Britain has always been a nation of pioneers. Not so very long ago, our forebears were discovering new countries, settling new lands, surviving against the odds with little more than an indomitable spirit and a good pair of boots. Nowadays the frontiers have shifted slightly, but outdoor adventure remains part of what it means to be British. And we still need a good pair of boots to tackle it.
Hunter has been setting the benchmark in rugged boot making since 1856 as the North British Rubber Company, introducing the iconic green Wellington in 1955. Over the years the company has sent many an intrepid soul out into the world properly equipped. Actors James Cosmo and Steven Cree are the latest to take to the hills in Hunter gear; the pair are the embodiment of the Hunter ethos in a short film, Everyday Pioneers, as the brand embarks on a new phase of its history under incoming Creative Director Alasdhair Willis.
Cosmo, who knows something of striding across the countryside as a warrior in Braveheart and more recently Game of Thrones, and Cree (Brave, Macbeth) set out across the heather of Glen Coe in the Highlands on a lyrical journey to discover what it means to be a pioneer, both in the past and today. It really is a stunning setting, and just when you thought things couldn’t get any more breathtakingly beautiful, over the rise strides Select model and figurative free-spirit Jenna Roberts to plant a kiss on Steven and make all that adventurousness worthwhile. We’d venture to predict a sharp spike in Scottish tourism if that sort of thing started happening. Hunter boots will keep you safe against the harshest elements, but unless you’re a supernatural presence, we recommend a thick coat and some proper trousers, too.
