Here goes nothing!

Back in 2016, I walked the West Highland Way to raise money for the NSPCC; a 96-mile trail from Milngavie near Glasgow to Fort William. Ever since, I've been travelling across Scotland solo on foot, walking the Affric Kintail Way and part of the Cape Wrath Trail too. But since Covid came along and my energy and fitness plummeted, I promised myself I would do a long-distance trail again when I felt able to. So, here we are - and why not raise some money for a great cause along the way too!

This time, I'll be walking 186 solo miles across the Western Isles on the Hebridean Way, starting from the island of Vatersay then walking across Barra, Uist, Benbecula, Harris, and ending at the Butt of Lewis; following the footsteps of the iconic Isobel Wylie Hutchison who completed a similar walking journey across the Hebrides, almost 100 years ago.

I'll be raising money for the wonderful Refuweegee, who provide vital support for refugees in Glasgow. A little bit about them:

Refuweegee (ref-u-wee-gee): Noun - A person who upon arrival in Glasgow is embraced by the people of the city, a person considered to be local.

"Refuweegee is a community-led charity that gives people a way to welcome and embrace those newest to arrive. We strive to ensure that people who have been forced to flee their homes arrive in Scotland to a warm welcome and some of the things that will help people to feel more at home here."

I will fully fund this trip myself, and 100% of donations will go directly to Refuweegee. I plan to spend the months in the lead up to the journey training and also learning Gaelic as much as I can too - something I've been trying to commit to for the past few years! I will be departing on Thursday 20th July, giving myself a couple of weeks to complete the journey, mostly camping and staying in hostels along the way.

Thank you so much in advance for your kind donations and for any support or words of encouragement you are able to give!

Blue x