“I am emptied of preoccupation, there is nothing between me and the earth and sky”
Introducing the Following Nan Project
In September 2023, 9 mixed-ability women embarked on a micro-expedition into Scotland’s Cairngorm mountains inspired by pioneering Scottish mountaineer and author Nan Shepherd. In her now-famous book, The Living Mountain, Nan writes on her life and experiences in the Cairngorms, sharing her approach to mountaineering which did not place importance on reaching summits, conquering nature, or beating personal bests. It’s an approach we likely call “alternative” today.
The Following Nan micro-expedition was organised by Hannah, Jennifer, and Ruth. It began with a seed of an idea planted in 2022 and bloomed into an endeavour to go against the grain of this conquest-dominated – and historically male-dominated – space, to collectively experiment with a deeper, more intentional, more inclusive style of mountaineering (“slow mountaineering”, perhaps) where the focus is on being present in the moment, noticing and understanding the local wildlife down to the tiniest mosses near our feet, and ultimately not racing to achieve any particular goal.
The micro-expedition
We hiked, ate, slept, and swam in the elements for 4 days, following Nan’s footsteps and using her book as a guide – both for navigation and ways to experience the mountain in the same way that she did. We were quickly humbled by the infamous Cairngorms weather. In 24 hours, on day 2 of 4, we struggled through torrential rain, fog so heavy it was like walking through soup, ice cold conditions, sudden hailstorms, forceful gusts lasting all night, and, in the morning… snow.
As quick as it had come, it was gone. The claustrophobic fog which had surrounded us for almost 18 hours burned away and gave way to the purest and most nourishing sunshine. We stood as a group on the edge of the loch we had camped by, looking over the now-revealed landscape, and it was as if there was nothing between us and the earth and sky.
We took in the detail; what plants and trees we walked by, the animals we saw, and everything we didn’t – wildlife that was hidden to us or now extinct. Two female rangers introduced us on the first day, talking us through the local landscapes and animals, and what’s changed between Nan’s time and now.
Led by the more knowledgeable members of the team we collectively and individually noticed a whole bunch of interesting species, including many types of moss: reindeer moss, red sphagnum moss, bog asphodel, cup lichen, and the list continues. During that formidable second day, after reaching the plateau and enjoying what we could of the freezing Wells of Dee (which wasn’t much), we suddenly see the shape of a ghostly bird, as white as the coming snow, ahead of us… a Ptarmigan? It scuttles away before we can identify it.
Our attempt to experience the whole living mountain had an immediate effect on us; we each developed a much deeper environmental awareness, knowledge, and appreciation for our surroundings – both at the time, and now months on.
What slow mountaineering taught us
On top of gaining a deeper knowledge and understanding of the natural world, the intentional nature of the micro-expedition helped the team realise something important; Nan’s style helped open up the mountains to those of us who would normally have been intimidated by them.
A 2023 survey by Love Her Wild found these were the reasons stopping most women from getting outdoors: lacking confidence, not wanting to do it alone, lacking skills, or having safety concerns. Among those reasons were also financial barriers and concerns about discrimination. 48% of women reported being treated differently in the outdoors because of their gender.
During the expedition recruitment period, the concept of a slower, more gentle group hiking experience with no importance on being fastest, highest, longest, strongest saw more applications from people who normally would not have applied to a group trek.
In the end, the final team was a mish-mash of people. We individually contributed a range of experiences and confidence levels to the group, from Hannah who recently qualified as a mountain leader, to Aisha who has medical conditions and no experience of mountaineering, to Alice whose last comparable trip was her completing her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award.
Slowing down
On our third day, warmed and dried by the sun who had finally blessed us with her presence, on the steep north west side of Braeriach (the third highest mountain in Britain) we bent with straddled legs until we saw our world upside down, as per Nan’s words. We bathed in heather and moss. We took quiet moments alone to reflect and digest. We were humbled to our bones by the rain and wind. As Nicola, a member of our team, put it, “slowing down makes you feel more at home and present in the mountains, whether that’s through noticing the water running down a rock, or down your face.”
On the last night of our expedition, feeling somewhat raw, we slept by a loch. After the fourth stormy night in a row, we woke up to the most sublime sunrise. It was a quiet dawn. Soaking in the pink, purple, red skies, we took a dip in the brisk waters – laughing, screaming, grabbing hands, wobbling, and our two bravest diving in. Barely an hour later, we went our separate ways.
Sad as we were to leave, we were changed.
What’s coming next
The Following Nan Project exists to share and encourage new ways to mountaineer in the spirit of Nan Shepherd. Our first expedition was documented by our two filmmakers Emily Baker and Michelle Sanders, photographed by Ameena Rojee, and recorded by sound artist Alice Boyd.
We’re now working on a short film of the expedition to inspire more women to take to the mountains, releasing Autumn 2024.
Find out more about the expedition, the team, and the upcoming film at @following_nanshepherd.
The Following Nan Project is excited to be partnered with nature-inspired learning agency Explore What Matters and supported by Alpkit, Stay Wild, and a host of wonderful individuals through our GoFundMe.
Words and photography by Ameena Rojee
Meet the team
Jen is the project coordinator without whom none of this would have happened. Queen of logistics, Jen kept us on track and ticking boxes, before, during, and after the expedition. Never has there been someone more committed and motivated to spreading the Nan message.
Hannah was the expedition lead, getting to do the fun part of designing the expedition as well as being in charge of making sure everyone was prepared and safe. If it wasn’t for the enthusiasm of Ruth and Jen who she first shared the idea with at the Royal Geographical Society in 2022, it would still be just that – an idea.
Ecologist and assistant project planner, Ruth exuded enthusiasm in the development and execution of the expedition. Constantly thinking of the team, snack-giver-outer, and always taking care of others, she was a calm presence for many on the mountain.
Co-filmmaker Emily was calm and collected even when freezing cold on the side of a mountain. She made everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera while working wonders behind the camera along with Michelle. Two skillful women who are in the process of creating our final film.
Co-filmmaker Michelle was a key motivator for the project from the beginning. Having met Jen, Ruth, and Hannah at the Royal Geographical Society and hearing the idea, she was keen to be the filmmaker on the project. Her passion for the environmental communication and empowerment of women is tangible.
Sweet-natured and always smiling, Alice was our talented sound recorder and music maker. She recorded a segment on the expedition for the podcast ‘As The Season Turns’ and is creating the music soundtrack for the Following Nan film.
Brand new to the mountains, the expedition was a massive step out of Aisha’s comfort zone. Even in the most challenging moments she was smiling. A strong and invaluable member of our team, whose positivity was contagious.
Writer, photographer, and creative Ameena was a joy to have on the team. Bringing light-heartedness and humour to the expedition even when her copy of ‘The Living Mountain’ ended up as soaked as half her belongings. She is the talent behind many of the photos that we have shared on our Instagram channel.
