ST201905

I

’mnostrangertosolotravel.It’ssomethingI urge

everyonetodo.WhileI lovethecompanyofothers,

andI woulddescribemyselfasextrovert,I have

learntinrecentyearsthejoyofsolitaryexploring.

Thereisa magicalthingthathappensovertime

spentalone,particularlywhentravelling.Thefirst

fewdaysarea whirlwindasyoubeginthejourney,

excited,discoveringandmoving.Then,asyousettle

intoroutine,youmakespaceforyourfearsandworries

tovisit.Theycansitatthetablewhileyoudrinkwine

andeatshellfishontheAmalfiCoast,orlieonthehot

stonewithyouwhileyouenjoythelickoftheAdriatic

SeainCroatia.I havefoundthereisn’tmuchtodo

otherthantopulloutthechairandletthemjoinyou.

Facingthemratherthannumbingthem,likewedoin

ourday-to-daylives,givesyoua chancetounderstand

andacceptthem.Thisisfollowedbythebestbitof

travellingalone:youcreatea hugeopeningforthenew.

Yousee,hear,smell,tasteanddreambiggerthanyou

rememberyouarecapableof.

Myplanwassimple:acquirea campervananddrive

frommyhomeinBerkshireuptheeastcoastof

England,toEdinburgh.Thenwigglemywaynorth

throughtheCairngormsuptoUllapoolbeforecrossing

totheOuterHebrides,windingsouththroughthe

WesternIslesanddownthewestcoastbefore

finishingintheLakeDistrict.Thetripwouldtake

16 daysandI wouldswimoutdoorseveryday,

seekingotherswimmersthroughsocialmediatojoin

me.I wantedtheexperienceofisolation,discovery,

wonder,and,mostofall,I wantedthewater.

I havebeenswimminginwildandopenwaterfor

overa decade.Whatstartedasa waytochallenge

myself,a mile’sseaswimforcharity,isnowan

addictionandpartofmydailylife.Scotlandisan

outdoorswimmingparadise– I hadbrief lyvisited

before,butit waslargelyunexploredtome.I waseager

tovisitthewhitesandybeachesintheOuterHebrides,

desperatetosinkintotheturquoiseclearwateratthe

FairyPoolsinSkyeandkeentofeelthekelpagainst

myskinontheIsleofMull.

Campingisn’tsomethingI do.Friendsandfamily

knowhowpassionateI amabouta comfybedanda

f lushingtoilet.Choosingtotakea campervanacross

Scotlandwasaboutpushingmyself,facinga fewfears,

a bitofdiscomfort.ThevanI borrowedwasbasic:beds

andelectrichook-up.Afterfourdaysontheroad,as

wellashavingallmyworriesjoinmeinthepassenger

seat,I hitthreedaysofseverestorms,andgenuinefear

kickedin.Newsreporteddeaths,includinga woman

whosecaravanblewoffa cliff,andI waskeptawakeby

thewindswayingthevan.

OneeveningI pulledintoa wildcampingspot

besidethesea,whereanHGVlorrywasalready

parkedup,withcurtainsdrawn.Itwasalmost

midnight,I couldn’tdriveanyfurther.I wasspooked

bythelorry.Whatif thedriverwasa thief?Oreven

a murderer?ThewindblewhardandI desperately

tuggedthesleepingroofbackintothesecureclasps

andchosetosleepbelowbehindthedrivingseat.At

around3amthesoundofrainlashingagainstthevan

wokeme.InandoutofsleepI imaginedanddreamt

ofa stormseaswellf loodingthecarpark,takingme

PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLA FOOTE outintothecoldNorthSea.Inthelightofday, »

ADVENTURE