Five years ago, Fife local Ross Cunningham could barely get out of bed, but two weeks ago he completed a five-year journey to climb all 282 of Scotland’s highest mountains.
Cunningham, 36, said he had fallen into a deep depression at the start of his thirties, and he was both stuck in his house and stuck inside his own mind. For the first time in his life, he was in a dark depression he couldn’t shake.
“During that time of my life, I was spending a lot of time in bed. My mind was continuously working, and my anxiety was high. I couldn’t sleep and when I did sometimes I would wake up in a cold sweat. I felt so disconnected from everything,” said Cunningham.
“I had never gone through depression before and I’m so thankful that I’ve not gone through it since, but for a few months I didn’t want to be here.” His life changed when a friend took him hillwalking for the first time.
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“I didn’t really have a moment of inspiration as such. At first, I was just walking. When I look back at my first couple Munros, I actually can’t remember much. It was all a bit of a blur at the time because my mind was in such a dark place,” he recalled.
“I did my first Munro, and the following weekend I decided to go back and do another hill. And then every weekend I was going to do another one. Hillwalking was something I had never done before in my life, but eventually I started to notice I was feeling better physically and mentally and it was something I just kept doing.”
The Munros are a collection of Scotland’s 282 mountains over 3,000 feet in height, and two weeks ago Cunningham climbed the last mountain on his list.
He stood beneath Mòruisg with his family and friends who had gathered to either join him on the final trek or to cheer him on from the parking lot. He laced his hiking boots as he had 281 times before and carried his beloved dog up to the top with him alongside his elderly father and many others.
“It was an amazing day and I don’t totally know what to feel now. When I look back, I’ve made the most amazing friends and memories from hillwalking in the last five years, and I’ve seen more amazing things than I could have ever imagined,” said Cunningham.
“Sometimes I look back and wonder where I would be without hill walking. I’m so grateful that it came into my life. It’s changed me in so many ways. I’ve learned so much about Scotland, and I’ve learned so much about myself.”
Cunningham emphasised that hillwalking isn’t a 'silver bullet' for improving mental health but he believes it can play a key role for some people in getting there. At his lowest moment, he said the mountains and act of walking helped put his life into perspective.
“Five years ago, I was in a place where I couldn’t focus on anything and life felt overwhelming. But when I stood at the bottom of a mountain and looked up, it was a simple objective,” he explained.
“The goal is to get to the top and get back down. It’s an easy goal to focus on, and when you’re at the top there’s a big sense of achievement. At the top, there’s beautiful landscape all around, and you realise how small you are. Whatever is bothering you feels so much smaller at the top of the mountain and it puts things into perspective.”
Some of his fondest memories of hillwalking are with his West Highland Terrier Dex. Dex has climbed 64 of the Munros with Cunningham, but he has been semi-retired from treks for the past couple of years due to age. However, it was a special moment for Cunningham to share his last Munro with Dex.
Another moment that stands out for Cunningham is the Inaccessible Pinnacle on the Isle of Skye. The Pinnacle is the most challenging and technical climb on the list because it involves rock climbing and can only be done with a guide.
When Cunningham first set out on his Munro journey he was convinced he would have to skip the Pinnacle because of his fear of heights.
“When I originally learned about the Inaccessible Pinnacle, I was disappointed because I thought I would never be able to do it. I’m not a rock climber, I just walk up hills. However, I decided to go for it.
“I was terrified the entire time, but it was the most amazing feeling at the end. It’s always nice to prove others wrong, but proving myself wrong was the best feeling in the world,” he said.
Not only is the journey itself cathartic, but for Cunningham, the trails also offer an important space for talking about his feelings.
“When you walk with other people, I think it’s natural to open up and talk about the things really going on in your life. I found it easier to discuss things while I was walking and in nature. It’s hard for people, especially men, to open up about things, but I was lucky enough to have friends and family I trust that came out hillwalking with me and talk things through,” he said.
As he reflects on his personal experiences, Cunningham said he wants to inspire others to try hillwalking and to open up to people about how they’re feeling.
“Speaking to anyone who might be struggling at the moment, help is available and it does get better. No one should be ashamed to make their life better by speaking about their feelings and getting support. I want people to know how important it is to speak about your feelings with friends and family - especially for men. ”
Cunningham operates a blog called Mountains Mend Minds where he has previously discussed hillwalking and mental health topics.
Other resources for mental health can be found at Samaritan’s Edinburgh and Lothian branch or at NHS Lothian’s Mental Health Services portal.
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