The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Walk this way: Pupils map out paths challenge
Anew challenge has been created in a Sidlaws community partnership to get young and old into the great outdoors.
Birkhill Primary School pupils and Sidlaw Path Network joined forces on the green space walk project. It is signposting some of the best local areas to explore.
The fun project took its inspiration from the hugely successful Penguin and Oor Wullie Bucket trails.
And it has been launched just in time for youngsters to tick off the challenge routes around Birkhill and Muirhead during their school holidays.
Birkhill P7 pupils created maps and characters for the community to find and record at each signpost along the route.
School depute head Jenni Athey said: “Sidlaw Path Network received funding from Choices for Angus to engage with this project with our children.
“It meant they could have the maps designed by a graphic artist and professionally printed challenge booklets made for each of our children so they can go and explore the path networks during the holidays.”
Gillian Zealand of Sidlaw Path Network said: “I’ve been secretary of Sidlaw Path Network since it was set up 18 years ago.
“But I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun as I’ve had in the last few months, working with these imaginative and talented young people from Birkhill and Muirhead.
“We hope lots of children – and grown-ups as well – will take on the green space walk challenge.
“Sidlaw Path Network is a community group whose remit is to identify and publicise paths in south west Angus. But, more generally, we also try to promote the concept of active travel.
“We’ve been collaborating with Birkhill School since we discovered this was one of their aims too. In our case, it’s about using foot and pedal power to travel between the villages.
“In their case, it’s to do with walking and cycling to school and reducing the school run.”
Gillian added: “The green space walk challenge grew out of this but several other organisations have also played their part. Sidlaw View Residents’ Association upgraded the paths within their own green space. Angus Council parks department completed a ‘missing link’ at Clinkerheel Park and also erected our signposts.
“Much of this work, amazingly, was accomplished during lockdown and I’m sure was doubly appreciated at a time when access to outdoor exercise was so severely restricted. If the challenge gets more people out walking and thinking twice before jumping in their cars then the Birkhill pupils can be very proud of themselves.”