Exhibitors at Skills for the Hills 2026
Would your organisation like to join us at Skills for the Hills? We still have space for outdoor displays in the car park area. Get in touch for more information (outdoor related organisations only please).
Indoors - Pathfoot Crush Hall
Alistair Spowage - Author
Local author Alistair Spowage will be joining us with copies of his book "At Hame in the Ochils", raising funds for Ochils Mountain Rescue Team.
If you’re looking for a physical challenge, then the Ochil Hills can have the answer. This book introduces a List of seventy six summits over 400 metres high and invites you to accept the Ochils >400 Challenge - or even design your own challenge.
If you don’t need a challenge and you’re simply looking for a peaceful place to be, then the Ochil Hills can have the answer.
Read the story of how a local man discovered both challenges and peaceful times over fifty years of being at hame in the Ochils.
“Alistair’s knowledge and love of the Ochil Hills is reflected in almost every page of this book. I have enjoyed following his personal journey, including the way he faced a life-changing diagnosis which led him to create a unique, meticulously researched list of Ochils summits to be visited. The underlying message leaves the reader in no doubt that spending time in nature is good for both body and soul.” Jenny Paterson, Mount Kilimanjaro Summiter and CEO of Venture Trust.
If you’re looking for a physical challenge, then the Ochil Hills can have the answer. This book introduces a List of seventy six summits over 400 metres high and invites you to accept the Ochils >400 Challenge - or even design your own challenge.
If you don’t need a challenge and you’re simply looking for a peaceful place to be, then the Ochil Hills can have the answer.
Read the story of how a local man discovered both challenges and peaceful times over fifty years of being at hame in the Ochils.
“Alistair’s knowledge and love of the Ochil Hills is reflected in almost every page of this book. I have enjoyed following his personal journey, including the way he faced a life-changing diagnosis which led him to create a unique, meticulously researched list of Ochils summits to be visited. The underlying message leaves the reader in no doubt that spending time in nature is good for both body and soul.” Jenny Paterson, Mount Kilimanjaro Summiter and CEO of Venture Trust.
All Things Cuillin and Skye to Sea
ATC (All Things Cuillin) is run by Adrian and Bridgette who live at the foot of the Cuillin in Glen Brittle and run a successful guiding and photography business.
Adrian has written several guidebooks for Cicerone Press and Bridgette is an accomplished artist using locally foraged sea weed.
They also run the FB group, ATC which has become increasingly popular with a positive feel good factor and providing an insight into living and working in the Cuillin.
Adrian has written several guidebooks for Cicerone Press and Bridgette is an accomplished artist using locally foraged sea weed.
They also run the FB group, ATC which has become increasingly popular with a positive feel good factor and providing an insight into living and working in the Cuillin.
Elizabeth Drysdale Kay artist
‘Liz’ was born in Toronto, Canada and came to Scotland in 1975. Taking up climbing and hillwalking, she is an active member of Ancrum Mountaineering Club. Much of the inspiration for her paintings comes from club meets.
Studying ‘Commercial Art’ at Downsview Secondary School, Toronto she continued on at Central Tech, Toronto for a further three years. Here she came under the influence of The Group of Seven as some of the tutors had been students of the original group members.
Working in the graphics field for many years (Carswell Printing, Toronto, Low & Bonar Packaging in Dundee and freelance as Lawside Graphics while raising a family), Liz has returned to her original roots having started serious painting at the age of twelve.
She has displayed work at the open at Pittenweem, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, and the Winter Exhibition at the Meffan Museum in Forfar. She the present President of Dundee Art Society and takes part in both ‘Summer’ and ‘Winter’ Exhibitions.
Studying ‘Commercial Art’ at Downsview Secondary School, Toronto she continued on at Central Tech, Toronto for a further three years. Here she came under the influence of The Group of Seven as some of the tutors had been students of the original group members.
Working in the graphics field for many years (Carswell Printing, Toronto, Low & Bonar Packaging in Dundee and freelance as Lawside Graphics while raising a family), Liz has returned to her original roots having started serious painting at the age of twelve.
She has displayed work at the open at Pittenweem, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, and the Winter Exhibition at the Meffan Museum in Forfar. She the present President of Dundee Art Society and takes part in both ‘Summer’ and ‘Winter’ Exhibitions.
Friends of the Ochils
Friends of the Ochils (FotO) was founded by Rennie McOwan in 1993. It is the only organisation concerned specifically with the landscape of the entire Ochils. We cross the geography of council boundaries and have a general interest in all aspects of the Ochils. What links it all together is the landscape and our enjoyment of it.
While recognising that some change is inevitable, we campaign to protect the Ochils from intrusive and inappropriate developments, such as wind farms, quarry developments and power lines. As an independent voluntary organisation, we believe that we can influence change for the better.
Our main aims are to:
If you support these aims, why not join us and become a Friend of the Ochils?
While recognising that some change is inevitable, we campaign to protect the Ochils from intrusive and inappropriate developments, such as wind farms, quarry developments and power lines. As an independent voluntary organisation, we believe that we can influence change for the better.
Our main aims are to:
- protect and conserve the landscape, wildlife and natural beauty of the Ochils, and their historical and social character;
- encourage implementation of good planning policies;
- support responsible public access consistent with the conservation of the landscape and the needs of those who earn a living on or from the hills.
If you support these aims, why not join us and become a Friend of the Ochils?
TBA
Lymes Resource Centre
The Lyme Resource Centre (LRC) is a Scottish Charity (Registered Scottish Charity, No. SC049151) established in 2019. The LRC is funded by public donation and services are delivered by unpaid volunteers.
The LRC mission is to minimise the risk of people suffering Lyme Disease whilst encouraging enjoyment of the outdoors. The charity seeks to achieve this by providing information resources to the public to assist them to better protect themselves against tick bites and Lyme disease including advice on how to
The charity also works with health care professionals to improve diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.
LRC Volunteers will be in attendance to distribute resources such as leaflets and posters and to meet delegates to answer questions and share experiences of tick encounters and Lyme disease.
The LRC mission is to minimise the risk of people suffering Lyme Disease whilst encouraging enjoyment of the outdoors. The charity seeks to achieve this by providing information resources to the public to assist them to better protect themselves against tick bites and Lyme disease including advice on how to
- Dress to avoid the risk of tick bites
- Detect attached ticks following outdoor activity
- Safely remove attached ticks
- Spot the signs of early Lyme disease
- Seek the assistance of health professionals if Lyme disease signs are suspected
The charity also works with health care professionals to improve diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.
LRC Volunteers will be in attendance to distribute resources such as leaflets and posters and to meet delegates to answer questions and share experiences of tick encounters and Lyme disease.
National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS)
The National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) is a personal performance, non-competitive scheme that helps people of all ages develop the skills and confidence to navigate safely in the outdoors. Through over 250 approved providers across the UK, NNAS enables thousands of people each year to enjoy the countryside with greater independence and security.
Our mission is to inspire, enable and empower people to navigate with confidence, through high-quality training delivered to nationally recognised standards. Whether someone is taking their first steps into map-reading or refining advanced skills, NNAS provides a clear and supportive learning pathway.
NNAS offers four awards: the Outdoor Discovery Award, the Navigator Award, the NNAS Night Owl (night navigation), and the Navigation Tutor Course. All are delivered by registered providers with the appropriate qualifications and expertise.
The Navigator Awards are accredited by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at Levels 4, 5 and 6, with credits awarded on successful completion.
Our mission is to inspire, enable and empower people to navigate with confidence, through high-quality training delivered to nationally recognised standards. Whether someone is taking their first steps into map-reading or refining advanced skills, NNAS provides a clear and supportive learning pathway.
NNAS offers four awards: the Outdoor Discovery Award, the Navigator Award, the NNAS Night Owl (night navigation), and the Navigation Tutor Course. All are delivered by registered providers with the appropriate qualifications and expertise.
The Navigator Awards are accredited by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at Levels 4, 5 and 6, with credits awarded on successful completion.
Moonwalker (Alan Rowan) with guest Bob Sharp
Alan Rowan is a mountaineer, author, journalist and occasional film star. His first book about his nocturnal adventures in Scotland’s hills, Moonwalker: Adventures of a Midnight Mountaineer, was published by BackPage Press in 2014. This was followed by A Mountain Before Breakfast in 2016 and Mountains of the Moon in 2019, which completed the trilogy. Alan has also released five volumes of an ebook series, The Moonwalker Chronicles, with a sixth volume on the way.
He has climbed the Munros four times and in 2019 completed a Full House – ticking off all the Munros, Munro Tops, Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds and Furths (the 3,000ft peaks in England, Ireland and Wales).
Alan is a big supporter of Scottish Mountain Rescue and his Moonwalker calendars, which are an annual staple at outdoors festivals, are sold out every year with all the profits going to our rescue teams. In the past few years, this has raised nearly £10,000 in total.
He also produces a regular blog which can be found at munromoonwalker.com and you can also find him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Dr Bob Sharp has been a member of Scottish Mountain Rescue for almost 50 years. In addition to active involvement in hundreds of rescues, he has held official positions at local (Team Leader) and national (Statistician, Secretary, Editor) levels, as well as positions with the national mountaineering organisations including Chair of the Scottish Mountain Safety Forum.
As a lifelong mountaineer (Munroist No. 936), mountain leader and instructor, he has led numerous courses in Scotland and abroad and delivered hundreds of talks/presentations/interviews on mountain safety/rescue.
Bob is probably best known for his extensive publication profile in local and national mountaineering magazines, and his definitive books on mountain rescue, search and rescue dogs, incident statistics and the history of mountain rescue in Scotland. He has recently collaborated with Dr Gerry McPartlin to compose A Heavy Affair with the Mountains, a publication which describes the life and times of one of the Scotland’s most experienced and well-known rescuers, the late David ‘Heavy’ Whalley.
Bob is a recipient of the mountain rescue Distinguished Service Award, Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society, and more recently, Membership of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for Voluntary Service to Mountain Rescue in Scotland.
He has climbed the Munros four times and in 2019 completed a Full House – ticking off all the Munros, Munro Tops, Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds and Furths (the 3,000ft peaks in England, Ireland and Wales).
Alan is a big supporter of Scottish Mountain Rescue and his Moonwalker calendars, which are an annual staple at outdoors festivals, are sold out every year with all the profits going to our rescue teams. In the past few years, this has raised nearly £10,000 in total.
He also produces a regular blog which can be found at munromoonwalker.com and you can also find him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Dr Bob Sharp has been a member of Scottish Mountain Rescue for almost 50 years. In addition to active involvement in hundreds of rescues, he has held official positions at local (Team Leader) and national (Statistician, Secretary, Editor) levels, as well as positions with the national mountaineering organisations including Chair of the Scottish Mountain Safety Forum.
As a lifelong mountaineer (Munroist No. 936), mountain leader and instructor, he has led numerous courses in Scotland and abroad and delivered hundreds of talks/presentations/interviews on mountain safety/rescue.
Bob is probably best known for his extensive publication profile in local and national mountaineering magazines, and his definitive books on mountain rescue, search and rescue dogs, incident statistics and the history of mountain rescue in Scotland. He has recently collaborated with Dr Gerry McPartlin to compose A Heavy Affair with the Mountains, a publication which describes the life and times of one of the Scotland’s most experienced and well-known rescuers, the late David ‘Heavy’ Whalley.
Bob is a recipient of the mountain rescue Distinguished Service Award, Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society, and more recently, Membership of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for Voluntary Service to Mountain Rescue in Scotland.
Mountain Bothies Association
A recipient of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the Mountain Bothies Association is a charity which maintains about 100 shelters in some of the remoter parts of Great Britain.
With the permission and support of the owners, these shelters are unlocked and are available for anyone to use. All of our maintenance activities are carried out by volunteers. We welcome new members who want to support our work, either by attending work parties or by contributing financially through subscriptions and donations. Without this support, many of these unique shelters would be lost forever. If you love the outdoors and wild places, please consider joining us.
Bothies have for generations been freely available for the public to use. This tradition began with empty buildings in remote locations being left open in case anyone needed shelter. In time wayfarers came to rely on such shelters and some set up voluntary organisations to help maintain them. However, few bothies could survive were it not for the active co-operation of both the landowners and all the people who use these shelters.
With the permission and support of the owners, these shelters are unlocked and are available for anyone to use. All of our maintenance activities are carried out by volunteers. We welcome new members who want to support our work, either by attending work parties or by contributing financially through subscriptions and donations. Without this support, many of these unique shelters would be lost forever. If you love the outdoors and wild places, please consider joining us.
Bothies have for generations been freely available for the public to use. This tradition began with empty buildings in remote locations being left open in case anyone needed shelter. In time wayfarers came to rely on such shelters and some set up voluntary organisations to help maintain them. However, few bothies could survive were it not for the active co-operation of both the landowners and all the people who use these shelters.
Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS)
The Mountain Weather Information Service produces regional forecasts to aid safety in the mountains across Britain, providing detailed and descriptive outlooks into conditions for the three days ahead, updated every day of the year. We comprise a small team of professional meteorologists, plus outdoor professionals, using our knowledge of the atmosphere and mountainous terrain to offer warnings and insights into the expected conditions.
Pedantic Press
Pedantic Press was set up in 2020 to publish a set of books with a unique perspective on hills and hill walking by combining scientific data with entertaining stories. In each book, the tables of hill data derived from surveys and satellites are complemented by hundreds of anecdotes, articles and photographs from several contributors. The books about Marilyns, Grahams, Ribus and High Hills do not tell you which way to go, but they do provide unvarnished insight into the highs and lows of climbing these hills (and getting down safely).
Alan Dawson is Britain’s foremost hill surveyor and the compiler of several hill lists including Marilyns, Grahams, Hewitts, High Hills and Simms. Daniel Patrick Quinn is the author of The Relative Mountains of Earth: The Ribus and also the leader of an international research team that is currently identifying the relative mountains and craters of the solar system.
Alan Dawson is Britain’s foremost hill surveyor and the compiler of several hill lists including Marilyns, Grahams, Hewitts, High Hills and Simms. Daniel Patrick Quinn is the author of The Relative Mountains of Earth: The Ribus and also the leader of an international research team that is currently identifying the relative mountains and craters of the solar system.
Mountaineering Scotland
Mountaineering Scotland is the only recognised representative organisation for hill walkers, climbers, mountaineers and ski-tourers who enjoy Scotland’s mountains. It represents individual members, clubs and the wider mountaineering community, working to promote safety, responsible access, participation and the long-term protection of Scotland’s mountain landscapes.
Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA)
At Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), our mission is simple: to ensure that no one in Scotland suffers or dies because medical help can’t get there in time.
As the nation's only charity air ambulance, SCAA plays a crucial role in responding to life-threatening accidents and medical emergencies across Scotland. Our highly skilled and experienced crew of paramedics and pilots operate from two helicopter air ambulances and two rapid response vehicles from bases in Perth and Aberdeen.
Whether it’s a serious accident, a medical emergency, or a trauma incident, SCAA is there to provide fast, expert care before delivering patients to hospitals across the country.
Our life-saving service is especially vital in Scotland’s most remote and rural areas. In many cases, receiving medical care within the first hour — the "Golden Hour" — is the difference between life and death. SCAA’s ability to reach those in need, no matter how far, ensures that critical time isn’t lost. When lives are at risk, every second matters, and SCAA’s fast response can greatly increase a patient's chances of survival and full recovery.
We work in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) as part of Scotland’s emergency response network, covering over 30,000 square miles. Whether in the cities or the highlands, SCAA’s air ambulance service is there when people need it most.
But we can’t do it alone. As a charity air ambulance, SCAA is entirely funded by the generosity of the Scottish public. Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to save lives across the country. Every donation helps keep us flying, responding to emergencies, and making sure help is always within reach.
As the nation's only charity air ambulance, SCAA plays a crucial role in responding to life-threatening accidents and medical emergencies across Scotland. Our highly skilled and experienced crew of paramedics and pilots operate from two helicopter air ambulances and two rapid response vehicles from bases in Perth and Aberdeen.
Whether it’s a serious accident, a medical emergency, or a trauma incident, SCAA is there to provide fast, expert care before delivering patients to hospitals across the country.
Our life-saving service is especially vital in Scotland’s most remote and rural areas. In many cases, receiving medical care within the first hour — the "Golden Hour" — is the difference between life and death. SCAA’s ability to reach those in need, no matter how far, ensures that critical time isn’t lost. When lives are at risk, every second matters, and SCAA’s fast response can greatly increase a patient's chances of survival and full recovery.
We work in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) as part of Scotland’s emergency response network, covering over 30,000 square miles. Whether in the cities or the highlands, SCAA’s air ambulance service is there when people need it most.
But we can’t do it alone. As a charity air ambulance, SCAA is entirely funded by the generosity of the Scottish public. Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to save lives across the country. Every donation helps keep us flying, responding to emergencies, and making sure help is always within reach.
Scotways
Founded in 1845, ScotWays (The Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society) is Scotland’s independent charity upholding and promoting public access rights. They maintain the only national database of rights of way across Scotland and are widely recognised as experts in the law and practice of access. ScotWays provides information and advice to access authorities, solicitors, developers, landowners and the public. They also comment on a wide variety of planning applications where public access is affected and respond to consultations to advocate that outdoor access is protected a policy level. ScotWays signposts and provides heritage information on routes across Scotland, repairs and installs bridges, and publishes guides and information, including Scottish Hill Tracks, The Law of Access to Land in Scotland, and various leaflets. Heritage Paths and Ask Ken are two free resources that can be found on the ScotWays website. Heritage Paths provides directions and historical information for more than 400 routes across Scotland, and ScotWays has recently begun a project to update this resource. Ask Ken provides clear answers and expert guidance on access law.
The Munro Society
The Munro Society (TMS) was formed in 2002 and membership is open to anyone who has climbed all the Munros.
It is an informed and authoritative body of opinion on access to, and the protection of, the Munros. TMS holds an archive of material relating to the history of the Munros including the life and records of Sir Hugh Munro, and other early Munroists, as well as more up-to-date diaries and pictures from compleatists.
TMS runs its own Mountain Reporting system which has built up to a database of reports on the state of Scottish hills as recorded by members. It is one of the best sources of information available on access to, and the state of, nearly all the Munros, Munro Tops, Corbetts, Grahams and Donalds for any hillwalker. Mountain Reporting can be accessed via the TMS website.
In addition to the achievements of all TMS members, the Society maintains the database of canine completers (Munros, Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds and Furths). Details can be found on the TMS website.
In conjunction with Ordnance Survey, TMS was instrumental in the running of the Heightings Project (2007-2015) a project to determine the heights of some of the Corbetts and Munros on or very near the 3000’ (941.4m) classification threshold. This led to the publication of Scaling The Heights in 2018.
It is the ethos of the Society to return something to the hills in exchange for what the hills have provided its members. In this respect, donations are made, and support is given, to both environmental and mountain safety causes.
Finally, TMS is an active hillwalking and social club. It organises three meets a year across Scotland and holds an annual dinner in Grantown on Spey. There is a triannual Newsletter. An Anthology was published in 2012 and there have been six Journals produced to date.
It is an informed and authoritative body of opinion on access to, and the protection of, the Munros. TMS holds an archive of material relating to the history of the Munros including the life and records of Sir Hugh Munro, and other early Munroists, as well as more up-to-date diaries and pictures from compleatists.
TMS runs its own Mountain Reporting system which has built up to a database of reports on the state of Scottish hills as recorded by members. It is one of the best sources of information available on access to, and the state of, nearly all the Munros, Munro Tops, Corbetts, Grahams and Donalds for any hillwalker. Mountain Reporting can be accessed via the TMS website.
In addition to the achievements of all TMS members, the Society maintains the database of canine completers (Munros, Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds and Furths). Details can be found on the TMS website.
In conjunction with Ordnance Survey, TMS was instrumental in the running of the Heightings Project (2007-2015) a project to determine the heights of some of the Corbetts and Munros on or very near the 3000’ (941.4m) classification threshold. This led to the publication of Scaling The Heights in 2018.
It is the ethos of the Society to return something to the hills in exchange for what the hills have provided its members. In this respect, donations are made, and support is given, to both environmental and mountain safety causes.
Finally, TMS is an active hillwalking and social club. It organises three meets a year across Scotland and holds an annual dinner in Grantown on Spey. There is a triannual Newsletter. An Anthology was published in 2012 and there have been six Journals produced to date.
Outdoors - Pathfoot Rear Car Park
Ochils Mountain Rescue Team
Ochils MRT commenced operations in September of 1971. It was the brainchild of the Sport and Outdoor Director of Clackmannanshire County Council and brought together members of the Ochils Mountaineering Club and the local Scout Association.
There was a wide range of people in the team, including teachers, engineers, technicians, butchers, chefs, builders, doctors and many more. Training consisted of 10 Sunday training sessions a year because the Central Scotland Police insurance would only cover us for that.
Today Ochils MRT has 2 landrovers and a mobile base van, a purpose built Mountain Rescue Post in Fishcross and 42 members. When the RAF left Leuchars, Fife was no longer covered by the RAF MRT and so Fife was added to Ochils MRT’s territory. It now covers the whole of Fife, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling.
A particular feature of the Ochils is their deep gorges behind Dollar, Alva, Tillicoultry and Menstrie. In recent years these have become popular with canyoners, but we have also had incidents with dogs and people slipping off paths into them and needing rescued. Unlike most rescue teams who can aim to use gravity to help evacuate their casualties downhill, in these situations we tend to need to raise them up out of the gorge, leading to some interesting ropework challenges.
There was a wide range of people in the team, including teachers, engineers, technicians, butchers, chefs, builders, doctors and many more. Training consisted of 10 Sunday training sessions a year because the Central Scotland Police insurance would only cover us for that.
Today Ochils MRT has 2 landrovers and a mobile base van, a purpose built Mountain Rescue Post in Fishcross and 42 members. When the RAF left Leuchars, Fife was no longer covered by the RAF MRT and so Fife was added to Ochils MRT’s territory. It now covers the whole of Fife, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling.
A particular feature of the Ochils is their deep gorges behind Dollar, Alva, Tillicoultry and Menstrie. In recent years these have become popular with canyoners, but we have also had incidents with dogs and people slipping off paths into them and needing rescued. Unlike most rescue teams who can aim to use gravity to help evacuate their casualties downhill, in these situations we tend to need to raise them up out of the gorge, leading to some interesting ropework challenges.
Tayside Mountain Rescue Team
Formed in 1976, Tayside MRT celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. The team responds to around 70 call outs per year. Tayside MRT operates throughout Angus, Dundee, Perth & Kinross and parts of FIfe. The Team has a very close working relationship with our Police colleagues in Tayside and attend the majority of call outs as a joint team. There are currently 35 volunteers from all over our operational area of some 3000sq miles and from all walks of life. As well as our main base in Blairgowrie, we have 2 satellite bases in Aberfeldy (West) and Dundee (East). The varied terrain of Tayside requires that the team are highly proficient in water rescue, canyon and gorge rescue as well as all aspects of mountain rescue.
All Weather, All Terrain, All Hours
All Weather, All Terrain, All Hours
Search and Rescue Dog Association Southern Scotland (SARDA)
Meet the search and rescue dogs (13:00 - 13:45)
SARDA Southern Scotland dogs and handlers will be in the Pathfoot Rear Car park during the lunchbreak. Come along to meet and say hello to the 4-legged search specialists. The handlers are also happy to chat to you as well.
SARDA Southern Scotland is one of two search and rescue dog associations in Scotland. We work closely with Police Scotland and mountain rescue teams to provide trained search dogs to help locate missing, injured, or vulnerable people. Dogs and handlers spend a significant amount of time training for this role; on average, it takes around two years for a dog and handler team to progress through the organisation’s internal grading system and qualify for the call-out list.
Once qualified, dog teams can be called out separately by the police or mountain rescue teams, or as part of their parent mountain rescue team. The dogs work using air-scenting techniques—following human scent carried on the wind rather than tracking scent on the ground—to locate the missing person. This method will be demonstrated on the day by SARDA Southern Scotland dog teams.
SARDA Southern Scotland dogs and handlers will be in the Pathfoot Rear Car park during the lunchbreak. Come along to meet and say hello to the 4-legged search specialists. The handlers are also happy to chat to you as well.
SARDA Southern Scotland is one of two search and rescue dog associations in Scotland. We work closely with Police Scotland and mountain rescue teams to provide trained search dogs to help locate missing, injured, or vulnerable people. Dogs and handlers spend a significant amount of time training for this role; on average, it takes around two years for a dog and handler team to progress through the organisation’s internal grading system and qualify for the call-out list.
Once qualified, dog teams can be called out separately by the police or mountain rescue teams, or as part of their parent mountain rescue team. The dogs work using air-scenting techniques—following human scent carried on the wind rather than tracking scent on the ground—to locate the missing person. This method will be demonstrated on the day by SARDA Southern Scotland dog teams.
Lomond Mountain Rescue Team
Lomond MRT provide search and rescue cover within one thousand square miles of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, including hotspots of Ben Lomond, Ben Venue, Conic Hill and the West Highland Way - and further afield when required to support other teams. Our volunteer team members are all experienced mountaineers, many of whom have further specialist training in pre-hospital casualty care, rope rescue and other disciplines.
The Team was founded in 1967 by local people living in the Drymen and Aberfoyle areas, in response to a number of tragic accidents in the local area. A small private garage in Drymen was the team's rescue post for many years, and after a move to Balfron the team returned to Drymen in 2005 to a purpose-built base gifted by St John Scotland. Nowadays, all the Scottish Mountain Rescue teams operate on a highly professionalised (but entirely voluntary and unpaid) basis, sustained by donations from the public.
The Team was founded in 1967 by local people living in the Drymen and Aberfoyle areas, in response to a number of tragic accidents in the local area. A small private garage in Drymen was the team's rescue post for many years, and after a move to Balfron the team returned to Drymen in 2005 to a purpose-built base gifted by St John Scotland. Nowadays, all the Scottish Mountain Rescue teams operate on a highly professionalised (but entirely voluntary and unpaid) basis, sustained by donations from the public.
Killin Mountain Rescue Team
Mountain Rescue and SARDA presence subject to operational requirements!
Mountain Aid gratefully acknowledges support from the following organisations.
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