Hazards

#1 Weather

Hill walkers know they need to have good clothing suitable for rapid changes of weather (usually for the worse) even in summer. Of the three main factors, wet, cold and windy I find “windy” the hardest to deal with. But the answer to these three as always is good preparation, timely information and pacing yourself.

Good clothing layers, used properly, while maintaining your fluids and energy level will deal with most of the conditions likely to be encountered in Scotland. 

Informing yourself in advance of likely adverse weather patterns helps a lot, but this is sometimes not possible in the middle of a longer remote stretch. I’m still dreaming of the day when GPS data signals include summary weather information, but that is a bit of a technical challenge. Perhaps in GPS 2.0. 

Expanding one’s comfort zone by manageable amounts also adds to one’s ability to endure adverse conditions without putting oneself at irresponsible risk. Sharing the risks and pleasures with a friend is desirable but not always possible. Most of my longer walks are solo, while the shorter ones are accompanied.

It would be useful to have a rating for each section showing the degree to which it was sensitive to certain weather conditions.

#2 River crossings

My NZ (Te Araroa 2011-12) experience reminded me forcefully of the care with which river crossings need to be approached. That was probably my top mental challenge on that extraordinary walk.

There were very few challenging river crossings on the SNT, but I’ll immediately qualify this by adding “under the conditions I encountered”. Under more adverse conditions several of the crossings would be either impossible or extremely perilous. And in my view all river crossings should be treated with respect, having first answered the question “Do I really need to do this?”. 

Again, knowing in advance which sections are subject to this particular hazard (and where) would help with planning, and reduce the number of times people make ill-advised decisions. Generally the water goes down pretty much as fast as it rises, and it can rise extremely fast as I noted on more than once occasion.

I was a bit surprised that a group of “Duke of Edinburgh kids” clearly had no river crossing training before setting out. And this was amply demonstrated when one of them dropped a boot (carried loosely in his hand rather than securely tied on or hung around his neck) into the river and it floated off. Luckily for him an alert friend rescued it. Otherwise a long uncomfortable two day hop lay ahead.

Early in the walk a rather unpleasant drunk fellow challenged me as to why anyone would need two poles. Well crossing a fast flowing stream at thigh depth is certainly one reason, and there are many others.

#3 Midges

For some these are a complete deal breaker, and the only solution is to walk at a time of year when they are more or less guaranteed to be absent. They quickly turn what would be an idyllic rest stop into a nightmare. 

I reckon I was lucky to only need my head net about 4 times and that for short periods. Nonetheless I was glad to have it as well as the rarely used repellent spray I had in my armoury.

What is certain is that anyone contemplating doing this with just a tarp fly had better have deep reserves of stoicism. Or be doing it very late in the year. I never had a midge problem in a bothy.

#4 Snakebite

So here’s the reason for my unscheduled visit to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary ("May they be Blessed") that took me off the trail for 18 days. 

On day 21 evening I was bitten by an adder (Vipera Berus) just north of Blair Athol, close to the Geldie burn. 

At first I just felt a slight bee sting on my right inner ankle. I looked down in slight surprise (I had seen no bees) and then spotted the snake slithering away. At that moment I realised that the walk was taking a new turn. 

I am glad to say I remained completely calm and at no point did I ever envisage dying. However I now realise rather more clearly how this could kill a small child or a dog. It is not an experience I would wish on anyone else, interesting though it has proved to be in retrospect.

In brief the sequence of events went like this

• After about 15 minutes (during which time I bathed the leg in the burn) the ankle and foot were already quite swollen.
• Over the next 45 minutes, I had something to eat and managed to walk, with my pack but without much difficulty, about 300m to pitch my tent.
• About 5 minutes later I vomited majestically for the first of many times.
• The first night was pretty unpleasant. No sleep. Burning pains starting in the leg, especially if I raised myself up to any degree above lying down.
• There was a lot of vomiting in a “trying to remove my entire intestines though my mouth” type of way.
• I was shivering violently at times with chattering teeth as if the temperature was about -20C as opposed to +20C.
• During the night I had to get out hurriedly to go to the toilet. The details of this are unpleasant and are best glossed over. I could not move very far.
• However by morning all that was over and I felt fine. Except for the swollen leg. Moving was completely out of the question.
• A kind hiker brought me some water. The 50m to the burn looked like rather a long way.
• A couple of hikers came by and gave me some Hydrocortisone which I took. Not sure how much this helped.
• A second couple came by. They took my details and we agreed a sunset plan whereby I would try and exit and contact the police in Kingussie before six days had passed.
• At this stage I (naively) imagined resting up for a couple of days until the swelling had gone down and then slowly walking out as it became better.
• By the following morning my appetite was back and I could wiggle my toes a bit better but there was no chance of moving that day or even standing up. 
• The leg was starting to turn a bit black in places from minor internal bleeding. I started to take photos of its progress.
• By 11am on the second day Peter, the ranger for the estate, (he had been contacted by the 2nd couple) came out in his Landrover. It was not a hard decision to leave with him to Braemar. A drive of about 30km.
• At the local medical centre I was seen by a doctor who immediately called for an ambulance.
• The ambulance took me to ARI in Aberdeen, where I was admitted and assessed. 
• I was given a drip of antivenin and antibiotics, but only after they had first read “the book”. I was their first snakebite case in a very long time.
• Eight days in hospital with full bed rest and many cups of “lifesaving” tea was enough to get me tentatively onto my feet without burning pain. It had taken two days for me to even reach the bathroom, and another couple of days before I was able to use crutches to get around a bit. All the time with my foot raised as far as I could manage, which made for some unconventional acrobatics in the bathroom.
• Once discharged I stayed with kind friends for another eight days till I felt able to take to the trail with some confidence. Even then brushing my leg with the other foot was quite unpleasant. Paradoxically prodding the leg was not at all painful. Brushing it very lightly with a bed sheet was strangely horrible.
• Two months after the bite a 12 hour flight caused both legs to swell, as it often does. The bitten leg remained quite swollen days after the other leg had gone down. A further two weeks (and some professional Thai massage) later it looks pretty much normal again.

The three things I am most grateful about
#1 This happened in Scotland and not in Australia. I would not be writing this otherwise.
#2 That there is still a functioning NHS system in Britain. The good folks at ARI were truly wonderful.
#3 That it was on my foot and not on my hand. True, that makes it more difficult to walk, but being somewhat “further away” was, I fancy, rather less uncomfortable.

Lessons to take away

• There is one venomous snake in Britain. Its range is extensive. It does bite. The result is nasty.
• If you have the means to contact the outside world and there is a signal then I’d do that sooner rather than later.
• If you can’t contact anyone then keep calm and rest. Hopefully someone will come by. If you have anyone with you send them for help. 
• It may be days before you can really move yourself without considerable pain.
• As always, maintain your fluid intake. "Most situations look better after a cup of tea".
• I didn’t do any bandaging or anything other than soaking the limb in cooling water. The staff at the hospital did not suggest that I should have done anything different.
• Unattended the swelling may come down (or it may not) but the risk of internal infection remains.
• It was very soon impossible to see where I had been bitten, so it would be unwise to assume that the absence of a bite entry wound means nothing nasty got in. Snake venom of whatever type is a pretty potent cocktail. 
• The bite may be dry, or it may not inject much venom. But if it does then you’ll need medical attention if only to ensure no infection and no dangerous blood clots.
• The bite itself was no big deal. The sting of the injections is far worse than the snake bite. “It’ll be a wee bit nippy” the nurse said as she plunged a syringe into my stomach. She was not joking!

Keeping calm is essential
The vomiting phase will finally pass. So will the shivering. And you’ll feel more or less fine afterwards. 

It may have helped that I didn’t actually see that brief but awkward moment when the snake was actually attached to my leg. That is an image I’d rather not have in my head.

What to carry?

• Carrying antivenin is completely impractical for most people. 
• Pain killers were useful. Codeine is quite effective.
• Antibiotics BUT you would need the right sort AND know how to take them. In many places (but no means all) they are quite rightly prescription only.

If anyone can learn anything useful from this experience I'll be glad.

Tread carefully! With attention but without fear.