Highland company to lead trip to Panama where Scots tried to found colony

A Highland-based company has been selected to travel to a Panama, where thousands of Scots who were trying to set up a colony died hundreds of years ago.

Ullapool-based travel company Nomadic Skies will fly travellers to the Isthmus of Panama, previously known as the Darien Isthmus, where they will hear about the tragedy between 1698 and 1700.

The trip, scheduled for April 2027, comes almost 330 years after the Scots attempted to set up the colony.

The majority of those who died fell from disease, starvation, the harsh climate and terrain.

Others died due to lack of support from other friendly colonies, namely due to pressure from the Spanish, who considered the area their land and often had fierce clashes with other settlers.

It is estimated that around 2,000 died in total over the two-year timeframe.

Gavin Anderson, founder of Nomadic Skies, says the idea for the trip came after his colleague, filmmaker James Appleton, spent a week as a guest in Darien’s Guna region.

Mr Appleton said: “The jungle reclaims things quickly, but the place names are still there, and you get a feel of what it must have been like, centuries ago.

“I think it is important that it is a Scottish company doing this for the first time, in this way.

“Aside from the rich history, this is a good fit for us, as a company which works in tandem with local communities. It will be nice, this time, to go back and signpost Darien as a Scottish success story.”

There remains places with Scottish names in the region, such as Fort St Andrews and Caledonia, which serve as echoes of the failed colony.

It is understood that investors who had given funds to the project agreed to English compensation after its failure, which inspired Robert Burns’ “bought and sold for English gold – such a parcel of rogues in a nation” line.

Founder Mr Anderson said: “It’s remarkable to be doing this, all these years later.

“When learning about Darien in school, it was painted as an ill-judged disaster and total madness, but if you read the more nuanced accounts, it’s perhaps not the full picture.

“We actually discussed with one of the local guides why he felt the Scots failed. He said the Guna have lived there thousands of years.

“They had learned the skills needed to survive. The Scotsmen simply didn’t have enough time to adapt.”

April’s 11-day trip, finishing in Darien, will begin in Panama City.