Adventurer
for days on end in the middle of nowhere with no one but sheep for company.
The truth is, I just love being outdoors.
I’m a civil servant but when my day job is over my passion is for the outdoors and nature.
I didn’t set out to be a solo adventurer.
But I realised that if I wanted to get out and see as much of Scotland as possible, I needed to put on my big girl pants and go it alone.
Don’t get me wrong, I love exploring with my friends – I’ve had some of the best times of my life with groups of fellow adventurers.
My friends have different commitments so I was always waiting for people to confirm plans, and I would miss opportunities or waste days off waiting for others.
But if I want to get in a quick climb after work or a lastminute camping weekend – more often than not, I go solo.
I wasn’t always a fearless brave outdoor explorer, I took baby steps to build up courage.
Of course, you always have a worry in the back of your mind that it’ll go wrong.
A noise outside the tent in the middle of the night can be a bit scary – you know it’s just a sheep or deer but in the dark, when you are alone in the middle of nowhere…
The fear and the nerves are drowned out by the sheer wonder of losing yourself in nature.
Sleeping under a starlit sky or gazing at an incredible view – that is empowering.
My love for the great outdoors began when I was a child growing up on the island of Shetland.
My friends and I used to spend our days by the sea, building dens in abandoned croft houses, or catching the ferry to the northern islands.
The islands were our playground and we loved exploring them.
I started exploring, climbing and camping alone when
I was 33. On my first-ever solo camping trip, I went somewhere familiar in case something went wrong.
I’ve only been solo exploring in Scotland, I’ve not been abroad alone… yet.
But, sometimes, mountaineering in the Munros can be a little tricky.
I had an incident when I was climbing Ballachulish Horseshoe, which is a challenging Munro route, but I set off too late in winter.
I had just enough time to get to the first summit before dark, but after that I was plunged into darkness and I took a wrong turn.
To make matters worse, my shoelaces broke, and I had no spares, so it was a nightmare.
I always carry a spare pair now, just in case…
Truth be told, I’ve always been a firm believer in not letting anything put you off.
I proved that when I took part in a triathlon, in Menorca, back in May 2019, and swam in the sea – despite being petrified of the water since I was a child.
‘I can’t believe I’ve done it,’ I remember thinking, as I crossed the finish line to cheers from the crowd.
I was over the moon, not just because I’d completed the challenge, but because I’d conquered my fear of the sea.
I’ve had this horrendous terror of the water since I was young.
I couldn’t bring myself to go out of my depth or swim alone.
It was only back in 2016, when I was exploring the Isle of Colonsay, off the west coast of Scotland that I became transfixed by a couple paddle-boarding.
‘ Whatever that is, I want to give it a bash,’ I declared.
And I did.
After borrowing a board I was hooked and it helped me to build my confidence in the water.
In 2018, with my newfound confidence, I learnt to swim.
I had four lessons at my local leisure centre.
Then, I know it sounds weird, but I read online about a technique for long-distance swimming and taught myself.
I’m so glad I got over my fear of the water because now one of my favourite pastimes is swimming in the sea.
Believe me, you do get used to it, even if it is a wee bit cold.
When you jump in you get that feel good factor and a rush of endorphins, which can be addictive.
No matter the weather, I never let it put me off exploring, I just adore Scotland.
I may be biased but, to me, there’s never bad Scottish weather – only bad clothing!
Not even lockdown could stop me.
I’ve been keeping active, there’s still some nice green spaces to visit near my home in Glasgow.
I think there’s still a bit of scepticism about females exploring alone, but I say, if you want to see the sights there’s no point sitting scared – get out there and do it.
‘The fear is drowned out by the wonder of nature’
To find out more about Bee’s adventures, visit bumblebambi.com or follow @bumblebambi on Instagram.
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