Article Source: National Trust for Scotland
Last Updated: 12 July 2021 12:28
The team at the National Trust for Scotland’s Culloden Battlefield have set a challenge to the public - and to themselves - to step up to protect the battlefield. To raise money to care for the battlefield, share its stories and significance and continue to fight commercial development threats, the conservation charity is launching a sponsored Step Challenge kicking off on the 23 July.
Open to all, the team hope everyone who feels connected to and passionate about Culloden, as well as those looking for a summer fitness challenge, will join in, take the step challenge to do 500,000 steps in six weeks and raise money for Culloden’s Fighting Fund. A welcome pack, weekly emails and monthly podcasts will be made available so people can chart their path through time, walking or running wherever they live, in the footsteps of the Jacobite army. Get marching, get inspired and help us protect Culloden now and for future generations!
The team are ensuring that they are not just talking the talk, they will also be walking the walk, making the challenge a team effort which the public can emulate or support, making sure everyone who wants to play their part in the future of Culloden can do so.
Raoul Curtis-Machin, Operations Manager for Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre, explains: “Counting all their steps together, the team here at the Visitor Centre and Battlefield are committed to covering the same 800-mile distance as Charles Edward Stuart did in the 1745 Rising!”
He continues: “From landing on the Hebridean Isle of Eriskay, then raising the standard at Glenfinnan, he marched through Edinburgh and Carlisle, progressing as far as Derby, before turning back up north to make a final stand at Culloden.
The Culloden Step Challenge kicks off on 23 July, the same day in 1745 when the Prince landed to begin the campaign. The team has estimated that an individual would have to walk or run two million steps to cover the 800 miles which the Jacobites covered. A unique medal will be offered to anyone brave enough to complete a sponsored two million step challenge.
Modern housing developments are encroaching on the site where many hundreds of men fell fighting for a cause they believed in. The National Trust for Scotland is trying to fight inappropriate development, and Culloden’s Fighting Fund was launched earlier this year to protect and conserve the battlefield. The Trust relies on the support of its members and donors to carry out its important work of caring for the natural and built heritage that people from Scotland and across the world all love, ensuring its future for everyone to enjoy.
“Everyone at Culloden is extremely passionate about the land we protect and when we launched the new Culloden Fighting Fund initiative, we were keen to do our bit and get involved. It will be a challenge to walk over 800 miles in just six weeks, but we are confident we can make it. We’re hoping people will be just as keen as us to get involved and support the site by taking on their own virtual challenge and we have some exciting content lined up to keep everyone engaged and feel like they are stepping through history.” Debbie Reid – Visitor Services Manager.
Raoul adds: “This is a really exciting challenge combining history, health and wellbeing. I hope lots of people will take part – get a bit of healthy exercise, learn a little, and raise money for a great cause. We are so grateful for all the ongoing support that we receive and the support for our charity, helping us protect the places we all love. We hope that many folk will sign up for this!”
You can help by taking up the challenge or by supporting the team and donating at JustGiving https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/cullodenfightingfund.
All the donations will directly support conservation and learning at Culloden. We hope to raise enough to help combat future development proposals, launch new investigations into the history of the battle and the site we protect, continue our conservation grazing program and explore the prospect of becoming a UNESCO world heritage site.
If you want to take on the challenge yourself email ‘SIGN ME UP’ to CFFund@nts.org.uk for more details.
Image: Debbie Reid and Beth Smith from Team Culloden
Award-winning Scottish company SUPERFAN will bring their high-octane smash hit Edinburgh Fringe show Stuntman to Paisley Arts Centre on Wednesday 17th September!
READ MOREPaisley Halloween Festival will return to town next month to celebrate the spooky season with a packed programme of frightful fun for all the family!
READ MOREEdinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition on the big screen in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and Inverness from 1st to 19th October 2025.
READ MORECineworld is excited to announce the return of 4DX Rewind this September across Cineworld 4DX cinemas nationwide!
READ MOREScotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow next month, and there’s still time to secure your place.
READ MOREMarston's and Michelin-starred chef Tom Shepherd have teamed up once more to serve up The Best Ever Pub Pie to locals across the country.
READ MOREÒran, the award-winning sell-out hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe embarks on its first ever UK tour this autumn as company Wonder Fools take their work to a host of venues across Scotland.
READ MOREM&D's is set to transform into Scotland's Scream Park with the launch of Zombie Checkpoint, a live action immersive horror experience creating a heart racing adventure not for the faint hearted.
READ MOREIconic movies celebrating key milestones this year are returning to Vue for a limited run - including Steven Spielberg classic Jaws.
READ MOREThe Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show will be packed with expert speakers when it returns to the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston on 4th – 5th October 2025.
READ MORELove Loch Lomond will officially launch its new publication, A Taste of Loch Lomond – Stories and Flavours from the Bonnie Banks, at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival on Sunday 7th September.
READ MOREIt might only be September, but the C-word is not too far away, so it's time to start thinking about planning the annual office Christmas shindig before everything gets booked up!
READ MOREThe winners of this year's Love Paisley Star Awards have been announced.
READ MOREBusiness Gateway, Scotland's national business support service, has launched Scottish Start-Up Month, a nationwide campaign to celebrate Scotland's entrepreneurial spirit.
READ MOREYoung people have created three vibrant new murals to transform an area of Seedhill, Paisley.
READ MORESpectacular venues from across Renfrewshire will welcome visitors as part of this year's Doors Open Days.
READ MOREVikings, a pie eating competition, new celebrated chef and dog & duck shows set to bring new energy to Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival this September.
READ MOREThe winners of the 2025 Scottish Bar & Pub Awards were unveiled on the 26th of August at a glittering, Oscars-themed ceremony held at the Doubletree by Hilton, Glasgow.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh Butter Company has announced the return of its ‘Scotland’s Best Croissant’ competition on Monday 13th October.
READ MOREitison has confirmed that GlasGLOW will return to the Botanic Gardens from 24th October – 2nd November for its eighth year and with its biggest show yet... GlasGLOW's Miles Better!
READ MOREPeople across Scotland invited to take part in national conversation about heritage.
READ MOREThe Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo closes the drawbridge on its 75th anniversary Show, as tickets for next year go on sale.
READ MOREAn interactive game encouraging people of all ages to get active and explore their local surroundings is set to return to towns and villages across Renfrewshire this autumn.
READ MORESGS UK Retail has announced that Braehead Shopping Centre is going from strength to strength, headlining outstanding sales and footfall growth for the year to date.
READ MOREScottish shoppers will hardly believe it when they see it today as Primark finally relents on one of its biggest brand debates after 50 years.
READ MOREScotland's best loved family resort, Crieff Hydro, has unveiled details of a specially curated programme of events as it prepares to welcome guests over the festive period.
READ MOREThe shortlist for the Scots Language Awards 2025 has been unveiled, with figures from Scottish literature, theatre, education and business all in the running for awards at the annual ceremony.
READ MOREInnis & Gunn has claimed double gold on the global stage, winning best in Scotland for the second year running at the World Beer Awards.
READ MOREMore than 5,500 people have taken part in the Paisley 10k and 3k Fun Run, setting a new record for the event.
READ MOREFrom exciting encounters with Santa himself to hands-on workshops and joyful family moments, Dobbies is the destination for festive fun this Christmas!
READ MORE