The diversity of adventure and the call of the outdoors...

On Thursday 26th March, Room to Be was lucky enough to be invited to the Scottish Outdoor and Adventure Film Tour at the iconic venue of the DCA. Not only did SOAFT introduce us to seven beautiful short films showcasing some of Scotland’s most amazing landscapes, but they promoted their charity partner the Martin Moran Foundation through their Q&A with the Founder Hazel Moran and a recent graduate of their programme Holly. The entire event left me with a massive grin on my face, and an urge to get in the sea immediately, but it was 10pm at night, in March, in Dundee. But ‘R2B on tour’ is now in the works for this summer - get your wellies oot folks.

The DCA’s line-up consisted of seven films: Masa: The Place Where I Am (dir. Rachael Sarah), Monster Miles (Sean Conway), To Know a Mountain (dir. Emily Baker and Michelle Sanders), Alter Ego (dir. Will Rabbitt), Capsized (dir. Roxanna Barry), Hireth (dir. Seth Hughes) and Parallel Lines (dir. Ryan Balharry and Bob Zane). Each film was poignant in its own way, highlighting the joy that outdoor activities bring regardless of your age, size, gender, or experience. What’s important is the attitude which is brought on your adventure, and the respect for the land.

Masa is a beautiful example of finding community in obscure sports. Director, Sarah, interviews Masa Sakano who moved to Scotland from Japan in the early 2000s to pursue his passion of winter climbing. Being motivated to move halfway across the world and build relationships secure enough with others to venture off grid in extreme conditions, or attempt a climb that most would consider a death trap, is a phenomenal example of our basic human instinct, to find and develop connections. 

Connection is prevalent throughout every film on the line up, but especially in The Know a Mountain which is a breathtaking ode to Nan Shepard’s The Living Mountain. In this short, a group of women attempt one of Shepard’s trails in the Cairngorms, despite having a wide range of fitness and experience levels. Their mission is not simply to ‘get to the top’ but to enjoy every part of the adventure: to stop and photograph the critters, meditate while hiking, and keep each other feeling positive even when the weather turns against you. So often remote adventuring feels intimidating, especially for women, as the end to gendered violence is so often the womxn’s responsibility to ‘stay home’ (and I emphasise the inclusive form of ‘womxn’ to highlight the wide array of gendered violence, as well as the feeling of threat the trans community must consider when venturing somewhere isolated or unfamiliar). Not only was Nan Shepard fighting for gender equality in the 1970’s, but these women embraced her ethos to explore the remarkable landscapes.

Similarly, accessibility of age and size was addressed for two different points of view in Monster Miles and Capsized. Monster Miles is a delightful 4 mins short narrated by two young brothers, on their first cycling adventure to Loch Ness in order to find Nessie. The boys plead for adults to allow them to do difficult and scary things, not just playing on the beloved iPad. This is as much a call to adults as it is to children to get muddy and experience the outdoors, even if it just starts in the local park or woodland walk. While we’re often spoiled for choice in Scotland, it does raise the question of accessibility, especially for families who perhaps cannot afford a trip away from their urban surroundings (which is an excellent example of why the Martin Moran Foundation, and many like it, are needed!). But, children are restricted in their caregivers' willingness to go outside their comfort zones.

Capsized stars Emily, who appears to be a kid at heart and continues to yearn for adventure. Emily challenges the narrative that to be an outdoor enthusiast you must be lean, and fit into the preposterously narrow sizing range rolled out by most gear manufacturers. Emily states she rarely shops in-person as she’s all too familiar with sizes larger than a UK 20 not existing, let alone being in stock. For her epic trip canoeing (and carrying) across the Isle of Lewis, she needs good gear, which her smaller sized friend has a wealth of choice in the shop, whereas Emily resorts to having custom made waterproofs as she cannot rely on the sizing of major retailers. This highlights the immediate economic barrier, as well as the social messaging that larger bodies should not even attempt outdoor sports. First, you need to lose weight, then you can join the club. For many this is unrealistic, and as Emily points out, not even the goal of her enthusiasm. Much like To Know a Mountain, the social pressures for marginalised people make already scary sports even more off putting. Many give up before they even try - and that is the narrative which needs to change.

Masa, Alter Ego and Parallel Lines also highlight the extreme side of adventure sports, all of which come with risk of injury or worse. Masa shares a story of two fellow (highly experienced) climbers who passed away in an accident not long after his move to Scotland. The sheer pace of Alter Ego, a firecracker short of mind-boggling mountain biking, shows the attraction for the adrenaline rush, not just the serene landscape shots. Its rapid editing, close up shots of the sharp pine branches, and outtakes of failed turns packs a lot into 4 minutes, but easily conveys the danger of the sport. It captivates the audience by showing Kyle ride the line between control and freedom; flying through the air and trusting the forest floor will catch him. Parallel Lines also emphasises trust between companions, as three individuals skill share in their passions of skiing, climbing and running - all done in wild conditions. The film shows the frustrations of trying something new, trusting those instructing you to keep you safe, and knowing your own limits. Avid climber Ryan discloses his autoimmune condition which leaves him with constant spinal pain, but losing himself in the complexities of an ascent is something which can take his mind off the pain. This reminds the audience to seize the moment and enjoy what you can about the outdoors. All three of their sports come with risks and high possibilities of injury, but the time they take to explain their gear and techniques embodies the community which is at the heart of these sports.

Finally, Hireth, which was actually the penultimate film in the line up, in my opinion was a standalone film. It incorporated many elements of the other films, such as connection, passion, love for the land (and sea), but director Seth Hughes managed to capture the synchronicity required between the surfer and the sea. The careful surfboard dancing, accompanied by a score of Scottish Trad music was captivating. Watching the surfers curl into themselves to fit within a barrel wave, and contort themselves around the water for 20 seconds of pure joy, is magical. Its hypnotic rhythm demonstrated something truly remarkable about working with and against your surroundings to appreciate the water and make use of our coastlines. It felt similar to the messaging of To Know a Mountain was to enjoy the moment, don’t think about the ascent, descent, falling off the board into a mouthful of salty water; but revel in those split seconds highs. These experiences are what make us feel alive. Whether it is admiring the changing colour of the leaves in your local park, breathing in the breeze as the waves crash onto the beach, or swapping the bus for a walk to work instead, we need to experience the outdoors - for our mental health, our physical health and to appreciate this unique rock we have the privilege to explore.

Article by Caitlin Gibson

Our heartfelt thanks to The Scottish Outdoor and Adventure Film Tour for reaching out to us with the opportunity to view the film screening in Dundee. Each film was so inspiring and human and delightful; it certainly has created a spark of inspiration in us to see how we can include more adventure in what we do at Room to Be and what that might mean for different people.