One of my favourite British films of recent(ish) years is the relatively little known ‘Dog Soldiers’. Set in remote Highlands near Fort William, it is, as the title suggests, probably not a ‘chick flick’. True, it does feature a young woman, but she has a few issues. Especially when there’s a full moon. No, what really makes it for me is its capture of British squaddie humour – unrelenting, sharply observed lines with perfectly timed delivery. Well worth watching before a spot of wild camping. If you have a pen knife. And it’s made of solid silver. It’s against this back-drop that I head south towards Oban, on to the Isle of Arran, and then finally to Troon and a return to Somerset via rail. I had hoped to return via Ireland and South Wales, but the expedition departure date gets ever closer and the additional time this route would involve cannot be justified for the training benefit I’d be likely to get from it. What I do need now is some challenging weather to test out equipment changes I’m made in the last few days in Fort William. I doubt I’ll be disappointed.
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