Just a station in the middle of moor and picturesque mountains, Corrour made the perfect backdrop for a scene in the middle of the movie Trainspotting. Hero Renton and pals Spud, Sickboy and Tommy, fancy an away day from the urban hell of Edinburgh to head for the hills – and some rare exercise.

But for those arriving to attend one of the fitness breaks set up by personal trainer Spencer Timson and his team, it’s more than a change of scene they are looking for.

Walking, canoeing and mountain biking in the spectacular surroundings are designed to provide a kick start into a new healthier life for those signing up to attend the new courses.

Spencer Timson – the man behind Natural Physical Conditioning, the company running the fitness and relaxation holidays – has dreamt of bringing people to the Highlands since he swapped his life in sales for work as a fitness instructor.

But it is not the career a young Spencer might have expected.

Spencer admits that at school he hated sports and wasn’t interested in being fit. But after starting to work with free weights in his 20s before moving on to running and then working out in the gym, Spencer discovered he really enjoyed being active. And when he realised a career in finance sales was no longer for him, he turned his hobby into his profession and went off to college to train as a fitness instructor.

“My rather 'unfit’ background gives me a different outlook on the world of health and fitness compared to most of the fitness people I have worked with. I have first-hand experience of the dread of going into a gym for the first time – and I know what it feels like to be not picked for the sports team. And I know how hard it can be to change bad, unhealthy habits built up over a lifetime.”

In the years since he set up his health and fitness organisation, first providing personal one-to-one training, before broadening that out into corporate fitness packages and weight loss, fitness and relaxation holiday, finding a base in Scotland has been a goal.

Spencer confessed that when he saw the Monarch Of the Glen BBC TV series, he knew it was in exactly that sort of environment he would like to set his fitness breaks.

But don’t expect a punishing, army-style boot camp approach from Spencer. He favours a natural approach to fitness training to help people find their own way to natural exercise, healthy eating and an energetic way to bring the wider environment into their lives.

Women’s magazines and TV shows have recently been highlighting a new growth in hardline boot camps set up to aid weight loss in everyone from obsese teenagers, to women trying to look perfect on their wedding day.

And Spencer agrees that what started out as an American trend is set to get bigger here in the UK. But what he does promises to be a world away from the popular weight loss “boot camp” approach that is being used.

“It’s not about shouting at people and making them run round and round in circles for hours.

“What I do is about mind and body – exercise, learning about food and getting out into the outdoors.

“It’s definitely not a boot camp or a fat camp. I think they will become huge moneyspinners in the UK too. But that approach takes people away from their normal surroundings and controls every aspect of their day for sometimes six to 12 weeks in the United States.

“To me, that doesn’t really teach anyone anything. A chef prepares the food and everyone there will lose a lot of weight, but I don’t think it will have taught them anything other than exercising very hard helps you lose weight. Or there are companies that specialise in luxury breaks where the price for a weekend, Friday and Saturday, is more than we charge for a whole week. It’s completely out of most people’s price range. That is why we haven’t gone for something in a penthouse apartment!

“All that is something we would want to distance ourselves from. I feel it doesn’t teach people what they need. Like any diet, if it’s harsh, you lose weight. But what happens when it stops?”

After the day’s activities on the Corrour estate, those taking part in Spencer’s course, return to the house on the estate where the course is based. As well as one-to-one sessions to work out a fitness plan and monitor progress, the rest of the time is filled with eating, learning about food and how to cook it and relaxing.

Spencer is keen to make the most of the location and the next course will feature a wildlife walk in the company of a ghillie.

But because he takes on a small group on each course, each one can be tailored to the needs of the individuals taking part and he puts together a personal programme of exercise and advice each person can take away with them and work on after the holiday is over.

“It’s not going to suit everybody, but we try and cater for everyone, from those who are quite fit and want to improve, and those who are just starting to get fitter. It’s not that full-on. To learn about improving their lifestyle, will take some people back to school. But not in a boring way and in a natural playground!

Canoeing at Corrour.

Two of the people who took part in his fitness break in June, had different reasons but the same motives from each other for signing up for the experience.

Nancy Patrick (53) from Stirling said: “I have been trying to lose weight since the beginning of the year and I had flagged.”

Nancy’s daughter had found benefit from a yoga retreat abroad, and that set her mum thinking.

“My daughter had been in an ashram and came back glowing with health and vitality. So I did a bit of research on the internet and came across Spencer’s holidays. As I’m based in Stirling, I thought doing the holiday in Corrour sounded good and a bit challenging.”

Nancy loved the chance to go on the long walks and hill walks round the estate, she discovered the joys of canoeing, but gave the mountain biking a miss as it was “not for her”.

She does admit that she wondered what the course would be like before she got there.

“I had seen these things on TV about boot camps where they starve you and run you up and down hills. But my holiday was hard, but good hard! And it made me appreciate how lovely that part of Scotland can be. You can walk for miles and not worry about anything.”

Lisa Rowan is based in Lancaster, but travelled with her husband-to-be, David MacPhee to Scotland for the course.

“I wanted to lose weight before our wedding next May. Since I’ve started, I’ve lost two stone and I had already lost a bit before we went on the course.

“I used to be in the RAF and was quite fit then, but when I went to university, I put on lots of weight.

“We’re having a fantastic wedding in Scotland next year and I think if you are spending that much money on the wedding, you want to look good!”

Though Lisa and David had different fitness levels, they both had a chance to stretch themselves.

Lisa said: “David is much fitter than me, so on the course he was able to go off and do more challenging things with one of the instructors Andy – like mountain biking. He and Andy would go off ahead to push themselves, before returning to the rest of us.”

The holiday has made an impact on their lives – and that continues now they are home, Lisa said.

“Spencer keeps in touch with the people from the courses, emailing once a week with hints and things and to keep monitoring how you are getting on. And now we are home near the lakes, we are thinking of taking up canoeing because we both enjoyed it so much.”

Though the weather can make its own challenges – thick snow in the March course may lead to the chance for learning to train in snow shoes in future and spencer has evolved his own midge recipe to cope with them in summer – Loughborough-based Spencer would like to spend all his time in the Highlands.

“I really miss Corrour and I realise it as soon as I get back to England!”

* For more information, go to www.npconline.co.uk

m.chrystall@highland-news.co.uk

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