Uncharted with Ray Goggins review: Cork comedian Kyla Cobbler opens up about dyspraxia
Ray Goggins, Kyla Cobbler and Angela Scanlon in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Picture: RTE.
Cork comedian Kyla Cobbler has opened up about her dyspraxia on the most recent episode of
Episode three of the new season of which sees well-known faces take on outdoor challenges designed to test their limits, saw the comedian and broadcaster Angela Scanlon join former special forces soldier Ray Goggins in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.
In an episode that explored themes of trust, connection, teamwork and friendship, Cobbler, Scanlon and Goggins came together as a team on their six-day adventure, navigating snowy conditions, intense technical challenges, and sheer rock faces.
Cobbler said that when the opportunity came to her doorstep, the only thing she didn’t want was snow – cue their extreme outdoor adventure in the heart of the Atlas Mountains.
Easing their nerves before taking off into the mountains, Goggins said: “It’s about the three of us getting through it together.” Early on, Cobbler opened up about having dyspraxia, a neurological condition that affects her balance and coordination.
“It’s this weird disconnect between your body and yourself,” she said, explaining that sometimes she can’t trust her own body, which she said can be scary.
The trio spoke about Cobbler and Scanlon’s public-facing jobs, and how they deal with the responsibility and scrutiny that oftentimes comes with being in the public eye.
After a quick first stop to refuel, they faced tough conditions after the highest snowfall recorded in the area in 30 years.
What begins as an ambitious week of climbing quickly becomes a battle, not just with the terrain, but with Cobbler and Scanlon’s shared fear of heights.
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Walking on the snow started “scaring the sh*t” out of Cobbler, and Scanlon’s maternal instincts quickly kicked in, comforting a visibly upset Cobbler.
“The tears are just that absolute lack of control. If I don’t cry, it’ll become a panic attack. It doesn’t stop me from doing anything and it doesn’t make me feel weak; it just lets me release the little pressure cooker and then I keep going,” she explained.
Just when the pair thought the hard part was over upon reaching the top of the snowy section of the hike, the downhill trek to their home for the night proved hard on the knees.
After nine hours of hiking, the trio reached their first rest stop, a remote mountain refuge.
“I thought we did a great aul job,” Scanlon said, reflecting on the day over a cup of tea.
A tough climb awaited Cobbler and Scanlon on day two of their six-day adventure, with Goggins offering his advice on how to tackle the mountains before they took off on foot.
The trio were met by Chris and TJ, two experienced mountain guides, who pushed them beyond their limits, tackling ledges and sheer drops along the way.
Cobbler and Scanlon did their best to bring humour to the challenge, but the mountains were humbling and the man-made Berber Highway, a winding, vertigo-inducing route carved into sheer cliffs, was stomach-turning.
“I’m doing it,” Cobbler said through tears, revealing on camera her fear of heights.
Meanwhile, Scanlon explained that Cobbler was expressing the things that she felt, meaning she could take on a different role.
“It’s almost like I need blinkers like a horse, and I just need to keep looking straight ahead,” Scanlon said.
About halfway up the Berber Highway, Cobbler and Scanlon realised they had to tackle an almost vertical ascent to the top, while clipping into chains.
Stopping for a snack — a half-boiled, cold spud — became one of the highlights of the trip for Cobbler.
“I love spuds. And see sitting in that f***ing mountain, with a half-boiled spud, not even a bit of butter on the spud,” she said on camera while clips of Cobbler shedding tears of joy while eating the spud were shown.
Reaching the top, the pair shed tears of joy and took it all in from the mountain ledge, before facing the climb down the other side of the mountain to reach camp for the night — a tent in the middle of the Atlas Mountains.
Over dinner by campfire, they shared their experiences of the day, with Goggins talking about how raw emotions become on the mountains and how the experience had created a microclimate of friendship building between the pair.
By day three, both Cobbler and Scanlon were extremely nervous, but took on the challenge of abseiling down a sheer rock face, belayed from the top by Goggins.
That evening, they were welcomed into the home of a local family where they would stay for the night.
Cobbler spoke about how they made such a connection with the family, despite not being able to understand each other’s languages.
“If you want to communicate with someone, you communicate. And it isn’t a question of words or language, it’s energy and good intention and love,” she said.
She also spoke of how good the food was, even when prepared with very little equipment.
“I have a NutriBullet, an air fryer and a slow cooker and a rice cooker and my food is sh*t. This woman has a terracotta pottery bowl, a spanner and a dead goat and it’s delicious,” she said.
Scanlon spoke about the happiness she felt in that moment, and how the simple things in life can truly mean the most.
Ahead of their final day, Cobbler and Scanlon shared a lovely moment while cooking sardines in a tin, reminiscing on their time together and their newfound friendship.
Thinking they might have been heading into an easier day, they soon realised they would be tackling a via ferrata route, climbing a vertical section of rock using rope.
Facing fears, they took what they had all learned about each other over the last few days and worked as a team, one unit taking on this sheer ascent.
Cobbler recognised a nervous Scanlon on the ascent and took on the role that Scanlon had initially taken on for her, offering words of encouragement and guiding Scanlon up the cliff face.
“Look, no tears,” Cobbler said as she removed her sunglasses, taking pride in her leadership skills and bravery on the climb.
Upon reaching the top, all three hugged it out with their guide and looked out over the rockface they had just conquered, hand in hand.
In that moment, all three took note of the six-day adventure they had just completed, and the connection they had built with one another in that time.
- continues next Wednesday on RTE One at 9.35pm.
