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The whole of the Rough Bounds was treated to a stunning night of Northern Lights towards the end of January, in what scientists suggest was the biggest and best display in more than 20 years.
From Knoydart to Morar to Glenuig and beyond, phones and Facebook lit up with friends delightedly sharing images of the view from where they were-a welcome distraction from the anxieties of global politics. Even above the electric lights of Fort William, the Northern Lights blazed strong.
Auroras happen when charged particles ejected by the sun strike gases in the Earth's upper atmosphere, causing them to emit light. The colours we see depend on the gas in question and its altitude: purples and pinks originate from nitrogen molecules up to 60 miles above Earth's surface; greens come from oxygen atoms between 60 and 180 miles up, and-rarest of all-reds are emitted by oxygen atoms between 180 and 250 miles.
January's aurora not only gifted us rare and spectacular reds, it was also a near 360-degree affair for many viewers; truly a once in a lifetime show. Reds only appear during the most intense solar storms. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the storm that caused January's Aurora was the largest since 2003.
The Sun's activity fluctuates over an 11-year cycle, as its internal magnetic field shifts and flips. At the cycle's peak, solar flares and violent explosions of plasma become more frequent and more intense-sending powerful bursts of energy into space, and causing auroras and disrupting radio communications here on Earth. The peak of the current cycle was about a year ago, which means there should be plenty more opportunities to enjoy auroras in the year ahead… that is, when the clouds cooperate!
National Trust for Scotland Glenfinnan
West Word scooped the Community Newspaper of the Year Award 2025 at the 37th annual Highland & Islands Press Ball and Media Awards, held in Inverness on 6th February! The judges wrote that it was "another exceptionally strong year of entries, underlining the vital role of community newspapers across the north," and praised West Word for "consistently delivering high-quality local journalism, even producing an edition during Storm Amy with power from a neighbour's generator." "Under new editorship, the long-running title has evolved with subtle design changes and new features, continuing to serve its diverse mainland and island readership with informative, well-packed editions." The awards event celebrated regional journalism, bringing together journalists working in print, broadcast and online media, from Shetland to Argyll, and from Moray to the Outer Hebrides. It attracted a record attendance of nearly 260 journalists, politicians and heads of public and private organisations. The win marks the fourth time West Word has won the award, the other wins being for 2005, 2008 and 2017. The award, which is sponsored by Hub North Scotland, comes with £100 to be allocated to our charity of choice. We've decided to split this between the RNLI and David Matthews' The Listening Walk-both worthy causes with deep local connections.
Hello!
Our big news this month is that West Word won Community Newspaper of the Year 2025 at the Highlands & Islands Press Ball and Media Awards! This honour belongs squarely to our brilliant contributors. Whether regular or occasional, it's your creativity and dedication that makes West Word what it is, so thank you and WELL DONE!!
Some of you will also be aware by now that I am stepping down as Editor. I've given West Word my all for the past year, but this is no longer possible. If you think you'd like a turn in the Editor's Chair, I'll be around to show you the ropes (and will still contribute stories from time to time!). There are changes afoot behind the scenes-outsourcing printing being just one example-that should make for smoother sailing going forward. For more details, see the job ad on Page 35.
Connecting with wonderful, kind, talented and true people throughout our region, and hearing your stories and concerns, has hands down been the best part of this role. If you'd like to stay in touch, you can reach me at: [fullname]@gmail.com. I'll be returning to writing/editing for the BBC and others and am always interested to dig into stories centred on environment, nature and rural communities, so if you think you have a nugget of something that deserves a wider audience, do drop me a line.
Warm wishes,
Ceri Perkins
editor@westword.org.uk
Morar Station Building, Morar PH40 4PB
As usual, January has felt like the long slog out of Winter and into Spring, but the breaks between the weather have been surprisingly fresh and bright. The recent days of sunshine have given the ground a chance to dry out and have kick started all the bulbs to make a break for freedom. Green shoots are popping through the ground, snowdrops are out and narcissus are making their appearance.
The days are creeping longer and longer too but it is still gloomy and dark if there is low cloud. When it's sunny though, it is glorious! There has been frustration from the Dark Skies team… biggest aurora for ages but Canna had cloud cover. It did clear a little in the end and we saw some of it.
We had a big bonfire to celebrate Jeannie's 1st birthday. There were sparklers, bread sticks, biscuits and a cake in the shape of a frog, as well as a few tipples. Nathan trialled a hollowed-out log to toast goodies and light the sparklers. It worked really well and meant we didn't have to brave going near the big fire.
The farm had another surprise calf born at the very end of January-a wee Beltie with two black spots on its belt. Some of the sheep have been misbehaving and not being where they should be. Many expletives have been uttered but it's nothing a shaken bag of feed won't sort out.
January is also the time when we get a lot of regular contractors out to the island. Electrics checked and fitted (Gerry is delighted that she now has lights and sockets in the new lambing shed, and I've got extra sockets in my office for meetings), flooring laid with new carpets and lino being installed in various houses. It seems to have spurred an island-wide clear out of things no longer needed so there have been furniture swaps, houseplants finding new homes and paint brushes being wielded, sprucing up rooms ahead of Spring.
Margaret Willington
A mostly dry month on Rum and these easterly winds the past few weeks have been drying everything out nicely from the general sogginess we experience. One unfortunate tree became a casualty; it's unusual to have trees fall from an easterly wind, as opposed to the prevailing south westerlies, maybe it got caught off guard. In any case, it took out a section of the former castle estate wall along the shore where the old playground used to be, the site of Lady Monica's rose garden. The fallen tree (there were two, twisted together like lovers) has created a notional adventure playground in itself, also temporary. The tree surgeons will be back over soon to dispense with it along with a few other dangerous trees left over from the summer storms. Conveniently, the shallow upturned root bed fills the space of the hole in the wall.
NatureScot road contractors were here this month, taking advantage of the dry weather to repair the particularly bumpy patch of the Kinloch Glen track. It's now as smooth as silk, but this is also temporary-the rain will come and work its dark magic. It's a conundrum for us owning roads/tracks in the village. We try to fill in the potholes and get them in a better condition but to do that properly, we need better quality road material than the local quarry can offer-it is at capacity, and it may not be possible to extract more from there. Importing material to an island costs a great deal, as you can imagine, and finding the funds to pay for this remains a constant challenge.
Burns Night was fun, the haggis (staggis) was addressed by Colin, improving slightly on his delivery from last year, and an assortment of poems read out by the company. Rhys performed his usual 'ode to a mouse' and we had a few from the new book of former resident and poet Aidan McEoin.
NatureScot have sourced 8000 native trees from the Isle of Eigg Tree Nursery and Alba Trees for a biodiversity-improving hedge planting scheme around all the field boundaries on their land. They refenced with double electric fencing to keep the deer from browsing the baby trees they have planted in between. The idea is that once the hedges mature, they can remove the fencing and just have hedges instead.
Harris Lodge will have its phase one repairs carried out this spring. Phase one will entail getting it wind and watertight again, replacing slates, covering the windows so the original frames can be repaired and replacing the gutters. We'll also give it a coat of paint. There will an interpretation panel outside with details of all the restoration phases. If you want more info or want to donate to the project, please get in touch by email or social media.
The Dark Sky Festival is 14th to 16th Feb, I daresay we may have some exciting pictures to share next month…
Fliss Fraser
January began cold and beautiful. With snow covering the island, everything slows down a bit, especially if you don't have a 4x4. Despite the cold, almost camouflaged against the snowy backdrop, a brand new calf arrived at the top of the Bealach Clithe.
This month, the Eigg For All community larder officially opened, a space for pre-cooked meals and leftover food to be stored and taken by those who need it. The kids' play area has also started to be built next to the tearoom. We are all very excited about the slide in particular.
The first new social houses built on Eigg in 25 years are almost finished! At Grianan, near the surgery, the two homes are looking gorgeous, especially with the low winter light on the cladding. With floors in, it's not long until the lucky new residents can move in.
Now, at the end of January, steadily more light is returning to the north-west parts of the island, with Imbolc marking the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Amid the cold and wind-battered plants clinging on through the winter are little buds and bulbs returning, with snowdrops already here and the soft white of catkins emerging from the willow. It feels like the beginning of the slow emergence from winter has begun-still there, but the scales have tipped.
Eilidh MacGlip
Hello Muck Calling... Well here we are, already a month in for 2026 and it's been quite a packed 31 days...
What can I say about Hogmanay? It seems not a lot as it was an absolute blur (which could be a recurring theme in this update…) but we did manage the traditional Hockey and dip in the sea, which was horrendous on both counts. The match must have been the shortest in history (for the uninitiated, we observe only two rules: no high balls and no vomiting on the playing surface). It lasted approximately 20 minutes due to everyone being pebbledashed for the duration with 100mph hail, rain and sand which was going horizontal... poor buggers who wore shorts. Then the brave misguided ran into the breakwater… mad, mad, don't believe a word of "it wasn't that bad!".
Also this month we had the end of Shooting season, culminating in the well-received Beaters day, which at best can only be described as carnage, but what an absolute ton of fun. Well done to Toby and the Team at Gallanach Lodge. Big shout out to Kieran and Rab; fantastic shift with the beats and the processing of the Game.
We had some Greenland White Fronted Geese with us for a brief visit, obviously either lost or looking for new digs in case Trump follows through. Our Eagles have been very visible and active recently with the Sea ones being nervously low. Majestic doesn't seem to be a powerful enough statement.
Our Internet links have been quite unreliable in the last month or so for one reason or another, but we are at the mercy of others and have no control over issues as we're at the end of a long chain, so Hebnet have installed a Starlink-a back up Internet system that can connect pretty much anywhere on the planet, unless you are Namibia and annoy Elon. Well done Gareth for doing the grunt work and installing.
Not much in local news, congratulations to Jasper who was 1st Fichter-Irvine to score a try at Murryfield in the U18 Scottish Schools rugby final. The team unfortunately got beaten, only to then go on and secure the league title with an end of season nail biter! Well done boys (and doughnut lady Sarah)!
Wee snap of the Farm away on a well deserved Ski trip... miraculously no broken bones. And on a positive note Ewen and Judy will soon be back with us fingers crossed.
Finally, big round of applause for Ceri, who, like the headmaster at St Trinians, has had to put up with us naughty contributors for the past 12 months-and wish her all the very best moving forward.
Well folks, that's all for this month. See you next time.
Kind Regards,
Bruce Boyd
Mallaig's Pawel Cymbalista, ultra runner and subject of January's THE INTERVIEW feature, was awarded the Emerging Excellence in Mountain Culture Award at Fort William Mountain Festival on 14th February.
Polish-born Pawel moved to the Highlands in late 2013, determined to turn his life around after forming unhealthy habits around smoking and drinking. He has since taken up running, dropped over 30kg and gone on to complete some incredible feats of human endurance. Today he is the proud owner of a World Record and a clutch of Fastest Known Times (FKTs), including:
Cape Wrath Trail Unsupported FKT 86:49:19 (05.04.2023)
The Highland 4 FKT 47:49:29 (Combined, Unsupported)
East Highland Way FKT 12:40:18 (Unsupported)
Road to the Isles Way FKT 05:43:00 (Unsupported)
West Highland Way FKT 17:57:35 (Unsupported) S>N
Great Glen Way FKT 11:28:36 (Unsupported) N>S
Ben Nevis 24h World Record - 7 up and down in 22h 41min
Read Pawel's race report from January's momentous Winter Spine Race on P16-17, or have him tell you his tale himself at https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Winter-Spine-Race-Into-the-Darkness-Audiobook/B0GMKH2XF4.
In the chill of a winter's night, strangers sit on frosted grass, faces tilted up towards the sparkling sky. Perhaps on a short break from inner city life, mouth open and eyes ablaze with the infinite awe of the Universe. Or maybe simply stepping outside to let the dog out-a short glance turning into an evening of wonder.
On Canna, a project for work is evolving into something more... all of us connected under one sky.
The night is something we often take for granted, expecting that it will always be there. But what if it wasn't? There is something profoundly devastating about the thought of looking up only to see the reddish brown smear of light pollution; planes and satellites replacing stars.
Sadly, this isn't some distant concern-for many it's an everyday reality. There are children who have never seen a glittering sky of stars. There are children who never will.
Here in the Highlands and Islands, we are lucky to experience some of the darkest skies in the world. Aside from being a magnificent resource for nature and education, I would argue that there is something healing about the night sky. It puts everything into perspective. One evening of stargazing can make most problems seem small and insignificant, in the grand scheme of things...
That feels like something worth protecting.
In 2025, Rum achieved Dark Sky Status, and committed to protecting their skies against light pollution. Canna has also been working towards this goal too. Our two communities have come together in agreement that action should be taken to ensure that the children of the future continue to have the opportunity to look up and feel small, that there are bigger things at play, that there is wonder in our Universe, and that everything will be OK.
We all have our part to play. For some of us, it's as simple as closing the curtains or changing to directional outdoor lighting. For me, it's a little more involved: it's one evening each month touring our beautiful island, collecting data that shows the darkness of our skies...
It's New Moon. I'm wrapped up against the cold: several layers including thermals and multiple pairs of gloves making me feel like the Michelin Man from the old TV adverts. In my pocket is a red-light torch, my Light Meter and a chocolate bar (for self-bribery). With my sensible shoes, and sometimes a dog for company, I arrive and begin. I take four readings at each location, one in each direction (North, South, East and West). I also take a temperature reading, as displayed by the Light Meter. Then I move on to the next.
There are four sites being monitored; Coroghan Barn, Canna Campsite, Sanday Beach and St Edwards Church. All have fantastic readings, even St Edwards Church, which faces the Pier and all of its associated navigational lighting.
On nights when it's not so cold that I fear I might lose a finger, I linger and take a few photos on my phone. Staring at the Milky Way, spotting shooting stars, and sometimes even glimpsing the Aurora, time becomes elastic.
Some nights I have human as well as canine company. On two occasions in the past year, the whole island has come together to look at the sky. On those nights, we drank hot chocolates and practiced our star identification-unsure of ourselves at first, all of us offering lots of disclaimers and looking at apps on our phones. These are some of my favourite memories.
I am so grateful to everyone who has supported the Dark Sky projects so far. To the rest of you, I hope this inspires you to grab a thermos and many, many layers, to find a dog or a human for company, and to head out to gaze at the stars.
Vicki Cridland
On 23rd January, the Mallaig RNLI Station celebrated the 25th anniversary of our all-weather lifeboat, Henry Alston Hewat, arriving from Poole.
On this day in 2001, the lifeboat arrived off Mallaig under sunny afternoon skies-and was met by Station boat Davina & Charles Matthew Hunter and given an escort into the Harbour. It had completed its pre-commissioning trials and passage home from Poole under the command of Coxswain Michael Currie and crew members Jeff Lawrie (Mechanic), Arthur MacDonald, Helena MacPherson and Kevin McDonell.
Later that evening, Sir Cameron Mackintosh hosted a dinner in honour of the new boat, up at the West Highland Hotel. Although it was a joyous occasion for the Mallaig Station, the day was tinged with sadness as long-serving crew member Derek Fowler had passed away after a short illness, as the new boat set out from Poole-and was very much in the crew's thoughts.
A couple of weeks later, once the full crew had had chance to become familiar with the Henry Alston Hewat, it was placed on service. An official naming ceremony was held later in the year, attracting an excellent turnout from the village.
Do you recognise anyone in these photos from the event?
Jessica Logan
The piling works for the overnight ferry berth are now complete, and the crane that seemed to be visible from the whole of Mallaig was dismantled and left on the 19th January. It was quickly followed by the long-reach excavator, which had been used for placing the infill needed on the linkspan berth following the discovery of the scour hole. These were replaced by a drilling rig, which was used to take samples of the materials within the circular cells before work began on digging these out. The first cell has now been dug out, and the first pour of concrete to make the anchor block has been done. You can now start to see what the berth will be like, and the difference it will make.
The Caralisa had hoped to continue fishing for Sprats, but the wild weather at the start of the month put an end to that, and the sprat pump has also been dismantled, ready to be removed. We still have a number of razor clam boats fishing locally and landing in Mallaig. Last year at this time, I shared a graph showing the value of fish landed locally, showing a gradual increase, and I am pleased to say this has continued. I should caveat this by saying that it doesn't account for inflation. However, the total weight of fish landed has also been increasing slightly year on year, from 1,096,647kg in 2024 to 1,350,342kg in 2025-so the trend is going in the right direction!
CalMac have published their summer timetable for the coming season, and the Sound of Sleat Ferry Users' Group were disappointed to learn that the MV Loch Fyne will not be returning to Mallaig at all this summer. The route will be served initially by the Loch Bhrusda as a single vessel service, then the Bhrusda will support the Coruisk. However, the Loch Bhrusda will also be supporting the Lochnevis on Saturdays, so there will be no vehicle service between Mallaig and Armadale on a Saturday when the Loch Bhrusda is operating a single vessel service- including Easter Saturday. The Ferry Users' Group has written to elected members, and drafted a template that can be sent on by any local businesses who are concerned about the service.
We have some work to do to the Marina Chains and Anchors after they sustained damage in the Autumn storms. The works will take about a week, and will require us to move some vessels about as the works are being undertaken, but will mean that the pontoons are ready for use when the season starts again in April.
Finally, the deadline for the first round of community funding applications for the coming financial year will be in mid-March. Again, we have set aside a budget of £5,000 to be allocated to community projects in the coming financial year, with a simple application form to be completed and submitted four weeks before the meeting at which the request will be considered. The full list of dates is as follows:
Deadline: Meeting Date:
13th March 2026 11th April 2026
15th May 2026 12th June 2026
14th August 2026 11th September 2026
14th November 2026 11th December 2026
Funds will be available to groups based in the Mallaig Area, who operate on a not-for-profit basis, and are either constituted or incorporated, and who have a dedicated bank account for the organisation. The proposed projects should have demonstrable community benefit for the Mallaig area. We will consider support to organisations who are open to a wider community area than purely Mallaig, as long as these organisations can demonstrate benefit to the community in Mallaig. Given the size of the budget, we don't envisage that any single grant will be more than £1,000. You can find all the relevant information on our website, www.mallaig-harbour.com or you can email me for more details at: jacqueline@mallaigharbourauthority.com.
Jacqueline McDonell ~ 01687 462154
The Sound of Sleat Ferry Users' Group met on 14th January to discuss the proposals for the Summer Timetable between Mallaig and Armadale, and our concerns about these. In particular, the redeployment of the MV Loch Fyne, which has always provided a reliable service between Mallaig and Armadale.
Originally, we had understood that the MV Loch Fyne would not return until early July, as she was required to stand in for the MV Hallaig and MV Lochinvar, the two hybrid vessels, while their batteries were being replaced. However, we now understand that the MV Loch Fyne will not return to the Mallaig/Armadale route at all this season.
While the group appreciates the difficulties faced by CalMac at the moment, there is a real worry that the timetable proposed for the Mallaig/Armadale service will continue to have a detrimental effect on the economies of North West Lochaber and South Skye. As a result of this, we have written to CalMac, and elected members of The Highland Council and both Parliaments. We have also produced a template letter for any local businesses who share our concerns, to send on. We will share this on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/soundofsleatferrygroup, or you can email soundofsleatferries@mail.com, and we can send on the template.
We would also ask businesses who are concerned about the impact to complete our short survey. Again, the link is on our Facebook page, you can email us to request the link, or you can access the form from our website at https://soundofsleatferrygroup.org.uk/survey. The more evidence we have from local businesses, the stronger the argument we can make, and the more representative we can be of these businesses.
Hello, it's me again!
Persons of a certain age will understand the idiom "Never the twain shall meet"-meaning you can't be in two places at once. Well, dear reader, my dilemma (and perhaps yours too) is where to be on the weekend of 27th-29th March.
Choice No. 1 is the 60th anniversary Model Rail Scotland show at the SEC in Glasgow, which will bring together over 50 layouts, 130 exhibitor stands, and four or more Society and Association stands (including Friends of the West Highland Line and RailFuture Scotland). A courtesy vintage bus service will run from Glasgow's George Square and Union Street to the venue (and back). Timetables, details and tickets are all available on the Model Rail Scotland website, https://modelrail-scotland.co.uk. Tickets are £5 for children (five to 16 years); £18 for adults; and £40 for a family of two adults and two children.
Choice No. 2 for me and for you is to stay where we bide and welcome in the first luxury touring train of the season to Fort William and Mallaig. The sold out West Highland Pullman carriages will be top-and-tailed by Class 125 HSTs. The train will depart from Rugby and pick up extra guests en route at Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton and Stafford. Guests will overnight at Fort William and depart for Mallaig at 10:15am on Saturday, 28th March. A Piper will pipe them into Mallaig at 12:24pm and pipe them away again at 10pm as they leave for a second night at Fort William.
For now though, I'm enjoying watching the touring coaches returning to West Bay to pick up those who travel to us by train and return by coach (or vice versa). On Saturday, 7th February, three coaches were lined up. There must be at least six coach companies offering a Mallaig day trip. Holidaymakers stop me with the words, "Are you local?" I love saying: "Yes! How can I help?"
A new face at Mallaig Station Booking Office
Welcome to well-known local, Callan MacBeth, who stepped into Mallaig Booking Office full-time last week. I cannot tell you how many generations of MacBeths have been part of the Mallaig depot team… I know of at least four. Currently, Marie MacBeth is a driver and ex-conductor Kelsey MacBeth is a trainee driver, alongside Oliver Dean. Good to see staff levels staying buoyant! Only by being happy at work can they be the best versions of themselves and be able to help those around them. Good luck to you all!
Network Rail News
With the strange weather pattern this past month (half of my huge shed roof departed at 8:30am one morning in the Easterly Gales!), it has taken Network Rail longer than planned to complete the works on our branch line. It was no surprise to me that another "Dear Neighbour..." letter was amongst my post this morning, informing me of an additional few weeks of works, day and night, until at least Friday 27th February.
West Coast Railway
I hoped that by now that West Coast Railways would be taking bookings for the 2026 Jacobite season. Last month, I confidently predicted a 1st April start date, despite it falling mid-week. But with only seven weeks to go until then, silence is definitely not golden.
Even their Booking Office staff don't know! The dates were due to be announced before Christmas, but now their website simply says: "Bookings for the Jacobite season will open in the coming weeks."
I'm preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. I appeal to West Coast Railways to give us an update on the situation and, if there is a problem, to let us know. Eight weeks is no time at all to hire and train staff, order stock, deep clean premises, and arrange boat trips, catering, flowers and champagne... Staff are in the dark. Should they start looking for summer work elsewhere?
Updates to ScotRail's AI announcer
ScotRail has removed its AI onboard announcer 'Iona', which allegedly imitated a real voiceover artiste called Gayanne Potter. She called Iona "dreadful" and claimed that she had not given permission for her voice to be used by Iona's creator, Switzerland-based firm ReadSpeaker. ScotRail has now moved on, but not from AI. The new plastic voice belongs to ScotRail employee, Vanessa Sloan... at least this time she knows about it! I hope that no one can invent an AI replacement for this column.
See you on the train or on the platform,
Sonia Cameron
By Pawel Cymbalista
And there it was: the Border Hotel wall. Right there. Close enough to touch. Close enough to kiss. So I did… because after dreaming about this moment for years, why pretend to be normal now?
For seven years, I followed the Spine Race like some people follow royal drama-obsessively, emotionally and with absolutely no chill. The sheer scale of it never made sense to me. How do humans move for that long, that fast, through that much misery? Every January I'd watch the dots crawl north and think, one day that'll be me. I tried to enter a few times, but the waiting list treated me like an unwanted Tinder match. One year I finally got in… and had to decline. That one hurt. Proper heartbreak. The kind you feel in your shins.
But I kept testing myself. Different distances, different routes, different versions of suffering. And somehow, all those miles led me here.
Edale-The Night Before
I rolled into Edale on the evening of Friday 10th January and slept in the van, which was basically a fridge with wheels. I went to registration nervous as hell, wondering if my bag had everything. I'd packed it four times. Obviously perfect. Except I forgot my waterproof jacket. Classic. I walked in, panicked, walked out, grabbed it, walked back in pretending nothing happened.
Drop bag time. The 20kg limit was laughing at me-mine was 19.5kg and praying the scale was in a good mood. I even ditched my spare poles to save weight. Spoiler: terrible idea. When Dariusz and I carried the bag in like two men delivering a sofa, the volunteers immediately re weighed it. 19.6kg. Safe. Barely.
I planned to freeze in the van again, but Grzegorz had a spare bed in the Youth Hostel. Warmth. A mattress. A roof. I felt like a king. A very nervous king who booked breakfast and went to bed early because tomorrow was the day.
Start Line-The Last Warm Moment
Darek drove us to the start. Trackers on. Bags ready. We sat in the warm car knowing this was the last heat we'd feel for… well, ages. The start area buzzed with nerves and excitement. People chatting, taking photos, pretending they weren't terrified. I pulled my hood down, stared at the ground, then ahead. That view would be my life for days.
Countdown. 10… 9… 8… And then, boom-we were off like we actually knew what we were doing.
Leg 1-Snow, Wind and Questionable Life Choices
Jacob's Ladder hit immediately. Snow thickening. Pace not slowing. Groups forming. Front pack disappearing like they had a train to catch. I kept it steady. No hero moves. The snow was deep enough to swallow a small child. The wind was strong enough to push me sideways into ditches-which it did. Twice.
I teamed up with Sebastien (who later won the whole thing). He didn't talk much; I didn't mind. We shared snacks like two silent mountain gremlins.
As the day warmed, everything melted into an icy, ankle twisting soup. I regretted not wearing spikes. I regretted many things.
The descent to Gorside Reservoir was chaos; ice, slush, a local hill race flying past-and me trying not to die. I made a few navigation mistakes. Nothing dramatic, but enough to annoy me. At Wessenden, I missed a turn, waited for Sebastien, corrected it, and then he disappeared forever. Probably for the best-he was flying.
By Blackstone Edge, darkness had hit. My brain fogged. My balance was questionable. My dignity was MIA
At Stoodley Pike, I took my first proper fall. Only my bag saved my tailbone. Later I hit ice, slid 15 meteds, smashed my shin, rolled twice, grabbed grass like a desperate goat, and finally stopped. Shin screaming. Ego bruised. Race still on.
Checkpoint 1-Glue, Food, and Forward
I arrived as John Kelly was leaving. A medic checked my shin-a deep cut, but no break. Glue didn't hold, so I got temporary stitches and a big plaster. Food inhaled. Socks changed. Feet pampered like royalty. Then off into the longest 102km of my life.
Hebden Bridge to Hawes-The Long, Cold Blur
Night. Darkness. Mist. Wind. Hood up. Head down. I ate well, drank warm sugary water (highly recommend) and kept moving. My savoury snacks were great early on, but later it was the liquid calories that saved me.
We were 'lucky' this year in that we had a tailwind most of the time. It may have been cold and snowy, but at least the wind bullied us from behind. My poles were lifesavers. Through mud, rivers and ice, they kept me upright more times than I want to admit.
Pen Y Ghent was diverted, which was disappointing because I love climbing. But rules are rules. Arriving in Hawes felt amazing… until I accidentally walked into the wrong checkpoint and they gave me a finisher's medal. I told them I was doing the full Spine. They laughed. I laughed. I left without the medal.
Hawes to Middleton The Weather Turns Savage
Leaving Hawes, I thought the ice was gone for good. Nature said "hold my beer". Wind picked up. Rain hammered. Climbing Shunner was brutal-exposed, freezing and absolutely relentless. It felt like -15°C. I sheltered behind a wall at the top, layered up and pushed on.
Descending was terrifying. One wrong step and the race was over. I overtook a few exhausted runners in Thwaite, but position didn't matter-only survival did.
By Middleton, I was shattered. I stopped under a road tunnel to eat, then pushed on along the river forever. Eventually I reached the checkpoint, ate everything, fixed my feet and slept for 35 minutes. Woke up a new man.
Middleton to Greg's Hut-The Beast Awakens
Powered up the river, climbed the waterfall (yes, climbed!) and headed into Cauldron Snout. Cold. Snow coming. Hands tingling.
Dropped into Dufton where James Nobles suggested teaming up for Cross Fell. Smart move. That place has its own weather system and none of it is friendly. We climbed into darkness again. Fake summit after fake summit. Snow deepening. We followed stud marks in the snow like detectives tracking a very cold criminal.
Cross Fell felt endless. My body was struggling. My mind was fading. We kept descending, thinking we'd dropped hundreds of meters, only to find it was only 50. Absurd.
Then finally-James spotted Greg's Hut. I slipped again, smashed my thigh, swore loudly, got up, and headed straight for warmth.
Inside Greg's Hut we were greeted like half frozen royalty. Hot coffee. Spicy noodles. Steam rising like a holy blessing. And I swear to you-those noodles were the best noodles ever cooked on planet Earth. Michelin starred, soul restoring, life saving noodles. If Gordon Ramsay had walked in, he'd have cried.
After about twenty minutes I felt human again and told James I was heading out. He said he needed five more minutes. Later, I learned he was hypothermic, wrapped in sleeping bags and hot water bottles like a human burrito. The safety team pulled him from the race. It broke my heart. He's a warrior, and warriors deserve better weather.
The Descent to Alston-A Comedy of Ice and Suffering
The downhill from Greg's Hut to Alston took approximately… forever. The path was a long, icy, slip n slide. I was dancing, wobbling, sliding, praying-and occasionally inventing new swear words. And the road kept going uphill. Uphill! On a downhill! My brain was not prepared for this witchcraft.
By the time I reached Garrigill, I was cooked. Some race supporters invited me in for coffee and toast-absolute angels. After a quick warm up I pushed through the final 7km to Alston, where one of the Jameses caught up with me. We slogged through bogs, rivers and approximately one million gates. I'm convinced the Pennine Way is 40% gates.
CP Alston-Lasagne, Broken Poles and a 4 Hour Resurrection
Lasagne inhaled. Feet pampered like they were VIP guests. Then I remembered: I'd snapped my pole earlier when a gate attacked me-and I'd removed my spare to save weight. But the checkpoint manager handed his spare to me like Excalibur. Legend.
I slept four hours. Ate two more lasagnes. Drank enough coffee to wake a small village. My body shook, shivered, and felt sick-pure Cross Fell exhaustion. Was my race over? Absolutely not. I woke up a new man. Maintenance mode complete. Systems rebooted.
Onward to Hadrian's Wall-The Joy Returns
Leaving Alston, patched up and buzzing, I headed toward Hadrian's Wall. I was excited for this part-proper history, proper views, proper adventure.
At the Walltown Centre they told me I was around 6th place. I nearly laughed. I thought I was somewhere between 10th and "lost in a ditch". But no-I was moving well. Surviving. Thriving. Enjoying the journey.
Hadrian's Wall was magic. Steep climbs, steep drops, sunshine, views for miles. Through Sycamore Gap, I paused, thinking about the tree that once stood there. A sad moment in a wild place.
Then: villages, Roman ruins, farms, rivers, bogs and fields full of grouse screaming like they owned the place. But no ice-a miracle.
Bellingham-More Foot Care, More Food, More Lessons
The checkpoint team welcomed me like family. Feet dried again. Socks changed. Sausage casserole demolished. I slept two hours-maybe one hour too long, but hey, we learn.
As I lay down, Anna and Johanna were leaving. Were they sleeping? Probably not. Did I need sleep? Absolutely yes. Later I learned I was closing the gap on them. Without the naps I might've placed higher-but that's racing. And trench foot was not invited to this party. I'd learned that lesson the hard way in Scotland.
The Final Push-All or Nothing
Leaving Bellingham, I knew this was it. The last big push. Feet in good shape. Body tired. Mind determined.
But sleep deprivation was hitting hard. On a long forested climb I kept micro napping while walking-probably 50 times. Poles kept me upright like two loyal bodyguards. At Byrness, I grabbed a coffee and sandwich, then launched myself into the Cheviots.
The climb was steep and glorious. I felt strong again. Cold summits. Good pace. In the distance, rumbling explosions: the army doing artillery drills. Smoke rising from turrets. Wild scenes.
I passed more runners. Mountain Rescue teams were out. Hut 1 gave me a quick coffee. Then over Windy Gyle and toward the Cheviot. Halfway up, a pair of RAF jets did 360 corkscrews above my head. I waved my poles like a madman. They probably didn't see me, but I felt like the Main Character.
Cheviot Summit-Drama, Confusion, and Focus
I reached the Cheviot before sunset-mission accomplished. Two men stopped me, asking if I'd seen Johanna. They were carrying a dry bag for her. I hadn't seen her. Later, I learned she'd left Anna to meet her husband for a kit drop. Fair enough. I carried on, through Hut 2 and onto the final bumpy descent to Kirk Yetholm.
The Final Miles-Pure Heart
Cold air. Final energy surge. Every headtorch ahead of me felt like a target. Maybe Anna. Maybe James. I pushed hard-up, down, running, eating, shouting encouragement to everyone.
The final downhill felt like flying. Knees screaming. Feet crying. Heart roaring.
Near the road I bumped into the Fort William Mountain Rescue team-Anna, Hannah and James. Familiar faces, huge smiles. They'd raised an incredible amount for charity. Heroes.
One last icy slip. No drama. Into the village. People shouting. Through the arch. And suddenly-I was there.
Tears. Relief. Joy. Everything at once.
"Touch the wall! Kiss the wall!" everyone was shouting. So I did. A gentle kiss. Forehead resting on the stone. A moment I'll never forget.
I had conquered the Pennine Way on foot.
Medal received. Warmth. Food. Friends. A shower that felt like rebirth.
Later, thanks to Tadeusz and Anna, I got a lift all the way back to Edale to collect my van. Legends.
Home-Recovery and Reflection
Now I'm home. Legs good. Sleep normal again after four days. Feet in great shape-maintenance paid off.
Could I go faster? Yes. In those conditions? No chance. Could I sleep less? Probably. But I don't regret staying fresh and strong. What would I change? More savoury food.
Was it good? Absolutely. Was it brutal? Completely. Will I go back?... Wait and see.
In 1926, the first of a series of Railway Goods Vans arrived at Arisaig Station, from where a lorry transported a host of fabulous Himalayan Rhododendrons down into the heart of Larachmhor Woodland. These exciting new plantings marked the beginnings of the creation of the remarkable 28 acre Woodland Garden on the eastern outskirts of Arisaig village.
This was the realisation of a dream of John Holms, then entering his 60's, who had spent eight years exploring the western seaboard of Argyll in search of a site where he wished to develop an exotic woodland garden to better accommodate the overflowing collections he had amassed at his elaborate estate of Formakin in Renfrewshire, to the west of Glasgow. Finally he came further north, into the unlikely Rough Bounds of Lochaber, where he discovered the sheltered bowl of Larachmhor Woodland near the original conclusion of the West Highland Railway in Arisaig, at the climax of the Road to the Isles. He managed to negotiate a rather informal lease from the Astley-Nicholson family, who had taken over the Arisaig Estate in Victorian times. During the previous half century, the Estate had undertaken selective planting of new trees in the surroundings of the ancient Clanranald kitchen garden in the heart of Larachmhor, including the two majestic Magnolias (planted in 1914).
Between 1926 and 1931, as Holms continued to acquire hundreds of fine specimens from fellow Rhododendron enthusiasts around the country, several more goods-van loads of plants flowed, after growing on at Formakin, into Larachmhor. At today's values, Holms expended c. £100,000 amassing his collection, including vast sums on their packaging and transportation. In 1929, he poached Great War injured Irish veteran John Brennan, former Head Gardener at Arduaine on Loch Melfort, installing him in the rather primitive two-room Garden Hut, without electricity and running water, that overlooked the remnants of the Kitchen Garden-and subsequently became known as 'Brennan's Hut'.
Brennan at the door of his Hut
Although in ailing health into the 1930s, and with his former wealth devastated by Stock Market crashes, Holms continued to return to Arisaig, sometimes staying in the hotel, to encourage Brennan's planting out and nurturing of the host of plants, including not just Rhododendrons but many other trees and shrubs that still flourish at Larachmhor today. These include the fine Persian Ironwood near the bridge at the foot of the drive and the massive New Zealand Mountain Ribbonwood that has self-sown many flourishing saplings around the site (and probably into a few local gardens too…), all producing their display of snow-white flowers in profusion each July.
By the time he passed away in 1938, Holms was weighed down by substantial debts that led in 1939 to auction sales of his extensive art collections from Formakin-many of which were acquired by his old friend William Burrell to enhance his own fine collections, which can be seen today in the elegant Burrell Collection Gallery in Glasgow. The same year a Catalogue of Sale was drawn up for his meticulously listed plant collection growing in Larachmhor. Fortunately the onset of War greatly restricted the completion of many sales, but former garden specimens did make their way to several gardens, including Lord Strathconan's fine garden at Colonsay House on that island, and also to the outstanding Rhododendron garden at Glenarn on the Gareloch near Helensburgh, both of which are open to visitors.
Quite substantial specimens with large rootballs were dug up by Brennan for transportation. However, the last tranche to leave were so tall that the goods van they were loaded into was unable to get through the bridge near Beasdale. The van was returned to Arisaig, and the plants made their way back into Larachmhor! John Brennan stayed on in his hut, an active character around the village and estate, until his passing in 1959, as the Garden was becoming progressively overgrown.
In 1961, Miss Becher, who had inherited the Arisaig Estate, began to sell off parts of its holdings-and her advertisement offering the Garden area at Larachmhor for sale or lease attracted the attention of a small group from the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. They had come into Lochaber to explore the rare alpine plants found on the crest of Fraoch Bheinn above Glenfinnan. This team of select botanists and horticulturalists duly took on a ten year lease of the Garden that has continued, somewhat more informally, ever since.
It is the voluntary efforts of that team and their many successors over the decades, working in recent years in partnership with Estate Manager James Colston, that have kept the garden alive. It is their ongoing maintenance work, backed up by regular additions of new exotic specimens that now complement the surviving Holms plantings, that have made Larachmhor the exceptional Wild Woodland Garden that exists today-which all can freely enjoy.
Alan Bennell
Alan will deliver a lecture exploring the full history of the garden, from the 17th Century to the present day, on Sunday 1st March 2:30pm at the Highland Cinema in Fort William.
Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch
The heavy snow and ice at the beginning of January brought with it inevitable disruption across the Highlands. I am always encouraged to see the strength and determination of people to keep going despite the significant impact the winter weather has on our day-to-day lives. I am grateful to the wonderful emergency services who must carry on with their essential work in such challenging circumstances. To all who have been involved in keeping services running, I want to say a huge thank you-your efforts certainly do not go unnoticed.
I have been made aware of Highland Council's proposal to introduce further parking restrictions at West Bay car park in Mallaig. I am concerned about the impact this would have on residents and for those travelling to the Small Isles who regularly use this car park. I trust Highland Council will listen to the valid concerns and objections that have been raised and will take these into consideration.
The advent of the new year brought with it the presentation of the Scottish Budget to Parliament. I know that families and businesses across the constituency are facing real pressures, and in a challenging financial context and amidst continued cost of living challenges, stability and certainty matter. That's what this Budget offers and I am particularly encouraged by the support and opportunities in place for rural Scotland.
In recent years, the problem of lack of childcare in rural areas has crossed my desk time and again. I've met with parents in different parts of the constituency on a number of occasions, and as a working mum I know firsthand how hard it is to balance work with caring for a young one. Accessible and reliable childcare is essential and so I'm pleased that the Budget includes measures for additional funding to help extend provision of after school and breakfast clubs. Of course, there is still a way to go in addressing the unique challenges in rural areas-and I continue to engage with both local and national government on this point-but this is certainly a positive step forward.
By far the most consistently raised issue with me, however, is the critical need for affordable housing. The Scottish Government's target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 remains an absolute priority and record funding of £926 million has been allocated towards that goal in the Budget proposals. Of course, funding is only one part of a much wider picture-affordable homes need to be built and delivered. This is where local partnerships are essential in meeting challenges and demand, particularly in areas with specific needs.
With many of my constituents regularly getting in touch about poor broadband in their area, I am keen to see improvements made to digital connectivity which will continue to receive substantial investment. This will help provide our rural communities with strong, reliable broadband and with more people working or studying from home due to differing commitments, it is essential that there is good connectivity available for those who do so.
Considering the recent storms the area has experienced, it is also vital that work is done to ensure rural communities are not cut off from society and are provided with suitable backup solutions when services are disrupted.
Proposals have recently been published concerning the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024. If passed by the Scottish Parliament, The Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill will give local authorities more choice in how they design and apply a visitor levy to raise funds for local tourist services. At the moment, councils can apply a charge on overnight stays based on a percentage of accommodation costs. The new legislation proposes giving councils additional powers to set the levy as a fixed amount instead. The legislation would also allow councils to set a range of fixed amounts, considering different geographical locations, times of year or types of accommodation.
I am pleased that the Bill also clarifies how accommodation providers should report to councils and how levies are applied to sales made through third parties such as travel agents. It is important to note the Bill does not require councils to introduce a levy; it simply provides additional options for those that choose to do so.
Please do get in touch if I can be of any assistance.
Kate Forbes
kate.forbes.msp@parliament.scot; 01349 863888
Angus MacDonald, MP for Inverness, Skye & West Ross-shire
West Word article causes press scrum
Not only did my article in November's West Word about the failings of the trains on the West Highland line stimulate lots of emails, it also resulted in follow-up stories from The Times, the Herald, the Lochaber Times and the Daily Record.
Before Christmas, Dr Frank Roberts, the convenor of Oban Community Council collapsed and suffered concussion when dismounting the train at Crianlarich, and is convinced that being stiff and cold after an hour and twenty minutes on the 'Polar Express' was a contributory reason.
My Councillor colleague Andrew Baxter and I had a call with two senior ScotRail managers recently and challenged them on what could be done to warm the train up when it starts its journey, how to put on extra capacity in the summer months, why a food trolley isn't available on the 5-hour journey from Mallaig to Glasgow, why litter isn't collected during the journey and why, if government health and safety guidelines recommend a temperature no less than 16 degrees in all indoor work places, it is acceptable for passengers to travel for hours in freezing temperatures. The ScotRail managers admitted our 40-year-old carriages were "shabby, extremely uncomfortable and almost at their life end".
The trip I took in September that concerned me so much was full of tourists. What must they think of our country with its trains that look like they are straight out of Eastern Europe 50 years ago?
Our 156 fleet is due to be replaced in 10-15 years time, but its replacement, the 158s and 170s are currently running on other lines and will be 30 years old before we get them.
Someone sent me a photograph of the restaurant car on a train from Zurich to the mountains. It had a white table cloth, elegant cutlery and wine glasses. I was on a TransPennine Express train in Thirsk before Christmas; it was pristine and incredibly comfortable. Wouldn't it be great for visitors to see the West Highlands from an observation carriage, as exists in other countries? Why oh why do we have to accept a service so inferior?
I fear we are having CalMac 2.0 here, a complete lack of investment, the fleet beyond its useful life and the needs of remote Scotland being completely ignored. I have written to the Transport Secretary in Edinburgh, Fiona Hyslop, and laid out our concerns. Like so many Ministers, she is stepping down in May, so I have zero expectations of any good news about our train.
Angus MacDonald
angus.macdonald.mp@parliament.uk
Hey Ceri,
I took this a couple of mornings ago, and was wondering if there was a pot of gold on board the Loch Nevis, which might go some way to solve the ferry crisis!!
Joan Smith
Hi Ceri,
I'm so sad that you have decided to leave West Word but understand entirely how hard you have worked at it.
Thank you for finding the time to inspire and encourage an old duffer like me with grace and humour! I hope to see you around from time to time, or at least hear how you're getting on...
All the best,
Neil and Eileen Cameron.
Hello, I met [On and Off the Rails columnist] Sonia Cameron in Mallaig a few weeks ago and told her about the Caledonian Sleeper engine I spotted passing the Glenfinnan Station [see photo, P13]. I know Sonia from my days working on 'The Jacobite' as a steward-we used to chat out the window while the points were changed on the outbound journey.
It is believed to be the first time this type of engine, Class 73, has appeared on 'The Mallaig Extension Railway'… [note: only there for driver training!]
Kind regards,
Jason Sylvestre
A GBRF Class 73 engine being used for driver training (NOT a Caledonian Sleeper service!) / JASON SYLVESTRE
A wintry start to the month with lying snow and frosty conditions for 10-12 days. The rest of the month was slightly milder, but with a predominantly easterly air flow it felt cold in the stronger winds and was mostly dry.
The cold weather at the beginning of the month caused some of the smaller freshwater lochs to freeze over, so any wildfowl using them moved away or to the coast. The Whooper Swans on Loch nan Eala left early in the month and still hadn't returned by month-end. The Wigeon, Teal and Mallards from there moved to the shoreline around Loch nan Ceall.
Goldeneye and Goosanders were seen on Loch Morar and Loch nan Ceall. Red-breasted Mergansers were reported from all round the coast and the Morar Estuary. Slavonian and Little Grebes were seen on Loch nan Ceall on several occasions and two Long-tailed Ducks were seen there at the beginning of the month.
Greylag and Canada Geese were seen around Arisaig, Back of Keppoch and Traigh. Fifty-two Canada Geese were seen on Loch nan Eala mid-month and at least 50 were with Greylags at Traigh on the 25th. Two Pink-footed Geese were feeding with them the same day.
Great Northern Divers were reported from Mallaig, Camusdarach, Loch nan Uamh and Traig. Twenty were counted offshore at Traigh on the 9th.
The usual wintering waders were to be seen, Purple Sandpipers and Turnstones were at West Bay, Mallaig. On the shoreline at Traigh, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Turnstone and Curlew were seen regularly. At Traigh on the 11th, 50 Golden Plover and 30+ Oystercatchers were feeding in a field next to the golf course. Snipe were seen feeding on unfrozen ground by Loch Morar early in the month. Woodcock were seen by roadside verges in Morar, Camusdarach and Arisaig. On the Morar Estuary, a single Bar-tailed Godwit and at least two Greenshank continued to winter.
Small numbers of Fieldfares, Redwings and Mistle Thrushes were reported from Arisaig and Traigh, feeding in fields mostly as there are very few berries available now.
Long-tailed Tits, Treecreepers and Goldcrests were reported from several Morar gardens. Chaffinches and Goldfinches were the most numerous finches reported form garden feeders, with lesser numbers of Greenfinches and Siskins also present.
Great-spotted Woodpeckers were heard 'drumming' in the woods around Loch nan Eala, a sign that spring is not far away.
Barn Owls were seen on several occasions in both Mallaig and Arisaig. Tawny Owls could be heard calling in Arisaig and Morar.
A Kingfisher was seen on several days on the Morar River.
A Redpoll ringed in Morar on the 19th April 2024 was caught by ringers on 29th December 2025 at Lingford Lakes Nature Reserve, Milton Keynes, 632km to the SSE. This is the second Redpoll from Morar that has been caught there.
Closer to home, a Siskin ringed in Morar on 16th June 2024 was re-trapped in an Inverness garden on the 13th and 23rd January 2026.
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