Charlie, Meg and Me by Gregor Ewing sampler
Charlie: Prince Charles Edward Stuart, second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland, instigator of the Jacobite uprising of 1745, fugitive with a price of £30,000 on his head following the disaster of Culloden, romantic figure of heroic failure. Meg: My faithful, four-legged companion, carrier of supplies, listener of my woes, possessor of my only towel. Me: An ordinary guy from Falkirk only just on the right side of 40, the only man in a houseful of women, with a thirst for a big adventure, craving an escape from everyday life. For the first time, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s arduous escape of 1746 has been recreated in a single journey. The author, along with his faithful border collie Meg, retraces Charlie’s epic 530 mile walk through remote wilderness, hidden glens, modern day roads and uninhabited islands.
Charlie: Prince Charles Edward Stuart, second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland, instigator of the Jacobite uprising of 1745, fugitive with a price of £30,000 on his head following the disaster of Culloden, romantic figure of heroic failure.
Meg: My faithful, four-legged companion, carrier of supplies, listener of my woes, possessor of my only towel.
Me: An ordinary guy from Falkirk only just on the right side of 40, the only man in a houseful of women, with a thirst for a big adventure, craving an escape from everyday life.
For the first time, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s arduous escape of 1746 has been recreated in a single journey. The author, along with his faithful border collie Meg, retraces Charlie’s epic 530 mile walk through remote wilderness, hidden glens, modern day roads and uninhabited islands.
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chapter 1<br />
Introduction<br />
i have had a long felt desire to escape to Scotl<strong>and</strong>’s hills. To spend<br />
weeks amongst stunning scenery that stirs the blood, high mountains,<br />
wide valleys <strong>and</strong> hidden glens. Enjoying unbounded freedom <strong>and</strong> tranquillity<br />
in an unspoiled l<strong>and</strong>scape. Being in tune with oneself, melding<br />
with the natural environment; reaching a mountaintop with stunning<br />
views in all directions; wild camping beside an overshadowed lochan<br />
or on a small plateau beside a mountain stream; enjoying the primitive<br />
calmness of sitting, well fed, around a campfire; the fulfilment of<br />
resting with a light-headed tiredness that comes after a day’s exertion;<br />
being totally responsible for oneself <strong>and</strong> buzzing from the increased<br />
confidence that self-sufficiency brings. All this may sound a little naïve:<br />
you can be soaked through to the skin in no time <strong>and</strong> walking in mist<br />
all day. The novelty of camping can soon wear off. Injuries can happen.<br />
Crucial equipment can be forgotten, broken or left out in the rain.<br />
Midges can drive you to murder/suicide/another continent. Countless<br />
things can go wrong. But even after years of experiencing what Scotl<strong>and</strong>’s<br />
outdoors can throw at you, the desire still burned bright.<br />
For a long time, such a journey was simply a pipe dream. I had a<br />
busy job, <strong>and</strong> a young family. Could the desire be simply a reaction<br />
to an increasingly difficult career <strong>and</strong> the responsibility of family life?<br />
Where was that free time I enjoyed when young <strong>and</strong> single? And what<br />
had I done with that free time? Sadly, precious little. Now when I<br />
wasn’t helping around the house, entertaining the kids or working<br />
extra hours, I really appreciated time alone. The occasional weekend<br />
was the best I could muster. Climb a few hills, stay out overnight,<br />
climb a few more hills <strong>and</strong> home. Great fun? Yes! But it still didn’t<br />
placate my desire, I needed something more. I wanted my escape to be<br />
a sufficient length of time to shake off the modern world. A chance to<br />
draw breath <strong>and</strong> take stock, allowing reflection to happen at a natural<br />
pace. Tuning in to my surroundings <strong>and</strong> allowing the mind to relax,<br />
whilst pushing myself physically to see if I could survive for a sustained<br />
period of time.<br />
As the years passed, the desire lingered just below the surface,<br />
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