“These paths are icy and dangerous.”
As I was reading this baffling National Trust sign by the tame, flat, well-compacted paths of Culloden Moor, three climbers had fallen foul of the truly dangerous avalanche conditions in Glencoe.
Later, still ignorant of Saturday’s tragedy, I was embroiled in animated conversation at a Burns Supper for the Highland Hospice in Inverness about the present parlous state of adventure-seeking amongst most Scots.
‘I tried to get my son to come walking in the North-west Highlands and stay out overnight but he refused to stay in a bothy in the middle of nowhere without knowing who else would be in there. I said the uncertainty would be part of the fun – and I’d never had a situation I couldn’t deal with, but he point-blank refused to come.’
Despairing of the risk averse culture all around – school picnics cancelled in case of ecoli from cow pats, a Disasters Emergency Appeal for Gaza cancelled in case the BBC might look partisan, -- I recollected an incident at a B&B on Harris some years ago where two seven year-old girls were desperate to get onto the fabulous Scarista beach. “Why can’t you just go without the grown-ups?” I asked.
“They’re not allowed on the beach by themselves” the father replied.
“But what could possibly happen? And what were you doing aged seven – I’ll bet you were sailing boats!”
There were embarrassed smiles all round.
“Sailing at five, actually.” Read more - click here.
Comments