Scottish rural affairs: Hanging out with an ex-prisoner, stung by wasps and Matt Damon

The Scotsman’s Rural Affairs correspondent, Katharine Hay, has undertaken an epic walk around Scotland, meeting people, and listening to what really matters in rural communities.

You can follow along with her incredible journey “Hay’s Way” by signing up to her free newsletter right here.

Here’s a taster of what you can expect.

Just before setting off on this walk, I remember sitting in my local pub in Edinburgh, which has since closed, chatting to a civil servant who works for the Scottish Government. I was telling him about what I was about to embark on and he was worried I'd get bored.

'You're going to arrive in these rural villages and there will be tumbleweed blowing across the road', he said to me.

The last couple of weeks have, like most weeks on this walk, highlighted how that simply hasn't been the case.

NW

A conversation over a pint with a former inmate who had stabbed people

After leaving Aberlour, where I had arrived on Hay's Way before being interrupted by various events and talks in the Central Belt last month, I popped into the Highlander Inn in Craigellachie for a drink. It's a great pub with plenty of whiskies and lovely staff. It's probably my favourite pub on the Speyside scene. Not long after I sat down, two men walked in talking loudly among themselves. The bar space is narrow, so I moved my rucksack out the way to give them a bit more room to walk in.

'Don't worry, we won't steal it', the shorter, more stocky of the pair said. They both had strong Glaswegian accents and the other man was sunburnt on his face. I assumed they were likely contractors up here on a job. The small number of hotels I've stayed in Scotland in rural areas seem to mostly have contractors in.

After they settled at the bar with their drinks, they asked me what I was doing with such a big bag. So, I told them. The shorter of the pair, Daryl, then told me about how he marched across 13 mountains in Scotland in one day. Reacting to the bewildered look on my face, he stressed: 'Aye, seriously, them big hills, what do you call them?' To which I replied: 'Munros?' 'Aye, munros', he said.

I've only really heard of someone walking maybe up to ten in one day. But 13?

Daryl then told me the day trip was made when he was allowed out for a bit while he was an inmate at a prison in Angus. He said when he was let out for the day, he 'just kept walking.' I told him I was a bit naïve when it came to prison life and didn't realise prisoners could go out for long walks in the countryside when doing their time.

Daryl explained he was in an 'open prison', designed to help prisoners reintegrate into society by allowing them to take part in activities or have a few days out when they had completed a large chunk of their sentence.

'I've spent about a decade of my life in prison, on and off,' he said.

I finished my half pint that I'd been nursing through this entire encounter, picked up my bag and waved goodbye to the bar staff and my new acquaintances before heading on my way towards Fochabers, which would be the next obvious town for me to stop off at on the Speyside Way heading north east.

I didn't make it very far that day. By the time late afternoon set in, the air around me felt like a pressure cooker and I knew the heavens were going to open. Wide. Reaching Boat o' Brigg, where a railway bridge crosses the Spey, I saw a caravan of tents over a nearby wall. Having not seen any campers in a while, I headed over to say hello.

A man was speaking on the phone in a language I couldn't quite make out. It turned out he couldn't speak very good English. A very smiley man in the tent next to him popped his head out shouting 'join us!' He said the landowner had asked if they were going to camp in the area then to stick to this spot.

'Not allowed to camp elsewhere on estate', the man said, mimicking the landowner, but still maintaining a huge smile on his face. I finally found out the group of four friends were from the Czech Republic and walking some of the Speyside Way together, but in the opposite direction to me.

We chatted a bit before the rain finally came down after a muggy few days, so it was an early night in the tent.

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Wasps out to get me

The next day, the group packed up and set off as I was still making my early morning coffee.

Weirdly, within about 20 minutes of the group leaving, another four Czech men turned up, set up their camping chairs and started smoking and making coffee. It must have been their morning break. Just before leaving the camping spot, I went to put my rubbish in a nearby wheelie bin.

As I lifted the lid, I saw a wasp nest attached to it on the inside. Before I could shut it again a swarm targeted me and I was stung in three places.

Limping back to pick up my bag, I warned the four burly men dressed in what looked like some sort of army gear about the wasps and they just returned blank looks.

As I walked away, I did wonder if the landlord deliberately left the wasp nest there to scare away dirty campers.

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Fochabers

Fochabers had a nice feel to it. I know it's likely something you would find in most villages or towns, but it was particularly noticeable the number of friendly elderly women out with their friendly dogs. The café where I sat to do some writing for most of the day - Greenacres Coffee Shop - also had a shrine of photos of dogs dedicated to a much-loved pooch.

The local museum is impressive and it's where I learnt about the Women's Land Army Memorial at Clochan, just outside the town. The sculpture pays tribute to all those who served in the Land Army during the world wars. Women as young as 17 signed up for the duration of the wars and took on all forms of farming and food production.

As usual, I feel like I am rambling on a bit so I will stop there. I just wanted to make up for not sending a newsletter last week. I paused my route last Friday to travel down to Perth for the annual Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace.

I was asked to give a talk what I've picked up on Hay's Way when it comes to conflict between communities and certain tree planting initiatives going on in rural parts of Scotland. The talk will be available on a podcast I believe. I can follow up with a link when that's ready in my next newsletter in case you wish to listen.

Matt Damon

If me potentially being on a podcast wasn't enough celebrity news for you then you're in luck.

Matt Damon is in Buckie. There's more to it, but I just like that sentence on its own.

The Hollywood star of Good Will Hunting and The Martian is being filmed for Christopher Nolan's adaptation of ancient Greek epic The Odyssey. And they are filming off the coast of Moray. The new film has a serious line up of A-listers, including Anne Hathaway, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. The historical epic is Nolan’s first film since Oppenheimer.

Mr Damon has been staying at the Seafield Arms in Cullen where he apparently complimented the cuisine, calling it 'the best in the world.' The best in the world! Go Cullen. And just last week, director Christopher Nolan was spotted watching F1: The Movie at Moray Playhouse in Elgin.

I haven't reached Cullen yet but, after speaking to some residents in Buckie, I gather the grand ship being used for the film is sometimes berthed in Buckie harbour. I'll be hanging around this area for a bit so I will be sure to report if I get a glimpse of the star-studded cast in what should now be called 'Moraywood.'

Rural affairs news this week

In terms of rural affairs news, there's little to share this week due to taking some annual leave but also, not long after the game fair, I had to have some dental surgery, so I have been a bit stationary while healing from that. I am taking the rest of the weekend to fully heal before carrying on the walk from the Buckie area. I bet this glorious sunshine we're experiencing at the moment will turn into heavy rainfall by then.

Here are some stories I wrote over the last week:

Life on the Spey

I wrote a piece about award-winning photographer Ed Smith setting off on a year-long project documenting life on the River Spey. His adventure starts with a 10-day canoe trip down the river that runs through Moray. You can read about the story here.

Gaelic

Work is to start on a new Gaelic centre on Skye. It is hoped the development will not only help preserve the language but also encourage young people to stay on the island. You can read more about that here.

Island for sale

One of Scotland's last 'untouched' private islands has gone up for sale. A previous owner of the island reportedly lived in a cave on the islet. You can read more about that here.

Ticks

A woman has shared her story of losing two dogs to an 'under the radar' tick disease in Scotland, which you can read about here.

You can follow along with her incredible journey “Hay’s Way” by signing up to her free newsletter right here.