rd of November was our Bonfire Night Ride which saw the Greenrig car park just about at capacity with families and night riders all set to take in the trails in complete darkness guided only by their night lights and our blazing bonfire which we got lit…eventually!
There was a fair glow from this Bonfire as well as marshmallow melting heat!
- Bespoke Trail Crew is at it Again – Oct 2013
With an exceptionally dry, dare we say warm summer, vegetation growth has been immense this year and was starting to cause some severe narrowing of the trails. Apart from not being that pleasant to ride through, it has the potential to cause further problems down the line. The Trail Crew has been hard at it brush cutting back the overhanging vegetation and removing it from the trail surface. We have started this on one of the worst affected areas on the blue trail and plans are in place to address the issue over the whole network.
Trail Crew Volunteers Hard At It!
- Bespoke Trail Crew Get the Thumbs Up From Pro Trail Builder – Aug 2013
Maintenance work carried out by the Bespoke Trail Crew, a pilot work experience program run over the summer holidays, focusing on the trails through Canada wood, Tamfourhill wood and Jean’s Knowe gets the seal of approval from a professional mountain bike trial builder as well as local trail users.
Some of the crew admiring their efforts
- Bringing the Woodlands to the Playground with the Help of Bespoke- June 2013
Comely Park Primary School had its playground improved with help from Bespoke with the addition of some new outdoor benches which started life on Callendar Estate before being transformed into the best spot in the playground to have lunch.
Benches, fort, log cabin, spaceship? They are in the right spot to become all of these things!
- Bespoke Lends a Hand to the Helix Biochar Project – May 2013
Working in partnership is one of Bespokes key strengths and was put into practice working with Callender Estate who donated some wood to the Helix for its Biochar Project and Bespoke stepped in to help with the chainsawing and tractor driving.
Cutting up Beech wood destined for Biochar
- Glen Burn Clean Up Day – May 2013
Bespoke lends some tools and some hands to work along side the Scottish Waterways Trust to clear out debris which has accumulated in the burn and was causing it to burst its banks. See the before and after shots below!
Glen Burn Before
Glen Burn After