Adventures in
Scotland

Back in May, our Inventory Manager, Stephen, spent two weeks exploring Scotland. From hiking the iconic West Highland Way to canoeing across Loch Ness, his trip was filled with unforgettable landscapes, great people, and plenty of adventure. We caught up with him to hear about his favorite memories, the gear he relied on, and where he's headed next.

High Country: What inspired you to travel to Scotland?

Stephen: There’s a Scottish Gaelic word called “Dùthchas" that roughly translates to a deep bond between a person and the land of their ancestors. My family is from Scotland and I’ve always been drawn to the country. The people are amazing, the landscape is beautiful. Every time I’ve been there it feels like going home.


High Country: What inspired you to travel to Scotland?

Stephen: The people I met along the way. Compared birdwatching notes with a woman from Wales. Drank Scotch with a former hockey player from Canada. Got creative inspiration watching an English woman paint watercolor landscapes at a campsite. Stayed up way too late laughing around a shared campfire. Exchanged stories with a Scottish guy about growing up with our Scottish grandmothers (At least I think that’s what we were doing… We were in a noisy pub and his Glaswegian accent was thick!)

 

High Country: What was one piece of gear you couldn’t have done the trip without?

Stephen: My rain gear - which I guess is technically two pieces - kept me dry and comfortable in the crazy weather. I got rained on at some point on every day of the trip. My Arc’teryx Beta Jacket and Black Diamond Fineline Stretch Pants came in clutch no matter if the Scottish Highland rain was light, heavy or sideways.

High Country: What’s one thing you wish you packed?
 
Stephen: My wife? LOL. Honestly, I think this trip taught me more about what things I didn’t need to pack. Thought I NEEDED to bring my drone but I only got to use it a couple times. Thought I NEEDED enough battery packs to power a small village, but I could have lightened my pack a little.


High Country: Favorite memory from the trip?

Stephen: I don’t know how I can choose… Lashing three canoes together and raising sails to glide across the waves of Loch Ness? Exploring the ruins of Invergarry Castle? Taking a slight detour to hike through a pasture filled with sheep for a tour of a Scotch whisky distillery? Waking up in the middle of the night and realizing my tent was surrounded by geese? Watching our guide dive to the bottom of the Caledonian Canal to get someone's phone that they dropped? Being far enough north that the sun rises at 4:20 in the morning?   

High Country: Favorite thing you ate?

Stephen: That’s tough… I think I had fish & chips 11 times in 15 days. I can’t eat dairy, so all the delicious baked goods were off limits (but I did try the tiniest bite of a Tunnock’s Teacake because it’s supposed to be like Scottish crack). It doesn’t get any more Scottish than eating haggis and drinking Irn-Bru while camping on the shore of Loch Ness, though.

High Country: Where’s your next adventure?  

Stephen: Next family adventure will be in Germany. Don’t have exact details yet, but it’ll involve lots of hiking, trains, castles, soccer and hopefully we can find some decent beer (that’s sarcasm). Currently daydreaming about a solo trip to Dry Tortugas National Park.