During the 2022 Summer Camp our last one together as a weekly group, the core group went that extra mile and took a trip to the Hebrides together. It took several hours from Fife. 

When we first landed on Vatersay, we thought that was going to be our home, but a few days later, we were asked to spend thirty six hours on the island of Mingulay with only some unprocessed local mutton, bowdrills, and sleeping bags.

It has actually been our goal to do something like this for years – relying only on our wits and the skills we intrepidly build every week and year – but it was not all fun in reality and the rain hardly let up enough to let us cook the mutton on our barely smouldering self lit fire – but we did survive we talked about food a lot while the local puffins went a long way to distracting us, and we certainly valued their company. Mingulay and mutton have become merged in our minds.

Back on Vatersay, as part of our big game near the end of the week, us as the core group and the Saturday group met on the road in the middle of nowhere. It was a moment to remember, such a great surprise for everyone and we are very glad they weren’t near any houses as it was noisy and happy!

We have such fond memories of the trip and a feeling of bittersweet endings and most of us are still finding sand in the corners of bags, and I think most of us have sworn to stay well clear of mutton……..

We look forward to new journeys together and separately and are very grateful for all that has happened over the last few years.