01/03/2025
I grew up and still live in Scotland and have always felt a strong connection to the place. When I spend time in the mountains and glens of the highlands or sail the seas of the Hebrides, I truly feel a sense of home and belonging that I haven’t found anywhere else on Earth.
I was born to a Scottish mum and an English dad. My dad was a practicing Jew with Eastern European lineage, and after doing some further investigation into my mum’s side of the family, it turns out we’re a mix of Scottish, English and Irish … so, by blood at least, I am not very Scottish at all.
And I have discovered in recent years that even this land I feel so deeply rooted to has its own clash of cultures. Much of the Western Isles, including Skye, the Outer Hebrides and St. Kilda were inhabited by Vikings, and so the names of these places have inherited some of that influence. The isle of Soay on St. Kilda, for example, is named after the Norse word for “sheep,” because these islands would have been where they kept sheep for food (which is also why there are many “isles of Soay” in Scotland Even the language we attribute to Scottish heritage, Gaelic, was in fact introduced by Irish settlers.
All this has taught me that Scotland’s identity isn’t defined by a single story or lineage, but by the rich interwoven tapestry of its history. For me, feeling Scottish isn’t about bloodlines or ancestry—it’s about the connection I have to the landscapes, the culture and the history that has shaped this place and its people. Whether I’m climbing its crags, sailing its seas or simply walking its ancient trails, Scotland will always be the place that feels most like home.
Words: Robbie Phillips
Photos: Ryan Balharry
Part 5/6. Stay tuned for the rest of Robbie’s new routing story on St. Kilda and check out his feature-length film about the trip at https://pat.ag/F/StKilda