Exploration in genes for Scott descendant

There’s a glint in the eye of Falcon Scott when he talks about his family’s love of exploration. It must be in the genes because this redoubtable fellow – who lives for most of the year in Lochgilphead in the Scottish Highlands – is the grandson of Captain Robert Falcon Scott, whose mission to reach the South Pole in 1912 has become one of the most compelling chapters of triumph and tragedy colliding in the whole of British history.

The Terra Nova expedition was ultimately doomed in temperatures of –40C after he and his colleagues had been beaten in their race to the pole by Roald Amundsen.

But the resilience of these men was remarkable as they accepted their fate – Captain Lawrence Oates walked into a blizzard with the words “I am just going outside and may be some time” – and perished.

The young Falcon Scott grew up hearing tales of his grandfather’s expeditions, initially on board the famous vessel Discovery – launched into the Firth of Tay on March 21 1901 – which is now one of the most striking features on the Dundee waterfront.

And he also derived inspiration from his father Sir Peter Scott – the ornithologist, conservationist, painter and sportsman who helped found the World Wide Fund for Nature, won a bronze medal in sailing at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, was sent ashore during the evacuation of wounded members of the 51st Highland Division at St Valery-en-caux in 1940, was involved with the Loch Ness Phenomena

Investigation Bureau and opened Aberdeen Zoo in 1966 during his packed life.

There has been no shortage of excitement and enterprise from his son, who moved to Argyll in 1999 and established a trio of lodges for tourists.

He said: “Discovery and Terra Nova were finished by the spring of 2000 and Morning in the spring of 2001.

“It was actually other people who suggested calling them after the ships associated with my grandfather.

“My grandfather, my father, myself and my children all share a love for exploring new places. We also share an ambition to have high standards in whatever enterprises we might be involved.”

It is a philosophy which has taken him all round the world.

When Falcon visited the Terra Nova Expedition Hut at Cape Evans in the Ross Sea back in 2012 and found some of his grandfather’s possessions – literally frozen in time – it was a poignant occasion.

He admitted he shed tears, adding: “It was an emotional experience, far more than I thought.

“I knew very little about my grandfather growing up. My father said very little about him, but I do remember my mother reading me the Ladybird book Captain Scott.

“I grew up knowing the story – not in huge amounts of detail, but it was always there.”

It is obvious that his trek to the hut nine years ago will stay with him forever.

But he is still enthralled by Scotland and feels inspired when he ventures to the north-east.

As he added: “I have always taken a great pride in the Discovery being based in Dundee.

“We hope that, with the new V&A museum having opened recently, that this will help even more people come to see the Discovery.”

The desire to savour new challenges has led to the Scotts being involved in everything from art to zoology, and working with everybody from Sir David Attenborough to leading military figures, with Sir Peter an accomplished writer, painter and campaigner despite losing his father aged just two.

Falcon Scott has made his own way in the world, and even in his mid-60s he isn’t interested in settling down to any kind of sedentary existence.

He is in love with his adopted country – a Scott in his element in Scotland.

LOVE: Falcon Scott is still enthralled by Scotland and feels inspired when he ventures to the north-east of the country. Picture by Steve Brown.