In May 2022, I came to the Scottish highlands' empty heartland by departing from Glasgow
passed through Rannoch and intended to stay at Corrour. Until the 19th century, Corrour would have been
a wilderness that shepherds occasionally wandered through - in many ways, it is unchanged today. There
are no public roads for 17 miles and the train station is one of the most remote in the UK.
Lonely yet infinite, wind-swept and desolate, this boggy plateau with
green and brown hues reminded me of the barren reality of the solemn wilderness.
I am in Corrour, obviously deep in the Scottish highlands. It's out of this world I suppose, because
this place is quite isolated, in a way that is not accessible by the main road, by car, not accessible by
plane, let alone by boat. So the only way to get here is actually by train. Interesting enough
this Corrour is located close to Rannoch Moor, and behind me is basically Loch Ossian.
So Loch is basically a lake but according to the Scottish people, a lake is basically a Loch. What I find
it fascinating about this place is there is very little to no civilization, because there is only
one Youth hostel behind me that was built in 1800, there is that cafe (Station House) and that's about it.
Do you have soup of the day? Yeah we do, we've definitely got lentil soup.
It's nice to be always on the move and sometimes we are so distracted by many things because
we're always doing something and I find that calm water and just gazing out at nature in deep
thoughts and trying to create space within me is one of the key things that I find to be essential.
In those few days of settling in Corrour, I found myself overflowed with the feeling
of contentment, stillness and a moment of silence. The sense of remoteness was powerful,
almost instantly you felt submerged in its beauty, serenity and melancholy.
I am taking an afternoon stroll along the Loch,
because I think it is such a lovely place to just do a bit of walk or even hike if you
are really into even more challenges, and mountain biking, lots of people do that.
It's so interesting that being surrounded by all of this vastness at the same time
nothingness except pure nature, I feel like it has brought closer people who are staying
at that particular hostel. In the sense that it's so easy to just start the conversation
and you know feel that sense of warmth.
The sense of warmth of conversations exchanged between guests. I suppose that's what I adore,
with the fact that when we are in close proximity with other people and surrounded by remoteness
and isolation, you tend to become closer because it brings you closer and we bounce back each other's
energy, because sometimes we crave that sense of human connections. At times these are
the transactions such as compassion, and kindness. that are missed in bigger cities, busier lives.
Good morning! What a beautiful day to travel 😂 Look at the rain! How glorifying it is
to be wet, but such is the weather here in Scotland or in the UK overall, so you just have to persevere.
So, one tip if you're travelling to Scotland, is to truly wear a sort of like raincoat like this or just
you know waterproof coat. I think I was so lucky with the weather for the past couple of nights.
Although the rain is not practically practically the most efficient weather to roam around, but
there is a charm in being wet like this and how the nature... is insane.
Morning! morning! It's okay.
Do you know that the vastness and the clouds, there's a mystique feeling,
when the rain is pouring down. Or is it just me trying to romanticize everything?!
Well, my train was supposed to be here 20 minutes ago. but due to the rain, it definitely is delayed.
This is day two of my Rail Rover pass or spirit of Scotland travel pass basically.
I don't know if I can actually, make it to my destination.
If I miss the bus and everything, I think something has to be changed.
It is finally here oh my goodness!
Yesterday, we're very strong, we've got speed restrictions today, Davey! Hahaha
Hello, hello!
So we're here stopping over at Tulloch
station and we'll be waiting for actually a train from Fort William towards Glasgow
Queen Street, but because I think there is only one rail and there's this cross-section, we are
waiting for that train to pass until we are departing and continue on our journey.
I suppose this is a perfect time for me to just get out and appreciate different train stations.
I just arrive at Spean Bridge station and
I'll go from here to find the bus station supposedly so it's only a three-minute walk from here to
the bus station. Many train stations here in the highlands do not have an issuing ticket office,
so therefore you'll be expected to pay or purchase your ticket online. I think there is a cafe nearby
so I've got one hour to wait, I think there's enough time for lunch.
What's your soup of the day? Tomato and pepper.
Oh yes, can I please have that, with onion rings!
I was told by the lady at the cafe that the bus was supposed to be here by half one but I think
they mistakenly thought that I was supposed to be going to Inverness, which is not the destination that
I'm going. So actually I was eating so fast, but the bus won't be here until ten past two.
Hello, I have a bag!
I thought you never came, I was just so panicking.
No, it's fine because I thought my God something's not happening.
Quite busy today! I know?! The weather is also bad. Haha yeah!
So I'm going to Uig (Isle of Skye)
But wait, I do have this travel pass. All right! Does it work?
This one? Oh yeah (looking at my travel pass). All right, thank you!
I was heading to Uig, a small village on the west coast of Skye.
Having spent an hour waiting, I was pleased to be on the bus with the warm heating on,
felt cosy and sheltered from the wet, damp and drizzly rain. These last 115 miles journey would
take me four hours until I reached the hostel as my accommodation for the night.
Well I just arrived!
The bus exactly dropped me off in front of the hostel.
Supposedly that where I'll be staying tonight.
I'm not saying that the element of nature is the best today. Now I must continue
must continue, until I get to my hostel.
Well, thank you so much for watching today's episode. I am very glad that I have finally
made it to Isle of Skye, although I'll be only staying here for a night because tomorrow I
am going to the Isle of Harris. Perhaps it doesn't make sense, because what's the point of moving so much
every single day?! But, the challenge for this particular travel series is to use that travel
pass and try to maximize that different public transportations within specific time of frame.
I suppose when you travel using public transportation,
the only thing that you can try to do is to be patient. Because at times like today for example,
there's an element of nature such as today. The rain suddenly delays the train the buses and
you have to be ready for that. In a sense that there's an element of spontaneity
of certain changes that you probably don't expect. It also teaches you how to be present, meaning that
everything else doesn't matter, because your sense of focus was only trying to understand how to get
from point A to point B. Sometimes there is a sense of peace in that because you know that
that's the only thing that's important at the moment. Thank you so much for watching today's
episode, if you can't tell it's quite windy and then wet. If you enjoyed this particular
video, please make sure that you also consider checking out my Patreon account to support my work,
my channel, because without your support definitely this travel series wouldn't have been possible.
Yeah let me know what you think down in the comment section below, I would love to
read every type of comment that you write. I'll see you again in the next video. Thank you bye!