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Source to Sea: River Clyde (Audio Story)
The final installment of the three-part “Source to Sea” audio series follows Lee Craigie and Jenny Graham of the Adventure Syndicate down Scotland’s River Clyde as they make their way to Glasgow for the COP26 conference. Listen to all six mini-episodes here…
With the climate crisis looming, a simpler and more local approach to adventure could prove fundamental as we work toward a more sustainable future. With this in mind, the Adventure Syndicate introduced Source to Sea, a project that explores the inherent childlike curiosity and imagination that comes with bikepacking adventure. In each Source to Sea series, Scottish endurance cyclists Lee Craigie and Jenny Graham will bike, hike, and packraft from the trickling source of one of three Scottish rivers to their estuary where they meet the sea. The focus of the series will be on the moments spent exploring and appreciating the natural ecosystems of these rivers while traveling entirely under human power.
The third installment of the three-part Source to Sea series follows Lee and Jenny as they travel slowly down the course of the River Clyde. In this series, Lee has an accident shortly before they set off, and our pair of adventurers are forced to abandon their bikes and packrafts, deciding to walk instead. Find the map of their route below, then scroll down to listen to the six-episode series below.
Day 1: Back to Basics
Today, Lee and Jenny embark on their final Source to Sea adventure, this time travelling along the River Clyde. Standing in the middle of a wind farm, they are surprised by the Clyde’s small beginnings and marvel at how grand it will become by the time it reaches Glasgow. They also start to enjoy walking more than they thought they would…
Day 2: Inspired by Salmon
Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you can’t see the view at the top of a hill – it’s the physical activity of moving her body and getting her heart rate going that make Jenny happy this morning. As they plod along, Lee and Jenny discuss the song Julie has written for their trip. They are struck by the intuition of salmon, which has made them think about how we as humans interact with nature and our planet.
Day 3: The Beauty of Walking
Lee and Jenny have a long day ahead. The miles on foot are beginning to take their toll, but for our two adventurers the positives far outweigh the negatives. They think ahead to COP26 and, inspired by conversations they had with a group of Scouts the night before, they admire the energy with which the young people voiced their opinions on our climate crisis.
Day 4: Hello Glasgow
Our adventurers have reached Glasgow just as COP26 is coming to an end, and they stop to talk to people as they pass through the city. Talking to climate activists reminds them that it’s important to connect to ourselves and to our natural environments, and doing something simple like walking has helped them achieve that over the last few days.
Day 5: Getting Philosophical
Lee and Jenny leave Glasgow and hobble the last few miles to the sea. For two people who love cycling, they discuss what they’ve learned about having to walk slowly instead, persevering through pain and bad weather. They also look back on their three Source to Sea journeys and reflect on how it feels to be at the end of the project.
COP26 Special
Lee and Jenny have conversations with climate activists and Glasgow locals about COP26 and their thoughts on our climate crisis. This extended feature includes interviews with youth climate activist Jessie Stevens, cyclist Markus Stitz, climate scientist Jen Newell, Extinction Rebellion member Jo Blackman, Ed Wolstenholme and Miles Resso from The Racing Collective, and local people.
Source to Sea is a Tandem Production, in association with the Adventure Syndicate and with the support of the Audio Content Fund. The music is by award-winning folk singer Julie Fowlis, who has created a beautiful new song to accompany Lee and Jenny’s journey down the River Clyde with lyrics inspired by the remarkable behaviour of Atlantic salmon, a species which is sadly under threat. Learn more over at TheAdventureSyndicate.com.
Related Content
Find the previous two Source to Sea audio stories below, as well as a couple other related posts…
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