A missing hiker has been found alive after spending a week in the wilderness on a trek for a pint at Britain's "most remote pub."
Paul Conway, 67, was found by members of Lochaber Mountain Rescue and other search teams yesterday after several days of searching what they describe as "very remote and challenging ground" in the Scottish Highlands.
"Paul was found and reunited with his family, a little worse for wear but in good spirits," writes the LMR on Facebook.
According to family members who spoke to the BBC, Conway left his home in Newcastle, England on Tuesday, September 10 and traveled by train to Glenfinnan. Conway had planned to make the 30-mile trek onwards to Inverie in Knoydart to visit Britain's most remote pub, The Old Forge, which is so difficult to reach that it offers a free pint to anyone who makes it on foot.
Conway's intended route was likely to take three days and involve overnight stays at several bothies – Scottish mountain huts – but on Friday, family members reported him missing after discovering he had failed to make it to his destination.
Conway was found yesterday in an undisclosed area south of Loch Moray, a considerable distance from the pub which is on the shores of Loch Nevis to the north. Police Scotland say he was taken to hospital out of precaution "given the extensive time spent outdoors" but appeared uninjured.
Owners of the pub took to Facebook themselves to share their delight at the news of Conway's rescue, writing:
"We are over the moon to hear that Paul has been located and reunited with his family. A warm welcome awaits you Paul, we hope to see you in the Forge afore long."
Only a handful of people each year attempt the three-day trek to the Old Forge pub, which was taken over by about 70 members of its local community in 2022. It can be reached by boat but if you're trying to get there on foot it requires the best hiking boots as you'll be tackling a large stretch of wilderness and crossing several Munros.
It was recently featured in a BBC documentary titled The Journey to Scotland's Most Remote Pub, but the 29-minute program skips entire sections of the journey and it's vital to research your route thoroughly before setting off on any wilderness hike.
Carry a topographical map of the area you'll be exploring and a compass and know how to use them, and consider investing in a satellite communicator so that you can signal for help in remote areas where cell service is not always available.
