RELEASED online on Sunday night, ‘Cúchullain’ is the first episode in a six-part film series entitled Elemental Journeys, exploring the stories of people whose lives are defined by wild spaces and mountain adventures.
The first episode focuses on climber and writer Ian ‘Spike’ Sykes, whose life has been shaped by the Scottish Highlands and his experiences in the RAF Mountain Rescue team.
Cúchullain was shot in locations across Skye, from the dark walls of Garbh Corrie to the striking pinnacles of the Basteir Tooth. The film features a running sequence interwoven with a nostalgic interview with Spike and a rendition of The Grand Old Masters, a folk song written by the late Tom Patey as homage to his closest climbing friends including Jimmy Marshall and Don Whillans. On revisiting Loch Coruisk, Ian said the chance to shoot at Loch Coruisk was something he felt strongly about.