We’ve recently taken a little time out to walk The West Highland Way in Scotland. We packed our waterproofs, woolly hats and gloves but the weather was so glorious that we walked in shirt sleeves every day. The route took us ninety-six miles from Milngavie (just north of Glasgow) along the banks of Loch Lomond, across the wilderness of Rannoch Moor, up the Devil’s Staircase and into Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis.
Sometimes the path was broad.
Sometimes we had to scramble up a few rocks.
But wherever we walked, the views were amazing and very different from home. Somehow, walking makes me feel part of the landscape as opposed to driving, when everything flashes by and I feel I’m just watching it.
It was a great chance to get away from everything; to stretch out on a rock in the sunshine and do nothing at all for ten minutes; to dip toes in the pool at the bottom of a waterfall (very quickly because the water was very cold); to eat enormous breakfasts; to wonder when we’d next see a fresh vegetable on our plates; to slow down and simply enjoy “being”.
And after seven days of walking, we jumped on a train that took just four hours to return us to the start. Suddenly life was back at full speed. Bother.