We went to Skye to find space. We wanted to be up there and out of the way. As the largest of the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland, the island is punctuated by mountains that scar windswept moorland. A wild and rugged space in the North Atlantic. To the east, the Skye Bridge connects the island to the mainland and with this, a constant stream of caravans and campervans flow over to the misty isle. Tourism plays a dominant part in the make-up of Skye and with this, the environmental impact of visitors has raised reason for concern.
How we pass through landscapes like the Isle of Skye is becoming increasingly important. The island might feel old, yet its ancient ecosystems are in a constant state of flux. The increased flow of tourism has seen erosion and road/trailside rubbish permanently damage Skye’s wild spaces. Yet, we access these landscapes as a chance to escape normality; to feel alive amongst Earth’s natural beauty. To enter a space that cancels out the head noise and alters our perception of what matters most. How can we protect and preserve these landscapes that do so much for us as cyclists?
Protection begins with participation - a sentiment held at the core of UK not-for-profit Trash Free Trails (TFT). As a non-profit organisation, they provide the tools and inspiration to keep our environment clean of litter. It’s exactly what it says on the tin… TFT operates through the simple yet meaningful act of hosting trail clean-ups to remove single-use pollution from wild places all over the UK. A simple gesture that we can all get behind.
MAAP is partnering with TFT under our Help Wanted program to protect where we love to ride our bikes and to preserve them for future generations. Reduced access and even the closure of wild spaces have happened as a direct result of littering. This coming autumn we will be hosting UK trail cleans of green spaces that we use most. Details about how you can get involved in an upcoming Help Wanted x Trash Free Trails event in the UK are coming soon!
With the light fading as we stood at the edge of Neist Point cliffs on the western tip of Skye surrounded by campervans hiding from the gale force wind, it served as a reminder that protecting these wild spaces is up to us. Tread Lightly; Leave Positive Traces. So we can keep everything about these wild and natural spaces preserved for this and future generations.
