A recent bike packing trip with his girlfriend led to Forth Valley College Active Travel Officer Craig Coull popping the question and getting engaged!
Craig (27) who regularly puts out proposals to staff and students to promote organised led rides walks and health and wellbeing activities at the College, took a leaf out of his own book and proposed to girlfriend Becky Hay (30) while they cycled the 180 miles of the Hebridean Way at the end of August.
Thankfully she accepted and now they are gearing up to get wed some time in 2023.
Craig, a self-employed triathlon coach and ultra-marathon competitor – is currently in his role as Active Travel Officer until the end of December 2022. He said: “We left our home in Gargunnock and cycled the 50 miles or so up to Tyndrum , stayed at a hostel overnight and then on to Oban to catch the ferry to Barra and on to Vatersay and the start of the Hebridean Way…and I was thinking about the best place to pop the question.
“As we travelled up through Barra, across by ferry to Eriskay through beautiful scenery and blue skies, Becky had no idea what my plans were. On day two we got the ferry to Harris past white sandy beaches on a beautiful day and had a picnic at Horgabost Beach.
“After our lunch we cycled down to Luskentyre Beach and went for a walk and I got down on one knee and asked Becky to marry me and thankfully she said yes. It was just the perfect setting, with the perfect person and the perfect answer. We are both so happy.
“Then from being on cloud nine, the storm clouds closed in around us – the weather can change so quickly in the western isles – and it took us over one and a half hours to cycle uphill to our digs for the night – a yurt with amazing sea views. At one point because of the driving wind and rain we had to stop and eat all the food we had left in our bags! It was really hard going.
“Thankfully we made it and the rest of the trip – which included stopping off to admire the Callanish Standing Stones - was incredible.
“It’s ironic that active travel is what I do for a living and it was linked to how I proposed to my girlfriend. I am so delighted she said yes and we were both very happy it corresponded with a great 362 mile – in total - bike packing trip as well.”