It’s been a while since our last blog update! We’ve been so busy over the past few months it’s been the last thing on our minds – so we’re killing two proverbial birds with one stone and moving to a seasonal blog update cycle. So every three months you can look forward to getting your comprehensive Scotica news recap.

Now, on with the show.

Getting Salty with OceanVertical

In April, we took to the seas to film two new promos for our old friends at OceanVertical. Paddleboarding across open ocean and climbing, diving and swimming through the inter-tidal zone proved a real test for our mettle and our kit, but both rose to the occasion. Setting off at 5am to catch the sunrise over the glasslike sound separating the mainland from the enchanting island of Fidra was a particular highlight.

Braving the UK’s Most Extreme Canyon

In June, the team headed back up to the West Highlands, our home away from home, to collaborate with canyoning legends Vertical Descents on a series of films to really inspire your intrepid spirit. Featuring not only Scotland’s only Via Ferrata, which climbs up the side of one of the country’s highest and most spectacular free-falling waterfalls, but also a canyoning experience like no other taking you down the Grey Mare’s Tail gorge and abseiling back through the same falls, this was adventure in every sense of the word.

10 Years in 10 Minutes

In celebration of their 10-year anniversary, Foxlake Adventures in collaboration with Scotica Film is thrilled to showcase this documentary chronicling the storied history of East Lothian’s most beloved outdoor sports community.
​From the early days of trying to dig a lake with an excavator, working out of a shipping container and practical jokes galore, we follow the Foxlake team as they get to grips with the responsibility of building and nurturing and outdoor community, providing a local space where all are welcome, and young people can realise their passions and careers.

Something Primal Within Us

Our most recent shoot, this promo piece for Primal Adventures (featuring the incredible swordsmanship of Combat International) will take you to places within Scotland’s historical cultural landscape you never knew could be so fierce. Ancient weaponry, whisky, mountains, caber-tossing and bagpipes – what’s not to love?

‘Small Country’ Still Streaming

A quick reminder for any of those who missed the boat on this one: our first documentary, ‘Small Country’ is still streaming online with Kendal Mountain Player. You can watch the film, as well as a whole host of other amazing titles, here: https://bit.ly/3F4uJnO
‘Small Country’ is an exploration of the Northwest Highlands, its people and the future they now face. Following the lives and work of those who depend most on this landscape, including fishermen, farmers and guides, we see the true scale of the changes that have gripped the Northwest, and the disappearance of tight-knit crofting communities.

And lots more to come…

With 2022 shaping up to be Scotica’s most explosive year so far (admittedly coming out of a pandemic hasn’t set the bar particularly high), we have enormous amounts we’re working on at the moment we can’t wait to share with you all, including:

· In June, we spent a week out on North Uist filming a series of documentaries for sustainable travel organisation IGot2Travel as part of their campaign to encourage ‘slow tourism’ in the Outer Hebrides. More on this shortly!

· This week, we’re down in the Lake District filming more climbing and canyoning with local heroes Lakeland Ascents, so keep your eyes on the feeds for an exciting new promo very soon.

· Next week, Scotica assembles its biggest and best crew yet for a fantastic new project with an internationally-renowned wild swimmer, a marine conservation organisation and one of Scotland’s finest and most well-respective whisky distillers. What is this, you might ask? Well, we can’t say yet but expect something coming your way two weeks from now.

· And finally, October is shaping up to be an equally busy month with shoots across the UK from Assynt to the Brecon Beacons for environmental restoration organisation Forest Carbon, more watersports fun with ADV and even some seaweed farming.

We can’t wait until December when we can all take a well-earned day off. Until then, take care all!