Park Talk: Junior Ranger Expedition

By Will George, Cairngorms National Park countryside ranger

Earlier this month, 15 of the Junior Rangers embarked on a three-day expedition from Linn O’ Dee to Cairngorm Mountain, accompanied by myself and fellow countryside ranger, Pete and Cairngorms Connect monitoring officer, Ellie who are both mountain leaders.

The route for the expedition, through some of the more remote parts of the Cairngorms National Park with a total ascent of 1200 metres, and a wide range of activities, had been designed to provide a more immersive experience for the Junior Rangers over a longer period. The Junior Ranger monthly activities are normally for a half day at fairly accessible locations around the National Park, so this really was a different challenge for them, one that each of them rose to in an impressive way.

Packed up with all their gear and a sense of adventure, the expedition started at Linn O’ Dee and from there we walked to Derry Lodge to set up camp. Activities on the first day included removing fences with the team from the National Trust for Scotland.

Day two saw us pack up and head to the Hutchinson Memorial Hut (bothy) for lunch before descending to Loch Avon where we set up camp. Despite the day’s adventurous walk, the Junior Rangers enthusiastically worked into the evening planting 45 tea-leaved willow saplings with Ellie and enjoyed a range of activities including orienteering with RSPB rangers Sarah and Cat and watercolour painting.

The final part of the expedition saw us hiking from Loch Avon to Cairngorm Mountain. There, the Junior Rangers learned about path maintenance and how they track and analyse snow levels and avalanche risks from Cairngorm Mountain’s head ranger, Ruari.

The expedition proved to be a great experience for the Junior Rangers, and we’ve been delighted to read some of the feedback that has come through, including: “It was great to discover the capabilities of everyone and how resilient we can be and how good at problem solving we were” and “I feel like I have gained an experience I will never forget. Walking through the Cairngorms with mountains towering over you.”

For me, the descent down to the loch was one of the most memorable moments of the expedition. Whilst of course Pete, Ellie and I were with the Junior Rangers every step of the way, we watched as this inspirational group of young people navigated what is steep and rocky terrain with heavy backpacks, encouraging and taking care of each other on the way down.

Huge thanks go to our expedition partners at National Trust for Scotland, Cairngorms Connect, RSPB Scotland and Cairngorm Mountain for their time and expertise in the experiences they offered the Junior Rangers and to the Park Authority for funding the expedition. We’re already looking forward to planning the next camp in 2025!

The Cairngorms National Park Junior Ranger Project is an exciting, fun and adventurous outdoor learning programme for young people aged 11–18 years. If you’d like to know more about becoming a Cairngorms National Park Junior Ranger, please email [email protected]  or visit this page here on our website.