In my blog series “Travel & Draw” I’m writing about some trips I did accompanied by some of my drawings.
In October 2024 I visited with my roommate, Monika, and another friend, Samy, the Highlands of Scotlands and afterwards Glasgow & Edinburgh. In advance: I didn’t manage to draw a lot on this journey but still the surroundings and the lively memory of it inspires me often.
It was a journey full of nature, hiking, experiencing fears, strengths and a lot of exploring!
Our first AirBnB was set in the quiet but beautiful village of Ballachulish. It was our starting point for some small hikes, like the Glencoe Lochan Trail, the Brecklet Trail or to the coast of Ballachulish and collecting some wild berries.
On one day we tried to hike the way to Knlochleven but got lost on a street without a walking path. At my request we stopped our hiking along this street and got stranded at a camping site where a very kind, old lady was confused that we came to her camping site by foot since there was no official way to walk on. After walking around here for some time we met a deer at the camping site. A very special meeting – to me he looked like us: Not reeeaally meant to be on this camping site.
But we still went to Kinlochleven by bus at one day. And for me it was the most beautiful hike on this journey. The colors of the trees, mountains, the lake and sky were beautiful and we also stopped so that Monika and me could draw and paint.
Our biggest hike went upon the Ben Nevis with 1.345 m – the highest mountain of Scotland. It was a nice, exhausting hike over a time of 9 hours with sun, snowing, raining and lots of breaks! But the views were all worth it. At the very top it was freezing but it looked like a different world with the iced surroundings and the fog.
We really needed the breaks to recharge so I didn’t manage to draw a lot, only very quick water color sketches.
We also met kind people along the way: a kind old couple from Ohio, taking pictures from us for us at the top of the Cow Hill (another nice hike!). Or a pair of friends were hiking also the path upon the Ben Nevis – but in T-Shirts! It was freezing but one of them said he was from U.S. and the winters in Berlin are worse than that cold upon the Ben Nevis. We drove busses with school children that were totally used to the beauty of the scenery, talking about getting so scared by a spider in their bedroom that they were nearly late for school. We met an old lady in Kinlochleven from the Netherlands but living there in the Highlands for over 20 years and she told us how Kinlochleven had a big haven and trading industry which vanished over the years.
After the Highlands we had some more relaxing sightseeing days in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Visiting museums, the castle of Edinburgh, cafés, shops and buying souvenirs, books or secondhand clothes.
There were also very many more great places and moments – the cozy times, sitting together at home, eating, watching series in the evening, laughing. Taking a break at a playground, discovering grocery stores and their offers and much more. It was a great and fun journey!
Jasmin Bölter 