Where is it?
Roseisle Forest and Beach, which is part of the Moray Coastal Trail.
Why do you go there?
It’s close to home, accessible for my handbike, gets me off-road and into beautiful woodland trails with glimpses of the sea and helps me reset my body and mind.
How often do you go?
When I’m at home I ride to the forest or nearby beaches along a section of the Moray Coastal Trail almost every day.
How did you discover it?
Through taking part in a previous episode of BBC Scotland’s The Adventure Show when I was invited to ride some sections of the Moray Coastal Trail.
I didn’t even know it existed, but the ability to get close to the sea on my big fat-tyred ICE trike has been life-enhancing after 30 years of not being able to access or move on a beach or sandy ground.
What’s your favourite memory?
One evening last summer I borrowed my friend Jack’s battery-powered mountain handbike. I rode through Roseisle woods and onto the beach, then along the edge of the water all the way to Findhorn.
We had a snack overlooking the harbour there, then rode back following the Moray Coastal Trail through the forest behind the beach and back to Burghead. Big skies. Big seascape. Beautiful forest. Simply a treat.
Who do you take?
Anyone who is willing but often I like to go alone as riding in nature is my solitary, peaceful time.
What do you take?
It is impossible not to take a handtrike as my wheelchair alone would get stuck with the small wheels.
I take my ICE trike if I want to go for a version of a “walk”; it’s got fat tyres and is geared to go more slowly.
Soon I will have the option of the Lasher handbike with battery so that I can cover more ground and reach Findhorn Bay.
What do you leave behind?
The junk of the day. The stuff in my mind.
Sum it up in five words.
Regenerative. Peaceful. Inspiring. Cleansing. Local.
What other travel spot is on your wish list?
The Hebrides are always on my bucket list. I love the similar effect of the islands and their seascapes. My favourites are North Uist and Harris. I would also like to go back to Tiree and try a bit of surfing there.
I quite fancy doing the beach landing at Barra, but probably wouldn’t realistically travel all the way to Glasgow to take a flight there.
I love sea kayaking, so it would be great to do that around a few of the Hebridean islands and explore that way.
Karen Darke will appear in the new series of The Adventure Show, which returns to BBC Scotland on February 18 at 8pm. Also available to watch on BBC iPlayer
READ MORE: Colonsay: Allison Gardner on why she loves Inner Hebridean island
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