BLOG: Where the Hills Are Home – Growing Up Outdoors in Clackmannanshire
Groundwork Youth Advisory Board member, Bethany, describes how her everyday encounters with nature as a child moulded her into the person she is today – someone who values connection, curiosity and respect for the natural world. Now she wants the same opportunities for other children growing up.
Some people mark home by a street name or a postcode. For me, it was always the hills.
Growing up in Clackmannanshire, you couldn’t miss them. Bold and looming, never quite the same shade twice. On clear days, they were sharp and green. On others, softened by fog or dusted with snow. Whatever the weather, they were there. They made our landscape feel bigger than any map could show.
I didn’t realise how much that mattered to me until I left.
I spent four years studying in Glasgow. A city I loved for its energy, for the people and opportunities it brought me, but something always felt missing. It took moving back home to figure out what. I’d forgotten the comfort of looking up and seeing something wild and still. I missed the quiet that creeps in when you’re surrounded by trees instead of traffic. I missed the feeling of smallness that doesn’t shrink you but steadies you.
As a child, nature wasn’t something we paid for. It wasn’t something we travelled to. It was right there, at the edge of our school fields and behind our back gardens. I spent afternoons exploring woods without realising they were “green spaces.” We didn’t call it nature; it was just outside. But those everyday encounters shaped how I think about the world now.
They taught me to slow down. To observe. To notice. And more than anything, they taught me that the world is worth protecting.
That’s why it matters that children have access to nature. Not just in theory, but in practice. Not as a rare school trip or a weekend drive, but as something woven into the rhythm of their lives. Because those early encounters turn into lifelong values. They build respect, connection, and curiosity. They help young people imagine futures where the environment isn’t an afterthought, but a shared responsibility.
It’s not just about the values; it’s also the practical lessons. You learn what paths to take to always get home, you understand how to respect animals and their space, and you know what plants you don’t want to go walking through. Lessons that are best learned young and easier learned practically. Lessons that build resilience, encourage creativity, teach a lot about respect and more about yourself.
As an adult, nature is still where I go to breathe. Whether it’s walking my dog through the local woods or spotting birds on a late-night wander, I find reassurance in the quiet and the rustling of trees. And I still get excited when the hills catch the light a certain way.
That’s what I carry with me from childhood: not just memories of muddy boots and scraped knees, but a deep-rooted understanding that the natural world is part of who I am. Nature shaped who I am. It taught me how to breathe, how to be still, and how to find joy in the simple things. I hope every child, no matter where they live, has the chance to say the same.
That’s why I wanted to support campaigns like Wellies in the Woods. Because they remind us that those early moments matter. That access isn’t just about open gates. It’s about feeling like you belong. I’m grateful I grew up with that sense of belonging. Now, I want to help make sure more young people can say the same.
Notes to Editors
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About Groundwork
Groundwork is a federation of charities with a collective mission to take practical action to create a fair and green future in which people, places, and nature thrive. We support communities and businesses to build capacity and resilience in order to tackle hardship, achieve a just transition to net-zero and help nature recover in a way that reduces inequality and leads to healthier, happier lives for all: www.groundwork.org.uk