25/08/2026
What’s in a decade?
A Facebook memory popped up reminding me of this day from 10 years ago. My first ever solo hill day and a big one at that. A crossing of the mighty Beinn Eighe via the Black Carls.
There are so many things that still stand vivid in my mind from that day. The hours of pouring over the map and memorising the description in the Scottish Mountaineering Press The Munros book, my bible at the time. Worrying about the weather - would it hold, would the rocks be slippy, would the cloud cause me to loose my way.
I remember starting out through beautiful pine woods, the quiet morning calming my nerves. As i left the well trodden path into a vast rocky landscape i could see three guys ahead of me. I was catching them up but i was nervous to pass, worried about an imagined pressure that they would watch me from behind, question my decisions. They stopped for a break on the steep scree and i passed with a quiet nod, soon they were out of view.
Up on the ridge, alone with the vastness of the Torridonian landscape laid put before me, all the nerves were suddenly gone.
I remember a deep seated feeling of ‘Im meant to be here, I got this.’
Hours on the ridge passed in a happy bubble, i only saw two other people, who took 📷 1. The fact i only have two photos from the day somehow makes the memories all the more vivid.
Full focus for the steep, scree descent from Ruadh Stac Mor and then,overwhelming awe at the beauty of Coire Mhic Fhearchair. By now the weather was closing in, as was tiredness. I wanted to linger but the wind moved me on.
The path out through Coire Dubh Mor was long but i didn’t mind. I smiled the whole way, elated at what id done, feeling like id unlocked a new part of myself and excited for the adventures to come.
I once read it takes a decade of study to become an ‘expert.’ 10 years on I feel so incredibly grateful for those adventures that did come, for all of the learning and experience that has led me to today.
To a place where i now guide others in the mountains and help them to gain the skills and experience that mean so much to me. That open up these playgrounds of possibility. That make the mountains our home 🙏🏻
