BBC ALBA follows the Gaelic trail to ‘the end of the world’ in stunning new Patagonia series
BBC ALBA’s breathtaking new two-part documentary, Patagonia – Cuàirt gu Crìoch na Cruinne (A Journey to the End of the World), invites viewers on an extraordinary expedition across South America, retracing the footsteps of Scots who ventured to the remote region of Patagonia more than a century ago.
From the hills and lochs of North Uist to the towering glaciers and open plains of Chile and Argentina, Hebridean crofter, Keith MacDonald, rides his motorcycle deep into the heart of Patagonia – a continent he lived and worked in a decade ago.
What begins as a personal quest soon becomes a powerful story of survival and reconnection as Keith explores the elemental landscapes, genealogical secrets and dramatic history of one of the least known parts of the world.
At every junction Keith uncovers the story of the Scottish pioneers who uprooted their families to emigrate across the Atlantic Ocean, to Patagonia, in search of a better life.
Along the way, Keith learns about how gauchos still have to overcome vast distances and relentless winds to make a precarious living from this unforgiving territory.
But the journey is more than just an educational one, as he connects with his ancestors, a long way from his home in North Uist, and from their roots in Achmore on the Isle of Lewis.
Episode one sees Keith travel through Chilean Patagonia, reaching Puerto Natales where he joins a traditional sheep drive across rugged landscapes. Under the guidance of a local farmer — a proud descendant of Scottish settlers — Keith learns the time-honoured techniques passed down through generations. But what lessons can he take back to his own croft in Scotland?
While in Chile, he learns to tame wild horses, attempts to capture a rogue bull and ventures into the stunning mountains of Torres del Paine National Park where he tracks elusive pumas and observes baby guanacos up close in their natural habitat. The episode culminates in the remote city of Punta Arenas, in the far south of the continent, where Keith meets his relatives and hears stories about their ancestors’ tough lives.
In episode two, Keith’s journey takes him deep into Argentine Patagonia, where he kayaks to the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier — a natural wonder now beginning to show the first signs of retreat due to climate change. At one of the few surviving cattle ranches within the vast Los Glaciares National Park, he swaps his motorcycle for horseback joining a team of gauchos as they round up livestock in the shadow of towering peaks.
Pushing further south than he’s ever travelled, Keith reaches Tierra del Fuego, a windswept archipelago off the southern tip of the continent.
There, he uncovers the harrowing legacy of Alexander MacLennan — known as “The Red Pig” – a Scottish settler whose brutal role in the genocide of the region’s Indigenous peoples casts a dark shadow over this chapter of Scottish emigration history.
Crofter Keith MacDonald said: “I never imagined, a decade on from my last visit, that I could still be so entranced with South America, but here I am, more captivated than ever. I met some extraordinary people along the way, encountered wildlife in all its natural splendour and travelled through some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth.
“From time to time when you travel, you meet people who have a deep connection to a special place. Our Scottish descendants have an important role to play as custodians of the land and the environment, and it’s important to keep the freedoms and traditions of the Patagonian lifestyle alive.
“I have returned home with new ideas and new friends, and meeting relatives on my mother’s side is something extremely special to me. Only a few generations ago the Scots were true pioneers, a tough experience but one that seemed well worth it. The heart and soul of Patagonia remains as vibrant and enduring as ever.”
Episode one of Patagonia – Cuàirt gu Crìoch na Cruinne (A Journey to the End of the World) premiers on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Wednesday 18 June at 9pm, (in Gaelic with English subtitles).Watch live or on demand: BBC ALBA – Patagonia – Episode guide
