UK Scotland: Paul Conway, 67, Glenfinnan, 10 Sept 24

[seasideForest]

Paul Conway, 67, from Newcastle, England took train to Glenfinnan, Scotland. Last contact with family by phone at about 18:40 on arrival in Glenfinnan. He was intending to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie in Knoydart - a distance of around 30 miles - but failed to arrive as expected on Friday afternoon.

All information in BBC link below.

Fears grow for Newcastle man who failed to complete Highland trek

Paul Conway, 67, last spoke to his family after he travelled from Newcastle to Glenfinnan by train on Tuesday.

www.bbc.com

 

[truthfinder2019]

Across Knoydart - Glenfinnan to Inverie - Car Free Walks

This two-day walk must rank as one of Scotland's finest. Starting from Glenfinnan, you walk into the southern side of Knoydart peninsular and pass through stunning mountain scenery as you climb in and out of the remote valleys. There are two superb bothies on route for an overnight stay, and...

www.carfreewalks.org

A hard, linear walk (mountain (above 600m)) starting in Highlands, Scotland, about 39.60km (24.61 mi) long, duration: ~14:15h

 

[truthfinder2019]

Some photos and reviews of such trip

Walk Report - Glenfinnan to Inverie (Knoydart)

Been a while since I put up a trip report so I thought I would share a few pics from a trip last month with a few mates. Couple of my pals...

www.walkhighlands.co.uk

Trip Report: Glenfinnan to Inverie

4 friends get lost in the Scottish wild west

medium.com

IMO dangerous to do this alone

 

[truthfinder2019]

Experienced walker reported missing during Lochaber trek

Paul Conway had planned to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie.

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

Mr Conway is described as being around 5ft 10 in height, of stocky build with shaven silver hair.

At the time of his trek, he is believed to have been wearing a green Paracore waterproof jacket with a hood, camouflage green shorts and walking boots.

The search is continuing for a missing walker who had planned to undertake a trail route in the Scottish Highlands.

Search continues for missing walker who planned to do trail route

Paul Conway had planned to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie, but failed to arrive at the end of the route as expected on Friday.

news.stv.tv

 

[dotr]

Appeal to trace missing man Paul Conway - Police Scotland

Officers are appealing for help to trace Paul Conway who is missing in the Highlands.

www.scotland.police.uk

rbbm

'Officers in the Highlands are appealing for help to trace a missing walker.
Paul Conway, 67, travelled from Newcastle to Glenfinnan by train on Tuesday, 10 September, contacting his family upon arrival around 6.40pm. He had planned to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie in Knoydart, but failed to arrive as expected on the afternoon of Friday, 13 September.

Paul is described as being around 5ft 10 in height, of stocky build with shaven silver hair. He is believed to be wearing a green Paracore waterproof jacket with a hood, camouflage green shorts and walking boots. He was carrying a dark bergen-style bag and was in possession of two walking poles.

Sergeant Katy Duncan said: “We are becoming increasingly concerned for Paul’s welfare, and efforts are ongoing to trace him.

“If you think you’ve seen him or have any information on his whereabouts, please get in touch with us.”

Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 2791 of 14 September.''

 

[Lucy6226]

It seems he was well equipped, so presume he is an experienced walker. Hopefully he has just had a minor fall somewhere along the route and they will find him injured but safe.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Appeal to trace missing man Paul Conway - Police Scotland

Officers are appealing for help to trace Paul Conway who is missing in the Highlands.

www.scotland.police.uk

rbbm

'Officers in the Highlands are appealing for help to trace a missing walker.
Paul Conway, 67, travelled from Newcastle to Glenfinnan by train on Tuesday, 10 September, contacting his family upon arrival around 6.40pm. He had planned to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie in Knoydart, but failed to arrive as expected on the afternoon of Friday, 13 September.

Paul is described as being around 5ft 10 in height, of stocky build with shaven silver hair. He is believed to be wearing a green Paracore waterproof jacket with a hood, camouflage green shorts and walking boots. He was carrying a dark bergen-style bag and was in possession of two walking poles.

Sergeant Katy Duncan said: “We are becoming increasingly concerned for Paul’s welfare, and efforts are ongoing to trace him.

“If you think you’ve seen him or have any information on his whereabouts, please get in touch with us.”

Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 2791 of 14 September.''

Has it been stated, for certain, that he had no way to communicate WHILE on the trek.

 

[StillDiggin]

Looks like he made the first bothy at Corryhully bothy Glenfinnan where he signed in but didn’t sign in to the other 2 Bothys on his planned trip.

Son of missing hillwalker who vanished on hiking trip shares desperate plea

Paul Conway, 67 planned to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie in Knoydart, but failed to arrive as expected on the afternoon of Friday, September 13.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

 

[touch]

Looks like he made the first bothy at Corryhully bothy Glenfinnan where he signed in but didn’t sign in to the other 2 Bothys on his planned trip.

It's likely that he didn't reach either of the other bothies on route but it's not definitive evidence. Signing the visitors book in a bothy is optional. There's no bookings that you need to sign in for and nobody checks who has signed it (not in an official capacity anyway).
I'd say most people don't write in the book. I've stayed in bothies many times and never written in the book. Although, if he signed the book at one bothy it seems likely he would sign at the others if he had been there.

 

[Snoopster]

Looks like he made the first bothy at Corryhully bothy Glenfinnan where he signed in but didn’t sign in to the other 2 Bothys on his planned trip.

Son of missing hillwalker who vanished on hiking trip shares desperate plea

Paul Conway, 67 planned to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie in Knoydart, but failed to arrive as expected on the afternoon of Friday, September 13.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Here is a link to a great video by a guy hiking from Glenfinnan to Inverie. He didn't stop as soon as soon as Corryhully Bothy but he points it out. So watching the video after that shows the next section where Paul would have been hiking when he disappeared. In that section you have to cross a river. Is it possible that Paul fell into the river while trying to cross? Any hikers would go down to the nearby river or stream to top up their water. Did he slip or have a heart attack while off-track? The person in the video says he would have no cell service for 3 days. In another video I saw a woman who stayed at Corryhully Bothy said there was no cell service inside, but that she could get some outside. But this stop isn't very far into the route.

In the video see:
- @1:10 for Corryhully Bothy;
- @1:30 and @4:17 for views/discussion of having to cross the river.
- @8:25 he mentions that he just passed A'Chuil Bothy (where Paul was possibly going to stop the second night, but didn't sign-in. Did he make it this far and decided to continue on the Sourlies Bothy?)
- after that it's an uphill climb for a bit through a boggy area and then a descent to Sourlies Bothy, by Loch Nevis. (Paul never signed in here either, so whatever happened to him likely happened between Corryhully Bothy and Sourlies Bothy.)
.

How strong would the water have been flowing on Sept 10 or 11?
I did see this article for a heavy rain warning for Sept 9, but I'm presuming that this torrential rain was further north. Does anyone know what the water levels would have been like where Paul was hiking?

Heavy rain to bring flooding and transport disruption to parts of Scotland

 

[Snoopster]

Paul's son mentioned on social media that:
"This whole route he would have taken was searched Sunday and the search will start again this morning around 9am with multiple teams and helicopter."

Aberdeen Guardian

So if Paul wasn't found along the trail, then he must have stepped off the trail and had a medical incident or an accident. Possibilities include:
- going to fill up water bottle in a nearby river or stream
- crossing a river
- circumventing a boggy area (and possibly getting stuck in a bog)
- going off track for bio needs (although the track is not very traveled so I'm presuming he wouldn't go out of sight off track for this)
- taking a small detour to take a photo or see a beautiful sight (e.g. waterfalls/canyon before Sourlies Bothy?)
- foul play (I think this is immensely unlikely)
- self-harm (possible but unlikely)