Ask An Expert: Alastair Ewen

Many people enjoy hiking, camping and other outdoors activities as a hobby but very few get to do it as a job. Alastair Ewen is one of those few who has successfully turned his passion into a business. His company, Aspen Outdoors, offers Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, bespoke hiking packages and bushcraft skills courses across Scotland and Northern Europe.

I asked my followers on Instagram to submit questions for Alastair who was very kindly willing to share his expertise with the blog.

What first attracted you to the outdoors?

I grew up in Shetland and have lots of happy memories going walking, visiting beaches, working on my granny's croft and bird watching. I remember, aged 9, visiting the uninhabited island of Mousa with my dad. The memory is so vivid: birds filled the sky, terns and skuas dive bombed us, we had be careful where we walked because there were so many chicks on the ground. We crept up on a seal colony that filled the beach. And then we visited and climbed to the top of Mousa broch, a 2000 year old iron age tower, 13m high. Amazing experiences that have stayed with my my whole life.

As a teenager I started hillwalking, munro bagging, skiing touring, climbing and trekking in places like Scotland, Iceland and Svalbard. This all fed my passion for the outdoors.

Why did you decide to make your hobby into your job?

Around about 18 years old I had a really clear and well formed plan to make the Outdoors my job. This led me to study geography and tourism and as a young man I set up a company running walking holidays in Scotland. Sadly though the business only ran for one season and the demands of adult life and paying the bills led me into a salaried job, first in tourism, then outdoor access and countryside management, then community development and youth work. About 15 years ago, I started working part time as a guide with About Argyll Walking Holidays. I worked hard to gain more outdoor qualifications and experience then in 2016 I set up Aspen Outdoors Ltd, running guided hikes, bushcraft activities and Duke of Edinburgh's Award expeditions. It took me a long time but eventually my dream of making the Outdoors my full time job became a reality.

What do you think draws people to want to take up hiking?

Many people, myself included, approach the outdoors through sport: through hill running, climbing, skiing. As your skills develop these sports reward you with amazing adventures. There's the push, the challenge, to be faster, be lighter, bag more mountains, climb harder routes and ski steeper gullies.

There is, however, another side to the outdoor experience, one that goes beyond the thrills and adventure of sport: a connection to the natural world, a sense of wonder for wild places that gives you huge sense of fulfillment and peace. Trekking in wild and remote areas and taking time to linger, slow down and watch and learn about the natural world are all part of that. Then there is the social side of the outdoors. For me some of my most fun and memorable times in the outdoors have been bothy trips with friends and family: carrying in a bag of coal to a remote bothy on a Friday night, the feeling relief that comes from seeing the silhouette of the bothy in the dark, coaxing the fire into life then good food and chat til late.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to take up hiking and camping but is still a little apprehensive?

Definitely get some help and support from people who are more experienced. There's a lot to learn and a lot of discomfort and risk that can be avoided if you learn from others. So you could go out with friends that are more experienced, join a club, go on a training course or hire a guide. I certainly learnt loads from going out with pals with more experience than me. I also highly recommend courses run by outdoor centres like Glenmore Lodge. My company also runs navigation and bushcraft courses. These provide a great way to develop your skill and confidence.

What’s your favourite meal to have at camp?

Cheese scones, cooked from scratch on an open fire are a favourite. It takes a bit of time and organisation but you can beat the taste, especially with lots of butter.

What items can you not go without when hiking?

Probably a waterproof / windproof jacket, a hat and some sort of outdoor footwear. Those are the things that I'll have with me on every trip to the outdoors.

What is your favourite hiking memory?

A stand out memory for me was the first time I visited Svalbard in August 1991. I was the only client on a trek with a company called Arctic Wilderness Experience. My guide, Robin Buzza, took me to a place called Dicksonland, a remote peninsula in the high Arctic, about 700 miles from the North Pole. Being so far north the sun never set. The weather was still and sunny, the air clarity was fantastic and the vista of mountains and glaciers was amazing. We also trekked with huskies which was pretty cool.

If you could hike anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

That's a hard one. I'd probably say Shetland. I love the coastal landscape, the wildlife, the history, the folklore, the long shadows, the beaches. Its a fantastic place for walking and I go hiking there for three or four weeks every year.

---

If you'd like to read Alastair's blog or explore what Aspen Outdoors has to offer you can check out his website here: https://aspenoutdoors.co.uk/