I’m really glad that I write about my walks. Sometimes, when I’m tired at the end of the day, and all I want to do is rest and do nothing, it’s a bit of a pain. But I do like looking back on what I’ve written and I feel very lucky that I’ve got a record of what I’ve done. I don’t often go back and read my posts, but when I do I often find that my memories of a particular day are different to what I’ve written down. I don’t mean in terms of what I actually did, that tends to be accurate, but in the way I was feeling on a particular day or how hard I was finding it. I can be quite moody on these trips, certain days being worse than others, and for no particular reason.

I sometimes watch a lady on YouTube who does a lot of trails. She struggles terribly with her mental health, and sometimes she’ll be having a bad day, or days. She always says, when she feels that way, she sort of goes through a checklist in the head because it might be because of a practical reason. So things like, is she thirsty, has she eaten, is something on the route worrying her, is she tired. If she can identify something, even though the mood might feel that it’s not related to that issue, rectifying that problem can sometimes solve the niggles in her head.

I think I’m like that. But I digress. Back to the blog.

I’m quite proud of it. And when I decided to add videos to it I was even happier. In truth, when I originally thought I’d add them I didn’t think I’d do any talking. That was well out of my area of comfort. No, I would just add a video to supplement the pictures.

So, I was more shocked than anyone else when I actually started doing some talking. My first words were on the SWCP and it felt so awkward. But I’m glad I forced myself as over time it became easier and a lot more natural. Now I’m happy to just natter on. You can probably tell, that I don’t write a script. So I know it’s not very good quality, but it’s another thing I can look back on. And for that, I’m happy. I have a feeling the BBC won’t be approaching me to host Strictly Come Dancing now Tess and Claudia have stepped down, and not just because I don’t like it, and I’m ok with that. I’m just happy that I plucked up the courage and now I have another record of my walks.

Once I had the videos it became a sort of natural next step to put them on YouTube. I figured, where’s the harm. So that’s what I did. But the thing is, there can be harm lurking in that world.

Before YouTube I had zero social media presence. I wasn’t on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or any other. Why I felt the need to list them all I don’t know. I’m sure there are loads more I don’t know about. I never quite knew why I avoided them, but there was something about them that scared me. I thought it might just be that I didn’t want everyone knowing my business. Have people tracking me down from my past who I wanted to stay in my past. But I wasn’t really sure if that was it.

I know social media lies. I don’t mean how they twist the truth about the world and influence politics with inaccurate information – although they do that as well. I mean more that someone can present themselves as something they’re not – like being super happy. And then one of their ‘friends’ will see that and wonder why they’re not as happy. And then become even less happy. But what they’ve seen isn’t real, that happy person has just only shown them the best bits. I’ve got some good examples quite close to home, but I won’t share them.

But that wasn’t the reason I didn’t want to use it either. I like to think, I wouldn’t portray a lie to the world. I’d be honest. I hope so anyway. And I wouldn’t be worried by what others were doing. I’m old now, I can hopefully see through it. I think it’s terrible for kids though. For example, girls seeing other girls, but photoshopped to look ‘perfect’. Telling them, subconsciously, that they’re not perfect as they already are. Boys feeling inferior because they can’t keep up with another boy whose profile makes them out to be something they’re not. Yes, I wish kids didn’t use it – although that cat is already out of the bag.

Some parents are amazing at limiting their kids phone and social media use. They monitor and control everything they do. I was not one of those parents. I should have been. But I took the ‘easy’ route and, excluding the odd halfhearted attempt to implement screen time, sort of just let them get on with it. They always seemed to be one step ahead of me anyway.

Did I digress again, yes, I think I did. I now know why I’m not a good candidate for social media.

Today, when I was walking through an amazing bit of the path, surrounded by mountains, frost on the ground, I started thinking about how I could video certain things to get more views on my YouTube channel, and I suddenly caught myself, and realised this wasn’t how I wanted to be. I was suddenly clear what YouTube had done to me and how I should take control.

When I put my videos on YouTube they got some interest. I got a few thumbs up. A few nice comments. My views weren’t terrible. This was all ok. But then, I started to care. It bothered me when someone did a thumbs down. I wanted more views. I wondered what I’d done wrong when I lost a subscriber. It started to upset me. Jenny told me, when she saw what was happening, that I wasn’t emotionally mature enough for social media. She is spot on.

So that’s why I’ve decided my blog is my main ‘journal’ for my walks. I own it and can do what I want with it. There are no likes or dislikes. No one has to read it (I don’t really know how many people do) and I’m ok with that. It’s a much safer place. I like that I can have writing and a video. Or just writing if I want. I think it’s nicer for me than any social media.

Now, I will still upload my videos to YouTube. But I won’t care that they’re not as good as others, or have many views or likes, because I’m not trying to be as good as others. I never want to be a YouTuber, but if a video helps someone, then that’s good. So, Jenny, those couple of months of chasing the views have matured me, I’ve learnt the error of my ways, and this beautiful path in Scotland made me realise.

Glad to wild camp

For me, wild camping is not the good bit. I really just like walking the trails. I find walking, mostly, quite easy. I’m quite happy to walk all day. It’s the perfect exercise and you get to see some wonderful places.

The wild camping, and I suppose carrying all my stuff, is definitely part of the challenge, and something I look back on with pride. But it’s not why I do this, it’s just a means to an end. I wouldn’t have been able to afford to do any

of the walks I’ve done if I hadn’t done it this way. So I don’t hate it, sometimes I quite like it, but the reason I’m out here is for the walk, and backpacking is the cheapest and most efficient way of doing it.

On some days though, I feel like it’s the best way. This morning was one of those. I had the perfect spot and when putting my stuff away, with all the frost on my tent, and looking towards the paths and scenery I had to come, I was glad I was forced down this route. It truly was something special. I was totally alone, out in nature, surrounded by beauty, and it felt like no one was having a better morning than me.

Sometimes being a skinflint works out!

Careful where you tread

Despite being well below zero overnight I slept very well. Too well in fact so I had to rush to make up the time I’d lost due to my lie in.

The only problem was that here was lots of ice on the path. Some sections, where the path would normally have water running down its length were now frozen. It wasn’t actually too bad as I could see where the ice was so just had to navigate a route round it. It just meant I couldn’t go quite as fast as I wanted.

It also didn’t help that I was playing around with my drone for a while, and as I was about to descend into Kinlochleven I decided to have a long chat with two men who were climbing some Munros. I’m so glad I never got the Munro bug – apparently it can take over your life. I don’t even walk to the peaks of mountains when the path runs next to it. Seems like a slippery slope that would get me obsessed.

I was only in a rush really because I wanted to get to the cafe at the Glencoe Ski resort before it closed. I fancied a cheese toastie.

The walk towards Kinlochleven had been really good. I’d forgotten quite how much rubble is on the path but the views were wonderful. I wondered again if walking from North to South was better. It was certainly different and I think, for this section, I enjoyed it more. I think there were more mountains to look at.

The devils staircase

I got overtaken. It doesn’t happen too often, especially at the moment when I’ve hardly seen anyone to actually overtake me. But, a lady, maybe my age, maybe a bit older, went by me during the climb out of Kinlochleven. She told me she can’t run anymore so now just walks fast. I think she was local and this was part of her daily routine. I accepted my defeat gracefully.

The climb was hard work. It went on for a long time, and just when I thought I was at the top, more climbing was required. I did vaguely remember walking down when I was previously here, and I suppose it did go on for a long time, but I didn’t really think about it at the time. It was similar to the climb out of Fort William, I’d forgotten how long that went on for as well.

However, despite all the effort, as the skies were still clear, I was enjoying myself. The mountains around this section are truly breathtaking and I tried not to take too many photographs. Reassuring myself I’d probably already taken many pictures of them. I think this section of the path is its best bit.

By now I’d given up on getting to the cafe on time and that I’d be eating the cheese and ham sandwich I’d bought the day before (when they had sadly run out of baguettes). This section went on for a lot longer than I remember, and there were more climbs and descents. Even, when I came upon a wild camping spot I’d previously used, which I was convinced was close to the summit, I still had a decent climb to get to the top.

Once there though, and a new set of snow topped mountains reveal themselves, the climb is worth it.

Not ready to give up on my toastie

I’m not really sure what happened. I’d made peace with not getting to the cafe on time. But as I got to the top of the Devils Staircase, I suddenly didn’t want to be defeated. I wanted to get to the cafe and buy everything I was craving. It was tight but I thought I might just make it.

I’ve never gone down a mountain as fast as I did today. I was almost running down. I wanted my toastie. I had the odd slip but I was determined. No one was around so I had a clear path so why not try.

Once at the bottom of the staircase it became a little frustrating. Even though I could see the ski resort in the distance the path turns away from it and up again. I felt like it was doing it to be mean to me. I still kept going though.

It was a hard slog. The path stubbornly taking the longest route it could. But I made it. I wouldn’t have made it for the time I thought it shut though. However, as I don’t get things right, I’d thought last orders for food was at 3:30 when it was actually at 4:00. So, when I turned up, out of breath, at 3:35, I still had 25 minutes to spare. Oh well, I least I got my toastie.

After eating I made my way to the micro cabin I’d been assigned. It was better than I expected and it had electricity – which I desperately needed. It sort of reminded me of something a hobbit would live in.