Island Odyssey
The Scots Magazine|June 2017

The 21 hills of Colonsay aren’t as easy as they look – even with the benefit of advice from a seasoned island expert!

Fiona Russell
Island Odyssey

KEVIN BYRNE had agreed to meet us off the Fridayevening ferry to Colonsay in the island’s only bar. We were surprised to find him dressed in a suit and

bow-tie, although honoured that he thought our weekend visit to the small Scottish isle worthy of such splendour.

I confess I felt scruffy in my walking trousers, boots and lightweight Puffa jacket but Kevin didn’t seem to notice.

It turned out he was about to have a meal with his wife, Crista, for his 69th birthday – and he was more focused on the map he held in one hand and the glass of wine in the other.

It was clear my partner Gordon and I would need to be sharp-minded if we were to follow Kevin’s directions. As he talked us though the walk we had planned for the following day, we struggled to keep up.

It dawned on me, too, as he detailed a route of some 32km (20 miles) via all of Colonsay’s hills of at least 91m (300ft) – and one on the neighbouring isle of Oronsay – that he must also be pretty physically fit.

“If I’m on my own I can walk them all in about seven and a half hours, but if I’m guiding someone it will take at least an hour more,“ he told us, without boastfulness.

Last summer, Scottish adventurer Mark Beaumont set an impressive pace to complete the MacPhies, as the group of hills is called, in around six hours. But Glasgow runner Jethro Lennox has the record of under four hours.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 2017-Ausgabe von The Scots Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 2017-Ausgabe von The Scots Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS THE SCOTS MAGAZINEAlle anzeigen
Unst To Orbit
The Scots Magazine

Unst To Orbit

Shetland's spaceport is set to take Europe by storm, launching rockets to the stratosphere

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 2024
Just Passing Through
The Scots Magazine

Just Passing Through

A tale of the unexpected unfolds at dawn in a Stirlingshire glen as a rare, shy creature slips out of the shadows

time-read
5 Minuten  |
November 2024
Brigadoon Revisited
The Scots Magazine

Brigadoon Revisited

An affectionate look back at the low budget \"synthetic Scotch\" movie that still sparkles in the mist, 70 years on

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November 2024
A Brand New Opening
The Scots Magazine

A Brand New Opening

The Scots Magazine revisits the Old Course in St Andrews almost 70 years on and celebrates recent progress in welcoming women

time-read
2 Minuten  |
November 2024
Kenmore's Crossroads
The Scots Magazine

Kenmore's Crossroads

Fury over a luxury redevelopment at the Perthshire village made news headlines around the world but is the tide of popular opinion turning?

time-read
6 Minuten  |
November 2024
Seeing Double!
The Scots Magazine

Seeing Double!

Sam Heughan's Outlander body double, lain Wilkie, shares stories about his experiences on and off screen

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 2024
The Story & The Song
The Scots Magazine

The Story & The Song

With a soundtrack to a Shetland tale, author and musician Malachy Tallack blends his artistic passions in his latest venture

time-read
5 Minuten  |
November 2024
A Rebirth From The Earth
The Scots Magazine

A Rebirth From The Earth

Erland Cooper's intriguing project has given nature and two determined fans a hand in shaping and bringing his new album to light

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 2024
Nip Of Champions
The Scots Magazine

Nip Of Champions

Whisky has long been associated with moments of triumph, including a recent example of clever sporting motivation

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 2024
The Waterside Hotel
The Scots Magazine

The Waterside Hotel

A spectacular spot on the stunning Ayrshire coast

time-read
2 Minuten  |
November 2024