Blog
Inspiration: Stewart Wilson
This week we meet with Friend of FINDRA Stewart Wilson, an Innerleithen local who loves to explore the hills of Southern Scotland and the Scottish Borders. Hi Stewart, thanks for taking the time to chat and to start, can you introduce yourself and tell us where you live and what you do? I’m Stewart…
Read MoreStaycation Inspiration: Life’s a Beach
Staycation used to mean spending a holiday at home but nowadays encompasses a holiday in one’s home country – all the more relevant during the pandemic. At FINDRA we love wild beaches and rugged coastlines as much as mountains and trails, so Russ pulled together our favourites that may inspire a visit when we can…
Read MoreInspiration: Rebecca Cartledge
This week we’re off to Lincolnshire to meet with Friend of FINDRA Rebecca Cartledge, a Personal Trainer with a passion for movement and running. Hi Rebecca, thanks for taking the time to chat. To start, can you introduce yourself and tell us where you live and what you do? Hello… I’m Rebecca Cartledge and…
Read MoreInspiration: Jenny Mayhew
This week we’re off La Alpujarra, in the Sierra Nevada to meet with Friend of FINDRA Jenny Mayhew. Jenny and her partner run Pure Mountains mountain bike holidays and she shares with us what life’s like in the mountains of southern Spain. Hi Jenny, and to start, can you introduce yourself and tell us…
Read MoreInspiration: Chris Hilton
Chris Hilton is a primary school teacher based in the Tweed Valley and in this post he discusses adventures with his family and taking a can-do attitude to the outdoors – including searching the Cairngorms by ski for a carrot and making his own Canadian canoe! Hi Chris, and to start, can you introduce…
Read MoreInspiration: Cold days and colder nights.
With temperatures dropping to well below zero last week in the Tweed Valley, Russ has written some words about a snowy hike on local hills and a challenging night on a Tian Shan mountain pass in Kyrgyzstan. Temperatures dropped to around -7°C in the Tweed Valley last week resulting in everything frozen with plenty…
Read MoreInspiration: Eilidh Donaldson
Eilidh lives on the island of Mull and her life has not been a straight line. From training as an architect to working as a tour guide, project manager, tech entrepreneur, and now full-time carer for her elderly father, she embraces challenges and tries to help others reach their goals. We originally met in her…
Read MoreInspiration: Lucy Colquhoun
This week we meet with Lucy Colquhoun, former GB Internationalist Trail Runner and West Highland Way Race record holder (amongst others). Lucy now lives in the Tweed Valley with 2 rescue hounds and FINDRA team member Russ. Hi Lucy, and to start, can you introduce yourself and tell us where you live and what…
Read MoreInspiration: Rickie Cotter
Welsh dynamo and Tweed Valley resident Rickie Cotter explains how curiosity drives her passion for the outdoors and how time in the mountains leads to a sense of peace. Hi Rickie, and to start, can you introduce yourself and tell us where you live and what you do? I am based in the glorious…
Read MoreInspiration: Graeme Walker
This week we catch up with FINDRA Brand Ambassador Graeme Walker, to discuss his love of the cold, winter sports and regular trips to Chamonix and other high places. Hi Graeme, thanks for taking the time to chat. To start, can you introduce yourself and tell us where you live and what you do?…
Read MoreInspiration: Jane and Graham Clarke
Based on the south coast of England, Jane and Graham Clarke discuss retirement, keeping healthy and their love of the sea and cycling on the Isle of Wight and northern France. Hi Jane and Graham, thanks for taking the time to chat. To start, can you introduce yourself and tell us where you live…
Read More6 years old – A birthday message from Alex
Alex reflects on 6 years of FINDRA, including the highs, lows and the challenges we all face today and in the future. In December 2014 I started out on a big adventure, my mission was to banish the ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach to women’s outdoor clothing, and my inspiration, the amazing women…
Read MoreInspiration: Nicki Tommlinson
Based in the Tweed Valley with her husband and daughter, Friend of FINDRA Nicki Tommlinson is an accomplished MTB champion and has recently launched a range of organic skincare products. Hi Nicki, thanks for taking the time to chat. To start, can you introduce yourself and tell us where you live and what you…
Read MoreInspiration: Everyday Adventures
Alex takes to the FINDRA Journal this week to reflect on a life more restrictive than before and the opportunities it presents for doorstep discoveries, everyday adventures and a new perspective about the world around us. As we head towards the end of the year, it’s hard to believe the way 2020 has unfolded and…
Read MoreKeep Calm and Courie In
Hello Dear Friends of FINDRA. I hope you and your family and friend’s are all doing ok and finding ways to deal with the craziness of the world we find ourselves living in right now. As we head into winter I thought it would be a good time to say hello and provide…
Read MoreInspiration: Kate O’callaghan
This week we meet with Kate O’Callaghan, ambassador of Wonderful Wild Women, a collective of everyday people making decisions to live more adventurously, actively and mindfully in all areas of daily life. Hi Kate, we’ve met your husband before (FINDRA Ambassador Danny O’Callaghan), but can you introduce yourself and tell us where you live…
Read MoreInspiration: Penny Zannikos
Friend of FINDRA Penny Zannikos talks about the outdoors and a recent trip from her home in York to the Highlands of Scotland to bag some Munros and traverse the legendary Aonach Eagach ridge in Glencoe. Hi Penny, for any FINDRA followers who’ve not heard from you before, can you tell where you live…
Read MoreInspiration: Motivation to beat hibernation
With shorter days and leaves on the ground, it signals we’re heading back into winter, sometimes with the urge to shut ourselves away during the colder months. This week, FINDRA Ambassador Owain Williams provides some motivational tips to help you keep active outdoors through winter. The nights are “fair drawing in” as the…
Read MoreInspiration: Suzy Devey
Last year Suzy Devey called into FINDRA HQ and we chatted about her adventures. We’ve since caught up to discover what she gets up to on the trails and mountains around Lochaber. Hi Suzy, can we start by asking you where you live and what you do? I’m based in Fort William in the…
Read MoreInspiration: Postcard from Danny O’Callaghan
FINDRA Ambassador Danny O’Callaghan and his partner headed on a road trip to the north west of Scotland taking in some classic trails on the mountain bike. With our European road trip plans scuppered by Covid-19, we headed north of the border on a grand tour of Scotland and what a tour it was.…
Read MoreInspiration: Moira Forsyth
This week we meet with Moira Forsyth, Dumfries & Galloway mother of three who helped establish the MTB Centre of Scotland and shares her love of trekking in Nepal and a childhood experience of being capsized by a submarine on Loch Long! Hi Moira and can we start by asking you where you live…
Read MoreInspiration: Ross O’Reilly from Straight Cut Bikepacking
This week we’re back on the bike with with inspiration from mountain biker Ross O’reilly, founder of Straight Cut specialising in handmade and custom bikepacking bags. Hi Ross and can we start by asking you where you live and what you do? Hey, I’m Ross I live in Edinburgh and am the founder of…
Read MoreInspiration: Postcard from Torridon & Sutherland
With no contributors to the Journal this week, Alex asked me to write a post on a recent break to the north of Scotland. It’s been pretty hectic since joining FINDRA in March and it was good to finally get some sea and mountains and what was initially planned as a relaxing break, ended…
Read MoreInspiration: A sense of place
FINDRA is founded on 4 key principles; these are the 4 Pillars of the brand. Each of them is woven into everything we do. These pillars are PLACE, DESIGN, ENVIRONMENT and WELLBEING. A sense of place is important to FINDRA; Scotland is the backdrop to the FINDRA story and the inspiration behind my designs.…
Read MoreInspiration: Hollie Leonard
This week as part of our Sunday Inspiration series we meet Friend of FINDRA Hollie Leonard who’s very much into all things outdoors. Hi Hollie and can we start by asking you where you live and what you do? Hi, my name is Hollie Leonard and I am based in the West End of…
Read MoreSummer update from Alex
Dear Friends of FINDRA How are you all? I hope you’re doing well and Covid-19 has not had too negative an impact on you or you family and friends. What a strange time we’ve all been living through these last few months. Who would have thought back in January as we celebrated a New Year…
Read MoreInspiration: Ziggy Campbell
As part of our inspiration series, we meet Friend of FINDRA Ziggy who is a musician and artist working from home in his renovated schoolhouse in the Scottish Highlands. Hi Ziggy and can we start by asking you where you live and what you do? I live in the rural West Highlands of Scotland…
Read MoreInspiration: Steven Shand
For today’s post we chat with Friend of FINDRA, Steven Shand who shares his love of exploring Scotland both locally and further afield. Hi Steven, great to catch up again and welcome to the FINDRA Journal. We’ve met many times before, but maybe you can introduce yourself to those who don’t know who you…
Read MoreInspiration: Owain Williams
This week we welcome the last of our newest Ambassadors Owain Williams. Owain lives in nearby Edinburgh and has a passion for running and kiting! Introduction Early in 2020 we launched a campaign to find new male brand ambassadors and we were inundated with applications. Selecting only 3 was difficult and with the arrival…
Read MoreInspiration: Graham Kelly – Coming off Pause
FINDRA Ambassador Graham Kelly (AKA ‘Beardy’) reflects on lockdown easing and what it means for his approach to the outdoors and life ‘coming off pause’. Back in March, I wrote the Finding Balance with Adventures post. It wasn’t a considered or crafted post but more of a head-and-heart dump with a few bits edited…
Read MoreInspiration: Jules McRobbie
For this week’s inspiration, we meet with Shropshire based paramedic and Friend of FINDRA Jules McRobbie, who shares with us her love of hiking and biking. Hi Jules! Let’s start by introducing yourself and telling us know who you are and what you do? I’m Jules and I’m based in Ludlow in Shropshire. I…
Read MoreInspiration: Duncan McCallum
This week we introduce our newest FINDRA Ambassador Duncan McCallum, who lives and works in the Highlands of Scotland. Duncan is a climber, writer, photographer, TV Presenter and founder of the Ledge Charity. Introduction Early in 2020 we launched a campaign to find new male brand ambassadors and we were inundated with applications. Selecting…
Read MoreInspiration: Danny O’Callaghan
This week as part of our inspiration series we meet Danny O’Callaghan and living in the Lake District, he’s never far from the mountains. A keen mountain biker and trail runner Danny tells us more about his love of the great outdoors. An introduction to Danny Back in January, we launched a campaign to find…
Read MoreNew Women’s and Men’s Trail Shorts!
New women’s Dreva, Kilda and men’s Nevis Shorts now available online. Women’s Dreva Denim Trail Short Your favourite denim trail shorts are back with refinements to fit and new features making our classic trail short even better. Check them out here. Women’s Kilda Softshell Trail Short Available in two colours, Celery and Night Sky,…
Read MoreInspiration: Liz Karns
As part of our inspiration series we meet with US based Liz Karns who takes to the outdoors for some all-important space and perspective on life. Hey Liz, let’s start with you telling us where you live and what you do! I’m based in Ithaca, New York, halfway between New York City and Toronto,…
Read MoreInspiration: Julia Latto
This week for our inspiration series, we chat with Friend of FINDRA Julia Latto who lives and works in the Scottish Borders. Hi Julia, let’s start with you telling us where you live and what you do! Hey, I’m Julia Latto and reside in Peebles in the Scottish Borders. I was born and raised…
Read MoreKindness & Mental Health
Is Kindness really the secret sauce to a happier and healthier existence? Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week is now in its 20th year, with the theme for this year being Kindness Matters – especially important during the current pandemic. Coming to terms with the…
Read MoreInspiration: Alison Motion
This week our inspiration series moves to the Yukon with Friend of FINDRA and outdoor teacher/trainer Alison Motion. Hi Alison, let’s start by introducing yourself and tell us what you do! I’m Ali Motion and I’m based in rural Stirlingshire doing teaching and training and have been working in outdoor learning across different roles for…
Read MoreCome away and ‘Coorie’ in
Come away and ‘Coorie’ in Life as we know it is changing, we are living through a huge amount of uncertainty and unprecedented challenges. None of us know or fully understand how this will all pan out, all we can really do is take things one day at a time. In times like these,…
Read MoreMarion’s 10 favourite trips from the last 10 years
By Marion Shoote When it comes to adventures, I’d rather be looking forward than always looking back, but the turn of the decade this year was a nice opportunity to leaf through some old photo collections and pick out some favourite trips from the last ten years. It’s been a pretty adventure-heavy decade for us,…
Read MoreFINDRA Covid19 Survival Strategy
Writing and implementing a ‘Survival Strategy’ was most definitely not on the ‘To Do List’ when I started my working week on the 16th of March 2020. Global events surrounding the Coronavirus were dominating everyone’s lives and it was becoming very clear that it was about to impact every single one of us. It was,…
Read MoreFinding Balance with Adventures
Back at our 5th Birthday Weekend in December 2019, we were talking to our brand ambassador, Graham Kelly, about his plans for 2020 and whether it was tricky to find balance between work, relationships and play in the mountains. He put down his thoughts for us, and even with the current uncertainty in the world…
Read MoreA wee FINDRA update on the Coronavirus.
Dear Friends of FINDRA, To say it’s a troubling time is a bit of an understatement right now. Things are very uncertain and changing fast. From a health point of view, we hope you are all doing ok and looking after yourself and your friends and family. Every Monday at FINDRA HQ, we usually have our marketing…
Read MoreMusic and Memories with Emily Chappell
By Emily Chappell When I was writing Where There’s A Will, I spent a lot of time in the past, trying to reanimate my memories of racing across Europe in the summer of 2016. And as we all know, memories aren’t just in the mind – they can be tangible, physical things, held in the…
Read MoreInternational Women’s Day 2020
By Alex Feechan IT IS International Women’s Day on the 8th of March, a day that shines a spotlight on women’s issues, that challenges stereotypes and aims to broaden perceptions. These are all things I am passionate about, which is why I wanted to dedicate this blog post to some of the wonderful women who…
Read MoreIntroducing Fiona Quinn
FINDRA brand ambassadors are real people who are passionate about the outdoors and Fiona Quinn is just that, so we’re very excited to have her on board as a new FINDRA brand ambassador! By way of introduction, we asked Fiona to tell us more about her journey to where she is now… At…
Read MoreFriend of FINDRA: Vicky Balfour
Vicky Balfour has been a long time Friend of FINDRA and we recently got chatting to her about the community initiative, the Canterbury Bike Project, which she’s involved with. We’ve always believed in the importance of getting people together to share knowledge and building support networks, so we asked Vicky to tell us more, including…
Read MoreRunner’s World Eco Heroes – FINDRA Clothing
Back in 2014, fashion designer and outdoor enthusiast Feechan founded the Scottish sustainable active-clothing brand FINDRA based on three main principles: innovative design, consideration for the planet and a passionate desire to encourage more people to get outdoors and reap the benefits of being active in nature. As Feechan puts it, ‘no-one was…
Read MoreJo Moseley chats RED January with FINDRA
Hi Jo, I hope you are having a great start to 2020! We noticed that you were taking part in RED January and seemed to be having a lot of fun doing so. Can you tell us more about the campaign? Thank you! RED January is a community campaign in partnership with the mental health…
Read MoreFINDRA Round Up 2019
As all years go, there have been plenty of ups and downs for Team FINDRA in 2019. But thanks to the festivals we’ve visited, the feedback we’ve had and the friends we’ve made, it’s been a very successful year and we really hope you’ve enjoyed coming on the journey with us! So what were the…
Read MoreFINDRA at 5
by Alex Feechan FINDRA turns 5 on the 1st of December. In some ways it feels like only yesterday that I started this crazy journey and in other ways it feels like a lifetime ago! One things for sure it’s been one hell of a roller coaster ride! There have been ups and there…
Read MoreFINDRA and the Everyday Adventure
November always marks a happy time for Team FINDRA with the Kendal Mountain Festival taking pride of place in our calendar. This year we were back with another Everyday Adventure talk, hosted by Megan Hine with a host of brilliant panel members. These ‘Everyday Adventures’ sit at the core of FINDRA, and here founder, Alex…
Read MoreBaby Bikepacking in the Tatras
By Marion Shoote When I think about bikepacking trips, I think of travelling light, long days in the saddle, unknown destinations, random food stops and being at the mercy of the weather. So when we thought about trying to take our toddler son along with us, it would be fair to say I was a…
Read MoreMotivation for Winter Adventures
In the colder months of the year, it’s so tempting to get home, shut the curtains and curl up with a hot chocolate. There’s no reason why you can’t do this (it’s actually one of our favourite things), but getting outside first will make that transition from cold air on your face to warm toasty…
Read MoreTeam FINDRA go Paddleboarding
Over Summer, we asked you ‘what have you always wanted to try?‘. There were many ideas tabled at FINDRA HQ but after our ambassador, Jo Moseley, Paddleboarded the North, paddleboarding became our first new team activity! We immediately contacted Stand Up Paddleboard Scotland and booked in a Saturday morning session and opened it up to…
Read MoreSupporting the Next Generation of Cyclists
When brand ambassador, Dee Hollingsbee, approached us for coffee, cake and a chat, we couldn’t say no. We were even more excited to hear of her plans for a new initiative to give teenage girls a supportive and safe space to improve their riding skills. As a brand which started from being inspired by the…
Read MorePenny Zannikos: Snapshot of The Summer of 2019
As the temperature drops into autumn, we’re already reminiscing about our summer adventures and dreaming for next year. Our ambassador, Penny Zannikos, had an extremely eventful summer involving plenty of climbing, walking and one cute puppy. Grab a cuppa, and it’s over to Penny to tell us more… As summer turns bronze and autumn…
Read MoreBeyond The Wall
by Graeme Walker Motivation and mountains are inextricably linked, they both seem like a great idea at the time, but when the weather gets rough and the lower lip starts to tremble, it can be a little daunting. There are few things in the world that feel as good as taking yourself from the…
Read MoreFounding A Responsible Company
FINDRA launched to market in December 2014 and over the last 5 years we have grown from a one-person company (me) at the kitchen table to a pioneering outdoor clothing brand employing 8 people with growing sales and a loyal customer base. Before launching FINDRA in December 2014 I spent about 18 -24 months doing…
Read MoreAlex Feechan: How Biking & The Great Outdoors Saved My Soul
I have enjoyed spending time in the great outdoors since I was young, often heading off at weekends on little mini adventures, not that I knew that then. I was just a kid of the 70’s who got outdoors entertained themselves and headed home when hungry. This love of nature and being in the country…
Read MoreThe FINDRA Elephant Bike
If you’ve been to our Innerleithen shop it’s hard to miss our Elephant Bike, modelled below with Alex. Our bike is usually greeting people at our front door and displaying anything from bobble hats to local flyers or socks, but did you know that every Elephant Bike has a twin? “The story started a…
Read MoreOutdoor Adventures to Try Together
Sharing adventures with your partner or close friends can deepen a bond and create amazing memories. See each other at your best and your worst and strengthen your team. Making time to get outdoors with your other half might take some extra time planning and resources but it is always worthwhile. Here are our top…
Read MorePaddleboard the North: Jo Moseley on Adventuring In Your 50s!
Jo Moseley, our incredible brand ambassador, just completed her Paddleboard The North challenge which saw her paddleboard 162 miles from Liverpool on the English west coast to Goole on the east coast! She used the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and Aire & Calder Navigation and became the first woman to do so. Along the way…
Read MoreBooks We’re Reading This Summer
Members of Team FINDRA have been off on their holidays recently and they’ve all come back raving about the books they’ve read. Considering it’s nearly Book Lovers Day, we just had to share these with you! Read them by the beach, by the pool, in your back garden or on the sofa – it doesn’t…
Read MoreFive podcasts to listen to this summer
Audio documentaries have been around a while, especially with platforms like Radio 4 and BBC World Service, but once the iPod was invented in the mid-2000s, the podcast market began to grow. Being able to listen to informative or entertaining audio shows on the go widened the market to a new generation of people who…
Read MoreWhat Have You Always Wanted To Try?
Our intrepid CEO, Alex Feechan, went off on her holidays earlier this month to enjoy some seriously deserved R&R. However, true to form she managed to still fit in some exciting new experiences! She managed a few days of rest, book reading and sunbathing but it wasn’t long before she saw the opportunity to try…
Read MoreAdventures Close to Home
With the popularity of Instagram ever increasing, it’s easy to think that you need to travel far and wide to have great adventures and get that perfect IG shot. Whilst we love a bit of foreign travel, at FINDRA we also support the concept of local everyday adventures. Those which you don’t have to travel…
Read MoreMerino Wool, in the summer … really?
When you love the outdoors and want to remain active at any time of the year regardless of the temperature, it’s crucial to dress appropriately and ensure your clothing is comfortable, adaptable and works hard for you. When you think of sunshine and warm days, you might not instantly reach for your merino, but actually,…
Read MoreWhy I Love to Ride – Helen Langridge
To celebrate National Bike Week, we asked the cyclists of Team FINDRA what it was that they loved the most about riding their bike and where that passion came from. Today we asked Helen, our social media coordinator and Edinburgh shop assistant, why she gets out on her bike. I learned to ride a…
Read MoreSustainability and Us
This year FINDRA supported three Scottish women taking part in the Homeward Bound Project. Now in its fourth year, Homeward Bound selects women from all over the world who are concerned with how we treat our planet and puts them through a year-long, state-of-the-art programme to develop their leadership and strategic capabilities. The programme culminates…
Read MoreTackling the Transmarocaine Tizi N’Trail
Our wonderful brand ambassador, Graham Kelly, recently spent three days out running in the Atlas Mountains. You can run or hike the Tizi N’Trail, and with only 150 competitors, it’s quite exclusive compared to other multi-day events such as the Marathon des Sables. We caught up with Graham upon his return and we’re in awe…
Read MoreWhat Motivates Me: Jo Moseley
With the lighter evenings on the way, we’ve asked each of our brand ambassadors where they get their motivation from. If you’ve struggled to get outside over winter, or even if you haven’t, we hope your motivation fire is fuelled with this mini-series blog. Today we’re with Jo Moseley, our everyday adventurer who loves to…
Read MoreMotherhood and the Outdoors
The outdoors has always been a big part of my life. Some of my earliest memories involve rampaging around on mountains and beaches, sometimes enthusiastically, sometimes rather reluctantly, mostly ending up wet and windswept but content. Those experiences helped to shape me – into someone who loves exploring, relishes a physical challenge, finds peace in…
Read MoreWhat Motivates Me: Julia Hobson
With the lighter evenings on the way, we’ve asked each of our brand ambassadors where they get their motivation from. If you’ve struggled to get outside over winter, or even if you haven’t, we hope your motivation fire is fuelled with this mini-series blog. Next up is our brand ambassador, Julia Hobson, a mountain bike…
Read MoreWhat Motivates Me: Tom Hill
With the lighter evenings on the way, we’ve asked each of our brand ambassadors where they get their motivation from. If you’ve struggled to get outside over winter, or even if you haven’t, we hope your motivation fire is fuelled with this mini-series blog. Today, we’re looking to our ambassador, Tom Hill, for some practical…
Read MoreWhat Motivates Me: Rich and Tom
With the lighter evenings on the way, we’ve asked each of our brand ambassadors where they get their motivation from. If you’ve struggled to get outside over winter, or even if you haven’t, we hope your motivation fire is fuelled with this mini-series blog. Today, we ask Rich and Tom Seipp, the father-son cycling duo.…
Read MoreInternational Women’s Day: Introducing Team FINDRA
Today is International Women’s Day and I feel it’s the perfect opportunity to highlight some amazing women that I work with every day, my team! FINDRA is a female-led team bringing together a variety of skill sets and personalities to make FINDRA the successful business it is today! We’re a small, close-knit group who continue…
Read MoreAlex’s Approach to Design
‘Designed in Scotland with adventure in mind, FINDRA is a clothing company built on a passion for outdoor and active lifestyles and an understanding of what people want from clothing to suit that’. One of FINDRA’s key brand values is INNOVATION. This applies to our approach to business and our design philosophy; innovation is…
Read MoreWhat Motivates Me: Ruth Allen
With the lighter evenings on the way, we’ve asked each of our brand ambassadors where they get their motivation from. If you’ve struggled to get outside over winter, or even if you haven’t, we hope your motivation fire is fuelled with this mini-series blog. Today, we’ve asked our new brand ambassador, Ruth Allen, who’s an…
Read MoreWhat Motivates Me: Graham Kelly
With the lighter evenings on the way, we’ve asked each of our brand ambassadors where they get their motivation from. If you’ve struggled to get outside over winter, or even if you haven’t, we hope your motivation fire is fuelled with this mini-series blog. First up, the inimitable Graham Kelly. I’m sitting at my desk…
Read MoreFor the Love of the Outdoors
You may have noticed among our brand ambassadors a mighty beard-adorned gentleman who takes incredible photographs which we sometimes include on our Instagram. Graham Kelly is an occasional mountain leader and trail running guide and we sat down with Graham to find out where his love of the outdoors comes from. The early days…
Read MoreNew Sports: Stand Up Paddleboarding
All the talk of New Year resolutions can detract from the joy of finding a new activity you end up loving to do. We’re chatting to FINDRA customers who’ve taken up a new sport and are thriving in it. Today, we chat to Sharon Griffin who’s taken up paddleboarding. Hey Sharon, great to meet…
Read MoreRunning blog: I don’t know how I’m still going!
Our Social Media and Marketing Co-ordinator, Helen, took up running in October 2018. She’s written a starting blog for us here, let’s catch up with how she’s doing! The last time I left you with a running update, I was just about to start running home from work at the FINDRA Stockbridge shop. It…
Read MoreRecovery Essentials and Tips
It’s one of the little ironies of life that by the time we truly appreciate our health and what our body is capable of on the trails, be that walking, running or cycling, we’re also becoming increasingly aware of its perceived limitations. Thankfully we don’t have to look far for reassurance that all is not…
Read MoreThe Value of Human Kindness
What a year 2018 has been! Whether your year has felt like you’ve been constantly hiking uphill, downhill or across a desert one thing is for sure: in all circumstances being kind to others benefits the world around you. At your lowest moments, kindness can be exactly what you need to lift your spirits and…
Read MoreCustomer of the month: Mandy Abbott
Our Customer of the Month feature is back again for December with Mandy Abbott. Meet Mandy, mum to two active teenagers. She juggles several jobs, reflexology, being an outdoor educator at primary school, and a gardener whilst studying herbology at the Edinburgh botanical gardens. She’s blessed to live by the sea and have two dogs…
Read MoreCustomer Adventure: Climbing the Via Ferrata, Italy
We love to hear about the adventures our customers embark upon. So when Vickie Morrison sent us a photo of the Italian Mountains, we just had to know more! Hey Vickie! Your adventure in the Dolomites looks exciting. Tell us more about the day you took this photo. This was my husband and mine’s third…
Read MoreShopping Local on Small Business Saturday
The beginning of December is a strange limbo time, much like the week between Boxing Day and New Years Eve. The Black Friday sales are over, and most people are waiting for Christmas… and the sales which come in the new year. Our founder, Alex, recently wrote a piece on why we don’t take part…
Read MoreCustomer of the month – Penny Zannikos
We love celebrating our customers, you’re all part of Team FINDRA. Our November customer of the month is Penny Zannikos. Hey Penny, thank you so much for chatting to us. We love what you do, but what sports or activities do you enjoy the most? It is impossible for me to choose just one here! …
Read MoreMy Journey Into Adventure
It’s almost inevitable that when having a conversation about the adventures that I’ve been on or am planning, the person I’m talking to will ask “how did you end up doing this?” It’s a very reasonable question to ask, and one I find myself asking other people regularly as well. I like to hear people’s…
Read MoreEveryday Adventure: The Art of Plogging
This year at Kendal Film Festival, FINDRA are hosting the Everyday Adventure Session. Before we head to Kendal, we chatted to Jo Moseley (@healthyhappy50) who’ll be taking part in the panel and is starting with FINDRA as a new brand ambassador. Jo, it’s so great to have you on board as a new ambassador for…
Read MoreRunning the OMM, 2018
Tussocks. I hate tussocks. Lumps of grass the size of a football, or a baby’s head, strewn across the otherwise featureless fellside. You can try and hop from the top of one to the next, but they are unstable and give under each footfall, sending you off in odd directions. Try and step around them,…
Read MoreRunning blog: The hardest part is starting.
A lot of people I speak to find it difficult to fit regular exercise into their routine and with rising costs in public and private modes of transport, active commuting is an avenue worth exploring if you’re able to. Even if it’s getting off the train a stop or two earlier and walking or running…
Read MoreActive recovery: cycling through depression.
Helen Langridge has been a frequent customer of FINDRA Clothing. We loved following her journey around the world, covering 30,000km in 17 months and when she got back, we asked her to describe one of the toughest moments. Both her and her husband were recovering from depression themselves and we find their story incredibly inspirational. …
Read MoreThe 7 Wonders of Merino
When you think about merino clothing most people think about warm cosy knits that you bring out in the depths of winter to keep you warm on those long cold dark days, and whilst that is true its also a little bit misleading as merino is a far more adaptable and all year round fibre.…
Read MoreWhy Independent Retailer month is worth celebrating
Every July Independent retail month comes around and, we really think that it’s worth discussing, celebrating and getting thoroughly behind not just because we, FINDRA, are most definitely an independent retailer but because we love the feeling that independent retailers bring to a high street, the buzz they bring to a town and the totally…
Read More5 reasons merino is perfect for the summer
When you think of sunshine and warm days, you might not instantly think to reach for your merino tops but, merino is perfect for the summertime, however hot it gets out there. Not just a winter staple, summer weight weaves of this wonder fabric will add versatility and style to your summer wardrobe. Here are 5…
Read MoreCustomer of the Month – Brenda Mitchell
It’s time for June’s customer of the month, this month we meet Brenda Mitchell. Cyclist, mother and Lawyer at Cycle Law Scotland, she makes the most of the stunning Tweed Valley and living with two gorgeous black labs. What are your favourite ways to get outside? Walking our two black labs in the forests…
Read MoreUK Summer Adventure Staycations
The summer holidays are upon us and it’s time to get away and enjoy some time with your loved ones. If you don’t fancy battling the holiday hoards at the airport, risking your delicate British skin in the foreign sunshine and trying to work out how much things cost with the ever-changing exchange rate, maybe…
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