Michelle, Danny, and a couple of days at Coast to Coast

A massive thank you to Michelle and Danny for everything at Rat Race Scotland Coast to Coast 2026 — bring on 2027 ;)

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Saturday undercanvas in the mountains

The Morrisons dash happened on the way to the campsite. The car was already full of kit. Adding the shop made it properly stuffed. That is a lesson you only need once: next year there will be a van.

That could however be an offering to attendees, with click and collect from Morrisons Fort William. Build the shop list, we collect it, and it is in the tent at check-in.

The morning on site was still hectic. Kit out, a 6M to get standing on the organiser’s pop-up campsite, a weather window that would not wait.

When I got there, Michelle was there to welcome us. She was amazing. Long in the game — 19 years, due to retire next year having made 20. If we see her again next year, the retirement party at Rat Race Scotland Coast to Coast is on us.

Lots of introductions from Michelle to the management team for next year, and for other events. Plenty of encouraging feedback. Impressed with what we set up for our guests.

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Traders, Belladrum, and Power a Life

We know this world from the other side of the tape as well. Years of attending events as traders. The best case study we have from before Covid is Belladrum, with our other company, Power a Life.

PAL is branded merch with a job attached: corporate kit that funds solar lights and education for children in Africa. We took that stall on the road. Belladrum was the year we found market fit — and then the pandemic nearly took it away. Crazy, looking at that vlog now, how much has happened since.

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Day two: pack-up

I had promised Michelle that, given she had on-site security through till Monday, I would leave tear-down until early afternoon so as not to get in the way while the Rat Race team moved the event to the finish line.

A thought for next year, sitting in that stuffed car: if people buy anything from the event evening on the Saturday, but do not want to carry it on the course, we can deliver it to the finish line for onward travel. The van will make that job a lot easier.

When I turned up around 2pm, I met Danny. When people say salt of the earth, they mean people like Danny. Ex-army. Huge heart. Loves camping, and gear brands — Berghaus, The North Face, Rab. When I arrived he was testing out the sleep setup left in the tent. Had I known he needed a nap from the night shift, I would have arrived an hour later.

He loved it. Nothing but positive and encouraging. Cheered me on from the sideline as I lugged it all back into the car, and had a coffee from a boiling canteen ready for me at the finish.

Proper gent. Introductions made on the phone together, emails and phone numbers exchanged. A rising tide floats all boats.

A huge thank you to Michelle and Danny, and to the Rat Race team who made those couple of days so easy.

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What we have done since

We have had two or three days to gather our thoughts and build the booking engine. We have time before next year to refine it further and make the Cosy Hotel offering consistent across tents. Danny spotted a mattress and sleeping bag inconsistency as we swapped kit in and out. Same beds, same bags, same feel in every room.

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Concepts for next year

Watch this space. The pictures below are the vision — Cosy Hotel rooms and an event check-in. The real product will not be wooden-framed furniture, but lightweight, comfy camping gear. Same feeling, less timber. Indoor seating, lounge and kitchen so the tent stays liveable when the weather is typically Scottish. No gas hob. Projectors and solar as possible add-ons.

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