A new film has been launched by Wild Scotland and celebrates Scotland’s unique nature and wildlife offering. The film, produced by Edinburgh-based filmmaker Markus Stitz, features Basking Shark Scotland, Macs Adventure, Roll Outdoors, Swim – Dan the Merman – Argyll, WanderWomen Scotland, Wild Tree Adventures and Wilder Ways, Scotland-based outdoor experience providers who motivate visitors and locals to try a new experience or learn something new.

Wild Scotland is the only organisation in Scotland serving the adventure tourism market, and the short film follows the previous film Nurture Your Need for Freedom and Adventure as Wild Scotland’s research showed that people are much more connected to nature after the pandemic, with many actively seeking something new. 

Wilder Ways’ Nikki Dayton-Gelati, who offers horseback archery courses in Southend on the Kintyre Peninsula to introduce people to the thrill and satisfaction of shooting arrows from a running horse, comments: ‘I think it’s very empowering, people don’t believe they can do it, but when they find they can, they usually go away on a total high as a result.’   

The activities featured on screen are not only for thrillseekers, as WanderWomen Scotland’s Anna Neubert-Wood explains. She offers a unique mix of mindfulness and adventure in her sessions for women, enhancing their wellbeing through ecotherapy, nature connection & community activities. She comments: ‘I wanted to set up something and keep sharing that passion for the outdoors. There’s so much knowledge from growing up with and in nature, and just my experience and the passion that comes with the Scottish landscape.’ 

For Roll Outdoors’ Mike Lee, who recently set up the business with his wife, sons and daughters, offering SUP, bike and canoe hire in the quieter areas of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, nurturing is hugely important. He comments: ‘It really is a huge benefit to us and to the community in regards to mental health to get out into our environment and appreciate it.’

For other Wild Scotland members, nurturing nature extends beyond the activities they offer, as for Daniel Coyle, a wild swimming and snorkelling instructor at Dan the Merman in Argyll. Despite living in a rural location he cycles to each of his sessions on an electric bike. He comments: ‘I can’t claim to be protective or sustainable in any way if I’m not practising it day to day, so I make sure that I cycle to all the sessions.’

Scottish borders-based Wild Tree Adventures, founded by Tim Chamberlain, have already taken hundreds of climbers up into the trees, often overcoming their fear of heights. Elaine Cameron, tree climbing instructor, comments: ‘There’s a lot of people who maybe think they’ve got a fear of heights or that they can’t do it. When actually, if they give it a go they can just get a metre or two off the ground and keep going, they can get up into the branches up into the canopy of an amazing tree and just have a really great time.’ 

Basking Shark Scotland offers eco-conscious wildlife adventure tours on Scotland’s vast coastline and islands to show visitors and locals the wonders of Scotland’s wildlife. Owner Shane Wasik comments: ‘You only protect what you love and until people really get into the water and explore these things, then they don’t really have a handle for it. But then once they do, they really take that on board and it kind of changes their perspective.’

As part of the ‘Nurture Your Adventurous Spirit’ campaign portrait photographer Stephen Sweeney also captured beautiful still images of Bowhunter Archery, Cullen Sea School, Islay Sea Adventures, Misty Isle Boat Tours, Otter Adventures and The Torridon, which will feature on Wild Scotland’s website at www.wild-scotland.co.uk and Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.