hiking

Some Journeys Are Meant to Be Lived All at Once

Some journeys aren’t meant to be paused — they’re meant to be rather fully experienced, breathed in, and lived through in one flowing story. Finishing Abbey’s Way brought a strange mix of sadness and exhilaration. Over the course of nearly a year, I walked its winding path across shifting seasons, moods, and mindsets. Unlike other hikes I’ve done, this one felt different. It taught me differently. It offered insights I hadn’t expected, and gently asked for a kind of presence I wasn’t always able to give.

Breaking the walk into stages taught me something important: I don’t want to hike like that again. The momentum got lost, the magic faded between the pauses. There’s something powerful about pouring yourself fully into each step through blisters, storms, and all. But even with the stops and starts, there was a quiet gift in it. Time. Time to adjust to wild camping. Time away from everyday responsibilities. Time to grow confident in the untamed. That, too, was part of the lesson.

The ancient legends whispered from the ruins of the four abbeys and echoed along the trail, wrapping the path in a timeless story I now carry within me. It’s only now, with the final steps behind me, that the full story has come into view. Not just the story of Abbey’s Way, but the unfolding of my own journey too.

There’s a particular kind of magic in this landscape. It is the kind that inspired the first Scottish muse, that once pulled humans into the land of fairies. It’s a land of poets, storytellers, and dreamers. And I felt that magic more deeply with every step. Now, I know that was the true purpose of this walk: to reawaken the artist within me. The part that longs to write, paint, and create again.

Each stage was a chance to tell a story. A story rooted in experience, because only what is truly lived can be fully expressed. It’s just the beginning, but it’s the beginning I’ve been waiting for. Each part of the trail felt different, and each video I created helped me grow. That growth is most visible in the final video, the closing chapter of a journey that changed me.

I’m deeply grateful to the path itself and to the unseen companions, the fairies and forests, who joined me along the way. I hear you now. And I’m ready to let you speak.

July 26, 2025July 26, 2025 by evach1988 Categories: Scottish soul, UncategorizedTags: abbeys way, exploring scotland, hiking, life, long distance hike, long distance hike scotland, long distance hike solo, long distance hike uk, scotland, scottish borders, travel, travelling scotland, visiting scotland, wild camping, wild camping beginner, wild camping solo, wild camping tips, wildcamping scotland Leave a comment

Facing Fear on the West Highland Way: A Journey into the Wild (and Myself)

“Some dreams wait patiently. Others push until you’re ready. The West Highland Way was both.”

‘The Dream That Sat on a Shelf‘

For years, I had romanticized the idea of walking the West Highland Way — a legendary long-distance trail stretching through the Scottish Highlands. During the pandemic, like many others, I started dreaming bigger while stuck indoors. I made a list of long-distance hikes, and at the top sat the West Highland Way. I even planned it out in detail… and then left it sitting on a shelf for two years.

Finally came the time I could make this dream a reality.

From Planning to Panic: When It Got Real

I had a freer week, the courage to commit, and a growing need to reconnect with something raw and real. I started planning seriously: mapping out the trail, calculating daily distances, booking time off work, and reserving campsites. The more tangible the plan became, the more real the challenge felt.

Suddenly, it wasn’t just a romantic idea. I was going to walk over 100 kilometers alone, carrying all my gear on my back. That realization hit hard. What would I pack? Could I handle the weight? Would I be safe on my own?

And there it was — the fear. Quiet, creeping, and relentless.

‘Wild Camping… Or Not Quite Yet‘

I had originally wanted to wild camp along the route. But the more I researched, the more unsure I became. Would I find a safe, discreet spot? Would I feel vulnerable alone in the wild? In the end, I filled even the final “let’s see what happens” night with a pre-booked campsite. I wasn’t ready to fully embrace wild camping — not yet.

Once I was actually on the trail, though, I quickly realized how many of those fears had been unnecessary. Still, facing the exposed landscape and unpredictable Scottish weather was no small thing. At the time, even staying in a tent at a site felt like a huge leap. But I also learned something important: it’s okay to take it step by step. Next time, wild camping will be part of my journey — I know that now.

‘Fear, Gear, and What-Ifs‘

The night before I left was the hardest part of the whole trip. My nerves were very present. Scotland might be my home now, but it’s still a land filled with unfamiliar corners — and I was about to walk through many of them, alone, for days.

I hadn’t pitched my tent before. I hadn’t tested sleeping in it. I had never hiked so far alone. And those questions started running wild:

What if something goes wrong?
What if I meet the wrong person?
What if I can’t handle the weather?
What if I just… can’t do it?

All the conditioning we carry — especially as women moving through the world alone — came rushing up. It wasn’t just fear of the unknown. It was the burden of a lifetime of “what ifs.”

It is not to say one shouldn’t be careful, but I realized something else that night: my mind tends to swing between extremes. I either overthink every single detail, or I leap in with barely a plan. With time, I’ve learned to find a middle ground — to prepare mindfully without letting fear take the wheel.

“I’ve learned that fear doesn’t mean I shouldn’t go — it means the journey matters.”

‘How I Deal with Fear (And Still Go Anyway)‘

So how do we move forward when fear shows up?

I’ve always felt deeply afraid before taking a leap. But I’ve also always jumped. That fear never fully goes away, but I’ve learned to listen to the quieter voice beneath it — the adventurous one, the curious one, the one who still believes in possibilities.

That night before my journey, I chose to listen to her.

Because she deserves to be heard.
Because she’s the part of me — and of all of us — that knows freedom.

And so, I went.

“We all carry fear. But we also carry the part of us that still wants to jump.”

You can find full story and more on my YouTube Channel -> @evainscotland

Connect with me on Instagram -> @evainscotland

May 8, 2025May 8, 2025 by evach1988 Categories: Scottish soulTags: camping, exploring scotland, hiking, hiking Europe, hiking scotland, hiking solo, hiking solo west highland way, hiking UK, how to prepare for west highland way, is west highland way safe, life, long distance hike, long distance hike scotland, Long Distance Hikes, my experience of west highland way, scotland, should I walk west highland way, story of west highland way, travel, travelling scotland, visiting scotland, west highland way, woman solo hiking, writing Leave a comment

Visiting Slovakia after pandemic

It has been few years, it has been a weird time, time we almost don’t remember anymore.

Getting on a plane, leaving isolation we so got used to was not an easy task. It has been first time I haven’t been back in Slovakia for few years and it did feel loong. It felt overwhelming coming back too, emotions I was not ready to have, people I was not ready to see, because everything was too much.

Yet once I crossed the door of my parents house I knew this is going to be a nice time together. And so it was. We made multiple trips to forest to pick up mushrooms, we did some little hikes, we just spent time together and I enjoyed and took in every single moment, walk and memory, because we never know when they are going to be last.

That was surely what pandemic thought me, we just never know and it can happen from one day to another, suddenly. I still cannot travel more often due to finances and life struggle, but at least I am trying to enjoy the times I am there as much I can.

These are memories I want to cherish, simple things, simple moments.

May 26, 2023May 26, 2023 by evach1988 Categories: Slovak soulTags: castle, europe, family trip, hiking, memories, pandemic, picking mushrooms, slovakia, tips slovakia, travel, travelling Leave a comment

Scotland Winter Wonderland

And Winter came…the winter has been very kind to us this winter. It has been the most snow I have experienced here in the past years. It has been only time I have experienced snow here in Christmas time. It is almost as a nature would give us a little present a reward for times spent at home, not travelling, not meeting friends and family or going to life music or other inside winter time events. Snow came unexpectedly and brought a joy to (for many) more and more grey days. I certainly felt a joy of a child when snow came. There were people playing snowball fights on streets in early morning hours, just enjoying the moment, the present. Joy of being allowed to experience cold white snowflakes on the cheeks. Going to snowy hills was certainly a little miracle of this Christmas. Beautiful sunsets and beautiful sunrises. People enjoying themselves in the safe hug of the nature.

Not long ago I was worried how these winter months will be. I promised myself to find something nice about them, because they can be here quite dark, sad and difficult. And this year without possibility to meet much or go visit family they could be even more difficult. But I was wrong. This winter is one of the happiest I have ever had. Very different, yet that makes it special I guess. So many surprising and unexpected beautiful moments and joy in little simple things. Come with me to have a look how the winter in Scotland can look like.

January 20, 2021 by evach1988 Categories: Scottish soulTags: around scotland, artist in scotland, experience of Scotland, exploring scotland, feeling of scotland, hiking, hiking mountains, hiking national park, hiking scotland, how is life in scotland, inspiration scotland, living in scotland, scotland, scottish highlands, scottish nature, snow, snow wonderland, travelling scotland, visiting scotland, walking scotland, white mountains, winter, winter hiking, winter scotland, winter wonderland Leave a comment

Hiking Pentlands Way in Scotland (we didn´t make it)

So we went on a journey of adventure, the journey I had in mind for about a year. Finally, I packed my backpack and we set on to walk ´Pentlands Way´ in Scotland. Not many people walk this path it isn´t even very famous, but everyone in the area knows it and walked at least parts of it if being ever in Pentlands. I do love these hills. Sanctuary from busy and noisy city not far from Edinburgh.

Determined to walk the path despite bad forecast so much in need of nature and break out of Edinburgh after so many months spend here in this year better said only here.

The journey was amazing but wasn´t easy. Nature showed us its very best and nicest the first day yet its worst the second one. I came back home sore from blisters and heavy backpack yet so happy inside smiling energy into the world. We had to cut our journey short because weather conditions were too rough and difficult at the end.

Come with me to walk this path together and maybe you set on your own one day. Maybe we will manage to walk it till the end next time.

October 13, 2020 by evach1988 Categories: UncategorizedTags: hiking, hiking mountains, hiking national park, hiking scotland, hiking trip, scotland, scottish borders, scottish highlands, scottish nature, travelling scotland, woman hiking Leave a comment

Mushroom picking – there is inspiration in simple things

Not long ago I was trying to capture our herbs picking with my family. The same day we went for mushroom picking, which wasn´t that successful :D

Yet it was an amazing day outside in the forests very dear to me. I have seen my first deer running through the path at the early morning here, when all I could hear was stamping noise. I learnt here to recognise which mushrooms are good to eat and which ones are better left behind.

As a child I was aware of beauty surrounding me and felt that nature and forests are these magical places where everything is possible and everything is somehow beautiful. That´s not what always nature is though. It has its way to teach us often difficult and challenging bits about life and what does it mean to be a human as well.

After years coming back felt as a pathway to past memories which rushed through my head as we walked. Again I wanted to capture this old memory and this present moment which possibly could be source of inspiration for finding beauty in simple things for someone else.

I don´t know about you, but I just love walking through any kind of the forest, especially when it is nice and easy to walk around and ground is covered in fresh grass. That was exactly how morning would welcome us fresh dew on the grass and smell of the forest in the air.

As we entered the forest we were lucky to find a mushroom and it gave us hope for a successful day, but unfortunately few more we found and that was all for that day.

It hasn´t disappointed me though, because I again found some inspiration inside in between those trees.

Small things came my way as fallen bird nest, colourful bug trying to get his way or deer running in the distance. It was a time when I have started recording small bits of these beautiful moments and thinking about the way how could I capture the feeling and the memory I got here. I guess it was the beginning of my video editing journey as a way to be creative yet make sense of the experience as well.

Everything is always happening for its reason, so the fact we haven´t found any mushrooms that day had its purpose as well.

That was a special day spent with my parents, remembering times we used to go there when I was a child. Admiring hard work of ants who tried to steal every small bit of our sandwiches which fell on the ground and creating new memories together to hold on for later when we will be apart once again.

People sometimes ask and wander why would I live so far away. Maybe there will come a time I will feel a need to move closer but so far the fact not being close taught all of us to value even more greatly than before our relationship which is certainly valuable lesson having.

I hope and believe there will come a time that I will be allowed spend maybe more time with them but not losing the life here in order to do so.

Come with me then for this little poetic forest walk which can maybe inspire you as well to find your own inspiration in small things life have to offer.

September 12, 2020September 12, 2020 by evach1988 Categories: Slovak soulTags: art inspiration, artistic inspiration, connection with nature, creative, emotions, experience nature, family, family connection, forest walk, hiking, in love with nature, inspiration, inspiration everywhere, inspirational, inspiring process, life lesson, life lessons, memories, mushroom picking, mushrooms, natural cycle, nature, past, poetic journey, walking, walking nature Leave a comment

Exploring Trossachs National Park – Scotland

Last year I made myself a promise that I will explore nature of Scotland much more than I have been doing until now. There have been few years when I just didn´t get much out of Edinburgh for various reasons from luck of money to studies responsibilities or work commitments. Last year was a turning point for me where I realised that nature is the place where I feel the most home. I did few trips either with friends or on my own to highlands, bought some hiking gear and at least few times tried it out.

This year was meant to be year of long distance hikes.

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2020 had a different plan though, first half of the year we were stuck home in our neighbourhoods and when finally, was hiking and wild camping allowed I was coming back to work. So I have started exploring Pentlands close by mountains where I have been so many times since I moved here that they feel as my second home. It is amazing that just half an hour away is whole new world far away from the city.

Pentlands story is for another time though as today I would like to come back in memories when I had a chance to visit Trossachs National Park. Come along with me on the journey…

I was so excited to take my big backpack and just spend few days in Highlands. I didn´t gain enough courage to do wild camping so I thought taking it slowly and just stay in a hostel and do some one day trips around to get to know the area a little because one day I would like to hike 4 days long distance hiking road around here. What I tried was my kitchen equipment if it is actually working and if I am able to get it working.

What I love about solo hiking is that there is an opportunity to take everything in undistracted by other people.

I love nature trips with friends who have a similar way of hiking, but sometimes probably from artistic and inspirational influence I just need to be alone and listen carefully to the silent voice of nature which can get lost in conversations with others.

Very often I am most lucky to get inspiration keep it inside and be able to take it out later when I hike and observe nature on my own. I guess these are two polarities which need to be balanced. Experience nature with others on outside level and then experience it alone on inside level. For me at least one doesn´t go without the other.

Trossachs welcomed me greatly.

It was nice and sunny most of days just when I was leaving and had no more hikes planed it started raining. There is something special about this area.

Mystical forests and plain bold mountains creates just the right contrast.

I love the feeling entering mountains where all you see are mountains for kilometres and kilometres in distance. It makes me feel free and all I would love to do is just run and never stop. Sometimes it almost feels as the body is a limit which gets tired, cold and hungry but deep inside there is this free spirit which longs for freedom of the mountains.

I was stunned by the beauty around here. Not only the village Callendar where I was staying was the most beautiful tiny village with river crossing through and mountains on its backdoor but the whole area resembled something very special.

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As I walked through the forests nature showed me beautiful places and moments where light just played with the colours of trees and I happened to be in the right moment in the right place to enjoy it.

Few seconds later the moment passed and I stood there grateful for being showed such a beauty.

I guess that´s where is the believe in forest creatures who protect and guard the land is coming from, because this kind of moments and encounters are way too special to be merely coincidence. And I do love keeping this child like part full of imagination present inside of me.

Trossachs and Callander are on my future bucket list once again because this time I got a tiny glimpse of the beauty of this Mountain range. On the way back I have visited Doune Castle which is very special place as well. Maybe you got to know it from Outlander series or Monty Python and Holy Grale. Castle was under reconstruction so I didn´t get to see it in its full beauty yet still the magnificence of the place and secretes hidden in the castle walls were still present.

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I loved creating the collage once I got back home where I used my sketches from the trip and kept the feeling these mountains gave me forever – to see how it worked out watch the video above.

Have you ever visited Trossachs National Park in Scotland or would you like to? What was your experience? Is nature your inspiration as well?

August 30, 2020August 30, 2020 by evach1988 Categories: Artistic Soul, Scottish soulTags: castle, doune castle, experience of Scotland, exploring scotland, hiking, hiking mountains, hiking national park, hiking scotland, hiking trip, living in scotland, mountains, national park, new experience, scotland, scottish highlands, scottish nature, scottish town, solo hiking, solo woman hiking, travel, travel journal, travelling, travelling scotland, trip, trossachs, visiting scotland, walking, walking scotland, woman hiking 2 Comments

Fairy Hunt

When I moved here what I was most taken by were stories about mythical creatures and fairies srill fairly lalive among the people. They are very proud for this heritage which I find fascinating and somewhat similar to my own culture where many fairy tales about mythical creatures still live among the people. Maybe not in such extend as here yet I remember stories to be told as a child or attending events and festivities closely connected with old traditions.

With all this mythical knowledge once you see the beautiful nature here or wherever else there you can let your imagination go and meet fairy behind the trees.

I have few stories of my own while frowing up. There used to be a tree close to my parent’s field. I spent hours talking to it and back then I believed it is talking back to me. Sounds crazy right? Yet I don´t think it was that crazy at all, because as much I learnt there are different parts of our personalities and probably this one was one of them projected by my ´child me´ into a tree. I gave her even a name – Agatha. It certainly was my good wise fairy always providing comfort and good advice.

My mum taught me hug trees when I was little, because they carry beautiful energy from the source. Every time we would go to the forest she would hug trees I would follow until I entered ´cool´ age and found that to be somewhat crazy. I am realizing just now how much these small rituals meant and how they created my strong connection to life, nature and everything alive.

Walking through a beautiful forest thinking that there are tiny creatures protecting its beauty gives me joy and reassurance that not all is lost yet that nature will always find a way. Little painting I did here inspired by nature was very free flow illustration of possible worries and yet freedom of the fairies. It´s more of a study then final piece yet I enjoyed every second of the painting. Come with me for a little fairy hunt today.

Do you have any fairy stories of your own? I would be happy to hear :)

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020 by evach1988 Categories: Scottish soulTags: art, art inspiration, artists, creativity, fairytales, folklore, forest, hike, hiking, hiking mountains, hiking scotland, hiking trip, illustration, imagination, inspiration, life, meaning, motivation, mountains, nature, painting, purpose, scotland, scottish folklore, scottish traditions, thoughts, traditions, travel, trip, understanding, watercolour Leave a comment

Hidden inspiration of scottish borders

Do you know that feeling that you are somewhere and you think that you know it there and yet still something can truly surprise you?

That´s why I love Scotland. It is beautiful green country where nature shows itself in its fullest. Every time I go somewhere I am stunned by its beauty. Always I found hidden treaures of this country and little suprises which inspire my soul.

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November 5, 2019November 6, 2019 by evach1988 Categories: Scottish soulTags: art, artist in scotland, artists, creative, exploring scotland, hiking, hiking scotland, home, inspiration, journal, life, living in scotland, nature, purpose, scotland, scottish borders, scottish highlands, scottish nature, travel, travelling, travelling scotland, visiting scotland, walking scotland Leave a comment

Hiking skottish highlands with 20kg backpack. Is it possible?

Breath taking mountains wilderness and nothing just nature around is why I love hiking. It can be overwhelming sometimes but same time it´s one of those things which make you realise you´re alive.

Once you look from top of the mountain around feeling almost as a part of clouds and heaven. Do you know that feeling? Not just slight rush through your body and stomach, proudness of what you have just managed to climb but as well that feeling of freedom, being part of something much bigger which seems to be almost reachable on the top of the mountain or you can almost smell it in the air surrounding the mountain lake.

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