How Macs Adventure and Trash Free Trails are inspiring walkers to explore responsibly and leave every trail better than they found it 

Picture this: you’re ambling along a winding path, sunlight flickering through the trees, the kind of view that makes you instinctively reach for your camera. That’s the magic Macs Adventure holidays are made of. But behind every big-sky moment is a simple question: How can we keep these places this perfect? 

Enter Trash Free Trails, a non-profit that’s all about protecting wild places by reducing single-use pollution and empowering everyday people to take small, meaningful actions. Together, Macs and TFT are turning ordinary walks into purposeful adventures. 

What Is Trash Free Trails? 

Trash Free Trails is a community-focused movement working to eliminate single-use pollution from trails and wild places. They champion “leave no trace” thinking with warmth, enthusiasm, and real-world practicality. Their famous “9 Steps to a Safe, Effective & Enjoyable Trail Clean” offers walkers simple ways to protect nature without turning a hike into hard labour. 

No preaching. No perfection. Just people helping the places they love. 

Macs Adventure + Trash Free Trails = A Natural Fit 

Macs has always believed that travel should be light on the land and rich in experience. Partnering with Trash Free Trails just made sense - our values align like two trail markers pointing the same way. 

Together, we support trail cleanups, promote the 9-step toolkit, fund environmental projects, and inspire travellers to protect the paths they enjoy. It’s about making every walk a chance to give back. 

Meeting Rachel: Inspiration on the Trail 

To truly understand what makes Trash Free Trails tick, we met up with Rachel, one of their passionate team members. And let’s just say: when you talk to someone who loves trails that much, it stays with you. 

Out on the trail with her, everything clicked. She walked us through TFT’s mission - not just to clean up litter, but to reconnect people with the places they move through. To slow down. To notice. To care. 

Her joy was contagious. Suddenly, picking up a stray wrapper didn’t feel like a chore - it felt like joining something bigger. 

We came away inspired, buzzing with ideas about how Macs travellers (and frankly, everyone who sets foot on a trail) can follow in the footsteps of the TFT community. Now we’re sharing that spark with our customers: 

• Encouraging small but mighty trail cleans along the way 
• Showing how to report what you collect through the Trash Free Trails clever app 
• Sharing stories of walkers making a difference 
• And weaving this mindset into every adventure 

Rachel reminded us that you don’t have to be an expert, or a conservationist, or someone with hours to spare. You just have to care enough to act. 

How the Partnership Works in Practice 

• Annual Support: Each year, Macs Adventure donates £2,500 to help fuel Trash Free Trails’ mission and on-the-ground impact. 
• Sharing Knowledge: We’ve been spreading TFT’s brilliant educational resources far and wide, helping our community learn simple, effective ways to care for the places they explore. 
• Trail Cleanups: Last year, we got involved in the Earth Day Spring Clean, where 18 of our team collected and removed 900 pieces of rubbish across 28.5km (17.5 miles). This year, we have staff volunteers rolling up their sleeves again with Friday Trail Clean Ups. 

And the best part? These small actions create big ripple effects. Every uplifted trail, every bit of shared knowledge, every pocket of litter removed contributes to healthier, happier wild places for everyone who follows. 

The People Behind the Scenery 

This story isn’t about one individual hero. It’s about the collective: Macs Adventure, Trash Free Trails, walkers, cyclists, families, first-time hikers, seasoned explorers - all leaning in together. 

When you lace up your boots for a Macs trip, you’re stepping into a bigger narrative. One where adventure and responsibility walk side by side. We want to spark a mindset shift: don’t just leave no trace - aim to leave the place even better than you found it. 

So, here’s to purposeful paths, cleaner trails, and the ripple effect of small actions. Together, we can keep the scenery as beautiful as the adventures themselves.

Want to Be Part of the Trash Free Trails Movement? 

Words can only say so much - watch the video to hear from Rachel about the energy, purpose, and impact behind the Trash Free Trails mission, and why caring for our wild places matters. 

Click below to watch the video and feel inspired to take action on your next adventure - one small step, one clean trail at a time.