The Mountain

From Cloud Walking

“The Mountain” is the opening track to Alice Boyd’s second EP, Cloud Walking. The project draws deeply from her experiences on a recent expedition into Scotland's Cairngorm Mountains, retracing the footsteps of pioneering Scottish nature writer Nan Shepherd (1893-1981).

In September 2023, Boyd joined eight women on a four-day expedition through the Cairngorms as part of The Following Nan Project, inspired by Nan Shepherd’s seminal work The Living Mountain. The group hiked, camped, and embraced Shepherd’s philosophy of slow exploration. These experiences shaped Cloud Walking, a collection of songs blending folk-inspired harmonies, chamber pop instrumentation, and field recordings captured by Boyd during the journey.

Song by Alice Boyd

Recorded and produced by Alice Boyd

Vocals and synth by Alice Boyd

Backing vocals by Daisy Russell and Jacob Norris

Harp by Rachel Kitchlew

Saxophone by Amy Howard

Mixed by Liam Evans

Mastered by Katie Tavini

Artwork by Morvern Graham


Full EP