Absolute Escapes take one million steps for wild places
Last week, the Trust team visited Absolute Escapes’ Edinburgh office to present the organisation with a well-deserved Step Up for Wild Places certificate.
Absolute Escapes - award-winning tour operators based in Edinburgh - have volunteered with the John Muir Trust for almost a decade, helping to boost biodiversity at Glenlude, our site in the Scottish borders.
This year, Absolute Escapes team committed to enhancing their efforts for wild places and took on Step Up for Wild Places, our UK wide challenge aimed at organisations keen to keep their workplace active while at the same time supporting the environment.
Participants are able to choose between four of the UK's most iconic peaks - Ben Nevis, Schiehallion, Blà Bheinn, or Helvellyn - and collectively ‘climb’ its height in steps during the working day over one or more weeks, all while raising funds for the conservation of Britain’s wild places.
20 members of Absolute Escapes took on our challenge this July, walking 1,156,671 steps in total over one working week, climbing the equivalent of Ben Nevis 38 times and raising £100.
Their funds raised will go directly toward our vital conservation work at Nevis, including peatland restoration, native tree planting, removal of invasive species and path repairs.
Beyond raising funds for wild places, the initiative also promoted wellbeing, with co-founder Andy Gabe sharing that the team reported improved mood, better concentration and lower levels of stress during the week they took on Step Up.
One member of Absolute Escapes told us: "We really enjoyed the competitive aspect of the challenge in the office and it absolutely got us to walk about more, even after that week.
"Our next team social involved going up Arthur's Seat, which was definitely inspired by the challenge."
Another participant added: "Taking part in Step Up really encouraged me to get out at lunchtime, and it made a noticeable difference to my mood and energy levels. It was motivating to see everyone getting involved and keeping active together."
Ailsa Colquhoun, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the Trust, said: "We were thrilled to hear about the positive impact our Step Up for Wild Places challenge had on the wellbeing of the Absolute Escapes team and their connection to nature.
"It’s inspiring to see how a workplace challenge like Step Up can make a real difference for both wellbeing in the workplace and the conservation of the UK’s wild places. We’d like to thank Absolute Escapes, as well as all the other organisations who have taken part in the challenge so far, supporting our vital work on wild mountain landscapes."
- Find out more about how you can volunteer at our wild places like Absolute Escapes
- Sign up for your own Step Up for Wild Places challenge.