Reservoir Ranger Helen - From Asia to Carron Valley

“The job allows me to travel across a range of stunning sites and enjoy being active outdoors, which helps scratch my travel itch. What I love most is engaging with the public regularly - it's incredibly rewarding to meet so many passionate visitors who care deeply about these outdoor spaces.”

Helen Rountree
Scottish Water and FLS Partnership Ranger

In 2024, Helen Rountree made a life-changing decision: after years of traveling the world as an English teacher, she embarked on a new career path as a Scottish Water Visitor Management Ranger.

The Ranger programme was introduced in 2023 at Scottish Water's most popular reservoirs to help visitors enjoy the great outdoors responsibly.

After spending more than a decade traveling across Europe and Asia, Helen decided it was time for a change.

She had completed courses in conservation and wildlife management, which reignited her passion for nature and working with wildlife. These studies made the role of Scottish Water Ranger a perfect fit for her, combining her love for the outdoors with her desire to contribute to conservation efforts.

Scottish Water and Forestry Land Scotland Partnership Ranger, Helen Rountree said: "Having grown up on a sheep farm in Kent, I’ve always had a deep connection to nature. While I enjoyed teaching English around the world, I was ready to return to my outdoor roots.

“After the pandemic, I found myself back home in England, where I met my Glaswegian boyfriend, Paddy. We started exploring different parts of Scotland, and I knew it was time to settle here and pursue a job I truly loved.

"I made the right choice applying for the role of Scottish Water Ranger. The job allows me to travel across a range of stunning sites and enjoy being active outdoors, which helps scratch my travel itch. What I love most is engaging with the public regularly - it's incredibly rewarding to meet so many passionate visitors who care deeply about these outdoor spaces.

"Another highlight of the role is working closely with wildlife. At Gladhouse, I loved seeing the geese, whooper swans, the heron, and learning the species of plants and trees. It’s such a privilege to be in a position where I can share the importance of protecting these beautiful species and their habitats with visitors."

“Our Rangers engage with visitors to promote the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, ensuring everyone leaves no trace after their visit. The team also educates the public about the local nature, the history of the sites, and, importantly, water safety - crucial when visiting our Scottish Water reservoirs.”

Donna Mills
Land Strategy Team Manager

Helen hasn’t looked back since applying for the seasonal ranger role at Scottish Water’s Gladhouse Reservoir in 2024. Recently, she transitioned into a role as a Partnership Community Ranger with Scottish Water and Forestry Land Scotland (FLS). Now, she covers several sites, including Carron Valley, North Third, Kilpatrick Hills, and Cocksburn.

When asked about the challenges of being a Ranger, Helen said: "While most people respect the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, there’s a small percentage who don’t, which can be disheartening. Sometimes I’ll carry out a litter pick, only to return the next day and find even more rubbish.

"However, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I’ve already started to build a strong connection with regular visitors at my new sites. Many of them are passionate about the outdoors, whether it’s their daily dog walk or running route.

"I’ve even had offers from the community at Cocksburn Reservoir to help with a litter pick, which is a fantastic example of how positive collaboration between a Ranger and the local community can make a difference."

Scottish Water Land Strategy Manager, Donna Mills, said: “We were thrilled to have Helen as our Ranger at Gladhouse in 2024, and we’re delighted to see her use the experience she gained at Scottish Water to transition into her new role as a Partnership Ranger, working across several sites.

“Following the success of our pilot programme in 2023, it became clear that having a dedicated Ranger presence at our most popular reservoir sites offers tremendous benefits. We’re excited to continue this initiative with our Rangers now based at Gladhouse, Milngavie, and the sites Helen patrols - Carron Valley, North Third, Kilpatrick Hills, and Cocksburn, which are covered by our partnership with FLS, which will run until at least 2027.

“Our Rangers engage with visitors to promote the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, ensuring everyone leaves no trace after their visit. The team also educates the public about the local nature, the history of the sites, and, importantly, water safety - crucial when visiting our Scottish Water reservoirs.”

For more information on key Scottish Water sites, including general visitor details, click here: Visiting our Reservoirs - Scottish Water