The story of BOOTS ACROSS SCOTLAND

It can be argued that Boots Across Scotland started by accident when, in the summer of 1986, a climber, Davy Pearson, was badly injured on the Etive slabs. Davy's friends rallied round and decided to try to raise some money to help to purchase some specialist equipment to help to ease his situation.

Their plan was to organise an attempt at a sponsored simultaneous ascent of all 277 Munros (there are now 284), and on 1st May, 1988 over 2,000 hillgoers set out to try to achieve this goal. Even though the attempt failed (severe weather meant we missed out on two summits), in every other respect the day was a tremendous success. The enthusiasm with which hillwalkers and climbers from every corner of the British Isles, and from every background, joined in, caught the organisers completely unawares and the event raised three times the initial target.

This fund-raising ‘accident’ involved a lot of hard work - and a tremendous amount of support from hundreds of people who simply wanted to take part in an event where the common purpose was helping a fellow hillwalker. Perhaps the notion that ‘Help comes to those who help themselves’ played a part, but the support, effort and goodwill that went into that first event really was something special. That something special along with the excess monies raised from the first event were put into "The Boots Across Scotland Trust Fund" - and so 'Boots' was born.

Whilst the origins of Boots lay in the need to help one individual, Davy Pearson, injured in the hills, Boots these days is more than just a source of support when an accident occurs. We want to prevent that accident from happening in the first place. We realise that we will never be 100% successful in this mission, but we believe we can go a long way to reducing the chances.

We at Boots are firm believers in education as a means to prevent accidents. Better education, and a more complete skill set, can only enhance the outdoor experience, and there are various ways in which we achieve this aim - including the organisation of days like today!

Winter Skills Courses

These two-day courses are taken by qualified Mountain Leaders, and usually accommodate 12 people on each weekend. Each course is heavily subsidised, meaning that they cost little more than the price of a fleece or an ice-axe.

Winter Safety Presentations

Every Winter we organise a series of safety presentations, adopting the style of a "roadshow" by visiting venues throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.  The presentations are given by Mick Tighe - Nevis guide, member of Lochaber MRT, and Mountain Rescue Training officer.  These evenings are free of charge.

Navigation Courses

Twice each year, normally during the summer months, we organise a navigation course. Located in the central belt of Scotland, these are tailored to anyone who lacks the skills to navigate, or who perhaps just lacks the confidence. Each course is a full day taken by qualified instructors. The only charge is a nominal deposit.

First Aid Courses

First Aid courses are available at any time of year, and are ideally suited to organised groups - Scouts, Guides, etc. If your club or organisation could benefit from first aid skills, with an emphasis on the skills required on the hill, then these courses are for you.

Newsletters and Website

Twice a year, Boots distributes a newsletter to all its members - free of charge. This 28-page booklet provides members with an update on Boots’ activities and forthcoming courses. Our website address is www.bootsacrossscotland.org.uk
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