Celtic Life Magazine Feature on Roaming Scotland
Martin Haworth wants people to walk the road less travelled. The well-seasoned globetrotter initially inherited his wanderlust from his father whom he says was “a very keen hill walker.” Since the age of seven, Haworth has quite literally followed in his father’s footsteps. “Despite 16 years of living and working overseas, I have managed to climb all the Scottish Munros (summits of 3,000 feet and above) of which there are 282 and have made several coast-to-coast long-distance hikes,” shares Haworth. “This is a comprehensive way of exploring so much of the Highlands hidden from the road - an experience that I am keen to provide a taste of to my clients.”
Today, Haworth calls Scotland home. He launched his company, Roaming Scotland, at the start of 2017. His goal was to fill a gap he saw in the market by providing a “conventional road tour” alongside a hiking experience, especially in the lesser-visited areas of the country. “Some places are victims of their own success through promotional campaigns and social media featuring photos of the same usual sites. Visiting these detract from the experience of what some people are seeking. I still take people to Skye, Glen Coe, and Loch Ness, but offer an experience away from the crowds to truly absorb the natural and historical wonders of these places.”
Haworth has decades of hiking experience under his belt and has received Mountain Leader training from Mountain Training U.K. & Ireland. While all-day, multi-summit and week-long hikes are indeed a part of his offerings, he has made sure to allow for multiple levels of experience and fitness. He even has clients complete health and fitness forms beforehand. I want to enable others to experience the solitude and phenomenal beauty of our wild places without needing to be a seasoned, hardcore hiker…” “Many of the tours feature a series of shorter hikes and walks, even giving the option for someone in the group to opt to tour a distillery, or a castle, or to enjoy a coffee, whilst the remainder of the party hike for a couple of hours.”
Whether it’s getting a beautiful view of the Tweed Valley for an afternoon or a fullblown “tour and trek” through the Highlands for five days, Roaming Scotland goes off the beaten path. This can be a bit of a surprise for those unfamiliar with the landscape. “As we are not usually walking the best maintained paths, and are sometimes walking without a trail, mud and bog is a reality that I try to prepare people for. However, if someone hasn’t encountered a bog, it can be underestimated.” The upside? Well, the travellers will see it for themselves. “It is a challenge that is part of the nature of going to lesser explored places, but one which hugely rewards with a feeling of being initiated into a liberating form of exploration to discover nature at its most pristine and majestic.”
In addition to his love of hiking and travelling, Haworth is also passionate about Scottish history. He offers a series of spiritual retreats and pilgrimages, which delve into the region’s pagan past as well as the early days of Celtic Christianity. Different retreats offer different goals. “A Place of Springs,” for instance, is a retreat for rest and restoration on the Scottish west coast. Another testament to Haworth’s love of history is his trilogy of novels, Z-Rod, which takes the reader through an epic tale of 6th Century Scotland. It’s based on real historical events, set during the time when the Picts, the ancient people of Scotland, encountered the arrival of Irish monks. Of course, a taste of this history can also be experienced during his tours. “I am keen to introduce others to the mysteries of stone circles, burial cairns and early Celtic chapels that are often in remote and splendid locations.”
Unless you count Haworth’s dog (Zakaurelius Maximus) as an employee, Roaming Scotland is a “one-man operation.” All year-round, Haworth responds to inquires, assesses client requirements, and even proposes bespoke tours when warranted. That said, he has no plans to expand or grow the business. “My clients like the personal experience of being in a small group of up to eight people, or on a private, bespoke tour.” In addition, running a large tour company would defeat the purpose of his mandate. “Huge carparks and vast lines of people all traipsing to the same natural attraction isn’t a good thing and I don’t want to contribute to the demand on a fragile eco system.” @roamingscotland R