A fresh spin

Callum’s pleased to note that the gently undulating path is suitable for wheelchairs and mobility aids, as well as young families on bikes and with buggies. ‘The surface is fairly smooth – a bonus for anyone with impaired mobility, but some of the inclines may be a little challenging for certain users. And what’s more, it’s not an eyesore but blends in nicely with the landscape.’ 

Finding respite on the slopes 

Mountains, like those of Glencoe, have been an important escape for Callum. Indeed, a chance meeting with veteran Paralympic skier Scott Meenagh led Callum to take up Nordic skiing. ‘I’d never skied before,’ he explains, ‘and the only time I’d been on snow was sledging as a kid! Scott was looking to boost numbers in his para team, and I was in the right place at the right time.’ 

Callum began training with Scott’s team six months after his accident, and with such small numbers of para-athletes in the sport, was quickly propelled to the highest level of competition. ‘I’m a 100% in or 100% out kind of person, so I just threw myself into it. I began racing not long after starting training, and four years after the accident I was in Beijing.’ 

Though not without hurdles along the way, including injury in another road accident and positive Covid tests in the weeks before the Games, Callum had made it. ‘Taking up para skiing was the most amazing journey,’ he adds. ‘Once-in-a-lifetime experiences have come from taking that leap, that plunge. The highlight, of course, was the opportunity to be part of Team GB.’ 

After a spin along the Greenway, we relax beside a panoramic window in the Glencoe visitor centre café and watch an array of birds flit among the feeders, against the backdrop of majestic mountain scenery. ‘Ultimately, my accident was a catalyst for positive change,’ Callum muses. ‘It was a massive and traumatic curveball, but also an opportunity to take my life in a completely new direction. The experiences I’ve had from adopting that mindset have been incredible.’ 

A feel for two wheels 

Following withdrawal of funding for the GB para ski team soon after Beijing 2022, Callum retired from competitive skiing and seamlessly made the switch to training as a para cyclist. ‘It was a natural progression, a no-brainer – all my life I’ve loved cycling, and I’d been back on my bike not long into my rehab. I simply removed the left crank from my normal bike, jumped straight on and got pedalling with my right leg. I guess that feel for two wheels never leaves you.’ 

Choosing to cycle without his prosthetic leg, Callum is classed as a C2 athlete – the second greatest degree of impairment – and is the first male single-leg para cyclist on the British Cycling programme. His bikes are adapted with the addition of what he calls a ‘stump bucket’ – a prosthetic holder for his stump, fitted to the seat post. ‘It helps me balance and provides support for the left side of my body to push off from,’ he explains. Though similar devices are used by amputee cyclists worldwide, his is custom made by his sponsor, Dorset Orthopaedics, for whom he has been Scottish ambassador since 2023.  

Callum is training across the spectrum of road and track events. ‘As a para cyclist, you need to be a jack of all trades,’ he says. Convinced that his previous Paralympic journey will stand him in good stead, he adds: ‘It’s going to be hard work getting to the LA Games in 2028, but I don’t feel like I’m back to square one – Beijing 2022 gave me the mental and physical endurance to overcome obstacles along the way.’ 

Escaping outside 

Despite a busy schedule, including a part-time job in the NHS and around 20 hours a week of training and gym sessions, Callum still makes time for the outdoors whenever he can.  

‘I crave that open space and fresh air,’ he explains. ‘It’s a way of dealing with the pressure. As an athlete, you need to be able to simply switch off at times. Spending your life in an elite sport bubble will consume you – it can lead to mental burnout.’   

Throughout his journey of physical and mental recovery and finding new meaning in sport, there has been one constant: improved wellbeing through being outdoors. ‘Time in the fresh air and exploring new places, like Glencoe, have played a big part in getting my zest for life back,’ he says. ‘Just getting outdoors and reconnecting with the landscape can be a really valuable tonic.’ 

This story was first published in the spring edition of the National Trust for Scotland member magazine.