Muir Examples

Adventurer Alastair Humphreys has created an inspirational blog post on engaging with wild places.

This blog, by artist Alec Finlay and accompanied by poets Gerry Loose and Andrew Schelling, photographer Hannah Devereux plus others along the way, beautifully documents Muir-inspired experiences and journeys in the wild using poetry, photography and more.

Inspired by reading ‘On the Trail of John Muir’ by Cherry Good, Seamus embarked on a yearlong John Muir Award in and around his home in Clackmannanshire. Read about his travels and experiences in wild places, and connections with Muir’s messages, on his blog ‘Journey with John Muir’

As part of their summer transition course, students at Edinburgh College undertook a John Muir Award that involved walking the length of the Water of Leith in Edinburgh. To represent Muir’s 1000 mile walk students and staff dressed up as Muir for one day of their journey. Photo: © Young Scot

Students completed an Award centred on the lives and achievements of two legendary Scottish adventurers: John Muir and Tom Weir. Through doing this Award, the students found that not only did they learn about the lives of these two great Scots, but were also truly inspired by them.

A group of Art and Design students from West College Scotland’s Greenock campus have been getting their hands dirty planting trees as part of the Conserve Challenge for their John Muir Award, wearing Muir beards for an added element of fun… and warmth!

Bellahouston Academy offers an example of John Muir being incorporated into the Curriculum for Excellence. Students at the school were “really creative in interpreting the tasks and challenges given to them, with some making a model of John Muir, complete with beard, boots and Victorian clothes”. Click here for a guide to the John Muir Award and the Curriculum for Excellence.

Building on their learning from a visit to the John Muir Birthplace Trust and a stickman Muir, Edinburgh College students re-enact some highlights from Muir’s life, inventions and adventures, as part of their John Muir Award. Created by the students on the Entry to Learning Practical Skills for Working Outdoors course.

A 5-minute film by Alastair Humphreys & Temujin Doran featuring some wild places of Scotland (including John Muir Trust properties), with Jim Crumley narrating the words of John Muir.

Zeki Busan’s Yosemite adventure film celebrates Muir’s wilderness living, and looks to inspire young people to appreciate and care for nature. Zeki (aged 15 at the time) made the film himself.

This short film directed by Michael Coleman (a Martinez, California native) was inspired by the writings of naturalist, author and early advocate of wilderness preservation John Muir.

A 12 minute animated film exploring the life of John Muir in East Lothian and beyond. The film was created by pupils at Law, Musselburgh Burgh and Dunbar Primary Schools with local animation company D fie foe Productions, as part of Homecoming 2014.

Rob Bushby, previous John Muir Award Manager, spent his work-allocated ‘Wild Days’ (plus some vacation time) finding out about Muir and his legacy in America. It’s summed up here in images to the song ‘For John Muir’ by Deacon Blue.

A few examples of Dunbar Primary School’s fantastic John Muir collage created for the John Muir Festival in 2014. The full book of images, and the story of Muir’s life, is available to buy from Dunbar Primary School the John Muir Birthplace Trust.

As part of their literacy-focused Award, members of the Burnfoot Community School Explorers class created John Muirals – large wall posters depicting Muir at different stages of his life.

For their Family Conserver Award, Lauren and Rhonda Buttler’s family produced an imaginative creation showing how Muir may have interpreted Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park throughout history.

Inspired by Mission:Explore John Muir activity #MEJM001, Jasmin, a pupil at Dunrossness, had planned to walk 1000 steps and make a map of where she went. She ended up walking 4000 steps barefoot.

Award providers and participants alike get into the spirit of Muir by donning bought or improvised beards!

The Garden Links Carlisle Group created this fantastic John Muir collage at Watchtree Nature Reserve. They used natural materials including seeds, thistle down and feather.