Year 12 Students Take on the Hebridean Way to Support Service Projects
Monday 30 March 2025
Two Gordonstoun Year 12 students, Marie H. and Megan S., walked over 100km of the Hebridean Way to raise £5,000 for their Service Projects. Marie will travel to Uganda to work with the Flooglebinder Project and Megan will support conservation and restoration work on the remote Scottish island of Swona.
An extraordinary challenge in support of Year 12 Service Projects
Marie and Megan, two Year 12 students at Gordonstoun, have taken on an extraordinary fundraising challenge in support of their upcoming Service Projects. This year, both students are participating in the Year 12 Service Project, a core part of the Gordonstoun curriculum in which students travel to work on projects focused on community, sustainability and conservation.
Marie will be travelling to Uganda to take part in the Flooglebinder Project, where she will work alongside local communities and learn more about sustainable development, conservation and how community initiatives can help alleviate poverty.
Marie H. said:
“For me, this feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to understand another culture while learning more about sustainability and the impact we have when we travel.”
Megan, meanwhile, will be heading closer to home, but to one of the most remote places in Scotland. She will be travelling to Swona, a small island off the Scottish coast, where she will be helping with the restoration of the island and the preservation of its wildlife and history.Megan S. said:
“Being Scottish, protecting Scotland’s natural environment and heritage really matters to me. This project allows me to contribute to that directly.”
Taking on the challenge
To help fund their projects, Marie and Megan decided to push themselves physically and mentally by walking the Hebridean Way, covering over 100 kilometres across the Outer Hebrides. The challenge took place in March, meaning long days, heavy packs and unpredictable Scottish weather. Despite this, the pair were determined to fund their projects through their own efforts and fully embrace the ethos of the Service Project. Together, they set a fundraising target of £5,000, which they successfully reached thanks to widespread support.
Megan S. said:
“We wanted to take on something genuinely challenging. For us, this represents what the Service Project is really about, pushing ourselves outside our comfort zones and working together.”
Day 1: A Challenging Beginning
After a rainy and windy night spent in bivvy bags, Marie and Megan woke for a 6am start. The day began with sunshine and stunning coastal views across Vatersay and Barra before quickly becoming tougher as they left the road behind and encountered extremely muddy, boggy terrain. As the weather worsened, the pair battled uphills, downhills and countless slips before reaching the ferry at the end of Barra and crossing to Eriskay at 7pm. In total, they completed 25 kilometres.
Marie H. said:
“This was one of our hardest days physically and emotionally.”
Day 2: Long Miles on South Uist
Day two involved a 23‑kilometre hike from Eriskay up the west coast of South Uist, with strong winds and frequent rain showers. Although much of the route followed grassy paths, the long, exposed terrain made it a mentally challenging day. That evening, they pitched their tent overlooking a wild and beautiful beach before heading to bed early in preparation for a 4:30am start, as increasing winds were forecast.
Day 3: Shelter from the Storm
Thanks to their early start, Marie and Megan reached a hostel by 9:45am, narrowly avoiding the arrival of force 7 winds with gusts up to force 9. The route involved muddy cow fields which slowed progress, but reaching shelter brought some welcome comfort. They lit the fireplace, enjoyed a late breakfast, rested, read and planned the next stage of their journey. The lighter day followed extra distance covered earlier and provided a much-needed physical and mental reset.
Day 4: Crossing Islands
Day four was one of the longest and most memorable days, covering 25 kilometres. The morning began with rough moorland, heather and bogs before reaching a proper path by lunchtime. The pair crossed from South Uist to Benbecula via the causeway, pushing through wind and rain before reaching a campsite nestled in sandy dunes by the beach. As the sun returned, they were rewarded with sweeping ocean views and a clear sense of how far they had come.
Megan S. said:
“This was one of our favourite days, we had really got into the rhythm of long‑distance hiking and the campsite was truly stunning.”
Day 5: Ending Strong Against the Odds
On their final day, Marie and Megan crossed Benbecula in heavy rain and occasional hail. Despite tired feet and heavy packs, they reached the causeway to Grimsay. Choosing to cross the mudflats to North Uist rather than take the longer causeway route proved challenging and resulted in very wet boots. Nevertheless, they completed 19 kilometres and pitched their tent feeling proud of what they had achieved. Due to worsening weather forecasts, the pair made the difficult decision to leave a day early and were unable to complete the final stretch across North Uist. Despite this, they reflected that the challenge had already achieved everything they set out to do.
Looking ahead
Marie and Megan successfully reached their £5,000 fundraising target; thank everyone who supported them throughout the challenge.
Marie H. said:
“We wanted to fund this experience through our own effort and show that we were willing to push ourselves.”
Megan S. said:
“This walk really showed us what we’re capable of when we support each other.”
The pair now look ahead to their Service Projects in Uganda and on Swona, taking with them the resilience and determination gained on the Hebridean Way.
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