Perhaps the Piers is by no means special. You most probably won't go out of your way to see it. Of…read morecourse, if you do happen to stumble across this area, a pleasant walk by the river shalln't go a miss. But for me, I hold some precious memories of the Piers, so it'll always have a special place in my heart. We often found some interesting things here and one visit even lead to an inspired song-writing session with my band. Now, we always sing of The Piers! The Piers resides by Corton Vale prison and alongside the River Forth. If you follow the trails, you encounter some great views and brilliant photo opportunities. It's usually very quiet and perfect for some off-road cycling or some writing or some reflecting outdoors. At the start of the Piers trail, there's a nesting place for those who frequent the area for fishing. We enjoyed watching this transform over time, and now it's a fully-fledged den with a tin rooftop. Kudos to whoever built that thing! There also used to be a little hut at the top of some stairs near the fishing area, but this was burnt down. Thus, sending our imaginations into overdrive! In fact, every time we visit the Piers, there's something to see, even if it's just the water and its ever-varying levels. It's a beautiful place to walk and discover. So, in short, of course, it's a river and some land. But for me, it was mystery; a place to go full of gin at midnight, with a guitar and accompanying voices; a place to have morning tea, cups in hands; a place to be. If all you have is a walk, then I'm sure it'll be a good one.

How to describe the Carse of Lecropt? That, I'm not too sure. You can read more about the parish…read morehere: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lecropt. But really, Lecropt is somewhere you're going to want to delve headfirst into. To which I say, go for it. - The Carse of Lecropt has the power to drive your imagination crazy. I wanted to head down to Lecropt as soon as I laid eyes on the crooked road sign that pointed down the hill. It sounded mysterious, and something called me to it. So, finally, we ventured down. Mile after mile after mile after mile. We cycled it; one day not too far, and then another deeper into Lecropt because we were captivated with intrigue. And we still want to go further. The second time, we turned off and took the main road back to Stirling (passing by the David Stirling Memorial) but you could keep working your way through the off-road twists and turns of Lecropt. The hills don't make for any unbearable climbs and the descents are rewarding enough. We discovered some seriously interesting finds, and got some really cool photos from our trip. It's reminiscent of the kinds of places found-footage horror films are set; it's eerie, vast and parts of it are decaying and abandoned. It really feels like undiscovered territory. So, pick a good day, take some snacks and, if you're a Geocacher, there's plenty of caches to be found. It feels very much like a secret, and as much as I wish I could keep it one, the legend of Lecropt is too good to keep to myself.

As a student, I don't want to spend a huge amount on monthly gym memberships. (I'm talking to you,…read morePeak Stirling!) As I spend 99% of my time on the university campus, it's convenient to go when I have a free hour or two during the day. They offer a range of classes, a huge swimming pool and a gym with a huge downstairs section for weights. They also offer cycling classes (essentially spinning) but these aren't free for members and cost £2 which is a bit of a pain. (I would call it a treat to go to these classes but it hurts too much the next day...) They could do with more cardio classes but they host a few great options like circuits and zumba. Kettlebells is a tough one! And they've just added a Metafit class too. Some of the classes are carbon copies of the Les Mills classes you'd find in bigger gyms. They do Pump It Up which is basically Body Bump with a different name. It is a little annoying that you have to come 15 minutes before a class to get a place and I'd like if they had better times and a wider variety of classes but for under £100 for a year long student membership, I really can't complain! Now, let me get my trainers...No pain, no gain!