Great Glen Way - Day 3
April 16, Sunday. South Laggan to Fort Augustus. 12 miles official estimate. My iPhone claimed 13.5 and my body claimed at least 25!
Then I found myself back on the Way, this portion close beside the Caledonian Canal again.
Soon though we were diverted to an alternate (because of forestry work, I think) that climbed a bit. I was already feeling a wee bit unresponsive to beauty and began to challenge myself to find things that gave me a happy feeling. I noticed that the color I think of as spring green had that effect - evoked a physical feeling of happiness. There, through the trees, do you see it?
Unfortunately there were more areas of cut trees - with just a few what I presumed to be native Scottish birches left standing - and once again I was pondering the death of the trees. I don’t think if they were harvesting for timber they would have cut them all down but rather thinned them. Not that I really know.
It’s funny - I have walked through areas where lots of trees have been killed by fire and simply accepted it as part of what is. I have difficulty, (emotionally, not theoretically) accepting human design (whether motivated by commercial greed or engineered “re-wilding”) as just part of what is.
And to the way this big tree, fallen directly across the trail (though by now there was a well established detour) served as a nurse log for rhododendrons. I’d love to see them in full bloom - though that may be years down the road!
I also had to smile at this relic of a now almost forgotten pre-cell phone era. Do you remember the era of the pay phone booth? How would Clark Kent ever have transformed into Superman without them?
I am having so much fun I can hardly believe I didn’t actually enjoy the walk as much as I am enjoying re-imagining it with you! Thank you again (and again) for walking with me and making this possible.
Ironically, the stone bridge I had walked over looked very pretty when viewed from the suspension bridge (which was also much more lovely seen from a distance!)
I have a special love for bridges. In my childhood dreams they came to represent the hope of building a connection between my divorced warring parents and the divided parts of myself that identified with them.
But before long I realized it was also a wee bit boring. I remembered Freud suggesting to me during our analysis that I whipped up many emotional storms - tempests in teapots - because my deepest fear was really of boredom. He suggested that I could not experience peace if I were unable to tolerate boredom. this led too much reverie on the walk as to just what boredom is and why I have difficulty tolerating it. I decided that in this case it was exhaustion and that the search for excitement or stimulation was actually an attempt to jump start my motor when tired. Maybe boredom is a sign that I need rest, rather than excitement? What a concept.
I am sitting in breakfast sunshine on Monday April 17, in the youth hostel at Fort Augustus. I was so exhausted yesterday I could barely keep walking. I made up lots of theories for why I was so tired - low blood sugar after the ginger cake high, too much gluten, seasonal allergies, a cold. Then came the astounding possibility that I might simply be tired from walking! I had after all discontinued training for two months prior to leaving because of the foot injury. Maybe my somewhat untrained body is simply exhausted from walking. The sad part was that it was very gentle weather - light intermittent rain but never enough to wrestle out my rain gear, the sun peaking out ever so briefly once or twice just to remind us it was there, the temperature just right for walking - but my exhaustion made it hard to be fully present and feel the beauty at a deep level. 😥
So I hope that now after nearly 12 hours of sleep and with a short day ahead (9.5 miles is the estimate), that I can relive the walk a little as I share it with you and take it more fully into my soul.
As I walked away from Laura and Lorraine’s Forest Lodge, Laura popped out of a door and gave me a big warm goodbye hug. She said she had looked up Orcas Island, read that one could see Orca whales there (something she had always wanted to do), and really hoped to come visit. So I may get a chance to reciprocate a bit of their brilliant hospitality. Though I will insist she share her ginger cake recipe.
There was a brief walk through pasture lands from the lodge to the Way. I love seeing the sheep against the backdrop of the hills.
Then I found myself back on the Way, this portion close beside the Caledonian Canal again.
Soon though we were diverted to an alternate (because of forestry work, I think) that climbed a bit. I was already feeling a wee bit unresponsive to beauty and began to challenge myself to find things that gave me a happy feeling. I noticed that the color I think of as spring green had that effect - evoked a physical feeling of happiness. There, through the trees, do you see it?
Unfortunately there were more areas of cut trees - with just a few what I presumed to be native Scottish birches left standing - and once again I was pondering the death of the trees. I don’t think if they were harvesting for timber they would have cut them all down but rather thinned them. Not that I really know.
It’s funny - I have walked through areas where lots of trees have been killed by fire and simply accepted it as part of what is. I have difficulty, (emotionally, not theoretically) accepting human design (whether motivated by commercial greed or engineered “re-wilding”) as just part of what is.
On my way down from the diversion of the trail I came to a small stream and was struck how little photographs convey the beauty I experience in streams. I decided the music was essential to what makes it beautiful, so I decided to make a short video. I hope I will be able to post it. Looks like I have to post it on YouTube first and to do that I need to download an app! Better charge ahead while my weak cellular data and the weak wifi hear figure out weather between them they can download the app. (It’s a quarter downloaded now - a very good sign).
Besides the spring green, I found a little spark of joy in response to the beauty of this simple building.
And to the way this big tree, fallen directly across the trail (though by now there was a well established detour) served as a nurse log for rhododendrons. I’d love to see them in full bloom - though that may be years down the road!
I also had to smile at this relic of a now almost forgotten pre-cell phone era. Do you remember the era of the pay phone booth? How would Clark Kent ever have transformed into Superman without them?
I am having so much fun I can hardly believe I didn’t actually enjoy the walk as much as I am enjoying re-imagining it with you! Thank you again (and again) for walking with me and making this possible.
As I was crossing a bridge to return to the walk alongside the canal, I saw a graceful suspension bridge just a wee bit downstream (and so wished I were crossing on it that I detoured to walk on it and read about its history).
Ironically, the stone bridge I had walked over looked very pretty when viewed from the suspension bridge (which was also much more lovely seen from a distance!)
I have a special love for bridges. In my childhood dreams they came to represent the hope of building a connection between my divorced warring parents and the divided parts of myself that identified with them.
As I began to walk along the Caledonian Canal again I was struck by how peaceful the walk was.
But before long I realized it was also a wee bit boring. I remembered Freud suggesting to me during our analysis that I whipped up many emotional storms - tempests in teapots - because my deepest fear was really of boredom. He suggested that I could not experience peace if I were unable to tolerate boredom. this led too much reverie on the walk as to just what boredom is and why I have difficulty tolerating it. I decided that in this case it was exhaustion and that the search for excitement or stimulation was actually an attempt to jump start my motor when tired. Maybe boredom is a sign that I need rest, rather than excitement? What a concept.
So I made it at last to my destination. Tomorrow (oops today it’s already Monday here isn’t it?) we walk along Loch Ness and I promise you in tomorrow’s blog an exclusive interview with the beloved and famous Niseag (aka Ness or Nessie) monster of Loch Ness! See you then and thank you. 🙏
River - I love that image of the other bridge in the distance always looking more exciting, and your thoughts about boredom and peace. Imagining walking these walks one day and visiting you and Chris on Orcas and getting you to come to Sewanee to walk there some day.
ReplyDeleteDear Trudy, thank you for reading. I have always loved being with you - Orcas, Tennessee, the moon … let’s do it. 💕
DeleteI loved the two bridges...both so beautiful and both so close together. Has your foot continued to remain unbothersome?
ReplyDeleteFunny isn’t it - bridges connect two separate shores usually across bodies of water. But two bridges form a kind of pair, or reflections. Something fun about them being together. So far so good with my feet. They’re a little tender today after a bit of walk on paved surfaces. And I worry about my walk tomorrow - another relatively long walk (20 miles) and with alas a lot of paved surfaces. - Riv (wish I knew which anonymous you are!)
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