scotland |
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images : GETTY ; ALAMY |
From left : Quiraing mountains on the Isle of Skye ; a couple relaxing harborside in Portree , Skye
Previous pages : Colorful sunset at Sligachan , Isle of Skye
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largest clans . By way of introduction , Mitchell clarifies that he ’ s no tour guide , but a ghillie , the difference being that ghillies accompany guests on fishing , hunting or deer stalking expeditions in the Scottish Highlands and live the lifestyle they ’ re demonstrating .
Mitchell has a strong ethos of selfsufficiency , eating with the seasons and sourcing his own meat and seafood . Indeed , he has the tactical skills to live sustainably off of his homeland in ways that city dwellers like us can only dream about . He learned bushcraft during his time in the military . After leaving the army , he developed his expertise by studying the local flora and fauna . When it comes to foraging for mushrooms , his advice is “ don ’ t munch on a hunch ,” and he ’ s even listed as a chanterelle supplier on our lodge ’ s dinner menu .
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As we step carefully along the rocky shoreline of Loch na Dal and enter the dense woods , Mitchell describes his everyday life . At his home on a nearby cove , he operates lobster traps for his own sustenance and as a valuable trading commodity . He ’ s an expert fly fisherman , and takes out groups of anglers in search of salmon , rainbow trout , sea trout and wild brown trout . His handiness on the water is well known in the local community , and he ’ s often summoned for rescue efforts — like a recent stranding event that didn ’ t end so well for a pod of beached whales .
Hiking in Scotland is distinctive for that squish you feel when you step into the peaty soil . You ’ d think the ground would be dry — given that it ’ s August and the weather is sunny and warm — but the land holds on to the coffee-colored groundwater , evidenced on our shoes after even the briefest trek .
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spring 2024 • 33 |