Monday 1 February 2010

The Great Outdoors

In many ways I feel privileged to have grown up in Ardnamurchan, although there were disadvantages – like the limited circle of friends which, coming from a large Essex primary school, was a bit of a shock to the system. Despite this, I feel that, had I lived elsewhere, I might never have gained my appreciation for outdoor sports and my interest in the environment which have made me the person I am today. Even my daily walk to and from school with my Mum helped me gain an understanding of the importance of exercise from a young age.

Looking back, I remember the adventures I went on, often with my best friend Seonaid. When we were very young, we would get lost in her garden pretending we were trapped in another world. As we got older, we began to explore more hidden areas of Kilchoan, be they little woods on the banks of the Milburn or the hills behind Ormsaigbeg. It’s funny thinking how that has developed into my adventures today – kayaking and exploring down wild rivers in other parts of Scotland, or climbing mountains that tower higher than those in Ardnamurchan. I certainly would not have tackled Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe without having the practice I’d had in Kilchoan.

Now, as I begin to realise that my interests in University lie in nature-society geographies and environmental philosophy, I can trace that back to having grown up in Kilchoan and be thankful for it.

RLH

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