Mark’s fab tribute to Perthshire
Star praises area in film
East Perthshire’s very own cycling superstar Mark Beaumont has praised the area for giving him the training ground to pursue his cycling, describing the region as having ‘the best terrain in Scotland for road cycling”.
Mark, who last week set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the earth by bicycle, completing the challenge in just 79 days, made the comments in a new video for VisitScotland.
The film, which was recorded before his epic round-the-world adventure, shows the ultra-endurance athlete cycling by some of Perthshire’s most recognisable attractions - including Blairgowrie Golf Club, the home of the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup - and popular activities such as llama trekking at Ecocamp Glenshee, while describing where he likes to train.
In the voiceover, Mark describes Perthshire as “a great place to grow up”, adding : “This [Perthshire] is the heartland of my trade, over the past 30 years I’ve cycled in Perthshire more than anywhere else in Scotland.
“Perthshire is an area where I first dreamt of going on big adventures with my bicycle and I remember setting off to pedal across Scotland, aged 12, and travelling through Perthshire, exploring what was on my doorstep.”
Jim Clarkson, VisitScotland regional partnerships director, said: “Mark is an incredible ambassador for Perthshire, and Scotland as a whole.
“His record-breaking achievement has helped highlight Scotland as a cycling destination and undoubtedly inspired visitors across the world.
“We are delighted to have worked with Mark to create this video, which not only provides insight into his motivations and challenges but also showcases the stunning beauty of Perthshire and the many other exciting experiences you can have here.”
According to the national tourism association, recent figures show that one million day trips and 261,000 overnight trips, which include cycling on a road or surfaced path, were taken by visitors from the UK in 2015, generating a combined total of £106million for the Scottish economy.