PEOPLE are being encouraged to get outside and enjoy the natural world with the launch of the first ever John Muir Coast Festival.

Wakeboarding, night golf, woodland crafts and the UK’s first stone stacking challenge are all part of the festival in East Lothian, the birthplace of the man regarded as the founding father of the National Parks movement.

The famous conservationist was born in 1838 in Dunbar, where his love of the great outdoors began, and the festival is inspired by his advocacy of the benefits of enjoying nature.

Emigrating with his family to the United States when he was a boy, Muir became an author, environmental philosopher and early advocate of the preservation of wilderness. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas, and he founded the Sierra Club, the influential American environmental organisation.

WHAT’S ON OFFER?

AN inspiration to millions of people in the US, Scotland has been slow to see Muir as a prophet but this neglect is being redressed and a 130-mile John Muir Way now runs between Dunbar and Helensburgh.

His birthplace is now a museum and organisers of the new festival are hoping to increase knowledge of the conservationist and bring more visitors to the area.

Many events are aimed at families and there will also be an ultra-marathon, the first race of its type on the east coast, with the 50km route running along stunning coastal stretches, rural landscapes and woodland trails.

Beginning at the Port Seton promenade, it will primarily follow the John Muir Way, meandering through a number of historic towns and villages including Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick before finishing at Dunbar.

ANYTHING ELSE?

ANOTHER first will be the Foxlake Outdoor Festival on April 23. Home to Scotland’s first cable wakeboarding park and the country’s only ropes course constructed over water, Foxlake Adventures is located just outside Dunbar. There will be live music and local food and drink plus the chance to try wakeboarding, the ropes course, segways or zorbing, and a fireworks display to end the day.

Another unusual event will be the Stone Stacking Challenge on Dunbar’s East Beach. This is one of the first events of this kind in the UK, bringing together skills of traditional cairn building alongside artistic expressions of rock balancing. Stone stacking is an art-form in which rocks are stacked on top of one another to form different shapes without the use of anything other than the rocks and gravity. It is a popular activity across the globe, with the world rock stacking championships held annually in Texas. The stone stacking challenge in Dunbar is a free family-friendly event, with live music, art installations and exhibitions with an interactive twist.

WHAT ABOUT THE NIGHT GOLF?

ANOTHER unusual event will be night golf at Dunbar Golf Club, an Open Championship qualifying venue and a classic Scottish links course. A novel way to experience it is playing it in the dark, although the course will be lit with LED lights and played using LED balls. Using the Texas Scramble format, teams of four will test their skills across six holes.

There will also be free bike hire for those wishing to experience the beauty of the John Muir Way on two wheels. Cyclists and walkers using the way can enjoy views of geological features such as the Bass Rock and North Berwick Law.

Muir's many talents include woodwork, and festival-goers will be able to brush up on their own skills during taster sessions at Tree-ditions Woodland Crafts School, which overlooks John Muir Country Park. The sessions include making fires from sparks, whistle whittling and safe knife use.

IS THERE MORE?

WATERSPORTS are also to be part of the festival. The John Muir Surf Competition at John Muir Country Park will feature some of Scotland’s finest surfing talents and include the country’s only longboard competition and only stand-up paddle-boarding competition. The event will also feature introductory sessions for families to learn how to surf and stand-up paddle board.

In the spirit of John Muir, sustainability is at the heart of the festival and East Lothian Council is developing a sustainable transport plan incorporating bike hire and shuttle buses.

Councillor John McMillan, spokesperson for economic development and tourism, said: “I’m very excited about this inaugural festival as it contains a number of firsts for East Lothian and is a great example of the council working with local businesses to showcase our wonderful coast and all the activities it can provide.

"I’m sure it will be extremely popular with local families but, equally, I’m certain it will attract outdoor enthusiasts from outwith East Lothian too.”

The John Muir Coast Festival takes places from April 23-24. For more information visit WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

PEOPLE are being encouraged to get outside and enjoy the natural world with the launch of the first ever John Muir Coast Festival.

Wakeboarding, night golf, woodland crafts and the UK’s first stone stacking challenge are all part of the festival in East Lothian, the birthplace of the man regarded as the founding father of the National Parks movement.

The famous conservationist was born in 1838 in Dunbar, where his love of the great outdoors began, and the festival is inspired by his advocacy of the benefits of enjoying nature.

Emigrating with his family to the United States when he was a boy, Muir became an author, environmental philosopher and early advocate of the preservation of wilderness. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas, and he founded the Sierra Club, the influential American environmental organisation.

WHAT’S ON OFFER?

AN inspiration to millions of people in the US, Scotland has been slow to see Muir as a prophet but this neglect is being redressed and a 130-mile John Muir Way now runs between Dunbar and Helensburgh.  

His birthplace is now a museum and organisers of the new festival are hoping to increase knowledge of the conservationist and bring more visitors to the area.

Many events are aimed at families and there will also be an ultra-marathon, the first race of its type on the east coast, with the 50km route running along stunning coastal stretches, rural landscapes and woodland trails.

Beginning at the Port Seton promenade, it will primarily follow the John Muir Way, meandering through a number of historic towns and villages including Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick before finishing at Dunbar. 

ANYTHING ELSE?

ANOTHER first will be the Foxlake Outdoor Festival on April 23. Home to Scotland’s first cable wakeboarding park and the country’s only ropes course constructed over water, Foxlake Adventures is located just outside Dunbar. There will be live music and local food and drink plus the chance to try wakeboarding, the ropes course, segways or zorbing, and a fireworks display to end the day.

Another unusual event will be the Stone Stacking Challenge on Dunbar’s East Beach. This is one of the first events of this kind in the UK, bringing together skills of traditional cairn building alongside artistic expressions of rock balancing. Stone stacking is an art-form in which rocks are stacked on top of one another to form different shapes without the use of anything other than the rocks and gravity. It is a popular activity across the globe, with the world rock stacking championships held annually in Texas. The stone stacking challenge in Dunbar is a free family-friendly event, with live music, art installations and exhibitions with an interactive twist.

WHAT ABOUT THE NIGHT GOLF?

ANOTHER unusual event will be night golf at Dunbar Golf Club, an Open Championship qualifying venue and a classic Scottish links course.  A novel way to experience it is playing it in the dark, although the course will be lit with LED lights and played using LED balls. Using the Texas Scramble format, teams of four will test their skills across six holes. 

There will also be free bike hire for those wishing to experience the beauty of the John Muir Way on two wheels. Cyclists and walkers using the way can enjoy views of geological features such as the Bass Rock and North Berwick Law. 

Muir's many talents include woodwork, and festival-goers will be able to brush up on their own skills during taster sessions at Tree-ditions Woodland Crafts School, which overlooks John Muir Country Park. The sessions include making fires from sparks, whistle whittling and safe knife use.

IS THERE MORE?

WATERSPORTS are also to be part of the festival. The John Muir Surf Competition at John Muir Country Park will feature some of Scotland’s finest surfing talents and include the country’s only longboard competition and only stand-up paddle-boarding competition. The event will also feature introductory sessions for families to learn how to surf and stand-up paddle board.

In the spirit of John Muir, sustainability is at the heart of the festival and East Lothian Council is developing a sustainable transport plan incorporating bike hire and shuttle buses. 

Councillor John McMillan, spokesperson for economic development and tourism, said: “I’m very excited about this inaugural festival as it contains a number of firsts for East Lothian and is a great example of the council working with local businesses to showcase our wonderful coast and all the activities it can provide. 

"I’m sure it will be extremely popular with local families but, equally, I’m certain it will attract outdoor enthusiasts from outwith East Lothian too.”

The John Muir Coast Festival takes places from April 23-24. For more information visit www.johnmuirfestival.co.uk