The first trail in the South of Scotland 7stanes project has opened at Dalbeattie. The Hardrock Trail is eighteen miles long, and gets its name from the various boulders and outcrops that the builders sent the trail over and through in preference to building around them.

It’s described as an “intermediate” trail but is said to have some pretty challenging sections on it (with alternative routes for the less confident) and there’s a “skills loop” to warm up on. It’s the result of 15 months of effort by Andy Hopkins and his team, including plenty of volunteers.

Dalbeattie is the first of the 7stanes centres to open, with the remaining six coming up soon. To which end the project is looking for a site manager to oversee the building of new trails in Glentrool and Kirroughtree Forests in the Galloway area.

The post involves working with 7stanes manager Karl Bartlett, taking decisions on trail layout and design and supervising a trail building squad as well as negotiating with, and supervising, contractors.

And they’ll even pay you – somewhere between £13,996 and £15,182 on a one year fixed term contract. Interested? You’ll need to apply by Friday 13 June – contact Catherine Rae, 7stanes Assistant Project Manager on [email protected].

You can read more about the 7stanes project and trails at www.7stanes.gov.uk.