A group of pupils from Glenalmond College in Perthshire helped clear gorse from a stretch of the Cateran Trail last week as part of Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust’s (PKCT) preparations for the Army Benevolent Fund’s 2025 Cateran Yomp.

One of Scotland’s Great Trails, the Cateran Trail is a fully waymarked, 64-mile / 103 km route through Perthshire and the Angus glens in the heart of Scotland, following old drove roads and ancient tracks across a varied terrain of farmland, forests and moors.

The Cateran Yomp takes place on the Cateran Trail every June and is the biggest, toughest charity event of its kind raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for the Army Benevolent Fund, the Army’s national charity.

Volunteers from Glenalmond College lend a hand on the Cateran Trail with PKCT and PKC

Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust manages the Trail and works hard throughout the year to ensure it is well maintained and in good condition for walkers, cyclists and Yompers.

The team at PKCT has been supported this year by pupils at Glenalmond College who have been working with PKCT’s Engagement Officer on a series of volunteer tasks as part of dedicated ‘Adventure Days’ that enable the young people to take part in practical conservation tasks and contribute to their local community.

The Adventure Days have been organised in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council’s Greenspace Rangers, and the work on the Cateran Trail is the last of four volunteer days this school year. The school has also raised more than £1000 for PKCT, which is a registered charity.

Andrew Barrie, PKCT’s Strategic Routes Officer, said:

"We are hugely grateful to the pupils at Glenalmond College for their help removing gorse from one of the sections of the Cateran Trail – it was a difficult but hopefully rewarding job that will make a difference to those taking part in the Cateran Yomp in June.

Today was a great example of how our community learning work links with the practical experience volunteering can provide, working with young people outdoors, and of charities working together to make a positive difference.

PKCT has been involved with the Cateran Yomp since the very beginning and it is an important feature in our calendar. As custodians of the Cateran Trail we work hard throughout the year with community groups and landowners to keep the Trail well-maintained.

As well as planting trees and hedges and infrastructure projects such as managing drainage, in the run-up to the Yomp in particular there is lots of work grass cutting and scrub clearance and cutting back vegetation encroaching on the path, which is what we have been doing today with the enthusiastic help of these hard-working pupils."

Tom Mason is a teacher at Glenalmond College. He said:

"For the last two years, we have enjoyed collaborating with PKCT and contributing to their projects. The knowledgeable staff and Greenspace Rangers develop the pupils’ understanding of the importance of conservation and contributing to their community. 

The conservation days demonstrate the true value in lessons learned outside the classroom, a vision shared by PKCT and Glenalmond College."

Based on an infamous long-distance military training march, the Cateran Yomp is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Army Benevolent Fund, which supports the Army community through life’s challenges such as bereavement, getting back to work, elderly care and much more besides.

Since its launch in 2011, Yomp participants and sponsors have raised over £4m for the Army Benevolent Fund’s lifetime support for soldiers, former soldiers and their families.

Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer of the Army Benevolent Fund, added:

"We are very grateful to the students of Glenalmond College and other volunteers who help ensure that the Cateran Trail is ready for this year’s Yomp. The support we receive from Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust and the local community makes such a difference to the event and the experience of the ABF supporters who take part. Every single step helps our mission: to be there for soldiers, for veterans, and for their families, for life."