A traverse of Scotland on foot, just to visit a bakery
A traverse of Scotland on foot, just to visit a bakery
Dee and Dan have completed their 360km mission across Scotland, to visit the Mallaig Bakehouse. How did it go and what did they order?
Adventure outing: crossing Scotland on foot to get to a bakery
As featured last month, Dan and Dee embarked on a two-week quest to walk the width of Scotland, to visit a renowned bakery. Adventure complete - how did they get on? I Messaged Dan some questions and he was awesome and replied:
How far did you hike and how long did it take?
My wife Dee is the architect of this walk and deserves so much credit! She spent several nights stitching together paths and tracks, to create a massive 360km (225 miles) long “tapestry” of routes. We needed to average 25km a day to finish in 14 days. We hiked from our local beach - St Cyrus, near Montrose on the east coast of North East Scotland to the remote town of Inverie on the West Coast - home of the most remote pub in the UK!
Here our walk ended, but not our journey: we took a 30 minute ferry to Mallaig for the all-important Mallaig Bakehouse - literally one of the best bakeries in the UK. Trust us!! We didn’t walk 360km for nothing!!!
What natural and of-your-own-making obstacles did you face along the way?
A huge range of terrain, some road walking, woodland, beach, mountains, valleys and bog. Good Lord, so much bog! On bad days, we’d take hours to push through soaking knee-deep bog. We had some stretches without paths, which were necessary but difficult. We also didn’t pass any shops for the first six days, so we had to carry a lot of food at the beginning.
My biggest mistake was not checking my trail runners before leaving. I’d had them longer than I realised and the insoles and soles were worn out. The ground was so hard underfoot and day one left me in a lot of pain! I cut up my sitting pad with a knife to add some padding and hoped I could make it to Pitlochry by day six, and buy new shoes. I did - but it was close! Dee remained strong throughout - my rock!
It’s also midge season. These tiny little bloodsuckers zero in and swarm you if you stop walking. Micro mosquitos that travel in armies. Can I swear here? Fuck those guys.
Where did you sleep?
Most nights in our tent - a 3-person Big Agnes Copper Spur. It’s a cracking tent, spacious and well organised. Not too heavy. One night we had really intense winds and it held up like a champ.
We spent two nights in a cabin or hotel room to shower and wash our clothes in a sink. We didn’t bring a change of clothes, just extra socks and undies, as well as some base layers for sleeping.
Scotland also has bothies - unlocked huts that provide shelter for walkers. We walked past several during the day, but never managed to be near one at night.
What's unique about hiking in Scotland?
The midges, ha! Geologically speaking, the highlands contain rock and mountain formations that don’t exist in the rest of the UK. It used to be part of a landmass connected to America back in the Pangea days. It’s the most mountainous region of the country and the drama is real! Although, the swinging weather conditions keep you on your toes, you are always close to a water source.
Wild camping is permitted and Scotland has “right to roam”, which makes route-finding easier as there’s very little land off-limits. It’s a walkers paradise in some regards. You can also go days without seeing another soul - but once you hit the West Highland Way it feels almost crowded by comparison! We spent some time in the vibrant cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh on our journey home, finding them almost overwhelming after two weeks in isolation.
Most importantly: what did you buy when you got to the bakery?
Oh boy - top of the list was a crème patisserie filled brioche loaded with raspberries and studded with streusel. Then there was a baklava Danish and a bag filled with various pastries and croissants and rye bread. We bought too much! Can you blame us?
To find out more about Dee and Dan’s epic traverse of Scotland, head to their Instas: @deedeevonnoodle and @danielwarren3000.
Top Track Cutter: Jeremy Platt’s Adventure Hub - Queenstown
Tuesday, 24th September from 6:30pm - The World Bar, Queenstown
Queenstown is - to many at least - the adventure capital of Aotearoa NZ. Tucked between this mountain, that mountain, that raging river and the giant lake, the odds of having an awesome time - if you just set foot outside the town - are exceptionally high.
To celebrate this adventurous spirit and give the missions the airing they deserve, Jeremy Platt has set up ‘Adventure Hub - Queenstown’.
“A place where we come to hear epic inspirational stories and meet new adventure friends.”
This month, the speakers are Jess Hotter - the first Kiwi to win a Freeride World Tour Overall Ski Championship title - and Anneke Veenstra and Bethany Rogers, members of the Frozen Ferns, NZ’s national ice swimming team.
So, if freeride skiing, ice water swimming or just all things outdoors and wild are your thing, head along to this month’s Adventure Hub - Queenstown - next Tuesday, 24th September, from 6:30pm at The World Bar.
Entry is just small koha to help with guests’ expenses. Find out more on the official Facebook group.
Nod to the Gear Gods: TVP and all the energy you need
Here is my little ode to TVP - or Textured Vegetable Protein, as it is known in the longer form. These little nuggets of dried soya mince can contain as much protein as meat, take just a moment’s soak in boiling water to cook and can be flavoured however you choose. They’re also super light to carry.
In other words: they’re a dream adventure food. And I haven’t even covered the price yet! Before travelling all over the world, I grabbed a 500g pack in The Vegan Shop for $6. Oh, look - I just checked and it’s still the same price. You can also buy it in the main supermarkets, too.
Back in January, I traversed part of Kahurangi National Park solo for six days and it was the main staple I carried. Add a stock cube, couscous, some dehydro peas, plus chilli and garlic and you’re tucking into one of the best protein bang-for-buck, readily available, just add water meals you can create in the outdoors. No wonder Te Araroans eat this all the time.
Have you tried TVP? What are your best flavour recommendations?
Final thing of the week: bicycle jumping on a moving train
Have you seen this epic video doing the rounds, featuring Polish stunt biker Dawid Godziek executing a series of jumps on a moving train?
An incredible watch and one that took around 18 months from conception to completion. Dream big and remember some great things take time!
Mā te wā, Dunc