Their story, in their words…
Sunday: Our journey over the Scottish Highlands was truly remarkable. The exhilarating journey began on a very gloomy Sunday evening in the London Victoria Coach Station. We boarded out express Megabus to Glasgow and after 7 excruciating hours; we arrived. Another short local bus journey took us to our start point at the Bridge of Orchy. There, we began our journey.
Monday: Our first day of hiking can only truly be described as a trial by fire. While we had done a practice walk, we heavily underestimated how heavy our backpacks would be. Marching above a miniscule Scottish town, the heat of the sun hammered us relentlessly. However, we carried on progressing throughout the night until we found a camping spot near a stream of fresh flowing water. This was especially useful as we could replenish our dwindling levels of water as well as bathe ourselves and our clothing. The idyllic views accompanying our swim brought many great photos.
Tuesday & Wednesday: The following 2 days were very challenging with the incredible weather acting almost as a blessing and a curse. The clear blue skies truly were a treat to be cherished, yet the soaring temperatures were taking a toll and had us make many rest breaks. Progress was becoming especially slow in the mid and late afternoons – with us often struggling to maintain water levels. Our flasks seemingly emptied as soon as they were filled. By the end of the third day, it became abundantly clear we would not make our main target of summiting Ben Nevis at our current rate. We therefore sat down and spent the rest of the evening planning the best course of action, plotting a variety of routes that would give the most shade and have us closest to fresh water sources – increase our chances of reaching the coveted summit. By 10pm we agreed on our impromptu solution and went to bed right away for an early start.
Thursday: Thursday was a day of action – depending on our progress it would make or break the trip. It was a grind. To motivate us – a small speaker blearing ABBA and the Bee Gees to our hearts content with 4 albeit a fair bit tired, a tad smelly but none the less unwilling to disappoint teenagers to accompany. Near midday the terrain started getting trickier and with the now recurring menace of the sun we questioned if it could be done. Fear not! By 6pm we were ahead of schedule with 2 hours trekking still left to go. We sat down for a small rest and admired Scotland’s beauty. With the sun just setting, we setup camp in a small patchy field a half mile or so from the base of Ben Nevis. Still lauding over the successes off the day we collapsed to sleep, ready for the big day.
Friday: Target: Ben Nevis, the peak – 1,345 m of height, 4 miles of near continuous incline. We awoke early in the morning, with the sun still yet to rise. Our breakfast were sausages freshly grilled over a campfire with a side of plain breid (yes that’s Scottish for plain bread). Add some porridge, a few cups of cocoa and we had a hearty meal. The base of Ben Nevis welcomed us with lush greenery and cascading waterfalls. As we ascended higher, the landscape transformed, revealing jagged rocks and small streams, hinting at the breathtaking heights awaiting above. We remained undeterred by the steep and winding trails, encouraging each other to keep going. With the air growing thinner we stopped to marvel the panoramic views and glimmering lochs – reminding us how truly insignificant we all are in this universe. Camaraderie and determination becoming our greatest strengths, our ascent was challenging but swift. We soon stood triumphant at the summit of Ben Nevis. The breathtaking beauty and serenity at the top made the arduous journey one to surely be remembered.
This trip was truly a rewarding experience and we would like to thank the Mark Evison Foundation for giving us this amazing opportunity. We look forward till next time – “You gotta be down more than ever” as a famous philosopher once said.
