Nick Ray: Kayaker inspires hope with journey around Scotland

When sea kayaker Nick Ray set off on a year-long trip around Scotland's coast, he doubted many people would take much notice.

But as he paddled into Tobermory harbour exactly 12 months on, the mental health blogger was cheered home by an army of social media followers.

The adventurer, who also celebrated his 60th birthday on Monday, has explored almost every nook and cranny of Scotland's mainland coastline on his journey.

Along the way he has been offered food, care packages and even accommodation by those who have been inspired by his journey.

"It's incredibly gratifying and heartwarming," Nick told BBC Scotland News. "I feel a little bit embarrassed at times, you know, because I'm just an ordinary bloke in a sea kayak paddling around Scotland."

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Originally from Zimbabwe, Nick has worked as an Outward Bound instructor in Africa and Britain. He moved to Scotland 20 years ago with his wife Karen, ultimately settling on Mull.

Leaving his home on 28 August 2022, the adventurer hoped his journey would help him and others emerge from the "blackness" of mental health struggles.

He had already attracted 25,000 followers touched by both his up-close encounters with wildlife as well as his brutally honest accounts of depression, including an attempt to take his life in May 2019.

The social media following has since soared to more than 110,000, leading to encounters with new friends across the country.

Among the highlights of Nick Ray's journey was a paddle under the Forth Bridge

He travelled back home to Mull from the east coast via the Falkirk Wheel

The last leg of the journey was from the Isle of Eigg to Tobermory.

Among those the adventurer has met along the way was a ship's bosun who helped rescue him after the 2019 suicide attempt.

Another supporter helped nurse the kayaker back to health after he suffered what was initially feared to be a stroke while paddling around Skye.

The condition, which turned out to be Bell's palsy, threatened to end Nick's trip.

But having recovered, Nick looked back on it as one of the journey's many challenges he has been able to overcome.

"Every day there has been a delight," he said. "Even though some days have been tougher than others, there's always been something that really I've enjoyed seeing or experiencing."

Nick enjoyed ideal camping conditions on the banks of Loch Hourne

But he was snowed in at Loch Etive

The trip, which had no fixed itinerary, started with a "fantastic" journey up the west coast, including particularly spectacular paddles around Loch Etive and Loch Hourn.

Next came challenging waters and "incredible" scenery around Loch Torridon in the north-west Highlands and Cape Wrath on the north coast.

Nick then headed south from Wick, Caithness, down to Brora, Sutherland, before moving along the east coast to Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, and down to the Firth of Forth.

The trip continued back to the west coast via the Falkirk Wheel and Glasgow canal, which Nick described as an "oasis of nature and calmness" snaking Scotland's largest city.

Each night the adventurer stopped wherever he felt comfortable, typically spending the night under the stars in his tent.

Social media followers have been able to track Nick's journey online

Nick was welcomed home by friends and family in Tobermory

Nick said the most satisfying part of his adventure was speaking to people across the country about mental health, including the challenging subject of suicide.

"Some people's conversations they've not had before with others because it's too painful or difficult to have, but they felt able to have a conversation with me," he told BBC Scotland News.

"I hadn't expected that I would provide inspiration to others but it seems that I do and that's really, really lovely."

The kayaker said he would continue to share his story online and hoped to set up a charity that will help other people use the great outdoors to improve their mental health.

Nick, who at many stages in his life found it impossible to envisage any path forward, said: "I'm very excited about the future because I feel like I now have a job to do."

He added: "So in a way this journey is not the end, in a way it's the beginning."

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, you can visit BBC Action Line.