X-Scotia 2026: Racing Against the Scottish Skies — A Pilot’s Race Report
# X-Scotia 2026: Racing Against the Scottish Skies
*What happens when you combine the UK’s most dramatic mountain terrain, a field of determined hike-and-fly pilots, and the notoriously unpredictable Highlands weather? You get X-Scotia 2026 — one of the most intense editions in recent memory.*
If you’ve never flown in Scotland, here’s what you need to understand: the weather doesn’t do what you expect. Ever. And if you think you can predict Glencoe in early May, you’re either lying to yourself or you’ve never been.
This year’s X-Scotia — held over the first weekend of May in the West Highlands — proved exactly that. The build-up was a masterclass in atmospheric chaos, and the organising team, packed with local veterans like Neil Rollings, Andy Howson, Kieran Campbell and Andy Fowlie, had their hands full.
## The Course: Five Turnpoints, 750m of Climbing
The team set a five-turnpoint course, designed with one eye on the forecast: showers and overdevelopment were expected, so the route was kept manageable. Starting from the Glencoe Mountain Resort, pilots would hike up 750m through the ski area to reach Meall a Buiridh at 1,108m — the first turnpoint. From there, it was on to Bridge of Orchy, Dalmally, the Black Mount and Lairigmore before the final push back to the resort.
Not a course for the faint-hearted. But then again, neither is Glencoe.
## The Conditions: Scotland Being Scotland
Here’s where it gets interesting. The conditions were — how do we put this diplomatically? — *variable*. Thermals were strong when they appeared, but broken and intermittent. Some pilots pushed hard and made solid distance. Others sat tight, waiting for windows that opened and shut with frustrating speed.
By Saturday evening, most pilots had ticked off at least one task. A respectable result given what the Highlands threw at them.
Sunday brought a weather shift. The team set a shorter task — smart given the conditions — but those who read the day well found a gift: a convergence line that had set up over Loch Linnhe. Several pilots rode it all the way from Glencoe to Oban. And beyond.
At prize-giving, event organiser Mike Jardine kept it characteristically Scottish: **”This is Scotland – you get what you get.”**
And that’s exactly why we keep coming back.
## Why X-Scotia is Different
Compared to a standard competition, X-Scotia demands something most events don’t: you carry everything up the mountain yourself. No retrieve vehicle. No easy out. If you land somewhere awkward — which in Scotland is almost inevitable — you’re hiking out.
The physical challenge is as much a part of the event as the flying. And that changes how you fly. You take fewer risks. You plan more carefully. You think about every thermal as an investment, not just a boost.
## What Makes Glencoe Special
Let’s be honest: the flying terrain in the Scottish Highlands is unlike anywhere else in Europe. The views at 2,000m on a clear day — Mont Blanc visible to the east, the Atlantic to the west — are genuinely world-class. And the mix of ridge lift, thermals and convergence conditions makes for incredibly varied flying.
But it’s the community that makes X-Scotia. Pilots from across the UK and beyond, sharing a common love for the mountains and the sky. That’s the real prize.
*Ready to take on the Scottish Highlands? Whether you’re heading to Glencoe, the Alps or anywhere in between, having the right [fast packing bag](https://www.yowfly.com/product/fast-packing-bag/) makes all the difference on the hike up. Fly prepared. Fly safe.*
*Photos: Andy Howson*