Harris, The Hebrides: Solo Camping, Finding Solitude & Having a Revelation! ⛺️

[@macinthewild8116]

Lovely video - really enjoyed it thanks.

[@FarForFiona]

Thank you so much!

[@jb3222]

What an agonisingly beautiful place, but I don't think you need to worry too much about letting the secret out - most of the Great British Public won't stray more than ice cream range from a carpark, and the menacing sound of stags should send most of the hardier souls (self included) packing. I quite understand that these beautiful films must take loads of time to prepare, and think it's more than reasonable just to do them fortnightly. I'll be happy to watch this one again next Sunday, enjoying the solitude vicariously, and waiting for the next adventure whenever it comes.

[@FarForFiona]

Thank you JB, it was a tough call to make reducing the adventures to one a fortnight but I knew from the start that this may happen as weekly adventures with editing is a big commitment. I do keep my instagram profile more up to date (and will have more time to do this now too) so you can always drop in there to see what I'm up if you're interested.

[@jb3222]

@@FarForFiona Thanks for that - I shall ask a passing teenager to tutor me in the ways of Instagram! Regards, John B.

[@FarForFiona]

@@jb3222 😂😂

[@TomAbbott-i9n]

A really lovely film. Thanks for sharing. I love that you ventured further around the coast, as despite Huisinish also being a lovely beach, it can become a little too peopled at times. I always found that beach opposite Scarp to be truly magnificent, and barely another person in sight. I camped a little further around between Cravadale beach and Loch Cravadale. That particular Harris coastline, that continues on up to the equally magnificent Uig in the Isle of Lewis, is like nothing else.

[@gavinstewart4574]

Wonderful scenery. Simply stunning. Really enjoying your series of videos. Thanks for taking the time to film and share.

[@douglasstewart9551]

Hi again Fiona. Another stunning location and excellent video.Thanks for taking the time and effort to bring us your wonderful experiences. Oh and by the way there is no way you can look that good just waking up 😘

[@FarForFiona]

Haha you must be watching in low resolution 🤣. Thanks for watching again! 😊

[@douggray1263]

Even without the sunshine that is such a gorgeous place. The scene where you talking about hearing the deer reminded me of my first solo. I remember during my first solo hearing these sounds outside my tent and I thought it was a fair sized animal coming through the bush. Turned out to be 2 squirrels chasing each other. And yes isn't it easy to fall back in to what makes us feel comfortable. Good for you realizing that.

[@FarForFiona]

haha this story actually made me laugh out loud because it is exactly what I would have thought too! I have yet to camp solo in a forested area because I know that it is something that will definitely get the fear in me going. I'm working up to it! Thanks for sharing your story, it's brightened up my day!

[@TheGirlGoneNomad]

Ah those views! I can’t get over the colour of the water! You chose a cracking camping spot. So true how our thoughts can stop us from trying new things, you’re a great role model and encourage us all to give new experiences a go 😊 Ah those midges! Just bought my first head net to try stop them attacking. Hope you have a great week 😊

[@FarForFiona]

Thank you so much! Yes the midges are a pain but in a way I'm glad we have them because it stops too many people from visiting. Otherwise Scotland would be as busy as the lakes I think! X

[@TheGirlGoneNomad]

@@FarForFiona It is a good deterrence when the midge count is high! I think that could indeed be the case, but thank you for sharing because it is such a beautiful place to sit and wonder at. Have a great week X

[@kiltedscotsman]

Who needs the Caribean when you have this, not exactly on our doorstep as it takes the effort and mindset that 99.9% don't have as you mentioned, amazing indeed Fiona. There will be some that would not believe this is real. So pleased that you are pacing yourself. Your journey, the vulnerabilities you share and getting it all in context is priceless and continues to touch me. Thanks for the effort and time you give us xx

[@FarForFiona]

Thank you Will! Yes I’ve decided to only release an adventure video every fortnight. There will be other more business oriented videos coming out on alternate weeks but they are far less time consuming for me. I hope you are managing to get your own adventures in this summer! Take care x

[@kiltedscotsman]

@@FarForFiona That sounds great! Now im very Intrigued. Yes, had to take 4 weeks out due to the cracked ribs, back on the mountain bike and managed to decend the Fort William downhill track without killing myself. As you would say without "keeking myself" (so funny when you said that), Its my midlife hahaha. x

[@FarForFiona]

@@kiltedscotsman you are a legend…..only 4 weeks off! I’d have retired from mountain biking after that! Or at the very least been LITERALLY keeking myself next time back on 🤣

[@TheMadmacs]

great vid, what you said reminded me of my adventures last year, i dont crave solitude, but when i turned the corner in glen sannox and saw the massive glen and peaks either side, it was a bit overwhelming, and i was here alone, setting up camp and making dinner, and when the wind drops and the silence appears, and you can hear yourself think with sudden clarity, my first drone trip was just disaster after disaster, but i didnt stop grinning like an idiot the whole time. i didnt make it back to arran this year, i hurt my knee and its only just got back to 80%, i really miss it, its not the solitude i need, its the union of me and a place, a landscape, and that crystal clear silence.

[@FarForFiona]

You paint a very beautiful picture and your experience of Glen Sannox was wonderful to read. You are right in what you say about it being a union of the place and the person, it is exactly that and I hadn't thought of it that way before but you can be assured that your words will stay with me and I'll ponder them next time I'm in the hills. Thank you so much for sharing 😊.

[@drlehman73]

Gorgeous scenery!

[@FarForFiona]

Thanks Darren! 😊

[@delsterwislon522]

Absolutely stunning place and great video 👍👍

[@FarForFiona]

Thank you 🙏 😁

[@niks_healthy_lifestyle1691]

I'm not long back from Hiking & camping the West Highland Way with my husband & 2 youngest kids (12 & 14) & fell in love with backpacking, camping & wild camping. I have lots of holidays (TA in a primary school) so want to make the most of my holidays but I'm so dependant on my husband & don't want to leave him & the kids while I go off galavanting. We've been together 22 years since I was 15. We're genuinely happy & love each other so much & probably the reason why I put myself off going away. He says I can do what I want & will miss me, he's helped my plan itineraries & think of practical things but I chicken out & stay home ( I think secretly he is relieved too but wouldn't want to not let me go). How do I get past mum guilt & missing my husband so I can make the most of my holidays? (Ps, we do so much hiking & camping as a family around his holidays but he can't do any more than he already does due to work). X

[@FarForFiona]

It is perfectly normal for you to feel this way. You have been in this relationship for your whole adult life so it is no wonder that there is such a strong bond between you. It's important to remember that there is nothing selfish in you needing to do things on your own. And indeed when you do it and come back you will be a happier person and more able to take care of your family. There are steps that you can take to ease this process and I would be happy to coach you through these if you like. Helping people to step out of their comfort zone is an area I am very passionate about. I offer a free 30 minute consultation call if you're interested and we can go from there. You can book through my website fionafmackenzie.com. Thank you for sharing your story, it's wonderful to hear about other women's love of the outdoors! 😁

[@niks_healthy_lifestyle1691]

@@FarForFiona thank you Fiona, it's a strange one as after 22 years a lot of couples look forward to a bit of a break but we are the opposite & couldn't think of anything worse than been apart. Other than child birth we've always been together. I'm very much 50/50 if I want to "sort" my predicament so I'm able to make the most of my extra holidays or if I'm just really lucky that we want to be together & I should appreciate what I've got. Again it's that comfort zone you speak about in your videos. I'll have a think about it. Thanks lovely x

[@FarForFiona]

@@niks_healthy_lifestyle1691 it is exactly that. The best tip I could give you is to start small. Don’t plan a 2 week solo camping trip, start with an afternoon adventure or a single overnight in a campsite maybe and work your way up to doing the bigger stuff. Whatever you feel you could manage, start there. You will be amazed at how much your confidence will grow. People will always feel guilty about leaving their children to go and enjoy themselves but really they are doing their children a service because they are taking care of themselves first. And as they say, how can you take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself first? Please let me know how you get on either way. My email address is on my website, it would be lovely to hear from you. Best of luck! X

[@familygonewild2110]

Looks incredible. I need to get to Scotland x

[@FarForFiona]

Thank you! And yes, you do! x

[@cairnscrow8713]

No other words, just Stunning

[@FarForFiona]

Haha that’ll do! 😁

[@cairnscrow8713]

@@FarForFiona Actually I do have a question if that's ok? Do you know when, approximately the dreaded Midge finally disappear on Harris?

[@FarForFiona]

@@cairnscrow8713 it is weather dependent (if it’s warm they’ll stick around a bit longer) but they will be greatly reduced in September and gone by October 🥳

[@cairnscrow8713]

@@FarForFiona That's good to know. Thank You. I'd rather face a Tiger than the Scottish midge, I am literally once bitten twice shy with the wee beasties and always try to cross the border after August or before May each year. They and the Tick population can be horrendous.

[@michaelatkinson8291]

Hi Fiona. Dramatic walk in to a beautiful spot. Do you use walking poles ? With a heavy pack especially they are a big help & keep you stabilised. Stunning location. Another honest & fabulous video. Take care till the next time xxx

[@FarForFiona]

Hi Michael, thank you so much! I do use poles normally except when I’m filming. It’s too much of a kerfuffle when I’m having to exchange poles for camera all the time! Xx

[@jamesdouglas8126]

Fantastic 5*****

[@FarForFiona]

Thanks James! 😁

[@nairnloon]

Best vid yet Fiona, magic 😎

[@FarForFiona]

Cheers Col! Hope you’re keeping well! Loving your photos 😁 x

[@clivefelgate9802]

Great vid!! We all need to find solitude. The world is so lunatic sometimes it's the only way of re-charging. A walk and a swim with an overnight is my perfect solution, so jealous😁😁. Happy trails and enjoy.👍👍☕

[@FarForFiona]

It was the perfect getaway and well needed Clive! Thanks! 🙏😁

[@linconocyrus]

You certainly pick some fantastic places to go,gonna have to get myself there,sorry.

[@FarForFiona]

Haha I don't blame you!

[@mandz861]

💚love it and love the colour of yr bikini x definitely agree with you , x

[@FarForFiona]

haha thanks it's my favourite one! xx

[@celticwanderer6407]

Wow another one I was glad to wait for. That place looks so beautiful so peaceful with the sound of the sea in the back ground amazing fiona what ever adventure you do are so inspiring. I finish my ride but my footage as gone strange

[@FarForFiona]

Thank you! That’s a shame about your footage, I was looking forward to checking out your epic adventure! How was it?

[@celticwanderer6407]

@@FarForFiona it was fantastic but hard on the legs and one night while camping had a encounters with bloody teenagers around 3 in the morning but beside that was brilliant and I got the buzz to do more think scotland next to cycle one of them trails

[@celticwanderer6407]

@@FarForFiona ps. I also did state at beginning of my video that I have been inspired by a lovely lady from Scotland who is doing 12 months of her own adventure and I said thank fiona for inspiring me to do this cycle ride from watching yours . Your on incredible young lady

[@FarForFiona]

@@celticwanderer6407 ah some local early morning wildlife! 😂 All adds to the adventure I suppose. Glad you had a brilliant time and yes, get yourself to Scotland!

[@FarForFiona]

@@celticwanderer6407 aw and thanks so much for the mention! Please let me know when you've posted something, I'm very interested to watch other peoples adventures, especially when they are doing things they've never done before and are pushing themselves as you have. Amazing, you should be very proud!

[@joebeatty4405]

that was beautiful...right up until you said you had to go to back work. Love your videos

[@FarForFiona]

Haha yeah but when I went, I went back fully charged after the perfect night away!! 😁

[@andrewmcintyre19able]

The fact you got it to yourself should ease your concerns it will become crowded.

[@FarForFiona]

My concern wasn't so much that it would become crowded but rather that it would become busier and the solitude would be reduced. There has already been a large increase in the number of people visiting the islands recently. Obviously this is a good thing because tourism is a major contributor to the Hebridean economy. However there is a small, selfish part of me that would like to protect the isolation and remoteness of places such as this and that is more where I was coming from.

[@williamwest8324]

His Final, lovely video as always. Truly beautiful place. Two things spring to mind. One, you have to tell us where you got the self erecting tent 😂. Secondly, you mentioned that you felt the need to stop doing the things you used to do because you were making a new life. That made me incredibly sad sunshine. Please don't sacrifice the good parts of your past life in an effort to cleanse your soul and start afresh. You can have both. It's only the pain, the doubt, the feelings of failure or feelings of inadequacy you need to leave in the past. You are an amazing lady. You have already made enough sacrifice. Fill your new life with ALL the things you love, even those from the past. Please forgive me if I speak out of turn, I mean no offence. Take care lady. X

[@FarForFiona]

Hi William, Thank you as always for your lovely words. When I said I couldn't go back to my old life, I meant it in a positive way. I have long since processed any pain and made peace with my experiences and in fact I have used those experiences to create a new life for myself and in the process I have truly discovered who I am and what I want out of life. Doing these adventures has firmly instilled a love of the outdoors in me and when I say I couldn't go back to my old life, I mean a life without the outdoors. Yes, there are some incredible things about my old life and you can be assured that I keep them with me always. Thank you for your very touching concern, you are a wonderfully warm and insightful person 😊

[@williamwest8324]

@@FarForFiona Hi Fiona, I am lots of things. What I'm clearly not is a competent proof reader 😉. My apologies for the greeting of " His Final," on my last message. It's ironic. Auto correct has saved me on numerous occasions, but every now and then it just reminds you not to rely too much on technology 😂😂

[@FarForFiona]

@@williamwest8324 haha I didn’t even notice that! I had to go back and read your comment again! 😂