Waypoints: My Scottish Journey

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I honestly do not think any other person could accurately give us the most authentic version of such a beloved character.

Balfe and Heughan are quick to attribute the show’s success to each other, and anyone who watches the show will tell you it’s both of them together that make this show stand out.Sam Heughan (of “Outlander” fame) has penned a part memoir, part Scottish travelogue that is similar to his previous work (published with “Outlander” co-star Graham McTavish), “Clanlands” but it is also very different. Discover how dedication, friendship/companionship, and determination get Sam to complete the 96-mile West Highland Way trek through the Scottish Highlands. Heughan’s memoir is a vulnerable, emotional ride through Scotland, with Heughan as the witty, weather-challenged, guide of a great journey, juxtaposed with the story of his childhood, the tough road as a struggling actor, his relationship with his family, being raised by a single mother, and a devastatingly honest look into his father’s abandonment and reappearance. The stories about acting school and his struggles and wins as he went after his career are honest and from the heart. Waypoints is a surprisingly good book about mental health, due to Heughan’s candor about anxiety, confidence, body issues, and relationship challenges.

Sam is a figure of fascinating contrasts, a Hollywood star with deep roots in rural Scotland, he’s both outgoing and content in his own company. In this book, Sam talks about his life growing up, struggles of not having a father in his life, the start of his acting career, his travels in Scotland and so much more. He is a hugely dedicated author who continues to grow in this space, and I feel especially excited to see this book connect with readers and show another side to Sam.

In this journey of self-discovery, Sam Heughan sets out along the West Highland Way to explore his heritage and reflect on the personal waypoints that define him. Although Heughan begins his journey walking alone, the most humorous moments in the book are when you can tell he misses human interaction. Her hobbies include perpetual coffee sipping and pretending to be a Chopped contestant while cooking. Thankfully, his resilience/belief in himself paid off eventually, securing the role of a certain charismatic Highlander, a role that couldn’t have been more tailor-made. Sam is Jamie Fraser and has won the hearts of many women across the globe, including me 🫠 I especially enjoyed the photos and the Outlander content, although I wished there had been more, not just because I’m a fan but because it was just so satisfying to witness him realise his dream.

He reveals just enough of what has shaped him as a man/actor, while still maintaining the privacy he has come to covet for his personal relationships with those closest to him. At points I felt my own feet and bones ache as it's so descriptive about his travels along the West Highland Way you feel your traipsing along with him. He shares with us how he juggles priorities, projects, and the way he told this was like a true story of his life. One of the best parts of the book is the self-deprecating humor with which Heughan tells stories from his past. Heughan breaks down the book in sections rather than chapters, each section associated with one day of his walking journey (for a total of seven, not including the foreword, prologue and epilogue).Some of the best parts of the book are when he runs into random strangers in the wild and then they suffer, er… enjoy, walking together through miserable weather elements, shin splints and aching Achilles. I actually appreciate that he doesn’t try to invent trauma or drama where it doesn’t exist and is honest about his life.