Tributes paid to veteran of The Great Outdoors Challenge

Every now and again life throws up a character – an individual who stands out from the crowd. Derek Emsley was definitely one of those.

Opinionated, yes; warm-hearted, yes, Derek gave much to life and life gave back to him in abundance.

I first came across him in the early 1980s when he was a participant in what was then called the Ultimate Challenge - now The Great Outdoors Challenge.

It’s a self-planned and self-sustained annual trek across Scotland held in May, and Derek took to it like a duck to water – of which there has been plenty over the years, making the Challenge live up to its name.

I managed three crossings myself, but that pales into insignificance compared to Derek’s 14. He was particularly proud of one with his son Richard and grandson Nigel - the first three-generations crossing. Another was done with his wife Marian.

For a number of years Derek organised very successful reunions for Challengers at the now closed-down Lodge Hotel in Newtonmore.

Walking formed an integral part of his life and it was visits to Scotland and the strath that caused Derek and Marian to up-sticks from their house in Bristol and move to Manse Road in Kingussie in 2002, following their retirement.

Derek involved himself in village life, following the fortunes of the shinty team. He was a regular attender at the Dell and travelled to away matches whenever possible.

He and Marian enjoyed welcoming visitors to stay in a wonderful part of Britain where Derek took pride in looking after his garden, which was always a picture and a rainbow of colour.

Visitors were entertained right up to the time Derek suffered a stroke and died on October 12 at St Vincent’s Hospital in Kingussie, aged 86. His humanist funeral was held at Inverness crematorium last Friday.

Derek was registered blind in 2012, which curtailed any serious walking activity, but he bore the burden stoically and never complained about his lot, coping admirably with his condition.

Derek was born in Sussex on February 7, 1929, the eldest of four children. He attended the local village school, receiving what he described as a "basic education", leaving at 14 to begin work. His first job was as an apprentice wheelwright.

But it was after he left National Service in 1949 that his working life really began to be shaped, with surprising consequences.

He joined aircraft engineers FG Miles Ltd at Shoreham in West Sussex, where he regarded work on a jet trainer aircraft, the Miles M100 Student, as the pinnacle of his achievement.

In 1971 Derek embarked on a complete change of career, landing a job with Brighton Corporation managing a sheltered workshop for people with a wide range of disabilities.

It was a field in which he excelled and continued to be employed in for 23 years, ending up as supervisor of Downend Day Centre in Bristol.

Derek met his first wife after National Service and they had three sons - twins Richard and Kevin and youngest son Clive.

But the marriage foundered and in 1968, while chairing a local government meeting, Derek met Marian. Their shared interest in politics and walking drew them together and they had a happy life together, marrying in 1993.

It’s Derek’s passion for Scotland’s countryside that I best remember him for.

Conservationist and wilderness lover John Muir wrote: "Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

I’m sure Derek Emsley would echo those words. His passing has left a void in many people’s lives.

Peter Evans

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.