Great Glen Way - Day 4

April 17, Monday. From Fort Augustus to Invermoriston. Official estimate 9.5 miles. iPhone claims it was only 8.8 miles. 

What a relaxed and beautiful walk today, fellow wayfarers. I only wish that photos could convey the spaciousness of climbing high and seeing distant horizons. I breathe differently with all that space and beauty around me. 

By choosing the high road I pretty much ruled out a close encounter with Nessie/Niseag. But I did find myself thinking of her and wondered whether I could have an imaginary encounter with her. (I mean, since imaginary Jesus healed my feet just a couple weeks ago, as so many years ago imaginary Professor Freud helped heal my soul, why should I not a have a visit or a conversation with imaginary Niseag, monster of Loch Ness?). The first thing Niseag said to me was that the distinction between imaginary and real was not the important one, far less important for example than that between friend and foe. But when I pointed out to her that one of my greatest lessons had been that we always hate the people we love (and vice versa), I wasn’t so sure about that distinction between friend and foe either. She acknowledged the truth of that one with a friendly smile and a wink. And we both gazed happily down at beautiful Loch Ness. 

I listened to Bobby Burns songs and poems again and I was struck by his passion for whisky. In one poem he describes whisky as his muse and the soul of play and pranks. But in another poem, written during a hangover after an all-night drinking spree, he also portrays the destructive side of whisky very powerfully. In fact he does so in a lot of poems. I got to thinking of whisky as both muse and monster. So maybe Niseag, monster of Loch Ness (for me) can be a personification of whisky. It was really great listening to Burns’ poems - so rooted in love of Scotland - while walking these hills. 

Early in the walk soon after I chose the high road I came to a small campsite beside a waterfall. I could feel a physical desire to camp there - listen to the water all night long - both longing for and cherishing the memory of my backpacking days. 

A little further on another brilliant waterfall

I found the descent very moving too. By then the sun had come out and was shining among the trees. I love seeing sun between trees. 

As I came down into Invermoriston there was a patch of that spring green that makes my heart sing even on a bad day. So today my heart was really singing -  “singing with all her heart” …“Singing her heart out” …The world seemed full of music…my heart joining in and adding to it. 

And then as I was entering town there seemed to be two ways I could go - I opted for the one that led to a bridge that looked too narrow for cars. And once again I had an experience of two nearby bridges, one older and from an earlier era. Here’s the view upstream from the old bridge, followed by the view downstream (of the newer bridge).

Then I clambered down some rocks and was reminded of how I love the physical intimacy of clambering - wrapping my arm around a rock or a tree to support me as I slide down or slip up in a place too steep and tight for ordinary walking. Here is the old bridge first, then the newer bridge seen from the rocks I clambered down to. 

And here is the information sign about the old bridge and then the view of it from the new bridge. 

When I got to town I stopped for a late lunch (2pm) so I had something to do before 4pm checkin at the B&B. I had a delicious lunch of wild garlic sausage over mashed potatoes with gravy (worthy of a standing ovation for its rich dark flavor) and broccolini and a very fresh little side salad. Served on beautiful handmade pottery. 

The young waiter talked about hiking up Ben Nevis (the tallest of the Munros - I went a little way up it on my rest day in Fort Williams) on a rainy cold day with no view. Pointless misery he thought though he clearly enjoyed telling the story. His ambition is to become a ski instructor and be able to work all over the world. When I told him I had a bit of time before checkin time he mentioned the bridge. We got into a conversation about how much we love bridges, then he said he also loves benches. Which made me think of the whole blog I did last year on the Freud Way and all the benches along it. I agree - I love benches too!

It’s 6:30 but still sunny. I’m relaxing in my room, sipping decaf, feeling happy. Which makes me think of “catch the moments as they fly,” a line from a Burns poem I listened to during todays walk. 

Here’s the poem 

Here's a Bottle

There's nane that's blest of human kind
But the cheerful and the gay, man.

Here's a bottle and an honest friend!
What wad ye wish for mair, man?
Wha kens, before his life may end,
What his share may be o' care, man?

Then catch the moments as they fly,
And use them as ye ought, man!
Believe me, Happiness is shy,
And comes not ay when sought, man!

Thank you for letting me share these shy moments of happiness (along with those of fear and exhaustion and disappointment). All we need now is a bottle!

One person told me tomorrows walk (if I choose the high route) is even more beautiful than today’s. May it be so, and may I be rested enough to enjoy it and to share it with you. Until then let us catch the moments as they fly.