Actor Sam Heughan has used his love of the outdoors and recent completion of the West Highland Way to publish a book of thoughts about life.
The Outlander star and fitness fanatic says he was inspired by the 96-mile route from Milngavie to Fort William, which he walked last year during a break from filming, to write ‘Waypoints’.
Speaking of his deep fondness for his native Scotland, the 42-year-old said: “The walk gave me time to reflect on my own personal journey and I wrote a book about the experience.”
The multi award-winning actor appeared on The One Show on Friday, sharing moments from a short film of him walking in Scotland.
He explained how the start was hindered by carrying too much gear, but quickly adapted and even managed to scale Ben Nevis along the route, completing the length of the WHW in five days.
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The walk allowed him time to reflect over his life, including his parents’ split when he was a toddler.
“I have few memories of my dad, he left when I was 18 months old,” he explained.
“I didn’t reconnect with him properly until I was an adult. It was an experience of meeting my dad when he was close to dying and it was very personal for me. But the book is quite cathartic, maybe it’s putting some things to rest.”
Seven years ago – around the time of his father’s passing following a battle with leukaemia – Heughan launched an organisation called My Peak Challenge which operates as a training, nutrition, and support programme helping its community members to work towards personal goals, all while raising money for charity.
MPC continues to team up with Leukemia Lymphoma Research, Bear Strength Clothing and Fight Camp Glasgow to raise funds for cancer research.
The 6ft 2ins action man is also president of Blood Cancer UK, for whom he took part in the Great North Run in 2016 before running the EMF Edinburgh and also Stirling marathons to raising nearly £40,000 for Cahonas Scotland after his older brother Cirdan had been diagnosed with testicular cancer.
