Trip to the Wilderness

I am just back from spending two weeks in the remote wilderness of the Scottish Highlands, in a place called Scourie.  Way past the tartan biscuit tins and bagpipes of Inverness, where the landscape is ancient and the rocks are almost as old as time itself. Scourie feels like an ocean of rugged calm in a very hectic world.

Scourie Village

We spent our days walking up hills, around lochs and along cliff tops. My husband fished for the first week, while I walked alone or retreated back to the cottage when the weather became really nasty!  Light rain, a bit of drizzle and even short downpours I didn't mind, but constant soakings aren't so much fun.

I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to the holiday and I was going more for my husband, JW's, sake than my own.  In previous years, when I was working and consumed by stress, I was absolutely desperate for the break and the chance to get away from everything and everybody that Scourie provides.  But in the past few months I have been happy at home and just didn't feel the need to go away anywhere.  So when we first arrived, instead of feeling relaxed and free, I felt caged in and resentful that my pleasant life had been taken away from me; where was my hot cafetiere coffee on my lovely garden bench?  And why did I have to drink luke warm instant coffee, sitting on a hard rock, out of a terrible thermos mug?!!  I was quite shocked to find myself crying for home on day two, something I never thought I would do while in Scourie.  I told myself that JW needed the break and to stop being selfish, but it didn't help!

When I thought about what was really making me unhappy, it was the thought of how to spend two weeks in the wilds without spending any money.  You would think that that would be easy, as there is hardly anywhere to spend any money.  But then you think about it.  Petrol costs an eye-watering fortune when you are north of Inverness, so if you want to drive to the start of that 10 mile walk to the deserted beach or to the latest hill that you want to climb, then you need to factor in the cost of petrol.  And yes, you could choose not to drive anywhere, but it is a long, long walk to anything, even that long, long walk that you want to do.  If you want to go fishing you have to pay for fishing permits.  If you run out of any food, or more importantly beer or wine, you have to buy that and it's expensive as they have to truck it in for miles.  And as you know I am on a no-coffee shop vow, (which are all miles away anyway).

So it was actually the thought of being stuck in the cottage, not spending any money, with none of my usual activities to keep me happy that was getting to me and although I like walking, it is really hard going up there over heather and bog and I didn't want to do it every day, especially not on my own while JW was fishing, as it can get very scary, very quickly when there are no paths or signs to show you the way. 

The Cottage

Once I recognised the problem we talked it through and I agreed that I had to let go of the cost of petrol for the fortnight, or else we wouldn't be able to do anything and we also agreed that a £20 one-week fishing permit would suffice and that after that JW would come hill walking with me and just go sea fishing for the odd morning.  So in week two I was much happier.  We climbed three big hills in four days!  Stac Polliadh (relatively easy), Cul Mor (two peaks and much harder going), and Quinag (an amazing hill with three separate Corbetts, we made it up two before the sun started going down and we needed to head back).  We also did the walk out to Sandwood Bay, a beautiful beach which is so quiet because you have to walk for five miles along a long, pretty boring, track to get there and not that many people can face the walk (you can also go over the cliffs as we did, but it is pretty scary and really tiring; especially after doing three hills).  When you do reach the bay, it is just stunning, with a huge, empty stretch of fine yellow sand edged by turquoise clear water. You could happily sit and watch the waves for hours.

Although we spent money while we were away, at least I did enjoy my holiday, which is much better than wasting it away being bored and cold sitting watching someone fish, (it just isn't a spectator sport people!)  We will definitely go back to Scourie, and I feel that I have learnt some valuable lessons about how to enjoy my holiday time.