St. Patrick's Day in... Scotland?

This past week has seen me visit Scotland again after a long time. I did, for a period, visit the Highlands and Islands of Scotland a fair amount. When I went up there for the first time at seventeen, with my first girlfriend's family, it was the first time I had ever been awestruck and knocked-for-six by a landscape. So, now that my dad and I have started a new tradition of going away for a walking holiday every St. Patrick's day, I suggested the west coast of Scotland. The tradition started last year with a trip to County Mayo, Ireland. We were going there to do some more research into our family history- which focuses in that area- and to do some walking. It just happened to be St. Patrick's Day when we went and after an incredible few days it started a tradition for us to go away every St. Patrick's Day and have some father-son time. This years trip would not disappoint!

The journey from my home in Surrey to Scotland's west coast is a long one. Its slightly too far to do in one go and so we decided to stay over en-route in Yorkshire to take some time out of the journey. Once past Glasgow, the scenery starts to get more and more dramatic- at least it would if we if we had any visibility! Driving past Loch Lomond I had hoped to be able to see Ben Lomond (the most southerly Munro) but the rain had set in and looked to stay for the rest of the day. I was really hoping for it to be clear as the A82 from Loch Lomond and through Glencoe is often voted as one of the UK's most scenic drives.



Although the weather wasn't playing ball it was still a fantastic journey through a wild and rugged landscape. After driving through an imposing but beautiful Glencoe we would head on the road to Oban, to our final destination on a small headland called Appin.



Reaching the coast brought with it clearer skies and views of snow-capped peaks and seemingly endless lochs. The place we were staying turned out to be, not only the quintessential crofter's cottage, but situated on the edge of a bay with enviable views of the 14th century Castle Stalker literally on our doorstep.



The first walk that we decided on would be a short stroll along Nevis gorge to Steall Falls. This ramble, although only 2.5 miles there-and-back, must be one of the most rewarding walks in the U.K. The terrain is relatively flat and gentle, and yet it offers spectacular views at every turn. At the point you reach the Falls, there is a wire-bridge over the Water of Nevis that you can cross over onto the other side of the river. The bridge adds to the drama of the gorge and makes this route feel unique. If you aren't particularly good with that sort of thing however, you can still do the walk as the bridge is just at the point where you turn back for the car park. I am usually okay with being over water but I have to admit that thought of falling into the icy Water of Nevis was enough to make my legs wobble a little! I'd really recommend this walk for those who want stunning views but have little time. The reasonably well maintained paths make it good for families (bear in mind that there are sections with dangerous drops at the edges of the path).



The following day was the walk that I'd been waiting for. I had been pouring over the OS map of Glencoe for the previous two months and had been trying to find a mountain for my dad and I to climb. Last St. Patrick's day in Ireland we climbed Croagh Patrick. Climbing the iconic landmark looming over Clew bay was the perfect end to our trip. This year I chose Sgorr Na Ciche or better known as the Pap of Glencoe. It seemed the ideal candidate as I was looking for something that was of a similar elevation to Croagh Patrick and that would potentially have great views (if the weather was okay!). As I am in the process of doing my Hill and Moorland Leader qualification I thought this walk would be a good opportunity to flex my navigation muscles and get some experience with the winter-like conditions that were still around in the uplands in early March.



The walk started with relatively good conditions. The forecast for the mountain showed a cold but reasonably clear day. There was expected to be a degree of wind but not as much as we ended up experiencing towards the summit! On the way up, at the lower levels, we saw dozens of red deer which was quite the treat. The deer moved so effortlessly over the heather and made our feeble attempts to climb higher look laboured and clumsy. As we gained height the snow began to fall and the wind picked up. I chose this particular hill because I thought that there wouldn't be much snow on the ground. This didn't turn out to be the case as we got closer to the summit. Our route took us up slightly to the east of the Pap to a saddle, where we'd make our way over a slightly more defined path to the hill's summit. However, on reaching the saddle the wind became fierce! My dad had decided that he didn't want to do the final scramble to the top and waited at a slightly lower section with comfortable shelter from the wind.




I decided to go for it! Well... kind of. As I progressed the wind became more of an issue. It was being funneled through the saddle and up at this exposed plateau large patches of ice had formed. I arrived at the final scrambling section to the summit (only 50-80m from the top) and decided to turn back. The last push would involve scrambling up a slippery section with a cross wind. However tempting the top looked I decided to play it safe and not to risk it.



In a way I'm slightly pleased with myself. I accessed the risk and made a decision. I think a few years ago would have seen me attempt the last section, regardless of the apparent danger. I feel as though I'm starting to learn more about my limitations as a walker and that's no bad thing! The more I realize I don't know, the more I can work on those areas and improve. This little excursion showed me that I need more experience in winter conditions and more experience scrambling.

In the evening we headed to the local pub for a meal and a much deserved and appropriate Guinness. We strolled around the bay to get the finest view of the castle we had seen in our short stay. On a side note, if anyone happens to be passing Port Appin, Argyll then The Old Inn is a must do if you want good food in a cosy setting!




The Highlands are a special place. I think it will always hold significance for me for the rest of my life. It's because it reminds me of my late teens, a very influential part of anyone's life. Seeing the Highlands at that age sparked a want to travel and explore that has stayed with me to this day. If you're lucky, there are many places that you will travel in your life. Each one of them will be unique, but only a handful will hold that personal significance. It may be because of where you are in your life or who you are with when you're there. I have a few and Scotland's west coast is one of them. This area is now laden with even more memories and I'm sure it won't be long until I'm back to make even more.

Useful sources:

Walkhighlands.co.uk is a fantastic source for walkers and has a huge catalogue of walks and information.

Nevis Gorge walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/steallfalls.shtml

Pap of Glencoe walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/papofglencoe.shtml