Training for the Ramsay Round: 24 Lochaber summits, about 58 miles, inside 24 hours. Every story adds to the log. Her mother would rather she settled down. Her girlfriend Kirsty is a night-shift nurse who doesn't run, won't run, and drives the support car with a flask and opinions.
Shona's stories, in order
STORY 1 · 20 February 2025Housesteads has the Wall. Follow the older letters and the coins.
STORY 2 · 4 March 2025Top 10 waterfalls in Highland with a walk to each one
STORY 3 · 28 April 2025Urquhart Castle is the start. Loch Ness has a tomb, a bridge and six locks beside it.
STORY 4 · 16 May 2025Top 10 waterfalls in Derbyshire Dales, from mill wheels to moorland
STORY 5 · 7 June 2025Top 10 waterfalls in Perth and Kinross, from short loops to Glen Tilt
STORY 6 · 20 June 2025Top 10 waterfalls in Chorley: a Brinscall walk and nine more places
STORY 7 · 6 July 2025Croagh Patrick is a 7 kilometre return walk. The ship waits below.
STORY 8 · 19 August 2025Ten County Durham waterfalls with walks you can follow
STORY 9 · 13 September 2025Slieve League, Silver Strand's 174 steps and the coast beyond
STORY 10 · 20 November 2025Walk above Cheddar Gorge, then follow the limestone to Wells
STORY 11 · 28 January 2026Glencoe is worth the stop. Give the rest of the day to its neighbours.
STORY 12 · 7 April 2026Famine walls to see, old roads to walk
STORY 13 · 14 June 2026Glenevin Waterfall, the castle walk and Five Fingers Strand
STORY 14 · 22 August 2026Waterfalls in Donegal: two days, three falls and the places beside them
STORY 15 · 24 August 2026Seven Irish waterfalls, from the roadside to a hard walk
STORY 16 · 26 August 2026Best walks in Donegal: four stops across Inishowen
STORY 17 · 28 August 2026The best cliff walks in Ireland: seven routes worth the climb
STORY 18 · 4 September 2026Hidden beaches in Ireland: the coast west of Tramore
STORY 19 · 6 September 2026Hidden beaches in Scotland: seven walks from film sand to a burnt broch
STORY 20 · 8 September 2026Best islands to visit in Scotland for first timers: seven walks worth the crossing
STORY 21 · 10 September 2026Valentia Island: cable, lighthouse and a Bray Head climb
STORY 22 · 12 September 2026After Snowdon, give Llanberis a day on foot
STORY 23 · 18 September 2026Six mile markers on the old road to Bath
STORY 24 · 21 September 2026Calderdale waterfalls: a walk to Staups Mill and the Maple Dean puzzle
STORY 25 · 22 September 2026Staffa and Fingal's Cave: one boat, two walks, the families who leftShona's letters to the desk
Eight miles twice, Callum. Read it again. And it was a training log, not a dare.
Kirsty says if I write 'Kirsty drove the support car' one more time without saying she also made the soup, she's stopping the soup. Kirsty made the soup.
Training log: Steel Rigg circuit twice, back to back. 8 miles, 520 metres up, one stile argued with. Ramsay Round is 58 miles and 8,600 metres. So I'm one fifteenth of the way there, if you count generously. Mum asked if I'd met anyone nice. I met Milecastle 39.