An evening with David Attenborough

From the wild Scottish Highlands to glamourous London

On opening the email, I couldn’t help but gasp. By some miraculous turn of events, I had been invited to premier. In London. With none other than Sir David Attenborough in attendance. What?!

Ok, so some background. As some of you may know, I work part time as a conservationist with the RSPB. I am the species lead for capercaillie, an iconic, but highly vulnerable, Scottish Highland bird. As part of my role, I assisted producers of a brand new BBC nature documentary to get footage of capercaillie, which was no mean feat. In return, I got this invite, which was very unexcepted!

At first, I considered not going. As an introvert, a fancy screening in London felt a bit daunting. However, once I ascertained that I would have at least one colleague with me, and all expenses would be covered, I took a deep breath and said yes.

It was inevitably a long journey. But we were used to that. Nothing is close to the Scottish Highlands.

I actually adore travelling by train. There is something comfortably nostalgic about it. I wrote, read and spent hours just gazing out the window. Watching the landscape of rugged hills and forests melt into a less familiar urban landscape. I could feel the flicker of excitement growing.

I arrived in London wide-eyed but strangely calm. With some (considerable) help from a colleague who had (slightly) more experience with London, we managed to bustle onto the tube, alight at the unexpectedly beautiful Hyde Park, and walk to our rather fancy hotel.

Time was rather against us. Luckily, I had researched food options in advance (vegan habit), as there would be none at the event. I deduced that there was Pizza Express a mere 8 minutes walk away. We power walked there and shuffled slightly guiltily back into the posh hotel with our greasy pizza boxes.

The lift situation concerned me. I’ve never had a good relationship with them. Whenever I want to go up, I am inevitably taken down. We were once trapped in a lift when I was a child. It was made worse that it was a glass lift in a shopping centre. Meaning we were a humorous spectacle for all to see. Clearly, I’m scarred.

It was a relief to finally reach my hotel room. After spending hours amongst people, with more socialising to come, I needed to take a moment to myself.

I also always have a childish excitement of being in a hotel. Its not something I’d experienced much in life. Our childhood holidays were caravans more often than not. Even Travelodge feels like a treat, so this was next level.

My partner often remarks with amusement, yet complete sincerity, over how I get through life. Its always the little things that slip me up. I can navigate through dense forests or talk in front of hundreds of people with ease. Yet figuring out how to operate the lights in the hotel room flummoxed me.

In my hurry to get ready, I ended up using my phone’s torch to have a pee in the pitch black bathroom. Thankfully, my colleague gently communicated that I simply needed to insert my room card in the obvious wall slot to operate the lights. Of course.

Finally we were enroute. The venue was under 10 minutes walk from our hotel and I was rather relieved that we wouldn’t need to battle with public transport again. Of course the walk back was a far different story for someone who hasn’t worn heels for about 3 years….

I don’t really know what I expected. Part of me secretly hoped/dreaded that it would be a spectacular red carpet event, furnished with flashing cameras and glamorous celebs. Although it wasn’t quite like that, it was still a thrill to enter the smart London conference centre, where we were immediately hurried to our seats before the screening began.

Within minutes, my colleague clutched my arm with evident excitement. ‘He’s here’, he staged whispered. Of course, I had no doubt who he meant. David Attenborough was casually entering the room. I admired his lack of fan-fare and let myself revel in this moment of being in the same room with such a national treasure.

We were treated to some incredible footage that evening. The production team picked their favourite snippets, from awe-inspiring orcas to surprisingly ferocious leeches. I immersed myself in nature, feeling my eyes well with pride that this was my home. My Wild Isle.

As the evening wore on, I felt myself begin to tire. The adrenaline of the day had worn off. The drinks reception was lovely, but overwhelmingly loud at times. I allowed myself the escape of visiting the bathroom to reset, so I could continue to enjoy the evening.

As I hobbled back to the hotel, I reflected on what a wild 12 hours it had been. An evening that is so far removed from my quiet Scottish Highland home.

I surprised myself in how much I enjoyed it. I am capable of far more than I give myself credit for. Yet, as the hours rolled by on the train, and the landscape melted into familiar Scottish hills, my heart filled with the thought of home. There really is no better place.

You can watch Wild Isles on iPlayer here. I highly recommend!

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My Favourites

What I’m reading

The bookshop on the shore, Jenny Colgan

Such a cute read. Relatable characters and set in the Highlands!

What I’m watching

Athena Mellor’s recent YouTube videos exploring the Cairngorms

One of my favourite YouTuber’s and loved seeing her explore my local area!

What I’m learning

‘Journaling for beginners: start a writing habit for daily reflection’, Hayden Aube.

A really useful SkillShare class as I’m already noticing the benefit of consistent journaling.

What I’m cooking

Potato and red lentil soup

I super easy and cheap recipe that has become one of my favourite soups!