Enjoying the great doors is so beneficial to our physical health and mental wellbeing, which is why I was delighted to participate in the recent launch at a well-attended event at Dollar Academy of the second in the series of interactive Hillfoots Walking and Cycling Routes Maps.
Spearheaded by Active Dollar & Muckhart (ADM), a Community Sports Hub operating under Dollar Community Development Trust , this latest map covers Coalsnaughton, Devonside, Dollar, Gartmorn, Muckhart and Tillicoultry.
The first one, which covered the Fossoway area, was published several months ago.The last map in the series, which has still to be produced, is planned to advance the use of local maps into the Ochils using walking and gravel cycling routes from Dollar and Muckhart.
Co-ordinated by a dedicated team from ADM led by Donald Malcolm and Mick Rice, this new cycling and walking map was produced by renowned Doune-based map maker, Harvey Maps. The production of the map was supported by a wide range of funders, whose support was crucial for its publication.
Thirteen walks and cycle routes are featured in this easy-to-read map, and in a great innovation, there is a QR code for each route providing additional historical and wildlife points of interest, which when scanned with a mobile device, directs one to a dedicated section of the Dollar Museum website containing this information.
For keen cyclists wanting to head further afield, there are several other cycle routes featured that can be accessed through QR codes on the printed map.
I was privileged to have been involved in compiling the nature notes for the walks featured, which incorporates the birds, mammals, butterflies and wildflowers most likely to be seen on each walk. A further section on trees will be added soon. The bonus of having a digital approach is that the information can be continuously updated to keep the printed map relevant and contemporary for many years to come.
The map will benefit both local folk keen to explore the outdoors around their home patch, as well as tourists, a great reminder of how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful part of the country. which in turn will help boost the local economy.
Commentating on the map, and the benefits it will bring, Mick Rice told me: “It is much more than a paper drawing; It is interactive – you can select to view as many points of Interest, walks and cycling routes as you want, and it’s a reference point for the identification of mammals, butterflies, flowers, birds and trees.”
The Dollar Walking and Cycling Map costs £5 and is available from Dollar Museum, TheWee Bookshop in Dollar, Café at No. 44 in Dollar, Mona’s in Muckhart, Fir Park Ski Centre in Tillicoultry and Dam Good Coffee at Gartmorn Dam.
Share